Kate Cory Grinnell
Posted on January 20, 2025 by Jenny ONeill
WOMEN OF WESTPORT POINT
Kate Cory Grinnell (1850-1939)
Namesake of Westport’s famous whaling brig burned by the confederate raider Alabama during the Civil War
2029 Main Road, Westport Point
Kate Cory was five years old when the whaling ship built by her father A.H. Cory was launched in 1856. She is thought to have christened the whaling ship. Born at the Point into a family of mariners and whaling merchants, Kate attended Wheaton College and later married Philip Grinnell, a carpenter and fisherman, and continued to reside at the Point at 22 Main Road. The whaling ship Kate Cory (schooner, later converted to a brig) was built at the neighboring Allen and Sisson shipyard. It was designed for whaling in the Atlantic Ocean, completing 4 successful voyages before embarking on her final journey in 1862. During a stopover at an island off the coast of Brazil, the ship was captured and burned by the Confederate raider Alabama. The ensuing international tribunal created a detailed record of the ship and today, many models of the Kate Cory are proudly displayed in museums and private collections. A copper weathervane replica of the historic ship was unveiled at Westport Town Hall in 1998.
Watch a presentation by Bob Kugler about the Kate Cory