#on literally the 3rd day of this voyage he’s like ‘homesick as a dog’

[focsle]

Next journal adventure will be that of Benjamin Boodry, 2nd mate on the Arnolda.

He was a career whaleman, first going to sea at age 12/13 on the Willis 1840-42, which his brother William was captain of. Two years later in 1844 his brother died while on a whaling voyage at age 32 of ‘brain fever’ at Rio de Janeiro. 

Benjamin continued going to sea and rising through the ranks of a whaleship, becoming a boatsteerer on the 1846 voyage of LaGrange, and 2nd mate on the 1852-55 voyage of Arnolda.

After that, in 1856 he got married at age 28 to 22 year old Mary Washburn. A mere two months after their marriage he was off again on another 4 year voyage aboard the Fanny, this time as captain.

In 1861 they had their first child, Frederick. Unfortunately Frederick died a few months after his first birthday. In February of 1863 Benjamin also died very young at the age of 35 of Endocarditis. At that point Mary was 6 months pregnant with their second son. That child was born at the end of June and was named after his father. Mary would remarry a man named Charles Barstow two years later, have a final daughter named Jane in 1868, and Mary would live well into her 80s.