The Thrilling Adventures of Captain James Hunter O'Brien and his wife Eva McDougall

Example of a 19th Century Barque

Eva McDougall was a woman with a keen sense of adventure.  As the youngest daughter of a family of  9, she had few responsibilities and was free to read and explore the red, rippled beaches along the Bay.  She was my 3rd cousin, twice removed, both of us descended from James Johnson and Elizabeth Patterson, early settlers in the Lower Village and Grantees of Truro Township on the Salmon River in Central Nova Scotia.  She grew up listening to the enthralling tales told by her father, Captain James McDougall of his life at sea.

James Hunter O'Brien was one of the many O'Briens' who originated in the Noel area of Hants County, Nova Scotia along the south side of the Bay of Fundy.  Born in 1853, he came from a long line of seafaring men who originated in Londonderry, Northern Ireland and came to Nova Scotia as part of the Ulster Scot migration of the 1760s.

James first went to sea at 14, and married Eva 10 years later in Boston.  As a young man, he served aboard the sailing vessel "Esther Roy" under Captain Thomas Roy of Nova Scotia.  On all  their voyages, the Captain's wife Jane travelled with them around the world. So when James became Captain of his own Barque "William" and later "Robert Morrow", it was only natural that his own wife, Eva would accompany him.  In fact the "Robert Morrow" was specially outfitted to suit family life.

It is told that James had, many times, to prove himself on the high seas against a mutinous crew and that the family is still in possession of his nicked and scratched cutlass.

Eva, herself took to life at sea like a natural.  She came within hours of delivering the couple's only son, Leonard on board the vessel and was back sailing before the child was a few months old.  Eva had attended Normal College in Truro, and she taught her son his lessons so well that when he was fourteen he was accepted into college with the highest marks on his entrance exams.


Cargoes they carried consisted of coal, wheat, oil, turpentine, lumber, steel, iron, machinery, cotton rosin, liquors, hides, fruit sugar etc. At one time the ship was frozen in at Rotterdam, Holland for the winter, the crew and family enjoying months of skating. The first locomotives used in the Monte Video, South America Railway, were taken there by Captain O'Brien, while he was First Officer on the "Euroclydon".

James and Eva witnessed the formal opening of the first Brooklyn Bridge in 1883 immediately after their marriage and sailed next day with a dangerous cargo, Naptha, to Bordeaux, France. On their next voyage, while nearing Dunkirk the ship was driven by a gale into the North Sea and was in great danger of being lost on the treacherous "Glodwin Sands". Although Eva knew of the peril, she calmly retired to rest, while her husband did his best to save the ship. In the morning the danger averted Captain O'Brien praised his wife for courage assisting him by not hindering him while on duty.

Mrs. O'Brien had many pleasant experiences as well as dangerous. While the ship at one time was discharging cargo at Bombay, India, Eva noticed a distinguished looking Hindu attentively watching proceeding. She invited him on aboard showing him over the ship, then served tea. On leaving he informed her that his rickshaw would call next day to convey her, accompanied by the Captain. There they were extended every courtesy in true oriental fashion.

About this time a terrific cyclone struck their ship in the Indian Ocean, which caused the cargo of oil to list. Water poured into the cabin forcing Eva to bail it out to keep young Leonard from drowning. She saw the only life boat washed overboard, with all it contained. Fortunately the ship survived, arriving at Peuang and Singapore.

The family visited many places on their numerous voyages such as Guano Islands, Cape Horn, Chile, Rio de Janero, Dublin Belfast, Capetown, Calcutta, Madras, Bombay, France, Belgium, Sweden, Liverpool, Rotterdam, Buenos Aires, Mobile, Ceylon, Panama, crossing the oceans many times.

In 1898, James and Eva decided to move their life on to dry land and settled in Berkeley, California.  James became a successful hotelier and played golf with his son, Leonard three times a week until a week before his death in October 1940 at the age of 88.  Eva died soon after.

From a tiny Nova Scotian village to the entire world - these two and their son lived an exciting and colourful life.  How fun to go back and discover it.