During the early twentieth century, sailing vessels were the lifelines for island residents. Below are the stories of some of them and their tragic fates. 📚 1912 – SYRIA 1916 – SPIDER 1920s – EAGLE 1923 – LA GRACIA 1930s – TO WINDWARD 1930s – FANCY ME The Courageous Captain Sewer The Danish sloop, Irma II carried mail, supplies, and passengers as far […]
🇺🇸 St. Thomas
How One Woman Opened the Doorway for Commercial Flights to the US Virgin Islands ~ 1930s
At a time when women became teachers, nurses, and housewives, Clara Livingston became an aviatrix! ✈ As a young girl, Clara fell in love with flying. When she inherited her family’s beachside property in Puerto Rico, she converted a portion into a landing strip. Flying to St. Thomas & St. Croix In 1931, she purchased a Rearwin biplane, […]
The 3 Most Captivating Qualities About St. Thomas ~ 1912
St. Thomas, with its beautiful, commodious harbour and strategic position in the Caribbean, has attracted visitors for hundreds of years. In March of 1912, one visitor was so impressed with her experiences on the island, that she wrote a letter to the local newspaper. Mrs. McDonald and her family were traveling on the Victoria Louise, bound from New York to St. Thomas. Below are a […]
Leon A. Mawson Remembers Civil Rights Leader, Rothschild Francis ~ 1930s
In 1987, Leon A. Mawson published his first book, Persecuted and Prosecuted. It was about the life of the Civil Rights leader, Rothschild “Polly” Francis. While working as a court stenographer in St. Thomas during the late 1920’s, Mr. Mawson was privy to the prejudices and injustices directed at Mr. Francis in the court room. As a reluctant […]
How a Small, Ceramic Ornament Brought Back Memories of Childhood ~ 1930s
Have you ever encountered an object from your childhood that you haven’t seen in years, and all of a sudden, a flood of memories returned that you had long forgotten? This happened to our mother recently when she spotted a delicate figurine, originally belonging to her grandmother, on a relative’s bookshelf. Her family member was given the item […]
The Formation of the St. Thomas Rifle Club ~ 1935
The Rifle Club Besides classic cars, the men in our family loved target practice! Leon A. Mawson, Henry O. Creque, and Dante de Lagarde enjoyed this sport as well as their friends, Albert Commissiong, Carl Martin, Denis Souffront, Norman Griggs and Mr. Towles. Forming the Rifle Club In 1935, an additional nine members joined together to form an official […]
ELSIE BAKER Performs in the Virgin Islands! ~ 1932
In the 1930s, famous celebrities were invited to the islands by the first civilian Governor, Dr. Paul M. Pearson. He held a deep love for the arts and believed the island community would as well. One of the first artists he invited was Louise Stallings. Others included the Hampton Quartette, the poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay, as […]
How Early Medical Pioneers Made a Difference ~ 1932
KUDOS to the early medical pioneers that advocated for higher levels of health care in the islands! Dr. Mortenson, Dr. Knud-Hansen, Dr. Christensen, Dr. Stafford, Dr. Lanclos and Dr. Sumner were just a few of the individuals who made a difference in the medical and dental fields during the early twentieth century. Prior to 1917, there were just a few dedicated […]