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Gc 

974.401  ,__,  roLLEC-ntW 

v. 59 
1449227 


ALLEN  COUNJY  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


3  1833  01103  0902 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2010  with  funding  from 

Allen  County  Public  Library  Genealogy  Center 


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THE 


ESSEX  INSTITUTE 


HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 


VOL.  LIX— 1923. 


SALEM,  MASS. 

PRINTED   FOR  THE  ESSEX  INSTITUTE 
1923 


Newcomb  &  Gauss 

Printers 

Salem,  Mass- 


CONTENTS. 

1449227 

Belknap,  Henry  Wyckoff.     The    Burnap-Burnett  Genealogy. 

(Continued.)  153,  265,  385 

Bradlee,   Francis  B.  C.     The   Suppression   of  Piracy   in  the 

West  Indies.     (Illustrated.)  {Concluded.)     .  33,105,217,305 

Burnap-Burnett  Genealogy,  The.  By  Henry  Wyckoff  Belknap. 

(Continued.)  153,  265,  385 

Chappie,  Hon.  William  D.     Salem  and  the  War  of  1812.         .        289 

Esses  County  Vessels  Captured  by  Foreign  Powers,  1793-1813. 

(Continued.) 25 

Forty  Years  Ago    in   Salem.     Extracts  from  the  Diary   of 

Francis  H.  Lee 102,  359 

Groveland  Church  Records 81 

Lee,  Francis  H.     Forty  Years  Ago  in  Salem.     Extracts   from 

the  Diary  of 102,  359 

Lee,  Thomas  Amory.    General  Charles  Lawrence  Peirson.  97 

Newbury  Church  Becords. 85 

Norfolk  County  Records,  Old.     (Continued.)   ...  90,  281 

Peirson,  General  Charles  Lawrence.     By  Thomas  A.  Lee.     .  97 

Putnam,  George  Granville.  Salem  Vessels  and  Their  Voyages. 

(Illustrated.)  (Continued.) 1»  169,  193,  361 

Salem  and  the  War  of  1812.     By  Hon.  William  D.  Chappie.  289 

Salem  Vessels  and  Their  Voyages.     By  George  Granville  Put- 
nam.    (Illustrated.)  (Continued.)        .         .         .     1,169,193,361 

Suppression  of  Piracy  in  the  West  Indies,  1820-1832,  The.    By 
Francis  B.  0.  Bradlee.     (Illustrated.)     (Concluded.) 

33,  105,  217,  305 

Vessels,  Essex  County,  Captured   by   Foreign  Powers,   1793- 

1813.     (Continued.) 25 


(iii) 


THE 


ESSEX  INSTITUTE 


HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 


VOL.  LIX^  JANUARY,  1923. 


Issued  Quarterly 


SALEM,  MASS. 

PRINTED  FOR  THE  E88EX  IN8TITUTE 
1923 


ESSEX  INSTITUTE  HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 

The  Historical  Collections  are  published  quarterly  with  illustra- 
tions, each  volume  containing  a  complete  index.  Subscription 
$3.00  per  annum. 

Entered  at  the  Post  Office  in  Salem,  Massachusetts,  as  second  class  matter. 

CONTENTS-JANUARY,  1923. 

1.  Salem  Vessels  and  Their  Voyages.     By  George  Granville 

Putnam.     (Continued.)    (Illustrated) 1 

2.  Essex    County  Vessels    Captured   by    Foreign    Powers, 

1793-1813.      Compiled   from  American    State    Papers. 
(Continued.) 25 

3.  The    Suppression     of    Piracy   in  the  West  Indies.     By 

Francis  B.  C.  Bradlee.     (Illustrated.)    (Continued.)        .  33 

4.  Groveland  Church  Records. 81 

5.  Newbury  Church  Records.  85 

6.  Norfolk  County  Records,  Old, 90 

SALEM  VESSELS  AND  THEIR  VOYAGES. 
By  George  Granville  Putnam. 

Figuring  prominently  in  the  East  India  commerce  after  the  Revo- 
lution, was  the  Pepper  Trade  between  Salem  andfthe  Island  of  Su- 
matra,— a  trade  marked  by  romance,  pathos,  tragedy  and  prosperity. 
The  first  American  vessel  to  visit  the  northwest  coast  of  Sumatra 
and  to  bring  a  consignment  of  pepper  in  bulk  to  this  country  was 
the  property  of  Salem  merchants,  commanded  by  a  Salem  shipmas- 
ter and  manned  by  Salem  men. 

Mr.  Putnam,  who  is  an  authority  on  Salem  shipping,  has  gathered 
from  old  newspapers  and  other  sources  the  story  of  the  sagacity 
and  heroism  of  the  men  of  Salem  and  nearby  towns  in  bringing 
their  valuable  cargoes  to  this  port,  interspersed  with  anecdotes  of 
thrilling  adventures  with  the  Malays. 

160  pp.  with  Index;  8vo.;  42  full-page  illustrations,  comprising  75 
separate  pictures.    Blue  boards.     Price,  postpaid,  $3.50. 


THE   EASTERN   RAILROAD. 
By  Francis  B.  C.  Bradlee. 

The  demand  for  this  historical  work  by  Mr.  Bradlee  has  been 
constant  since  the  first  edition  was  exhausted,  and  at  the  solicita- 
tion of  those  interested  in  railroading  all  over  the  country,  this  new 
edition,  with  additional  material  and  illustrations,  is  herewith  pre- 
sented. 

The  Eastern  Railroad,  which  ran  from  Boston  to  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.,  was  incorporated  in  1836,  and  was  one  of  the  first  railroads 
built  in  New  England. 

S00  copies  printed;  pp.  122;  24  full-page  illustrations;  Svo.  Cloth, 
$3.50  per  volume. 

New  Catalog  of  all  Publications  of  the  Essex  Institute  sent  on 
application. 


HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 

OF  THE 

ESSEX  INSTITUTE 

Vol.  LIX  January,  1923  No.  1 

SALEM  VESSELS  AND  THEIR  VOYAGES. 


The  Ship  "  George." 
An  Account  of  Her  Voyages,  Masters,  Super- 
cargoes and  Crews. 


By  George  Granville  Putnam. 


Few,  if  any,  of  the  privately  owned  merchant  vessels 
of  this  country  have  been  more  chronicled  than  the  old 
ship  George  of  Salem.  She  was  known  in  her  day,  and 
in  the  present,  as  the  "Salem  School  Ship,"  because  of 
the  fact  that  more  of  the  boys  who  began  their  sea  expe- 
rience in  her  rose  to  be  masters  and  supercargoes  of  ves- 
sels than  was  the  case  with  any  other  craft.  Her  story 
has  been  told  in  many  ways  and  quoted  on  various  occa- 
sions. She  was  the  fastest  merchant  ship  owned  by  the 
merchants  of  Salem,  as  was  the  famous  privateer  America 
in  her  class.  More  than  forty  years  ago  the  writer  col- 
lected many  facts  for  a  future  story  of  this  old  Salem 
argosy,  and  to  it  he  has  since  added  what  seems,  to  him, 
many  notes  of  interest.  With  this  explanation,  this  bit 
of  commercial  history,  if  such  it  may  be  termed,  is  offered 
for  publication  at  this  time. 

The  late  William  Leavitt,  who  was  an  instructor  of 
youth  in  Salem,  especially  in  navigation  and  nautical 
astronomy,  wrote  many  interesting  articles  for  publication, 
among  them  "A   History    of  Essex    Lodge    of  Masons," 

(l) 


2  SALEM  VESSELS    AND    THEIR    VOYAGES 

"Materials  for  the  History  of  Shipbuilding  in  Salem,"  and 
"Privateering  in  the  Revolution,"  all  of  which  are  printed 
in  the  Historical  Collections  of  the  Essex  Institute. 

Speaking  of  the  ship  George,  he  says :  "The  George 
was  built  by  an  association  of  ship  carpenters  who  were 
thrown  out  of  employment  by  the  war  of  1812.  She  was 
built  in  1814  for  a  privateer,  and  her  model  was  made  by 
Christopher  Turner  (a  skilled  marine  architect).  Peace 
came  on  before  she  was  sold  ;  another  deck  was  raised  on 
her  and  she  was  made  into  a  merchant  ship,  and  bought 
by  Captain  Joseph  Peabody  at  $16  a  ton,  and  by  him 
named  the  George  (for  one  of  his  sons).  Her  length  was 
110  feet  and  10  inches;  beam,  27  feet;  depth  of  hold, 
13  1-2  feet;  tonnage  (old  measurement),  328.  She  proved 
to  be  one  of  the  finest  vessels  that  ever  sailed  out  of 
Salem — remarkably  fast  sailing,  lucky  under  all  comman- 
ders, always  arriving  with  her  cargo  of  Calcutta  goods  in 
just  the  nick  of  time,  when  the  market  for  such  goods 
was  at  the  highest  rate  and  the  goods  in   great  demand." 

She  drew,  ordinarily,  on  the  outward  passage,  14  feet 
and  six  inches,  and  15  feet  and  eight  inches  when  home- 
ward bound.  Turner's  shipyard,  where  the  George  was 
built,  was  where  Frye's  Mills  were  formerly  located,  at 
the  head  of  the  North  river,  near  where  Grove  street 
now  is. 

Her  register  at  the  Salem  Custom  House  is  as  follows  : 
George,  ship,  328  tons,  Salem,  1814.  Reg.  May  22,  1815. 
Joseph  Peabody,  Gideon  Tucker,  owners  ;  William  Has- 
kell, master.  Reg.  June  30,  1820,  Joseph  Peabody,  owner; 
Samuel  Endicott,  master.  Reg.  Sept.  21,  1837,  Caleb 
Smith,  Jefferson  Adams,  John  B.  Peirce,  Danvers,  own- 
ers ;  Jefferson  Adams,  master. 

Christopher  Turner  was  born  in  Pembroke,  Mass.,  in 
1767.  "He  probably  came  to  Salem,"  says  Mr.  Leavitt, 
"with  Ebenezer  Mann,  as  an  apprentice,  and  he  died  in 
Charlestown,  Dec.  28,  1812,  aged  46  years.  He  was  at 
work  in  the  United  States  navy  yard.  He  was  married 
June  9,  1794,  by  Rev.  Thomas  Barnard  of  the  old  North 
Church,  to  Sally  Osborne.  He  was  buried  in  Salem  by 
the  Salem  Cadets.  He  built  at  Frye's  Mills,  schooner 
Good  Intent,    brig    St.  Michael,    ship    Brothers,    schooner 


BY   GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  8 

Hope,  schooner  Lydia,  brig  Mary,  schooner  Eliza,  ship 
Pompey,  ship  Endeavor,  ship  Hope,  brig  Forrester,  brig 
Brutus,  ship  Hunter,  brig  Romp,  brig  Independence,  ship 
Rambler,  and  brig  Gleaner." 

There  is  in  the  possession  of  a  Danvers  gentleman  a 
book  containing  the  lists  of  the  officers  and  men  of  most 
of  the  vessels  owned  by  the  late  Joseph  Peabody  of 
Salem,  and  from  them  have  been  obtained  the  names  of 
all  those  who  sailed  on  the  George  on  all  her  voyages. 
They  will  be  used  in  the  articles  which  are  to  follow. 
Where  a  single  town  is  named  it  indicates  the  place  of 
both  birth  and  residence  ;  where  two  are  mentioned,  the 
first,  in  parenthesis,  is  the  birthplace,  and  the  second  the 
residence  or  hailing  place  at  time  of  shipping. 

First  Voyage. 

The  George,  all  spick  and  span,  sailed  from  Salem,  May 
23,  1815,  for  Pernambuco  and  Calcutta,  under  command 
of  Captain  William  Haskell  of  Salem.  She  arrived  at 
Pernambuco  July  4,  remained  fifteen  days,  then  sailed  for 
Calcutta,  and  arrived  there  Sept.  26.  She  loaded  for 
home,  sailed  Feb.  25,  1816,  and  arrived  at  Salem  June  13, 
1816,  in  109  days.  On  the  outward  trip  she  was  42  days 
to  Pernambuco,  and  69  days  thence  to  Calcutta.  She  was 
detained  at  Calcutta  152  days,  and  she  completed  the  en- 
tire voyage  in  one  year  and  21  days,  certainly  a  very  good 
showing  for  a  new  ship. 

On  the  homeward  passage  she  spoke  in  Saugur  Roads, 
entrance  of  the  Hooghly  river,  the  brig  Alexander,  Capt. 
Briggs,  195  days  from  Salem,  bound  up  the  river — an 
extremely  long  passage.  May  6,  lat.  16.50  S.,  Ion.  60  W., 
the  George  spoke  the  ship  Caledonia,  Roberts,  75  days 
from  Canton  for  Philadelphia,  where  she  arrived  June  20, 
in  120  days  from  Canton,  and  seven  days  after  the  arrival 
of  the  George  at  Salem. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  William  Haskell  (Ipswich),  Salem  ;  Mate,  Jacob 
Gottfried  Agge  (Carlscrona),  Salem  ;  Second  Mate,  John 
Lord  (Ipswich),  Salem ;  Clerk,  Samuel  Endicott,  Dan- 
vers ;  Carpenter,  Luther  Goldthwait    (Danvers),  Salem  ; 


4  SALEM   VESSELS    AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

Seamen,  Thomas  M.  Sanders,  Jeremiah  Osgood,  Joseph 
Rider  and  Timothy  Wellman,  3d,  Salem  ;  William  Rey- 
nolds, Boxford  ;  Samuel  Hutchinson  and  Herschel  Stod- 
der,  Salem  ;  Solomon  Wardwell  (Danvers),  Salem  ;  Ma- 
nasseh  Goodhue  (Hamilton),  Salem  ;  Jonathan  Batchelder 
(Hamilton),  Salem  ;  Samuel  Endicott,  Beverly  ;  Aaron 
Hubbard,  Topsfield.  Steward,  Christopher  White,  Salem. 
Cook,  London  Ruliff,  Salem.  She  proceeded  to  Pernam- 
buco,  where  she  obtained  her  supercargo,  Daniel  H.  Mans- 
field, Jr. 

Of  the  foregoing,  Samuel  Endicott,  Thomas  M.  Saun- 
ders, Joseph  Rider,  Timothy  Wellman,  3d,  Samuel 
Hutchinson,  Jonathan  Batchelder,  and  Daniel  H.  Mans- 
field, Jr.,  became  shipmasters. 

Two  of  the  crew,  Solomon  Wardwell,  a  native  of  Dan- 
vers, and  Manasseh  Goodhue,  a  native  of  Hamilton,  died 
at  Calcutta. 

It  was  the  custom  in  those  days  for  merchants  to  allow 
their  officers  and  sailors  ventures,  that  is,  a  chance  to 
invest  their  money  in  foreign  ports,  that  the}"  might  there- 
by profit.  Whatever  they  so  bought  was  subject  to  du- 
ties, and  was  obliged  to  be  put  on  the  ship's  manifest.  A 
glance  at  the  several  manifests  of  the  George  will  show 
that  others  besides  Capt.  Peabody  were  interested  in  the 
ship  and  cargo.  According  to  the  impost  book  at  the 
Salem  Custom  House,  the  consignees  were  on  this  voyage 
as  follows :  J.  Peabody  and  G.  Tucker,  merchandise 
valued  at  $152,158.63  {  136,528  pounds  sugar  and  394 
pounds  white  sugar  to  same,  and  merchandise  to  Benjamin 
Pickman,  Jr.,  and  John  H.  Andrews. 

Second  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem,  July  20,  1816,  Thomas  West,  mas- 
ter, for  Hamburg  and  Calcutta.  Arrived  at  Hamburg, 
Aug.  25,  remained  one  month,  and  sailed  for  Calcutta, 
Sept.  25.  Arrived  at  Calcutta  Feb.  17,  1817.  Loaded 
her  homeward  cargo,  sailed  May  24,  and  arrived  at  Salem 
Sept.  17,  1817,  in  116  days'  passage.  Passage  to  Ham- 
burg, 26  days,  and  from  Hamburg  to  Calcutta,  138  days. 
Voyage,  one  year,  one  month  and  eighteen  days.  Duties, 
$48,968.72. 


TOOL  CHEST  AND  QUADRANT  USED  ON  THE  SHIP  "GEORGE 
From  the  original  in  possession  of  the  Peabody  Museum  of  Salem 


by  george  granville  putnam  o 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Thomas  West,  Salem  ;  mate,  Jacob  Gottfried 
Agge,  Salem;  second  mate,  Samuel  Endicott,  Beverly; 
carpenter,  Luther  Goldthvvait  (Dan vers),  Salem  ;  seamen, 
Daniel  H.  Mansfield,  Jr.,  Thomas  M.  Saunders,  Jacob 
Sanderson  and  Samuel  M.  Dalton,  Salem  ;  John  Perley, 
William  Reynolds  and  Greenleaf  Perley,  Boxford  ;  Jona- 
than Preston,  Stephen  Currier  and  Edward  Gale,  Salem  ; 
Peter  Arvedson  (Stockholm),  Salem  ;  Samuel  Hutchinson 
and  William  Batchelder,  Salem ;  steward,  London  Ruliff, 
Salem ;  cook,  John  Butler  (Philadelphia),  Salem. 

Samuel  Hutchinson  did  not  go  again  in  the  ship,  but  he 
continued  to  follow  the  sea,  and  in  later  years  became  a 
shipmaster,  sailing  in  the  South  American  trade.  He  died 
in  Salem,  Dec.  13,  1885,  in  his  90th  year,  and  he  was  the 
sole  survivor  of  those  who  sailed  with  him  on  these  two 
voyages  in  the  George.  He  and  Thomas  M.  Saunders 
were  boys  together  in  the  celebrated  private  armed  ship 
America.  He  was  the  first  commander  of  the  fine  barque 
Dragon,  owned  by  Williams  &  Daland,  and  a  noted  vessel 
in  her  day.  She  was  subsequently  owned  by  Benjamin 
West,  father  of  Arthur  W.  West  of  Salem. 

Samuel  M.  Dalton  of  Salem,  aged  36,  died  on  the 
homeward  passage,  just  before  crossing  the  Equator  in  the 
Atlantic.  He  was  one  of  the  numerous  brave  American 
seamen  who  were  held  in  bondage  by  the  British  previous 
to  the  war  of  1812.  He  was  impressed  and  detained 
twelve  years  on  board  their  ships.  On  the  breaking  out 
of  the  war  he  gave  himself  up  as  a  prisoner,  and  was 
confined  at  Dartmoor  till  the  peace,  when  he  returned  to 
this  country. 

Consignees — Merchandise  to  Joseph  Peabody  and  G. 
Tucker,  and  140,203  pounds  sugar  and  170  cordage  to 
same. 

Third  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem,  Oct.  22,  1817,  Thomas  West,  mas- 
ter, for  Leghorn  and  Calcutta.  She  arrived  at  Gibraltar, 
Nov.  22,  and  at  Leghorn  Dec.  7 — 46  days  from  Salem. 
She  remained  at  Leghorn  until  March  24,  1818,  and  then 


6  SALEM    VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

sailed  for  Calcutta.  She  passed  Gibraltar  April  4,  crossed 
the  Equator  May  2,  in  longitude  20  W.,  39  days  from 
Leghorn  and  26  from  Gibraltar.  She  passed  Cape  Good 
Hope  June  1,  70  days  from  Leghorn,  and  arrived  at  Cal- 
cutta July  27,  127  days  from  Leghorn.  The  ship  sailed 
from  Calcutta  Dec.  18,  1818,  for  Salem;  passed  Cape 
Good  Hope,  Feb.  9,  52  days  from  Sand  Heads  ;  crossed 
the  Equator  March  7,  in  longitude  32.42  W.,  and  arrived 
at  Salem  April  6,  1819—109  days  from  Calcutta,  a  fine 
passage.  Voyage,  one  year,  five  months  and  fourteen 
days.     Duties,  $44,519.45. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Thomas  West,  Salem  ;  mate,  Samuel  Endicott, 
Beverly ;  second  mate,  Thomas  M.  Saunders,  Salem ; 
carpenter,  Luther  Goldthwait  (Danvers),  Salem ;  seamen, 
Edward  Gale,  Salem  ;  Walter  H.  Simonton  (Portland), 
Salem  ;  William  Tate,  Salem  ;  Solomon  Giddings  (Dan- 
vers), Beverly  ;  John  Lovett  and  Benjamin  Briant,  Jr., 
Beverly ;  William  Batchelder,  John  Harvey,  Jr.,  and 
Daniel  H.  Mansfield,  Jr.,  Salem ;  Richard  Vickery,  Bev- 
erly ;  Peter  Arvedson  (Stockholm),  Salem ;  Greenleaf 
Perley,  Boxford  ;  George  B.  Very,  Salem ;  steward,  Wil- 
liam Colman  (Alexandria),  Salem  ;  cook,  London  Ruliff, 
Salem. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  G.  Tucker,  Luther  Gold- 
thwait, Edward  Gale,  John  Harvey,  William  Tate,  John 
Lovett,  William  H.  Simonton,  Greenleaf  Perley,  and 
Solomon  Giddings. 

The  George  left  at  Kedgeree,  in  the  Hoogly  river,  brig 
Nereus,  Bowditch,  170  days  from  Salem,  just  arrived. 
The  reader  is  asked  to  notice  the  length  of  this  passage 
from  Salem,  as  it  will  be  found  interesting  in  connection 
with  some  of  the  future  passages  of  the  George. 

Fourth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem,  June  19,  1819,  Thomas  West,  mas- 
ter ;  crossed  the  Equator  July  15,  36  days  out ;  passed 
Cape  Good  Hope  August  18,  70  days  out,  and  arrived  at 
Sand  Heads  Oct.  2 — 115    days    from    Salem.     Left  Sand 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM  7 

Heads  Feb.  8,  1820  ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  April  5, 
58  days  out  ;  crossed  the  Equator  April  30,  in  longitude 
28.39  W.,  83  days  out,  and  arrived  and  anchored  in  Salem 
harbor  May  25,  1820,  at  10  A.  M.,  108  days  from  Cal- 
cutta. Voyage,  11  months  and  17  days.  Duties,  $38,- 
239.42. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Thomas  West,  Salem  ;  mate,  Samuel  Endicott, 
Beverly  ;  second  mate,  Thomas  M.  Saunders,  Salem  ;  car- 
penter and  seaman,  Luther  Goldthwait  (Danvers),  Salem; 
seamen,  John  Stickney,  Beverly ;  William  Batchelder, 
Salem ;  Henry  Towne  (Andover),  Boxford ;  George  B. 
Very,  Salem  ;  John  Lovett,  Richard  Vickery  and  Andrew 
Haskell,  Beverly;  Joseph  Underwood,  Salem;  John 
Adams,  Beverly  ;  Daniel  H.  Mansfield,  Jr.,  Salem  ;  Green- 
leaf  Perley,  Boxford ;  Benjamin  Briant,  Jr.,  Beverly ; 
steward,  William  Colman  (Alexandria),  Salem  ;  cook, 
London  Ruliff,  Salem. 

Consignee — Joseph  Peabody. 

In  a  volume  entitled  "Old  Marblehead  Sea  Captains 
and  the  Ships  They  Sailed,"  by  Benjamin  J.  Lindsey,  in  a 
sketch  of  Capt.  Benjamin  Andrews  of  that  town,  is  the 
following,  taken  from  a  journal  kept  by  Capt.  Andrews 
while  in  command  of  the  brigantine  William  of  Marble- 
head,  on  the  passage  from  Batavia  for  Calcutta  : 

"Remarks,  Friday,  Oct.  1,  1819.  These  24  hours  com- 
mence with  gentle  gales  and  pleasant  weather.  Cruising 
for  Pilot.  At  2  P.  M.  spoke  the  ship  Creorge,  from  Salem, 
bound  to  Calcutta,  Capt.  West.  Capt.  Andrews  requested 
Capt.  West  to  spair  him  a  Topmast,  but  he  declined,  sa}^- 
ing  he  had  nown;  and  our  situation  was  represented  to 
said  West.  But  he,  like  the  Good  Samaritan,  passed  on 
the  other  side." 

Capt.  Andrews  was  drowned  at  Sumatra  in  1821. 

The  ship  Wanderer,  Captain  Sampson,  sailed  from  Cal- 
cutta for  Boston,  two  weeks  before  the  George,  but  did 
not  arrive  at  her  destination  until  June  5,  the  G-eorge  thus 
beating  the  Wanderer  by  25  days. 

Captain  West  did  not  command  the  Creorge  again,   but 


8  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

probably  continued  to  follow  the  sea.  He  died  Jan.  24, 
1849,  aged  71  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Salem 
Marine  Society. 

Fifth  Voyage. 
Sailed  from  Salem,  July  3,  1820,  Samuel  Endicott, 
master.  Crossed  the  Equator  Aug.  14,  in  longitude  24.06 
W.,  42  days  out ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Sept.  8,  67 
days  out;  arrived  at  Sand  Heads  Oct.  27,  and  at  Calcutta 
Oct.  29 — 118  days'  passage.  Sailed  for  home  Dec.  27, 
1820,  and  was  51  days  and  six  hours  to  Cape  Good  Hope  ; 
crossed  the  Equator  March  17,  in  longitude  37.18  W.,  80 
days  out.  Arrived  and  anchored  in  Salem  harbor  April 
15,  1821,  at  1  A.  M.,  109  1-2    days    from    Calcutta,  and 

9  months  and  12  days  from  the  time  she  left  Salem  on 
the  outward  passage.      Duties,  $21,940.39. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Samuel  Endicott,  Beverly ;  mate,  Thomas  M. 
Saunders,  Salem ;  second  mate,  Benjamin  Briant,  Jr., 
Beverly;  carpenter,  Luther  Goldthwait  (Danvers),  Salem; 
seamen,  John  Adams,  Beverly  ;  John  D.  Symonds,  Salem; 
John  Stickney,  Beverly ;  William  Batchelder,  Salem  ; 
Andrew  Haskell  and  Edmund  Stone,  Beverly  ;  Henry 
Towne  (Andover),  Boxford  ;  Greenleaf  Perley,  Boxford  ; 
Joseph  Winn,  3d,  and  George  B.  Very,  Salem  ;  William 
Davis,  Beverly ;  steward,  William  Colman  (Alexandria), 
Salem  ;  cook,  Joseph  Francis  (Africa),  Salem. 

Consignee — Joseph  Peahody. 

Edmuud  Stone  of  Beverly,  one  of  the  sailors  of  the 
George,  on  the  fifth  voyage,  drew  a  picture  on  his  sea 
chest  of  the  ship  coming  up  the  North  shore  on  her  home- 
ward passage  from  Calcutta,  with  the  lights  of  Thacher's 
Island  in  the  distance.  A  copy  of  this  picture  was 
printed,  in  colors,  on  the  calendar  of  the  Asiatic  Bank, 
now  merged  in  the  Naumkeag  Trust  Company,  several 
years  ago.  Several  inquiries  were  made  through  the  press 
for  information  concerning  Mr.  Stone,  and  a  friend  of 
the  Salem  News  thus  replied,  in  the  issue  of  March  4, 
1904: 

"I  have  made  inquiries  regarding  Mr.  Stone,  and  I  have  gleaned 
the  following  facts,  from  consulting  the  files  of  the   Salem  Register 


CAPT.  WILLIAM   DRIVER 
1803  -  1886 


EPHRAIM   EMMERTON 
1791  -  1877 


i 

m  Ms 

^-JM 

h^bf^* 

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1 


CAPT.   THOMAS   M.   SAUNDERS 
1795  -  1879 


CAPT.   SAMUEL  ENDICOTT 
1792  -  1872 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM  9 

and  by  conversation  with  Treasurer  Charles  H.  Kilham  of  the  Bev- 
erly Savings  Bank,  Hon.  Robert  S.  Rantoul  and  George  H.  Allen  of 
Salem.  Edmund  Stone  was  born  in  Montserrat  (Beverly),  Dec.  7, 
1791,  and  was  a  son  of  Josiah  and  Mary  (Wales)  Stone.  In  1812,  at 
the  age  of  21  years,  he  was  a  seaman  on  the  ship  Glide;  in  1817,  he 
was  in  the  ship  China;  in  1818,  in  the  ship  Augustus;  in  1820,  in  the 
ship  George,  and  this  was  the  voyage  when  he  drew  this  picture  of 
the  George  on  top  of  his  sea  chest.  He  married  Nancy  Standley  of 
Montserrat,  who  married  again  after  his  death.  She  left  a  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Edwin  Pride,  now  living  in  Montserrat.  Mr.  Stone  left  a 
son,  Edmund  Stone,  but  he  died  in  October,  1851.  Mrs.  Pride  says 
that  she  well  remembers  a  picture  of  the  George  hanging  over  the 
head  of  the  son's  bed,  and  he  also  had  a  small  picture  of  the  ship 
Glide,  but  she  has  lost  all  trace  of  both  of  the  pictures.  Searching 
the  files  of  the  Salem  Register,  I  find  that  the  fever  was  raging  in 
Batavia  in  1824.  In  the  Register  of  Feb.  21,  1825,  is  printed  this 
paragraph:  'The  following  deaths  occurred  at  Batavia  previous  to 
Nov.  3,  1824:  Fourteen  men  on  the  ship  Maine,  four  on  the  ship 
Moss,  three  on  the  brig  Banian,  and  three  on  the  brig  Indus.'  The 
Register  of  Feb.  28,  1825,  says:  'Died  at  Batavia,  previous  to  Aug. 
25,  1824,  William  Chandler  of  Hamilton,  aged  32,  and  Edmund  Stone 
of  Beverly,  aged  33,  first  and  second  officers  of  the  ship  Maine. 
Since  the  death  of  Capt.  John  Upton  of  Salem  (July  29,  1824),  12  of 
her  crew  have  died,  including  the  above,  leaving  only  three  alive, 
and  two  of  them  boys.  One  of  the  latter  is  named  Brown,  and  the 
other  is  supposed  to  be  Hooper.  Died  at  Batavia,  on  board  ship 
Maine,  William  C.  Gale,  son  of  Samuel  Gale  of  this  town,  aged  29 
years.'  The  Register  of  March  14,  1825,  prints  this  paragraph: 
'Died  on  board  ship  Maine,  at  Batavia,  Stephen  B.  Dockbam,  car- 
penter, of  this  town.1  Mrs.  Pride  has  no  record  of  the  death  of  Mr. 
Stone,  but  she  always  heard  that  he  and  others  of  the  crew  died  at 
Batavia  on  some  Salem  ship,  the  story  being  that  the  men  were 
obliged  to  do  some  work  in  the  water,  instead  of  natives  being  hired 
to  do  it.  All  hands  but  one  died.  The  extracts  from  the  Register 
confirm  the  time  and  place  of  Mr.  Stone's  death.  I  have  been  un- 
able to  learn  anything  about  Mr.  Stone's  talents  as  an  artist,whether 
or  not  he  was  extremely  handy  with  his  brush  as  well  as  his  pencil, 
and  whether  or  not  his  efforts  were  confined  to  these  pictures  of  the 
George  and  the  Glide.  I  should  be  very  glad  to  hear  further  about 
him." 

In  the  marine  room  of  the  Peabody  Museum  of  Salem 
are  no  less  than  five  water  color  paintings  from  the  brush 
of  Mr.  Stone.  One  is  inscribed  "American  Ship  George 
Leaving  Sand  Heads,  Calcutta,  bound  to  Salem,  December 


10  SALEM    VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

28,  1820."  The  pilot  brigs  Flora,  Eliza,  Sea-Horse  and 
Philip  at  right,  the  bow  of  ship  Partridge  at  left. 
Another,  similar,  but  without  inscription.  Another,  show- 
ing the  George  off  Baker's  Island,  Salem.  Another,  prob- 
ably passing  out  of  Salem  harbor.  Also  a  copy  of  an 
original  owned  by  George  H.  Allen. 

John  Adams,  of  Beverty,  died  at  sea,  after  an  illness  of 
three  months,  March  18,  1821,  in  longitude  31.36  W., 
latitude  1.53  N.  He  was  about  33  years  of  age.  His 
body  was  committed  to  the  deep,  with  the  usual  impres- 
sive services,  which  affect  all  so  deeply  and  are  so  lasting 
on  shipboard. 

On  Feb.  5,  1821,  at  10  A.M.,  a  ship  was  seen  from  the 
George,  bearing  W.  by  N.  ;  at  midnight  to  the  westward  ; 
Feb.  6,  at  3  P.  M.,  latitude  28.48  S.,  longitude  40  E., 
came  up  with  her  and  spoke  her,  and  found  she  was  the 
ship  Two  Brothers,  owned  by  John  Forrester  of  Salem, 
and  commanded  by  Capt.  Gilchrist,  58  days  from  Canton 
for  Antwerp. 

On  April5,latitude30.32N.,  longitude  59  VV.,  fell  in  with 
the  schooner  Susannah  of  Fredericksburg,  having  nothing 
standing  but  her  bowsprit  and  jibboom;  boarded  and 
found  her  ballasted  with  plaster  of  Paris  and  with  about 
two  feet  of  water  in  her  hold.  She  appeared  to  have  been 
in  this  condition  a  long  time. 

Sixth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem,  May  28,  1821,  Samuel  Endi- 
cott,  master;  crossed  the  Equator  June  28,  31  days 
out ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  July  30,  63  days  out,  and 
arrived  at  Sand  Heads,  Sept.  11,  106  days  from  Salem, 
and  was  eight  days  working  up  the  Hoogly  river  to  Cal- 
cutta. Sailed  from  Sand  Heads  Jan.  2,  1822,  having 
been  six  days  coming  down  the  river  from  Calcutta  ;  was 
44  days  and  18  hours  to  Cape  Good  Hope  ;  crossed  the 
Equator  March  8,  20  days  from  Cape  Good  Hope,  and 
arrived  at  Salem  April  6,  95  days  from  Sand  Heads. 
Voyage,  10  months  9  days.     Duties.  #17,257.91. 

