San Diego-San Francisco County CA Archives Biographies.....Whaley, Thomas 1823 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 21, 2006, 1:32 am

Author: Theodore S. Van Dyke

THOMAS WHALEY.

   THERE is something at once interesting and fascinating about the life,
character, and history of the California pioneers. They were, as a class,
exceptional men, strong in most of the qualities that go to make up the typical
American character. They were energetic, courageous, and far-seeing. The careers
of many were full of incidents, and their life histories read like fiction.
Thomas Whaley is a good representative of this noble class of men. He was born
in the city of New York, October 5, 1823, a descendant of Revolutionary stock.
His paternal ancestors emigrated from Ireland to New England in the early part
of the eighteenth century. His grandfather, Alexander Whaley, of Bushwick Cross
Roads, Long Island, New York, fought under the special command of General
Washington, receiving at his hand a reward for brave and daring conduct, an
account of which is given in the history of Brooklyn. His maternal ancestors
were of the old English family of Pye, four brothers of which landed in New York
about the year 1792, bringing with them his mother, then an infant. His
childhood and youth were spent in the metropolis. He had the advantage of the
best of schools, completing his course at the age of eighteen, at Washington
Institute. New York City, which was named and dedicated by Lafayette, in honor
of his friend, George Washington, on the occasion of his last visit to this
country. In 1842, before the establishment of steamship lines, he went with his
tutor, M: Emile Mallet, to Europe and for two years traveled over England and
the continent for instruction and pleasure. Upon his return he was variously
engaged in mercantile pursuits, and at the time of the breaking out of the
California gold fever, he was in the shipping office of George Sutton, owner of
a line of packets running to Charleston, South Carolina.

   The old ship Sutton, Wardle master, was at this time being fitted out to sail
to the coast of California on a trading voyage. The preparations were
interrupted, however, by the news of the discovery of gold, and it was decided,
instead of sending the Sutton on a trading voyage, to fit her up as a passenger
packet to carry emigrants to the New El Dorado. Young Whaley, brimful of pluck
and enthusiasm, decided to join the fortune seekers, and took passage on the
Sutton. The ship had quick dispatch, and on the first day of January, 1849, the
Sutton sailed from New York Harbor. Snow was on the ground and Staten Island and
the Jersey shore were wrapped in a mantle of white. Quite a crowd assembled at
the wharf to see the first vessel from New York set sail for the gold fields of
California. The greetings exchanged by friends were cordial and mutual and many
were the requests for "chunks of gold, some as big as your head."

   Among  the passengers were A. C. Taylor, W. R. Wadsworth, George D. Puffer,
Chas. S. Palmer, Chas. H. Strybing, A. Kuhner (the engraver of the great seal of
California), Moseley, father and son, and Dr. Johnson and his nephew, Tom Grant.
In all there were fifty-four passengers. They had rather a rough time of it
after they got into the Gulf Stream, and all the way down to the line they
experienced more or less heavy weather, so that it was found necessary to put
into Rio de Janeiro for repairs. Here they remained for three weeks and during
that time Whaley stayed on shore, having quarters at the old Hotel Ferrou. There
were at least one thousand and seven hundred Americans in port from different
ships, all bound for California, and many pleasant acquaintances were formed.
Repairs being completed, Captain Wardle hoisted the "blue peter," and the Sutton
was once more under way. They were a month doubling Cape Horn, having lost their
reckoning and being unable to get an observation during that time. A sad
accident occurred after rounding the cape. A number were, against the orders of
the captain, in the stern boat fishing for "gonies." Owing to the weight, the
boat broke away and a dozen or more were precipitated into the water. All were
rescued except one shoemaker, who disappeared, battling with the gonies, who had
picked into his brain, thus rendering effort useless. The sea was rough, the
waves running high, and the man sank before help could reach him.

