Station Mantoloking, New Jersey
Formerly Swan Point
USLSS Station #11, Fourth District
Coast Guard Station #107
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Location:
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Near north end of Island Beach, abreast of Barnegat Bay, 6 3/4 miles south of Sea Girt Light; 40-01' 40"N x 74-03' 10"W
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Date of Conveyance:
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1879
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Station Built:
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1872
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Fate:
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Turned over to the GSA in 1953
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Remarks:
Mantoloking station was built in 1872 "two and one-half miles south of the head of Barnegat Bay." Until June 1, 1883, this station was referred to as the Swan Point station. The 1898 Annual Report mentions that "new buildings adapted to present requirements are being erected in place of old and inadequate ones" at this station. In 1938, the station appeared in the records as an inactive station. The property was turned over to GSA in 1953.
Keepers:
Early keepers were James Numan (an "experienced surfman," he was appointed at the age of 36 on November 22, 1872, and served until he was removed on November 10, 1874), John L. Dorsett (November 10, 1874, until he resigned in March, 1876), Wesley J. Pearce (March 15, 1876, until he was removed December 26, 1877), Britton C. Miller (appointed at the age of 50 on December 20, 1877, he served until his death some time in August, 1880), Lewis Truex (appointed August 17, 1880, he served until his resignation due to physical reasons on October 10, 1894). Abner R. Herbert (appointed November 17, 1894, he remained until his transfer September 19, 1909 to Bayhead station), Howard M. Homer (appointed September 20, 1909, he was here until reassigned to Monmouth Beach station October 27, 1919), and Frederick C. Bailey (reassigned October 27, 1919 from Long Beach station, reassigned to the Toms River station on June 1, 1923). The last two recorded officers in charge were Chief Petty Officer W. H. Wilbur (in 1927) and Chief Petty Officer W. E. Sturm (in 1935).
Keeper Britton C. Miller and surfmen William H. Brower, Louis Truex, Abram J. Jones, Charles W. Flemming and Demerest T. Herbert were awarded gold life-saving medals for their actions at the wreck of the schooner George Taulane on February 3, 1880. The medals were awarded "in honor of conduct seldom equaled and never surpassed in the history of the life-saving effort." The crew of the Green Island station were also recognized; their names are given below. Keeper Miller died before he could be awarded his medal. In the worst recorded storm which caused wrecks up and down the seaboard, the George Taulane was making for New York with a cargo of cordwood and a crew of seven men. Standing offshore in the dead of night in a furious gale and snowstorm, the vessels cargo shifted; shortly thereafter, it was discovered that the ship was on fire, probably from the forecastle stove, and the flames spread to her deck load. The crew got the fire out by jettisoning that part of the cargo that was burning, but in the confusion, her position was lost. The leeway afforded by the high deck load and the action of the sea forced the ship ashore, letting go the anchors proved fruitless. She was soon spotted by patrolmen from both stations and the crews turned out. As she drifted along shore, she was followed by the life-saving crews, one of which had brought the mortar cart. The tide was four feet above normal and trekking along the beach was an ordeal in itself. Time after time, the Lyle gun was planted on a hillock and fired toward the schooner, but efforts were defeated by the weather, the waves, or the distance. The physical exertion was incredible, both by the station crews and by volunteers from the area, who were also honored by the award of the gold life—saving medal. After numerous tries, a line was gotten to the men in the rigging and the breeches-buoy rigged. Five were saved.
Photographs:
No caption/date/photo number; photographer unknown. Probably 1930s.
Courtesy of Van Field.
"MANTOLOKING"; no date/photo number; photographer unknown. Probably 1930s.
Courtesy of Van Field.
Sources:
Station History File, CG Historian’s Office
Dennis L. Noble & Michael S. Raynes. “Register of the Stations and Keepers of the U.S. Life-Saving Service.” Unpublished manuscript, compiled circa 1977, CG Historian’s Office collection.
Ralph Shanks, Wick York & Lisa Woo Shanks. The U.S. Life-Saving Service: Heroes, Rescues and Architecture of the Early Coast Guard. Petaluma, CA: Costaño Books, 1996.
U.S. Treasury Department: Coast Guard. Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers and Cadets and Ships and Stations of the United States Coast Guard, July 1, 1941. Washington, DC: USGPO, 1941.