Officers  and  Crew. 
Master,  Samuel  Endicott,   Beverly;    mate,  Thomas  M. 
Saunders,    Salem ;    second    mate,    Benjamin    Briant,    Jr., 


BY  GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  11 

Beverly  ;  carpenter,  Luther  Goldthwait  (Danvers),  Salem; 
seamen,  Greenleaf  Perley,  Boxford ;  William  Berry, 
Salem ;  Henry  Towne  (Andover),  Boxford ;  Edward 
Collins,  Salem  ;  Enoch  Wood,  Boxford  ;  John  Stickney, 
Beverly;  William  C.  Lamb  and  William  Batchelder, 
Salem  ;  Samuel  V.  Shreve  (Alexandria),  Salem  ;  Joseph 
Winn,  3d,  and  William  E.  Allen,  Salem  ;  Andrew  Has- 
kell, Beverly;  steward,  William  Colman  (Alexandria), 
Salem  ;  cook,  Prince  Farmer,  Salem. 

Consignees — J.  Peabody,  William  Allen,  Thomas  Bow- 
ditch,  Greenleaf  Perley,  Benjamin  Cox,  Benjamin  Bryant, 
and  Thomas  M.  Saunders. 

The  fine  sailing  of  the  Greorge  on  the  homeward  passage 
is  worthy  of  notice,  especially  from  Sand  Heads  to  Cape 
Good  Hope,  thence  to  the  Equator.  They  were  seldom 
equalled  by  the  best  craft  afloat  in  sailing  ship  days. 

The  Greorge  sailed  from  Salem,  in  company  with  the 
fine  new  ship  Acasta,  Capt.  Cloutman,  on  a  Sunday. 
Wagers  were  laid  that  the  Acasta  would  arrive  out  first. 
A  sharp  lookout  was  kept  by  each  ship,  but  the  Greorge 
won  out  with  several  days  to  spare.  William  W.  Oliver, 
deputy  collector  of  customs,  states  that  these  two  ships  car- 
ried from  Salem  $622,000  in  specie. 

Seventh  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem,  May  25,  1822,  at  1  P.  M.,  Samuel 
Endicott,  master.  Crossed  the  Equator  June  19,  25  days 
out ;  passed  the  Island  of  Trinidad,  latitude  20  degrees 
south,  32  days  out;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  July  15,  52 
days  and  one  hour  from  Salem,  and  arrived  at  Sand  Heads 
Aug.  20,  89  days  from  Salem,  and  was  17  days  working 
up  the  river.  This  was  the  quickest  outward  passage 
ever  performed  by  the  ship,  88  days  to  soundings  and 
89  from  Salem  to  Sand  Heads.  It  was  going  some,  too. 
Sailed  from  Calcutta,  Dec.  14,  1822;  Sand  Heads,  Dec. 
19  ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Feb.  3,  47  days  out ;  touched 
at  St.  Helena  Feb.  15,  59  days  out,  and  sailed  Feb.  17  ; 
crossed  the  Equator  March  3,  and  arrived  at  Salem  April 
3,  1823,  105  days'  passage,  and  thereby  hangs  a  story. 
Voyage,  11  months  and  4  days.     Duties,  $21,910.96. 


12  salem  vessels  and  their  voyages 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Samuel  Endicott,    Beverly  ;  mate,  Thomas  M 
Saunders,    Salem;    second    mate,    Benjamin  B riant,  Jr. 
Beverly ;  supercargo,  Ephraim    Emmerton,    Salem ;    sea 
men,    Greenleaf    Perley,    Boxford ;    Henry    Towne  (An 
dover),  Boxford  ;  Justin  B.  McCarthy  and  William  Driver 
Salem  ;  Enoch  Wood,  Boxford  ;  Zachariah  Morgan,   Bev 
erly ;  William  C.  Lamb  and  William  Batchelder,    Salem 
Samuel  V.  Shreve    (Alexandria),    Salem ;  Joseph   Winn 
3d,  and  William  E.  Allen,  Salem  ;  Josiah  Lovett,  3d,  Bev 
erly ;  Henry    Lander    and    Edward    A.    Wilson,    Salem 
steward,    William    Colman    (Alexandria),    Salem  ;    cook, 
Prince  Farmer,  Salem. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  Stephen  Nourse,  Samuel 
Endicott,  Ephraim  Emmerton,  Jr.,  Samuel  V.  Shreve, 
Zachariah  Morgan,  Henry  Towne,  Samuel  Barton,  Wil- 
liam E.  Allen,  Henry  Lander,  J.  B.  McCarthy,  Greenleaf 
Perley,  Joseph  A.  Peabody,  Joseph  Winn,  Colman  and 
Farmer,  Tucker  Daland,  Thomas  M.  Saunders,  and  Fran- 
cis Peabody. 

The  passage  from  Salem  to  Sand  Heads  in  89  days,  88 
to  Soundings,  was  the  quickest  outward  passage  of  the 
ship.     It  was  splendid  sailing. 

More  than  forty  years  ago  the  writer  enjoyed  the  privi- 
lege of  sitting  one  evening  with  Captain  Thomas  M. 
Saunders  and  Captain  Charles  H.  Allen,  at  the  home  of 
the  former  on  Andrew  street,  and  of  learning  from  Cap- 
tain Saunders  the  story  of  a  remarkable  escape  from 
wreck  of  the  George.  People  to-day  recall  the  hard  winter 
of  1919-1920,  but  that  of  March,  1823,  may  well  take  its 
place  by  its  side. 

Reference  to  the  log  book  of  Captain  Saunders  showed 
that  the  ship  arrived  off  this  coast  shortly  before  sundown 
March  31,  1823.  Captain  Endicott  hoped  to  get  in  in 
good  season. 

'•We  sighted  Chatham  light  shortly  before  sundown,  the  weather 
very  threatening,"  said  Captain  Saunders,  as  he  recalled  the  terri- 
ble experience  of  that  night.  "We  ran  along  and  made  Cape  Cod 
light,  the  weather  shutting  in  very  thick,  with  hail  and  sleet,  almost 
immediately,  the   wind   E.  S.  E.,   fresh.     After  sighting  Cape  Cod 


CAPT. JONATHAN   H.   LOVETT 
1772  -  1844 


CAPT.   SAMUEL   HUTCHINSON 
1796  -  1885 


■    ;   ' 


CAPT.  CHARLES  D.  MUGFORD 
1809  -  1868 


CAPT.  THOMAS  WEST 

1778  -  1849 

From  a  painting  by  M.  Corne  in  1803 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM  13 

light,  ran  along  and  made  Race  Point  light  on  the  larboard  bow,  in 
order  to  make  sure  that  it  was  Cape  Cod  light  that  we  last  saw. 
The  ship  was  then  under  close-reefed  fore  and  mizzen  and  whole 
maintopsail,  and  steering  about  N.  N.  W. 

"Immediately  after  sighting  Race  Point  light,the  maintopsail  was 
close-reefed  and  the  ship  was  hauled  to  the  northeast.  About  sun- 
down, as  the  gale  was  increasing  rapidly,  storm  staysails  were  set, 
and  the  ship  was  kept  on  this  course  until  near  midnight,  making 
five  or  six  knots  an  hour. 

'!At  8  o'clock  P.  M.  it  began  to  snow,  weather  very  cold,  the 
spray  freezing  to  the  rigging  and  forming  on  the  ropes  in  huge 
icicles,  so  that  they  had  to  be  pounded  with  'heavers'  to  keep  them 
clear  and  to  prevent  clogging  of  the  blocks.  At  midnight  we  found 
the  maintopsail  failing,  and  undertook  to  take  it  in,  but  lost  the 
most  of  it,  partly  caused  by  the  mizzen  staysail  giving  out  at  that 
moment  and  driving  the  men  from  the  lee  side  of  the  rigging.  The 
gale  continuing,  every  remaining  sail  was  carried  away  by  the  force 
of  the  wind,  excepting  the  reefed  foresail.  The  storm  continued 
with  unabated  fury  until  past  midnight. 

"At  daybreak,  the  wind  gradually  hauled  to  the  northward,  and, 
increasing,  the  foresail  went  by  the  bolt  ropes,  leaving  our  ship 
without  a  stitch  of  canvas  on  her.  After  daylight,  the  gale  some- 
what abating,  we  succeeded  in  bending  another  set  of  staysails,  the 
weather  still  very  thick.  About  9  or  10  o'clock  in  the  forenoon, 
finding  the  water  shoaling,  we  arranged  both  cables  of  40  fathoms 
each,  making  every  preparation  for  anchorage,  if  the  ship  should 
get  into  too  shoal  water,  and  prepared  for  the  last  alternative  of 
cutting  away  her  masts. 

"As  the  weather  moderated,  we  continued  to  bend  new  sails,  and 
between  10  and  11  A.  M.  wore  ship,  and  then  saw  land  nearly  astern. 
At  noon  it  was  hazy,  with  the  wind  N.  W.  We  continued  along  in 
this  way,  in  very  thick  weather,  although  not  blowing  hard,  the  re- 
mainder of  the  day,  and  at  night,  between  7  and  9  o'clock,  the 
weather  partly  clearing,  we  sighted  Thacher  Island's  twin  lights 
on  the  larboard  bow,  to  our  great  relief  and  joy.  Shortly  after, 
we  tacked  ship  to  the  southward,  and  continued  beating  about  the 
bay  all  night,  and  until  boarded  by  Pilot  Perkins,  who  brought  the 
ship  into  Salem  harbor,  where  we  anchored. 

"  'Where  were  you  during  the  storm  of  the  last  two  days?'  was 
the  pilot's  first  question.  Being  the  first  officer,  I  replied,  'Beating 
about  the  coast  and  the  bay.'  'No,  sir,'  he  replied,  'your  ship 
could  not  have  lived  through  such  a  storm  in  such  a  place.'  'But 
she  did,'  I  said,  'and  here  we  are.'  " 


14  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR    VOYAGES 

Such  was  the  story  of  this  wonderful  escape  of  this 
remarkable  ship,  as  the  writer  heard  it  from  one  on  whose 
shoulders  rested  in  no  small  measure  the  safety  of  the 
ship  and  her  crew.  Not  more  than  one  ship  in  a  hundred 
could  have  survived  such  a  gale,  and  it  was  only  the 
sagacity  and  skill  of  her  commander,  ably  supported  by 
his  officers  and  crew,  and  the  splendid  sea-going  qualities 
of  the  ship  herself,  that  saved  her  from  destruction  at 
this  time.  No  notice  was  taken  of  the  heroic  conduct  of 
the  crew  and  officers  by  the  underwriters,  although  a  very 
heavy  loss  was  saved  for  them. 

The  papers  of  the  day  described  that  storm  as  "un- 
doubtedly the  most  violent  which  has  been  experienced 
for  many  years,  and  probably  at  such  a  season  has  been 
exceeded  by  none  since  the  memorable  storm  of  April  1 
and  2,  1786."  It  was  the  sixth  snow  storm  since  the  be- 
ginning of  March ;  the  snow  fall  was  two  feet  on  a 
level,  and  the  violent  wind  threw  it  into  such  immense 
banks  that  the  roads  were  almost  impassable.  A  brig  was 
wrecked  at  Norman's  Woe,  and  nine  persons  perished, 
only  one  man  being  saved. 

Eighth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem,  June  21,  1823,  Samuel  Endicott, 
master,  for  Calcutta.  Crossed  the  Equator  July  23,  33 
days  out ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Aug.  19,  60  days  out ; 
and  arrived  at  Sand  Heads  Sept.  24,  96  days  from  Salem 
to  pilot,  and  95  to  soundings.  Left  Calcutta  Feb.  4,  1824, 
Sand  Heads  Feb.  10,  for  Salem  ;  weathered  Cape  Good 
Hope,  in  a  heavy  gale,  March  30,  49  days  out,  fine  winds 
and  pleasant  weather  having  been  strangers  since  crossing 
the  Equator  in  the  Indian  Ocean ;  crossed  the  Equator  in 
the  Atlantic  April  23,  73  days  from  Sand  Heads,  and  ar- 
rived at  Salem  May  25,  1824,  at  10  A.  M.,  106  days  from 
Sand  Heads,  all  well.  Voyage,  11  months  and  two  days. 
Duties,  $28,082.63. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Samuel  Endicott,  Beverly  ;  mate,  Thomas  M. 
Saunders,  Salem  ;  second  mate,  Greenleaf  Perley,  Boxford 
(Mr.  Perley  died  at  Calcutta,  Jan.  30,  1824,  a  son  of  Mr. 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM  15 

and  Mrs.  Amos  Perley  of  Boxford,  and  a  worthy  and  very 
promising  young  man)  ;  carpenter,  Benjamin  Ashby, 
Salem  ;  seamen,  Victor  Touret  (Havre  de  Grace),  Salem; 
Benjamin  Stickney,  Beverly;  William  C.  Lamb  and  Wil- 
liam Driver,  Salem ;  William  Pinder,  Beverly  ;  Nicholas 
Edwards  (Marblehead),  Salem  ;  James  G.  Glover,  Salem; 
Josiah  Lovett,  3d,  Beverly  ;  Joseph  Winn,  3d,  and  Wil- 
liam E.  Allen,  Salem  ;  William  H.  Lovett,  Beverly ;  Wil- 
liam Melius,  Jr.  (Machias),  Salem  ;  steward,  William 
Coleman  (Alexandria),  Salem  ;  cook,  Prince  Farmer, 
Salem. 

Francis  W.  Pickman,  Salem,  was  clerk;  George  W. 
Endicott,  Danvers,  supercargo  ;  and  Captain  Israel  Whit- 
ney, Beverly,  was  a  passenger  on  the  homeward  trip. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  J.  A.  Peabody,  Peabody 
&  Deland,  Samuel  Barton,  S.  &  G.  Endicott,  Josiah  Lov- 
ett, F.  W.  Pickman,  J.  Whitney  and  A.  H.,  Thomas  M. 
Saunders,  William  Leach,  E.  Rollins,  Odell  &  Perley, 
Prince  Farmer,  William  Driver,  J.  G.  Glover,  N.  Ayl- 
ward,  William  Colman,  William  Pinder,  Ephraim  Era- 
merton,  Jr.,  William  H.  Lovett,  William  Melius,  Jr.,  and 
Joseph  Winn,  3d. 

March  30,  latitude  35.16  S.,  longitude  18.38  E.,  the 
George  was  boarded  by  the  English  East  India  Company's 
(which,  by  the  way,  owned  a  line  of  splendid  merchant 
vessels  in  the  East  India  trade)  ship  Vansittart,  Captain 
Dairy mple,  59  days  from  Canton  and  43  days  from  Anjier, 
Java,  for  London.  Ten  days  previous  the  Vansittart 
spoke  a  French  ship  from  the  Isle  of  France,  which  in- 
formed Captain  Dalrymple  of  a  violent  gale  at  that  island 
about  March  1,  in  which  thirty  sail  of  vessels  were  lost  at 
that  place  and  at  Bourbon. 

The  G-eorge  spoke,  March  20,  latitude  30.27  S.,  longi- 
tude 39.18  East,  brig  Nereus,  Captain  Brookhouse,  85 
days  from  Salem  for  Mozambique,  all  well. 

The  writer  spent  one  evening  looking  through  the  log 
books  of  Thomas  M.  Saunders  and  Joseph  Winn,  kept  by 
them  on  this  voyage.  In  them  he  found  recorded  ac- 
counts of  a  gale  which  began  Feb.  28,  1824,  in  latitude 
12.40  S.,  longitude  86  E.,  and  continued  through  March  1 
in  latitude  13  S.     A  succession  of  gales  would  better  ex- 


16  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR    VOYAGES 

press  the  real  conditions.  The  ship  was  hove  to,  and  all 
hands,  as  far  as  possible,  kept  below.  Only  one  man  was 
allowed  on  deck,  and  he  was  lashed  to  the  helm.  March 
2  the  gale  abated,  and  the  ship  continued  on  her  course, 
having  sustained  considerable  damage  to  her  hull  and  rig- 
ging. Joseph  Winn,  in  his  journal,  wrote  the  following : 
"March  2 — Thanks  be  to  God,  this  gale  has  abated,  for 
we  are  a  picture  of  a  wreck." 

On  the  completion  of  this  voyage,  her  commander, 
Captain  Samuel  Endicott,  went  two  voyages  as  super- 
cargo, and  the  mate,  Thomas  M.  Saunders,  took  charge  of 
this  fine  old  packet  ship. 

Victor  Touret,  one  of  the  crew,  was  the  grandfather  of 
the  late  Benjamin  A.  Touret  of  Salem,  and  great-grand- 
father of  Bishop  Frank  Hale  Touret  of  Idaho,  who 
preached  in  Grace  and  St.  Peter's  churches,  Salem,  re- 
cently. 

The  George  had,  as  one  of  her  crew  on  this  voyage,  a 
boy,  who,  before  he  died  at  a  ripe  old  age,  became  distin- 
guished as  a  loyal  son  of  his  country  in  secession  times, 
and,  because  of  the  fact  that  he  christened  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  of  America  "Old  Glory."  He  was  William 
Driver,  and  his  name  will  go  down  to  posterity  because  of 
his  devotion  always,  under  the  most  trying  circumstances, 
to  his  flag  and  to  his  country.  He  died  in  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  where  he  "had  been  hated  (by  the  Confederates, 
because  of  his  Unionism  and  loyalty),  and  shunned  as 
one  affected  by  the  leprous  spots,"  as  he  wrote  in  his 
journal.  "His  flag,  Old  Glory,  which  the  Rebels  could 
not  find,  because  it  was  sewed  up  in  the  coverlet  of  his 
bed,  and  was  hoisted  with  his  own  hands  over  the  capitol 
in  Nashville,  Tenn.,  when  the  Union  troops  occupied  the 
city,  is  now  in  possession  of  the  Essex  Institute. 

Ninth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem,  June  26,  1824,  Thomas  M.  Saunders, 
master,  for  Calcutta,  and  arrived  there  Oct.  26,  122  days' 
passage.  Sailed  for  home  Feb.  13, 1825;  passed  Cape  Good 
Hope  April  4,  50  days  out,  and  arrived  at  Salem  May  24, 
100  days  from  Calcutta.  Voyage,  10  months  and  27  days 
— a  very  good  trip  for  the  young  man  on  his  first  voyage 
as  master.     Duties,  $59,778.56. 


by  george  granville  putnam  17 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Thomas  M.  Saunders,  Salem ;  mate,  Richard 
Wheatland  (Wareham),  Salem  ;  second  mate,  William 
Ashton  (Marblehead),  Salem  ;  carpenter,  Benjamin  Ashby, 
Salem  ;  seamen,  Nicholas  Ay  1  ward  (Marblehead),  Salem  ; 
Isaac  Swan  (Sanbornton,  N.  H.),  Salem ;  James  G. 
Glover,  William  E.  Allen,  William  S.  Rose  and  George 
B.  Very,  Salem ;  William  Bryant,  Beverly ;  Michael 
Lord,  Ipswich ;  William  H.  Lovett,  Beverly ;  William 
Melius,  Jr.  (Machias),  Salem  ;  Charles  Ramsdell  (Salem), 
Milford  ;  Augustus  Perry  (New  Bedford),  Salem  ;  Timo- 
thy D.  Prentiss  (Marblehead),  Salem  ;  steward,  William 
Coleman  (Alexandria),  Salem ;  cook,  Clement  Short 
(New  York),  Salem. 

Captain  Samuel  Endicott,  Beverly,  was  supercargo. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  Ephraim  Emmerton,  Jr., 
Thomas  M.  Saunders,  Joseph  Shatswell,  William  Cole- 
man, Richard  Wheatland,  D.  Bancroft  and  J.  E.  Tuttle, 
William  E.  Allen,  William  H.  Lovett. 

Tenth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem,  July  1,  1825,  for  Calcutta,  Thomas 
M.  Saunders,  master;  crossed  the  Equator  Aug.  7,  38 
days  out ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Sept.  4,  66  days  out, 
and  arrived  at  Sand  Heads  Oct.  18,  110  days  from  Salem. 
Sailed  for  home  Jan.  23,  1826  ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope 
March  17,  54  days  from  Calcutta  ;  crossed  the  Equator 
April  13,  in  longitude  29.50  west,  and  arrived  at  Salem 
May  13,  1826,  111  days  from  Calcutta.  Voyage,  10 
months  and  12  days.     Duties,  $47,931.53. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Thomas  M.  Saunders  ;  mate,  William  Ashton 
(Marblehead),  Salem  ;  second  mate,  Michael  Lord  (Ips- 
wich), Salem  ;  clerk  and  seaman,  Augustus  Perry  (New 
Bedford),  Salem ;  supercargo,  Samuel  Endicott,  Beverly  ; 
carpenter,  David  Driver  (Manchester),  Beverly  ;  seamen, 
William  R.  Coombs  (Islesboro),  Salem  ;  Robert  G.  Elliott, 
Beverly  ;  Joseph  Keirom  (Madeira),  Salem  ;  Isaac  Swan, 
(Sanbornton,    N.  H.),    Salem;    William   H.   Lovett   and 


18  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

Ebenezer  Smith,  Jr.,  Beverly ;  James  G.  Glover  and 
William  E.  Allen,  Salem ;  Charles  Ramsdell  (Salem), 
Milford  ;  William  Melius,  Jr.  (Machias),  Salem  ;  William 
Manning,  Jr.,  Salem  ;  steward,  James  Ruliff,  Salem ;  cook, 
William  Ranson,  Salem. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  Samuel  Endicott,  Thomas 
M.  Saunders,  William  Ashton,  Albert  Thorndike,  William 
Millers,  Michael  Lord,  James  G.  Glover,  William  H. 
Coombs,  Isaac  Swan,  William  E.  Allen,  Robert  G.  Elliott. 

Another  instance  of  the  Greorge  showing  her  speed  was 
w.hen  at  sea  on  the  morning  of  August  7,  1825,  at  6.30 
o'clock,  the  lookout  sighted  a  ship,  lower  yards  to  the 
water,  ahead  of  her.  In  the  short  time  of  three  hours 
she  overtook  and  spoke  the  stranger,  and  found  her 
to  be  an  English  ship  bound  from  London  for  New  South 
Wales.  At  night  the  English  craft  was  so  far  astern  that 
she  could  not  be  seen  from  the  George. 

Eleventh  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem  August  6,  1826,  Samuel  Endicott, 
master.  Crossed  the  Equator  September  20,  in  longitude 
23.17  W.,  43  days  out;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Oct.  6, 
69  days  oat,  and  arrived  at  Sand  Heads  Dec.  5,  119  days 
from  Salem,  and  arrived  at  Calcutta  Dec.  12,  having  had 
light  easterly  winds  up  the  Hoogly  river.  Left  Calcutta 
Jan.  28,  1827,  Sand  Heads  Feb.  4,  and  passed  Cape  Good 
Hope  March  26,  50  days  from  Sand  Heads  ;  sighted  St. 
Helena  April  7,  at  11  A.  M.,  62  days  out,  bearing  by 
compass  N.  W.  by  N.  N.  W.,  distance  50  miles,  and  lost 
sight  of  it  the  next  day  at  the  same  hour,  having  seen  it 
for  105  miles ;  crossed  the  Equator  April  20,  in  longitude 
28.59  W.,  and  arrived  at  Salem  May  23,  1827,  at  7  A.M., 
107  days  from  Calcutta.  Voyage,  9  months  and  17  days. 
Duties,  $17,015.40. 

Captain  Endicott  wrote  in  his  journal :  "From  May  to 
October,  when  outward  bound,  I  have  always  endeavored 
to  pass  from  four  degrees  to  six  degrees  west  of  St.  An- 
thony, one  of  the  Cape  Verde  islands.  By  so  doing,  I 
have  found  much  steadier  winds  and  carried  the  N".  E. 
trades  much  farther  south.  At  this  season  of  the  year  S, 
and  S.  S.  W.  winds  prevail  between  the   S.  E.  and  N.  E. 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM         19 

trades,  where  a  ship  may  always  obtain  easting  enough 
so  as  not  to  cross  the  Equator  too  far  west,  and,  I  think, 
following  this  route  will  always  shorten  the  passage  to 
the  Equator." 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Samuel  Endicott,  Beverly  ;  mate,  William  Ash- 
ton  (Marblehead),  Salem ;  second  mate,  Jonathan  H. 
Lovett,  Jr.,  Beverly;  supercargo,  Samuel  Barton,  Salem; 
carpenter,  Benjamin  Millett,  Salem ;  seamen,  Ebenezer 
Smith,  Jr.,  and  William  H.  Lovett,  Beverly  :  David 
Driver  (Manchester),  Beverly  ;  William  Manning,  Salem; 
John  Vickery,  Jr.,  George  Whitmarsh,  William  Lovett, 
Jr.,  Stephen  Church  and  Josiah  Bennett,  Beverly  ;  Thomas 
Webb  (New  York),  Salem;  William  G.  Oliver,  Salem; 
Augustus  Perry  (New  Bedford),  Salem  ;  steward,  Wil- 
liam Coleman  (Alexandria),  Salem  ;  cook,  Jesse  Burrill 
(Worcester),  Salem. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  Samuel  Endicott,  John 
O.  Lovett,  Ebenezer  Smith,  William  Coleman. 

No  less  than  eight  Beverly  boys,  it  will  be  noted,  were 
members  of  the  crew,  while  a  Beverly  man  was  master, 
and  another  Beverly  man  was  second  mate.  Beverly  had 
the  call  on  this  voyage.  William  Ashton,  the  mate, 
later  became  master  of  the  ship  Mentor,  in  the  Salem- 
Sumatra  trade.  George  Whitmarsh  became  master  of  the 
ship  Eclipse  in  the  Sumatra  trade,  succeeding  Capt.  Wil- 
kins,  who  was  murdered  by  the  Malays. 

Twelfth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem  July  4,  1827,  Thomas  M.  Saunders, 
master.  Crossed  the  Equator  August  13,  40  days  out; 
passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Sept.  9,  67  days  out,  and  arrived 
at  Sand  Heads  Nov.  6,  125  days  from  Salem  ;  was  eight 
days  working  up  the  river  to  Calcutta,  all  well.  Left 
Calcutta  Feb.  9,  1828;  Sand  Heads  Feb.  11  (off  which 
spoke  ship  Emerald,  Joseph  Webb,  master,  R.  C.  Mackay, 
supercargo,  from  Salem,  Sept.  30,  153  days  from  Salem  ; 
Capt.  Webb  was  the  grandfather  of  the  late  Capt.  Arthur 
N.  Webb,  formerly  treasurer  of  the  Holyoke  Mutual  Fire 
Insurance  Company  of  Salem ;  the    Emerald  had  papers 


20  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

and  letters  from  home  for  those  on  the  G-eorge,  which 
proved  most  acceptable) ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  April  2, 
53  days  out  ;  crossed  the  Equator  April  26,  in  longitude 
28.10  W.,  24  days  from  the  Cape,  and  arrived  at  Salem 
May  19,  1828,  98  days  from  Sand  Heads  and  100  from 
Calcutta.  Voyage,  10  months  and  15  days.  Duties, 
$21,875.72. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Thomas  M.  Saunders,  Salem ;  mate,  William 
Ashton  (Marblehead),  Salem  ;  second  mate,  Jonathan  H. 
Lovett,  Jr.,  Beverly ;  supercargo,  Samuel  Barton,  Salem  ; 
carpenter,  Benjamin  Millett,  Salem  ;  seamen,  Ebenezer 
Smith,  Beverly ;  Thomas  Webb  (New  York),  Salem ; 
George  Whitmarsh,  John  Vickery,  Jr.,  William  Lovett 
and  Stephen  Church,  Beverly  ;  William  Manning,  Jr., 
Salem  ;  David  Driver  (Manchester),  Beverly ;  John  J. 
Scobie,  William  G.  Oliver  John  B.  Goodhue  and  Charles 
H.  Allen,  Salem;  steward, William  Coleman  (Alexandria), 
Salem  ;  cook,  Jesse  Burrill  (Worcester),  Salem. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  Thomas  M.  Saunders, 
William  Coleman,  Ebenezer  Smith,  Josiah  Lovett,  Lovett 
&  Thorndike,  E.  Ellingwood,  Samuel  Emery,  William 
Ashton,  William  W.  Oliver. 

Died  at  Calcutta,  Dec.  18,  1827,  after  an  illness  of 
fourteen  days,  John  Vickery,  Jr.,  of  Beverly,  26  years, 
seaman. 

Died  at  sea,  March  21,  1828,  latitude  31  south,  longi- 
tude 37.20  east,  William  G.  Oliver,  18  years  9  months, 
son  of  William  W.  Oliver,  Esq.,  deputy  collector  of  cus- 
toms of  Salem.  Thereby  hangs  a  pathetic  story.  Older 
Salem  people  will  recall,  readily,  Deputy  Collector  Wil- 
liam W.  Oliver,  who  held  that  office  forty -six  years,  and 
who  was  a  perfect  encyclopedia  of  information  regarding 
Salem  commerce.  As  the  reader  has  observed,  his  son, 
William  G.  Oliver,  was  making  his  second  voyage  in  the 
Greorge,  and  he  was  well  when  the  ship  left  Calcutta.  On 
the  previous  voyage,  when  the  ship  was  sighted  from 
Salem  Neck,  a  lad  ran  up  to  the  Salem  Custom  House 
and  told  the  news  to  Mr.  Oliver,  for  which  he  received  a 


SAMUEL  BARTON 
1805  -  1840 


CAPT.  AUGUSTUS  PERRY 
1807  -  1879 


CAPT    JOSEPH  WINN 
1805  -  1880 


CAPT.  DANIEL  H.  MANSFIELD 
1801  -  1876 


BY   GEOBGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  21 

quarter,  as  was  the  custom  in  those  days  to  give  the  boys 
for  their  news.  Mr.  Oliver  quickly  got  a  chaise,  drove  to 
the  Xeck  and  then  to  the  wharf,  and  from  the  latter  took 
the  sailor  lad  home  with  him,  where  the  mother  gladly 
received  him.  On  this  second  voyage,  however,  when  a 
lad  rushed  to  him  with  the  news,  "The  George  is  coming, 
Mr.  Oliver,"  he  gave  the  lad  his  fee,  and  then  said,  "My 
boy  is  dead,  and  I  am  going  home."  Suiting  the  action 
to  the  word,  he  took  his  hat  and  went  home  to  his  wife, 
a  sorrow-stricken  man.  Yet  he  had  had  no  possible  way 
of  knowing  the  sad  news,  for  the  lad  died  at  sea,  and  the 
ship  was  not  spoken  after  the  boy's  decease. 

Mr.  Oliver,  the  boy's  father,  died  in  Salem,  Dec.  29, 
1869,  in  his  92d  year,  and,  as  before  stated,  is  well  re- 
membered by  older  Salem  people  of  to-day.  He  was  an 
enthusiast  on  walking,  and  would  frequently  take  long 
tramps.  On  one  occasion,  when  there  was  a  fire  in  Lynn, 
he  was  asked  where  the  fire  was,  and  he  replied,  "I  am 
told  it  is  in  Lynn ;  guess  1  will  step  over  and  see.''  The 
story  goes  that  he  did  so.  He  was  employed  in  the  Salem 
Custom  House  as  office  boy,  clerk,  and  deputy  collector, 
forty-six  years  and  ten  days.  Aside  from  his  wonderful 
knowledge  of  the  commerce  of  Salem,  he  was  very 
minute  in  local  history,  and  he  would  delight  his  hearers 
with  his  personal  recollections  of  the  visit  of  President 
George  Washington  to  Salem,  in  October,  1789,  for  then 
he  was  a  bo\'  eleven  years  of  age,  and  he  retained  a  vivid 
recollection  of  the  scenes  on  that  occasion. 

The  brig  Bramin,  Captain  Leach,  sailed  from  Sand 
Heads,  Feb.  7,  for  New  York,  four  days  before  the  George, 
but  was  overtaken  by  the  ship  Feb.  13,  latitude  14.53 
north,  longitude  87.30  east. 

A  breeze  of  excitement  was  created  on  the  George  on 
the  outward  passage  to  Calcutta,  when,  in  latitude  5 
north,  longitude  18  west,  the  ship  passed  about  two  miles 
to  leeward  of  a  four-masted  vessel  standing  to  the  west- 
ward. The  stranger  had  every  appearance  of  being  a 
pirate.  Some  of  the  crew  of  the  George  hid  their  money, 
determined  to  save  it  if  possible.  When  six  or  seven 
miles  astern  of  the  George,  the  craft  tacked  and  stood  for 
her.     She  set  all  drawing  sail  and  continued  the  chase  for 


22  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

sixteen  hours,  but  finding  that  the  George  outsailed  her, 
gave  up  the  pursuit.  She  was  a  vessel  of  about  200  tons, 
and  resembled  somewhat  a  man-of-war.  Several  years 
later  it  was  learned  that  she  was  a  slaver.  "But  the  boys 
were  mightily  scared,"  said  Capt.  Saunders  and  Capt. 
Charles  H.  Allen  (the  latter  was  a  boy  on  the  George  at 
the  time),  in  relating  the  occurrence  to  the  writer  some 
half  a  century  later. 

