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Captain William "Billy" Mogg

by John MacFarlane 2020

Captain Billy Mogg

Captain Billy Mogg (Photo from the David Mogg, Petersfield UK collection.)

David Mogg, Petersfield UK wrote to me stating "William Mogg is my Great Grand Uncle, born April 2nd, 1857, Stoke Damerel, Devon, England. He emigrated January 23rd, 1893 and around 1897 married Mary Ann Amugaliak of Little Diomede, Alaska. They had 5 children, William, Samuel Snell, Alexander, Nellie & Mary; most born at sea, and their descendents still live in Alaska."

He was a Cornish whaler who was harpooneer in the steam whaler Mary and Helen. He also worked as a shore whaler for the Pacific Steam Whaling Company at Point Barrow Alaska. He was Third Mate in the Mary D. Hume and Master of the schooner Altair and was later First Mate in the Polar Bear. In 1901-1902 he served as the Master if the schooner Altair on a voyage to Herschel Island. In 1903-1904 and 1904-1905 he was the Master of the schooner Bonanza on a voyage to Herschel Island when she was wrecked at King Point in the Fall of 1905. In 1907-1908 he served as Master of the gasoline schooner Olga on a voyage to Walker Bay, Victoria Island Northwest Territories. In 1908-1909 he served as Master in the Olga on a voyage to Cape Halkett Alaska. She grounded and froze–in, wrecked in the Fall of 1909 at Nome Alaska.

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Thanksgiving dinner at Pokok Camp NWT (Photo from the David Mogg, Petersfield UK collection.)

David Mogg wrote "On August 26, 1905, Roald Amundsen knew that he had found the Northwest Passage when he saw a whaling ship ahead, to the west of his ship, the Gjøa. This was the Bonanza under command of Captain William ‘Billy’ Mogg. Captain Mogg’s diary, (of which I have a copy), records that starting off on October 24th, Billy Mogg took Amundsen from Herschel Island to Eagle City Alaska where he telegraphed the news to the world that the Northwest Passage had been successfully transited. In Roald Amundsen’s book The North West Passage being the record of a voyage of exploration of the ship Gjoa 1903–1907 he describes this journey and his experiences with Captain Mogg."

Captain Mogg was awarded the Polar Medal – one of the rarest decorations awarded by the British Government. Billy Mogg ended his days in Seattle WA. He died on December 20th, 1926 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Seattle."


To quote from this article please cite:

MacFarlane, John (2020) Captain William "Billy" Mogg. Nauticapedia.ca 2020. http://nauticapedia.ca/Gallery/Mogg_Billy.php

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