Blackburn immigrated to Gloucester, Massachusetts, from Nova Scotia at the age of 18. In January, 1883, he signed onto the scooner "Grace L. Fears".

At daybreak on January 26, 1883, he was at sea with his dory mate Thomas Welch off banks off Newfoundland, set out in search of halibut, when a sudden snow storm separated them from their schooner. For 5 days in the cold with no food or water Blackburn rowed with his hands frozen to the oars until they reached the shores of Newfoundland. Welch froze to death in the ordeal. Blackburn came ashore in a remote area of Newfoundland and found a family who cared for him for months. He lost all the fingers on both hands, half of each thumb, and several toes, two from his left foot and three from his right.

After his recovery, Howard Blackburn made his way back to Gloucester in the summer, to a heroes welcome. The people of Gloucester raised funds so he could open a saloon. He became quite successful and repaid their generosity many times over.

Howard Blackburn still had a love for the sea however. On Sunday June 18, 1899 in a 30 foot boat he named "Great Western" a ship of his own design, he set sail, alone and disabled, for England. He arrived in Kingrod England on August 18th. Not content to stay ashore, two years later, in 1901, Blackburn aging set sail for England alone in the "Great Republic", a smaller ship, completing this trip in a record 39 days!

Later, he outfitted a still smaller boat and set out for a third trip to England. This time a hurricane drove him back to Newfound. A short time later he set out once more only to encounter another hurricane. With this he stopped the transatlantic trips.

Howard Blackburn died in his sleep in 1932 in his apartment over his saloon on Main Street in Gloucester, he was 73 years old. The restaurant "Halibut Point" is still open for busies today and many photos of Blackburn decorate the establishment.

In 2001 Daniel Altshuler, of Gloucester, undertook the task of sculpting Howard Blackburn in painted plaster. This is the one we have pictured, taken in his studio in Gloucester. No busts were made of H. Blackburn in his lifetime. There was only one bust ever made of H. Blackburn the year after his death by Leonard Craske. Mr. Craske's bust is a likeness of an elderly H. Blackburn. Mr. Althuler's bust of H. Blackburn is the only likeness of him as a young man. It shows the strong will, power and captures the spirit of H. Blackburn.

- Bill Montague