Josiah was born in 1797 in the Groton area. His parentage not known. Beyond a few bare facts, the rest of his personal life is murky, in large part because of confusion with his son, Josiah Chester (“Josiah Jr.”), also a whaling master. The information below is drawn from public sources, including Ancestry.com and Find A Grave, not always accurate.
Josiah Sr. had three wives: Caroline E. (1801-5/5/1832, married about 1825), Ursula Darrow (1794-2/1/1851, married March 13, 1835), and Frances Bowser McLean (1817-1883, married October 8, 1851). He had four children: Sarah (1821 —), Caroline (1828 —), Josiah (1835-1836), and Emma (1836-1840). The New London census for 1850 showed Josiah as “ship master”. Josiah Jr. (AM0948) was a whaling master. In Cedar Grove Cemetery in New London are matching memorial stones, one inscribed for his wife Caroline, “Wife of Capt. Josiah Chester”; the other inscribed for his wife Ursula, also “Wife of Capt. Josiah Chester”, and his daughter Emma. Both Caroline and Ursula predeceased Josiah. Frances is buried in a different section at Cedar Grove Cemetery.
There is no record of Josiah being buried at Cedar Grove. This is curious since so many of his family are buried there. A possible explanation lies in a report in Find A Grave, without citing any source, that he was lost and buried at sea.
The date of Josiah Sr.’s death is uncertain. The New London Weekly Chronicle (10/22/1857) carries a FOR SALE notice for the sale of two dwelling houses, “formerly the property of Captain Josiah Chester”, situated on the Groton shore fronting on New London harbor, perhaps a sale by his estate after his death in 1853? Drawing into question the 1853 date are New London census records. The one for 1860 shows Josiah, age 62 (consistent with birth in 1797), “ship master”, living with Frances (45), Mary (6), and Emma McLean (daughter of Frances from a prior marriage ?) (15). The 1870 records show Josiah as 69, “mariner”, Frances (53), and Mary (16). The 1880 records do not show Josiah, presumably deceased by then, but does show Frances (63) and Mary (26).
Josiah was master of several ships with New London and adjacent ports (Norwich and Stonington) as home ports.
ESSEX (AS1321): (sloop, 48 tons, length 52’, built in Saybrook CT in 1821, home port Stonington). Sailed in 1821 for the So. Shetland Islands, returned in April 1822. This voyage not reported in Decker, Colby, or Starbuck. AV04630.
CONNECTICUT (AS1144): (ship, 398 tons, length 107”, built in Norwich CT in 1822, condemned and sold in Hawaii in 1849). Sailed on June 29, 1825 for the Pacific, returned on May 26, 1827. T.W. William was the agent. AV03262.
FRIENDS (AS1418): (ship, 403 tons, length 109’, built in Portsmouth VA in 1811, broken up in 1859). Sailed on October 19, 1827 for the Pacific, returned on May 19, 1830. E.M. Frink was the agent. AV05315.
ANN MARIA (AS0879): (ship, 368 tons, length 105’, built in Philadelphia PA in 1810, lost off St. Paul’s [Island, Alaska?] in August 1842. Sailed on five voyages: 6/10/1830-11/9/1831, 1/18/1832-4/10/1833, 6/4/1833-[not recorded], 5/1834-4/1/1835, and 6/126/1835-4/10/1837. T. W. Williams was agent for all five voyages. Mystic Seaport Museum holds the logbook for the 1835-1847 voyage. AV01026-01030 respectively.
PEMBROKE (AS2163): (bark, 199 tons, length 84’, built in Pembroke MA in 1819). Sailed on October 14, 1837, returned on April 4, 1840. Joseph Lawrence was the agent. AV11374.
TENEDOS (AS2481): (bark, 245 tons, length 96’, built in Pembroke MA in 1827, included in Stone Fleet #1). Sailed on October 12, 1840 for the So. Atlantic, returned on August 9, 1842. AV13749. Sailed again on September 6, 1842 for the So. Atlantic, returned on July 8, 1844. AV13750. Joseph Lawrence was the agent for both voyages.
New London Crew Lists shows three ships of which Josiah was master: MARY for its May 1822 departure, LOUISA BEATON for its May 1848 departure, and COLUMBUS for its October 1849 departure. These voyages are not shown in other sources and cannot be verified.
New London Crew Lists also shows that Josiah sailed as a crew member on SAMPSON for its March 1816 and August 1817 departures, but no other records could be found of those voyages. He was a crew member on CONNECTICUT (AS1144) on I822-1825 voyage.
He was awarded Seamen’s Protection Certificate #5390 in New London on June 19, 1812 at age 15.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text.
George Shaw
American Institute of Maritime Studies
Mystic Seaport Museum
October 2024