This is a list of fatal shark attacks that occurred in United States territorial waters by decade in chronological order.
Before 1800 Name, AgeDateSpeciesLocation, commentsUnknown man August 1640Unknown, possibly bull shark According to Jesuit priest Father Copley, an unknown English-born laborer went into the St. Mary's River, Maryland to cool off after a hot day, a reported "huge fish" came and killed him shortly after. Alexander Sampson c. 1730 Unconfirmed, presumed great white shark Sampson was on a pleasure excursion in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts when a shark attacked his boat, knocked him overboard, and devoured him.Alexander Sampson Unknown Male July 27, 1751 Unconfirmed A swimmer was fatally attacked by a shark at an unknown location in Massachusetts. While details are scarce, the Pennsylvania Gazette documented the incident in 1751.Sharkattackfile.net
There's speculation that this event took place off the coast of Sandwich, per WWLP.Massachusetts shark attacks not likely, 17 recorded attacks since 1751 Unknown Male June 1771 Unconfirmed, presumed great white shark Three men were in a canoe off the coast of New England, near a place called Damiscotte (either Damariscotta, then part of Massachusetts, or Massconcus Damiscotte near present-day New Harbor), when a shark attacked the canoe, knocking one of the men into the water before biting him in two. His companions shot the shark and brought it ashore, where they cut it open and buried the man's remains.Sharkattackfile.net Nu'u-anu-pa'ahu 1779 Unconfirmed, presumed tiger shark The victim was a young male who suffered a gash to one side of his buttocks following a shark attack at Maliu, Hawaii. The victim later died of his injuries at Pololū Valley, Hawaii.
1800s–1840s Name, AgeDateSpeciesLocation, Comments Unidentified male Prior to September 3, 1816 Unknown, possibly great white shark This young boy was swimming to shore from a boat at Bristol, Rhode Island, when a shark attacked him, pulling him under the water. A few days later, his body was found, lacking all of its limbs. Jemmy June 24, 1817 Unknown Jemmy, an elderly and enslaved fisherman, was swimming to a boat in Charleston, South Carolina, when a shark bit him in two just as he grabbed hold of the boat. Unidentified male 1828 Unconfirmed, presumed to be a tiger shark The victim was riding surf near Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii at the time of the attack. The shark bit off most or all of the victim's limbs, while his torso was left floating in the water. The attack was reportedly witnessed "by a number of Hawaiian chiefs." Joseph Blaney, 52 July 12, 1830 Unconfirmed, presumed to be a great white shark While fishing from a dory east of Scituate, Massachusetts, Blaney was seen waving and calling for help. A large shark's body or head was seen lying on or across his boat, and it appeared that one of Blaney's arms had been disabled. Another fisherman went to Blaney's assistance, but before they could get to him, the shark resumed its attack and submerged both the boat and Blaney. The boat soon resurfaced, but all that was ever found of Blaney was his hat.Sharkattackfile.net
NOTE: A March 15, 1897, issue of the Wisconsin newspaper The Daily Northwestern reported this incident in an article called The Dangers of Fishing. According to the author, "In 1874 [about 22 years before the article was written] I was fishing off the Isles of Shoals with a cod fisherman, who told me that when his father was a young man there was a large shark that infested the coast which had on several occasions attempted to tip over boats and dine on the occupants, and once or twice [the fisherman's father] had been driven ashore by it. The date [of the fisherman's recollection] corresponded within a month with that of a tragedy which occurred about 30 miles [55.56 km] south [of the Isles of Shoals], or at Lynn, and which was undoubtedly caused by the same fish. A well-known citizen of Lynn [Blaney] went out with a fishing party, and after a short time left the schooner, taking a small dory, which he anchored not 1000 feet [304 m] from the vessel. Suddenly he was heard to shout, and those on the vessel distinctly saw a huge shark throw itself over the dory and sink it, making off with the unfortunate man, whose cries for aid were of no avail." In the previous paragraph, the author also stated that "the instance [reported] is well known and remarkable for the ferocity displayed by the fish," implying that the article's readers would know who and what was being referred to. The imprecise dating and somewhat convoluted phrasing has led some sources to mistakenly report this as a separate attack.Sharkattackfile.net However, in his diary entry for July 23, 1830 (eleven days after Blaney was taken), Charles Francis Adams recorded that he'd been invited "to go and see the Shark caught lately, who was supposed to have destroyed the man from Lynn," confirming that Blaney was indeed a "well-known citizen of Lynn." Crew member of a pilot boat c. 1840 Unconfirmed, presumed to be a great white shark Killed while treading water awaiting rescue after being accidentally thrown overboard in Charleston Harbor, Charleston County, South Carolina. Witnesses estimated the shark to be long.Sharkattackfile.net Nickerson Prior to September 10, 1845 Unknown Nickerson was drawing a seine net near Pensacola, Florida, when a shark seized him. Mrs. Cracton, Mr. Mansfield June 8, 1849 Unknown Mrs. Cracton was bathing with another woman in Pensacola, Florida, when a shark bit her and pulled her into deep water. Mr. Mansfield heard their cries and went to their assistance. He was able to rescue the other woman, but was himself killed while trying to save Mrs Cracton. Mrs. Cracton's mutilated body washed ashore the next day. Mansfield's body was never recovered, but scraps of his clothing later washed ashore, "leaving but little doubt that he was devoured by sharks."
