AOWV shows the last name of Silas as Fiske. Most other sources, including his gravestone and some references in AOWV, show his last name without the final “e”. This paper will refer to him as Silas Fisk.
He was born on July 2, 1826, probably in Cheshire CT. His parents were Solomon Fisk (1798-1879) and Lovincy (Newton) Fisk (1797-1880). He married Julia Edgecomb, born in 1828. They were married in New London in 1850, either May 8 and November 16 (both dates appear in sources). The 1860 census for Groton records Silas (age 36, “sea captain”, born in Cheshire CT), Julia (age 34, born in Groton), Silas (age 9), and Alberta (age 3). Find A Grave, information not verified, shows their children as Silas (1851-1905), Julia (1857-1951), Henry (1862-1922), and William (- 1864). Julia, widow of Silas, is recorded as living in New London in 1865. A family genealogy (see Sources) lists several members with the name Fisk (no “e”) including “Silas, 1826, drowned”.
Silas died on February 27, 1864 by drowning off the coast of California during his voyage on HILLMAN (see below). His obelisk-shaped gravestone at Col. Ledyard Cemetery in Groton features a bas relief carving of a full-rigged whaling ship above his name and the name FISK in large carved letters at the bottom. See below for a further description of the circumstances of his death.
Silas served as master for two voyages on two ships with New London as home port:
NORTH STAR (AS2059): (ship, 399 tons, length 110 ft., built in Philadelphia PA in 1828). It sailed on September 11, 1855 for the No. Pacific, returned on July 1, 1856. Dennis Wood Abstract #3-569 describes the end of the voyage: “Lost on Bedout Is. North Coast of New Holland on the night of July 11, 1856, the officers and crew and 800 Bbls of Whale Oil were saved and carried to the port of Mauritius by Bark “Vesper” of New London”. Silas’s wife Julia sailed on this voyage. Of this voyage and Julia’s experience, Colby writes “[Silas] also took his wife to sea, but she had to endure more than the expected deprivation, danger, and exposure when the ship North Star was wrecked among the Bedout Islands off Australia in 1856.” Julia’s experiences on this voyage are not discussed in the books about wives sailing with masters by Druett or Whiting/Hough (see Sources). Colby in the above quote and Starbuck show the master’s name as Fish, likely a misprint. Williams & Barnes was the agent. AV10717.
GENERAL WILLIAMS (AS1445): (ship, 446 tons, length 116 ft., built in Stonington CT in 1831, captured and burned in 1865 by SHENANDOAH in the Bering Strait, crew taken aboard GENERAL PIKE (AS0235). AOWV shows two voyages: a three day one from September 27 to September 30, 1858 (AV0553) and a second one 1858-1861 (AV05534). Dennis Wood Abstract #3-546, explaining as a single voyage what appears to be two voyages, begins: “Fisk Master. Sailed Sept. 27, 1858 Returned September 30 Capt. F. sick with pleurisy”, and continuing, “Fisk (recovered) Master Sailed Oct. 5, 1858 for the N. Pacific”. It returned home on July 12, 1861. Williams & Barnes was the agent. The Whalemen’s Shipping List issues of September 20 and 28 and October 5, 1858 show the ship “in port”; the issue of October 12 shows it “sailed 10/5”. It probably should be considered a single voyage with a delayed start for a few days due to the illness of Silas.
Silas also served as master of HILLMAN (AS0287, home port New Bedford) for its 1862-1865 voyage. It was during this voyage that Silas died. The Whalemen’s Shipping List (3/15/1864) contains the following article: “Death of a Ship Captain. – Messrs. Henry Taber & Co., of this city, received a dispatch from San Francisco, announcing the death of Capt. S. W. Fisk, of ship Hillman, of this port, while whaling on the Coast of California, February 28. Capt. Fisk was about 38 years of age, and belonged in Groton, Conn. He formerly commanded the General Williams of New London. Capt. John A. Macomber, of this city, left here on Saturday for New York, to take passage in the California steamer, for the purpose of taking charge of the Hillman, and will proceed on the voyage, probably going to the Arctic Ocean for the next two seasons”. Dennis Wood Abstract #4-086 records “In Margaretta Bay Jany 26, 1864…At Honolulu no date, She had been joined by Capt. [John] Macomber” [AM3243].
Prior to becoming a master, Silas served as a member of the crew for three voyages of three ships with New London as home port: PEMBROKE (AS2163) for it 1845-1847 voyage, BENGAL (AS0968) for its 1847-1850 voyage, and TENEDOS (AS2481) for its 1850-1853 voyage.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text. Family geneaology: John Baldwin, Sr., of Milford, Conn and his Descendants; Julia’s life at sea: Druett, Petticoat Whalers and She Was a Sister Sailor and Whiting/Hough, Whaling Wives.
George Shaw
American Institute for Maritime Studies
Mystic Seaport Museum
September 2025