Philo was born on April 29, 1814, birthplace not known. His parents were Philo Huntley (Sr.) (9/18/1761 – 7/27/1855) and Hannah (Reid) Huntley (1781 – 2/201855). Philo Sr. was born in Colchester CT. Both he and his wife are buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in New London. They had nine children, three of whom were engaged in the whaling business: William (AM2781, born in 1805), Philo, and George (AM2770, born in 1816). While not appearing in AOWV, New London Crew Lists shows Philo Sr. serving as a crew member on several ships, but none could be verified. He was issued Seaman’s Protection Certificate #3133 on October 11, 1806, the certificate showing him as age 25 and born in Colchester.
Philo married Harriet Ashcraft (6/24/1825 – 3/13/1854). She was the daughter of James and Nancy Ashcraft of Stonington CT. They had one child, Harriet (3/5/1854 – 2/12/1855). Harriet was born eight days before her mother died and survived for less than a year. Philo lost his wife and his only child within a year. The four Ashcrafts are buried in Chesterfield Cemetery in New London.
Philo died on December 14, 1875. His memorial stone is in Cedar Grove Cemetery in New London. It states that he is buried in Meriden CT.
Philo served as master for three voyages on three ships with New London as home port:
MOGUL (AS1958); (ship, 375 tons, length 114 ft., built in Medford MA,after 1847 records show built in New Bedford). She sailed on June 6, 1847 for the Indian Ocean and NW Coast, returning May 8, 1851. Dennis Wood Abstract 2-474. Williams & Barnes was the agent. AV09944.
COLUMBUS (AS1125): (ship, 375 tons, length 106 ft., built in Kingston MA in 1821, lost Shanta Bay, Sea of Ochotsk, 10/18/1858). She sailed on October 12, 1854 for the Indian Ocean, returning May 21, 1856. Wood Abstract 3-538. George Huntley (his brother) was the agent. AV03106.
INDIAN CHIEF (AS1674): (ship, 401 tons, built in Portsmouth VA in 1812). She sailed on September 29, 1856 for the So. Atlantic, Indian, and No Pacific oceans. AOWV suggests (by “?”) that at some point during the voyage Philo left the ship, to be replaced by George as replacement master. However, George is not listed on the crew list for this voyage. Wood Abstract 3-554 for this voyage records “Reported lost in the ice in Aug. in the Arctic Ocean”, then “Lost in the Arctic in 1857”. A newspaper clipping pasted on top of the abstract entry (source unknown) reads “was struck by the ice, while boiling, and in fifteen minutes was rolled over and went down”. In the article, the insurance underwriters opined one boat failed to reach land, another in jeopardy. George Huntley was again the agent. AV07014.
Philo also served as master for one voyage on WARREN (AS0697, home port New Bedford) for her 1855-1860 voyage.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text.
George Shaw
American Institute for Maritime Studies
Mystic Seaport Museum
May 2026