Fiddler’s Green
Jakob Isbrandtsen (1922–2018)
A
“All mornings are beautiful.”
fter serving in the US Coast Guard in both the Atlantic Howard Slotnick, NMHS chairman emeritus remembers: and Pacific theaters in World War II, NMHS Overseer Jakob Isbrandtsen went into ship chartering, and then We both kept our boats at Kretzer’s Boatyard in City joined his father in the shipping business, taking over as head of Island. The first time I saw him, I was sailing in Long Isbrandtsen Company upon his father’s death in 1953. He oversaw Island Sound. I had just cleared the breakwater at Port the business during the industry’s transformation from break-bulk Jefferson, and, with the wind piping up from the east, my shipping to containerization and led the boat was getting tossed about company through a merger with Amerby the waves. I couldn’t turn ican Export Lines. In the early 1970s, the boat around and then lost he returned to ship chartering and my dingy. At one point, I maritime arbitration before his retirelooked up to see a sleek ment. His love for sailing and the sea Sparkman & Stephens permeated his whole life; what stemmed sloop—Jakob’s Running from that passion is his legacy to us. Tide—on a broad reach, Norma and Peter Stanford founddancing from wave top to ed South Street Seaport Museum in wave top, just as sweet as they 1967, recruiting Jakob as its founding sail. Later, I met Jakob back chairman. It was his vision to purchase at City Island. We would end the 1885 iron Cape Horner Wavertree up working together on the and bring her to South Street Seaport, board for SSSM, and sharing and to save the historic buildings along many a pot of hot coffee on Schermerhorn Row. He established the Running Tide in fair weather Ship Trust of New York, Inc., in support and foul. Jakob Isbrandtsen coming aboard Wavertree carrying a of the volunteer restoration of historic handsewn hatch cover of his own making. Wavertree was ships, which included the Wavertree and South Street Seaport Museum’s a labor of love for Jakob, and there was no task he consida small fleet of working harbor vessels. president and CEO Jonathan ered beneath him, from mucking out bilges to working the Then, as the quintessential mentor, he Boulware eulogized: phones to gather support—whatever the ship needed. led the volunteer gang in restoring the ship with the motto, “Dirty work, long hours, no pay.” He was It’s fair to say that Jakob and Peter Stanford together were both generous to the museum and visionary, and he concocted the duo that breathed life into the place from the very the complex real estate deals that purchased, for the Seaport beginning… Indeed, today’s South Street Seaport Museum, the bulk of what would ultimately become the South Museum—as evidenced by its logo—is represented by Street Seaport Historic District. two large and iconic artifacts that define our very mission: Schermerhorn Row, the “first world trade center of New Norma Stanford remembers: York,” and the Wavertree. Jakob gave us both. He was It was Jakob and Joan Davidson who made it possible for always one to lead by example, mucking bilges in the hold us to quit our jobs and start the museum. Joan supported of Wavertree and all manner of dirty, difficult, and and created many cultural institutions in New York. Jakob dangerous tasks. He was the first person aboard the ship was head of American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines. He was in the morning and the last to leave. a real taskmaster, but a great man, a fair man, and proud I will never forget Jakob. There are a handful of people without of his forebears’ long history in shipping. I hope he is whom NMHS might never have survived. He is among them. sailing among the stars with all the other sailors who have More than a decade ago, when NMHS was going through a very kept our seafaring heritage alive. tough period, Jakob had sent us a generous check for a specific Joan Davidson added: project. I called him and explained our plight: that we really needed to use those funds for expenses to keep the doors open, Jakob inhabited the life of the Seaport as a cosmic spirit… but, if he would allow us to do that, we would get back on course He and Peter Stanford were the presiding geniuses! and complete the project for which the funds were originally Walking down to the seaport docks one morning, with the intended. I held my breath; it was the darkest hour here, and he water shimmering behind Wavertree’s masts in the early morning had every reason to believe we wouldn’t make it and complete his light, Peter Stanford passed Jakob, who was hurrying down Pier project. “Do what you have to do,” he said. He understood the 15 to retrieve something he’d left in his car. “God, what a morning!” struggles we went through to pursue our mission. Fair winds, Peter said to him, “It’s beautiful.” To which Jakob replied, “All Jakob, you are well remembered, and be rest assured, we will carry —Burchenal Green, NMHS President mornings are beautiful.” on. SEA HISTORY 164, AUTUMN 2018 13