New London Vital Records show the birth of Alexander on October 3, 1798, son of Richard (1746-1828) and Anne (Jennings) Douglas. Richard was born and died in New London. The Daughters of the American Revolution Lineage Book records that Richard “turned out at the Lexington Alarm”, was an ensign in 1776 and a captain “in Swift’s consolidated regiment when it was disbanded in 1783”. Find A Grave shows a gravestone for “Capt. Alexander Douglas died Dec. 16th 1857 aged 70 years” and “Lydia T. his wife died Feb.12, 1868 aged 90 years”. That site contains other information, none of which could be verified, including a list of ten children. The site states that Alexander was a whaling captain and worked for the Benjamin Brown (New London) and Williams firms [probably agents], that he bought property in upstate NY or possibly received it as a grant due to his father’s war service, and that he retired to upstate New York after his last voyage and later moved to Illinois. The 1850 census for Dayton OH shows Alexander age 73 (“sailor and farmer”) living there with Lydia. He died in 1859, place uncertain. His estate was probated in the New London Probate District. Alexander’s and Lydia’s gravestone is Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago IL.
Alexander was master for several voyages on five ships, for all of which New London was the home port. As will be seen, the identity of the master on his early voyages is uncertain. See Caulkins and Hurd in the Sources.
DAUPHIN (AS1189): (ship, built in Pawcatuck RI in 1801, 217 tons, length 87’, lost Cape of Good Hope in 1830). Hurd says the DAUPHIN, purchased by Dr. Samuel Lee in 1805, made a successful voyage under Laban Williams (AM5369), sailing on September 6 in that year, returning in June 1806. Sailed August of that year for Patagonia, returned in April 1807. AV03617. Sailed again on April 27, 1807 for Patagonia, returned on June 13, 1808. AV03618. AOWV shows Alexander and Joshua Sayre (AM4268) as masters of both voyages, each with an + (another name for master). Caulkins says that Alexander was the master for the 1806 voyage and Sayre master for the 1807 voyage. Decker shows Alexander as master of the 1806 voyage and Joshua as master of the 1807 voyage of “DOLPHIN”, presumably an incorrect or erroneous spelling of DAUPHIN. Colby records only the 1806 voyage, showing Alexander as master. Starbuck consistently refers to the ship as DOLPHIN and shows Joshua the master of both 1806 and 1807 voyages.
LYDIA (AS1824): (ship, 282 tons, built in Hanover MA in 1806). Sailed in August 1806 for Patagonia, returned in 1807. AV08723. Sailed in 1807 for Patagonia, returned on June 9, 1808. AV08724. Sailed later that year for Brazil, returned in 1809. AV08725. AOWV, Colby, Decker, and Starbuck show Alexander master of the 1806 voyage, but Decker and Starbuck do not show dates of the voyage. Connecticut Ship Registrations shows for LYDIA a registration issued on July 3, 1807, surrendered July 11, 1809, master Alexander Douglas. Caulkins states that “In 1807, the ship LYDIA was bought in New York, and put into the business”. If this information is correct, the 1807 voyage would have been LYDIA’s first voyage. Note, the 1806 sailing dates for DAUPHIN and LYDIA are the same.
LEONIDAS (AS1789): (ship, 282 tons, length 92’, sold 1809). Sailed on August 31, 1808 for Brazil, returned on June 19, 1809. AV0358. Starbuck does not show the name of the master.
CARRIER (AS1048): (ship, 346 tons, length 101′, built in E. Hartford CT in 1813, surrendered and broken up in August 1828). Sailed in 1817, other information not available. AV02433. Sailed on August 1, 1819 for the So. Atlantic, returned in 1820. AV04434. Colby. Decker, and Starbuck do not show the 1817 voyage.
INDIAN CHIEF (AS1647): (ship, 401 tons, length 105’, built in Portsmouth VA in 1812, lost in the Arctic on August 25, 1857). Sailed on February 18, 1834 for the Indian Ocean, returned on February 28,1836. E.M. Frink & Co. was the agent. AV07005.
Alexander served on the crew of STONINGTON (AS2437) for its 1829-1830 voyage.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text. Frances Caulkins, History of New London, p. 641; D. Hamilton Hurd, History of New London County, Connecticut, p. 208
George Shaw
American Institute for Maritime Studies
Mystic Seaport Museum
March 2025