Isaac was born in Barnstable MA on March 19, 1798. His parents were Isaac (Sr.) and Lydia Hodges. He was the second of ten children, two of whom were twins who died within six weeks of their birth.
His first wife was Hannah, born in 1801. Her maiden name and when and where they were married was not found. The 1850 census for Barnstable records Isaac (age 59, “sailor), Hannah (age 49) and seven children: Joseph, Jane, Jehial, Elizabeth, Sarah, Jane and Hannah. Five years later in a MA census only two children are recorded, Isaac Jr. and Hannah. Hannah, Isaac’s wife, died on July 17,1859. The 1860 census records only Isaac (age 62, “master mariner”), Jane and daughter Hannah. On November 18, 1862 Isaac married Susan Stockman, born in Nantucket in 1809. The marriage records show that this was the second marriage for both. The MA census for 1865 shows Isaac (age 60, “fisherman”), Susan (age 55) and William Stockman, presumably her son (age 23, “mariner”.) No changes other than ages are reflected in the 1870 census.
Isaac died on October 19, 1879 in Osterville (Barnstable). The death certificate records him as ”mariner”. Susan died in 1901. He is buried in Hillside Cemetery in Osterville His gravestone shows his dates (1798-1879) and those of his two wives, Hannah (1801-1859) and Susan (1809-1901).
Isaac appears in AOWV for a single voyage, that of master of HENRIETTA (AS2683, home port New London) for a voyage to the So. Shetland islands from 1832-1834. HENRIETTA was a schooner, 136 tons, length 83 ft, built in Baltimore in 1827. The CT Ship Database records HENRIETTA as engaging in the “coasting trade”. Neither Isaac’s nor HENRIETTA ‘s name appears in Colby, Decker or Starbuck. Perhaps they concluded that Isaac was not sufficiently engaged in whaling to warrant notation in their publications.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text.
George Shaw
American Institute for Maritime Studies
Mystic Seaport Museum
March 2026