Background
Stephen Champlin was born on November 17, 1789 at Kingston, Rhode Island, United States. His father, Stephen, had served in the Revolution, probably at sea, and his mother Elizabeth Perry was an aunt of Commodores O. H. and M. C. Perry.
Stephen Champlin was born on November 17, 1789 at Kingston, Rhode Island, United States. His father, Stephen, had served in the Revolution, probably at sea, and his mother Elizabeth Perry was an aunt of Commodores O. H. and M. C. Perry.
About 1795 the family moved to a farm near Lebanon, Connecticut, where Stephen worked and went to school till he was sixteen, when he ran away to sea.
By 1812 he had risen to captain and made numerous voyages, one with his cousin Oliver Perry, a midshipman on leave. When war was declared he became a sailing master in the navy, May 22, 1812, serving in Perry's gunboats at Newport and then accompanying him to the Great Lakes in February 1813. As second in command of the Asp on Lake Ontario he engaged in the expeditions against York and Fort George. In command of the small, fast schooner Scorpion (2 guns) at the battle of Lake Erie, he was in the van throughout the action and in the thick of the fighting, firing the first shot and also the last. His narrative of the battle, in strong support of Perry, figures in the literature of the Perry-Elliott controversy. The Scorpion was later engaged in transporting Harrison's army to Malden and accompanying it up the Thames; and during the winter Champlin had charge of the prizes Detroit and Queen Charlotte at Put-in-Bay. In command of the Tigress he took part in the unsuccessful attack on Mackinac, August 4, 1814, and was afterward left to blockade the post. On the night of September 3 an overwhelming enemy force in batteaux and canoes surprised and captured his schooner in the St. Mary's River. Though perhaps negligent in permitting the surprise, Champlin and his men defended their vessel vigorously, all the officers being wounded, and Champlin receiving a canister shot through the thigh, shattering the bone. After detention for thirty-eight days, with great suffering, he was paroled to Erie, and thence went to Connecticut, arriving in March 1815. During 1816-18 he commanded the Porcupine on the upper lakes, surveying the Canadian boundary. Thereafter, owing to recurrent trouble from his wound, he saw little active service, living in Connecticut until 1834 and then in Buffalo. For a month in 1828 he was attached to the steam battery Fulton in New York; in 1838 during the "Patriot War" he commanded two steamers, operating to prevent movement of armed men into Canada; and in 1845-48 he commanded the lake station ship Michigan. He remained on the active list until 1855, being promoted lieutenant, December 9, 1814, captain, 1850, and commodore, retired, 1867. Generally esteemed, he was spoken of for mayor of Buffalo, but declined the nomination because of his naval position.
He was a stout, thickset man, thoroughly upright in character, strictly abstemious, simple and rather rough in manner and dress.
He was married to Minerva L. Pomeroy of Buffalo on January 5, 1817, and was survived by three sons and two daughters.