Isaac Hull (1773 - 1843)

Born 9 Mar 1773 in Derby, New Haven, Connecticut

Ancestors

Died 13 Feb 1843 at age 69 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

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Isaac Hull was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal in the War of 1812.

Biography

Commodore Isaac Hull served in the United States Navy in the War of 1812
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Commodore Isaac HULL Esquire was born 9 Mar 1773 in Derby, New Haven, CT and was christened 6 Jun 1773 in First Congregational Church Of Derby. He died Feb 1843 in Derby, New Haven, CT and was buried in Derby Colonial Cemetery, Derby, New Haven, CT. Isaac married Anna McCurdy HART on 1813.

Isaac Hull was a Commodore in the United States Navy. He commanded several famous US naval ships including the USS Constitution, serving in the Quasi War, the Barbary Wars and the beginning of War of 1812. In the latter part of his career he was commander of the Washington Navy Yard, and later the Mediterranean Squadron.

Timeline

1798: He was commissioned a Lieutenant in the newly formed United States Navy in March 1798 and distinguished himself during the next two years while serving on board the frigate Constitution in the Quasi-War with France.

1802: When troubles with the Barbary states heated up in 1802, he went to the Mediterranean as First Lieutenant of the frigate Adams.

1809: During the next few years, he supervised the construction of gunboats and, in 1809 and 1810, was successively given command of the frigates, Chesapeake, President and Constitution.

1809: In 1809 Hull briefly commanded the USS Chesapeake.

1810: Isaac Hull assumed command of the USS Constitution in June 1810. his time on the ship was eventful.

1811: He took the ship on a European cruise in 1811–1812, returning home before the War of 1812 broke out between the United States and Great Britain.

Command of Constitution [edit]

Medal awarded to Hull by the United States Congress. Congressional Gold Medal Isaac Hull assumed command of the USS Constitution in June 1810; his time on the ship was eventful. He took the ship on a European cruise in 1811–1812, returning home before the War of 1812 broke out between the United States and Great Britain. An enemy squadron closely pursued his ship off the East Coast in July, but Hull skillfully evaded them. On August 19, 1812, Constitution encountered the British frigate HMS Guerriere at sea and pounded her to a wreck in an action that electrified the Nation and demonstrated that the small U.S. Navy was a worthy and dangerous opponent for Britain's otherwise overwhelming maritime might.[6][7]

USS Constitution engaging HMS Guerriere

Hull commanded the Portsmouth Navy Yard at Kittery, Maine, for the rest of the War of 1812, then briefly served on the Board of Navy Commissioners in Washington, D.C. Later he was leader of the Boston Navy Yard. During 1823–1827, he commanded the Pacific Squadron operating out of South America aboard the USS United States. Commodore Hull's next assignment, as Commandant of the Washington Navy Yard, ran from 1829 until 1835. Between 1839 and 1841, he commanded the Mediterranean Squadron.

Rendered unfit for further service by age and ill health, he spent the next two years on leave. Commodore Isaac Hull died at the age of 69 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is buried there in Laurel Hill Cemetery.[8]

Sources

• Dorothy A. DeBisschop, Historical Personalities of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, pp. 54 - 59. . http://www.oxfordpast.com/hp54.html.
• Published By Dorothy A. DeBisshop, Connecticut Heritage, p. 25. "Ann McCurdy Hart of Saybrook."
• Published By Dorothy A. DeBisshop, Connecticut Heritage, Oxford, CT, April 15, 1989, p. 25. "He died February 12, 1843, and was buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, with honors suited for a national hero."
• Grant, 1947 p.7
• Donald Lines Jacobus, Families of Ancient New Haven ([CD]Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1981[originally]Rome, N.Y. and New Haven, Conn., 1922-1932), vol 4, p 886.
• Nicholls, Walter (1909) Sergeant Francis Nicholls of Stratford, Connecticut, 1639, and the Descendants of his son, Caleb Nicholls. The Grafton Press, Genealogical Publishers, New York. pages 42, 45 (#214)
• Frank F. O'Brien, 1934 WPA Headstone Inscriptions - Derby Colonial Cemetery, p. 261. http://oxfordpast.net/dccemscan261.html.
• Samuel Orcutt, History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880 (1880, Reprint: Bowie, Maryland, Heritage Books, Inc., 1998), pp. 568 - 575. " ... Isaac early learned the arts of navigation."
• Samuel Orcutt, History Old Town of Derby, Connecticut 1642-1880, p. 735.
• Copied and compared with the original by Nancy O. Phillips, Sarah Riggs Humphrey Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Derby, Connecticut Town Records, 1655-1710 (New Haven, CT, The Tuttle, Morehouse and Taylor Company, 1901.), p. 480. . "Church Records." http://www.derbyhistorical.org/Records1655-1710/480.html.
• http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/naval/fl/War-of-1812-Commodore-Isaac-Hull.htm
• Derby Colonial Cemetery Photograph - Derby, CT. http://oxfordpast.net/cem6680.html.
• "Online Library of Selected Images: People — United States". Department of the Navy — Naval Historical Center. February 25, 2003. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
• "Congressional Gold Medal Recipients Isaac Hull, Stephen Decatur and Jacob Jones". Congressional Gold Medal.com. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
• Wikidata: Item Q2422525, en:Wikipedia