A multigenerational family history (the Comstock Genealogy), the accuracy of which was not verified, records that Henry was born on July 15,1811 in Groton CT. He was the son of Thomas Comstock, a sea captain, (1781-9/17/1854) and Sabra Comstock. Henry married Delia Perkins, born May 15, 1813 in Ledyard CT, on March 26, 1837. Henry and Delia had seven children: Henry (died at age 12), twin daughters Hannah and Harriet born on March 17, 1840, a second pair of twins Charles and Caroline born on March 20, 1845, Melville (died at 18 months), and Joseph born on September 8, 1851. The children other than Henry and Melville had long lives. Census reports show the family living in Ledyard in 1840 and 1850. The date of Henry’s death shown on his memorial stone in the Gales Ferry Cemetery in Ledyard, seen in Find A Grave, is March 23, 1854. According to a clipping in that site from a New London paper, “Capt. Henry Comstock died on the passage from the Coast of Africa, between St. Helena and Ascension, and was buried on the latter island” (see LOUISA BEATON below.) Delia survived Henry by many years, dying in 1898.
Henry was master for three voyages on two ships with New London as home port:
TENEDOS (AS2481): (bark, 245 tons, length 96’, built in Pembroke MA in 1827, became part of Stone Fleet 1). It sailed on August 5, 1844 for the Indian Ocean, returned on June 9, 1847. Henry, master when the ship left New London, left the ship, time and circumstances not known, to be replaced by George Churchill (AM0977). Dennis Wood Abstract 2-640 notes that eight crew members deserted at Stewart Island (south of New Zealand). Starbuck records for this voyage, “First mate, —- Churchill, injured by falling off a water-cask and died Dec., 1847.” The author believes that Starbuck’s date of death should be 1846 to be consistent with other records. AV13751. It sailed again on August 12, 1847 for the Japan Sea, returned on June 21,1850. AV13753. Joseph Lawrence was agent for both voyages.
LOUISA BEATON (AS1806): (brig, 186 tons, length 88’, built in Fairhaven MA in 1845). It sailed in 1853 and returned, according to Decker, in May 24, 1853. As noted above, Henry died during the return trip. The return date probably should be 1854 to be consistent with the memorial stone date of death; May may or may not be the correct month, depending on whether Henry actually died on March 23. Miner, Lawrence & Co. was the agent. AV08651.
Henry’s brother, Joseph Comstock (AS1280), was a New London whaling master. There is another master with a similar name, Henry S. Comstock (AM1279) who is the subject of another paper. Several of the sources only show the last name Comstock, so one has to pay attention to dates of voyages to avoid attributing a voyage to the wrong Henry. Some of Henry S.’s voyage occurred about the same time as Henry’s, others were well after Henry’s death in 1854. The author found no “S.” in connection with any reference to Henry (AM6010).
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text. Also, the Comstock Genealogy: Descendants of William Comstock of New London”, and a similar History and Genealogy of the Comstock Family in America, both found in Ancestry.com.
George Shaw
American Institute for Maritime Studies
Mystic Seaport Museum
January 2025