mds308 Posted March 6, 2019 Share #1 Posted March 6, 2019 I was able to obtain limited information on this Liberty ship. The engraving reads: S.L.R. SS NATHANIEL ALEXANDER 10-4-42 The date 10-4-42 was the launching. I was wondering who S.L.R. was and why she received this watch. Perhaps the CO's wife? Is there a way I can get a plank-owner's roster or the CO's name? If not, enjoy the pics. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyCanteen Posted March 6, 2019 Share #2 Posted March 6, 2019 If it is a woman's watch, I would suspect it was a gift to someone in the ceremony, such as the sponsor or something of that nature. Interesting piece, good luck on the research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 6, 2019 Share #3 Posted March 6, 2019 The Mariner's Museum in Portsmouth has a folder on her. It has a couple other ship names in the folder, but here's the link to it: https://catalogs.marinersmuseum.org/object/VS23521 This may have the launching info in it, which could lead to the name of the sponsor or master... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wharfmaster Posted March 6, 2019 Share #4 Posted March 6, 2019 Very nice find ! Wharf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds308 Posted March 6, 2019 Author Share #5 Posted March 6, 2019 Hi Dave. Thanks for the tip on the Mariners Museum. FYI, the Mariners Museum is in Newport News and not Portsmouth. I live about 10 miles away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 6, 2019 Share #6 Posted March 6, 2019 Hi Dave. Thanks for the tip on the Mariners Museum. FYI, the Mariners Museum is in Newport News and not Portsmouth. I live about 10 miles away. So THAT'S why it was giving me strange results when I googled it! LOL (I live about 30 miles from P-mouth and 40 from NN...I try to avoid both to the best of my ability, so they're kind of interchangeable in my mind...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds308 Posted March 6, 2019 Author Share #7 Posted March 6, 2019 I try to avoid both to the best of my ability, so they're kind of interchangeable in my mind They kind of look the same too. We are practically neighbors. What time is Supper? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds308 Posted March 8, 2019 Author Share #8 Posted March 8, 2019 Great update. My friend who works at the Newport News Shipyard has a book on Liberty Ships built at North Carolina Shipbuilding in Wilimington 1941-1946. The sponsor of the SS Nathaniel Alexander was Shirley Lee Robertson (SLR). Unfortunately, I'm not having any luck on finding out who she was or how she was connected to the SS Nathaniel Alexander. Mr. Alexander was the governor of North Carolina from 1805-1807. I would assume she was related to him in some way. Perhaps a great-great granddaughter. Any new leads would be appreciated. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aznation Posted March 8, 2019 Share #9 Posted March 8, 2019 Source: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=no&u=https://skipshistorie.net/Kristiansand/KRS216EinarRasmussen/Tekster/KRS21619480200000%2520SOLFA.htm&prev=search Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aznation Posted March 8, 2019 Share #10 Posted March 8, 2019 > Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aznation Posted March 8, 2019 Share #11 Posted March 8, 2019 Source: Find-A-Grave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aznation Posted March 8, 2019 Share #12 Posted March 8, 2019 Source: Find-A-Grave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aznation Posted March 8, 2019 Share #13 Posted March 8, 2019 Source: http://www.tributes.com/obituary/show/Shirley-Robertson-Manley-101413568 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aznation Posted March 8, 2019 Share #14 Posted March 8, 2019 Source: http://manninglive.com/2014/06/01/shirley-lee-robertson-manley/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ram957 Posted March 8, 2019 Share #15 Posted March 8, 2019 From the Daily Press, Newport News VA October 4, 1942 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds308 Posted March 9, 2019 Author Share #16 Posted March 9, 2019 Thanks to aznation and ram957. A 7 year old sponsor? What an honor. I wonder if daddy pulled some strings. I can't believe I was able to get this much information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyCanteen Posted March 9, 2019 Share #17 Posted March 9, 2019 Good research! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumpin Jack Posted March 9, 2019 Share #18 Posted March 9, 2019 Where else other than the Forum can one start out with minimal information, and end up with the entire picture?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds308 Posted March 9, 2019 Author Share #19 Posted March 9, 2019 Where else other than the Forum can one start out with minimal information, and end up with the entire picture?! Finis J. Whoopee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aznation Posted March 9, 2019 Share #20 Posted March 9, 2019 I hate to say this but I think the Shirley Lee Robertson whose information I posted may be incorrect. After ram957's post of the article concerning her being a sponsor of the launching, I noticed that the information I posted didn't match the article. Number one, in the article, it shows Miss Shirley Lee Robinson which seems to be an error in spelling her last name as it is Robertson. Secondly, it says, "daughter of W. J. Robertson, of Wilmington, N.C., and formerly of this city". The Shirley Lee Robertson's information I posted was the daughter of Robert Lee Robertson according to her obituary. That said, how could the information I posted be correct. Also, because of the fact that it said "and formerly of this city" makes me tend to believe that she was old enough to be on her own living away from her father, not a 7 year old. I know W. J. Robertson was the carpenter shop foreman for the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company because I've seen at least 4 or 5 other mentions of his name in articles. I've since tried to look up a W. J. Robertson living in Wilmington or in North Carolina with a Shirley or Shirley Lee Robertson on FamilySearch.org but have not been able to come up with any matches. Personally, I don't think the Shirley Lee "Robertson" Manley whose grave and obituary information I posted is the correct one that was the sponsor of the launching. Maybe someone else with an Ancestry.com account can find the correct one. At least you have more information than you did regarding whose watch that was and that is great. I look forward to seeing if someone can find something on Ancestry with the right information. Thanks...Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds308 Posted March 9, 2019 Author Share #21 Posted March 9, 2019 aznation, The small article kept changing the spelling. Her dad is Robertson but the daughter is Robinson? Sounds like a typo. Twice. The other point I brought up earlier is how does a 7 year old become the sponsor of a Liberty Ship? The article goes on to mention they threw her a dinner party after the launching. For a 7 year old? Maybe an ice cream party. Like you said, I have more information than when I started. I appreciate all the help you gave. You have gone well above and beyond what I would have hoped for. Maybe there will be another info provider. Thank you, Michael PS what is the "Good mother" reference mean? After all, this is the 1940's and she's a Miss. Perhaps the mother of the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ram957 Posted March 9, 2019 Share #22 Posted March 9, 2019 Heres the right girl... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ram957 Posted March 9, 2019 Share #23 Posted March 9, 2019 More Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ram957 Posted March 9, 2019 Share #24 Posted March 9, 2019 More Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ram957 Posted March 9, 2019 Share #25 Posted March 9, 2019 One more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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