William T. Shorey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William T. Shorey
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| Born | July 13, 1859 |
| Died | April 15, 1919 (aged 59) |
| Occupation | Ship Captain |
| Spouse(s) | Julia Ann Shelton |
| Children | Zenobia Pearl Shorey, Victoria Grace Shorey, William T. Shorey Jr |
William T. Shorey (born July 13, 1859 – died April 15, 1919) was a brave and famous whaling ship captain. He lived in the late 1800s and early 1900s. His crew sometimes called him the 'Black Ahab'. Captain Shorey was born on the island of Barbados. He spent most of his life working on the ocean. He became the only Black captain sailing on the west coast of the United States during the 1880s and 1890s. His ship, the John and Winthrop, was special. It was the only whaling ship in the world with an all African-American crew.
Early Life of William T. Shorey
William T. Shorey was born in 1859. He grew up on the beautiful Caribbean island of Barbados. His father was from Scotland and grew sugar cane. His mother was a Creole woman from the West Indies.
Even though slavery had ended on the island, life was still hard. There were not many chances for "men of color" to succeed. William loved the idea of adventure at sea. He took a chance to leave Barbados on a ship going to Boston.
On this journey, William became friends with the ship's captain. The captain taught him how to sail and find his way across the ocean. William started working on whaling ships in the 1870s.
Captain Shorey's Whaling Career
William Shorey earned his captain's license in 1885. This was a big achievement for him. He led whaling trips from San Francisco. He commanded several ships, including the Emma F. Herriman, Alexander, Andrew Hicks, Gay Head II, and John and Winthrop.
Captain Shorey often had crews made up of people from many different backgrounds. He was known for being fair and skilled. He stopped whaling in 1908. After his time at sea, he lived in Oakland.
In Oakland, Captain Shorey became an important leader in his community. He passed away in 1919. His death was due to the Spanish flu pandemic. He is buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland.