Thirteenth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem,  Aug.  8,  1828,  Thomas  M.  Saunders, 
master.  Crossed  the  Equator  Sept.  10,  33  days  out,  and 
arrived  at  Pernambuco  Sept.  17,  40  days  from  Salem,  and 
leaking  1000  to  1200  strokes  per  hour.  She  was  dis- 
charged, stripped,  hove  down,  repaired,  sheathed  anew 
with  board  and  copper,  reloaded,  and  was  detained  in  port 
but  49  days.  The  entire  expense  was  about  $9,000. 
Sailed  from  Pernambuco  Nov.  6  ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope 
Nov.  30,  24  days  from  Pernambuco,  and  arrived  at  Sand 
Heads  Jan.  18,  1829,  74  days  from  Pernambuco,  and  ar- 
rived at  Calcutta  Jan.  22.  Sailed  from  Sand  Heads  March 
1,  1829  ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  April  19,  50  1-2  days 
out ;  sighted  St.  Helena  May  4  ;  crossed  the  Equator  May 
15,  in  longitude  30.28  W.,  76  days  out,  and  arrived  at 
Salem  June  9,  1829,  100  1-2  days  from  Sand  Heads,  and 
104  from  Calcutta,  all  well.  Voyage,  ten  months  and  one 
day.     Duties,  $21,055.68. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Thomas  M.  Saunders,  Salem  ;  mate,  William 
Ashton,  Salem ;  second  mate,  Jonathan  H.  Lovett,  Jr., 
Beverly ;  supercargo,  Samuel  Barton,  Salem  ;  carpenter, 
David  Driver  (Manchester),  Beverly ;  seamen,  James  G. 
Glover  and  Benjamin  Cheever,  Salem  ;  Nicholas  Aylward 
(Marblehead),  Salem ;  Jacob  Ford  (Portland),  Salem ; 
Stephen  Church,  Beverly;  Charles  H.  Allen  and  John  B. 
Goodhue,  Salem  ;  Stephen  Woodbury  and  Jonathan  Bis- 
son,  Beverly  ;  Francis  B.  Dennis,  Salem  ;  James  Murdock 
(Cuba),  Salem  ;  Eben  B.  Osgood,  Salem  ;  cook,  Charles 
M.  Downing  (Philadelphia),  Salem;  steward,  John  Tucker, 
Salem. 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM         2S 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  Thomas  M.  Saunders, 
William  Thorndike,  William  Ashton,  Ebenezer  Smith, 
Francis  Lamson,  C.  M.  Downing,  J.  G.  Glover. 

Twenty-one  days  after  leaving  Pernambuco  the  George 
spoke  the  English  transport  ship  Sophia  Thomas,  of  Lon- 
don, Captain  Ely,  from  Dublin  for  New  South  Wales,  with 
192  convicts  on  board.  She  sent  her  boat  to  board  the 
George,  and  bought  one  barrel  of  flour,  one  barrel  of 
bread,  two  kegs  of  tobacco,  and  1000  cigars. 

Fourteenth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem,  Aug.  11,  1829,  Samuel  Endicott, 
master.  Crossed  the  Equator  Sept.  17,  37  days  out ; 
passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Oct.  20,  70  days  out,  and  arrived 
at  Sand  Heads  Dec.  7,  118  days  from  Salem,  and  at  Cal- 
cutta Dec.  12,  all  well.  Sailed  from  Calcutta  Feb.  11, 
1830;  Sand  Heads,  Feb.  17;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope 
April  3,  15  1-2  days  out ;  crossed  the  Equator  April  29, 
79  days  from  Calcutta  and  23  1-2  days  from  Cape  Good 
Hope,  and  arrived  at  Salem  May  25,  1830,  at  8  A.  M.,  98 
days  from  Calcutta.  Voyage,  9  months  and  14  days. 
Duties,  $12,915.57. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Samuel  Endicott,  Beverly  ;  mate,  William  Ash- 
ton, Salem ;  second  mate,  Jonathan  H.  Lovett,  Jr.,  Bev- 
erly ;  supercargo,  Samuel  Barton,  Salem ;  carpenter, 
David  Driver  (Manchester),  Salem  ;  seamen,  John  Brown 
(New  York),  Salem ,  George  M.  Haskell,  Salem  ;  Robert 
Stein  (New  York),  Salem  ;  James  Murdock  (Cuba), 
Salem  ;  Charles  Bush,  Salem;  John  Ellison  (Ipswich), 
Salem ;  William  Anderson  (St.  Johns),  Salem  ;  William 
Peckham  (New  York),  Salem  ;  George  Leeds  (Gravesend, 
Eng.),  Salem ;  Benjamin  Chapman,  Charles  D.  Mugford 
and  Andrew  Haraden,  Salem  ;  steward,  John  Tucker, 
Salem;  cook,  Charles  M.  Downing  (Philadelphia),  Salem. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  Samuel  Endicott,  J.  H. 
Lovett,  C.  Stephens,  William  Ashton. 


24  salem  vessels  and  their  voyages 

Fifteenth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem,  Aug.  20,  1830,  Samuel  Endicott, 
master.  Crossed  the  Equator  Sept.  26,  37  days  out  ; 
passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Oct.  28,  69  days  out,  and  ar- 
rived at  Sand  Heads  Dec.  19,  121  days  from  Salem,  and 
at  Calcutta  Dec.  25,  all  well.  Sailed  from  Calcutta,  Feb. 
15,  1831 ;  Sand  Heads,  Feb.  17  ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope 
April  11  ;  St.  Helena,  April  24 ;  crossed  the  Equator  May 
3,  and  arrived  at  Salem  May  22,  1831,  at  midnight,  after 
a  pleasant  passage  of  95  days  from  Calcutta  and  93  from 
Sand  Heads.  Voyage,  9  months  and  15  days.  Duties, 
$44,933.48. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Samuel  Endicott,  Beverly  ;  mate,  Jonathan  H. 
Lovett,  Jr.,  Beverly;  second  mate,George  Sherry(Charles- 
ton,  S.  C),  Salem  ;  supercargo,  Samuel  Barton,  Salem ; 
carpenter,  Peter  Lewis  (Kennebunk,  Maine),  Salem ;  sea- 
men, William  Manning,  2d,  Salem  ;  John  L.  Gallup,  Bev- 
erly ;  Charles  H.  Allen,  Salem  ;  Jonathan  Bisson,  Bever- 
ly ;  Thomas  Hunt,  Charles  Bush  and  Charles  D.  Mugford 
Salem;  Calvin  Wallis,  Beverly;  Andrew  Haraden,  Jr., 
John  West,  William  H.  Allen  and  Francis  A.  Winn, 
Salem;  steward,  John  Tucker,  Salem;  cook,  William 
Drew  (Dorchester),  Salem. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  Benjamin  Cox  (later  a 
prominent  physician  and  surgeon,  whose  house  on  Essex 
street  is  now  the  home  of  the  Essex  Institute),  Samuel 
Endicott,  Charles  D.  Mugford,  Peter  E.  Webster,  William 
H.  Allen,  Benjamin  W.  Stone  (afterwards  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Stone,  Silsbees  &  Pickman),  Jonathan  H. 
Lovett. 

Some  tall  sailing  was  done  on  this  voyage.  On  the 
homeward  passage  the  run  from  Cape  Good  Hope  to  the 
Equator  was  made  in  22  days,  from  Cape  Good  Hope  to 
St.  Helena  in  13  days,  from  St.  Helena  to  the  Equator  in 
9  days,  from  St.  Helena  to  Salem  in  31  days,  and  from 
Cape  Good  Hope  to  Salem  in  41  days. 

(To  be  continued^) 


ESSEX    COUNTY   VESSELS    CAPTURED    BY 
FOREIGN  POWERS,  1793-1813. 


Compiled  from  American  State  Papers 


(Continued  from  Volume  LVIII,  page  287. .) 


Joanna,  brig,  Jeremiah  Blanchard,  of  the  district  of 
Newburyport,  from  Norfolk  to  Jamaica ;  owner,  Joseph 
Sevier;  captured  July  12,  1804,  in  the  Caucus  passage,  by 
a  French  privateer  out  of  Baracoa  in  the  Island  of  Cuba, 
called  La  Fortune,  Captain  Ameling ;  owned  by  Povo  & 
Dubier  of  Baracoa ;  carried  into  Baracoa,  robbed  of  her 
spare  rigging,  stores  and  provisions,  the  captain's  spyglass 
and  the  brig's  boat ;  after  detaining  her  11  days,  she  was 
carried  into  an  out  port,  5  leagues  to  the  eastward  of 
Baracoa,  by  the  privateersmen,  and  kept  under  a  battery 
of  two  guns  ;  the  sixth  day  after  she  was  cut  out  by  the 
English  brig  Hunter  and  carried  to  Jamaica ;  vessel, 
cargo  and  freight  condemned  to  a  salvage  of  one-third, 
valued  at  $5,694.99. 

John,  brig,  Matthew  P.  Dole,  of  the  district  of  New- 
buryport, for  Jamaica,  with  lumber  and  provisions ;  owner, 
John  Pearson ;  captured  Mar.  8,  1804,  by  a  French  pri- 
vateer called  the  Liberty,  Captain  Cady,  carried  into  St. 
Jago  de  Cuba  ;  vessel  and  cargo  then  taken  from  the  cap- 
tain, without  any  trial;  value  of  vessel,  $7,000;  value  of 
cargo,  $6,000  ;  adventures,  $500. 

Joseph,  sch.,  John  Lurney,  of  the  district  of  Newbury- 
port; owners,  John  Burrill,  Ebenezer  Gunneson,  Elias 
Dudley,  Michael  Smith,  David  Ilsley,  and  Clement  Starr  ; 
captured  on  return  from  West  Indies  by  the  French  pri- 
vateer Adet,  John  Saverneau,  Mar.  26,  1804,  carried  to 
St.  Jago  de  Cuba  and  destroyed ;  captain  plundered  of  his 
clothes  and  every  article  from  his  cabin,  turned  on  shore 
with  one  of  his  people,  without  a  dollar  on  which  to  sub- 
sist, and  protests  against  the  Spanish  government  for  per- 

(25) 


26  ESSEX   COUNTY    VESSELS    CAPTURED 

mitting  the  privateers  to  conduct  into  port  his  vessel  and 
retain  the  same  ;  value  of  vessel,  $2,500  ;  value  of  cargo, 
$17,234. 

Joseph,  Pedrick,  of  Marblehead,  bound  to  Gottenburg, 
captured  and  detained  at  Farhsund,  in  1810 ;  cleared, 
paying  costs  and  $200  to  captors. 

Juno,  Page,  of  Salem,  from  Salem  to  St.  Petersburg, 
with  sugar,  coffee  and  cotton;  owners,  J.  W.  Saunders  & 
Co.  ;  captured  by  the  Danes,  and  passed  without  inter- 
ruption, June  23,  1811. 

Lady  Washington,  brig,  Gerrish,  of  Newbury  port, 
from  Barbadoes,  captured  Mar.,  1797,  by  a  French  cruiser; 
cargo,  sugar  and  rum  ;  carried  to  Curracoa  ;  undecided  as 
to  condemnation. 

Lark,  sch.,  Cloutman,  of  Marblehead,  from  Marble- 
head,  with  cotton,  rice  and  wax,  captured  by  the  British 
and  condemned  by  the  court  of  admiralty,  July  5,  1811  ; 
value  of  vessel,  $2,000  ;  value  of  cargo,  $1,800 ;  sold  and 
money  deposited  in  court  to  await  for  twelve  months  the 
appeal  of  the  captured. 

Lavinia,  brig,  of  Salem,  from  Aux  Cayes,  captured 
1796,  sent  into  Cuba. 

Leader,  sloop,  Capt.  Warner,  of  Cape  Ann,  from 
Cape  Ann,  captured  Sept.  1,  1796,  by  the  privateer  Bas 
Blanche;  cargo  valued  at  $5,000;  carried  into  Petit 
Guave ;  probably  condemned. 

Louisa,  Rice,  of  Salem,  from  Salem  to  Petersburg, 
with  sugar  and  fustick  :  owner,  R.  Wheatland  ;  captured 
and  brought  to  Copenhagen,  July  11,  1811  ;  passed  with- 
out interruption. 

Lydia,  Cheever,  of  Marblehead,  bound  to  Salem;  cap- 
tured in  1810  and  detained  at  Christiansand  ;  papers  sent 
to  Paris. 

Maria,  sch,,  60  tons,  Jacob  Stone,  with  12  seamen  and 
5  guns,  of  Newburyport,  from  Newburyport  to  Leghorn, 
with  coffee  and  sugar  ;  owners  of  vessel  and  cargo,  Jack- 
son, Parsons  and  others  ;  consignee,  Jacob  Stone  ;  taken 
in  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  Feb.  13,  1799,  by  six  pri- 
vateers, and  conducted  to  Algeziras ;  value  of  cargo, 
$24,000. 


ESSEX   COUNTY    VESSELS   CAPTURED  27 

Marianne,  ship,  Patterson,  of  Salem,  from  London, 
with  dry  goods,  taken  by  a  French  privateer,  Mar.,  1797, 
and  conducted  to  Pasages. 

Martin,  sch.,  Nath.  Williams,  with  7  seamen  and  8 
guns,  of  Gloucester,  to  Cadiz,  with  beef,  pork,  rice  and 
butter  ;  Nath.  Williams,  consignee  ;  taken  3  leagues  from 
St.  Sebasts,  Apr.  26,  1798,  by  a  privateer,  and  conducted 
to  St.  Lucar. 

Mary,  sloop,  Goodhue,  of  and  from  Newburyport,  to 
Surinam,  captured  1796,  carried  into  Guadeloupe  and 
cleared. 

Mary,  sch.,  Vickery,  of  Marblehead,  from  Marblehead, 
with  green  fish  and  oil,  captured  by  the  British  and  con- 
demned by  the  court  of  admiralty,  June  18,  1811  ;  value 
of  vessel,  $2,000  ;  value  of  cargo,  $1,800  ;  sold  and 
money  deposited  in  court  to  await  for  twelve  months  the 
appeal  of  the  captured. 

Mary,  barque,  Ropes,  of  Salem,  from  St.  Petersburg  to 
Salem,  with  sailcloth,  hemp  and  iron  ;  taken  in  company 
with  the  remainder  of  a  fleet  under  convoy  of  a  British 
gun-brig  and  sent  into  Christiansand  by  five  Danish  gun- 
brigs,  in  July,  1810  ;  condemned  July  2,  1811. 

Mary  Ann,  Wellman,  of  Salem,  from  Salem  to  St. 
Petersburg,  with  sugar,  coffee  and  indigo  ;  owners,  Sils- 
bee  &  Stone ;  captured  by  the  Danes,  and  passed  without 
interruption,  June  19,  1811. 

Mary  Pilke,  Myer,  of  Newburyport,  captured  and 
taken  into  Copenhagen  in  1810  ;  condemned. 

Mentor,  Ashton,  of  Salem,  from  Salem  to  St.  Peters- 
burg, with  cotton  and  rum ;  owners,  J.  Ashton  &  Co.  ; 
captured  by  the  Danes,  and  passed  without  interruption, 
June  13,  1811. 

Moses,  Massey,  of  Salem,  from  Salem  to  Copenhagen, 
with  rice,  flour,  beef;  owner,  Richard  Gardner;  captured 
and  brought  into  Copenhagen,  Aug.  5,  1811 ;  passed 
without  interruption. 

Nalouisca,  brig,  of  Newburyport,  captured  1796, 
carried  into  St.  Jago. 


28  ESSEX   COUNTY    VESSELS   CAPTURED 

Nancy,  ship,  Jesse  James,  of  Salern,  from  London, 
with  dry  goods,  taken  by  a  French  privateer,  Mar.,  1797, 
and  conducted  to  Pasasfes. 

Nancy,  Eveleth,  of  Newburyport,  from  Newburyport 
to  Petersburg,  with  sugar  and  logwood ;  owner,  Moses 
Brown;  captured  and  brought  into  Copenhagen,  Sept.  3, 
1811 ;  condemned  by  the  prize  court,  and  acquitted  by 
the  high  court  of  admiralty  and  fined  1,000  Danish  Rix 
Dollars. 

Neptune,  Warner,  of  Newburyport,  from  Gottenburg 
to  Petersburg,  in  ballast,  captured  and  brought  into  Co- 
penhagen Aug.  14,  1811.  Condemned  for  having  English 
license. 

Orestes,  Allen,  of  Salem,  from  Salem  to  St.  Peters- 
burg, with  sugar,  pepper  and  indigo  ;  owner,  Hugh  Mc- 
Cullock;  captured  by  the  Danes,  May,  1811 ;  passed 
without  interruption. 

Orient,  Andrews,  of  Marblehead,  from  Marblehead  to 
Petersburg,  with  sugar  and  logwood  ;  owners,  R.  Hooper 
&  Sons  ;  captured  by  the  Danes  and  passed  without  inter- 
ruption, June  21,  1811. 

Ossipee,  ship,  Samuel  Chandler,  of  the  district  of 
Newburyport;  owners,  Leonard  Smith,  Nathaniel  Smith, 
and  Wm.  Smith;  captured  on  passage  from  Guadeloupe 
by  the  private  armed  sloop  Rosalinda,  Allexander  Belling- 
ton,  carried  to  Nevis  and  condemned  by  the  Vice  Admiral- 
ty Court  at  Antigua  ;  she  sailed  from  Newburyport  for 
Emboden,  where  she  arrived  July  30,  1804,  with  a  cargo 
of  coffee  and  sugar,  and  took  on  board  butter,  cheese, 
bricks,  beer,  wine,  linens,  and  sailed  for  the  West  Indies; 
arrived  at  Point  Petre  Nov.  7,  disposed  of  her  cargo,  and 
was  proceeding  with  her  return  cargo  when  captured ; 
value  of  vessel,  $5,500  ;  value  of  cargo,  $17,500  ;  freight, 
$3,200. 

Pacific,  Becket,  of  Salem,  from  Salem  to  Gothenburg, 
with  flour,  rice,  tobacco,  sugar  and  rum  ;  owner,  John 
Andrew;  captured  by  a  privateer,  June  16,  1809,  and 
carried  into  Christiansand,  Norway ;  condemned  Dec.  18, 
1809,  and  appealed  ;  value,  $31,000. 


ESSEX   COUNTY   VESSELS   CAPTURED  29 

Packet,  Pedrick,  of  Marblehead,  captured  by  a  pri- 
vateer and  carried  into  Christiansand,  Norway,  about 
Oct.,  1809.     Cleared. 

Peggy,  sch.,  John  Denny,  of  the  district  of  Newbury- 
port,  from  St.  Mary's  to  Newburyport ;  owner,  Aug.  E. 
Wheelwright ;  captured  on  her  passage  from  St.  Mary's 
to  Newburyport,  February,  1804,  by  a  private  armed 
schooner,  Sea  Flower,  Captain  Moses  Monson,  taken  into 
St.  Jago  de  Cuba,  the  property  distributed  among  the 
captors,  without  trial ;  loaded  with  provisions  bound  to 
Cape  Francois,  then  in  possession  of  the  French  troops, 
but  on  arriving  before  that  port  in  Dec,  1803,  was  board- 
ed and  detained  by  the  British  squadron,  at  the  time  the 
Cape  was  evacuated,  after  which  Captain  Denny  was  per- 
mitted to  proceed  to  any  port  in  the  Island,  St.  Domingo 
excepted ;  value  of  vessel,  $2,000 ;  value  of  cargo, 
$22,690.50. 

Polly,  brig,  Michael  Smith,  of  Newburyport,  with 
crew  of  9;  owners,  Bailey  &  Noyes  of  Newburyport; 
captured  by  the  corsairs  of  Algiers  in  consequence  of  the 
truce  with  Portugal,  Oct.  25,  1793. 

Polly,  brig,  Michael  Smith  of  Newburyport,  with  8 
men ;  Bailey  and  Noyes,  owners ;  captured  by  Algerian 
corsairs  near  Gibraltar,  Oct.  25,  1793. 

Polly,  ship,  William  Bradshaw,  of  Salem,  bound  for 
Malaga,  with  provisions  and  lumber  consigned  to  Griveg- 
nee  &  Co.,  by  John  Norris,  owner  ;  captured  Apr.  29, 1797, 
by  the  French  privateer  Zenador,  carried  to  Carthagena 
and  condemned  ;  vessel  valued  at  $15,000  ;  cargo,  $70,000. 

Polly,  sch.,  William  Morris,  of  the  district  of  New- 
buryport, from  Newburyport  to  the  West  Indies ;  with 
provisions  and  dry  goods ;  owner,  Ebenezer  Stocker ; 
captured  Dec.  15,  1803,  by  French  privateer  schooner 
L'  Hirondelle,  Captain  Geravdeia,  and  carried  to  St. 
Domingo;  vessel  and  cargo  condemned;  value  of  vessel, 
$2,000;  value  of  cargo,    $7,848.79;  adventures,    $2,000. 

Polly,  brig,  Graves,  of  Marblehead,  from  St.  Peters- 
burg to  Marblehead,  with  sailcloth,  hemp  and  iron  ;  taken 
in  company  with  the  remainder  of  a  fleet  under  convoy  of 


30  ESSEX  COUNTY  VESSELS   CAPTURED 

a  British  gun  brig  and  sent  into  Christiansand  by  five 
Danish  gun-brigs,  in  July,  1810  ;  condemned  July  2,  1811. 

Polly,  Lyon,  of  Marblehead,  bound  to  Lubeck,  cap- 
tured and  detained  at  Farhsund  in  1810;  cleared,  costs 
and  $150  to  captors. 

Polly,  sch.,  Devereux,  of  Marblehead,  from  Marble- 
head,  with  green  fish  and  oil,  captured  by  the  British,  and 
condemned  by  the  court  of  admiralty,  June  18,  1811 ; 
value  of  vessel,  $2,000;  value  of  cargo,  $1,800;  sold  and 
money  deposited  in  court  to  await  for  twelve  months  the 
appeal  of  the  captured. 

Rachel,  brig,  Joseph,  of  Salem,  from  Boston  to  Rus- 
sia, with  sugar;  captured  April  1,  1811,  and  detained  at 
Copenhagen;  condemned  in  lower  court;  case  pending 
before  the  High  Court  of  Admiralty,  June  1,  1811 ;  ac- 
quitted. 

Rebecca,  Searl,  of  Salem,  from  Salem  to  St.  Peters- 
burg, with  cotton  and  logwood;  owners,  Samuel  Page  & 
Co. ;  captured  by  the  Danes,  and  passed  without  interrup- 
tion, June  25,  1811. 

Rebecca,  sch.,  Meek,  of  Marblehead,  from  Gothenburg 
to  Marblehead ;  taken  in  company  with  the  remainder  of 
a  fleet  under  convoy  of  a  British  gun-brig  and  sent  into 
Christiansand  by  five  Danish  gun-brigs,  in  July,  1810  ; 
condemned  July  2,  1811. 

Respect,  brig,  John  March,  of  Newburyport,  to  Am- 
sterdam, with  coffee,  sugar,  ginger  and  logwood ;  William 
Bartlett,  owner ;  taken  by  a  Guernsey  privateer,  July  2, 
1804,  carried  to  Plymouth,  libelled,  tried;  sentence,  fur- 
ther proof;  value  of  vessel,  $10,000;  value  of  cargo, 
$51,709.78 ;  adventures,  $5,269.68. 

Robert,  brig,  William  Thomas,  of  the  district  of  New- 
buryport; owner,  Benjamin  Willis;  captured  on  her 
passage  from  Martinico  by  the  British  armed  commis- 
sioned schooner  Grand  Turk,  and  condemned  at  a  court 
of  Vice  Admiralty  at  St.  John,  Antigua,  July  9,  1804,  as 
good  prize ;  vessel  carried  out  provisions  and  was  retnrn- 
ino-  with  produce;  value  of  vessel,  $4,000;  value  of 
ca?go,  $10,472.34  ;  freight,  $963.13. 


ESSEX   COUNTY   VESSELS    CAPTURED  31 

Sally,  sell.,  Stacey,  of  Marblehead,  from  Corona  to 
Bilbao,  with  codfish,  taken  by  the  privateer  Grande  Bon- 
aparte, Oct.,  1797. 

Sally,  Giddings,  of  Beverly,  from  Beverly  to  St.  Pe- 
tersburg, with  rice  and  sugar ;  owners,  Leach,  Stephens 
&  Killam  ;  captured  by  the  Danes,  and  passed  without 
interruption,  June  13,  1811. 

Sally,  Giddings,  of  Beverly,  from  Petersburg  to  Bev- 
erly, with  iron  and  hemp ;  owners,  Leech,  Stephens  & 
Killam  ;  captured  and  brought  into  Copenhagen,  Sept.  7, 
1811  ;  passed  without  interruption. 

Star,  from  Salem  to  Naples,  with  coffee,  indigo,  fish 
and  dye-wood ;  captured  by  a  French  privateer,  Feb.  2, 
1811,  and  carried  into  Marseilles. 

Success,  Porter,  of  Salem,  from  Salem  to  St.  Peters- 
burg, with  cotton  and  logwood ;  owners,  John  and 
Stephen  White ;  captured  by  the  Danes,  and  passed  with- 
out interruption,  June  17,  1811. 

Sukey,  Osgood,  of  Salem,  from  Petersburg  to  Salem, 
with  tallow  and  hemp  ;  owner,  S.  Phillips  ;  captured  and 
brought  into  Copenhagen,  Aug.  28,  1811 ;  released. 

Suwarrow,  Leach,  of  Beverly,  from  Beverly  to  Goth- 
enburg, with  tobacco  ;  owners,  Thorndike  &  Co.;  captured 
Apr.  30,  1809,  by  a  privateer  and  carried  into  Christian- 
sand,  Norway  ;  condemned  Dec.  28,  1809,  and  appealed ; 
value,  $20,000. 

Swift,  Clarkson,  of  Newburyport,  from  Lisbon  to 
Newburyport,  with  iron,  hemp  and  flax ;  owner,  Benjamin 
Merrill;  captured  and  taken  into  Copenhagen,  June  7, 
1811  ;  passed  without  interruption. 

Swift  Packet,  brig,  Jeremiah  Goodhue,  of  the  dis- 
trict of  Newburyport,  to  New  Orleans,  with  coffee ;  cap- 
tured Dec.  21,  1804,  by  two  French  privateers,  the  San 
Sourit  and  Dolphin,  carried  into  St.  Jago  de  Cuba,  and 
vessel  and  cargo  there  taken  from  the  captain  without 
trial  ;  owners,  Ebenezer  Stocker  and  Thomas  C.  Amory  ; 
value  of  vessel,  $3,000  ;  value  of  cargo,  $19,285.50  ;  ad- 
ventures, $1,028.75. 


32  ESSEX    COUNTY   VESSELS   CAPTURED 

Topaz,  Herrick,  of  Newburyport,  from  Newburyport 
to  Copenhagen,  with  sugar  and  coffee ;  owners,  B.  Peirce 
&  Co.  ;  captured  Aug.  8,  1809,  and  sent  into  Fleckefiord; 
value,  $60,000  ;  condemned  Dec.  18,  1809. 

Two  Sisters,  sch.,  Bridgeo,  of  Marblehead,  from  Mar- 
blehead,  with  green  fish,  captured  by  the  British  and  con- 
demned by  the  court  of  admiralty,  June  18,  1811  ;  value 
of  vessel,  $2,000  ;  value  of  cargo,  $1,800  ;  sold  and  money 
deposited  in  court  to  await  for  twelve  months  the  appeal 
of  the  captured. 

Union,  sch.,  Charles  Friend,  of  the  district  of  New- 
buryport; owners,  Michael  Smith,  John  Burrill,  Ebenezer 
Gunnison  and  Clement  Starr ;  captured  on  her  passage 
from  Martinico  for  Newburyport,  Mar.  4,  1804,  by  the 
British  ship  Panderer,  John  Nash,  Esq.,  carried  into  Do- 
minico,  and  acquitted  at  a  court  of  Vice  Admiralty  in  An- 
tigua, but  appealed  for  by  the  captors  and  abandoned  to 
them  by  the  master  ;  value  of  vessel,  cargo  and  freight, 
$13,549.99. 

Union,  Proctor,  of  Marblehead,  from  Marblehead  to 
Petersburg,  with  sugar;  owners,  W.  and  N.  Hooper; 
captured  by  the  Danes,  and  passed  without  interruption, 
June  7,  1811. 

Union,  Proctor,  of  Marblehead,  from  Petersburg  to 
Marblehead,  with  iron  and  hemp;  owner,  W.  and  N. 
Hooper;  captured  and  brought  into  Copenhagen,  Aug. 
25,  1811 ;  passed  without  interruption. 

Valeria,  brig,  Stover,  of  Newbui'3'port,  from  Aux 
Cayes  to  Newburyport,  captured  Jan.  15,  1797,  by  a 
French  privateer  ;  cargo,  molasses,  sugar  and  cotton ; 
carried  to  St.  Jago. 

Vengeance,  Ward  Chipman,  of  Salem  ;  taken  Jan.  7, 
1808,  by  the  corsair  the  Precurseur  ;  owner,  Wm.  Gray  ; 
condemned  by  the  Imperial  Council  of  Prizes  at  Paris, 
June  15,  1808;  motion  for  condemnation  ;  no  certificate 
of  origin ;  visited  by  an  English  frigate    Dec.  30,  1807. 

(To  be  continued.') 


THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE   WEST 

INDIES. 


By  Francis  B.  C.  Bradlee. 


(Continued  from  Volume  LVIII,  page  312.} 


"Lieutenant  Curtis  speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  the 
gallantry  and  good  conduct  of  Midshipmen  Pinkney, 
Kingston  and  Morris,  as  also  of  Dr.  Terrill,  and  every 
other  officer  and  man  employed  in  the  expedition.  Noth- 
ing could  exceed  their  ardor  in  pursuit  but  their  enthusi- 
asm in  attack ;  and  both  affording  abundant  proof  that 
more  would  have  been  done  had  more  been  required. 

"I  have  manned  one  of  the  schooners  taken,  a  very  fine, 
fast-sailing  vessel,  and  kept  her  with  me.  She  will  prove 
of  great  service  in  my  further  operations  on  this  coast. 

"I  cannot  close  this  letter,  sir,  without  naming  to  you 
Lieutenant  Curtis,  whose  conduct,  not  only  in  the  present 
instance,  but  in  every  other  respect  during  the  period  he 
has  been  under  my  command,  has  merited  my  warm  and 
decided  approbation. 

"I  have  the  honor  to  be,  etc., 

"James  Ramage, 

"Lieutenant  Commanding. 
"Hon.  Smith  Thompson,  Secretary  of  the  Navy." 

Among  the  multitude  of  West  Indian  pirates  at  that 
time  the  best  known  was  John  Lafitte,  and  a  short  account 
of  this  remarkable  person  may  prove  interesting. 

His  career  is,  naturally,  shrouded  in  a  good  deal  of  ob- 
scurity and  uncertainty,  but  after  much  searching  and 
trouble  on  the  author's  part,  it  was  discovered  that  Lafitte 
was  born  in  France  in  1780  ;  some  authorities  giving  St. 
Malo  as  the  place  of  his  birth,  others  maintaining  that  he 
first  saw  the  light  of  day  at  Bordeaux.  Those  best  in- 
formed say  that  this  singular  personage  began  his  sea- 
faring career  as  mate  of  a  French  East  Indiaman,  but 
quarreling  with  his  captain,  he  left  his  ship  at  Mauritius 
and  entered  upon  a  course  of  daring  and  successful  piracy 
in  the  Indian  Ocean,  varied  by  occasional  ventures  in  the 

(33) 


84       THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

slave  trade.  After  several  years  spent  in  these  pursuits, 
Lafitte  returned  to  France,  disposed  of  his  prizes,  sailed 
for  the  West  Indies,  and  took  out  a  commission  as  a 
privateer  from  the  newly  organized  government  of  Car- 
thagena,  continuing  his  depredations,  not  only  upon  Span- 
ish, but  also  upon  British  commerce. 

Another  account  represents  him  as  having  begun  his 
career  as  lieutenant  of  a  French  privateer,  which  was 
captured  by  a  British  man-of-war  and  taken  into  an 
English  port,  where  the  officers  and  crew  of  the  privateer 
were  thrown  into  prison.  Here  the  future  marine  high- 
wayman was  confined  for  several  years  under  circum- 
stances of  peculiar  hardship,  after  all  his  comrades  had 
obtained  their  release.  The  resentment  towards  Great 
Britain  engendered  by  this  real  or  supposed  severity  is 
stated  to  have  been  the  motive  that  inspired  his  subse- 
quent career.  Unable  to  gratify  this  resentment  in  the 
service  of  his  native  country,  on  account  of  the  suspension 
of  hostilities  at  the  time  of  his  release,  he  found  means 
of  doing  so  under  cover  of  a  privateer's  commission 
(against  Spain)  obtained  from  the  Carthaginian  govern- 
ment. Lafitte  is  said  to  have  gone  to  New  Orleans  in 
1807  ;  and  it  is  perfectly  well  known  that  about  1810-12 
he  was  at  the  head  of  an  organized  and  formidable  band 
of  desperadoes,  whose  headquarters  were  on  the  island  of 
Grand  Terre,  in  Barataria  bay,  some  thirty  or  forty  miles 
west  of  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi. 

Acting  ostensibly  under  the  flag  of  the  republic  of 
Carthagena  (or  New  Grenada),  it  was,  however,  perfectly 
well  known  and  admitted  that  these  adventurers  preyed 
practically  on  the  vessels  of  any  nation.  The  bay  of 
Barataria  afforded  a  secure  retreat  for  their  fleet  of  small 
craft;  and  their  goods  were  smuggled  into  New  Orleans 
by  being  conveyed  in  boats  through  an  intricate  labyrinth 
of  lakes,  bayous  and  swamps,  to  a  point  near  the  Missis- 
sippi river  a  little  above  the  city.  After  various  ineffec- 
tual presentments  and  prosecutions  before  the  civil  tribu- 
nals, an  expedition  was  despatched  against  the  Baratarians 
in  1814,  under  the  command  of  Commodore  Patterson. 
The  settlement  on  Grande  Terre  was  captured,  with  all 
the  vessels  that  happened  to  be  in  port  at   the  time  ;    but 


1449227 

BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.   BRADLEE  ao 

Lafitte  and  his  comrades  made  their  escape  among  the 
swamps  and  bayous  of  the  interior,  from  which  they  re- 
turned to  the  same  rendezvous  and  resumed  operations  as 
soon  as  Commodore  Patterson's  forces  had  retired. 

