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Tuesday, February 21, 2012

black history month: Captain William T. Shorey

William and Julia Ann Shorey

When most people think about early black history in Oakland, they think of the Pullman Porters. Less well known is William T. Shorey, who was captain of a whaling ship in the 1880s, the only black captain operating on the west coast at that time. He was known to his whaling crews as the 'Black Ahab'.

William was born in Barbados in 1859, went to sea as a teenager, and made his first whaling voyage in 1876. Whaling brought him to California, and he married Julia Ann Shelton, the daughter of a leading African American family in San Francisco. He was a skilled captain and navigator, earning his masters license which allowed him to command any size vessel anywhere in the world. He and Julia Ann had 5 children, living in West Oakland at 1782 8th Street. William retired from the sea in 1908, as the whaling industry was winding down as petroleum was discovered.


Active in politics before and after his retirement, William hosted a dinner in 1903 honor of Booker T. Washington, who spoke to raise funds for his school at Tuskegee. William died in 1919, one of many victims of the Spanish flu pandemic. Some of the influenza victims from Oakland are buried in plot 53 in Mountain View Cemetery, but William is in plot 14B. Julia Ann (-1944) and their daughter Zenobia Pearl (-1909) were also buried there. Their grave is prominently marked on the maps the cemetery provides. Nearby is a marker for William T. Shorey, Jr. (1902-1969), presumably their son.

Following his death, Shorey Street in West Oakland was named after him. He was the first black resident in Oakland to be honored by the city fathers.

more on Captain William T. Shorey:
Historical photo from the Oakland History Room at the Oakland Public Library.

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6 comments:

  1. AnnFebruary 21, 2012 at 3:26 PM

    Nice looking man and very intersting story.

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  2. SondraFebruary 21, 2012 at 5:50 PM

    HE made his own way through life which was Very difficult during those times Im sure! Great Post!!

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  3. JulieFebruary 22, 2012 at 3:28 AM

    I would imagine that his life as the captain of a whaling boat would have seen him much more rough and ready than he appears in this image of him.

    Interesting that in so many of the posts that contributors write, we hear tell of chilren dying before their parents. Such a hard road to hoe. As is living for another 25 years after a beloved spouse passes on, as happened with Julia.

    I have not tried getting a map of the cemetery I toured this week, Waverley Cemetery. I shall try to see if I can locate an 'office' next time I traipse over there.

    Thanks so much for this contribution. I have no idea when I will find and indigenous grave in a Sydney cemetery. Or how I would recognise it, if I did. Yes, yes. I realise that is written as a Catch-22.

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  4. CaTFebruary 22, 2012 at 2:23 PM

    s his grave crooked on purpose or just because it has been standing so long already?
    the spanish flu was amazing, it could kill you in just a few hours!!

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  5. GeneFebruary 22, 2012 at 2:28 PM

    Because it's been standing so long. Though many other graves from the same period are OK, so it may just be bad luck.

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  6. SeaThreePeeOFebruary 23, 2012 at 3:33 AM

    Such an interesting post. Thank you for sharing.

    Herding Cats


    http://seathreepeeo.blogspot.com

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