Thomas Westbrook Waldron (consul)



Thomas Westbrook Waldron (1814–1844) was a captain's clerk on the Wilkes Expedition, and the first United States consul to Hong Kong. His service to the U.S. consular service was honored by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a ceremony in 2009.

Family
Waldron was born May 1, 1814, the youngest of eight children of Daniel Waldron and Olive Huske Sheafe Waldron of Dover, New Hampshire. He was named after his grandfather, Thomas Westbrook Waldron. An older cousin of the same name had moved away prior to his birth.

Wilkes Expedition
With his oldest brother Richard Russell Waldron he joined the Wilkes Expedition, which explored a portion of the coast of Antarctica, some of the Pacific islands, and the coast of what is now Washington state. Waldron Glacier in the Antarctic is named after him. Waldron Island is named after him or his brother.

U.S. Consul to Hong Kong and Macau
For reasons that are not very clear, in December 1843 he was nominated by President John Tyler to the office of United States consul to Hong Kong. He traveled to neighboring Macau on official business, where he died on September 18, 1844 after contracting cholera. He is buried in the Old Protestant Cemetery in Macau.

2009 ceremony
On May 1, 2009, as part of a ceremony honoring several diplomats who died on duty, he was honored by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. A second ceremony occurred the same month at his burial site at the Old Protestant Cemetery, Macau.

Landmarks
Waldron Glacier is named after him. Waldron Island in the San Juan Islands off of Puget Sound is named either after he or his brother Richard.