Charles W. van Rensselaer

Charles Watkins Van Rensselaer (January 29, 1823 – September 12, 1857) was the first officer and paymaster serving on board the U.S. mail ship known as the Ship of Gold, when it was lost during a hurricane in September 1857.

Early life Charles Watkins Van Rensselaer was born on January 29, 1823. He was the third son and fourth child of Judge John Sanders Van Rensselaer and Ann Van Rensselaer.

Charles was the grandson of attorney Killian K. Van Rensselaer, a Federalist politician who served in the United States Congress as a Representative from the state of New York. His siblings were: Dunkin H., Maunsell, Margaretta, Ann Elizabeth, Lydia, Harriet Letitia, Samuel Watkins, Catherine, and Louisa.

Career Van Rensselaer served for a short time as a lieutenant in the United States Revenue Service until a reduction of officers was implemented. Before the SS George Law was renamed, the position of first officer was filled by Van Rensselaer.

Loss of the SS Central America

Background Before construction of the Transcontinental railroad and the Panama Canal, one of the few options for the efficient transportation of goods from the west to the east coasts of the United States involved the use of two sea routes: the Pacific route (usually shipping out of San Francisco) and the Atlantic route (usually shipping out of New York). Both of these routes used to terminate in Panama, where ground transportation across the narrow Isthmus of Panama made commerce between the two routes simple and efficient. Formerly named the SS George Law, SS Central America was operated by the U.S. Mail Steamship Company, the side wheel steamer SS Central America, was the "multiple use" sea vessel used for passengers and government contracted cargo.

Sinking On September 3, 1857, the SS Central America left Colón, Panama, for a port of call at Havana, Cuba. The ship was heavily loaded with about 10 tons of gold (in various forms ranging from coins, bars, and nuggets, to bags of dust). After leaving Havana, on the final leg of its voyage to New York, the ship encountered an estimated category 2 hurricane on September 9, at approximately off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina.