From the June 6, 2011, Falmouth (Mass) Patch.
Henry T. Davis was born in 1838 and grew up in a home with a fine view of the sea. By 1860, he had attained master mariner status. By October 1863, Davis had a commission in the US Navy and was posted to the gunboat USS Pembina Nov. 5, 1863, after it was commissioned in New York.
The ship had nine officers aboard (4 from Massachusetts) and the ship was detached to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron. Later, it mainly operated off the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida providing artillery support, blockade duty, escort duty and operations to catch blockade-runners.
At one time it captured the Dutch-owned blockade-runner Geziena Hilligenda with a cargo of medicines, iron and cloth. Davis was ordered to take the ship to New Orleans.
After the war, he served on the USS Chocura and USS Tahoma until discharged in 1867 when he went into the whaling business before becoming a land-based meat merchant.
On May 26, 1902, he committed suicide by hanging himself after falling into debt $1600. he is buried in Woods Hole Cemetery.
The Story of An Officer. --Old B-R'er
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