   They stopped a week at Valparaiso for recreation and to obtain fresh
provisions. On the 22d of July, nearly seven months after leaving New York, they
neared the California shore, and passing within the Golden Gate, came to anchor
amidst the fleet of vessels that had been more fortunate. Mr. Whaley remained on
board the ship until the erection of a tent on the corner of Jackson and
Montgomery Streets, near where the old Pioneer Hall stands. Their goods were
landed at the foot of Washington Street, which then extended about a hundred
feet below the corner of Montgomery. Whaley, with his friend Puffer, leased a
portion of the store belonging to George S. Wardle & Co., erected a short time
after his arrival in the city, and engaged in the mercantile business. In the
fall of 1849 he leased a piece of land from Colonel Stevenson, agent of Henry
Gerke, on Montgomery Street, opposite to George S. Wardle & Co.'s, for which he
paid $450 per month: he sub-let a portion of this for $400 per month, and
erected a two-story building containing ten rooms upstairs and two stores below,
and leased one of the latter and occupied the other for his business. When
Montgomery Street was graded this building was fifteen feet below the grade
established. This proved disastrous, as all of Whaley's tenants left him and his
business was destroyed. He then bought property on Rincon Point and erected a
dwelling-house about opposite to where the U. S. Marine Hospital now stands. He
engaged in business as a broker for a while and afterwards became a coffee
merchant. In the summer of 1851 Lewis A. Franklin and George H. Davis chartered
a vessel and with a cargo of goods started down the coast on a trading voyage.
Whaley, who had an interest in the venture, remained in San Francisco, as their
agent. Franklin and Davis stopped at various ports, finally at San Diego, and
liked the prospects so well that they decided to locate. They wrote to Whaley
and he came down, arriving here in the month of October, 1851. He then formed a
partnership with Franklin, and together they opened a store on the plaza in Old
San Diego, which they christened Tienda California—California Store. The
following April their partnership was dissolved, and in connection with Jack
Hinton, Whaley succeeded to the business of R. E. Raymond, in the Tienda
General—General Store—also at Old San Diego. They remained in partnership for
one year and during that time cleared $18,600 over and above expenses, a very
large sum for such a business. In April, 1853, Hinton retired and E. W. Morse
entered the firm. Whaley returned to New York about this time on a mission at
once pleasant and romantic. On the 14th of August, 1853, he was married to Anna
E. Lannay, of New York, a descendant of the De Lannay and Godfrois families, of
pure French extraction. He then returned to San Diego, bringing his bride with
him. They took up their residence in Old San Diego, which was then a thriving
town, though primitive in its appearance and containing a mixed population of
Spaniards, Mexicans, Indians, and whites. The change from the bustling
metropolis to this quaint old town was novel and delightful, and the time spent
with the hospitable people was particularly enjoyable.

   In 1856 Morse retired from the business and Whaley continued alone, at the
same time engaging in brickmaking in Mission Valley, near Old San Diego. He also
erected a large brick building in 1856, the first built on the coast south of
San Francisco. In 1858 he was engaged in mercantile business with Walter
Ringgold, a son of Major George H. Ringgold, Paymaster United States Army, but
in less than a year this store on the Plaza, Old Town, was destroyed by an
incendiary fire.

   At the breaking out of the Indian war in 1852, Whaley joined the Fitzgerald
volunteers. There was a general rising of the Indians between Los Angeles and
San Diego. Martial law was proclaimed in San Diego, and until their suppression
by the capture and execution of their leader, Antonio Garra, the times were
quite lively.

   About January, 1859, Whaley went to San Francisco, and in March was appointed
commissary storekeeper, under Capt. M. D. L. Simpson, United States Army, in
which employ, under successive commissaries, he remained for several years. He
then engaged in the shipping and commission business for nearly two years. After
that, under Col. G.^H. Weeks, Quartermaster, in charge of the clothing
department, he was appointed storekeeper, and there remained till Colonel Weeks
was relieved by Captain Sawyer, military storekeeper.

