Silas was born about 1816 in Groton. Nothing is known of his parents. He married Elizabeth Crocker, born about 1820, in New Haven CT on June 9, 1838. Their daughter Emma was born in 1842. An unnamed child died at seven weeks in 1845 and their son Silas died at age four in 1848. The 1850 census for New London shows the family of three living together, Silas age 33 “Mariner”, Elizabeth age 30, and Emma age 8, all born in New London. The two young children are buried in the Third Burying Ground portion of Cedar Grove Cemetery in New London. There is no record of Silas or Elizabeth being buried there, and no record could be found about the deaths of either of them.
Seamen’s Protection Certificate #47, issued to him in New London on May 11, 1835, shows him as born about 1816 and then 19 years of age with dark hair and 5’ 8” tall. His first recorded experience at sea was about three years later when he joined the crew of the ship ARMATA (AS0913, home port New London), on its 1838-1840 voyage.
He served as master for one voyage on each of three ships with New London as home port:
PEMBROKE (AS2163): (bark, 199 tons, built in Pembroke MA in 1819). Frederick Peabody (AM3751) was original master when she sailed in May 1840 for the South Atlantic. Starbuck reports “Captain Peabody left the ship at Madagascar”; Dennis Wood Abstract 1-551 is to the same effect. Silas was listed as the second name on the crew list, and he succeeded Capt. Peabody as master. PEMBROKE returned in June 1841. Joseph Lawrence was agent. AV11375.
COLUMBUS (AS1125): (ship, 345 tons, built Kingston MA in 1821, lost in Ochotsk Sea in August 1858). She sailed in June 1846 for the Indian Ocean and NW Coast and returned in May 1849. Lyman Allyn was agent. AV03102.
SEA BREEZE (AS2364): (schooner, built in Robbinston ME in 1857, shown only “lost”). She sailed in 1855, destination and return date not shown in AOWV. Neither Starbuck, Colby or Decker records SEA BREEZE as a ship or Silas as master. AV12998
New London Crew Lists shows that Silas was master of JULIUS PRINGLE for her 1849 voyage. Connecticut Ship Database shows this 95 ton schooner registered from 1846-1849 for the coastal trade with New London s home port. Because she was in the coastal trade and perhaps did not engage in whaling, she is not listed in Starbuck, Decker or Colby and does not appear in the AOWV database.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text.
George Shaw (Mystic Seaport Museum) June 2024