Alexander Warnock abt 1833-bef 1895

STORIES FROM MY FAMILY TREE
Written and compiled by Jolene Christiansen Dew

STOWAWAY

Alexander Warnock had not seen his father in about twelve years. His mother had died when he was very young, and he had been left with relatives in Scotland, while his father went to New York City to live with an older sister.

Although his family was good to him, he had longed to go to New York, to see his family there, and to see the "new world." So in 1859, Alexander persuaded his stepbrother, William Sumpter, to help him find a way to get to the United States.

William worked at the dock and knew where each of the ships was destined to go. He also knew of good places to hide, so he helped Alexander make plans to stowaway aboard a ship headed for the United States. Alexander was a baker by trade and knew very little of sailing vessels. He was also without money. So about two a.m. one morning, he and his brother William Adam Warnock bundled up all of his clothes, and headed for the harbor. The night was dark and heavy with fog, concealing the two as they quietly made their way through the ropes and cargo and located the ship which William Sumpter had identified for them.

They found a small rowboat at the dock and got in it to row to the vessel. But the boat was unstable, and a pair of socks that had been wrapped in the small bundle of clothes, fell out into the river. William Warnock quickly retrieved the water-soaked socks and tucked them into the bundle of his brother's clothes again, and they quietly rowed to the ship.

Alexander slipped into a hiding place that had been described to him by William Sumpter and prepared to remain very quiet until he heard a farewell shout.

However, the ship was a cargo ship, and some of the cargo had been delayed in its arrival at the dock. Alexander waited quietly in his hiding place for many hours, and he became very hot and thirsty. Still, the William Adam Warnock boat did not sail. Night turned to day, but in his dark corner he saw very little light. The sun made the air heavy and humid. Still, he remained quiet--and thirsty. Suddenly,- he remembered his water-soaked socks, tucked securely in the bundle of clothes. He put his hand in the bundle and was relieved to find the moist cloth. He put the wet socks in his mouth and sucked out the moisture, and remained quiet in his hiding place for twenty-four hours before he finally heard the welcome farewell shout.

When he felt that they were safely at sea, he emerged from his hiding place. When the ship's mate saw him, he immediately recognized that he was a stow-away.

"Well, stranger! Where did you come from?" asked the mate.

"From Glasgow," replied Alexander.

"Where are you going? Do you know?" asked the mate.

"I expect to reach New York, if the vessel does, but I am willing to do any work that I can."

"Can you do any ship work?"

"Never was on board a ship until now, sir."

"What work did you do on land?"

"I am a baker by trade," said Alexander, with a certain amount of fear in his voice.

"A baker! You are the very man we want. Our engaged baker found that he was not fit for the job. He tried to jump on the tug, but we held him."

So Alexander no only earned hi passage, but held a favored place with the Captain and crew during the month long trip to the United States. A man who could cook was most valuable on such a long voyage. As they arrived in the New York harbor, the Captain offered him extra wages if he would return with him on the ship and continue to be his cook. Alexander refused the offer. The Captain gave him $10 from his own purse as a mark of appreciation.

Alexander Warnock was the brother of William Adam Warnock who was the father of Irvin Leroy Warnock. This story was adapted from an autobiography by William A. Warnock from the booklet Stories of Those Who Preceded Us (p.63), written and collected by Lexia D. Warnock. This story was written by Helen Warnock.