Joseph was born in 1812 in Haddam, Connecticut. His parents were Gordon Andrews (1785-July 3,1840) and Huldah Shailer (1789-1873). Joseph died in April 1851 in Haddam. The names of Joseph and his brother John appear on their father’s headstone in the Old Rock LandingCemetery in Haddam. There is no record of a spouse or any children. The New London Crew List for his voyage on COLUMBUS describes him as “5’ 8 inches” and having “light” skin and “dark” hair.
He began his career at sea by serving on the crew of four vessels: WABASH (AS2572) 1833-1834, CONNECTICUT (AS1144) 1834-1836 and 1837-1839, and JASON (AS1690) 1839-1840 and 1841-1842.
Joseph was master of one voyage on each of two vessels with New London as home port:
HENRY THOMPSON (AS1576): (ship, built Duxbury, MA 1829, lost near the Diomede Islands in the Bering Strait on July 15, 1851). Departed September 11,1844 for the Indian Ocean and North Pacific, returned May 24,1847. He left the ship before the end of the voyages under circumstances not recorded. Frink, Chew & Co. was agent. AV06447.
COLUMBUS (AS0143: (brig, 159 tons, built Westport, MA 1822, condemned at Johanna [Johannesburg?], September 1850). Departed July 6,1848 for the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Starbuck shows that the mate died in 1850. Williams & Barnes was the agent. AV03103.
The 1850 Federal Census for New London lists “Jos. R. Andrews”, age 36, occupation“shipmaster.” A notation in the margin to the left of his name and the following names reads “Brig Columbus [“from” – writing unclear?] Ind. Ocean 6th July 1848.” Below his name appears the names of 17 members of the crew of COLUMBUS. The New London Crew List for the 1848 voyage of COLUMBUS lists the names of 21 members of the crew, the names of at least 14 of whom also appear in the Census. One member of the crew was born in England, three were born in the “western islands” (perhaps they were “recruited” onto the crew in the western islands), and the rest were born in the U.S.
Sources: see sidebar and sources mentioned in text, including CT Headstone Inscriptions; 1850 Federal Census for New London.
George Shaw (Mystic Seaport Museum) December 23, 2019