William T. Shorey

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William T. Shorey
Born July 13, 1859
Barbados, West Indies
Died April 15, 1919
Oakland, California
Occupation Ship Captain
Spouse Julia Ann Shelton
Children Zenobia Pearl Shorey, Victoria Grace Shorey, William T. Shorey Jr

William T. Shorey (b.July 13, 1859 - d.April 15, 1919) was a late 19th Century American whaling ship captain known to his crew as the Black Ahab[1]. He was born in Barbados July 13, 1859 and spent his life at sea. He became the only Black captain operating on the west coast of the United States in the late 1880's and 1890's. He obtained his certification in 1885.[2] His whaling voyages were based out of San Franscisco on the whaling bark John and Winthrop[3]. He retired from whaling in 1908 and lived in Oakland until his death from the Spanish flu pandemic[4] in 1919. He is buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, California.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Katz, William Loren. The Black West. Simon & Shuster, Inc, 1987.
  2. ^ http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt0t1nc8jz/
  3. ^ http://www.npca.org/cultural_diversity/treasures/sfmaritime.html
  4. ^ http://genforum.genealogy.com/barbados/messages/2157.html