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Photo # NH 47524: Engraved portrait of William F.C. Nindemann, USN

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Seaman William F.C. Nindemann (1850-_??_)

William Friedrich Carl Nindemann was born 22 April 1850, on the island of Rugen, Germany. He came to the United States in 1867 and four years later joined the Arctic exploration steamer Polaris. He was one of the crewmen, accidently cast adrift from her in October 1872, who were rescued in the spring of 1873 by the U.S. Navy's chartered steamer Tigress. Nindemann remained with that vessel as she serched for other men from the Polaris.

In 1879-1881 Nindemann was a seaman on the steamer Jeannette, commanded by George W. DeLong, during her ill-fated attempt to reach the North Pole by penetrating the icepack north of Siberia. A member of DeLong's boat crew as Jeannette's men tried to reach the Siberian mainland after their ship sank, Nindemann and another seaman, Louis P. Noros, were sent ahead of the exhausted and starving party to seek help from inhabitants of the desolate Lena River delta. After an arduous struggle with the elements, the two sailors located native people, but language difficulties prevented them from communicating the urgency of their mission. By the time a message was gotten through to Russian authorities and to other Jeannette survivors, it was too late to save DeLong and his men. Nindemann subsequently assisted Chief Engineer George W. Melville in a successful search for the bodies of most of the DeLong party and a fruitless effort to learn the fates of Lieutenant Charles W. Chipp and seven more members of Jeannette's crew.

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Photo #: NH 47524

William F.C. Nindemann
, Seaman, U.S. Navy

One of the two survivors of Lieutenant Commander George DeLong's men from USS Jeannette, who had landed at the head of the Lena Delta, Siberia, in September 1881. Nindemann and Seaman Louis P. Noros were sent for help, and the rest of the men perished during October and November, while they were absent seeking assistance.
Engraved portrait, with a facsimile of Nindemann's signature, copied from "The Voyage of the Jeannette ...", Volume II, page 805, edited by Emma DeLong, published in 1884.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 155KB; 610 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 92143

Jeannette Arctic exploring expedition, 1879-1881


Woodcut engraved by George T. Andrew after a design by M.J. Burns, depicting Seamen William F.C. Nindemann and Louis P. Noros trudging through the snowy Siberian wastes in search of help for Lieutenant Commander George DeLong's party, October 1881.
Copied from "The Voyage of the Jeannette ...", Volume II, page 793, edited by Emma DeLong, published in 1884.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 101KB; 415 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 52006

Jeannette Arctic exploring expedition, 1879-1881


Engraving of the expedition's survivors, based on a photograph taken at Yakutsk, Siberia, in 1882. Those present are
(left to right, in front): Lauderback, Bartlett, William Coles, Seaman William F.C. Nindemann, and Mansen.
(left to right, in middle): Chief Engineer George W. Melville and Lieutenant John W. Danenhower.
(left to right, in back): Raymond Lee Newcomb (naturalist), Seaman Louis P. Noros, Henry Wilson, Tong Sing (cook), Anequin and H.W. Leach.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 173KB; 740 x 540 pixels

 


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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Page made 29 October 2003