Ship Diorama “The Nawadaha”

American, mid-19th century.
Carved and painted pine.
Nawadaha was a fishing schooner built in Essex in 1859 and owned by H. C. Knapp & Co.
On March 16, 1864 she sailed out of Gloucester, Massachusetts with nine crewmen aboard. The schooner vanished, probably sinking in a gale on the Georges Bank March 22-23. All nine crew members were lost:
James Powers, master, leaves a widow and four children
Edward Powers, his brother, leaves three orphan children of his sister, to whom he acted as guardian, and who were partially dependent upon him for support
Michael Maddox, nephew to master
John Handrahan, of Newburyport, leaves a widow and five children
Peter Giddings, leaves a mother in Newburyport
William Murphy
Alex Maney
Daniel Cashman
One man, name unknown
The Nawadaha was 93 tons burthen. She was valued with her outfits at $7,000, on which there was an insurance of $4,500, at the Gloucester Mutual Fishing Office and $2,000 at the Washington Office, Boston.
Provenance: Private Collection, Nantucket, Massachusetts