1921 – Oct 30, rough seas, two Hilton Fishing Co. Boats Capsize, off Anglesea, NJ   —     11

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 5-7-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–11  NYT.  “11 Fishermen Lost Off Jersey Coast,”  November 2, 1921, p. 27.

–11  Warren, M. “The worst disaster in each of New Jersey’s 21 counties.”  NJ.com, 2-25-2019.

Narrative Information

Warren: “Cape May County… Anglesea fishing boat sinks – A 35-foot fishing boat based in Anglesea (now North Wildwood) and belonging to the Hilton & Hilton Fish company sank in 1921, killing 11 people. The tragedy was captured on the front page of the Jersey Journal.”

Newspaper

Nov 1, New York Times: “Cape May, N.J., Nov. 1. – Eleven fishermen were drowned last night off Anglesea, when they went out to take up their nets for the winter. They were employed by the Hilton Fishing Company of Anglesea. Two boats, lashed together, went off shore to pull up the pound net poles, which are sixty-five feet long and weigh over one hundred pounds each.

”It is supposed by Captain James A. Price of the Coast Guard Station of Anglesea, they pulled up the poles and started in shore when the heavy seas on the Anglesea bar caused their boat to fill and capsize. The seas were running high on the Anglesea bar at the time.

”Augustus Hilton, former Mayor of Anglesea, President of the Hilton Fishing Company, notified
Captain Price that the men were missing at 8 o’clock last night. Despite the heavy sea running, Captain Price and his crew put to sea and searched the coast from Sea Isle City to Cape May for the boats. Not a light or a boat could be seen. At daylight the Coast Guard crew put back to the beach. Captain Jesse Hearon of the Coast Guard station at Stone Harbor on being notified put out to sea, but after an all-night search failed to find the boats….

”Crowds of anxious watchers lined the beach all day hoping that someone would survive the big seas and heavy tides that have prevailed on the New Jersey coast. Only the three bodies have washed ashore. It is thought that the southerly breeze now blowing will set the bodies on the Delaware shore.”  (NYT.  “11 Fishermen Lost Off Jersey Coast,”  November 2, 1921, p. 27.)

Sources

New York Times. “11 Fishermen Lost Off Jersey Coast,”  11-2-1921, p. 27. Accessed at: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F04E5DA103EEE3ABC4A53DFB767838A639EDE

Warren, Michael Sol. “The worst disaster in each of New Jersey’s 21 counties.”  NJ.com, 2-25-2019. Accessed 5-7-2025 at:

https://www.nj.com/life-and-culture/g66l-2019/02/6c318b30e95860/the-worst-disaster-in-each-of-new-jerseys-21-counties-.html