The Thames River empties into Long Island Sound at the Harbor's Mouth, where for centuries New London’s poor fishermen and mariners once lived.

It was into this community that Georgia Lane was born to William H. Lane and Ellen “Nellie” Lane in 1868. Georgia Lane’s long and remarkable life would be punctuated by its connection to the sea until her death at the Harbor’s Mouth in 1962.

William Lane was the son of fisherman Johnathan Lane and Sally Keeney. The Lane and Keeney families had been fishing at the Harbor’s Mouth for generations.

Nellie Lane was from Philadelphia and was the oldest daughter of Irish immigrants John Patton and Sarah Kane Patton. Born in 1843, William Lane approached adulthood just as the Civil War was brewing. He enlisted in the 21st Regiment of the Connecticut Infantry on Aug. 11, 1862, and was mustered into service on Sept. 5 that same year.

The 21st served honorably at Fredericksburg, James River, Petersburg, Cold Harbor, New Market Heights, and the occupation of Richmond. The regimental history of the 21st Connecticut records that William was among a group of men promoted on Nov. 1, 1864, for “performing deeds of unusual excellence or daring.”

Family oral history indicates that William and Nellie met while she was nursing him back to health toward the end of his Civil War service.

Census records show that after returning from the war, William worked as a mariner and house carpenter. Their first child, Martina, was born to William and Nellie in September 1865 shortly after his discharge from military service and after he returned with Nellie to Connecticut. Their second child Georgia was born on August 29, 1868. They had five additional children after Georgia.

But tragedy struck the Lane family in 1880 when Georgia was just 12 years old. William was lost at sea on Feb. 4.

As newspaper accounts go, the tragedy started when two wealthy brothers purchased a sailing yacht known as the Coming. The yacht had an outstanding sailing record out of the Boston Yacht Club and was being stored for the winter in New London. The brothers hired William Lane and two others to transport the Coming to their home in Glen Cove, New York.

Around the same time, New London icon Captain Thomas Scott had also been engaged to tow the British Brig Guisborough to New York behind his steam tugboat Alert. Scott offered to tow the Coming third in line behind the Guisborough, and Lane and his associates readily agreed.

While passing New Haven, a violent storm arose, and Captain Scott cut the towed ships loose to save his tug. The Guisborough was never heard from again. The Coming was found adrift off the north shore of Long Island missing its mast and bowsprit but otherwise intact. It had been abandoned.

A theory developed that the crew of the Coming believed that they would have a better chance of survival on the larger Guisborough and scrambled on board. That decision proved to be fatal.

Several Connecticut newspapers reported that the citizens of New London organized a fundraising benefit for Georgia’s family following the tragedy. More than $1,400 was raised for their benefit. A trust fund for the family was established at the New London City National Bank.

New London Land Records reveal that less than two months following the death of William H. Lane these trust funds were used to purchase a home for the family at what is now 35 Keeney Lane in New London. The generosity of the citizens of New London is heartwarming compared to the callous disregard for William Lane and his crewmates shown by the new owners of the Coming in sending the crew out to deliver their new acquisition in the middle of winter.

There is no record of the owners of the Coming compensating the families of the crewmembers in response to their loss.

Georgia had little time to grieve her father’s loss. Her mother needed help caring for her large family. Georgia, only 12, took on that difficult task without complaint.

In 1888, Georgia Lane married Christopher Culver in New London. Culver was the son of Christopher Culver and Ellen Harris. The Culver and the Harris families were also fishing families from the Harbor’s Mouth.

Christopher’s father operated a dry goods store at the bottom of Converse Street. The sea played a prominent and often dramatic role in the lives of all of the male figures in Georgia’s life, and the life of her young husband Chris Culver was no exception.

Culver had been the First Officer of a merchant ship in the East India Trade at a young age. Early in their marriage, Culver was employed as a lighthouse keeper at several area lighthouses including Race Rock Light. On April 11, 1892, state and regional newspapers bore headlines such as this one in the Hartford Courant: “Race Rock Light Was Dark – The Young Keeper Drowned While Returning to His Post.”

An observer from shore reported Culver’s rowboat had capsized in high winds and rough seas while returning to the lighthouse. A frantic search proved unsuccessful, and he was presumed lost.

A few days after, each of the newspapers was forced to retract their stories. Culver had returned home two days after his “drowning” just as Georgia and her family were gathering for his funeral. Culver read with interest the stories of his death at sea but explained to his distraught family and friends that once he realized he could not make it to Race Rock he diverted to Fisher’s Island where he stayed at the home of a friend until the waters calmed and he could catch a steamer back to New London.

Georgia and Christopher enjoyed a long and fruitful marriage. The couple raised two daughters, Ellen born in 1890, Mildred in 1893. Christopher served in the Navy in both the Spanish American War and World War I. He was a master mariner and sailed on ships all over the globe.

He became somewhat of a New London legend, not only because he nearly attended his own funeral, but because of his colorful personality and willingness to retell stories about his eventful life on the sea.

Georgia was a teacher in the New London school system for 31-one years. She taught at the local Harbor Elementary School. Interviews with three of her surviving great-grandchildren reveal that she had a reputation as a no-nonsense seventh-grade math teacher.

Both of Georgia’s daughters also married men closely connected to the sea. Ellen Lane married Navy midshipman Eric Lloyd Barr. Eric Barr had a distinguished Naval career. Mildred married Coast Guardsman John Farrell McGourty. On Sept. 26, 1918, during the height of World War I, First Lieutenant John McGourty was among the 118 Coast Guardsmen lost when the Cutter Tampa was sunk by a German U-boat in the British Channel off the coast of England. The sinking of the Tampa was the highest American naval combat casualty loss in World War I.

Mildred and John McGourty’s first child was born to them just months before his death. He never met his daughter. Georgia’s life had again been impacted by the sea. Once again she displayed tremendous strength.

Georgia became the primary means of financial and emotional support for her daughter who, like her own mother, had become a widow and a single mother at a very young age. One could view Georgia Lane’s life as a nearly century-long struggle with the sea. It would be misguided to suggest that Georgia prevailed in that struggle. The sea cannot be conquered.

But it would also be wrong to suggest that the sea defeated Georgia. The sea challenged her and created hardships for her family in every stage of her life. But each time, she weathered the blow, and relied on her personal strength to move forward. In that regard, she was triumphant.

Researched, written, and edited by the students of the course titled, “New London Stories,” Christopher Kervick, Instructor, Mitchell College, Thames at Mitchell Program, Spring Semester 2023.

Chloe Athanas, Jakob Bedway, Harry Bernard, Tommy Di Iaconi, Ty Jackson, Aleksandra Lapins, Harold McKinney, Julia Stasiowski, Daniel Sullivan, Skyler Timberlake, Sydney Wright