Source Sailing Vessels and Crews of Carbonear by Frank Saunders

Capt. Nicholas Kennedy

"Around 1900, Crosbies purchased the barquentine ICH DIEN. Capt. Nicholas Kennedy was appointed master and he sailed her for about four years, mostly in the Brazilian trade. The ship had returned from a voyage and was loading drum fish at Baird’s premises in St. John’s , While the captain was on shore for the night, the watchman on duty noticed smoke protruding from the ship. An alarm was rung in and in a matter of minutes the firemen were on the scene. A ship on fire is a different fire to fight than one on the land, especially when the fire is below the deck. However, this was the plight of the ICH DIEN, Capt. William, Capt. Nicholas’s brother was in port in the JESSIE L. SMITH and and they managed to manoever the barquentine clear of the wharf, where she burnt out.

Capt. Nicholas Kennedy sailed ships until they were either lost or worn out. Around the early thirties, sailing ships had just about all disappeared as carriers of freight. Capt. Kennedy came ashore and retired from the sea. "