About  the  same  time  the  British,  then  maturing  their 
plans  for  a  descent  upon  the  southern  coast  of  the  United 
States,  made  overtures  to  Lafitte  for  the  purpose  of  secur- 
ing his  co-operation  in  that  enterprise.  A  brig-of-war 
was  despatched  to  Barataria,  her  commander  bearing  a 
letter  from  Commodore  Percy,  commanding  the  British 
naval  forces  in  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  and  one  from  Colonel 
Nichols,  then  in  command  of  the  land  forces  on  the  coast 
of  Florida,  offering  Lafitte  $30,000  and  a  commission  in 
the  British  navy,  on  condition  of  obtaining  his  services 
in  conducting  the  contemplated  expedition  to  New  Orleans 
and  distributing  a  certain  proclamation  to  the  inhabitants 
of  Louisiana.  Lafitte  dissembled  with  the  British  officer, 
Capt.  Lockyer,  of  the  "Sophia",  who  was  the  bearer  of 
these  tempting  proposals,  and  asked  for  time  to  consider 
them. 

Meantime  he  immediately  wrote  to  Gov.  Claiborne  of 
Louisiana,  enclosing  the  documents  that  had  been  handed 
him  by  Capt.  Lockyer,  informing  the  governor  of  the 
impending  invasion,  pointing  out  the  importance  of  the 
position  he  occupied,  and  offering  his  services  in  defence 
of  Louisiana,  on  the  sole  condition  of  pardon  for  himself 
and  followers  for  the  offences  with  which  they  stood 
charged.  This  amnesty  would,  of  course,  include  in  its 
provisions  a  brother  of  Jean  Lafitte,  who  was  then  in 
prison  in  New  Orleans  under  an  indictment  for  piracy. 
After  some  hesitation  on  the  part  of  the  United  States 
authorities,  Lafitte's  offer  was  accepted. 

In  connection  with  an  officer  of  the  U.  S.  corps  of  en- 
gineers, he  was  employed  in  fortifying  the  passes  of 
Barataria  bay,  and  rendered  efficient  service,  in  command 
of  a  party  of  his  followers,  in  the  battle  of  New  Orleans, 
Jan.  8th,  1815.  The  subsequent  career  of  Lafitte  is  in- 
volved in  as  much  obscurity  as  his  earlier  life.  A  procla- 
mation of  President  Madison  confirmed  the  amnesty 
which  had  been  granted  by  Governor  Claiborne  to  all  the 
Baratarians  who  had  enlisted    in    the    American  service, 


38        THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

though  it  does  not  appear  that  their  chief  ever  received 
any  further  reward  from  the  government.  After  the  war 
Lafitte  soon  returned  to  his  old  pursuits,  taking  a  pri- 
vateer's commission,  either,  as  formerly,  from  the  govern- 
ment of  New  Grenada,  or  else  from  that  of  Mexico ;  and 
that,  while  thus  engaged,  he  formed  a  settlement  on  the 
site  of  the  present  city  of  Galveston,  which  was  broken 
up  in  1821  by  a  naval  force  under  the  orders  of  Lieutenant, 
afterwards  Commodore,  Kearney. 

It  is  quite  possible,  however,  that  his  brother  Pierre, 
who  commanded  one  of  his  vessels,  has  been  confounded 
with  him.  His  death  is  attributed  by  different  authorities 
to  foundering  at  sea,  to  being  burned  with  his  vessel  after 
capture  by  a  Spanish  man-of-war,  and  to  wounds  received 
in  a  desperate  conflict  with  a  British  cruiser.  There  are 
yet  other  versions  ;  while  one  account  states  that  he  re- 
turned to  France  and  died  among  his  relatives  on  the 
Garonne.  In  person  Lafitte  is  represented  as  having  been 
well-formed  and  handsome,  about  six  feet  two  inches  in 
height,  with  large  hazel  eyes  and  black  hair.  His  appear- 
ance was  totally  unlike  the  popular  idea  of  a  pirate,  his 
manners  were  polished  and  easy,  though  retiring  ;  his 
address  was  winning  and  affable ;  his  management  of 
piracy  entirely  business-like,  just  as  his  influence  over  his 
followers  was  almost  absolute. 

There  is  every  reason  for  believing  that  Lafitte  came 
of  a  respectable  family,  and  that  his  early  opportunities 
for  education  had  been  good. 

One  Raphaelina  was  another  freebooter  whose  name 
was  dreaded  by  merchant  sailors  navigating  the  South 
Atlantic.  He  also  controlled  a  fleet  of  vessels,  and  in 
July,  1822,  got  together  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Antonio 
a  formidable  host  of  pirates,  at  which  time  it  was  said  he 
had  collected  $180,000  in  money  alone. 

Other  notorious  pirates  were  :  Diabolito,  Cofrecina, 
Brown,  Gibbs,  and  Irvine  ;  the  names  of  the  last  three 
would  indicate  that  they  were  renegades  of  Anglo-Saxon 
lineage.  We,  today,  looking  back  on  these  events  of  a 
century  ago,  do  not  begin  to  realize  the  magnitude  of 
these  piratical  depredations.  A  fair  estimate,  in  the  light 
of  the  very  small  amount  of  reliable  information  that  is 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  37 

available,  would  make  the  number  of  those  engaged  in 
this  piracy  at  least  10,000,  of  whom  over  3,000  were 
encountered  by  the  vessels  of  the  United  States  Navy, 
which  alone  captured  about  1300  pirates. 

The  number  of  freebooters  killed  and  those  who  escaped 
on  shore  after  destroying  their  vessels  cannot,  naturally, 
be  ascertained.  Most  of  these  marine  highwaymen  oper- 
ated near  the  vicinity  of  their  rendezvous  on  shore.  They 
rarely  made  any  extended  cruises,  but  chose  points  of 
strategic  importance  on  the  routes  of  commerce.  In  and 
among  the  Keys  of  Bahama  and  Florida,  Cape  Antonio, 
Matanzas,  and  Mugeres  Island,  near  the  northeast  point 
of  Yucatan,  Mexico,  were  some  of  the  most  prominent 
piratical  lairs. 

From  a  letter  of  one  of  the  officers  of  the  U.  S.  brig 
"Spark",  published  in  the  New  England  Palladium  of 
Nov.  3,  1821,  we  learn  the  following : 

"We  arrived  here,  after  a  rather  rough  passage,  in 
eighteen  days  from  Boston,  all  well.  We  expect  to  sail 
again  in  two  or  three  days.  We  found  here  the  piratical 
ship  which  robbed  the  'Orleans  Packet'.  She  is  now  in 
possession  of  the  Swedish  government.  She  came  into 
their  possession  in  the  following  manner:  The  crew 
landed  her  cargo  on  a  small  island  near  this,  from  whence 
it  was  taken  by  a  schooner  to  St.  Thomas  ;  they  then  run 
the  ship  into  Five  Island  Harbor,  where  all  the  crew,  ex- 
cept two  men,  deserted  her.  The  government  hearing  of 
her  being  there,  sent  a  guard  and  took  possession  of  her, 
brought  her  into  this  harbor,  and  confined  the  two  men 
found  in  her  as  pirates. 

"It  is  said  Capt.  Elton  has  requested  the  Governor  to 
allow  him  to  take  them  to  the  United  States  for  trial. 
This  piratical  ship  was  originally  the  U.  S.  brig  'Prome- 
theus', which  was  condemned  two  years  since,  and  was 
then  sold." 

Another  letter,  dated  Oct.  31,  1821,  from  on  board  the 
U.  S.  sloop-of-war  "Hornet",  published  in  a  later  issue  of 
the  "Palladium",  informs  us  of  captures  made  by  the 
latter  : 

"The  pirate  which  we  took  yesterday  mounted  two  long 
four-pounders,  and  her  crew  consisted  of  twenty  gallows- 


38        THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

looking  scoundrels.  After  this  capture  the  'Hornet'  spoke 
three  merchant  brigs,  which  would  probably  have  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  the  pirates,  and  were  very  happy  at 
their  escape.  Captain  Sisson,  from  Havana,  reports  that 
seventy  of  the  pirates  belonging  to  the  vessels  captured 
and  destroyed  by  the  'Enterprise'  (U.  S.  brig),  have 
erected  two  forts  on  Cape  Antonio  for  their  defence". 

Judging  from  the  length  of  time  that  piracy  prevailed 
at  this  period  in  the  West  Indies,  it  is  not  an  exaggeration 
to  estimate  the  prizes  captured  by  the  freebooters  at  500 
vessels.  The  value  of  the  property  destroyed  by  them 
amounted  to  about  twenty  millions  of  dollars;  the  records 
of  the  Marblehead  Marine  Insurance  Company,  a  most 
accurate  barometer  of  water-borne  commerce,  revealed  the 
fact  that  insurance  rates  on  ships  and  their  cargoes  rose 
nearly  one  hundred  per  cent  in  the  short  space  of  a  year. 
Two  thousand  pirates  are  estimated  to  have  been  engaged 
during  the  period  1820-30  ;  there  were  probably  not  many 
over  2000  at  any  one  time,  and  but  few  who  were  pirates 
during  the  entire  decade.  Probably  the  average  would 
be  2500  a  year;  and  if  each  of  the  10,000  pirates  obtained 
the  equivalent  of  $2000,  including  the  cost  of  his  living, 
armament  and  reckless  extravagance,  besides  the  small 
percentage  realized  on  the  actual  value  of  the  goods  stolen, 
and  the  value  of  his  proportion  of  property  destroyed, 
the  total  loss  suffered  by  commerce  would  amount  to 
twenty  millions  of  dollars.  The  comparative  value  of  the 
property  destroyed  by  pirates  will  be  seen  from  the  fact 
that  the  annual  cost  of  running  the  United  States  govern- 
ment in  1821  was  119,785,000,  including  interest  and 
redemption  of  part  of  the  public  debt. 

Of  the  many  vessels  engaged  in  piracy  in  West  Indian 
waters,  the  most  formidable  were  the  privateers  originally 
fitted  out  by  the  various  South  American  republics  to  prey 
on  Spanish  commerce,  and  which  had  later  become  marine 
highwaymen.  Among  these  were  the  "Poloma",  6  guns, 
130  men ;  the  "Panchita",  16  guns,  120  men  (she  was 
subsequently  captured  by  the  U.  S.  schooner  "Grampus", 
12  guns)  ;  the  "Pereira",  8  guns,  80  men  ;  "Burguera", 
4  guns,  60  men  ;  "Flor  de  la  Mar",  1  gun,  40  men  ;  and 
"La  Carmen",  4  guns,  50  men. 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  39 

The  brigantine  "Pride",  16  guns,  116  men,  under  the 
immediate  command  of  Lafitte  himself,  was  the  largest 
vessel  fitted  out  specially  for  a  pirate.  It  is  said  that  the 
"Pride",  in  command  of  Lafitte's  lieutenant,  had  a  des- 
perate fight  with  an  English  sloop-of-war,  in  which  both 
commanders  were  killed,  and  only  sixteen  men  left  alive 
on  the  pirate,  which  was  finally  carried  by  boarding  and 
taken  to  Jamaica,  where  the  sixteen  survivors  were  tried 
and  convicted  ;  ten  of  them  were  executed  and  six  par- 
doned. 

The  great  majority  of  piracies  were  accomplished  by 
small  craft  with  large  forces  of  men  concealed  from  view 
of  their  intended  prey.  These  boats  would  go  alongside 
of  merchant  vessels  and  capture  them  by  surprise.  In 
many  cases  all  the  crew  would  be  taken  out  of  the  ship 
and  compelled  to  join  the  pirates  or  be  murdered. 

Then  the  vessel  herself  would  be  carried  to  a  Cuban 
port  and  sold,  or  otherwise  disposed  of  for  the  benefit  of 
the  pirates  and  their  agents.  Other  piratical  craft  whose 
names  have  been  ascertained,  besides  those  previously 
mentioned,  were  the  "Cienega",  "Bandera  de  Sangre" 
(which  translated  means  "The  Bloody  Band"),  "Moscow", 
"Catalina",  "Palmyra",  "Albert",  "Pilot",  "Tropic", 
"Mechanic",  "La  Cata",  "Zaragozana",  "Larch",  "Aris- 
tidies",  "Lucies",  and  "Emmanuel". 

The  pirates  captured  by  the  different  navies  were : 
United  States  navy,  79  vessels,  62  guns,  and  1300  men  ; 
British  navy,  13  vessels,  20  guns,  and  291  men ;  Spanish 
navy,  5  vessels  and  150  men. 

In  the  "American  Monthly  Magazine"  for  February, 
1824,  is  an  interesting  and  most  vivid  account  of  an 
American  gentleman's  experiences  with  pirates  in  June, 
1822,  while  making  a  voyage  for  his  health  from  Phila- 
delphia to  New  Orleans.  It  is  quite  worth  quoting  in 
full,  showing  as  it  does  the  many  perils  to  which  ocean 
travellers  were  exposed  a  century  ago. 

"In  the  early  part  of  June  I  sailed  from  Philadelphia  in 
the  schooner  'Mary',  on  a  voyage  to  New  Orleans.  My 
principal  object  in  going  round  by  sea  was  the  restoration 
of  my  health,  which  had  been  for  many  months  declining. 
Having  some  friends  in  New  Orleans,  whose    commercial 


40       THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

enterprises  were  conducted  on  an  extensive  scale,  I  was 
charged  with  the  care  of  several  sums  of  money  in  gold 
and  silver,  amounting  altogether  to  nearly  $18,000.  This 
I  communicated  to  the  captain,  and  we  concluded  to  se- 
cure it  in  the  best  manner  our  circumstances  would  admit. 
A  plank  was  accordingly  taken  off  the  ribs  of  the  schooner 
in  my  own  cabin,  and  the  money  being  deposited  in  the 
vacancy,  the  plank  was  nailed  down  in  its  original  place, 
and  the  seams  filled  and  tarred  over.  Being  thus  relieved 
from  any  apprehension  that  the  money  would  be  found 
upon  us  in  case  of  an  attack  from  pirates,  my  mind  was 
somewhat  easier.  What  other  articles  of  value  1  could 
conveniently  carry  about  with  me,  I  did  so. 

"J  had  also  brought  a  quantity  of  banknotes  to  the  amount 
of  $15,000.  Part  of  these  I  caused  to  be  carefully  sewed 
in  the  left  lappel  of  my  coat,  supposing  that  in  case  of 
my  being  lost  at  sea,  my  coat,  should  my  body  be  found, 
would  still  contain  the  most  valuable  of  my  effects.  The 
balance  was  carefully  quilted  into  my  black  silk  cravat. 
Our  crew  consisted  of  the  captain  and  four  men,  with  a 
supply  of  live  stock  for  the  voyage,  and  a  Newfoundland 
dog,  valuable  for  his  fidelity  and  sagacity.  He  had  once 
saved  his  master  from  a  watery  grave,  when  he  had  been 
stunned  and  knocked  overboard  by  a  sudden  shifting  of 
the  boom.  I  was  the  only  passenger  on  board.  Our 
voyage  at  first  was  prosperous,  and  time  went  rapidly.  I 
felt  my  strength  increase  the  longer  I  was  at  sea,  and 
when  we  arrived  off  the  southern  coast  of  Florida  my 
feelings  were  like  those  of  another  man. 

"It  was  towards  the  evening  of  the  fourteenth  day,  two 
hours  before  sunset,  that  we  espied  a  sail  astern  of  us. 
As  twilight  came  it  neared  us  with  astonishing  rapidity. 
Night  closed,  and  all  around  was  impenetrable  darkness. 
Now  and  then  a  gentle  wave  would  break  against  our 
bow  and  sparkle  for  a  moment,  and  at  a  distance  behind 
us  we  could  see  the  uneven  glow  of  light,  occasioned  by 
the  foaming  of  the  strange  vessel.  The  breeze  that  filled 
our  canvas  was  gentle,  though  it  was  fresh. 

"We  coursed  our  way  steadily  through  the  night, 
though  once  or  twice  the  roaring  of  the  waves  increased 
so  suddenly  as  to  make  us  believe  we  had  passed  a  breaker. 


BY   FRANCIS    B.   C.    BRADLEE  41 

"At  the  time  it  was  unaccountable  to  me,  but  I  now 
believe  it  to  be  occasioned  by  the  schooner  behind  us, 
coming  rather  near  in  the  darkness  of  the  night.  At 
midnight  I  went  on  deck.  Nothing  but  an  occasional 
sparkle  was  to  be  seen,  and  the  ocean  was  undisturbed. 
Still  it  was  a  fearful  and  appalling  darkness,  and  in  spite 
of  my  endeavors  I  could  not  compose  myself.  At  the 
windlass,  on  the  forecastle,  three  of  the  sailors,  like  my- 
self, unable  to  sleep,  had  collected  for  conversation.  On 
joining  them,  I  found  our  fears  were  mutual.  They  all 
kept  their  eyes  steadily  fixed  upon  the  unknown  vessel,  as 
if  anticipating  some  dreadful  event.  They  informed  me 
that  they  had  put  their  arms  in  order  and  were  deter- 
mined to  stand  or  die. 

"At  this  moment  a  flash  of  light,  perhaps  a  musket 
burning  priming,  proceeded  from  the  vessel  in  pursuit, 
and  we  saw  distinctly  that  her  deck  was  covered  with 
men.  My  heart  almost  failed  me.  I  had  never  been  in 
battle,  and  knew  not  what  it  was.  Day  at  length  dawned, 
and  setting  all  her  canvas,  our  pursuer  gained  alarmingly 
upon  us.  It  was  evident  that  she  had  followed  us  the 
whole  night,  being  unwilling  to  attack  us  in  the  dark.  In 
a  few  minutes  she  fired  a  gun  and  came  alongside.  She 
was  a  pirate.  Her  boat  was  lowered,  and  about  a  dozen 
hideous-looking  objects  jumped  in,  with  a  commander  at 
their  head.  The  boat  pushed  off  and  was  fast  nearing 
us,  as  we  arranged  ourselves  for  giving  her  a  broadside. 
Our  whole  stock  of  arms  consisted  of  six  muskets  and  an 
old  swivel — a  small  revolving  ship's  cannon  in  use  in  the 
eighteenth  and  early  nineteenth  centuries — used  as  a  sig- 
nal gun,  belonging  to  the  'Mary',  and  a  pair  of  pistols  of 
my  own,  which  I  carried  in  my  belt.  The  pirate  boat's 
crew  were  armed  with  muskets,  pistols,  swords,  cutlasses, 
and  knives  ;  and  when  she  came  within  her  own  length 
of  us  we  fired  five  of  our  muskets  and  the  swivel  into 
her. 

"Her  fire  was  scarcely  half  given  when  she  filled  and 
went  down,  with  all  her  crew.  At  this  success  we  were 
inclined  to  rejoice,  but  looking  over  the  pirate  schooner 
we  observed  her  deck  still  swarming  with  the  same  de- 
scription   of    horrid-looking    wretches.     A    second  boat's 


42       THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

crew  pushed  off,  with  their  muskets  pointed  directly  at 
us  the  whole  time.  When  they  came  within  the  same 
distance  as  the  other,  we  fired,  but  with  little,  if  any 
effect.  The  pirate  immediately  returned  the  fire,  and  with 
horrid  cries  jumped  aboard  us.  Two  of  our  brave  crew 
were  tying  dead  upon  the  deck,  and  the  rest  of  us  expect- 
ed nothing  better.  French,  Spanish  and  English  were 
spoken  indiscriminately  and  all  at  once.  The  most  horrid 
imprecations  were  uttered  against  us,  and  threats  that 
fancy  cannot  imagine. 

"A  wretch  whose  black,  shaggy  whiskers  covered  nearly 
his  whole  face,  whose  eyes  were  only  seen  at  intervals 
from  beneath  his  bushy  eyebrows,  and  whose  whole  ap- 
pearance was  more  that  of  a  hell-hound  than  of  a  human 
being,  approached  me  with  a  drawn  cutlass  in  his  hand. 
I  drew  one  of  my  pistols  and  snapped  it  in  his  face,  but 
it  flashed  in  the  pan,  and  before  1  could  draw  the  other, 
the  pirate,  with  a  brutality  that  would  have  disgraced  a 
cannibal,  struck  me  over  the  face  with  his  cutlass  and 
knocked  me  down.  I  was  too  much  wounded  to  resist, 
and  the  blood  ran  in  torrents  from  my  forehead.  In  this 
situation  the  wretch  seized  me  by  the  scalp,  and  thrusting 
his  cutlass  in  my  cravat  cut  it  through  completely.  I  felt 
the  cold  iron  glide  along  my  throat,  and  even  now  the 
very  thought  makes  me  shudder. 

"The  worst  idea  I  had  ever  formed  of  human  cruelty 
seemed  now  realized,  and  I  could  see  death  staring  me  in 
the  face.  Without  stopping  to  examine  the  cravat,  he 
put  it  in  his  pocket,  and  in  a  voice  of  thunder  exclaimed, 
'levez  vous'  ;  I  accordingly  rose  to  my  feet,  and  he  pin- 
ioned my  hands  behind  my  back,  led  me  to  the  vessel's 
bulwark,  and  asked  another  of  the  gang,  in  French, 
whether  he  should  throw  me  overboard.  At  the  recollec- 
tion of  that  scene  I  am  still  staggered.  I  endeavored  to 
call  the  prospects  of  eternity  before  me,  but  could  think 
of  nothing  except  the  cold  and  quiveiiess  apathy  of  the 
tomb.  His  infamous  companion  replied,  'II  est  trop  bien 
habille,  pour  l'envoyer  an  diable',  and  led  me  to  the  fore- 
mast, where  he  tied  me  with  my  face  to  the  stern  of  the 
vessel.     The  cords  were  drawn  so  tight  around  my  arms 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  43 

and  legs  that  my  agony  was  excruciating.  In  this  situa- 
tion he  left  me. 

"On  looking  round,  I  found  them  all  employed  in 
plundering  and  ransacking  everything  we  had.  Over  my 
left  shoulder  one  of  our  sailors  was  strung  up  to  the  yard- 
arm,  and  apparently  in  the  last  agonies  of  death ;  while 
before  me  our  gallant  captain  was  on  his  knees  and  beg- 
ffinor  for  his  life.  The  wretches  were  endeavoring  to  ex- 
tort  from  him  the  secret  of  our  money ;  but  for  a  while 
he  was  firm  and  dauntless.  Provoked  at  his  obstinacy, 
they  extended  his  arms  and  cut  them  off  at  the  elbows. 
At  this  human  nature  gave  way,  and  the  injured  man 
confessed  the  spot  where  we  had  concealed  our  specie. 
In  a  few  moments  it  was  aboard  their  own  vessel.  To 
revenge  themselves  on  our  unhappy  captain,  when 
they  had  satisfied  themselves  that  nothing  else  was  hid- 
den, they  spread  a  bed  of  oakum  on  the  deck,  and  after 
soaking  it  through  with  turpentine,  tied  the  captain  on  it, 
filled  his  mouth  with  the  same  combustibles,  and  set  the 
whole  on  fire.  The  cries  of  the  unfortunate  man  were 
heart-rending,  and  his  agonies  must  have  been  unutterable, 
but  they  were  soon  over.  All  this  I  was  compelled  to 
witness.  Heart  sick  with  the  sight,  I  once  shut  my  eyes, 
but  a  musket  discharged  close  to  my  ear  was  a  warning 
sufficient  to  keep  them  open. 

"On  casting  my  eyes  towards  the  schooner's  stern,  I 
discovered  that  our  boatswain  had  been  nailed  to  the  deck 
through  his  feet,  and  the  body  spiked  through  to  the  til- 
ler. He  was  writhing  in  the  last  agonies  of  crucifixion. 
Our  fifth  comrade  was  out  of  sight  during  all  this  tragedy; 
in  a  few  minutes,  however,  he  was  brought  upon  the  deck 
blindfolded.  He  was  then  conducted  to  the  muzzle  of  the 
swivel  and  commanded  to  kneel.  The  swivel  was  then 
fired  off,  and  his  head  was  dreadfully  wounded  by  the 
discharge.  In  a  moment  after  it  was  agonizing  to  behold 
his  torments  and  convulsions — language  is  too  feeble  to 
describe  them  ;  I  have  seen  men  hung  upon  the  gibbet, 
but  their  death  is  like  sinking  in  slumber  when  compared 
with  his. 

"Excited  with  the  scene  of  human  butchery,  one  of 
those  wretches  fired  his  pistol   at  the  captain's  dog ;    the 


44       THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

ball  struck  his  shoulder  and  disabled  him  ;  he  finished 
him  by  shooting  him  again,  and  at  last  by  cutting  out  his 
tongue  !  At  this  last  hell-engendered  act  my  blood  boiled 
with  indignation  at  such  savage  brutality  on  a  helpless, 
inoffensive  dog !  But  I  was  unable  to  give  utterance  or 
action  to  my  feelings. 

"Seeing  that  the  crew  had  been  every  one  despatched, 
I  began  to  think  more  of  myself.  My  old  enemy,  who 
seemed  to  forget  me,  once  more  approached  me,  but 
shockingly  besmeared  with  blood  and  brains.  He  had 
stood  by  the  side  of  the  unfortunate  sailor  who  suffered 
before  the  swivel,  and  supported  him  with  the  point  of  his 
bayonet.  He  drew  a  stiletto  from  his  side,  placed  its 
point  upon  my  heart,  and  gave  it  a  heavy  thrust.  I  felt 
its  point  touch  my  skin ;  but  the  quilting  of  my  bank 
bills  prevented  its  further  entrance.  This  savage  monster 
then  ran  it  up  my  breast,  as  if  intending  to  divide  my 
lungs,  and  in  doing  so  the  bank  notes  fell  upon  the  deck. 
He  snatched  them  up  greedily  and  exclaimed,  'Ah  !  laissez 
mois  voir  ce  qui  reste  !'  My  clothes  in  a  few  moments 
were  ripped  to  pieces,  at  the  peril  of  my  life.  He  fre- 
quently came  so  near  as  to  tear  my  skin  and  deluge  me 
with  blood ;  but  by  the  mercy  of  Providence,  I  escaped 
from  every  danger.  At  this  moment  a  heavy  flaw  struck 
the  schooner,  and  I  heard  one  of  the  pirates  say,  'Voila 
un  vaisseau  !'  They  all  retreated  precipitately,  and  gain- 
ing their  own  vessel,  were  soon  out  of  sight. 

"Helpless  as  I  now  was,  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  know- 
ing that  the  pirates  had  been  frightened  by  the  appearance 
of  a  strange  sail,  but  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  see  it. 
Still  tied  to  the  foremast,  I  knew  not  what  was  my  pros- 
pect of  release.  An  hour  or  two  had  elapsed  after  they 
left  me,  and  it  was  now  noon.  The  sun  played  violently 
upon  my  head,  and  I  felt  a  languor  and  debility  that  in- 
dicated approaching  fever.  My  head  gradually  sank  upon 
my  breast,  when  I  was  shocked  by  hearing  the  water 
pouring  into  the  cabin  windows.  The  wretches  had 
scuttled  the  schooner,  and  left  me  pinioned  to  go  down 
with  her.  I  commended  my  spirit  to  my  Maker,  and  gave 
myself  up  for  lost.  I  felt  myself  gradually  dying  away, 
and  the  last  thing  I  remembered  was  the  foaming  noise  of 


uj  *t 

h-  3 

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>  j= 

8 1 

CO  -c 

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3  « 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  45 

the  waves.  This  was  occasioned  by  a  ship  passing  by 
me.  I  was  taken  in,  restored  to  health,  and  am  now  a 
poor,  ruined,  helpless  man." 

On  the  same  day,  January  15,  1822,  that  the  U.  S. 
schooner  "Porpoise"  destroyed  a  nest  of  pirates  on  the 
north  coast  of  Cuba,  as  previously  related,  the  U.  S. 
brig  "Spark",  master-commandant — an  obsolete  naval 
title — J.  H.  Elton,  captured  a  Dutch  sloop,  having  a  crew 
of  seven  men  engaged  in  piracy.  Later,  on  the  1st  of 
March,  1822,  the  U.  S.  sloop-of-war  "Hornet"  arrived  at 
Norfolk,  Va.,  escorting  a  convoy  of  22  merchant  vessels 
from  Pensacola  and  Havana. 

On  March  7th,  one  of  the  gunboats,  the  "Revenge", 
captured  a  barge,  but  her  crew  escaped  on  shore.  Next 
day  the  brig  "Enterprise",  Lieutenant  Kearney,  captured 
a  small  flotilla  of  the  freebooters,  three  launches  and 
four  barges,  off  Cape  Antonio,  with  their  crews,  num- 
bering about  160  men. 

In  April,  1822,  the  schooner  "Alligator",  Lieutenant 
W.  W.  McKean,  after  a  long  chase  and  quite  a  spirited 
encounter,  took  the  schooner  "Cienega",  five  guns,  thirty 
men,  off  Nuevitas,  Cuba  ;  this  craft  had  formerly  been  a 
Colombian  privateer,  whose  crew  had  mutinied  at  Ragged 
Island  and  turned  pirates. 

The  United  States  squadron  in  the  West  Indies  was 
increased  after  April,  1822,  and  for  the  rest  of  the  year 
consisted  of  the  frigates  "Macedonian",  36,  flagship  of 
Commodore  Biddle ;  frigate  "Congress",  36  ,  sloops 
"John  Adams",  24,  and  "Peacock",  18;  brig  "Spark", 
12;  and  schooners  "Alligator",  12;  "Grampus",  12; 
"Shark",  12;  and  "Porpoise",  12.  The  "Hornet"  and 
"Enterprise"  were  at  home,  refitting. 

It  was  soon  found  that  the  small  vessels  were  better 
fitted  for  the  work  of  running  down  and  capturing  pirates 
than  were  the  heavy  frigates  and  sloops,  whose  great  draft 
of  water  did  not  permit  them  to  pursue  suspicious-looking 
craft  in  shoal  water.  Moreover,  the  flagship  "Macedo- 
nian" was  soon  obliged  to  leave  her  station  on  account  of 
the  yellow  fever,  and  arrived  at  Norfolk  on  August  5, 
1822,  having  lost  76  of  her  crew,  including  ten  officers, 
and  fifty  of  the  remainder  were  ill    on   her    arrival.     By 


46        THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

the  24th  of  August  the  number  of  deaths  had    amounted 
to  103,  out  of  her  crew  of  360  men. 

On  August  16th,  1822,  Lieutenant  Francis  H.  Gregory, 
commanding  the  schooner  "Grampus",  chased  a  brigantine 
which  hoisted  Spanish  colors.  He  suspected  her  of  being 
a  pirate,  and  demanded  her  surrender.  This  demand 
was  answered  by  a  volley  from  small  arms  and  cannon. 
The  "Grampus"  fired  a  broadside,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
the  brigantine  struck.  When  boarded  she  was  nearly 
sinking,  and  had  lost  one  man  killed  and  six  wounded. 
The  prize  proved  to  be  the  "Palmyra",  9  guns,  88  men, 
a  privateer,  but  one  of  her  officers  confessed  that  they 
had  robbed  the  American  schooner  "Coquette".  The 
prize  was  sent  to  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  condemned. 

In  November,  1822,  the  U.  S.  schooner  "Alligator", 
Lieutenant  W.  H.  Allen,  arriving  at  Matanzas,  was  in- 
formed that  an  American  brig  and  schooner  had  been  cap- 
tured and  were  in  possession  of  a  large  gang  of  pirates 
at  a  place  about  45  miles  east  of  Matanzas.  The  master 
of  the  brig  and  mate  of  the  schooner  had  been  sent  to  the 
latter  place  to  procure  a  ransom  of  $7000  for  the  two 
vessels,  with  the  threat  that  their  vessels  would  be  de- 
stroyed and  their  crews  severely  dealt  with  in  case  of 
failure  to  bring  the  money. 

The  master  and  mate  were  taken  on  board  the  "Alli- 
gator", which  sailed  immediately  to  the  rescue.  At  day- 
light on  November  9th  she  arrived  near  the  bay,  and  hid 
behind  intervening  land,  behind  which  they  discovered  a 
ship,  two  brigs  and  five  schooners.  One  of  the  schooners, 
her  deck  black  with  men,  was  under  way,  and  was  imme- 
diately chased  by  the  armed  boats  of  the  "Alligator". 
The  wind  was  light,  and  the  schooner  using  her  long 
sweeps  (oars),  endeavored  to  escape  up  the  bay.  When 
the  "Alligator's"  boats  arrived  within  hail,  the  schooner, 
with  her  bloody  flag  nailed  to  the  mast,  opened  fire  with 
a  long  brass  eighteen-pound  pivot  gun  and  four  smaller 
ones.  Lieutenant  Allen,  Captain  Freeman  of  the  marines, 
and  twelve  men,  were  in  the  launch,  far  in  advance  of 
the  other  boats  ;  pulling  hard  at  the  oars,  they  reached 
the  pirate  and  took  possession  of  her,  after  a  desperate 
resistance  which  nothing  but   the   most   daring  bravery 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  47 

could  have  overcome.  The  freebooters,  all  but  one,  es- 
caped by  takiug  to  their  boats  and  jumping  overboard 
before  the  "Alligator's"  boats  reached  them.  But  in 
the  meantime  the  gallant  Allen  fell,  pierced  by  two 
musket  balls. 