   About this time the Russian Possessions, purchased at the instance of Wm. H.
Seward, were to be turned over to the United States. Troops were to be sent up
to Alaska under the command of General Jefferson and C. Davis, with Col. George
H. Weeks Quartermaster, and acting Commissary of Subsistence, who procured an
order for Whaley to take charge of the three Government transports, with stores,
on their arrival at Sitka, as Quartermaster's agent. He proceeded on one of
these transports and arrived at his destination September 26, 1867. The steamer
John L. Stevens, Captain Dall, with General Davis and command, arrived October
10, and a few days thereafter the United States steamer Ossipe, having on board
the Commissioners. Within an hour after their arrival the Territory was turned
over to the United States by Russia. Whaley, in company with others, assisted in
raising the American flag on the island of Japonski, opposite Sitka,
simultaneously with the lowering of the Russian ensign, and the hoisting of the
stars and stripes over the Governor's house at Sitka. Whaley remained in Alaska
as commissary storekeeper and clerk until March, 1868. He was elected with
Samuel Storer, W. S. Dodge, Lugerville, and one other, Councilmen of the town of
Sitka, and helped to frame such civil laws for the government of the people as
were permitted by General Davis, the Military Governor of the Territory. Whaley
returned to San Francisco and then with his family went to New York. With the
proceeds of a partial distribution of his father's estate invested in a stock of
goods, he returned to San Diego and again engaged in business at Old Town. This
was shortly after Father Horton had started his new town of San Diego, known as
Horton's Addition. Everything then was booming in the Old Town. There were
twelve stores, some of them carrying large stocks, particularly J. S. Mannasse &
Co., fifteen saloons, four hotels, two express offices, the post-office, besides
being the county seat. To secure a good location, in the spring of 1869, Whalev
bought out his old partner Morse, who was doing a good business on the Plaza,
and, in company with Philip Crosthwaite, continued business then till February,
1870, when it became evident that New San Diego was to be the point where the
city of the future would be established, and the firm resolved to move their
stock there; but the connection from beginning to end was a disastrous one to
Whaley. In 1873 he again went to New York and remained there nearly five years,
variously engaged. During this time he settled up the estate of his father,
which, owing to the panic of'73, realized but the tithe of what he had expected.
In 1879 Whaley returned to California. After passing a few months in San
Francisco, he reached home, San Diego, in the latter part of 1879, poorer than
ever he had been before. In the fall of 1880 there were prospects of a railroad,
and a boom for San Diego. Whaley made a proposition to E. W. Morse to go into
the real estate business, which was accepted and shortly afterward they admitted
Charles P. Noell, the firm being Morse, Noell & Whaley, till February, 1886,
when Mr. Noell sold his interest to R. H. Dalton, the firm being Morse, Whaley,
& Dalton, till February, 1887, when Mr. Morse retired, leaving the firm Whalev &
Dalton. Mr. Whaley bought considerable property in and around Old Town and at La
Playa, the greater part of which he still retains. He has also acquired an
interest in other property, known as firm property in different parts of the
city, some of which, the Fifth Street property, is being improved from the sale
of outside property belonging to the firm. He retired from active business last
February to pass the few years remaining in peace and happiness with his wife,
surrounded by loving children and grandchildren, dispensing the surplusage of
his wealth for the relief of suffering humanity.

   With the exception of being City Trustee in 1885, City Clerk in 1881 and
1882, Notary Public for the county of San Diego for six years, and Councilman
for Sitka, Alaska, Whaley has never held any public office.


Additional Comments:
From:

THE
CITY AND COUNTY
OF
SAN DIEGO.
ILLUSTRATED,
AND CONTAINING
BI0GRAPHICAL SKETCHES
OF
PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.

SAN DIEGO, CAL.
LEBERTHON & TAYLOR
1888


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sandiego/bios/whaley826nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/

File size: 13.6 Kb