Capt. Isaac H. Walling, son of Isaac and Mary H. Walling, natives of New Jersey, was born in 1836 on sea, off Cape Hatteras, on his father’s ship “Chingaoria;”at the age of 12 years he went to sea as cabin-boy, then as able seaman 2 years, then as mate for 4 or 5 years. In 1855 or 1856 he shipped on schooner “Kenoslia” in Buffalo, N. Y., to run from there to Chicago; served 1 year, then went back to New York and shipped on a cruise to Liverpool, Isle of Man, and to Sligo, then back to New York; then shipped on schooner "T. A. Ward,” Capt. Hoff, commander, and went to Cadiz, Malaga, Salona, Genoa, Barbary States, Rio Janeiro, S. A., and back to Baltimore; then shipped on a wrecking vessel, where fortunate circumstance occurred to our subject, but fatal to a cousin of his named Bainbridge. He exchanged places with him to accommodate him, so that he might go to port and purchase supplies; while on the way the ship and all its crew were lost. He was first at the wreck of the "New Era” and “Powhattan,” the latter of which, laden with human freight, sunk in sight, and all on board perished. After this Capt. W. took many voyages; was shipwrecked several times; was taken prisoner at Charleston, S. C., by a man-of-war, during the Rebellion when he was at sea. On the sehooner “Harriet Harker,” which was owned by our subject, he was cast away 35 miles north of Cape Hatteras, where he lay three days and nights in the water without anything to eat or drink, but at last landed safely. At another time he escaped a watery grave by not taking a schooner when going to rescue another vessel, as it was taken by another party and was lost with all on board. Then went to launch a brig “Kedstow,” 50 miles south of Cape Henry. In 1876 he was again wrecked near Cape Charles, at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. This was his last trip at sea. By the persuasion of his family, and being tired of sea life, he came West and located at Baylis, where he embarked in the mercantile trade, in which the wrecks are not so dangerous to life.

History of Pike County Chapman & Co. 1880 (People/ Towns / Religion/ )