The  surgeon  of  the  "Alligator",  in  a  letter  to  a  friend 
published  in  many  newspapers  of  the  day,  said  :  "Capt. 
Allen  continued  giving  orders  [after  he  was  shot],  and 
conversing  with  Mr.  Dale  and  the  rest  of  us,  until  a  few 
minutes  before  his  death,  with  a  degree  of  cheerfulness 
that  was  little  to  be  expected  from  a  man  in  his  condition. 
He  said  he  wished  his  relatives  and  his  country  to  know 
that  he  had  fought  well,  and  added  that  he  died  in  peace 
and  good  will  towards  all  the  world,  and  hoped  for  his 
reward  in  the  next." 

Lieutenant  Allen  was  wounded  while  standing  up 
cheering  his  men  in  pursuit  of  the  pirates.  He  was  a 
valuable  officer,  and  had  rendered  distinguished  service 
in  the  U.  S.  brig  "Argus"  when  she  was  captured  by 
H.  B.  M.  "Pelican"  off  the  British  coast  in  1813.  He 
commanded  the  "Argus"  in  the  latter  part  of  the  action, 
after  both  his  superior  officers  had  been  carried  below 
severely  wounded.  He  was  highly  commended  for  his 
skill  in  handling  the  brig,  although  obliged  to  surrender 
to  superior  force.  After  his  death  his  name  became  the 
war  cry  in  the  many  boat  expeditions  against  the  pirates. 
After  the  wounding  of  Allen,  the  second  pirate  schooner 
escaped,  but  another  heavily-armed  schooner,  the  ship  and 
two  more  "fore  and  afters"  were  captured.  Besides 
Lieutenant  Allen,  the  "Alligator"  lost  four  men  killed 
and  three  wounded.  The  pirates  lost  fourteen  killed  and 
several  by  drowning ;  their  best  armed  schooner  carried 
a  long  12-pounder,  two  6-pounders,  two  3-pounders,  and 
two  swivel  guns.  In  all  the  three  piratical  schooners  had 
125  men  and  14  guns.  The  "Alligator's  boats'  crews 
numbered  about  forty,  armed  with  muskets,  swords  and 
pistols. 

On  November  19th,  1822,  the  "Alligator"  was,  unfor- 
tunately, lost  on  Carysford  reef,  a  dangerous  spot  off  the 
Florida  coast,  where  many  a  fine  ship  before  and  since 
has  come  to  grief.     Her  officers  and  crew  were  all  saved. 


48       THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

The  records  of  the  old  Marblehead  Marine  Insurance 
Company  contain,  in  demands  for  the  payment  of  insur- 
ance, the  story,  told  in  plain,  matter-of-fact  language,  of 
the  plundering  by  pirates,  off  the  coast  of  Cuba,  of  the 
brig  "Dover",  from  Matanzas  to  Charleston,  S.  C,  and 
the  schooner  "Swan",  bound  from  Mobile  to  Havana. 
Captain  Sabins  of  the  former  reported  that  on  January 
16,  1822  :  "Pan  of  Matanzas,  bearing  S.,  saw  a  boat  com- 
ing to  us  from  a  small  drogher,  which  came  out  of  Ma- 
tanzas the  night  before  us,  with  five  Spaniards  armed 
with  long  knives,  pistols,  cutlasses,  etc.  When  they  got 
within  hail,  they  fired  a  musket  at  us,  cheered  and  came 
on  board.  They  were  the  most  villainous-looking  rascals 
that  any  one  had  probably  ever  beheld.  They  immedi- 
ately drew  their  weapons,  and  after  beating  us  severely 
with  their  cutlasses,  drove  us  below.  They  then  robbed 
us  of  all  our  clothes  except  what  we  had  on,  our  watches, 
and  everything  of  value.  We  were  afterwards  called  up 
singly.  Four  men  with  drawn  knives  stood  over  the 
captain  and  threatened  him  if  he  did  not  give  up  his 
money  they  would  kill  all  hands  and  burn  the  vessel. 
After  robbing  the  people,  they  commenced  plundering  the 
brig.  They  broke  open  the  hatches,  made  us  get  out  our 
boat  and  carry  their  plunder  to  their  vessel. 

"They  took  from  us  a  compass,  five  bags  of  coffee,  a 
barrel  of  sugar,  nearly  all  our  provisions,  our  colors, 
rigging,  and  cooking  utensils.  They  then  ordered  us  to 
stand  to  the  north,  or  they  would  overhaul  us,  murder 
the  crew,  and  burn  the  vessel.  We  made  sail,  and  shortly 
after  were  brought  to  by  another  boat  of  the  same  charac- 
ter, which  fired  into  us,but  left  us  upon  being  informed  that 
we  had  been  already  robbed." 

The  experiences  of  the  schooner  "Swan",  Captain  Car- 
ter, were  as  follows  : 

"Mobile,  June  1st,  1822.  Schr.  "Swan",  Carter,  ar- 
rived yesterday  from  Havana,  and  reports  that  on  the 
outward  passage  from  this  port,  on  the  27th  ult.,  at  8 
o'clock  A.  M.,  being  then  within  thirty  miles  of  Havana, 
he  was  boarded  by  an  open  boat  from  the  shore,  manned 
with  nine  men,    who  all  appeared  to  be  Spaniards,    armed 


C5     Z 
<    en 

c/>    D 


CO  -t--        o 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.   BRADLEE  49 

with  muskets,  pistols,  cutlasses  and  knives,  who  plundered 
the  vessel  of  everything  they  could  carry  off. 

"They  also  robbed  the  captain  and  crew  of  their  cloth- 
ing, even  stripping  the  jackets  from  their  backs  and  the 
shoes  from  their  feet.  The  villains  would  not  even  spare 
the  property  of  a  Spanish  priest,  a  passenger,  but  they 
robbed  him  also  of  his  clothes,  money  and  plate,  to  the 
value  of  300  dollars  ;  the}',  however,  afterwards  returned 
his  gown.  A  sail  heaving  in  sight,  they  left  the  "Swan", 
with  orders  to  steer  E.  N.  E.  and  not  go  over  three  leagues 
from  shore,  under  pain  of  death.  From  their  conversation 
while  on  board,  it  appeared  that  they  intended  to  board 
the  schooner  again  in  the  evening,  ran  her  ashore  and 
burn  her,  but  she  escaped  by  the  darkness  of  the  night." 

The  depredations  of  the  pirates,  nevertheless,  continued 
to  increase,  and  demands  for  ransom  were  frequently  ac- 
companied by  threats  that  their  hostages  would  be  mur- 
dered if  the  ransom  was  not  paid.  Even  at  this  early 
day  the  press  had  begun  to  urge  that  the  United  States 
should  intervene  in  Cuba,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  fol- 
lowing article,  which  appeared  in  the  "Baltimore  Chroni- 
cle" : 

"If  the  Spanish  Government  is  unable  to  drive  the 
pirates  from  their  strongholds  in  Cuba,  the  Chronicle 
suggests  the  necessity  of  occupying  the  island  with 
American  forces  for  that  purpose,  as  robbers  and  pirates 
have  no  right  to  protection  whatever  ;  and  in  this  case  all 
civilized  powers  are  warranted  in  carrying  the  war  into 
the  enemy's  territory." 

Acts  of  Congress  were  passed  in  1822  giving  an  appro- 
priation of  $500,000  to  fit  out  an  expedition  which  was 
to  wipe  out  the  West  Indian  pirates.  Commodore  David 
Porter  resigned  his  office  as  Navy  Commissioner  to  take 
command  of  the  expedition. 

He  selected  and  prepared  the  vessels  personally,  and 
organized  what  was  known  as  the  "Mosquito  Fleet"  ; 
owing  to  shallow  water  in  many  of  the  Cuban  harbors 
and  bays,  it  was  necessary  that  some  of  the  craft  should 
be  of  small  size  and  slight  draft.  This  comprised  what 
was  known  as  the  "steam  galliot"  "Sea  Gull",  3  guns — 
the  second  steamer  in  the    U.  S.  Navy,    the  "Fulton",  in 


50      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

1815,  being  the  first — and  eight  small  schooners,  which 
Commodore  Porter  bought  for  the  Navy  Department  for 
the  sum  of  $10,190.  These  schooners  were  named: 
"Fox",  51  tons;  "Greyhound",  65  tons;  "Jackal"  17 
tons;  "Beagle",  52  tons;  "Terrier",  61  tons  ;  "Weasel", 
53  tons ;  "Wild  Cat",  48  tons ;  and  "Ferret"  51  tons. 
Each  of  these  carried  three  guns  and  a  crew  of  31  men. 
In  the  fleet  were,  also,  the  transport  ship  "Decoy"  6 
guns ;  five  barges  —  "Mosquito",  "Gnat",  "Midge", 
"Sandfly"  and  "Gallinipper", — together  with  the  regular 
naval  vessels  on  the  station  which  had  been  changed,  and 
consisted  of  the  sloops-of-war  "John  Adams",  24 ;  the 
"Peacock",  18;  the  "Hornet",  18;  the  brig  "Spark,"  14; 
and  the  schooners  "Grampus",  12,  and  "Shark",  12. 

As  the  steamer  "Sea-Gull"  was,  without  doubt,  the  first 
steam-propelled  man-of-war  engaged  in  actual  warfare,  a 
short  description  of  her  is  not  out  of  place.  She  was 
built  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  in  1818,  for  the  merchant  ser- 
vice, to  run  between  that  city  and  New  Haven,  and  was 
then  called  the  "Enterprise"  ;  she  was  a  small  craft, 
measuring  but  slightly  over  100  tons  ;  her  mode  of  pro- 
pulsion was  paddle-wheels,  the  engine  being  undoubtedly 
of  the  "square"  or  "cross-head"  type  invented  by  Robert 
Fulton.  Like  all  the  early  steamboats,  she  probably  had 
a  copper  boiler  carrying  not  over  two  or  three  pounds  of 
steam,  and,  of  course,  burning  wood  as  fuel.  The  gov- 
ernment paid  $16,000  for  the  little  steamer,  renaming  her 
the  "Sea-Gull",  and  fitting  her,  as  before  stated,  with 
three  guns.  As  with  all  new  inventions,  the  officers  and 
men  of  the  Navy  regarded  a  vessel  propelled  by  steam 
with  anything  but  confidence,  as  is  shown  by  the  fact  that 
as  originally  built  the  "Sea-Gull"  had  little,  if  any,  sail 
power,  but  it  is  understood  that  the  naval  officers  assigned 
refused  to  go  to  sea  in  her  unless  she  was  fitted  with 
masts  and  lateen  yards. 

It  is  interesting  to  recall  the  names  of  her  original 
officers :  Lieutenant  Commanding,  John  C.  Newton, — 
many  years  later,  in  1843,  Lieutenant  Newton,  then  a 
captain,  commanded  the  U.  S.  steam  frigate  "Missouri", 
when  she  was  burned  while   lying  at  anchor  at  Gibraltar ; 


BY   FRANdS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  51 

acting  sailing  master,  Arthur  Bainbridge ;  the  midshipmen 
were  Messrs.  Howard,  Stockton  and  Taylor. 

There  is  no  record  of  the  men  who  had  charge  of  the 
machinery  of  this  little  craft,  and  we  can  only  surmise 
that  they  were  probably  the  same  who  had  run  her  before 
she  was  a  government  vessel,  and  that  their  connection 
with  the  naval  service  was  merely  temporary.  The  grade 
of  engineer  in  the  United  States  Navy  did  not  exist  until 
1836,  the  first  person  to  hold  it  being  Charles  H.  Haswell 
of  New  York,  afterwards  distinguished  as  a  marine  en- 
gine designer  and  naval  architect. 

The  "Baltimore  Chronicle"  for  January  17th,  1823, 
mentions  the  sailing  of  the  "Sea-Gull"  for  the  first  time 
as  a  man-of-war  as  follows :  "Yesterday  Commodore 
Porter  left  this  port  in  the  steam  galley  'Sea-Gull',  bear- 
ing his  broad  pennant,  to  join  the  squadron  fitting  out  at 
Norfolk  for  the  purpose  of  suppressing  piracy  on  the  coast 
of  Cuba.  Every  friend  of  humanity  must  wish  that  the 
efforts  of  the  distinguished  officer  who  has  been  selected 
to  this  command  will  be  crowned  with  success.  The 
means  adopted  are  certainly  the  best  calculated  to  effect 
the  object.  Frigates  and  sloops-of-war  are  totally  inade- 
quate, by  means  of  their  great  draft  of  water  ;  but  the 
vessels  which  have  been  selected  by  Commodore  Porter 
are  precisely  calculated  to  ferret  the  banditti  from  their 
lurking  places. 

"The  aid  of  steam  we  think  a  most  valuable  addition 
to  the  squadron,  and  from  the  manner  in  which  the 
'Enterprise',  now  the  'Sea  Gull',  has  been  fitted  out,  we 
have  every  reason  to  believe  she  will  completely  answer 
the  expectations  formed.  Commodore  Porter  has  been 
indefatigable  since  he  came  here,  and  several  of  our  citi- 
zens conversant  in  steam  affairs  volunteered  their  services 
to  aid  him  in  the  necessary  equipments  for  that  depart- 
ment. We  learn  that  she  is  provided  with  duplicates  of 
every  piece  of  machinery  which  might  be  carried  away  in 
action,  and  that  her  engineers  are  able  and  experienced 
men. 

"In  a  very  short  time  we  hope  to  hear  of  the  Commo- 
dore's arrival  at  his  cruising    ground,    and  we  doubt  not 


52      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

that  he  will  soon  put  an  end  to  the  ravages  of  those  law- 
less barbarians." 

The  naval  career  of  the  "Sea  Gull"  was  but  a  short 
one  ;  in  1825  she  was  laid  up  at  the  Philadelphia  Navy 
Yard,  eventually  becoming  the  receiving  ship  there  until 
she  was  sold  in  1840  for  84,750. 

Commodore  Porter  sailed  with  his  entire  squadron  from 
Norfolk  on  February  14th,  1823.  Great  publicity  was 
given  to  the  expedition,  and  this  fact  in  itself  had  a  good 
effect,  because  many  of  the  pirates  ceased  their  bloody 
work,  while  those  that  remained  were  afraid  to  venture 
far  from  their  lairs.  As  soon  as  the  fleet  arrived  off  Porto 
Rico,  Commodore  Porter  wrote  to  the  Spanish  governor 
on  the  subject  of  interruptions  to  our  commerce  and  the 
illegal  blockade  of  these  coasts.  On  March  3d,  1823,  he 
sent  the  "Greyhound",  Lieutenant  John  Porter,  into  St. 
John's,  Porto  Rico,  with  that  letter.  On  March  5th  he 
sent  the  "Fox",  Lieutenant  W.  H.  Cocke,  into  the  port 
for  an  answer.  When  the  "Fox"  endeavored  to  enter, 
she  was  fired  upon  by  the  castle,  and  her  commander  was 
instantly  killed. 

The  only  satisfaction  offered  for  this  insult  and  catas- 
trophe was  the  plea  that  the  character  of  the  schooner 
was  mistaken.  The  Governor  was  profuse  in  his  apolo- 
gies, and  joined  in  paying  every  possible  honor  in  the 
funeral  services  of  Lieutenant  Cocke,  with  the  officers  of 
the  squadron.  However,  the  Commodore  demonstrated 
that  the  "Fox"  had  been  fired  at  in  a  spirit  of  retaliation, 
but  very  wisely  left  Porto  Rico,  referring  the  matter  to 
the  government  for  action. 

The  squadron  was  then  divided  into  small  detachments 
and  sent  to  thoroughly  search  the  coasts  of  Porto  Rico, 
San  Domingo  and  Cuba.  Every  bay  and  inlet  and  key 
in  all  this  region  was  visited,  after  which  the  squadron 
reassembled  at  Thompson's  Island,  now  Key  West,  where 
Porter  established  a  naval  depot  for  a  base  of  operations. 
On  the  morning  of  April  8th,  1823,  Lieutenant  C.  K. 
Stribling — afterwards  Admiral  Stribling — was  sent  in  the 
barge  "Gallinipper"  from  Havana  in  search  of  a  pirate, 
which  he  found  three  miles  off,  making  in  towards  the 
shore.     He  caused  muskets  to  be    fired    to   bring  her  to, 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.  BRADLEE  53 

and  she  replied  by  a  smart  fire  of  round  shot,  grape  and 
musketry,  while  working  hard  to  escape.  She  was  run 
ashore,  and  her  crew,  with  the  exception  of  one  man, 
escaped,  though  it  was  afterwards  ascertained  that  several 
of  them  had  heen  wounded. 

The  vessel  proved  to  be  the  schooner  "Pilot",  of  Nor- 
folk, Va.,  a  very  fast  sailer,  which  they  had  captured  but 
eight  days  before.  She  was  armed  with  one  long  Im- 
pounder, blunderbusses,  and  other  small  arms.  The  noto- 
rious buccaneer  Domingo  commanded  her ;  a  few  days 
before  he  had  courteously  forwarded  mail  for  Commodore 
Porter  and  his  officers  that  he  had  found  on  the  "Pilot" 
when  he  had  captured  her.  He  sent  a  message  with  this 
mail  that  he  did  not  wish  to  deprive  them  of  the  opportu- 
nity to  hear  from  their  friends;  he  bore  them  no  ill-will, 
since  they  were  only  doing  their  duty. 

Almost  every  day  furnished  accounts  evincing  the 
activity  of  Commodore  Porter  and  the  officers  and  men 
under  his  command  ;  but  for  a  long  time  their  industry 
and  zeal  was  rather  shown  in  the  suppression  of  piracy 
than  the  punishment  of  it.  At  length,  however,  an  op- 
portunity offered  for  inflicting  the  latter,  as  detailed  in 
the  following  letter,  dated  Matanzas,  July  10th,  1823,  and 
afterwards  printed  in  several  New  York,  Boston  and 
Salem  newspapers : 

"I  have  the  pleasure  of  informing  you  of  a  brilliant 
achievement  obtained  against  the  pirates  on  the  5th  inst. 
by  two  barges  attached  to  Commodore  Porter's  squad- 
ron, the  'Gallinipper',  Lieut.  Watson,  18  men,  and  the 
'Mosquito',  Lieut.  Inman,  10  men.  The  barges  were 
returning  from  a  cruise  to  windward ;  when  they  were 
near  Jiguapa  Bay,  13  leagues  to  windward  of  Matanzas, 
they  entered  it — it  being  a  well-known  rendezvous  for 
pirates. 

"They  immediately  discovered  a  large  schooner  under 
way,  which  they  supposed  to  be  a  Patriot  (South  Ameri- 
can) privateer;  and  as  their  stores  were  nearly  exhausted, 
they  hoped  to  obtain  some  supplies  from  her.  They 
therefore  made  sail  in  pursuit.  When  they  were  within 
cannon  shot  distance,  she  rounded  to  and  fired  her  long 
gun,  at  the  same  time  running  up  the  bloody  flag,  directing 


54      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

her  course  towards  the  shore,  continuing  to  fire  with- 
out effect. 

"When  she  had  got  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
shore,  she  came  to,  with  springs  on  her  cable,  continuing 
to  fire  ;  and  when  the  barges  were  within  thirty  yards, 
they  fired  their  muskets  without  touching  boat  or  man  ; 
our  men  gave  three  cheers,  and  prepared  to  board ;  the 
pirates  discovering  their  intention,  jumped  into  the 
water,  when  the  bargemen,  calling  on  the  name  of  'Allen', 
commenced  a  destructive  slaughter,  killing  them  in  the 
water  and  as  they  landed.  So  exasperated  were  our 
men,  that  it  was  impossible  for  their  officers  to  restrain 
them,  and  many  were  killed  after  orders  were  given  to 
grant  quarter. 

"Twenty-seven  dead  were  counted,  some  sunk,  five 
taken  prisoners  by  the  bargemen,  and  eight  taken  by 
a  party  of  Spaniards  on  shore.  The  officers  calculated 
that  from  thirty  to  thirty-five  were  killed.  The  schooner 
mounted  a  long  nine-pounder  on  a  pivot  and  four  four- 
pounders,  with  every  other  necessary  armament,  and  a 
crew  of  fifty  to  sixty  men,  and  ought  to  have  blown  the 
barges  to  atoms.  She  was  commanded  by  the  notorious 
Diableto,  or  'Little  Devil'.  This  statement  I  have  from 
Lieut.  Watson  himself,  and  it  is  certainly  the  most  decisive 
operation  that  has  been  effected  against  those  murderers, 
either  by  the  British  or  American  force.  This  affair  oc- 
curred on  the  same  spot  where  the  brave  Allen  fell  about 
one  year  since.  The  prize  was  sent  to  Thompson's  Island 
(now  Key  West)." 

A  few  weeks  before  the  occurrence  related  above,  on 
April  16,  1823,  the  ship-sloop  "Peacock",  Captain  Cassin, 
entered  Colorados,  a  harbor  noted  for  pirates.  He  dis- 
covered a  felucca  standing  out,  and  chased  her  ashore,  but 
the  pirates  escaped.  The  felucca  was  a  new,  well-coppered 
boat,  pulling  sixteen  sweeps  (large  oars),  and  was  evident- 
ly starting  out  on  her  first  cruise.  Captain  Cassin  broke 
up  their  establishment,  and  the  pirates  burned  three  of 
their  schooners  on  his  approach.  The  U.  S.  schooners 
"Greyhound"  and  "Beagle"  left  Thompson's  Island  (now 
Key  West),  on  June  7,  1823,  under  the  command  of 
Lieutenants  Kearney  and  Newton,  and  cruised  within  the 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  55 

Keys,  on  the  south  side  of  Cuba,  as  far  as  Cape  Cruz, 
touching  at  all  the  intermediate  ports  on  the  island,  to 
intercept  pirates. 

On  July  21  they  anchored  off  Cape  Cruz,  and  Lieuten- 
ant Kearney  went  in  his  boat  to  reconnoitre  the  shore, 
when  he  was  fired  upon  by  a  party  of  pirates  who  were 
concealed  among  the  bushes.  Several  cannon  in  position 
on  a  hill  a  short  distance  off  also  opened  fire.  The  boat 
returned,  and  five  or  six  others  were  manned  from  the 
schooners  and  pushed  off  for  the  shore,  but  a  very  heavy 
cannonade  being  kept  up  by  the  pirates  on  the  heights, 
the  boats  were  compelled  to  retreat.  Thereupon  the 
"Greyhound"  and  "Beagle"  were  then  warped  in,  when 
they  discharged  several  broadsides,  and  covered  the  land- 
ing of  the  boats.  After  a  sharp  fight,  the  pirates  retreated 
to  another  hill  that  they  had  also  taken  the  precaution  to 
fortify.  A  small  hamlet,  in  which  the  pirates  resided, 
was  set  on  fire  and  destroyed.  Three  cannon,  one  a  four- 
pounder  brass  fieldpiece,  and  two  swivels,  with  several 
pistols,  cutlasses,  and  eight  large  rowboats,  were  cap- 
tured. 

A  cave,  about  150  feet  deep,  was  discovered  near  where 
the  houses  were,  and  after  considerable  difficulty,  a  party 
of  seamen  got  to  the  bottom,  where  was  found  an  immense 
quantity  of  plunder,  consisting  of  broadcloths,  dry  goods, 
female  dresses,  saddlery,  etc.  Many  human  bones  were 
also  in  the  cave,  supposed  to  have  been  the  remains  of 
unfortunate  persons  who  were  taken  and  put  to  death. 
A  great  many  of  the  articles  were  brought  away  and  the 
rest  destroyed.  About  forty  pirates  escaped  to  the 
heights,  but  many  were  supposed  to  have  been  killed, 
from  the  fire  of  the  schooners  as  well  as  from  the  men 
who  landed.  The  bushes  were  so  thick  that  it  was  im- 
possible to  pursue  them.  Several  other  caves  were  in  the 
neighborhood,  in  which  it  was  conjectured  that  the  free- 
booters occasionally  took  shelter. 

Some  idea  of  the  exacting  and  dangerous  nature  of  the 
work  undertaken  by  Commodore  Porter,  his  officers  and 
men,  may  be  judged  by  the  following  official  reports, 
copied  from  the  records  of  the  Navy  Department.  Indeed, 
the  struggles  of  Commodore  Porter's  squadron  in  stamp- 


56      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

ing  out  piracy  compare  favorably  in  courage  and  daring 
with  that  of  the  United  States  regulars  in  their  endless 
fighting  with  savage  Indians,  protecting  the  settlers,  etc., 
on  the  far  western  frontier  during  the  larger  part  of  the 
nineteenth  century. 

The  schooner  "Grampus"  cruised  in  the  vicinity  of 
Campeachy  from  April  to  July,  1823,  and  her  commander, 
Lieutenant,  afterwards  Rear-Admiral,  Francis  H.  Gregory, 
reported  as  follows: 

"United  States  Schooner  'Grampus', 

"Thompson's  Island,  3d  July,  1823. 

"Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  this  vessel 
sailed  from  the  Balize  on  the  24th  of  April,  with  a  convoy 
for  Tobasco,  where  she  arrived  on  the  1st  of  May.  Sailed 
thence  again  on  the  6th,  with  a  convoy,  towards  Vera 
Cruz ;  parted  with  the  convoy  on  the  9th,  and  arrived  at 
Campeachy  on  the  13th,  where  I  received  information  of 
several  piracies  committed  upon  merchant  vessels  of  the 
United  States,  and  that  the  coast  of  Yucatan,  from  Cape 
Catoche  to  Lagona,  was  then  infested  by  several  gangs  of 
pirates,  who  had  been  guilty  of  every  atrocity  imaginable. 
Finding  there  were  a  considerable  number  of  merchant 
ships  at  the  several  ports  upon  that  coast  unprotected,  and 
others  arriving  almost  daily,  I  continued  thereabouts  until 
the  25th  of  June,  scouring  the  coast  up  and  down,  and 
occasionally,  when  any  information  was  had  which  offered 
the  least  chance  of  detecting  these  villains,  the  boats 
were  employed,  and  sometimes  were  sent  along  the  coast 
twenty  or  thirty  leagues  from  the  vessel. 

"On  the  22d  of  May  I  chased  a  schooner  ashore  to 
windward  of  Sisal,  which  I  have  no  doubt  was  a  pirate, 
from  his  appearance  and  conduct.  As  it  was  in  the  night, 
and  upon  a  part  of  the  coast  where  I  was  not  sufficiently 
acquainted,  and  blowing  fresh  upon  the  shore,  I  had  not 
an  opportunity  of  completing  his  destruction.  On  June 
11th  I  seized  a  suspicious  vessel  in  the  harbor  of  Cam- 
peachy, and  resigned  her  to  the  authorities  there  on  that 
account.  This  last  vessel  has  just  come  from  New  Malaga, 
or  Vigia  de  Chiguila,  a  little  to  windward  of  Cape  Catoche, 
where  the  pirates  have  a  very  considerable  establishment, 


COMMODORE  SYDNEY  S.   LEE,  C.  S.  N. 
Brother  of  Gen.  R.   E.   Lee 

From  a  photograph  taken  during  the  Civil  War 
In  the    collection  of  F.  B.  C.  Bradlee 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BBADLEE  57 

and  came  down  to  Campeachy  for  the  purpose  of  procur- 
ing stores  for  a  vessel  then  preparing  for  a  cruise. 

•'Two  seamen,  who  had  been  held  as  prisoners  at  New 
Malaga,  informed  me  that  this  gang  was  sometimes  a 
hundred  and  upwards  in  number;  that  they  held  posses- 
sion of  a  small  fort,  having  two  24-pounders;  and  that 
an  officer  named  Molla,  who  had  been  placed  there  by  the 
government,  had  joined  them.  This  was  corroborated  by 
the  authorities  of  Campeachy,  who  requested  me  to  land 
and  destroy  the  place.  The  pirates  issue  from  their  post 
in  barges,  small  vessels,  and  in  canoes,  hover  along  the 
shores,  enter  the  harbors,  murder  and  destroy  almost  all 
that  fall  in  their  power. 

"On  the  2d  of  June,  1823,  the  American  schooner 
*Shiboleth',  Captain  Perry,  of  New  York,  being  then  ready 
for  the  sea,  was  boarded  by  a  canoe  having  fourteen  of 
these  villains  on  board.  The  watch  was  instantly  mur- 
dered, eight  others  of  the  crew  were  put  into  the  fore- 
castle, the  hatch  was  spiked  down,  a  ton  or  more  of  log- 
wood put  over  it,  the  head  sails  set,  the  wind  off  shore, 
and  the  vessel  set  on  fire  in  the  cabin.  By  the  most  ex- 
traordinary exertions,  these  men  broke  out  in  time  to 
save  their  lives.     I  arrived  while  the  vessel  was  on  fire. 

"The  same  canoe  then  proceeded  to  windward,  and  two 
days  afterward  took  the  schooner  'Augustus  and  John', 
off  Sisal,  and  burnt  her,  having  turned  the  crew  adrift  in 
a  small  boat,  with  every  probability  of  their  perishing. 
The  people  of  the  country  were  much  exasperated,  and 
turned  out  to  hunt  them  from  their  shores.  A  party  of 
dragoons  having  met  them,  a  skirmish  ensued,  wherein 
the  captain  of  dragoons  and  several  of  his  men  were 
killed,  and  the  pirates  taking  to  their  boats,  escaped. 

"One  of  the  seamen  I  mentioned  as  having  been  among 
them,  stated  that  he  belonged  to  an  English  schooner  from 
New  Providence,  called  the  'Flyer',  that  the  crew,  with 
the  exception  of  himself,  were  instantly  butchered.  He 
was  detained  about  two  months,  during  which  time  they 
had  captured  nine  vessels,  some  of  which  were  brought 
in,  but  the  principal  part  destroyed;  and  in  some  instances 
he  was  certain  that  the  whole  crews  were  murdered. 
When  he  left  the  place  (^about  twenty    days    since)  they 


58      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

had  a  Guineaman,  with  200  slaves  and  a  large  quantity  of 
ivory  and  two  small  schooners,  Americans. 

"An  English  cutter  informed  me  that  the  pirates  had 
direct  and  uninterrupted  intercourse  with  Havana,  by 
means  of  small  coasting  vessels  that  ran  regularly  to  the 
ports  on  the  coast,  and  always  touched  at  New  Malaga. 
Frequently  some  of  them  would  go  up  to  the  Havana,  and 
others  of  the  gang  come  down. 

"That  this  infernal  horde  of  villains  have  established 
themselves  at  New  Malaga  I  have  no  doubt,  and  from  the 
information  given  me  by  men  of  the  first  respectability  at 
Campeachy,  Sisal,  and  other  places  on  the  coast,  I  believe 
the  pirates  have  been  guilty  of  all  the  acts  as  herein 
stated. 

f*I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  most 
obedient  servant, 

"Francis  H.  Gregory, 
"Lieutenant  Commanding,  United  States  Navy. 
"Commodore  David  Porter,   Commanding  United  States 
Naval  Forces,  West  Indian  Station." 

The  writer  of  this  modest,  matter-of-fact  report,  con- 
taining material  enough  to  compile  a  thrilling  sea  tale, 
was  a  New  Englander,  born  at  Norwalk,  Connecticut,  on 
October  9th,  1789.  Like  many  of  our  early  naval  officers, 
young  Gregory  began  his  sea  career  in  the  merchant  ser- 
vice ;  he  received  his  midshipman's  warrant  on  January 
16th,  1809.  In  those  days  the  midshipmen  received  their 
professional  education  on  shipboard,  and,  as  it  might 
without  exaggeration  be  said,  between  battles.  Midshipman 
Gregory's  first  services  were  near  Balize,  where  he  helped 
capture  a  slaver,  a  brig  flying  English  colors  and  hav- 
ing 120  negroes  on  board,  also  a  schooner  fitting  out 
for  piratical  purposes;  shortly  afterwards  he  took  part  in  a 
night  action  with  a  privateer,  which  was  disabled  and 
driven  off  the  coast,  and,  also,  young  as  he  was,  was  sent 
to  the  United  States  as  prize-master  in  charge  of  a  Spanish 
piratical  brig  mounting  fourteen  guns,  which  had  been 
captured  a  few  days  before. 

Whatever  they  may  have  lacked  in  some  ways,  it  may 
be  safely  affirmed  that  the  young  officers  in  the  early  days 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  59 

of  the  navy  were  not    wanting    in    the    practical  part  of 
their  profession. 

When  the  war  of  1812  broke  out,  we  find  Midshipman 
Gregory  serving  on  Lake  Ontario,  under  Commodore 
Chauncey  ;  he  was  captured  in  August,  1813,  and  sent  to 
England,  where  he  was  confined  for  eighteen  months  as  a 
prisoner  of  war ;  in  the  meantime  he  had  been  promoted 
to  be  lieutenant,  on  June  28th,  1814.  At  the  close  of  the 
war  of  1812,  Lieut.  Gregory  served  for  three  years  on  the 
Mediterranean  squadron  under  Commodore  Shaw,  whose 
daughter  he  married.  From  1821  to  1823  he  commanded 
the  schooner  "Grampus"  in  the  West  Indies,  as  we  have 
already  noted,  and  just  before  returning  to  the  United 
States  under  orders  for  another  station,  he  captured  the 
pirate  brig  "Panchita",  a  vessel  far  superior  to  the 
"Grampus"  in  weight  of  metal  and  number  of  men. 

