Thomas Whaley

Who was Thomas Whaley?

Thomas Whaley was an early settler of San Diego, California. The residence he built there in 1857 is now a public museum called Whaley House.

Whaley was born in New York City 1823 to Thomas Alexander Whaley Sr. and Rachel Pye. His father died in 1832 and his will said Thomas should receive a liberal education.

Whaley left for California during the California Gold Rush, and ending up working in San Francisco stores. This became successful, but was lost after an arson fire in 1851. He was advised to go to San Diego, so he and Lewis Franklin sailed there in 1851 and opened a store called Tienda California. He studied Spanish so he could sell to the "natives". The next year Franklin sold out to Whaley, and Whaley had a succession of other partners.

Whaley married Anna Eloise DeLaunay in 1853 in New York. She was born March 31, 1832 in New York City to a French family. Their six children were Francis Hilton, Thomas Jr., who died young, Anna Amelia, George Hay Ringgold, Violet Eloise, and Corinne Lillian.

Whaley was appointed President for the San Diego city Board of Trustees during 1858–1859. Whaley was a Whig, though the position was officially non-partisan.