On a recent trip to Savannah I took a picture of the plaque above little realizing it's connection to my home town, Punta Gorda, Florida. The sign commemorates the first steam ship to across the Atlantic to Europe from the U.S. It left the port of Savannah on May 22, 1819. It was Virginia Taylor Trabue's (the town's founder -- and why we have Virginia and Taylor streets in Punta Gorda) grandfather, who found the steamship company and originated this crossing.
The grandfather of Virginia Taylor Trabue, William Scarborough, was a visionary of sort . He entertained President James Monroe in his home, and took him on a cruise aboard his ship, Savannah. Monroe agreed that if Scarborough's ship successfully sailed by steam to Liverpool he would purchase the ship for the Navy. The Savannah sailed to Liverpool, where it was refused entry due to fears that the pine- knot fire of the steamship would destroy shipping. On reaching St. Petersburg, they were royally received by the Czar.
Scarborough's granddaughter married Issac Trabue, founder of Punta Gorda. Thus, the connection of Punta Gorda to Savannah..
Loved your blog...Did you know that after Virginia passed away in Punta Gorda, it was decided that they did not want her belongings so they decided to get rid of them? As they were burning some of her books, a beautiful illustrated journal was discovered in the burn pile. It was rescued & now resides in the Punta Gorda library. What was this journal? Well, it belonged to Virginia's mother, Charlotte Scarborough Taylor, who happened to be one of the first female entomoligists in the United States...go see it sometime!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for comment.... I will go see it as soon as I can get there! I am working with many others on developing history center for Punta Gorda.... would love to have a replica of this there as well some day. Theresa
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