William Lewis Herndon

Born in Virginia in 1813, he served in the United States Navy and built a reputation as a skilled officer and surveyor. He is especially remembered for leading an expedition that gathered information on the Valley of the Amazon, work that helped introduce many American readers to the region in greater detail.

Herndon is also closely tied to one of the most dramatic maritime disasters of the 1850s. In September 1857, while commanding the SS Central America, he oversaw efforts to save passengers as the ship went down in a hurricane, and accounts of the disaster remember him for remaining with the vessel after many others had escaped.

His story continued to echo after his death. He was the father of Ellen Lewis Herndon, who married Chester A. Arthur before he became president, and Herndon’s name has remained associated with naval honor, exploration, and duty under extreme pressure.