1850s–1860s Name, AgeDateSpeciesLocation, Comments James Kinney March 1851 Tiger shark Killed while swimming in Honolulu Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii.Sharkattackfile.net Charles Chambers 1852 Unconfirmed Killed while wading ashore from a capsized vessel in Mount Pleasant, Charleston County, South Carolina.Sharkattackfile.net Sailor August 1852 Unconfirmed This sailor attempted to desert from the off Norfolk, Virginia. He jumped overboard with the intent of swimming ashore, but was almost immediately attacked and killed by a very large shark. Unidentified Man Prior to July 13, 1853 Tiger shark This man was among several others who were bathing in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, when a large shark appeared. All the men made a break for their ship, and most managed to reach the vessel, except one, who was bitten in half "almost in reach of the oars". One of the man's friends dove into the water and killed the shark with a knife. The shark was dragged onshore and discovered to be pregnant. Capt. George Jacob Hanscheldt 1853 or 1854 Unconfirmed Knocked overboard and killed by a shark near Fernandina Beach, Nassau County, Florida.Sharkattackfile.net J.G. Luther, 21 March 16, 1859 Unconfirmed Luther fell overboard from the whaling ship Jeannette off Kawaihae, Hawaii. It was reported that "the sharks had eaten him up" before help could reach him. Colonel Bryant Prior to July 18, 1865 Unconfirmed Bryant was killed while bathing off Brazos, Texas.
1870s Name, AgeDateSpeciesLocation, Comments George Gates, 14 August 8, 1878 Unknown Gates had gone crabbing with 16-year-old Arthur Cole at Brooklyn, New York. Gates decided to go bathing and jumped off the boat. When he surfaced, he was crying for help. Arthur saw a shark he estimated to be in length biting Gates by the hip. Arthur threw a stone at the shark, and the shark swam off. Arthur pulled Gates into the boat and rowed ashore, where Gates was taken to the hospital. Five days later, Gates died. Arthur Cole, 16 August 9, 1878 Unknown, presumed to be a bull shark Cole was reportedly swimming from a boat in the East River, New York City, when a shark attacked him. Cole's friend managed to pull him into the boat and paddle to shore, where he died of injuries.
NOTE: It is possible that this attack is simply a repeat of the previous attack that was accidentally reported twice with slightly different details, in which Cole was the surviving companion who threw the rock at the shark and Gates was the boy who perished. Gus Ericsson Circa 1879 Tiger shark Ericsson was on a small boat that capsized after accidentally being struck by the sailing vessel Zephyr at the mouth of the Mississippi River, near New Orleans, Louisiana. While his other shipmates were able to cling to the capsized boat, he was flung farther away, and thrown a life ring by his shipmates. The rescue boat was just from him when a tiger shark raced up from the depths, seized Ericsson, and pulled him under. No trace of Ericsson was ever found.
1880s Name, AgeDateSpeciesLocation, Comments William Smith, 23 June 13, 1881 Unknown Smith fell off the schooner Laura Lewis roughly 10 miles southwest of South Island Light, which lies at the mouth of Mobile Bay, Alabama. Before help could reach him, a shark seized him and pulled him under the water. Several sharks were caught and killed in the vicinity over the next 12 hours, but none contained Smith's remains. Frank G. Hines September 5, 1881 Unknown Hines was thought to have been taken by a shark while bathing in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. His body washed ashore two days later. Aeronaut 1883 Unknown A balloon attempted to land on the coast of South Carolina, but instead crashed into the ocean. A school of sharks proceeded to attack the aeronaut piloting the balloon. Captain's Boy Summer of 1883 Unknown This boy, described as "a good-sized lad", fell off the rigging as his ship came into Fort Pickens, Florida. The crewmen heard a scream and ran to the ship's rail, only to see a red cloud in the water. They managed to find the boy's body, but it was missing its head and limbs. Captain Mark Robinson July 26, 1885 Unknown Robinson's ship, the schooner Pohoiki, capsized off the coast of Kau, Hawaii, killing his wife and son, and leaving the crew in the water. Two sailors made it to a boat that the schooner had been towing, but before they could rescue their shipmates, sharks attacked Robinson and the remaining survivors. Robinson sustained fatal injuries to his legs, and the two sailors with him were also bitten, one of them losing most of his left arm. Robinson's body was initially recovered, but was afterwards thrown overboard. James Edward Hamilton October 18, 1887 Unknown Hamilton disappeared while trying to cross the Hillsboro Inlet, Pompano Beach, Florida, leaving behind his boat, mailbag, and clothes. A fisherman named Waring claimed to have seen Hamilton's boat being bitten by sharks, and while Hamilton attempted to defend himself with his oars, he was ultimately knocked out of the boat and killed. While some accounts claim that his body was never found, others state that it was discovered at the inlet minus its head and limbs. Eddie Roe Prior to July 21, 1889 Unknown Roe was swimming with a group of 15 other boys in Fernandina Beach, Florida, when a shark bit his calf. He died from blood loss before medical assistance was obtained.
1890s