John Minor Maury

John Minor Maury (1795 – June 23, 1823) was an officer in the United States Navy. He was born near Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1795, the son of Richard Maury, grandson of Reverend James Maury, and Diana (Minor) Maury, daughter of General John Minor.

In the spring of 1809, Maury was appointed as a midshipman, with a warrant backdated to January 16 of that year, and was assigned to the USS United States. In June 1811, he obtained a furlough and sailed aboard the merchant vessel Pennsylvania Packet, commanded by U.S. Navy lieutenant William Lewis, who was also on furlough. After trading in Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro, they reached Macau on April 12, 1812.

While at Macau, they learned of a sandalwood discovery by their agent, James Wilcocks. In late May 1812, the Packet departed on a “secret expedition,” arriving at the Marquesas Islands’ Tahuata Island on September 25, 1812, and likely reaching Nuku Hiva the following day. For four months, Maury and his crew attempted to trade with the natives for sandalwood, but with limited success due to the value placed on whales' teeth by the islanders.

During this period, the schooner Hunter, under Captain William Rogers, had obtained sandalwood from the Typee tribe at Nuku Hiva. Rogers reported that the ivory forgeries they had brought, meant for Fiji Islands trade, were mistaken by the Marquesans for genuine whales' teeth. The fakes were eventually identified, and Maury’s cargo of ivory was valueless upon his arrival. Nonetheless, the Packet left Nuku Hiva with 100 tons of sandalwood around February 4, 1813, with Maury remaining to continue trading.

Maury was accompanied by crew members Phineas Fairbanks, William Brudenell, and a beachcomber named James Wilson, aboard the schooner Lydia, commanded by Nathaniel Lecatt. Lewis learned of the War of 1812 in March 1813, when he arrived in China, and resigned his command of the Packet. Due to business issues and health concerns, he remained in Macau until the English blockade began in May 1813, later preventing his return to the United States until after the war concluded.

Maury remained in the Marquesas, continued trading, and managed difficulties with fellow crew members. He faced conflicts with Lecatt, who refused Maury’s authority and was responsible for the death of crew member Phineas Fairbanks, who was killed by natives after being put ashore at Nuku Hiva.

Subsequently, Maury joined the USS Essex, assisting in the construction of a fort at Taiohae. He then served as first officer on the Essex Junior, which returned to the United States in July 1814 after being a cartel vessel following the Essex’s defeat by HMS Phoebe.

After the war, Maury traveled to visit his family in Ohio, where he recounted his island experiences. He married his first cousin, Eliza Maury, on April 3, 1817. Later, he served aboard USS Macedonian along the South American coast and with the Mediterranean fleet under commander David Porter. He served briefly as flag captain of the Mediterranean fleet and was acting captain of the supply ship Decoy during a yellow fever outbreak.

Maury contracted yellow fever during his service and died off Norfolk, Virginia, on June 23, 1823.

Fictionalized accounts of Maury’s life appeared posthumously, notably in 1888, when a biography was published by his niece, Diana Fontaine Maury Corbin, and his son, Dabney H. Maury. These accounts depicted exaggerated and fabricated events, such as Maury and others being stranded for years and building shelters in trees. Subsequent scholarly research, including letters discovered in 2020, clarified that Maury was stranded only briefly in 1813, from late September to late October, and was not abandoned by William Lewis.

This biographical overview relies on primary documents, military records, and recent discoveries that have helped refine the understanding of John Minor Maury’s life and service.