All that is known about George is that he was born in New London about 1809, based on information in crew lists. He married Fanny Hill on April 23, 1839 in New London. When and where he or she died is not known. No record could be found of any children.
George was master for two or possibly three voyages for one ship with home port of New London:
STONINGTON (AS2437): (ship, 350 tons, 103’, length 103 ft., built in Stonington in 1827, broken up in 1848). STONINGTON sailed on June 11, 1842 for the Indian Ocean, returned June 29, 1843. Dennis Wood Abstract 1-475. Williams & Barnes was the agent. AS13486.
This is where the confusion begins as to the number of voyages. AOWV shows the next voyage leaving on April 17, 1843, returning seven days later (April 24, 1843). AV13487. It sailed on August 17 (or September 9, 1843) for the NW Coast with George as original master. He left the ship, to be replaced by Alanson Fournier (AM2014) under unusual circumstances, as described below. Dennis Wood Abstract 2-616 makes no mention of a change of masters. Decker and Starbuck show STONINGTON returning September 29, 1847. Williams & Barnes was the agent. AV134878.
Wood Abstract 1-475 explains the confusion about number of voyages: “Sailed August 17, 1843 for the NW Coast….Just back August 24, Partially dismasted in a gale on the 19th. Sailed again Sept. 7 for the NW Coast”. The author believes that the one week voyage should be considered a false start of the 1843 voyage rather than a separate voyage. This conclusion would be consistent with Decker and Starbuck who show the first and third voyages, not the second. Colby shows two voyages, departing 1842 and 1843. Note, the actual date of sailing on these voyages vary from source to source, but the variance does not change the conclusion about two voyages
The logbook for STONINGTON‘s voyage (held by Mystic Seaport Museum) records the incident relating to the change of command that took place during the Mexican-American war. On February 27-28, 1847 George and some crew and passengers went ashore while the ship was at anchor off San Blas, Mexico. Once ashore they were taken prisoner by Mexicans. Alanson (the second officer) was told by an officer of an English ship anchored nearby that the Mexicans were outfitting four gunboats to capture the ship. Fearing for the safety of the ship and crew, Alanson, taking charge in George’s absence, sailed STONINGTON the next day, leaving behind George and the others. STONINGTON under Alanson’s command reached New Bedford on September 29, 1847. Alanson’s period as master was short in any case, from late February to late September.
California newspapers 150 years later show another aspect of George’s life. Once freed by the Mexicans, he returned to California in September 1847. Rancho Guejito, a private 23,000 acre Mexican Land Grant ranch located in Encondido CA (north of San Diego) “passed from Orozco’s [prior Mexican owner] ownership to Capt. George W. Hamley, master of the American whaling ship Stonington, which operated along the coast. Hamley went before the United States Land Commission and was issued a patent for the ranch. He lost Guejito on a judgment for $2,050 in back taxes”(The Escondido Daily Times Advocate (6/1/1972, p.25) . A later newspaper adds: “The second owner of the Guejito was Capt. George W. Hamley, commander of the ship Stonington, which was anchored in San Diego Bay when San Diego was passing from Mexican to American hands. He gave refuge to Americans who feared to stay in the little hamlet” (Ramona [CA] Sentinel (12/9/1993, p.10).
A recent (2024) book by Peter J. Emanuel Jr. (see Sources) draws extensively on STONINGTON’s log book as well as other sources to provide a detail examination of its voyage, only briefly summarized above. Any one interested in that voyage should consult this book.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text. Peter Emanuel’ book is “Course Change: The Whaleship Stonington in the Mexican-American War”, held in the library of Mystic Seaport Museum.
George Shaw
American Institute for Maritime Studies
Mystic Seaport Museum
January 2026