On  April  28th,  1828,  Lieutenant  Gregory  was  promoted 
to  be  a  commander,  and  on  January  18th,  1838,  he 
reached  the  rank  of  full  captain  (equal  to  that  of  colonel 
in  the  army),  then  and  for  many  years  afterwards  (1862) 
the  highest  grade  in  the  United  States  Navy,  the  officers 
commanding  squadrons  being  given  the  temporary  and 
courtesy  title  of  "Flag  officer",  or  Commodore. 

In  connection  with  this  antiquated  and  rather  curious 
state  of  things,  a  laughable  little  "yarn"  is  not  out  of 
place.  Very  soon  after  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war, 
it  was  naturally  found  necessary  to  restore  higher  grades 
in  the  navy  than  that  of  captain,  and  a  bill  to  that  effect 
was  put  before  Congress.  The  late  Captain  A.  T.  Mahan, 
U.  S.  N.,  in  his  interesting  reminiscences,  "From  Sail  to 
Steam",  recalled  that  the  sailmaker  of  the  ship  he  was 
then  serving  on,  a  sensible,  thoughtful  man,  in  discussing 
the  possible  higher  rank,  said,  "Call  them  admirals  1 
never !  they  will  be  wanting  to  be  dukes  next." 

During  the  Mexican  war,  1846-48,  Captain  Gregory 
commanded  the  frigate  "Raritan"  ;  his  last  active  sea 
service  was  a  few  years  later,  when  he  was  placed  in 
charge  of  the  African  squadron.  The  Civil  war  found 
him  commandant  of  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard,  where  he 
also  superintended  the  construction  of  the  early  ironclads. 
Captain  Gregoiy    was    promoted    to    the    rank    of    Rear- 


60      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

Admiral  on  July  16th,  1862.  He  died  in  Brooklyn  on 
October  4th,  1866,  having  rounded  out  an  active  and 
glorious  career  of  over  half  a  century. 

Lieutenant  Thomas  H.  Newell,  commanding  the  schoon- 
er "Ferret",  reported  as  follows  concerning  a  cruise  made 
on  the  southern  coast  of  Cuba: 

"United  States  Schooner  'Ferret', 

"Thompson's  Island  (Key  West), 

"June  25,  1823. 

"Sir  :  Pursuant  to  your  instructions,  I  left  this  place 
on  the  14th  inst.,  on  a  cruise  to  Trinidad,  on  the  south 
side  of  Cuba,  in  company  with  the  'Beagle',  Captain 
Newton.  On  the  second  day  we  parted  company,  and  on 
the  third  day  I  made  the  Havana  (on  my  way  to  Matan- 
zas)  ;  from  thence  I  commenced  a  diligent  search  in  all 
the  ports  and  bays. 

"On  Tuesday  sent  my  boat  into  Canised,  and  obtained 
information  that  some  pirates  were  still  lurking  about  the 
coast.  During  that  night  I  kept  close  into  the  land,  and 
on  Wednesday,  at  10  A.  M.,  discovered  an  armed  barge 
with  sixteen  oars,  and  well  manned,  in  a  small  bay  called 
Bacuna  Yeagua.  I  immediately  sent  Lieutenant  Dorring 
with  five  men,  the  most  my  boat  could  carry,  to  examine 
all  the  boats,  there  being  seven  in  number.  He  approached 
within  fift}'  yards  of  the  barge,  when  the  crew  showed 
their  character  by  opening  fire  on  him  with  musketry  and 
blunderbusses,which,  fortunately,did  no  other  damage  than 
nearly  to  sink  the  boat,  she  having  received  a  ball  at  the 
water  edge ;  five  other  ones  were  found  in  the  boat,  which, 
being  nearly  spent,  had  struck  the  water  and  innocently 
jumped  into  her.  My  boat,  at  no  time  suitable  for  the  trans- 
portation of  men,  and  now  rendered  useless,  induced  me 
to  take  possession  of  a  small  coaster  that  was  near,  and 
manned  her  with  fifteen  men,  and  at  that  time  intended  to 
stand  in,  if  possible,  with  the  'Ferret',  in  order  to  cover 
the  men  while  they  took  possession  of  the  barge,  which 
then  had  the  American  colors,  union  down ;  but,  on  ap- 
proaching, found  that  the  channel  would  not  admit  of  my 
entering. 

"It  was  then  blowing  very  hard  and  a  heavy  sea  on,there- 
fore  I  deemed  it  proper  to  recall  the  coaster,  which  had  like 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.    BRADLEE  61 

to  have  gotten  ashore,  for,  hud  that  catastrophe  occurred,  I 
question  much  whether  the  pirates  would  have  had  the 
gratification  of  butchering  them,  as  they  certainly  would 
have  been  drowned.  The  sea  was  then  breaking  with 
great  violence  over  the  reef  that  covered  the  bay.  I  was 
then  compelled  to  resort  to  making  tacks,  close  in  with 
the  reef,  and  giving  them  'long  Tom'  (a  naval  expression 
in  use  at  that  period  to  describe  a  heavy  swivel  gun),  with 
round  and  grape  shot,  in  hopes  to  destroy  the  boats — as 
to  killing  any  of  them,  it  was  impossible,  for,  on  the  ap- 
proach of  the  'Ferret',  they  would  completely  secure 
themselves  behind  the  rocks  and  trees,  which  hung  all 
around  the  harbor ;  but  this  I  was  frustrated  in  by  the 
enormous  roughness  of  the  sea,  and  the  wind  being  on 
shore  prevented  me  from  taking  any  position  from  which 
I  could  annoy  them  much.  Finding  it  impossible  with 
the  means  then  in  my  power,  I  stood  out  to  sea,  in  hopes 
to  fall  in  with  some  vessel  from  which  I  could  get  a  suit- 
able boat  (but  am  sorry  to  say  it  was  not  until  next  morn- 
ing that  my  wishes  were  obtained),  and,  if  that  could  be 
done,  to  push  to  Matanzas,  to  concert  a  plan  with  the 
Governor  by  which  the  pirates,  as  well  as  their  boats, 
may  be  taken. 

"I,  however,  obtained  a  boat  from  an  English  vessel, 
and  immediately  bore  up  for  the  same  place,  which  was 
then  but  a  short  distance  off.  I  had  not  run  but  a  short 
time  when  I  discovered  a  Spanish  brig-of-war  lying  to  off 
the  bay,  which  proved  to  be  the  'Matae'.  On  the  report 
being  sent  to  the  Governor  of  Matanzas  that  one  of  the 
United  States  schooners  was  engaged  with  the  pirates,  he 
dispatched  this  brig,  and  at  the  same  time  took  with  him 
a  land  force,  and  had  cruised  there  a  few  minutes  before 
me  and  had  taken  possession  of  a  small  schooner  boat  the 
pirates  had  abandoned,  and  which  lay  on  the  beach.  I 
sent  in  my  boat  after  he  had  left,  and  ordered  a  search, 
when  two  of  the  boats  I  had  seen  the  day  I  attacked  them 
were  found,  well  sunk,  up  a  lagoon,  which,  upon  further 
examination,  extended  several  miles  into  the  island,  and 
have  no  doubt  but  what  the  large  barge  is  now  at  the  head 
of  it,  but  not  being  prepared  with  boats,  I  did  not  think 
it  proper  to  send  my  boats  out  from  the  'Ferret'.  The  two 


62      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

boats  I  have  brought  over,   and   shall    await  your  orders 
relative  thereto. 

"On  my  arrival  at  Matanzas  1  found  my  mainmast  very 
dangerously  sprung,  which  has  made  it  necessary  for  me 
to  return  here,  but  not  until  I  had  given  convoy  to  eight 
of  our  merchantmen  from  Matanzas  and  Cuba. 

"I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your 
obedient  servant, 

"Thomas  H.  Newell. 

"To  Commodore  David  Porter,  U.  States  Navy." 

On  March  1st,  1823,  the  famous  pirate,  La  Cata,  was 
captured  off  the  Isle  of  Pines  by  the  British  man-of-war 
cutter  "Grecian",  after  a  smart  action.  The  cutter 
mounted  six  long  nine-pounders,  and  her  crew  numbered 
fifty  ;  the  pirate  schooner  had  eight  guns,  and  over  one 
hundred  in  her  crew  ;  it  was  believed  that  about  thirty  of 
the  latter  were  killed,  but  only  three  prisoners  were  made, 
the  rest  escaping  on  shore  in  small  boats  or  by  swimming. 
Considerable  quantities  of  goods  were  found  on  board 
the  prize. 

The  "Grecian"  conveyed  the  prisoners  to  Jamaica, 
where,  it  seemed,  the  laws  against  piracy  were  more 
strictly  enforced  than  in  the  United  States.  About  the 
same  date  a  British  sloop  of  war  captured  a  pirate 
schooner,  manned  by  sixty  men,  off  St.  Domingo-*  She 
had  on  board  $200,000  in  gold  and  silver,  besides  many 
other  valuable  articles.  Two  years  later,  May  16th,  1825, 
the  "Grecian",  assisted  by  a  steamboat  which,  like  the 
U.  S.  S.  "Sea  Gull",  had  formerly  been  a  merchant  vessel, 
but  was  chartered  and  fitted  out  by  the  British  naval 
authorities  at  Jamaica  to  assist  their  squadron,  captured 
a  piratical  brigantine  and  her  crew  of  thirty-eight  desper- 
adoes, off  Matanzas.  Several  of  the  pirates  were  killed, 
and  the  rest  sent  to  Havana  for  trial.  It  was  ascertained 
that  some  of  them  had  assisted  in  capturing  more  than 
twenty  American  vessels,  whose  crews  were  murdered  I 

The  British  navy  assisted  the  United  States  squadron 
in  every  way  in  their  operations  against  the  pirates,  and 
the    most   cordial    relations    prevailed    between    the    two 

♦Files  of  the  N.  Y.  Shipping  and  Commercial  List. 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  63 

fleets.  Unfortunately,  however,  the  English  men-of-war 
were  constantly  sent  off  on  other  duties,  and  they  had  no 
special  squadron  detailed  to  deal  with  the  pirates.  At 
this  period  the  British  West  India  squadron  consisted  of 
the  line-of-battle  ships  "Forte"  and  "Gloucester",  frigates 
"Dartmouth",  "Hyperion"  and  "Seringapatam",  sloops 
"Carnation",  "Pandora",  "Tyne",  "Tomar"  "Scout",  cutter 
"Grecian",  and  "Thracian",  the  brigs  "Redwing",  "Bus- 
tard", and  "Kangaroo",  and  the  schooner  "Speedwell", 
with  four  smaller  craft.  This  formidable  fleet  captured, 
as  already  stated,  only  13  vessels  and  291  men.  But  the 
prisoners  convicted  of  piracy  were  duly  executed,  and  it 
is  known  that  forty-two  pirates  were  hung  at  Jamaica. 

The  British  gave  their  prisoners  the  proper  punishment 
for  their  deeds.  In  our  country  these  pirates  had  the 
sympathy,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  of  a  great  many  people, 
to  such  an  extent  that  very  few  were  executed,  many,  too 
many,  were  pardoned,  and  some  of  the  pardoned  pirates 
were  captured  a  second  time  with  their  former  comrades. 

Some  idea  of  the  desperate  deeds  of  these  marine  high- 
waymen have  been  told  in  former  pages,  but  no  tales  of 
fiction  have  pictured  their  crimes  as  black  as  they  really 
were  in  truth.  At  first  the  reports  greatly  exaggerated 
their  deeds,  and  the  pirates  themselves  played  upon  the 
imaginations  of  their  captives  ;  but  in  course  of  time  they 
practiced  all  sorts  of  cruelty  and  tortured  their  victims 
with  every  possible  circumstance  of  horror  to  make  death 
welcome  to  the  unfortunate  sufferers.  The  reports  of  the 
many  crimes  and  outrages  demonstrate  the  frightful 
growth  of  marine  highway  robbery  and  the  immense  value 
of  the  gallant  services  of  the  United  States  Navy  cannot 
be  exaggerated. 

The  following  rather  minute,  but  most  interesting  ac- 
count of  the  execution  of  a  large  number  of  pirates,  taken 
from  an  old  book  on  "Piracy"  (which  in  turn  copied  the 
story  from  contemporaneous  newspapers)  is  well  worth 
reproducing. 

"Ten  of  the  pirates  captured  by  H.  B.  M.  sloop-of-war 
'Tyne'  were  executed  at  Kingston,  Jamaica,  on  Friday, 
the  7th  of  February,  1823.  About  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
before  day  dawn  the  wretched  culprits    were  taken  from 


64      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

the  jail,  under  a  guard  of  soldiers  from  the  50th  regi- 
ment and  the  City  Guard.  On  their  arrival  at  the  wherry 
wharf,  the  military  retired,  and  the  prisoners,  with  the 
Town  Guard,  were  put  on  board  two  wherries,  in  which 
they  proceeded  to  Port  Royal  Point,  the  usual  place  of 
execution  in  similar  cases. 

"They  were  there  met  by  a  strong  party  of  military, 
consisting  of  50  men,  under  the  command  of  two  com- 
missioned officers.  At  the  word  of  command  the  soldiers 
formed  themselves  into  a  square  around  the  place  of  exe- 
cution, with  the  sheriff  and  his  officers  with  the  prisoners 
in  the  centre.  The  gallows  were  of  considerable  length, 
and  contrived  with  a  drop  so  as  to  prevent  the  unpleasant 
circumstances  which  frequently  occur.  The  unfortunate 
men  had  been  in  continual  prayer  from  the  time  they  were 
awakened  out  of  a  deep  sleep  till  they  arrived  at  that 
place,  where  they  were  to  close  their  existence. 

"They  all  expressed  their  gratitude  for  the  attention 
they  had  met  with  from  the  Sheriff  and  the  inferior 
officers.  Many  pressed  the  hands  of  the  turnkey  to  their 
lips,  others  to  their  hearts,  and,  on  their  knees,  prayed 
that  God,  Jesus  Christ  and  the  Virgin  Mary  would  bless 
him  and  the  other  jailors  for  their  goodness.  They  all 
then  fervently  joined  in  prayer.  To  the  astonishment  of 
all,  no  clerical  character  of  any  persuasion  was  present. 
They  repeatedly  called  out,  'Adonde  esta  el  padre'  (where 
is  the  holy  father  ?)  Juan  Hernandez  called  on  all  persons 
present  to  hear  him — he  was  innocent  ;  what  they  had 
said  about  his  confessing  himself  guilty  was  untrue.  He 
had  admitted  himself  guilty  because  he  hoped  for  pardon, 
but  that  now  he  was  to  die  he  called  God,  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  the  Saints,  to  wit- 
ness that  he  spoke  the  truth — that  he  was  no  pirate,  no 
murderer — he  had  been  forced.  The  lieutenant  of  the 
pirates  was  a  wretch,  who  did  not  fear  God,  and  had  com- 
pelled him  to  act. 

"Juan  Gutterez  and  Francisco  de  Sayas  were  loud  in 
their  protestations  of  innocence.  Manuel  Lima  said,  for 
himself  he  did  not  care  ;  he  felt  for  the  old  man  (Miguel 
Jose).  How  could  he  be  a  pirate  who  could  not  help 
himself  ?     If  it    were    a  Christian    country,  they  would 


\  EBB 1 


5      » 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.   BRADLEE  65 

have  pardoned  him  for  his  gray  hairs.  He  was  innocent 
— they  had  both  been  forced.  Let  none  of  his  friends 
and  relations  ever  venture  to  sea — he  hoped  his  death 
would  be  a  warning  to  them,  that  the  innocent  might  suf- 
fer for  the  guilty.  The  language  of  this  young  man 
marked  him  a  superior  to  the  generality  of  his  companions 
in  misery.  The  seamen  of  the  'Whim'  stated  that  he  was 
very  kind  to  them  when  prisoners  on  board  the  piratical 
vessel.  Just  before  he  was  turned  off  he  addressed  the 
old  man — 'Adios,  viejo,  para  siempre  adios' ! — (Farewell 
old  man,  forever  farewell). 

"Several  of  the  prisoners  cried  out  for  mercy,  pardon, 
pardon.  Domingo  Eucalla,  the  black  man,  then  addressed 
them.  'Do  not  look  for  mercy  here,  but  pray  to  God  ;  we 
are  all  brought  here  to  die.  This  is  not  built  for  nothing; 
here  we  must  end  our  lives.  You  know  I  am  innocent, 
but  I  must  die  the  same  as  you  all.  There  is  not  anyone 
here  who  can  do  us  any  good,  so  let  us  think  only  of  God 
Almighty.  We  are  not  children,  but  men,  you  know  that 
all  must  die  ;  and  in  a  few  years  those  who  kill  us  must 
die,  too.  When  I  was  born,  God  set  the  way  of  my 
death ;  I  do  not  blame  anyone  ;  I  was  taken  by  the 
pirates,  and  they  made  me  help  them ;  they  would  not  let 
me  be  idle. 

"  'I  could  not  show  that  this  was  the  truth,  and  there- 
fore they  have  judged  me  by  the  people  they  have  found 
me  with.  I  am  put  to  death  unjustly,  but  I  blame  no- 
body. It  was  my  misfortune.  Come,  let  us  pray.  If  we 
are  innocent,  so  much  the  less  have  we  to  repent.  I  do 
not  come  here  to  accuse  anyone ;  death  must  come  one 
day  or  another,  better  to  the  innocent  than  to  the  o-uilty.' 

"He  then  joined  in  prayer  with  the  others.  He  seemed 
to  be  much  reverenced  by  his  fellow  prisoners.  He  chose 
those  prayers  he  thought  most  adapted  to  the  occasion. 
Hundreds  were  witnesses  to  the  manly  firmness  of  this 
negro.  Observing  a  bystander  listening  attentively  to  the 
complaints  of  one  of  his  fellow-wretches,  he  translated 
what  had  been  said  into  English.  With  a  steady  pace  and 
a  resolute  and  resigned  countenance,  he  ascended  the 
fatal  scaffold.  Observing  the  executioner  unable  to  untie 
a  knot  on  the  collar  of  one  of  the  prisoners,  he  with  his 


66      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

teeth  undid  it.     He  then  prayed  most  fervently  until  the 
drop  fell. 

"Miguel  Jose  protested  his  innocence — 'No  he  robado, 
no  he  matado  ningune,  muero  innocente'  (I  have  robbed 
no  one,  I  have  killed  no  one,  I  die  innocent.  I  am  an  old 
man,  but  my  family  will  feel  my  disgraceful  death.) 

"Francisco  Miguel  prayed  devoutly,  but  inaudibly.  His 
soul  seemed  to  have  quitted  his  body  before  he  was  exe- 
cuted. Breti  Gullimillit  called  on  all  to  witness  his  in- 
nocence ;  it  was  of  no  use  for  him  to  say  an  untruth,  for 
he  was  going  before  the  face  of  God.  Augustus  Hernan- 
dez repeatedly  declared  his  innocence  ;  requested  that  no 
one  would  say  he  had  made  a  confession;  he  had  none  to 
make. 

"Juan  Hernandez  was  rather  obstinate  when  the  exe- 
cutioner pulled  the  cap  over  his  eyes.  He  said,  rather 
passionately,  'Quita  is  de  mis  ojos' — (Remove  it  from  my 
eyes).  He  then  rubbed  it  up  against  one  of  the  posts  of 
the  gallows.  Miguel  Jose  made  the  same  complaint,  and 
drew  the  covering  from  his  eyes  by  rubbing  his  head 
against  a  fellow  sufferer.  Pedro  Nonde  was  loud  in  his 
ejaculations  for  mercy  and  wept  bitterly.  He  was  covered 
with  the  marks  of  deep  wounds. 

"The  whole  of  the  ten  included  in  the  death  warrant 
having  been  placed  on  the  scaffold,  and  the  ropes  sus- 
pended, the  drop  was  let  down.  Nondre,  being  an  im- 
mensely heavy  man,  broke  the  rope  and  fell  to  the  ground 
alive.  Juan  Hernandez  struggled  long.  Lima  was  much 
convulsed  ;  the  old  man  Gullimillit  and  Miguel  were  ap- 
parently dead  before  the  drop  fell,  and  Eucalla  (the 
negro)  gave  one  convulsion,  and  all  was  over. 

"When  Nondre  recovered  from  the  fall  and  saw  his 
nine  lifeless  companions  stretched  in  death,  he  gave  an 
agonizing  shriek  ;  he  wrung  his  hands,  screamed  'Favor, 
favor,  me  matan  sin  causa.  O !  buenos  Christianos,  me 
amparen,  ampara  me,  ampara  me,  no  hay  Christiano  en 
asta,  tiara?'  (Mercy,  mercy,  they  kill  me  without  cause — 
Oh,  good  Christians,  protect  me,  protect  me,  protect  me. 
Is  there  no  Christian  in  this  land  ?) 

"He  then  lifted  his  eyes  to  Heaven  and  prayed  long 
and  loud.     Upon  being   again    suspended,    he  was  for  a 


BY    FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  67 

long  period  convulsed.  He  was  an  immensely  powerful 
man,  and  died  hard. 

The  ship  "Orleans",  of  Philadelphia,  a  large,  heavily- 
armed  vessel  bound  from  New  York  to  the  West  Indies, 
was  robbed  off  Cape  Antonio,  in  September,  1821,  by  an 
equally  large  piratical  corvette  mounting  at  least  fourteen 
guns.  The  crew  of  the  "Orleans"  offered  but  a  faint 
resistance,  and  were  probably  overawed  by  the  size  of  the 
pirate  and  the  number  of  freebooters  on  her;  many  of  the 
"Orleans''  men  afterwards  joined  the  pirate,  with,  it  was 
said,  but  little  urging.  The  latter  was  commanded  by 
one  Gasparilla,  a  noted  desperado  of  the  blackest  die  ;  his 
headquarters  were  in  the  island  of  Boca  Grande,  on  the 
west  coast  of  Florida ;  this  place  is  now  a  noted  and 
fashionable  winter  resort,  and  one  of  the  small  islands  in 
the  neighborhood  is  named  for  Gasparilla. 

Goods  to  the  value  of  $40,000  were  taken  from  the 
"Orleans"  ;  most  of  the  marauders  appear  to  have  been 
Spaniards  and  Portuguese,  with  a  liberal  sprinkling  of 
negroes.  After  robbing  the  ship,  Gasparilla  wrote,  in 
the  French  language,  a  note  to  a  United  States  naval 
officer,  a  passenger  on  the  "Orleans",  as  follows  : 

"At  Sea,  and  in  Good  Luck. 
"Sir: 

"Between  buccaneers,  no  ceremony ;  I  take  your  dry 
goods,  and,  in  return,  I  send  you  pimento  ;  therefore  we 
are  now  even.     I  entertain  no  resentment. 

"Bid  good  day  to  the  officer  of  the  United  States,  and 
tell  him  that  I  appreciate  the  energy  with  which  he  has 
spoken  of  me  and  my  companions-in-arms.  Nothing  can 
intimidate  us  ;  we  run  the  same  fortune,  and  our  maxim 
is  that  'the  goods  of  this  world  belong  to  the  strong  and 
valiant. 

"The  occupation  of  the  Floridas  is  a  pledge  that  the 
course  1  follow  is  conformable  to  the  policy  pursued  by 
the  United  States. 

(Signed) 

"Richard  Coeur  de  Lion." 

Through  the  kindness  of  Robert  S.  Bradley,  Esq.,  of 
Boston,  president  of  the  Charlotte  Harbor  and  Northern 


68       THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

Railway  Company  of  Florida,  a  most  interesting,  and,  it 
is  believed,  accurate  account  of  the  famous,  or  rather  in- 
famous, Gasparilla,  is  here  reproduced.  It  was  originally 
printed  in  pamphlet  form,  to  be  distributed  among  the 
patrons  of  the  railway  and  the  Boca  Grande  Hotel,  but 
the  story  proved  so  thrilling  that  the  little  brochure  went 
out  of  print  rapidly  and  is  now  quite  rare. 

"This  narrative  was  compiled  by  the  writer  from  inci- 
dents told  by  John  Gomez,  better  known  as  Panther  Key 
John,  a  brother-in-law  of  Gasparilla  and  a  member  of  his 
crew,  who  died  at  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
years,  at  Panther  Key,  Florida,  twelve  miles  below  Marco, 
in  the  year  1900  ;  also  from  records  left  by  John  Gomez, 
Jr.,  the  cabin-boy  on  Gasparilla's  ship,  who  was  kidnapped 
by  Gasparilla,  and  who  witnessed  the  death  of  this  pirate 
and  all  on  board  his  vessel.  He  died  and  was  buried  at 
Palmetto,  Florida,  in  1875,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years. 

"While  it  is  almost  impossible  to  obtain  exact  informa- 
tion concerning  this  outlaw,  owing  to  the  numerous  and 
conflicting  accounts,  the  writer  has  tried  to  put  into  read- 
able form  a  few  of  these  stories  concerning  Gasparilla, 
and  has  only  used  such  accounts  where  two  or  more 
sources  agreed.  However,  it  is  well  to  keep  in  mind  that 
owing  to  the  long  lapse  of  time  between  the  death  of 
Gasparilla  and  the  present  year  nearly  all  old  landmarks 
have  gone." 

"The  Story  of  Gasparilla." 

"The  romantic  age  of  the  Gulf  is  past,  the  days  when 
pirate  bands  preyed  upon  the  peaceful  merchantman,  stole 
his  goods,  and  carried  away  his  women  passengers,  have 
gone,  but  romance  still  holds  sway  in  the  minds  of  each 
of  us,  and  in  the  pirate  Gasparilla  we  find  a  story  that  is 
full  of  the  spice  of  romantic  adventure,  that  abounds 
with  thrills,  and  causes  the  pulse  to  beat  just  a  little  faster 
at  some  daring  exploit,  the  eyes  to  fill  with  water  at  some 
touching  story,  or  the  fists  to  clench  in  the  good  American 
way  at  the  brutal  butcheries  that  authentic  documents 
show  were  committed.  Gasparilla  has  gone,  his  pirate 
gold  lies  hidden  somewhere  on  the  isles  of  Charlotte  har- 
bor, but  the  bleached  bones  of  his  murdered  victims,  with 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  G9 

the  stories  that  have  drifted  down  from  past  generations, 
give  to  the  world  a  synopsis  of  the  life  and  death  of  Gas- 
parilla,  the  terror  of  the  Southern  Seas. 

"His  name  was  Jose  Gaspar  (Gasparilla  meaning  Gas- 
par,  the  outlaw).  He  stood  high  in  the  graces  of  the 
Spanish  Court,  so  high  indeed  that  he  filched  the  crown 
jewels.  Jose  was  also  an  officer  of  high  standing  in  the 
naval  affairs  of  the  Spaniards.  Some  records  give  him 
the  honor  of  being  what  we  would  call  an  admiral.  His 
theft  discovered,  he  deserted  his  wife  and  children,  gath- 
ered together  a  nice  lot  of  cut-throats,  stole  the  prize 
vessel  of  the  Spanish  fleet,  and  escaped.  This  happened 
in  the  year  1782.  A  price  was  declared  upon  his  head, 
and,  it  is  stated,  when  Gasparilla  heard  this  decree,  he 
swore  eternal  vengeance  upon  all  Spaniards  in  general, 
and  commenced  to  destroy  the  commerce  of  Spain. 

"The  Gulf  of  Mexico  at  that  time  being  a  rendezvous 
for  pirate  fleets,  Gaspar  settled  in  Charlotte  Harbor  and 
built  upon  the  shores  of  what  is  now  called  Turtle  Bay 
twelve  houses,  where,  under  guard,  his  female  captives 
were  placed,  all  male  prisoners  being  killed  when  cap- 
tured. The  buildings  were  constructed  of  palmetto  logs, 
and  arranged  in  a  semi-circle  close  to  the  water's  edge. 

"About  one  hundred  yards  further  inland  the  burying 
ground  was  discovered  several  years  ago,  containing  not 
only  the  bones  of  his  men,  but  the  skeletons  of  his  mur- 
dered women  captives.  Many  a  touching  story  has  been 
unearthed  when  the  ghostly  remains  were  uncovered — 
stories  of  great  strong  men  who  died  in  the  fight,  of 
women  who  died  to  save  their  honor,  and  of  nobility  we 
even  find  a  trace,  but  these  are  only  traditions,  and  the 
story  of  'The  Little  Spanish  Princess,'  as  told  by  old 
Panther  Key  John  Gomez,  we  will  relate  later  on. 

"Close  to  Turtle  Bay  lies  the  little  Isle  of  Cayopelean. 
Upon  this  island  stood  a  burial  mound  fifty  feet  high  and 
four  hundred  feet  in  circumference  at  the  base,  built  cen- 
turies earlier,  it  is  thought,  by  the  Mound  Builders  of  a 
prehistoric  race.  Excavations  in  this  mound  have  pro- 
duced ornaments  of  gold  and  silver,  together  with  hun- 
dreds of  human  skeletons.  On  its  summit  Gasparilla 
constructed  an  observation   tower,    where  always  a  grim 


70       THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

sentinel  was  stationed  and  looked  across  the  warm,  smiling 
waters  of  the  Gulf  for  a  victim. 

"The  present  Isle  of  Gasparilla  the  pirate  named  for 
himself.  Taking  the  best  of  everything  when  a  capture 
was  made,  he  chose  the  best  of  the  islands  in  Charlotte 
Harbor  for  his  own  secret  haunts.  It  is  said  that  Jose 
was  saluted  the  King  of  the  Pirates,  and  his  home  on 
Gasparilla  Island  was  regal  in  its  fittings. 

"Some  writers  have  said  that  Gasparilla  joined  Pierre 
LaFitte,  the  famous  French  pirate,  while  others  have 
stated  on  good  authority  that  LaFitte  joined  Gasparilla's 
band,  contributing  a  boat  and  thirty  men. 

"While  taking  the  census  of  1900  two  gentlemen 
stopped  at  Panther  Key  and  spent  the  night  with  John 
Gomez.  The  race  of  the  old  buccaneer  was  nearly  run, 
but  all  through  that  night  he  told  a  story  of  piracy  that 
could  scarce  be  believed,  yet  it  was  a  dying  man  that  was 
clearing  his  soul  before  his  Maker.  He  told  of  the  looting 
of  ships,  the  massacre  of  innocents,  and  last  of  all,  when 
his  life  had  nearly  passed,  he  told  the  story  of  'The  Little 
Spanish  Princess,'  whose  name  he  did  not  remember.  He 
told  where  the  body  would  be  found,  and  a  sketch  was 
prepared  under  his  direction,  and  in  recent  years  in  the 
exact  location  as  described  the  skeleton  of  a  beheaded 
woman  was  found.     This  is  the  story. 

"In  the  early  days  of  the  year  1801  a  princess  of  Spain 
sailed  in  great  state  for  Mexico.  While  in  that  country 
she  was  royally  entertained  by  its  Ruler,  and  to  show  her 
appreciation  to  the  Mexican  people  she  prevailed  upon  the 
nobles  to  allow  her  to  take  eleven  of  Mexico's  fairest 
daughters  away  with  her  to  be  educated  in  Spanish  cus- 
toms. A  treasure  of  much  gold,  bound  in  chests  of  cop- 
per, it  is  said,  was  in  cargo.  When  about  forty  miles  from 
what  is  now  Boca  Grande,  Gasparilla  engaged  them  in 
combat,  killed  the  crew,  took  the  gold,  and  carried  away 
as  captives  the  princess  and  the  eleven  Mexican  girls.  The 
princess  he  kept  for  himself,  the  maids  were  divided 
among  his  men.  The  little  Spanish  princess  spurned  the 
one-time  favorite  of  the  King,  and  Gasparilla  swore  that 
if  she  did  not  return  of  her  own  free  will  the  affections 
lavished  upon  her,  she  would  be  beheaded,  and  the  story 


BY   FKANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  71 

goes  the  threat  of  Gaspar  was  fulfilled.  Far  away  from 
her  native  land,  alone  on  a  tropical  isle,  the  little  princess 
still  lies  in  the  lonely  bed  made  for  her  by  Gasparilla. 
The  night  birds  sing  in  the  dusk  and  lull  her  spirit  to  rest 
in  the  evening,  and  the  moon  throws  kindly  shadows  o'er 
the  spot  where  royalty  sleeps. 

"From  members  of  Gaspar's  crew  many  a  strange  story 
has  drifted  down  concerning  him,  his  traits,  his  ways,  his 
passions.  He  was  polished  in  his  manners  and  a  great 
lover  of  fashionable  clothes  ;  fearless  in  fight,  and  at  all 
times  cruel  in  his  nature.  Concerning  women  he  was  fan- 
atical, and  his  houses  were  always  filled  with  captives. 
It  is  stated  beauty  was  essential  with  him.  He  kept  for 
himself  a  certain  number  of  picked  beauties,  but  so  fickle 
was  his  nature  that  when  an  additional  capture  was  made 
and  a  new  face  appealed  to  him,  one  of  his  old  loves  must 
forfeit  her  life  to  make  room  for  the  new  favorite.  That 
this  was  true  there  is  no  doubt,  as  the  graveyard  of  Gaspa- 
rilla tells  its  own  terrible  story. 

"In  1819  the  United  States,  having  obtained,  under  the 
Louisiana  Purchase  in  1803,*  the  states  bordering  on 
the  Gulf,  made  war  upon  the  robber  bands.  On  Sanibel 
Island  a  conference  was  held  by  all  the  pirates,  and  with 
the  exception  of  Gasparilla,  Baker,  Caesar,  and  old  King 
John,  all  sailed  away,  to  be  heard  of  no  more. 

"Nearly  two  years  later,  the  war  on  piracy  becoming 
too  severe,  Jose  and  his  crew  agreed  to  divide  their 
wealth,  which  was  then  estimated  at  thirty  million  dol- 
lars, to  give  up  piracy,  and  live  as  honest  men  the  rest  of 
their  lives.  This  was  decided  upon  and  plans  made  ac- 
cordingly. 

