Career
Born in Northampton county, Virginia, Upshur entered the United States Navy as midshipman, April 23, 1818. Was promoted to lieutenant, March 3, 1827, and served in the United States Ship Lexington, on the Brazil station, 1832-1834, against the pirates infesting the Falkland Islands. He commanded the brig United States Ship Truxtun on her first cruise in the Mediterranean in 1843-1844, and from 1844 until 1847 served in the receiving ship at Norfolk, Virginia.
He was commissioned commander, February 27, 1847, and from that year until 1850 was superintendent of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis.
On July 13, 1852, he took command of the sloop-of-war United States Ship Levant, at Norfolk. Levant joined the United States squadron in the Mediterranean, and Upshur died on board his ship, in the harbor of Spezia, Italy, November 3, 1852.
His home from 1836 to 1847 was Caserta, near Eastville, Virginia. lieutenant was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and delisted in 2001, after being destroyed by fire in 1975.
