LEANDER JEFFREY

Reference: Town of Islip's Early History by George Lewis Weeks, Islip Town Historian

FAMOUS LOCAL YACHTSMEN

Leaner A. Jeffrey [brother of our great-grandmother, Estelle Jeffrey L'Hommdieu] was born in the village of Islip on Dec. 12, 1848. At the age of 23, short of two moths, this young man was skipper of the schooner yacht "Columbia" which sailed in the International Cup races against the English yacht Livonia owned by James Ashbury -- this being the second time Mr. Ashbury made an attempt to life the "America's" Cup.

In his day, Capt. Jeffrey was one of the most prominent yachtsmen in American waters. His experience covered a wide scope as a navigator. He sailed such vessels as the "Vigilant," the steam yacht "Sovereign," and during the Spanish American war he was in command of the U.S. Army Transport Michigan when this vessel convoyed a corps of engineers and the First Marine Artillery to Ponce, Porto Rico, with the Fifth U.S. Cavalry. He also was captain of the U.S. Gunboat Scorpion, and during his years on the high seas had been in all classes of coast and ocean going vessels.

Capt. Jeffrey never gave up a command except through the transfer of ownership. he had the enviable reputation of never having put a cost against insurance companies or vessel owners for damages during his career as a boat captain.

After the international cup race of 1870, when the English yacht Cambria lost to the 23 boats pitted against her, Mr. Ashbury - the owner - immediately made preparations to send another challenge. During the early part of 1871, considerable discussion passed between Mr. Ashbury and the racing officials of the New York Yacht Club. Mr. Ashbury objected to the American center-board yachts defending the cup against his sea going keel schooner, the Livonia. He also objected to the inside course,. and he finally obtained a compromise whereby the contests were sailed on alternate inside, and outside courses, the latter being a 20 miles to windward and return outside the Sandy Hook Lightship.

Without a syndicate building a new yacht to defend the cup, the N.Y. Yacht Club selected four schooners - two center board schooners; the Palmer and the Columbia, and two keel schooners, the Dauntless and the Sappho.

The elimination was held on Oct. 16 and the Columbia was picked as the defending yacht. The crew of the Livonia dubbed the Columbia the "skimming dish" as she was much lighter in construction than the English boat. The Columbia drew only five feet of water, whereas the Livonia drew 12 1/2 feet, outside, stout ceiling inside, and fastened with trenails from plank to ceiling. her ballast, all of iron, was inside. She was owned by Franklin Osgood, and everything in a yacht from suggested experience was done to place her in shape for the contest. The results proved that Mr. Osgood was a very hard yachtsman to beat. Of course, the handling of the craft by Capt. Jeffrey was in a great way responsible for the victory.

Capt. Jeffrey earned the title of the "True Blue Yankee Skipper."

Headlines in a New York newspaper following the race blared: "Hail Columbia," and another reporter wrote: "This is the first victory, and the cup can't go away from here."

The weather on Oct. 18 had all the earmarks of a stiff northeaster, and after much discussion the American committee again chose Columbia to go against the Livonia.

When the instructions were given to the yachts, nothing was said about how the outer mark was to be turned. The course was 10 miles and return. The stake boat was off New Inlet (today known as Jones Inlet). The actual course was laid out east-northeast, or about four points off a true leeward and windward course. The owner of the Columbia went aboard the committee boat and learned that the turning at the outer mark "could be left on either hand." Of course, the Livonia's master was in ignorance of this ruling.

Livonia had a head start of about two minutes crossing the starting line at 13:03:29.25, and the Columbia at 12:05:36.25. With a heavy wind, Livonia hung all her kites aloft and "tore up" (an expression of the seafaring men) the 20 miles of rough water to the outer mark, holding the two minute lead from the start. Livonia's master, not knowing the instructions, jibed around the mark on the starboard, that being the rules in England when not otherwise specified. In doing this, the skipper had to jibe "all standing" as the nautical term is known.

Columbia came on the mark and Capt. Jeffrey, knowing that he could turn either way, luffed around, trimming in his sheets as he turned, and cutting between Livonia and the stake boat. This gave Columbia the lead. Capt. Jeffrey sailed a great race home and won by 5 minutes, 16 seconds, and with time allowance by 10 minutes, 33.75 seconds.

J.R. Woods captained Livonia, but Capt. Jeffrey knew all the tricks of a sailing race, helping to keep the Cup and bringing honors to another native of Islip Town.

After a long and interesting career, Capt. Jeffrey died on Jan. 25, 1930.