John T Duntlin: A Life
Information that is well documented. There are some loose ends that require more research.
Birth and Early Identity (1828–1843)
John Theodore was born on October 14, 1828, in Boston, Massachusetts. His birth surname appears in early records as Dunttin, a spelling variant that later stabilizes as Duntlin.
However, parentage records complicate the picture. His father is named John Trenttin, and his mother Caroline Trenttin. No siblings appear in surviving documentation.
A Maritime Career Takes Shape (1843–1863)
In 1843, John Theodore (age 15) is listed as Second Mate aboard the ship John Dawson—a remarkably early rank that suggests both competence and ambition.
His seafaring career continued steadily:
- 1847: Boatsteerer on the Golanda
- 1862–1863: First Mate on the bark Solon
By the time of the Solon voyage, he consistently appears under the surname Duntlin, the name by which he is best known in whaling records and personal writings.
First Marriage and Loss (1854–1861)
On August 25, 1854, John Theodore married Ann P. Southhack (1828–1861). Their marriage lasted just over seven years.
On December 26, 1861, Ann died—leaving John Theodore widowed on the eve of his most documented maritime service aboard the Bark Solon.
Second Marriage and Family Life (1863–1877)
On December 8, 1863, John Theodore remarried, this time to Lucy Ann Benson (1840–1905). Here, the surname issue resurfaces sharply: Lucy Ann Benson is also found in records married to John T. Trenttin, born circa 1828.
Rather than representing two men, the evidence strongly supports one individual appearing under two surnames.
Their children include:
- Cara Howard Duntlin, born September 4, 1864
- Annie Barrows Duntlin, born 1868
- John Cushing Duntlin, born 1875
- Frank Chester Duntlin, born March 10, 1877. He is the father of my maternal grandmother Thelma Anita Duntlin/Hodder
From this point forward, Duntlin becomes the dominant surname for both John Theodore and his children.
California Years and Civic Records (1871–1877)
Between 1871 and 1876, John Theodore appears repeatedly in voter registration records in Union, San Joaquin County, California—specifically in 1871, 1872, 1873, 1875, and 1876. These entries reflect stability, civic participation, and a settled life far removed from the uncertainties of whaling voyages.
In 1877, he appears one final time in voter records before his death.
Death and Burial (1877)
John Theodore Duntlin died on November 6, 1877, in Woodbridge, San Joaquin County, California, at the age of 49.
Despite his death in California, he was buried in Wareham, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, returning him—at least in death—to New England soil.
