2026 marks America’s 250 birthday and the signing of The Declaration of Independence in 1776. Many of us remember our country’s bicentennial in 1976, an exciting time of Tall Ships, parades and much pomp and circumstance. In Bristol, we have a robust 250 Commission assigned with the task of creating our own celebrations and we have been running a weekly feature called 250 Words of Joy. With the holiday behind us, we we be running the last few submissions over the next few weeks.

Nor ‘West John D’Wolf of Bristol Part Two

This turn in our story is a bit curious. After John successfully completes his fur trading, he sends his men to China to trade pelts for silks, while he plans a trip across the Aleutian Islands and Russian Siberia, and on the way, he writes…

“We ran into a large whale which was lying near the surface. We somehow slid up on his back so as to raise our little vessel two or three feet and throw her over on her side. It was like striking a rock and brought us to a complete stand-still. The monster soon showed himself, gave a spout, ‘kicked’ his flukes and went down. He did not appear to be hurt, nor were we hurt, but most confoundedly frightened. I sounded the pump immediately, and found that all was safe as to leakage, and we continued on our course quite satisfied with the result”.

Returning to Bristol, he marries Bostonian Mary Melville and establishes trade along the Baltic for cargoes of Cuban sugar and coffee. After a number of voyages, John retires to Dorchester, Mass, where he entertains grandchildren with sea stories. One youngster taken by John’s stories was nephew Herman, who later writes in Moby Dick, and in Chapter 45, “The Affidavit”…

“Now the Capt. D’Wolf here alluded to as commanding the ship in question is a New Englander who (led) a long life of unusual adventures as a sea captain … I have the honor of being his nephew.”

- DeWolf Futon & Bob Page