AOWV shows that he was born in 1812 (generally consistent with his age shown New London crew lists). The Connecticut Barbour Collection of town birth records shows “Hull, W(illia)m R., whaler, b. So. Kingston, [RI], res Lebanon [CT], d Jan 20, 1849, ae 39”. Find A Grave records his parents as Christopher Hull (died 3/1/1857 in Lebanon) and Hannan (Perry) Hull (died 71/1832), both buried in Yantic Cemetery in Norwich CT, and shows William dying at sea on January 21, 1849. His memorial stone in Yantic Cemetery reads, as best the author can tell from a photograph in Find A Grave, “CAPT. WILLIAM R. HULL of the Ship Alibree Died on the Pacific Ocean Lat. 14 South, Long. 121 West January 24, 1849 Aged 35 Years”. Using a Mystic Seaport Museum position finder, the author estimates the location about 900 miles south of the Equator and 2400 miles west of Lima, Peru, clearly mid-Pacific. The circumstances of his death could not be found.
William sailed as master for four whaling voyages on two ships, one with New London as home port, the other with Mystic CT as home port:
ARMATA (AS0912) – home port New London: (ship, 414 tons, length 108 ft, built in New York in 1811, rebuilt in New London in 1832). She made three consecutive two–year voyages to the Indian Ocean: July 31, 1840 to July 12, 1842, September 7, 1842 to March 7, 1844, and August 1, 1844 to April 13, 1846. Dennis Wood Abstract 1-028 for the first two voyages and 2-037 for the third. Abner Bassett was the agent the three voyages. AV01245, AV01246, and AV01248.
ALIBREE (AS0802 – home port Mystic): (bark, 378 tons, built in Haverhill MA in 1826, withdrawn in 1840). She sailed on June 24, 1847 to the NW coast, returning on April 25, 1849. J. & W.P. Randall was the agent. AV00544.
Before he became a master, William sailed as a member of the crew on three whaling voyages on ships with New London as home port: FLORA (AS1369) for her 1834-1835 voyage, JULIUS CAESAR (AS1737) for 1837-1838 voyage, and ARMATA (that he would soon join as master) for her 1838-1840 voyage. AOWV shows the voyage of JULIUS CAESAR as two trips, but in fact they should be considered one trip. Wood Abstract 1-278 explains that she sailed on June 4, returned June 18 “with small pox on board”, then sailed again on July 22.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text.
George Shaw
American Institute for Maritime Studies
Mystic Seaport Museum
May 2026