John Esmond Matthew Levenstone was born on Saba on October the 3rd 1912. He was but a boy of eighteen when he started sailing aboard the "Nautilus" under Captain Randolph Dunkin. His first trip from St. Maarten was almost his last when the vessel was caught in a squall outside Fort Amsterdam and nearly capsized.

Later on in his career he sailed on SHELL oil tankers, During World War II Matthew's tanker, whilst awaiting port outside of San Nicolas Harbour and loaded down with crude oil, he was unaware that a German U boat lay below poised to destroy the refinery. The attack came at night, he and several other Sabans had to jump for their lives amid a sea of fire.

From the writings of Mr. William Johnson