A very promiment industry back in 'Old Barnegat' was out at sea. Many local captains utilized the nearby Barnegat Bay and the outer sea for fishing, crabbing, clamming, transporting goods, gunning parties, and much more. Many ships were built right in Barnegat from small sneakboxes (small boats used for hunting ducks) to large multi masted schooners. Although it was a profitable venture, it was also very risky as many captains unfortunately died out at sea.
Barnegat once had a yacht club for many of these captains from September 5th, 1903 to the mid-1930s. When established: H. C. Fleming was the Commodore, Joseph Howard Perrine was the Vice-Commodore, Zade Simmerman was the Rear-Commodore, Dr. W. R. Barrett was the Secretary, D. G. Conrad was the Treasurer, and C. M. Conrad was the Official Measurer. Their clubhouse was located on Bayshore Drive, it no longer exists, the site today is now condos.Â
This page attempts to list some of the many sea captains that were once in Barnegat. For an (incomplete) list of other businesses of 'Old Barnegat', consider visiting the Businesses of Old Barnegat page. This list is not in any certain order.
Capt. George Collins Warren | January 18th, 1950 - March 10th, 1913 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Owen Francis Ridgway | April 14th, 1913 - April 1994 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. William Henry Ridgway | May 6th, 1878 - November 4th, 1936 | Buried in Barnegat.
Capt. Walter W. Ridgway | February 13th, 1863 - October 28th, 1880 | "Rita R." | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Harrison "Harry" Birdsall Ridgway | October 1875 - March 12th, 1954 | "Amos N Andy" | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. John Ashley Brown | June 17th, 1831 - September 28th, 1874 | Lost at sea.
Capt. Joseph A. Pharo | 1829 - 1908 | Buried in Barnegat.
Capt. Henry Reeves | 1848 - October 24th, 1928 | (?)
Capt. John S. Hankins | May 24th, 1848 - July 10th, 1921 | Schooner "Jennie E. Righter" | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Ralph Mills Collins | August 8th, 1836 - October 22nd, 1922 | Schooner "Susan E. Jayne" | Buried in Barnegat.
Capt. Fred L. Bahr | July 18th, 1900 - July 23rd, 1991 | Yacht "Nautliss" | Buried in Barnegat.
Capt. Edwin A. Falkinburg | 1847 - October 13th, 1899 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Henry A. Smith | February 1863 - 1940 | Buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Cedar Run, New Jersey.
Capt. Bennington Fitz Randolph | September 8th, 1843 - November 29th, 1890 | Schooner "Francis Halleck" | Lost at sea.
Capt. William T. Fitz Randolph | December 25th, 1838 - 1910 | Schooners "T. Morris Perot" and "Stephen Lozo" | (?)
Capt. Ezra Soper | August 12th, 1823 - January 28th, 1898 | Buried at Bayview New York Cemetery in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Capt. Samuel Forman Perrine Jr. | 1840 - 1916 | Schooner "Sans Souci" | (?)
Capt. Lorin W. Bugbee | February 16th, 1848 - September 4th, 1934 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. William Cox | February 10th, 1819 - May 23rd, 1903 | Buried in Barnegat.
Capt. James Bodine | January 9th, 1824 - March 9th, 1874 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Benjamin Predmore | August 1826 - October 5th, 1910 | Buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Waretown, New Jersey.
Capt. John Richard King | July 1838 - November 10th, 1930 | Buried in Barnegat.
Capt. James Saxton Inman | August 24th, 1834 - September 29th, 1864 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Augustus M. Cox | February 2nd, 1846 - May 25th, 1888 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. John Bodine Predmore | November 16th, 1847 - October 6th, 1927 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Wright Soper Predmore | 1821 - March 5th, 1899 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Jeremiah Predmore | January 3rd, 1828 - April 19th, 1850 | Buried at Old Waretown Presbyterian Cemetery in Waretown, New Jersey.
Capt. Hezekiah Soper | May 23rd, 1824 - June 29th, 1887 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Edward Soper | April 7th, 1826 - February 13th, 1885 | Buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Waretown, New Jersey.
Capt. John Summerfield Holmes | October 20th, 1832 - December 28th, 1903 | Buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Waretown, New Jersey.
Capt. Nelson E. Mills | 1855 - 1904 | "Richard S. Leaming" | Lost at sea.
John Harry Colyer | March 5th, 1896 - September of 1975 | "Lady Luck II" | n/a | (Former Commodore of the Barnegat Yacht Club)
Henry Watson Brown | June of 1867 - September 8th, 1928 | "Yacht Olive" | n/a.
Capt. Frederick Albert Bahr Jr. | November 13th, 1888 - 1952 | Buried in Barnegat.
Capt. Howard C. Miller | 1903 - 1984 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Birdsall Ridgway | January 1st, 1912 - October 1982 | Buried in Barnegat.
Capt. Owen F. Ridgway | April 14th, 1913 - April 1994 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Andrew J. "Jack" Soper | 1829 - 1880 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Stephen Inman Conklin | March 14th, 1822 - January 7th, 1917 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Fountain Mott Cranmer | January 11th, 1830 - November 29th, 1865 | Lost at sea.
Capt. Franklin Elijah Harris | 1848 - 1933 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Samuel C. Spragg | 1860 - 1930 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Byron B. Townsend | 1843 - April 6th, 1891 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. John C. Townsend | March 6th, 1849 - August 1898 | Lost at sea.
Capt. George B. Townsend | October 29th, 1859 - November 12th, 1903 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Charles Soper | 1831 - February 22nd, 1904 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Daniel Bugbee | March 29th, 1813 - October 6th, 1857 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Levi Cranmer | September 4th, 1830 - November 9th, 1874 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Wright Soper | February 27th, 1837 - March 17th, 1871 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Richard Hankins | October 20th, 1813 - December 13th, 1876 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Thomas Woodmansee | 1814 - May 22nd, 1880 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. John W. Bennett | June 15th, 1825 - September 10th, 1912 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Abram Levi Fort | June 11th, 1827 - August 7th, 1902 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Thomas Edwards | 1832 - 1866 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery. (Acting Volunteer Lieutenant in the United States Navy from 1861-1866)
Capt. Daniel VanCleaf | February 11th, 1842 - February 11th, 1929 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Henry Predmore | February 23rd, 1842 - October 15th, 1871 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. John Predmore | September 10th, 1814 - April 29th, 1896 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. Timothy Willits Falkinburg | April 24th, 1851 - March 12th, 1882 | Buried at Barnegat Memorial Cemetery.
Capt. G. Gale | (?) | "Viking" | (?)
Alvin Eggerman | (?) | (?)
Edward B. Ridgway | (?) | (?)
C. H. Russell | (?) | (?)
Capt. L. G. Mitchell | (?) | (?)
Capt. James T. Mills | (?) | (?)
Capt. Stephen Gulick | (?) | (?)
Capt. Daniel S. Holmes | (?) | (?)