"In  the  spring  of  1822,  while  getting  together  his 
treasure  for  division,  which  at  that  time  was  hidden  in  six 
separate  hiding  places,  he  cited  what  appeared  to  be  a 
large  English  merchantman  just  off  Boca  Grande  Pass. 
It  is  said  his  greedy  eyes  lit  with  pleasure  at  the  thoughts 
of  just  one  more  victim  ere  his  piratical  days  were  over. 
Closely  following  the  shore-line  of  the   Gulf,   he  slipped 

•Florida  belonged  to  Spain,  therefore  was  not  included  in  the 
Louisiana  Purchase  from  France  in  1803.  It  was  acquired  by  the 
United  States  by  special  treaty  in  1819. 


72       THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

into  Charlotte  Harbor  through  what  is  now  known  as 
Little  Gasparilla  Pass,  crept  around  Gasparilla  Island, 
and  gathered  together  his  crew.  Great  excitement  reigned 
when  the  plans  were  unfolded.  The  band  of  eighty  men 
was  divided  into  two  parts,  he  commanding  thirty-five 
men,  LaFitte  thirty-five,  while  ten  were  left  in  charge  of 
the  camp.  At  about  four  in  the  afternoon  Gasparilla  and 
his  men  dashed  through  the  Boca  Grande  Pass  for  the 
English  prize ;  fast  overtaking  the  fleeing  ship,  the  black 
flag  was  hoisted,  and  his  men  stood  ready  with  the  grap- 
pling hooks,  but  suddenly  the  English  flag  floated  down 
and  the  Stars  and  Stripes  pulled  in  place  ;  in  a  moment 
gnns  were  uncovered  on  deck,  and  Gasparilla,  realizing 
that  he  was  in  a  trap,  turned  to  flee.  His  boat,  disabled 
by  the  shots  from  the  war  vessel  and  capture  staring  him 
in  the  face,  he  wrapped  a  piece  of  anchor  chain  around 
his  waist  and  jumped  into  the  sea.  His  age  at  his  death 
was  about  sixty-five.  His  crew  was  hanged  at  the  yard- 
arms,  with  the  exception  of  the  cabin-boy  and  the  ten  men 
left  in  charge  of  the  captives,  they  having  escaped  to  the 
mainland.  Panther  Key  John  was  in  this  gang.  The 
cabin-boy  was  carried  to  New  Orleans,  where  he  remained 
in  prison  ten  years. 

"LaFitte,  watching  the  battle  from  afar,  turned  and  fled, 
but  the  next  morning  his  boat  was  captured  and  sunk  off 
the  mouth  of  the  Manatee  River.  Whether  he  was  cap- 
tured at  this  point  is  not  known,  as  so  many  conflicting 
stories  arose  concerning  him,  still  it  is  a  positive  fact  that 
he  was  buried  at  New  Orleans. 

"For  thirty  years  the  craft  of  Gasparilla  was  visible 
from  Gasparilla  Island,  lying  five  miles  off  Boca  Grande 
Pass,  but  the  sand  has  now  completely  covered  the 
wreck. 

"The  treasure  of  Gasparilla  still  lies  unmoved.  The 
bones  of  the  bold  buccaneer,  with  his  pirate  ship,  have 
vanished,  but  legends  from  the  fisher-folk  say  that  some- 
times in  the  dead  of  night,  off  Gasparilla  Island,  when 
the  waves  are  singing  a  lullaby  to  the  weary  and  the  wind 
is  whispering  soft  messages  through  the  palmettos,  the 
phantom  fleets  of  the  pirate  crew  arise    from  their  ocean 


£    5 

o 

§  6 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  73 

resting  places  and  pursue,  as  in  days  of  old,  the  ghost 
ships  of  the  merchantmen." 

Among  the  best  known  American  privateers  during  the 
war  of  1812-15  was  the  "America",  owned  by  George 
Crowninshield*  and  Sons,  of  Salem,  Mass.  She  was  the 
fourth  vessel  bearing  that  name  and  belonging  to  the  firm 
since  1783,  and  they  were  all  lucky  and  proBtable  invest- 
ments. The  fourth  "America",  built  for  a  merchantman 
at  Salem  in  1803-04,  by  Retire  Becket,  was  always  noted 
for  her  high  speed,  and  while  a  privateer,  her  unusual 
number  of  captures  and  numerous  escapes  from  British 
cruisers.  She  arrived  in  Salem  from  her  last  cruise  in 
April,  1815,  and  never  again  went  to  sea,  although  she 
was  not  broken  up  until  1831.  In  1818,  however,  a  half 
interest  in  the  "America"  was  sold  for  $4000f  (the  firm 
of  George  Crowninshield  and  Sons  having  been  dissolved 
in  1817),  and  for  a  year  or  two  there  were  persistent  ru- 
mors that  the  United  States  Navy  Department  wished  to 
buy  the  old  privateer  and  make  her  into  a  small  sloop  of 
war.  Her  great  speed  would  have  made  her  useful  in 
chasing  pirates  on  the  West  India  station.  For  some 
reason  or  other,  however,  the  deal  was  never  consum- 
mated, probably  because  the  "America's"  timbers  may 
have  already  shown  signs  of  dry  rot. 

The  photograph  of  the  oldcarronade  inserted  herewith, 
to  show  marine  ordnance  of  one  hundred  years  ago,  is 
taken  from  one  of  the  guns  of  the  old  "America",  owned 
by  Francis  B.  Crowninshield,  Esq.,  of  Marblehead,  Mass., 
and  reproduced  through  his  kindness. 

The  brig  "Aurilla",  of  Gloucester,  Mass.,  bound  from 
Baltimore  to  New  Orleans,  was  boarded  by  two  piratical 
schooners  off  Salt  Key,  May  16th,  1822.  The  pirates 
compelled  the  captain  and  crew  to  go  below,  while  the 
captain  was  examined  in  regard  to  the  cargo  and  money 
on  board.  Having  besmeared  the  windlass  with  the  blood 
of  a  chicken,  the  pirates  ranged  themselves  in  two  lines, 
and  each  member  of  the  "Aurilla's"  crew  was  made  to 
run  the  gauntlet  singly,  and   in  such  manner  as  to  lead 

•George  Crowninshield  was  the  author's  great-great-grandfather. 

tThe   Private   Armed  Ship    "America"    of  Salem,   by   Bowdoin 
Bradlee  Crowninshield:  The  Essex  Institute,  1901. 


74        THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

them  to  think  that  death  awaited  them  at  the  windlass, 
where  the  blood  was  evidence  of  the  fate  of  their  ship- 
mates who  had  preceded  them.  They  thus  secured  about 
$50,000  worth  of  goods  and  money,  but  they  resorted  to 
this  individual  inquisition  in  order  to  ascertain  if  the  cap- 
tain had  informed  them  truly. 

One  of  the  crew  was  found  hidden  below,  and  was 
brought  on  deck.  He  supposed  that  he  was  the  only  sur- 
vivor, and  to  escape  the  gauntlet  he  pretended  that  one  of 
the  passengers,  a  Mr.  Nickoff,  had  stowed  a  box  of  money 
in  the  hold.  Mr.  Nickoff  was  called  again,  and  as  the 
money  could  not  be  found,  he  was  stabbed  in  the  arms 
and  legs,  blindfolded,  and,  with  a  rope  round  his  body, 
was  hoisted  to  the  yard-arm  and  lowered  into  the  sea. 
Still  unable  to  inform  them,  as  he  really  had  no  money, 
he  was  pulled  up  on  deck  and  left  apparently  dead.  He 
aubsequently  recovered.  The  freebooters  confiscated  all 
watches,  clothing,  and  everything  which  could  be  of  any 
use  or  value  to  them.  There  were  a  number  of  slaves, 
male  and  female,  on  the  "Aurilla",  bound  for  the  south- 
ern market  to  be  sold ;  they  were  badly  treated,  but  not 
stolen,  and  this  in  itself  seems  strange,  for  most,  if  not 
all,  the  West  Indian  pirates  were  slavers  also,  running 
cargoes  of  negroes  to  Cuba,  Brazil,  and  less  often  to 
southern  ports  of  the  United  States.  One  of  the  "  Amel- 
ia's" crew  was  a  good  carpenter,  and  he  was  compelled  to 
go  with  the  pirates,  who  released  the  brig  to  resume  her 
voyage  to  New  Orleans. 

The  reader  will  have  doubtless  noticed  a  certain  simi- 
larity in  all  the  various  stories  of  merchant  vessels  attacked 
by  pirates,  and  the  author  takes  the  present  opportunity 
to  say  that  in  order  to  avoid  needless  repetition,  he  has 
purposely  omitted  not  a  few  accounts  of  merchantmen 
waylaid  by  marine  highwaymen  ;  neither  has  he  attempted 
to  arrange  this  little  monograph  in  strictly  chronological 
order.  He  has  reserved  his  limited  space  in  order  to  make 
pleasant  reading  and  to  mention,  as  far  as  possible,  the 
struggles  and  exploits  of  our  navy  in  stamping  out  piracy, 
and  to  record  the  experiences  of  local  (Essex  County, 
Massachusetts,)  craft. 

Nevertheless,  in  order  to    gratify    the    curiosity  of  the 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.    BRADLEE  75 

many  persons  interested  in  the  minutiae  of  history,  a  list 
of  all  ships,  foreign  as  well  as  American,  attacked  by 
pirates  in  the  South  Atlantic  from  1824  to  1832,  will  be 
found  at  the  end  of  the  book.  This  list,  the  result  of 
much  labor  and  trouble,  has  been  compiled  largely  from 
the  files  of  the  New  York  Shipping  and  Commercial  List, 
Essex  (Salem)  Register,  and  last,  but  not  least,  the  Mar- 
blehead  Register,  which,  although  a  small  town  paper, 
fairly  teemed  with  marine  news. 

Salem  was  undoubtedly  stirred  to  its  depths  by  the 
following  story  of  a  piratical  attack  on  one  of  its  fleet 
of  "argosies",  as  printed  with  heavily  leaded  headings 
(only  reserved  for  the  most  important  news  in  those  days) 
in  the  Register  of  Feb.  9th,  1822  : 

''PIRACY!  PIRACY! 

♦'Extract  of  a  letter  from  Capt.  Wm.  Lander,  of  the 
brig  'Washington',  of  this  port  (Salem),  to  his  owner, 
dated 

"Havana,  Jan.  16,  1822. 

"I  arrived  at  Matanzas  in  18  days  from  Salem,  and 
found  the  markets  so  bad,  sailed  for  this  place ;  on  the 
morning  of  the  8th,  at  10  A.  M.,  was  boarded  by  a  small 
pirate  schr.  of  about  ten  tons,  with  ten  men,  armed  with 
muskets,  cutlasses,  pistols,  and  long  knives.  They  drove 
all  the  men  below,  but  one,  whom  they  sent  aloft,  with  a 
threat  that  if  he  saw  any  armed  vessel  in  the  offing  and 
did  not  inform  them,  they  would  blow  his  brains  out. 
They  then  demanded  my  money  ;  I  went  to  my  chest  and 
handed  them  16  dollars,  which  was  all  1  had.  The  head 
robber  threw  that  into  a  small  box,  and  said  he  ,would 
burn  the  brig  if  I  did  not  produce  more.  I  told  him  I 
had  no  more.  They  then  ordered  the  men  on  deck,  and 
compelled  them  to  get  up  bread  and  beef — they  took  5 
bbls.  bread,  5  do.  potatoes,  1  bbl.  shoes,  and  1  bbl.  salt 
beef ;  also  the  bag  with  the  colors,  the  sounding  line,  a 
trumpet,  a  coil  of  spun  yarn,  a  quantity  of  twine,  and  3 
or  4  light  sails.  They  also  took  my  trunk,  with  all  my 
clothing,  two  watches,  a  spyglass,  and  two  blankets,  the 
mate's  clothing,  with  all  the  principal  part  of  the  men's 
clothes,  and  all  the  cooking  utensils,  2  axes,  a  saw,  2 
buckets  and  a  compass." 


76       THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

The  same  paper  reported  that  :  "The  brig  'Dover', 
Sabin,  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  arrived  at  Charleston,  S.  C, 
from  Matanzas,  was  boarded  on  the  16th  ult.,  off  the  Pan 
of  Matanzas,  by  a  boat  from  a  (sugar)  drogher,  which 
came  out  of  Matanzas  the  night  before.  Five  Spaniards, 
armed  with  long  knives,  pistols,  cutlasses,  etc.,  came  on 
board,  and  after  beating  the  captain  and  crew,  drove  them 
below,  robbed  them  of  clothes,  watches,  and  everything 
of  value.  They  were  afterwards  called  up  singly ;  four 
men  with  drawn  knives  stood  over  the  captain  and  threat- 
ened him,  if  he  did  not  give  up  his  money,  that  they 
would  murder  all  hands  and  burn  the  vessel.  They 
then  commenced  plundering  the  brig,  broke  open  the 
hatches,  and  made  the  crew  carry  the  plunder  to  their 
vessel.  They  took  one  compass,  five  bags  of  coffee,  one 
barrel  sugar,  nearly  all  the  provisions,  colors,  rigging, 
cooking  utensils,  and  ordered  them  to  stand  to  the  north- 
ward, or  they  would  return,  kill  all  hands,  and  burn  the 
vessel."  .  .  . 

On  January  7th,  1898,  Capt.  Charles  Endicott,  a  well- 
known  Salem  retired  shipmaster  of  the  old  school,  cele- 
brated his  seventy-fifth  birthday.  To  a  few  friends  who 
assembled  at  his  house  to  do  him  honor,  Capt.  Endicott 
related  the  unenviable  experience  of  his  father,  Capt. 
Aaron  Endicott,  in  1822,  when  he  was  captured  by  pirates 
while  in  command  of  the  brig  "Niagara"  of  Salem,  owned 
by  Joseph  Peabody.  In  passing  it  may  be  well  to  say, 
for  the  benefit  of  the  uninitiated,  that  Mr.  Peabody  was 
one  of  the  largest  of  the  old-time  Salem  (and  in  fact  of 
the  whole  country)  merchants  and  shipowners.  The 
"Niagara"  left  Salem  in  January,  1822,  bound  for  Matan- 
zas, and  before  her  departure  $50,000  in  specie  was  stored 
in  nail  kegs  and  hidden  among  other  kegs  in  the  cargo. 
No  person,  other  than  the  owner  and  commander,  knew 
anything  whatever  of  the  money  being  aboard.  When 
the  brig  was  off  Matanzas  and  making  preparations  to 
beat  in,  a  piratical  schooner  gave  chase,  and  when  the 
"Niagara"  was  in  stays  came  alongside. 

One  hundred  men,  armed  to  the  teeth,  jumped  aboard 
and  drove  the  crew  below.  The  money  was  demanded  of 
Capt.  Endicott,  who  stoutly  denied  having  any  on  board. 


ADMIRAL  FRANCIS   H.   GREGORY 
From  a  photograph  taken  during  the  Civil  War 

From  the  collection  of  F    B.C.  Bradlee 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  77 

The  cabin  boy  was  also  brutally  beaten  and  even  wounded 
with  swords,  but  he  could  give  no  information.  While 
the  pirates  were  searching  for  themselves,  threatening 
that,  if  any  treasure  were  found,  they  would  kill  the  en- 
tire crew,  a  large  ship  hove  in  sight,  and  believing  her  to 
be  a  man-of-war,  the  buccaneers  hastily  took  their  depar- 
ture, but  not  before  they  had  stolen  Capt.  Endicott's  nau- 
tical instruments  and  all  the  clothing  of  his  men.* 

While  they  (the  pirates)  were  on  board  the  "Niagara", 
they  headed  her  for  the  breakers,  intending  to  leave  her 
at  the  last  minute,  and  her  crew  to  their  fate.  As  soon 
as  they  were  gone,  Capt.  Endicott  released  his  crew,  'bout 
ship,  and  was  soon  on  his  course  again  for  the  harbor  of 
Matanzas,  where  he  arrived  in  safety.  There  he  learned 
that  his  capture  had  been  seen  from  the  shore,  but  there 
were  no  means  at  hand  to  assist  him,  and,  quite  likely, 
no  will  either,  for  many  of  the  Spanish  officials  were  in 
league  with  the  pirates.  It  was  clearly  to  be  seen,  said 
Capt.  Endicott,  that  the  freebooters  knew  that  there  was 
treasure  hidden  somewhere  on  the  "Niagara" ;  this  and 
several  other  suspicious  events,  including  the  unsuccess- 
ful attempt  to  plunder  the  steamer  "Robert  Fulton"  (to 
be  mentioned  later),  led  the  "initiated"  to  think  that  the 
pirates  had  agents  in  the  seaport  towns  of  the  United 
States,  who,  by  fair  means  or  foul,  found  out  when  large 
sums  of  money  were  to  be  shipped  in  vessels  bound  to  the 
West  Indies,  South  America,  or  southern  ports  of  this 
country,  and  were  able  to  notify  their  friends  to  be  on 
the  lookout  for  them.  It  was  even  hinted  that  a  certain 
consul  of  one  of  the  South  American  republics  might  not 
be  a  stranger  to  these  schemes.f 

The  "Niagara"  was  loaded  with  sugar  at  Matanzas, 
went  from  there  to  Cronstadt,  Russia,  and  then  returned 
to  Salem,  having  made  a  most  successful  voyage  ;  she 
was  built  on  Mount  Desert  Island,  Maine,  in  1816 ;  meas- 
ured 246  tons  register,  and  was  finally  lost  on  the  Feegee 
Islands,  March  22d,  1831.  Capt.  Aaron  Endicott,  after  a 
prosperous  career,  retired  from  the  sea,  and  died  in  Salem 

•Accounts  of  this  piracy  may  also  be  found  in  the  Salem  Register 
for  Feb.  13th  and  16th,  1822. 

fRecords  of  the  Marblehead  Marine  Insurance  Co. 


78        THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

in  1853,  aged  74  years.  The  attack  on  the  "Niagara" 
was  quickly  followed  by  a  series  of  other  piratical  out- 
rages, reported  as  follows  in  the  columns  of  the  Salem 
Register  : 

"Wednesday,  March  6,  1822. 

"Capt.  Rice,  from  Havana,  informs,  that  a  few  days 
before  sailing  he  was  present  at  the  Regla,  when  5  boats 
were  taken  possession  of  by  the  Police,  said  to  be  pirates. 
Capt.  Miller,  of  the  Jane,  saw  boxes  of  herrings,  of  his 
mark,  taken  from  him  by  one  of  the  boats.  The  boat  he 
knew  to  be  the  one  that  boarded  and  robbed  him.  Another 
man,  name  not  known,  who  had  been  robbed,  saw  his 
under  coat,  but  dare  not  claim  it.  Two  men  were  taken 
the  same  morning,  one  of  them  said  to  be  the  captain  of 
one  of  the  boats." 

"New  York,  Feb.  28. 

"Capt.  Pratt,  from  Matanzas,  informs,  that  a  few  days 
before  he  left  a  piratical  schooner  of  30  or  40  tons,  with 
2  brass  pieces  and  15  men,  had  been  surprised  and  cap- 
tured, three  leagues  to  the  leeward  of  that  place,  by 
troops  dispatched  for  the  purpose  ;  the  captain  and  three 
men  killed,  and  four  taken  prisoners.  She  was  known  to 
belong  to  Havana." 

"March  2,  1822. 

"The  brig  'Leader',  Capt.  Jones,  of  Fair  Haven,  Mass., 
arrived  at  Havana,  from  Teneriffe,  was  boarded  on  the 
6th  of  Feb.  off  the  Moro,  by  a  piratical  boat,  under  the 
English  flag,  with  12  men.  They  plundered  and  stripped 
the  officers  and  crew,  and  a  French  passenger,  of  every- 
thing, and  threatened  to  take  their  lives.  They  even  had 
a  rope  round  the  passenger's  neck,  and  were  going  to  hang 
him,  but  several  vessels  appearing  in  sight,  induced  them 
to  desist.  They  robbed  Mrs.  Jones,  the  captain's  lady,  of 
her  wearing  apparel,  took  the  rings  from  her  fingers,  and 
threatened  to  take  her  on  shore.  They  also  took  part  of 
the  cargo,  the  vessel's  provisions,  stores,  cabin  furniture, 
spars,  rigging,  and  light  sails.  The  pirates  were  all  Span- 
iards but  one,  who  was  a  Frenchman.  They  were  fitted 
out  at  Havana,  and  had  probably  not  been  out  more  than 
12  hours." 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.   BRADLEE  79 

"February  27,  1822. 

"The  U.  S.  Schooner  'Porpoise',  Capt.  Ramage,  arrived 
at  Charleston  on  the  10th,  from  a  cruise.  In  addition  to 
the  information  which  we  already  have  of  the  useful  ser- 
vice rendered  by  this  vessel,  we  learn  that  in  the  course 
of  her  cruise  Capt.  R.  recaptured  the  Schooner  'Charles', 
Glavery,  of  Baltimore,  which  had  been  three  days  in  the 
possession  of  pirates  ;  and  destroyed  in  all  three  piratical 
establishments  on  shore,  and  twelve  vessels,  besides  two 
on  the  stocks.  He  has  brought  into  port  four  pirates. 
Three  others  whom  he  had  captured  he  discharged  for 
want  of  evidence.  On  the  day  preceding  the  arrival  of 
the  'Porpoise',  arrived  the  piratical  schooner  'El  Bravo', 
Midshipman  Blanchard,  a  prize  to  the  'Porpoise'. 

On  the  10th  also  arrived  at  Charleston  the  U.  S. 
Schooner  'Revenge',  Sailing  Master  R.  I.  Cox,  from  a 
cruise  to  the  southward.  On  Saturday,  the  2d  instant, 
called  off  St.  Augustine ;  landed  Gen.  Scott  and  Col. 
Archer,  from  St.  Mary's." 

"March  6,  1822. 
"More  Piracy". 

"Extract  of  a  letter  from  Capt.  Rufus  Frink,  of  the 
schooner  'Shepherdess',  dated  Havana,  Feb.  2,  to  his 
owner  in  Warren,  R.  I.  : 

"I  arrived  at  Matanzas  on  the  29th  ult.,  but  finding  the 
markets  extremely  unfavorable,  I  thought  it  would  be 
most  for  the  interest  of  the  voyage  to  proceed  to  Havana, 
for  which  place  1  accordingly  sailed  on  the  31st  ult.,  at  4 
o'clock  P.  M.,  with  a  fine  breeze.  At  about  2  o'clock  A. 
M.  I  discovered  a  boat  in  shore  of  me  standing  to  the 
eastward,  and  was  apprehensive  that  it  was  a  pirate. 
Thinking  to  avail  myself  of  the  assistance  and  protection 
of  the  steamboat,  then  in  sight,  I  continued  my  course. 
The  steamboat  more  rapidly  approached,  and  the  pirates 
being  nearly  abreast  of  me,  it  being  now  8  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  I  made  signs  to  the  steamboat  for  assistance. 
The  pirates,  thinking  probably  that  they  would  not  have 
time  to  effect  their  object  before  she  came  up,  hauled  their 
wind  in  shore  ;  not  so  far,  however,  but  that  the  steamboat 
passed  them  within  half  pistol  shot,    without  taking  the 


80        THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

least  notice  of  them.  She  also  passed  by  us,  totally  re- 
gardless of  our  signal  of  distress  and  the  maneuvering  of 
the  pirates,  whose  object  she  could  not  possibly  have  mis- 
taken. A  calm  now  succeeding,  the  steamboat  was  soon 
out  of  sight.  Being  thus  abandoned,  and  in  a  defence- 
less situation,  the  only  alternative  that  remained  was  to 
secrete  my  most  valuable  property  and  resign  myself  to 
their  barbarity.  The  pirates  now  returned  and  boarded 
us.  After  having  secured  the  mate  and  crew,  beating 
them  at  the  same  time  most  inhumanly  with  swords  and 
cutlasses,  they  ordered  me  into  the  cabin  and  demanded 
my  money  or  my  life,  attempting  at  the  same  time  to  cut 
my  throat.  I  then  surrendered  up  to  them  about  60  dol- 
lars ;  but  this  only  increased  their  savage  ferocity  to  ob- 
tain more,  and  threatened  to  murder  me  and  burn  my 
vessel  instantly,  unless  I  gave  up  all  I  had.  But  as  I  per- 
sisted in  saying  that  it  was  all  I  had  by  me,  they  ceased 
beating  me  for  a  moment,  and  commenced  a  general  pil- 
lage of  the  cabin,  and  after  rifling  it  of  everything  to  the 
amount  of  a  rial,  they  ordered  me  on  deck  and  com- 
menced beating  me  again  with  increased  barbarity.  Be- 
ing nearly  exhausted  in  consequence  of  their  inhuman 
cruelty,  they  ordered  me  to  rig  a  rope  to  hang  me  with, 
and  threatened  to  put  it  into  execution  instantly  unless  I 
gave  them  more  money.  At  this  moment  I  cast  my  eyes 
towards  the  stern  of  my  vessel  and  saw  that  she  was  on 
fire.  They  immediately  charged  me  with  having  kindled 
it,  and  began  to  beat  me  again  most  unmercifully.  They, 
however,  extinguished  the  fire  before  it  had  arrived  to  a 
dangerous  extent. 

"Seeing  there  was  no  chance  for  my  life  unless  I  made  a 
total  surrender  of  all  my  property,  I  entreated  them  to 
spare  my  life  and  I  would  give  them  more  money.  After 
having  surrendered  up  all  I  had,  they  insisted  on  more, 
and  again  commenced  the  savage  work  of  beating  me,  and 
finally  forced  me  overboard.  They  then  cast  loose  the 
stern  boat  and  let  her  go  adrift.  I  was  not  so  far  ex- 
hausted but  that  I  was  able  to  recover  the  vessel. 

{To  be  continued.} 


GROVELAND  CHURCH  RECORDS. 


Admissions. 

William  Balch,  from  First  Church,   Beverly,    John  Pem- 

berton  from  Haverhill,  and  Ezra  Rolf  from  Newbury, 

June  7,  1727. 
Martha,    wife  of  John  Pemberton,   from  Haverhill,  July 

28,  1727. 
Eliezer  Burbank  and  Lydia,  his  wife,  from  Bradford,  Feb. 

2,  1729. 
Sarah,  wife  of  John  Hopkinson,  from  Bradford,  Jan.  31, 

1732. 
Ruth    Kimball,    wife    of  Joseph   Hardy,    from  Bradford, 

Mar.  24,  1732. 
Caleb  Burbank,  from  Byfield,  Mar.  24,  1732. 
Dr.  Ezekiel  Chase,  from  Newbury,  Nov.  30,  1733. 
Priscilla,  wife  of  Dr.  Ezekiel  Chase,  from   Groton,  Nov. 

30,  1733. 
Miriam  Bailey,  wife  of  Moses  Tyler,  from  Chester,  N.  H., 

Dec.  8,  1734. 
Thomas  Merrill  and  wife  Abigail,  from   Salisbury,   June 

11,  1736. 
John  Eliot,  from  Wenham,  Jan.  27,  1739. 
Lydia,  wife  of  Jonathan  Tenney,  from  Bradford,  Jan.  18, 

1740. 
Susannah,  wife  of  Samuel  Stickney,  from  Second  Church, 

Haverhill,  Apr.  17,  1743. 
Dorothy,  wife  of  Thomas  Stickney,  from  Lexington,  Aug 

7,  1747. 
Susannah,   wife   of  Joseph  Hardy,    from    Salem,  N.  H., 

Nov.  3,  1765. 
James  Palmer,  Jr.,  and  wife  Mary,  from  Narragansett  No. 

1,  June  4,  1769. 
Anna  Chase,  wife  of  William  Bailey,  from  Second  Church, 

Newbury,  Jan.  15,  1775. 
Ebenezer  Dutch,  from  First   Church,  Ipswich,    Nov.  14, 

1779. 
Nathaniel  Mitchell  and  wife  Abigail,  from  Dracut,  1783. 
Ruth,  wife  of  Nathaniel  Parker,  from  First  Church,  New- 
bury port,  Apr.,  1784. 

(81) 


82  GROVELAND   CHURCH   RECORDS 

Thomas  Morse  and  wife  Rebecca,  from  Pembroke,  N.  H., 

Mar.,  1791. 
Phineas  Carlton,  from  Bradford,  May  1,  1792. 
Pbebe  Eaton,  wife  Ebenezer  Dutch,  from    West  Church, 

Haverhill,  May  2,  1800. 

Dismissions. 

Stephen  Merrill  and  wife  Abiah,  to   Methuen,  Mar.  29, 

1731. 
Francis  Wooster  and  wife  Abigail,    to  Sandwich,  N.  H., 

Oct.  24,  1731. 
Hannah  Stuart,    Elizabeth  Stuart   and    Sarah  Palmer,  to 

,  Jan.  31,  1732. 

Dorothy,  wife  of  Nathaniel  Kimball,  to  Bradford,  June 

1,  1732. 
Ednah,  wife  of  Jonathan  Griffin,    to  Newbury,  June  12, 

1732. 
Jane,  wife  of  John  Harriman,  to  Second  Church,  Rowley, 

Dec.  20,  1732. 
Jerusha,    wife  of  Richard  Boynton,    to    Second  Church, 

Rowley,  Dec.  20,  1732. 
Margaret,    wife  of  Benjamin    George,  to  Third  Church, 

Newbury,  Jan.  3,  1734. 
Jonathan  Stickney,    to    First   Church,  Bradford,  Jan.  6, 

1734. 
William  Wooster,  to  Newbury,  Jan.  13,  1734. 
Sarah,  wife  of  Thomas  Bryant,  to  Reading,  Dec.  2,  1737. 
Hannah,  wife  of  Samuel  Smith,  to  Suncook,  N.  H.,  May 

3,  1738. 
Eliezer  Burbank  and  wife  Mercie,  to  Tewksbury,  May  27, 

1738. 
Elizabeth,  wife  of  Jonathan  Russell,  to  Tewksbury,  June 

24,  1739. 
Benjamin  Wooster,  to  First  Church,  Haverhill,  Sept.  4, 

1740. 
Mary,  wife  of  Daniel  Dresser,  to  Second  Church,  Rowley, 

Jan.  20,  1741. 
Mehitable,  wife  of  Seth  Jewett,  to  Tewksbury,   June  21, 

1741. 
Dr.  Ezekiel  Chase   and   wife   Priscilla,    to    Nottingham, 
N.  H.,  Nov.  1,  1741. 


GROVELAND   CHURCH   RECORDS  83 

Bethiah,  wife  of  William  Hutchins,   to  Harvard,  Mar.  28, 

1742. 
Eunice  Foster,  to  Grafton,  Aug.  28,  1743. 
Samuel  Jewett  and  wife  Ruth,  to  Nottingham,  N.  H.,  June 

10,  1744. 
Mary,  wife  of  Moses  Wooster,  Jr.,    to   Tewksbury,  June 

10,  1744. 
Edward  Bailey  and  wife  Elizabeth,  to  Spicket  (Methuen), 

July  8, 1744. 
James  Jewett,  to  Nottingham,  Sept.  8,  1745. 
Judith   Watson,  to  Kensington,  N.  H.,  Oct.  7,  1745. 
Eliezer  Burbank  and  wife  Lydia,  to  Second  Church,  Row- 
ley, Dec.  14,  1  745. 
Mary,  wife  of  Joshua  Warner,  to  Harvard,  Jan.  12,  1746. 
Hannah,  wife  of  Thomas  Lull,  to  Byfield,  Feb.  2,  1746. 
Samuel  Huchins  and  wife  Mercie,  to  Chelmsford,  Feb.  23, 

1746. 
Dorothy  Lacy,  to  West  Church,  Boxford,  June  21,  1747. 
Daniel  Burbank,  to  Sutton,  Apr.  17,  1748. 
Abigail,  wife  of  Thomas  Merrill,  to  Second  Church,  Row- 
ley, 1750. 
Phebe  Dow,  to  South  Hampton,  N.  H.,  July  3,  1751. 
Rebecca,    wife    of    John  Tucker,    to   Hampstead,  Caleb 

Burbank  to  Byfield,  . 

Jonathan  Hopkinson  and  wife  Margaret,  to  Bradford,  June 

21,  1752. 
Bridget,  widow  of  John  Pemberton,   to  Tewksbury,  Oct. 

1,  1753. 
Sarah,  wife  of  Benjamin  Scott,  to  Tolland,  Oct.  15,  1753. 
Thomas  Hardy  and  wife  Anna,  to  Woburn,  June  29,  1755. 
Samuel  Burbank  and  wife  Eunice,  to  Nottingham,  July 

29,  1755. 
Mary,  wife  of  Daniel  Barker,  to  Byfield,  Jan.  5,  1758. 
Margaret,  wife  of  Jacob  Hills,  to  Chester,  N.  H.,  Jan.  15, 

1758. 

Martha,  wife  of  Benjamin  Pettingell,  to  Plaistow, . 

Ebenezer  Curtis  and  wife  Elizabeth,  to  Boxford,  May  4' 

1759. 
Lydia,  wife    of  John   Wood  well,  to  South    Church,  An- 

dover,  Apr.  1, 1760. 
Bethiah  Procter,  to  Chelmsford,  Nov.  16,  1761. 


