Thomas was born in New London in 1824. His parents were (Capt.) Thomas Harris (1782-1866) and Lucy Harris (1877-1862). Thomas married Mary E. Smith, born in 1830, location not found. The 1859 census for New London provides information about a household then consisting of Thomas (father, age 65, “light boat keeper”), his wife Lucy (55), and their two sons Thomas (age 26, “mariner”) and George (age 22, “mariner”). Ten years later, the household consists of the elder Thomas (now a ‘fisherman”), Lucy, son Thomas (age 55, now a “fisherman”) and Mary (age 40). By 1880, both of Thomas’s parents have died, and Thomas (age 55, “fisherman”) and Mary (age 49) are still in New London. There is no record that they had any children. Thomas died in New London on July 24, 1892 at age 68, noted in New London’s The Day (7/25/1892, p. 8). He is buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in New London (section 10). Mary died on May 18, 1912, at age 83.
Thomas makes a brief appearance in the whaling records. He served on the crew for three voyages on three ships, all with New London as home port: ROBERT BOWNE (AS2303) for its 1845-1848 voyage, GENERAL SCOTT (AS0263) for its 1848-1852 voyage, and IRIS (AS1659) for its 1852-1856 voyage.
IRIS (bark, 245 tons, length 92 ft., built in Kittery ME in 1823, sold in Boston in 1859) sailed for its 1852 voyage on October 7, 1852 for the So. Atlantic. The master when IRIS sailed was John P. Rice (AM4065). Thomas, a member of the crew, is listed after John’s name on the crew list, sometimes an indication of status as mate. At some time during the voyage, John left the ship, where, when and why not known, to be replaced by Thomas as replacement master. IRIS returned home on July 15, 1856. For how long Thomas served as master in John’s absence is not known. Dennis Wood Abstract 2-306 does not mention John’s departure or Thomas’s name. Frink & Prentis was the agent. AV07134
IRIS’s initial master, John Rice, widely known as “Bony”, was “one of the greatest whaling captains” (Colby, p. 48). Colby devotes a chapter of his book to John and includes a photograph of him. He refers to IRIS (p. 54): “After a year and a half ashore, Rice sailed for the South Atlantic in the small bark IRIS for Frink & Smith on 7 October 1852, returning 15 July 1856 with 32 barrels of sperm oil and 7000 pounds of bone”. Interestingly, there is no mention of John leaving IRIS or Thomas replacing him, even briefly.
No records could be found of Thomas sailing again on any whaling voyages. By 1860 he was a fisherman.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text.
George Shaw
American Institute for Maritime Studies
Mystic Seaport Museum
January 2026