Captain Thomas Florence Sullivan

     Captain Thomas Florence Sullivan was born on 26 July 1877 at St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.^{1,2,3,4,5,6,7} He was the son of John J. Sullivan Sullivan J.P., K.P.M and Annie Ellen Donaghue. Captain Thomas Florence Sullivan was christened on 29 July 1877 in the St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.⁸ Thomas immigrated on 28 September 1894, arriving at Gloucester, Massachusetts, at the age of 17.³ He started his career as a Newfoundland mariner in 1895. He served on many ships as Able Bodied Seaman, Second Mate, and First Mate. He then became a Captain on the George T. Hayes, a China trade ship, and the Gulf Marine ship SS Ligonier and the SS Admiral Dewey. He was naturalized on 8 May 1900 at Boston, Massachusetts, His address at that time was 151 Meridian Street, Boston and he worked as a seaman.^3,6

Captain Thomas Florence Sullivan, age 28, married Honora Agnes Kavanaugh, age 24 , daughter of John J. Kavanaugh and Hannah Dalton, on 6 August 1905 at the St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.^5,9,10 While serving as the Merchant Marine Captain of the SS Gulflight on 15 May 1915, she was torpedoed without warning by a German submarine. This was the first United States ship to be so attacked. He was able to bring it to safe harbor with the loss of but three lives. When the United States declared war on Germany, Capt. Sullivan was commissioned a Lieutenant Commander and carried supplies to the troops in France.⁹ Thomas registered for the draft giving his home address as 33 Bartlett Street, Beverly, Massachusetts, his age as 41, and his employer as the Guef Refining Company on 31 August 1918 at Beverly, Massachusetts.⁷ When his father died, in October 1918, Thomas lived at New York City, New York.¹¹ Thomas Sullivan appeared as Head of Household with Agnes, his wife, on the United States Census of 1930 at 7116 Pennsylvania Avenue, Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.¹² According to the Federal Census in 1930, Thomas was a stevedore.¹² As a Commander in the US Navy, he had the honor of taking the USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37), a new heavy cruiser, to through its sea trials.⁹ Thomas Sullivan appeared as Head of Household with Honora, his wife, on the United States Census of 1940 at 7116 Pennsylvania Avenue, Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.¹³ According to the Federal Census in 1940, Thomas was a stevedore.¹³ He died on 20 June 1942 at 7116 Pennsylvania Avenue, Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, at age 64 from cerebral arteriolosclerosis.^2,4,9 Thomas's obituary of 22 June 1942, reads:



Thomas was buried on 24 June 1942 at Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.^2,4,9

Full review completed: 27 March 2026.