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Wrangell Sentinel Volume XXXVIII No. 30 dated Friday July 24, 1940

Wrangell Man Drowns, Vivid Account Given

Henry Willard, 40, Wrangell fisherman, was drowned July 15 when his boat swamped on Dead Man's Sands in Bristol Bay during a Southern gale, according to word brought to Wrangell by William L. Paul of Juneau, Grand Secretary of the Alaska Native Brotherhood.  His body was recovered, identified and buried at Naknek on July 21.

Willard, one of several from here who went to Bristol Bay for the fishing season, was with Jim Collier, his brother-in-law, of Juneau.  The latter was picked up by one of the Libby boats.

Willard, widely known here and in Juneau where he formerly lived, is survived by his six children.  Mable Willard, Helen Pringle, Edna, Martha, Katherine and Raymond Willard; two sisters Mrs. James Johnson of Klawock and Mrs. Joe Collier of Juneau.

Graphic Story Told

The following account of the tragedy has just been received by Secretary Paul of the ANB from his son, Fred Paul.  Young Paul graphically writing:

It happened two days ago.  Monday afternoon about 4 o'clock.  They had both nets out for low water when the fish began to move.  The weather wasn't bad then, so they made their net close to a bar, call Dead Man's Sands - irnonically enough it was well named.  All of a sudden a strong Easterly wind blew up, stong enough to lift sheets of water from the tops of waves and throw them to twenty or so feet.  Strong enough to blow them on to the bar.  So they began to pick up. They got one net in.  Henry said, "We'll pick the fish out of this net and then pick up the other one. that way the boat will balance better, sail better. " But Joe thought they should pick up both and said so.  Henry, being the captain, of course, had his way.  That is as it should be: particularly when Joe has had no experience before this year.  Well, they got the first net picked free of fish and started to pick up the other one. By this time they were almost on the bar. Either they got the other net in or they chopped it off, because in a short time, Joe says, they raised their sail.  But the wind was so strong and the water so shallow, that in a couple of seconds the boat was broadside to the bar in water less than a foot deep, making it impossible to tack out against the wind.  Suddenly the boat almost turned over, for the sail being broadside to the wind keeled it over.  Henry succeeded in cutting the halyard (the line which holds the sail up).  This brought the sail down righting the boat.  The two men started bailing for their life.  But before they even had time to think, a wave smacked the boat broadside, turned it upside down, breaking the mast off at the deck, throwing the men into the water.  When they saw trouble brewing they had put on their life preservers.  One of the few boats in the river which carred life preservers, for the ordinary fisherman thinks it take up too much room.  Lucky for Joe that they did.  Immediately upon being thrown into the water, the two men lost each other - one going one direction, the other the opposite way.  Joe says he made up his mind to get off his boots and slickers - stripping down to his underwear, socks and shirt and life preserver.  He fought then to keep his head above water.  I marvel first that the man could get his clothes off, for it takes super human strength to strip yourself in this roaring tide.   He is a strong man, indeed.

See Their Tragedies

Now the rescuers saw all this happen and started to work immediately.  First, since their boat was empty, they had to pick up their net to get ballast, for otherwise the boat would have been unmanageable.  An empty sailboat is death.  Their net had about 300 fish which is just about right, altho a trifle light.  But away they went anyway.  They sailed above the capsized boat, knowing the tide would float the boat and men to them.  There they say they dropped the anchor.  It wouldn't hold.  Finally they tied the heaving line to the end of the anchor line where it finally took hold.  They waited, looking and looking.  Of the boat, they saw nothing, not has it since been fournd (as far as I can determine here).  But they did see Joe and waved encouragement to him. Up went the anchor and they sailed to him - this was about one hour and forty minutes after the capsize of the boat and hour and a half of extreme exposure - a long long time for any man to be in this roaring tide and heavy wind.  The two men who rescued Joe:  Their names were Paul Torgramson and John Taylor, both from this cannery.  (I know them well), those two men are real sailors.  How they managed their boat, stuck it out, standing guard, ready to pounce on any living thing which came their way - those two men really deserve tremendous credit for their expert work.




Wrangell Sentinel - November 10, 1994    page 10
Obituary
Mable Willard

Life long Wrangell resident Mable Willard, died November 3 in Anchorage at Alaska Native Medical Center.

She was born in Wrangell February 1, 1910, one of eight children born to Elisabeth and Henry Willard of Wrangell.

She is survived by her husband of 63 years, William Willard, a son Bill Willard, of Wrangell, a daughter, Lousie Willard of Connecticut; a granddaughter, Kim Andreassen of Olympia, Wash; a sister, Martha Connett; and a brother, Ray Willard.  Among other surviving relatives are an aunt, Alice Stokes, and Lawrence Bahovec, nieces Marlene Joseph and Florenc Rinehart, and a nephew, Harry Pringle.

She was active in Alaska Native Sisterhood and was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Wrangell.

She worked at various fish and shrimp canneries, including Bruegers and Harbor Seafoods.  She did housekeeping for various people, including the Curtis family of Wrangell.

Memorial service will be Friday at 1p.m. at First Presbyterian Church.  A graveside service will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wrangell Volunteer Fire Dept and Ambulance Squad.