Joseph Proctor was born in Maryland. He served 40 years in the U.S. Navy and five years on Merchant Ships. His position was sailor and painter. When onshore, he acted as a Maritime Pilot.
Illustration of a pilot on the lookout for incoming steamboats; from the Century Magazine in the November 1881-April 1882 edition.
In September of 1825, Joseph Proctor was a part of the crew of the Ship Brandywine, a brand-new Frigate that was responsible for taking the Marquis de Lafayette, French Hero of the American Revolution, home after his 1820s return visit to the United States(Pohl). The Frigate was originally being built as the USS Susquehanna under President John Quincey Adams. President Adam’s decided that the Ship would be renamed Brandywine after the first battle that Lafayette had fought in and the one battle where Lafayette had gained the confidence of George Washington (Pohl). The Ship would leave for France on September 8, 1824. At first, the crossing did not go smoothly. The Brandywine was leaking and constantly taking on water(Footner, 126). However, once the Captain found the leak and made repairs, except for some stormy weather, the trip was without incident. (Pohl). The Ship arrived in France in early October. The Brandywine was then sent to join the Mediterranean Squadron(Jones,71). It would remain with the Squadron until being recalled to the United States in late April of 1826 (Mooney).
USS BRANDYWINE, Naval History and Heritage Command.
The last ship that Joseph Proctor was on in 1840 was the USS Macedonian. The Macedonian was a new Frigate built from the keel of the original English Frigate captured in the war of 1812 (Tertius De Kay, 203). The USS Macedonian, under the command of Commodore Shubrick from 1837 to 1840, joined the West Indies Squadron, operating out of Pensacola, Florida (Tertius De Kay,209). The three years that Macedonian sailed with the West Indies Squadron was considered an uneventful cruise, and the USS Macedonian returned to New York in 1840 (Tertius De Kay,209). Joseph Proctor was on the USS Macedonian during these years.
USS Macedonian USNH & HC Photo
Joseph Proctor signed with his mark an X, an indication that he could not write. However, according to the University of Chicago, Gloria L. Main, reading and writing in the eighteenth century were taught separately (Lynch). Many people learned how to read but never to write. Thus, it is possible that Joseph Proctor was not illiterate, and he might have shipped before he had time to learn to write.
The Patriot Making his Mark
Records on permanent loan from Sailors Snug Harbor to Suny Maritime College
Joseph Proctor would enter Sailors Snug Harbor on April 1, 1862. He would reside at the Harbor for 25 years and pass away on September 27, 1887, at 100 years old. When Joseph died, he had a wife still living in New York, Sophia Proctor. Joseph is buried in Plot 5, Row 5, grave 15, in Snug Harbor Cemetery. Joseph Proctor's Grave according to the cemetery map is 1480.