Judson Avery was born in Groton on January 4, 1829. He married Mary Davis who was born about 1829. He was 5’ 6” tall with light skin and light hair. He died in Lebanon, CT on May 5, 1892, age 63. Mary predeceased him, dying in Lebanon on June 16, 1866 at age 37. Both them are buried in Exeter Cemetery in Lebanon. Gravestone found at Find a Grave. No record of their parents, the date of their marriage or any children could be located.
Judson served on the crew of GEORGIANA (AS1470, home port New London) on her voyage to the Davis Straits from June 1858-December 1859. The master, Sidney Budington(AM0173) brought back an Inuit interpreter named Kudlago.
Judson was master for two voyages on two vessels with New London as home port, although the records raise a question as to his first command:
HELEN F. (AS1563): (schooner, 108 tons, built Portsmouth, NH 1851, lost Cumberland Strait in 1886-7). She departed July 16, 1866 for Cumberland Inlet (Baffin Island), returned November 11, 1867, having over-wintered in the Cumberland Inlet area. Williams & Haven was the agent. AOWV shows that Judson, apparently the initial master, left the ship and was replaced by “Smith”. Starbuck, Decker and Denis Wood Abstract (4-356) show the master of this voyage as “Smith”. AV6328.
S.B. HOWES (AS2325): (schooner, 103 tons, built in 1853 by George Greenman & Co. in Mystic for Job Chase of New London, later owned by R.H. Chappell of New London, lost in Cumberland Inlet in 1873). Departed June 20, 1868 for Cumberland Inlet with a crew of 15, returned November 6, 1869, having over-wintered in the Cumberland Inlet area. Williams & Haven was the agent. AV12686
Sources used in addition to those shown in the sidebar: Peterson’s Mystic Built; Dennis Wood Abstract (4-356)
George Shaw (Mystic Seaport Museum) June 29, 2021