The available records, scanty and confusing as they are, indicate that there might be confusion between the name of the master (H. W. Bingham, no first name given) and the name of the ship he commanded (BINGHAM). As will be shown below, the records are unclear whether Bingham was the master of BINGHAM for this voyage and whether BINGHAM’s home port was New London.
BINGHAM (AS0986): (ship, 375 tons, length 101’, built in Philadelphia in 1804). Connecticut Ship Database and Connecticut Ship Registers show that BINGHAM was condemned in 1846 in the Pacific while AOWV records it withdrawn in 1848. AOWV shows its home port in New London, but as will be seen below, other sources show Mystic CT as home port. BINGHAM sailed on July 29, 1846 for the Pacific and Northwest Coast, returned 1848, ending her last voyage. The agent was Charles Mallory. AV01871. Note: the return date may not be accurate, see entries below in 1849.
The identity of her master(s) is uncertain and confusing:
(i) AOWV records two masters: “Schofield *** ?” (AM4283) as initial master. He apparently left the ship and was replaced by “H. W. Bingham” (AM0466). Both Schofield and Bingham are listed only by last name with no other information provided..
(ii) Other sources add confusion, not clarity: Colby and a Connecticut ship registration issued for BINGHAM on June 26,1846 show H.W. Bingham as master. Starbuck shows “______Scholfield” [sic] as master. Decker does not record the 1846 voyage. The Whalemen’s Shipping List issue of August 4, 1846, just after BINGHAM sailed, shows “Scholfield” [sic] as master. That description continues through the last reference to BINGHAM (issue of March 5, 1850) when as of November 2, 1849 the ship is shown in San Francisco. New London Crew Lists, a possible source for identifying the master, does not record this voyage.
(iii) Further confusing the issue of the master, Dennis Wood Abstracts #2-074 shows “Clift Master” (possibly Hiram Clift (AS2385) ?) and directly above it “Schofield” followed, in different handwriting, by “owner”. The June 26 ship registration shows Ira Clift as an owner for that registration period – a coincidence? Abstract #2-074 reports that BINGHAM arrived in Honolulu on October 30 and concludes:
“Advertised at Honolulu December 30 [1848] for San Francisco. A letter from Capt. Brown of Ship Electra dated Dec. 10 says the Bingham will hardly [?] go to California. At San Francisco Feb’y 1849 from Honolulu. Arrived Jan’y [month unclear] 25. Sailed from San Francisco March 30. Scovill [sic] Master for Valparaiso. At Valparaiso July 4.”
This entry suggests that “Clift” was the master on the voyage until Schofield (“Scovill”) took over for the trip from San Francisco to Valparaiso. Thus, three individuals have been identified at one time or another as master for this voyage: Schofield, Bingham and Clift.
The sources identifying the home port of BINGHAM are inconsistent. AOWV lists New London. The following sources list Mystic as home port: Starbuck, Colby, Abstract #2-074, the June 26, 1846 ship registration, and Whalemen’s Shipping List. Decker does not record this voyage, possibly because Mystic was seen as the home port.
There is too much conflicting information for the author to conclude with any degree of confidence the identity of the master. The author was advised that AOWV will leave the identity of the master of BINGHAM uncertain pending further information. AOWV notwithstanding, the sources point to Mystic as home port. On this basis, the author will not treat the master of BINGHAM as a New London whaling master.
Sources include: Online databases: (Ancestry.com, Family Search, Genealogybank, American Offshore Whaling Voyages [“AOWV”]; Lund et al, American Offshore Whaling Voyages 1667-1927; Dennis Wood Abstracts (Abstracts of Whaling Voyages); Connecticut Ship Database; Other sources: Starbuck (History of the American Whale Fishery); Colby (For Oil and Buggy Whips); Decker (Whaling Industry of New London); Peterson (Mystic Built); Whalemen’s Shipping List and Merchants Transcript. Email communication from Judith Lund of AOWV to the author, 10/17/2023.; and other sources cited in the text. Number references are to AOWV.
George Shaw
American Institute for Maritime Studies
Mystic Seaport Museum
November 2023, revised March 2025