Official records show that Ezra was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia on June 18, 1816. Some crew lists show him as born in Salem, MA. His parents, also born in Windsor, were John and Mary Smith. He and Margaret L. Dixon recorded a notice of intention to marry on August 30, 1846 in Salem but no record was found confirming that the marriage took place. No other information was located about Margaret nor was any record found that they had any children. An 1855 MA census records Ezra than age 41, born in Nova Scotia, occupation “mariner”. An 1857 city directory for Salem shows him as “captain” and living there; 1870 and 1877 directories for Boston MA show him as “sailmaker”. Ezra died on January 21, 1878 in a hospital in Boston. The record of his death listed “sailmaker” as his occupation. He is buried in Salem.
Ezra served as master for five voyages on three ships with New London as home port:
DOVE (AS1228): (brig, 145 tons, length 77 ft., built in Newbury MA in 1817). DOVE sailed on August 15, 1849 for the Indian Ocean and returned on November 6, 1851. A little over a month after it returned, on December 16 it departed on another voyage, destination not recorded, and returned on June 27, 1854. Decker and Starbuck show the master of the 1851 voyage as “—Rose”. Dennis Wood Abstract 2-176 gives a brief description of the 1849 voyage. Williams & Haven was the agent for the first voyage, no agent recorded for the second one. AV03817 and AV03818 respectively.
PEARL (AS2158): (bark, 195 tons, length 91’, built in Medford MA in 1838, burned by SHENENDOAH on April 3, 1865 near Ascension Island, the crew put ashore). PEARL sailed on March 10, 1852 for the So. Atlantic and Indian Oceans and returned on April 8, 1854. Wood Abstract 2-304 and 3-570. Decker show that “—Fowler” was the master. A month and a half after returning, on May 23 it started on another voyage, this time to the Indian Ocean, and returned on April 19, 1856. That this voyage had its frustrations is indicated by the following quote in Decker (3-570): “had not seen a whale for 11 months”. Decker continues: “…returned in consequence of the sickness of the captain”. For this voyage, AOWV shows *** meaning “left the ship”. Decker and Starbuck show the April 19 return date with no indication that Ezra was not the master at the time. Williams & Haven was the agent for both voyages. AV11335 and AV11337 respectively.
JOHN E. SMITH (AS1711): (schooner, 119 tons, length 75’, built in Brookhaven NY in 1845). SMITH sailed on September 1, 1857 for the No. Atlantic and returned on September 5, 1858. This was apparently the ship’s last whaling voyage as its registration was withdrawn in that year. Richard H. Chapell was the agent. AV07734.
Prior to becoming master of DOVE, Ezra served on the crew for its 1846-1849 voyage.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text.
George Shaw
American Institute for Maritime Studies
Mystic Seaport Museum
October 2025