WILLEY, Jacob

WILLEY, Jacob F. ( -1924) = Frances M. Willey

In the News~

August 12, 1897 [LAT]: “While J. Willey was out with his glassbottom boat yesterday, at the kelp beds, near Sugar Loaf, he noticed a large skeleton in the water. It is apparently the remains of some marine monster. The bones are large, some of them being six feet in length, and are plainly seen through the clear water. Capt. Willey has been a sea-faring man for twenty-seven years, but has never seen anything of the kind before, and nobody here seems to be able to diagnose the skeleton. It lies in about fifteen feet of water.”

November 25, 1897 [LAT/SP]: “The operations of the California Fish Company have had a temporary interruption because of a difference of opinion existing between the management and the Federal authorities. This difference affects only the gasoline schooner Alpha, which has been used in catching the sardines packed by the company. The license for the Alpha expired on November 18 and the customhouse officers have refused to issue a new license. The boat has been in charge of one man holding a master’s and an engineer’s license. The company contends that, as the boat does not carry passengers for hire, only on licensed officer is necessary. The position assumed by the government is that the boat should carry a licensed master and another man who is a licensed engineer. Pending a settlement of the case, the company is fitting out the schooner J. Willey, which will be in use by next Monday, in place of the Alpha. The sardines packed at the cannery have hitherto been caught from the Alpha, which would pass over all the waters of this neighborhood in search of the fish. Not infrequently big catches would be made near Catalina Island and other distant points.”

March 20, 1901 [LAT/SP]: “The California Fish Company is about to expand its facilities for catching sardines for the operation of its packing plant at East San Pedro. The twenty-four-horsepower gasoline engine, which for several years has been in use in the company’s powerboat Alpha, will be installed in the company’s schooner, J. Willey, and a sixty-horse-power gasoline engine will be installed in the Alpha, so as to increase her speed to ten miles per hour. That will give the company two powerboats suitable for the pursuit of the sardines.”

June 5, 1901 [LAT/SP]: “The new engines for the California Fish Company’s sardine-fishing boat Alpha, arrived from San Francisco on the steamer Corona Monday. The engines which have been used in the Alpha will be installed in the company’s boat J. Willey, so that the company may have two powerboats instead of one cruising for sardines.”

August 14, 1904 [LAH]: “San Pedro, August 13. The launch J. Wiley, owned by the California Fish Company, was burned to the water's edge in the inner harbor this evening. The fire was caused by the explosion of a gasoline stove. Lloyd H. Castle, a member of the crew, received painful burns, and it is possible that the flame which he inhaled will prove fatal. Two other members of the crew — Captain Charles Bell and Ed Grant — were on deck at the time of the explosion. They escaped uninjured to the dock. The J. Wiley had all her stores and provisions on board and was ready to start for San Nicolas with J. W. McGimpsey and a party of fishermen. Among other stores in the hold were 300 gallons of high-gravity gasoline. When this exploded the flames leaped high in the air, the flying sparks menacing the shipping and lumberyards and wharves. Ed Duffy, the local ferryman, did excellent service in towing numerous boats out of the path of the burning vessel. The Alpha, Elsie and Belle were directly in her path, with no one on board to care for them. These were towed to a safe mooring by Duffy, and the J. Willey was left to drift into the mud flats far up the stream. The J. Willey was built in 1896 by Charles Cookson for John Willey. She was valued at $4000. She is a total loss. Lloyd Castler, the burned man, states that he engaged in cooking supper. He stepped on deck and upon his return found the flame had gone out in the gasoline stove. He touched a match to relight the gasoline and the explosion followed. The fire endangered millions of dollars' worth of shipping and lumber in the harbor front. The burning of the J. Willey will cause at least the temporary abandonment of an expedition that gave promise of serious results, possibly entailing the intervention of the United States government and the services of a revenue cutter. W. J. McGimpsey of San Pedro claims to own San Nicholas (sic) Island, seventy miles southwest of here, and the exclusive fishing privileges in the surrounding waters within the three mile limit. These waters are noted as the best crayfishing grounds on the south coast. McGimpsey claims to have obtained San Nicholas Island ownership from the United States and states that the federal government has offered to protect this ownership with a revenue cutter, if necessary. At present between thirty and forty independent crayfishermen are camped on San Nicholas Island, waiting for the season to open August 15. These men dispute the alleged exclusive ownership claim and assert their right to fish San Nicolas Island preserves at will. McGimpsey has outfitted the J. Willey and was about to sail for the island with the avowed intention of evicting the thirty or forty campers. Those who are best advised prophesied grave trouble when the McGimpsey crew should have landed.”

August 16, 1904 [LAT]: “Game Warden W. B. Morgan recently had about as close a call from burning at sea as he ever will have, and escape from it. Saturday night Morgan, C. O. Bell, W. J. McGimpsey and others had arranged for a cruise to San Nicolas Island on the gasoline launch boat J. Willey, belonging to the California Fish Company, and occasionally used in the sardine trade. While the Willey was lying at her berth alongside the California Fish Company’s wharf at about 7:30 o’clock Saturday evening, Morgan, McGimpsey and Bell were standing on the pier over her, waiting for the crew to announce that all was ready, when, without warning, a terrific explosion occurred; the hatches of the boat were blown off, a pillar of fire burst from her engine room and shot up in the air, while an agonized shout for help came from below… The man below was rescued, badly burned, and with all possible expedition the Willey was towed out into the channel away from the wharf, which she was setting on fire. She burned until 10:30 and illuminated the entire bay. Morgan’s mission to San Nicolas was to set free some hundreds of lobsters which fishermen at that place had illegally trapped and were keeping alive waiting for yesterday, which marked the opening of the season. Morgan was forced to call the trip off…”

November 26, 1924 [Catalina Islander]: “Funeral services for "Cap" Jacob Willey, veteran sea captain and for many years an Avalon resident, were held Monday from the Bagley funeral parlors, Los Angeles. Captain Willey died Saturday at his home, 2009-1/2 North Bronson Ave. Hollywood. He was 84 years of age. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Frances M. Willey, who is some two years older than was her husband, and by three sons and two daughters. The following Avalon boatmen were pall bearers at the funeral: Capt. John Edmundson, Capt. Enos Vera, Capt. Sam Goudling and Capt. Hugh MaKay. For many years Captain Jacob Willey was a familiar figure on the streets of Avalon. He was loved by all who knew him. His pleasure fishing launch the J. Willey, was always a model of cleanliness, and each morning "Cap" Would put on a small white apron and greet his patrons with a cheery "Good Morning." An anchor floral piece was sent to the funeral by the many Avalon friends of the bereaved wife and family, and the Islander has been requested to convey an expression of sincere sympathy to Mrs. Willery, who was always the constant companion of her husband and family.”