Whaling master active 1852–1870.
Ports of command: New London, Connecticut; New Bedford, Massachusetts; Stonington, Connecticut.
William H. Allen was born on 6 October 1826 in Lebanon, Connecticut. He was the son of Griswold Allen (born about 1797, died 18 March 1857) and Betsey Chappell (born about 1798, died 3 December 1875). He married Georgiana Bailey of Groton, Connecticut (born May 1836) on 3 August 1858.
The couple had four children: Charles (died 1864 at age five), Ralph (1864–1922), Frank (1868–1941), and Ellen (Willard) (1879–1941). Federal census records for Groton in 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1900 record the family living there, with William variously described as “seaman,” “ship captain,” and “mariner.”
After retiring from the sea, Allen served two terms in the Connecticut General Assembly and twelve years on the Board of Selectmen of Groton. He was also an organizer and president of the Mariners Savings Bank.
William H. Allen died on 3 February 1907 in Groton. Georgiana Bailey Allen died on 7 February 1922. They are memorialized on a headstone in Colonel Ledyard Cemetery in Groton.
Early Maritime Career
According to Colby’s chapter on Allen (For Oil and Buggy Whips, pp. 124–130), he worked on a farm until age sixteen before going to sea as cook on a fishing vessel.
He later served on the crew of:
- ROBERT BOWNE (AS2303), voyages 1842–1845 and 1845–1849
- BENGAL (AS0968), voyage 1850–1856, serving as third mate and log keeper
Colby reports that Allen also joined the crew of CATHARINE (AS1054) in Honolulu during that vessel’s voyage of 1850–1854, although his name does not appear on surviving crew lists.
Allen was issued Seamen’s Protection Certificate No. 121 in New London on 17 March 1845 at age nineteen.
Whaling Command (New London)
HARMONY (AS1541) — bark, 316 tons, built in New York, New York, 1840
Departed 1852 – returned 1856
The initial master was William Baker (AM0269), followed by Leonard Brownson (AM0701), William H. Allen, and Elias Hempstead (AM2555), all of whom left the vessel during the voyage.
Colby records that Allen left CATHARINE in Hawaii and joined HARMONY as first mate in November 1853 before later serving as master. Starbuck does not record this voyage of HARMONY, and Decker lists Thomas Fitch as master. Neither AOWV nor the New London Crew Lists record a crew list for this voyage. Mystic Seaport Museum holds the logbook for the voyage.
Voyage identifier: AV06204
NILE (AS0491) — bark, 322 tons, built in New York, New York, 1826
Departed May 1858
During the voyage the vessel was captured and bonded for $45,000 by the Confederate raider SHENANDOAH in the Bering Straits. With crews from several other whale ships, the vessel later arrived in San Francisco in 1865. NILE returned to New London in 1870, making this the longest whaling voyage on record according to Starbuck and Colby.
During the voyage the vessel periodically returned to Honolulu, sent oil home on other ships, and changed masters and crews multiple times. The American Offshore Whaling Voyages database records George Destin (AM1579) as the outgoing master and six replacement masters, Allen being the penultimate one. Starbuck reports that eleven masters served during the voyage.
After returning to New London, NILE was converted there to a barge. Williams & Havens served as agents.
Voyage identifier: AV10491
Other Whaling Command
Allen also served as master on ten voyages on vessels with New Bedford as home port and on one voyage on a vessel sailing from Stonington, Connecticut.
Sources
- Barnard Colby, For Oil and Buggy Whips: Whaling in New London, pp. 124–130
- Alexander Starbuck, History of the American Whale Fishery
- Robert Owen Decker, The Whaling Industry of New London
- American Offshore Whaling Voyages Database (AOWV): AM0102, AS1541, AS0491
- Federal census records for Groton, Connecticut (1860, 1870, 1880, 1900)
- Seamen’s Protection Certificate No. 121, issued New London, 17 March 1845
George Shaw, 2024