The earliest documented piece of information I have on William is his marriage to Sarah Ann TEDMAN at Burnett Street in Hobart Town. The marriage was according to the rites of the Congregationalists and was on 30 September 1874. William was a bachelor mariner of full age while Sarah was the 19 year old spinster daughter of a splitter. Witnesses to the marriage were William, William John and Mary Ann TEDMAN. On the same day Sarah Ann’s sister Rosetta Caroline TEDMAN married Domingo Jose EVORALL. He was also a bachelor mariner of full age while Rosetta was only 17 years old.

I found the photo of William at the Hobart Archive Office and when I showed it to my grandmother, she said it was her grandfather. When I mentioned he was known as “Black Billy the Samoan” she said he was only sunburnt from being on the whaling boats too long. But further research finds him mentioned in the book ‘Harpoons ahoy!’ by Will Lawson (1938) on page 18.

“Dat’s notting,” Larsen broke in. “I remember de Marie Laure, when Black Billy de Samoan had her.  Something lak a sheep she vos. Black Billy done no good in her. She vos a hoodoo with him, lak de Maid of Erin vos too, when he had her. De whales dey keep avay from her.”

The other documentation I found was William’s application for a master’s certificate for a foreign going ship. This gives a lot of data about his service on the whaling boats. It is dated Hobart Town, 1 March, 1876. At the time of applying he was 36 years of age, was born at Navigators Island on the 25 March 1840 and had been at sea since 1852 having served as master in the whaling trade for three years previous to January 1874. He had had continuous service in the whaling trade from 1852 until April 1870. Boats he had served on were: Venus, Offley, …………., Calypso, Prince Regent, Flying Childers, Maid of Erin, Waterwitch, Highlander, Southern Cross and Othello.

William SMITH was listed as Master of the ship Marie Laure, 328 tons, Port of Registry Hobart, owner William SHERWIN,  from 18 September 1877 until 9 June 1884.

Departure  Hobart Town       Cargo – whaling grounds      Arrival  Hobart Town

8 October 1877                            sperm oil                                     19 April 1879

May 1879                                       55 tons oil                                   13 January 1881

2 March 1881                               61 tons oil                                    14 August 1882

September 1882                         60 tons oil                                   22 May 1884

These records are found at MB 2/33/59, MB 2/39/36, MB 2/39/37 and MB 2/39/38 at the Archives Office of Tasmania.

I have not researched much about his descendants but a chart can be found here.

The image can also be found in the records of the Archives of Tasmania now part of LINC.