Allen was born in New London on November 22, 1822, He was the son of John Harris and Polly Tinker Harris about whom no information was located. He married Charlotte Brooks, born on August 14, 1820. Records show two surviving children: Marvin (8/20/1851 – 5/4/1903), shown as “nephew” (obituary) and “adopted son” (1880 census report). Allen’s name appears in a Civil War draft registration in 1863 showing him as age 43 and “seaman”. Census reports for Stonington shows the changing family composition and Allen’s occupation: 1850: no children shown, “mariner”; 1860: Nelson, “fisherman”; 1870: Nelson and Marvin, “fisherman”; 1880: Marvin, “sea captain”; and 1890: no children, “fisherman”. Allen died on June 8, 1901 in Stonington; Catherine died on June 16, 1905. They are buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in New London, marked by a gravestone showing their names and dates of birth and death and below them Marvin’s name and dates of birth and death. From an obituary for Allen appearing in New London’s The Day (6/10/1901, p. 7): “For many years [he] engaged in the fishing business . He followed the water when fishing was remunerative and was very successful. He was well known to all of the older fishermen who did business in the New York markets….He was survived by a widow, a son, Nelson Harris, and a nephew, Marvin Harris, who made his home with him”.
AOWV records Allen has serving as master for one voyage on one ship with New London as home port:
WILLIAM P. BENJAMIN (AS2603): (sloop (Decker describes as “smack”), 56 tons, length 52 ft., built in New London in 1852). Decker shows BENJAMIN sailing in March 1860 for Long Island (NY?) with no master or agent listed. Colby does mention Allen or this voyage, and Starbuck does not list any whale ship named WILLIAM P. BENJAMIN. AV15679.
The registration statements for BENJAMIN issued beginning November 30, 1859 through January 29, 1869 show Allen as master with a notation at the top of each page either “codfishing”, “mackeral”, or “fisheries”.
Allen’s obituary (New London’s The Day, 6/10/1891, p.7) mentions him only engaging in fishing, no mention of whaling. Decker refers to the destination of the 1860 voyage as “Long Island”, a destination more appropriate for fishing, not whaling. The Connecticut Ship Database records BENJAMIN as engaging in the “codfisheries” trade. BENJAMIN’s size is considerably smalling than most ships going whaling from New London.
The author concludes that Benjamin was not engaged in whaling and that Allen should not be considered a New London whaling master.
Prior to his voyage on BENJAMIN, Allen served as a member of the crew of HALCYON (AS1510) for its 1843-1844 voyage and CHARLES HENRY (AS1083) for its 1845-1847 voyage. New London was home port of both ships.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text.
George Shaw
American Institute for Maritime Studies
Mystic Seaport Museum
January 2026