Lucius was born in 1802 in Brookfield MA (several crew lists record Hartford (presumably CT). He was the son of Samuel Blydenburg and Helen Rogers. On April 30, 1823, then “of New York”, he married Mary Ann Brown of New London. She was born on September 23, 1805 and died on January 23, 1892 in Palmyra, New Jersey where she was living with her son Lucius. She was the great great granddaughter of Sergt. James Smith of CT (1732-1798) who fought in the Revolution. Her daughter Louise (or Louisa) Murphy was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (#16021). Lucius and Mary Ann had five children: Benjamin (1824-1888), Mary (1827-1901), Hannah (1834-1907), Louise (1837-1897) and Lucius (1839-1911). The crew list for his 1829 voyage reported his skin as “florid”, his hair dark. Lucius died in New London on January 7, 1839. He and Mary Ann are buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in New London. (Find-A-Grave reports another man with the same name and same date of birth who died in Cheshire England and is buried in St. Hilda’s Cemetery in Wallasey, England.)
Lucius was master for one voyage on each of two ships with a home port of New London:
STONINGTON (AS2437): (ship, 350 tons, length 103’, built Stonington CT in 1821, broken up in 1848). Lucius served on the crew of STONINGTON for her 1827-1829 voyage. He then became master for her next voyage when she sailed on July 28, 1829 for the South Atlantic (Brazil Banks), returned on May 31,1830. Williams & Barns were the agents. AV02966.
FRIENDS (AS1418): (ship, 403 tons). Sailed on August 25,1830 for the Pacific Ocean, returned on January 17, 1834. Benjamin F. Brown was the agent. AV05316.
New London Crew Lists shows Lucius serving as master of SEA GULL for voyages beginning May 1826 and October 26. Neither AOWV nor Starbuck records a ship by that name during that time period. Connecticut Ship Database records a brig by that name, built in Waterford CT in 1826, 112 tons, home port New London, registered from 1826-1829. There is no indication whether she was in the whaling business.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text
George Shaw (Mystic Seaport Museum) November 2023