84  GROVELAND   CHURCH   RECORDS 

Mary,  wife    of  Daniel  Spofford,    to   Townsend,  Jan.  24y 

1762. 
Ruth,  wife   of  Dea.  John  Boynton,    and    Lydia,  wife  of 

John  Boynton,  2d,  to  Hollis,  N.  H.,  Feb.  22,  1762. 
Ebenezer  Bailey  and  wife  Sarah  and  Jeremiah  Bailey,  to 

West  Church,  Haverhill,  May  2,  1762. 
John  Goss  and  wife  Mehitable,  to  Haverhill,  Nov.  2, 1762. 
Mary,  wife  of  William    Pillsbury,    to    Byfield,    May  20, 

1763. 
John  Hopkinson,  John  Hopkinson,  Jr.,  and  wife  Rebecca, 

to  Narragansett  No.  1,  Mar.  23,  1764. 
Nathaniel  Jewett   and   wife    Susanna,    to    Hollis,  N.  H., 

Mar.  23,  1764. 
Mary  Jewett,  to  Hollis,  N.  H.,  Nov.  2,  1764. 
Nathan  Bailey  and  wife  Mary,  to  South  Church,  Andover, 

Nov.  7,  1764. 
Edmund  Hardy  and  wife  Ruth,  to  Pelham,  N.  H.,  Oct.  1, 

1765. 
Thomas  Hardy  and  wife  Lydia,  to  Westford,  Oct.  2,  1766. 
Philip  Hardy  and  wife  Lydia,  to  Pelham,  N.  H.,  Sept.  29, 

1766. 
Moses  Hardy,  Jr.,  and  wife  Miriam,  to  Dunstable,  Sept. 

3,  1769. 
Job  Hardy  and  wife  Hannah,  to  Pelham,  N.  H.,  June  21, 

1770. 
Jeremiah  Eames  and  wife  Jane,  to  Hollis,  N,  H.,  Sept.  22, 

1771. 
John  Elliot  and  wife  Sarah,    to    Mason,  N.  H.,  Aug.  23, 

1772. 
Joshua  Attwood  and  wife  Mehitable,    to    Pelham,  N.  H., 

June  21,  1773. 
Samuel  Bailey,  and  Eliner,    wife    of  John  Webb,  to  the 

South  Church,  Andover,  Oct.  21,  1776. 
Daniel  Tenney  and  wife  Joanna,  to  Derry,  N.  H.,  Nov.  22, 

1784. 
James  Palmer,  Jr.,  and  wife  Mary,  to  Derry,  N.  H.,  May 

14,  1787. 
Job  Bailey  and  wife  Mehitable,  to  Wilton,  N.  H.,  May  10, 

1795. 


NEWBURY   CHURCH   RECORDS  85 

Eliphalet  Hardv  and   wife  Mehitable,   to  Pelham,  N.  H., 

Aug.  1,  1799. 
Judith,  wife   of  Ephraim   Weston,   to   Haverhill,    N.  H., 

Nov.  22,  1799. 
Daniel  Hardy  and  wife  Sarah,    to  Pelham,  N.  H.,  Oct.  2, 

1800. 


NEWBURY  CHURCH  RECORDS. 


Admissions  to  the  Third  Church  (now  the 
Unitarian). 


Abigail,  wife  of  John  Kent,  Jr.  (Abigail,  wife  of  John 
Stickney,  since  the  wife  of  Capt.  Johnson,  since  the 
wife  of  Joseph  Swasey);  Elizabeth  Anderton  ;  Mar- 
tha Toppan,  widow,  since  the  wife  of  Jonathan 
Woodman  ;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Josiah  Bartlet ;  Pru- 
dence, wife  of  Jonathan  Dole ;  all  from  Second 
Church,  Newbury. 

Thomas  Atkinson  and  wife  Mary,  from  Hampton  Falls, 
Mar.,  1726. 

Hannah,  wife  of  Col.  Richard  Kent,  from  Charlestown, 
June  5,  1726. 

Leonard  Cotton  and  wife,  from  Hampton  Falls,  July  3, 
1726. 

Hannah,  wife  of  John  Tucker,  from  Charlestown,  July  3, 
1726. 

Ann,  wife  of  William  Titcomb ;  Judith,  wife  of  Thomas 
Moody ;  Martha,  wife  of  Capt.  William  Johnson ; 
Deborah,  wife  Eleazer  Hudson,  since  Stevens ;  Jo- 
anna, wife  of  Capt.  Michael  Hodge  ;  Sarah,  wife  of 
Benjamin  Woodbridge,  widow  Mary  Somerby  ;  Jane, 
wife  of  Dea.  Abiel  Somerby  ;  Esther,  wife  of  Abra- 
ham Toppan ;  Mary,  wife  of  Benajah  Titcomb,  Jr.; 
Abigail,  wife  of  Joshua  Beck ;  Ann,  wife  of  Joseph 
Titcomb ;  Ann,  wife  of  William  Salmon  ;  Mary,  wife 


86  NEWBURY   CHURCH   RECORDS 

of  Joseph  Poor ;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Edward  Poor ; 
Hannah,  wife  of  Peter  Godfrey  ;  Sarah,  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Moulton ;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Joseph  Morse ; 
Sarah  Titcomb  ;  Apphia,  wife  of  William  Titcomb, 
Jr.,  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Mr.  Anderton ;  Hannah,  wife 
of  Ambrose  Berry ;  Abigail  Woodman  ;  Mary  Tit- 
comb, since  wife  of  Jeremiah  Pierson,  all  from  First 
Church,  Newbury,  Aug.  7,  1726. 

Mary,  wife  of  Samuel  Kenney,  from  Second  Church, 
Newbury,  Oct.  2,  1726. 

Elizabeth  Pillsbury,  wife  of  Henry,  from  Salisbury,  Mar. 
5,  1726-27. 

Abigail,  wife   of  Benjamin  Greenleaf,    from  Boston,  Oct. 

1,  1727. 

Stephen  Swett,  Jr.,  Widow  Rachel  Poor,  Widow  Rachel 
Brown,  Widow  Rebecca  Smith,  Rachel  Brown,  Jr., 
from  First  Church,  Newbury,  Oct.  1,  1727. 

Isaac  Ilsley  and  Abigail,  his  wife,  from  First  Church, 
Newbury,  June  1,  1728. 

John  Worster  and  Daniel  Worster,    from  Bradford,  June 

2,  1728. 

Edward  Emerson,  from  Chelmsford,  Aug.  3,  1728. 

Ann,  wife  of  Joseph  Stevens,  from  Boston,  Dec.  1,  1728. 

William  Moulton,  from  Second  Church,  Newbury,  May  4, 

1729. 
Miriam,  wife  of  Moses  Titcomb,  from  Amesbury,  Apr.  5, 

1730. 
Sarah,  wife   of  Ambrose    Berry,    and    Elizabeth,  wife  of 

Isaac  Hall,   from   First    Church,    Newbury,  Nov.  1, 

1730. 
Elizabeth,  wife  of  Mr.  Rich,  from  First  Church,  Newbury, 

Oct.  3,  1731. 
Lydia,  wife  of  John  Decker,  from  Salisbury,  Oct.  3,  1731. 
Mary,  wife  of  Peter  Godfrey,  and  Hannah,  wife  of  John 

Kent,  from  Amesbury,  Aug.  6,  1732. 
Jonathan  Griffin,    from    Second    Church,    Newbury,  and 

Edna,  his  wife,  from  Bradford,  Aug.  6,  1732. 
Wife  of  Samuel  Greenleaf,  from  First  Church,  Newbury, 

Nov.  5,  1732. 
Elizabeth,  wife  of  William  Dunn,    from    Boston,  Jan.  6, 

1733-34. 


NEWBURY   CHURCH    RECORDS  87 

Margaret,  wife  of  Beujamin  George,  from  Second  Church, 

Bradford,  Feb.  3,  1733-34. 
Millee,  wife  of  Enoch  Poor,  from  First  Church,  Newbury, 

May  5,  1734. 
Mary,  wife  of  Benjamin  Sweet,  from  First  Church,  New- 
bury, Aug.  4,  1734. 
Sarah,  wife  of  Henry  Lunt,  from  First  Church,  Newbury, 

Oct.  6,  1734. 
John  Brown,  from  First  Church,  Newbury,  Nov.  3,  1734. 
Gideon  Tirrell,  once  of  the  Church  of  England,    then  of 

Weymouth,  then  Salisbury,  Sept.  7,  1735. 
Philip  Coombs,  from  Kittery,  Feb.  1,  1735-36. 
Daniel  Coffin  and  wife  Rebecca,  from  First  Church,  New- 
bury, Dec.  5,  1736. 
Elizabeth,    wife    of    Samuel    Todd,    from    First  Church, 

Newbury,  Mar.  6,  1736-37. 
Nathaniel  Carter,  from  New  North  Church,  Boston,  June 

5,  1737. 
Nathaniel  Brown,  from  Salisbury,  Feb.  5,  1737-38. 
Abigail,  wife  of  John  Sticknev,   from  Hampton,  July  2, 

1738. 
Thomas  Savage,  from  First  Church,  Boston,  Aug.  6, 1738. 
Capt.  Edmund  Greenleaf  and   wife,  from   First  Church, 

Newbury,  Nov.  5,  1738. 
Mary,  wife  of  Jonathan    Satchel],  from  Second  Church, 

Gloucester,  July  6,  1740. 
Hannah,  wife  of  Enoch  Plummer,   from  Kittery,  Nov.  2, 

1740. 
Benjamin  Woodman,  from  Byfield,  Sept.  6,  1741. 
William  Noyes,  from  Braintree,  Oct.  4,  1741. 
Hannah,  wife  of  Nathaniel  Little,  from  Rowley,  June  6, 

1742. 
Wife  of  William  Cooch,   from    First    Church,  Newbury, 

July  3,  1743. 
Joshua    Moodey,    Samuel    Plumer  and    wife,  from  First 

Church,  Newbury,  Feb.  5, 1743-44. 
Thomas  Merrill  and  wife  Sarah,  from    Salisbury,  Feb.  5, 

1743-44. 
Joseph  Coffin    and    wife    Abigail,    from    the  New  North 

Church,  Boston,  Apr.  1,  1744. 
Nathaniel  Forster,  from  Ipswich,  May  3,  1744. 


88  NEWBURY   CHURCH    RECORDS 

Sarah,  wife  of  Joseph  Lunt,  from  Andover,  Sept.  2, 1744. 
Ann,  wife  of  Abel  Merrill,  from  Amesbury,  Nov.  4, 1744. 
Richard  Greenough,  from  Second  Church,  Newbury,  Jan. 

5,  1745-46. 
Dr.  John  Newman  and   wife   Elizabeth,   from  Hampton, 

May  3,  1747. 
William  Harvey,  from  Amesbury,  Apr.  7,  1751. 
Judith,  wife  of  William  Harvey,  from  Amesbury,  June, 

1751. 
Joseph  Frothingham  and  wife,  from  Charlestown,  Oct.  6, 

1754. 
Mary,  wife  of  Jeremiah  Wheelwright,   from   Gloucester, 

Aug.  3,  1755. 
Sarah,   wife  of  Matthew  Pettingell,   from   West   Parish, 

Haverhill,  June  8,  1766. 
Thomas  Cary,  from  First  Parish,  Haverhill,  May  11,  1768. 
Theophilus  Bradbury  and  wife,  from  Portland,  Sept.  23, 

1788. 
John  Andrews,  from  Cambridge,  Nov.  30,  1788. 
Sally,  wife  of  Seth  Sweetser,  from  Charlestown,    June  7, 

1801. 
Oliver  Prescott  and  wife  Anne,  from  Groton,  Jan.,  1816. 


Dismissions    from    the    Third    Church    (now   the 
Unitarian),  Newburyport. 

Benjamin  Bradstreet,  to  Gloucester,  June,  1728. 
Lydia,  wife  of  Evans  Jones,  to  Methuen,  June  7,  1731. 
John  Moodey,  to  Newmarket,  bet.  1726  and  1728. 
Joseph  Bayley  to  Falmouth,   bet.  1726  and  1728. 
Deborah  Hudson,  afterwards  wife   of  Joseph   Bayley,  to 

Falmouth,  bet.  1726  and  1728. 
Dorothy  Rolf,  afterwards  wife  of  Tristram  Greenleaf,  to 

Second  Church,  Newbury,  bet.  1726  and  1728. 
Sarah,  wife  of  Benjamin  Bradstreet,  to  Gloucester,  1728. 
Moses  Pierson,  to  Falmouth,  bet.  1728  and  1732. 
Gideon  and  wife  Abigail  Bartlet,  to  Newton,  N.  H.,  bet. 

1728  and  1732. 
Mary,  wife  of  John  Worster,  to  B oxford,  1732. 


NEWBURY   CHURCH   RECORDS  89 

Hannah  Goodridge,  afterwards  wife  of  Jonathan  Sibley, 
to  Stratham,  David  Stevens  to  North  Yarmouth, 
Jonathan  Sibley  to  Stratham,  all  between  1732  and 
1739. 

Mary  Swain,  to  Reading,  Oct.  1,  1739. 

.Jane  Fowler  and  Mary  Davis,  to  Amesbury,  abt.  1739. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  Daniel  Chase,  to  Rumford,  Jan., 
1737-38. 

Nicholas  Webster  to  Pembroke,  Jonathan  Morse  to  Fal- 
mouth ;  Sarah,  wife  of  Philip  Hodgkins,  to  Falmouth; 
George  Knight  and  wife  Judith,  to  Falmouth;  An- 
drew Croswell,  to  Groton,  Conn.;  Joseph  Harradin 
and  wife  Joanna,  to  Gloucester ;  Hannah,  wife  of 
Samuel  Allen,  to  Manchester ;  Moses  Stockman,  to 
Salisbury;  Anna  and  Eleanor  Putnam,  to  Tewks- 
bury ;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  David  Bayley,  to  Tewks- 
bury ;  Abigail,  wife  of  James  Viscount,  to  New 
North  Church,  Boston ;  Jonathan  and  David  Bayley, 
to  Tewksbury  ;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Moses  Samborne, 
to  Hampton  Falls  ;  Widow  Priscilla  Perkins,  to  Row- 
ley, all  bet.  1740  and  1790. 

Gideon  Tirrell  and  wife,  to  Kingston,  Dec.  4,  1740. 

Stephen  Swett,  Jr.,  to  Salisbury,  Apr.,  1754. 

Isaac  Ilsley  and  wife  Abigail,  to  Falmouth  ;  John  Wors- 
ter,  to  Boxford,  and  Experience  Bayley,  widow,  to 
Tewksbury,  bet.  1740  and  1754. 

John  Kent,  Jr.,  to  Canterbury,  N.  H.,  Feb.,  1792. 


OLD  NORFOLK  COUNTY  RECORDS. 


(Continued  from    Volume  LVII1,  page  $440 


Edward  ffox  of  Hampton,  planter,  in  consideration  of  a 
gunn  and  certain  fencing,  conveys  to  Nath11  Boulter  of 
same  town,  yeoman,  about  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of 
land  in  Hampton,  formerly  granted  to  Jn°  Garland  of 
Hampton,  and  by  him  sold  to  me,  the  sd.  ffox,  at  a  place 
called  Hampton  new  plantation,  according  to  ye  town's 
grant,  as  it  shall  hereafter  be  layd  out  to  ye  sd  Boulter. 
Jan.  6,  1677.  Wit:  Henry  Dow  and  Nath'1  Weare.  Ack. 
by  Edward  [his  O  mark]  ffox,  April  1,  1678,  before  Sam11 
Dalton,  commissioner. 

Georg  Goldwyer  of  Salisbury,  yeoman,  and  wife  Mar- 
tha, for  six  and  forty  pounds  sterling,  convey  to  Peter 
Coffyn  of  Cochequo  in  Pascataqua  river,  in  ye  county  of 
Dover  and  Portsmouth,  about  six  score  acres  of  land,  with 
all  ye  wood,  trees  and  timber  thereupon,  being  all  my 
great  division  of  upland,  lying  above  ye  mill,  between  ye 
lots  of  Edward  ffrench,  late  of  Salisbury,  deceased,  and 
ye  widdow  Willix,  now  in  possession  of  Joseph  ffrench. 
May  11,  1678.  Wit:  Tho  :  Bradbury  and  Phillip  Grele. 
Ack.  by  Georg  [his  O  mark]  Goldwyer,  May  16,  1678, 
before  Jo  :  Woodbridg,  commissioner. 

Georg  Goldwyer  of  Salisbury,  yeoman,  for  a  bill  of 
thirty-one  pounds  sterling,  and  also  forty  pound  more  in 
other  good  pay,  conveys  to  Peter  Coffyne  of  Cochecho, 
upon  ye  river  of  Pascatoquack,  in  ye  county  of  Dover  and 
Portsmouth,  marcht,  oue  full  and  compleat  halfe  part  of 
my  planting  lott  (ye  whole  lott  being  about  twenty  acres) 
lying  next  to  Mr.  Wocester's  planting  lott;  also  one  halfe 
part  of  my  great  meadow  lott  at  little  river  (ye  whole 
lott  being  sixteen  acres,  as  by  records  doth  appeare),  ye 
sd  lands  being  in  Salisbury,  originally  belonging  to  Mr. 
Sam11  Dudley,  as  by  grant  of  ye  sd  towne  doth  appeare, 
Peter  Coffyn  to  have  sd  lands  ymeadiately  after  my  de- 
cease, not  any  part  before.     May    4,    1678.     Wit:    Tho: 

(90) 


OLD  NORFOLK  COUNTY  RECORDS  91 

Bradbury  and  Phillip  Grele.  Ack.  by  George  [his  O 
mark]  Goldwyer,  his  wife  consenting  thereto,  May  16, 
1678,  before  Jo  :  Woodbridg,  commissioner. 

In  consideration  of  the  release  of  a  contract  and  inter- 
est therein,  by  Sam11  Colby  of  Arnesbury,  concerning  the 
exchange  of  a  frame  for  a  barn  and  land  upon  which  it 
stood  in  Amesbury,  being  betwixt  the  dwelling  houses  of 
said  Colby  and  Thos.  Wells  of  Amesbury.  The  said 
Wells  and  Mary  his  wife  release  to  said  Colby  all  interest 
in  another  frame  primarily  built  for  a  barn  which  I  re- 
ceived from  Colby  in  exchange  for  premises  lately  erected 
upon  my  land  in  that  part  commonly  called  Veanes  lott, 
and  do  convey  to  said  Coleby  thirty  rods  of  ground  in 
Amesbury  at  the  lower  end  of  said  lot,  running  not  far 
from  Wells  front  gate  by  the  side  of  Mr.  Wells  little  old 
house  from  the  fence  as  it  now  stands,  giving  said  Colby 
leave  to  remove  any  building,  fencing,  hay,  dung,  corne, 
or  other  materials  or  utensils  which  are  at  present  upon 
the  bargained  premises.  May  14,  1678.  Wit  :  Sam11 
Wood,  Jno.  Wood.  Ack.  by  Mr.  Tho.  Wells,  May  16, 
1678,  before  Sam11  Dalton,  commissioner. 

William  Barnes  of  Amesbury,  carpenter,  and  wife 
Rachel,  conveyed  to  James  ffreeze  of  same  town,  about 
thirty  acres  upland  in  Amesbury,  with  all  timber,  etc., 
thereto  belonging,  west  of  Coblers  brook,  near  a  place 
called  Jamayca,  bounded  by  land  of  Jno.  Hoyts,  jun.,  by 
Willi.  Osgood,  sen.,  and  by  Nathan  Gold.  Dec.  16,  1670. 
Wit :  Richard  Currier  and  Tho:  Currier.  Ack.  by  Wil- 
liam [his  T  mark]  Barnes,  May  6,  1678.  before  Sam11  Dal- 
ton, commissioner. 

Thomas  Marston  of  Hampton,  yeoman,  for  twenty 
pounds,  conveyed  to  his  sone  John  Marston  of  same  town, 
about  six  acres  upland  in  Hampton,  as  it  is  layd  out,  with 
an  addition  of  swamp  at  south  end,  being  about  three 
acres,  as  it  was  layd  out,  also  in  Hampton,  butting  upon 
land  some  time  of  John  Browne,  upon  John  Smith  and 
Jeames  Hobbs  or  Morris  Hobbs.  Only  reserving  unto  my 
owne  use  two  acres  of  sd  upland  during  ye  terme  of  my 
life  if  I  shall  have  occasion  to  use  it  for  planting,  and  ye 
priviledg  of  keeping  a  horse  for  my  owne  use  in  ye  swamp 


92  OLD  NORFOLK  COUNTY  RECORDS 

when  I  shall  have  occasion.  June  3,  1678.  Wit:  Henry- 
Dow  and  Joseph  Dow.  Ack.  by  Tho  :  Marston,  June  8, 
1678,  before  Sam11  Dal  ton,  commissioner. 

John  Brown,  sen.,  of  Hampton,  for  naturall  affection 
and  fatherly  love  for  my  well  beloved  daughter  Elizabeth 
Marston  of  Hampton,  and  for  other  considerations,  con- 
veyed to  sd  Elizabeth  one  small  tract  of  land  of  a  quarter 
of  an  acre  in  Hampton,  bounded  by  land  of  William  ful- 
lers and  land  of  my  owne,  also  have  delivered  to  Isaac 
Marston  a  small  piece  of  sd  land  for  thj  use  of  Elizabeth. 
March  18,  1678.  Wit:  John  Redman  and  Ephraim 
Marston.  Ack.  by  John  [his  I  B  mark]  Brown,  May  23, 
1678,  before  Sam11  Dalton,  commissioner. 

John  Brown,  sen.,  of  Hamilton,  for  yt.  naturall  affec- 
tion and  fatherly  love  for  my  well  beloved  son-in-law, 
Isaac  Marston,  of  same  town,  conveyed  to  sd  Marston  one 
share  of  ye  oxe  common  in  Hampton,  delivering  also  to 
said  Marston  one  coyned  piece  of  sylver  comonly  two 
pence.  April  4,  1677.  Wit :  John  Redman  and  Edward 
Colcord.  Ack.  by  Tho.  [his  I  B  mark]  Brown,  sen.,  May 
23,  1678,  before  Sam11  Dalton,  commissioner. 

Robert  fford  of  Haverhill,  Mary  his  wife  consenting 
thereto,  conveyed  to  William  Hu tellings  of  Merimack  a 
certain  parcell  of  meadow  in  Haverhill,  commonly  called 
Beare  Meadow,  being  one  half  of  meadow  laid  out  to 
Theophilus  Satchwell,  formerly  of  Haverhill.  Sd  Hutchins 
to  take  his  halfe  of  the  meadow  at  one  end  next  adjoining 
Thomas  Whittier  and  Robert  Ayers,  the  said  half  to  be 
divided  to  him  by  persons  indifferently  chosen,  and  also  to 
be  in  like  manner  free  from  any  claim  of  the  heirs  of 
Steven  Kent  of  Haverhill,  that  might  arise  from  former 
bargains  between  Satchwell  and  sd.  Kent.  Jan.  5,  1671. 
Ack.  by  Robert  fford,  Feb.  5,  1671,  before  Nathu  Salton- 
stall,  commissioner. 

Mortgage  deed,  Edward  Colcord  of  Hampton,  yeoman, 
for  thirteen  pounds  due  to  Hugh  Marsh  of  Nubery,  vint- 
ner, conveyed  to  sd  Marsh  fower  acres  salt  marsh  in  a  field 
of  marsh  comonly  called  ye  Spring  marshes,  bounded  by 
Capt.  Bradbury,  John  Redman  and  Abraham  Perkins. 
June  11,  1678.     Wit :  Mehetabel  Dalton.     Ack.  by  Ed- 


OLD  NORFOLK  COUNT*  RECORDS         9S 

ward  Colcord,  June  11,  1678,   before   Sam11  Dalton,  com- 
missioner. 

Discharge  of  foregoing  mortgage  of  Edward  Colcord, 
signed  by  Hugh  Marsh,  Nov.  1,  1678,  before  John  Wood- 
bridg,  commissioner. 

John  Jemson  of  Amsbery,  husbandman,  and  Hester,  his 
wife,  for  twenty  pounds,  conveyed  to  Mr.  Willi:  Simonds 
of  Wells,  about  fower  score  acres  of  land  in  Amsbery, 
bounded  by  Jarrett  Haddons,  Henry  Blasdell  and  Richard 
Currier.  June  7,  1678.  Wit:  Samuel  Symonds,  Mary 
[her  M  mark]  Conant.  Ack.  by  John  [his  W  mark] 
Jemson,  June  7,  1678,  before  Samuel  Symonds,  Dep* 
Gover. 

Richard  Goodale  of  Salisbury,  turner,  and  Mary,  his 
wife,  for  seventeen  pounds,  conveyed  to  Onesiphirus 
Page  twenty  acres  of  upland  in  Salisbury,  which  was 
given  unto  mee  by  my  father,  Richard  Goodale,  late  of 
Salisbury,  deceased,  as  doth  appear  by  his  last  will  on 
record  in  Norfolk  County  court,  sd  twenty  acres  being  my 
father's  proportion  of  ye  five  hundred  acres  of  land  for- 
merly granted  by  ye  towne  of  Salisbury  to  ye  inhabitants 
thereof,  as  doth  appeare  by  towne  book  of  records.  Sd 
land  being  in  two  divisions,  viz.  seventeen  acres  lying 
between  land  of  Cornelius  Conner  (bought  by  him  of  my 
grandfather,  Richard  Goodale,  sometime  of  Salisburv, 
deceased),  and  land  now  of  John  Clough,  jun.,  butting 
upon  highway  leading  to  Hampton  and  upon  Good  ale's 
swamp,  commonly  so  called.  The  other  three  acres  lying 
between  ye  land  formerly  of  John  Rolfs,  now  in  ye  hands 
of  John  Stockman  and  the  towns  common  land,  upon  ye 
highway  leading  to  Hampton  and  ye  Towns  comon.  Feb. 
2,1677.  Wit:  William  Bradbury  and  John  Bradbury. 
Ack.  by  Richard  Goodale  and  Mary  [her  M  mark]  Good- 
ale, 14.  12  m°  1677,    before  Sam11  Dalton,    commissioner. 

John  Brown,  sen.,  of  Hampton,  yeoman,  conveyed  to 
Dan11  Lamprill  one  share  of  ye  cowes  comon  in  Hampton, 
also  one  right  of  ye  north  division,  as  it  is  alreadj'  layd 
out  between  Exiter  bounds  and  ye  sea.  Oct.  22,  1677. 
Wit :    Sam11    Dalton    and    Abraham    Cole.     Ack.  by  Jn° 


94  OLD  NORFOLK  COUNTY  RECORDS 

[his  I  B  mark]  Brown,  sen.,  14.  9.  1677,  before  Sam11  Dal- 
ton, commissioner. 

Tho :  Bradbury  of  Salisbury,  planter,  for  five  pounds 
ten  shillings,  conveyed  to  John  Redman,  junr  of  Hamp- 
ton, blacksmith,  all  my  parcell  of  sault  marsh  in  Hamp- 
ton, which  was  taken  from  Edward  Colcord,  sen.,  of 
Hampton,  to  satisfy  a  judgment  granted  to  sd  Tho  :  Brad- 
bury by  Hampton  Court,  May  30,  1676.  Sd.  marsh  being 
in  a  place  called  ye  Spring  marshes,  containing  about  an 
acre  and  twenty  nine  rod,  bounded  by  marshes  of  John 
Redman,  Abraham  Pirkins  and  Edward  Colcord.  July  15, 
1678.  Wit :  Sam11  Dalton,  Sen.  and  William  Bradbury. 
Ack.  by  Cap*  Thomas  Bradbury  and  Ms  Mary  Bradbury, 
his  wife,  July  15,  1678,  before  Samuel  Dalton,  commis- 
sioner. 

Execution  against  Edward  Colcord  for  himself  and  as 
administrator  to  the  estate  of  his  son  Edward  Colcord, 
deceased,  to  satisfy  judgment  granted  Mr.  Will.  Bradbury 
at  Salisbury  Court,  April  9,  1678,  of  91i.  3s.  in  marchant- 
able  white  oake  hogshead  staves  and  heading  or  white 
pine  boards  at  40s.  per  thousand,  to  be  delivered  at  ye 
fals  landing  place  in  Hampton,  dated  May  24,  1678,  and 
served  by  Henry  Dow,  marshall  of  Norfolk  County.  Re- 
turn was  made  by  said  marshall  upon  order  of  Mr.  Wil- 
liam Bradbury  (sd  Bradbury  not  being  present)  by  attach- 
ment of  about  3  acres  salt  marsh,  with  pond,  in  Hamp- 
ton, owned  by  Mr.  Edward  Colcord,  appraised  by  Thomas 
Marston,  chosen  by  said  Bradbnry,  and  William  Sanborn, 
chosen  by  Ed.  Colcord,  said  marsh  being  near  ye  sea  in 
ye  Springs  marshes,  so  called,  bounded  by  ye  beach  river 
and  marshes  of  Ed.  Colcord,  Abraham  Pirkins  and  John 
Redman.     Dated  July  19,  1678. 

George  Goldwyer  of  Salisbury,  yeoman,  for  thirty 
pounds  payed  for  me  to  Major  Richard  Waldern  of 
Quocheco  in  Pascataqua  River  by  Robert  Downer  of  Sal- 
isbury, house  carpenter,  conveyed  to  sd  Downer  all  my 
pasture  in  Salisbury,  both  upland,  swamp,  meadow,  or 
marsh,  adjoining  to  ye  great  neck,  bounded  by  ye  meadow 
of  John  Stevens  and  Caleb  Moudies  pasture.  April  20, 
1678.     Wit:   Tho:  Bradbury   and   Phillip  Grele.     Ack. 


OLD   NORFOLK   COUNTY   RECORDS  95 

by  Georg  [his  O  mark]  Goldwyer,  Ms  Goldwyer  surrender- 
ing her  right  of  Dowrie,  Aug.  16,  1678,  before  Richard 
Waldern,  commissioner. 

William  Sterling  of  Haverhill,  shipwright,  for  thirty- 
eight  pounds,  conveys  to  Symon  Lynde  of  Boston,  mer- 
chant, my  quarter  part  of  ye  sawmill  at  Haverhill,  upon 
ye  sd  sawmill  river,  also  ye  dams,  ponds,  saws,  iron  worke 
utensils  thereunto  belonging  ;  also  one  full  quarter  part 
of  all  ye  grants  for  lands,  tymber,  meadowes,  privilidges, 
comonages,  benefitts  or  conveniences  granted  for  ye  use  or 
benefitt  of  ye  aforsd  mill  or  proprietors  thereof  by  ye 
town  of  Haverhill  or  any  others.  Nov.  3,  1677.  Wit: 
Mary  [her  ma  mark]  Waller  and  Elizabeth  Lynde.  Ack. 
by  William  Stirling  and  Mary,  his  wife,  Aug.  7,  1678, 
before  Nath11  Saltonstall,  commissioner. 

Thomas  Webster  of  Hampton,  planter,  for  twelve 
pounds,  conveyed  to  William  Samborn,  sen.,  of  Hampton, 
one  halfe  of  ye  house  lott  in  Hampton,  formerly  of  Wil- 
liam Cole,  late  of  Hampton,  deceased,  butting  upon  ye 
meeting  house  green,  land  of  Abraham  Drake,  and  land 
of  Mr.  Sam11  Dalton.  May  29,  1678.  Wit:  Tho :  Mars- 
ton  and  Abraham  Perkins.  Ack.  by  grantor,  May  29, 
1678,  and  by  Sarah,  his  wife,  who  resigned  her  right  of 
dower,  17.  4  mo.  1679,  before  Sam11  Dalton,  commissioner. 
Edward  Colcord  of  Hampton,  yeoman,  for  a  parcell  of 
white  oake  pipestaves  received  of  Tho  :  Wiggin  and  Capt 
Barefoot,  conveyed  to  Robert  Evens  of  Quochecho  about 
fower  acres  of  fresh  meadow  in  Hampton,  which  was  for- 
merly granted  to  Mr.  Wm.  Wakefield  and  sold  unto  mee, 
ye  sd  Colcord,  near  ye  beach.  Aug.  20,  1669.  Wit  : 
John  Smith.  Ack.  by  grantor,  20.  6  mo.  1669,  before 
Sam11  Dalton,  commissioner. 

Isaac  Pirkins  of  Hampton,  yeoman,  for  natural  love 
and  affection  to  my  sone  Caleb  Pirkins,  and  also  in  con- 
sideration of  his  part  and  proportion  of  my  estate,  con- 
veyed to  sd  Caleb  Pirkins  fower  acres  of  upland  in  Hamp- 
ton, lying  most  convenient  about  his  house,  as  it  now 
standeth,  being  part  of  my  farme  ;  also  six  acres  salt 
marsh  in  a  cove  near  to  Salisbury  Island.  Sept.  19, 1674. 
Wit:  Sam11  Dalton  and  Timothie  Dalton.  Ack.  by  grantor, 
Sept.  19,  1678,  before  Sam11  Dalton,  commissioner. 


96  OLD  NORFOLK  COUNTY  RECORDS 

William  Bradbury  of  Salisbury,  for  seven  pounds,  five 
shillings,  conveyed  to  Benjamin  ffifeild  of  Hampton, 
weaver,  about  three  acres  of  salt  marsh,  with  ye  pond  and 
all,  in  Hampton,  which  was  taken  by  virtue  of  an  execu- 
tion from  Edward  Colcord,  sen.,  of  Hampton,  to  satisfy  a 
judgement  acknowledged  unto  mee,  ye  sd  Bradbury,  at 
Salisbury  Court,  April  9,  1678.  Sd  marsh  being  in  a 
place  commonly  called  ye  Spring,  near  ye  sea,  bounded 
with  ye  beach  river  and  marshes  of  sd  Colcord,  Abraham 
Perkins  and  John  Redman.  Sept.  17,1678.  Wit:  Tho : 
Bradbury,  John  Stanian  and  Henry  True.  Act.  by  grantor, 
Oct.  8,  1678,  at  Hampton  Court,  before  Tho  :  Brad- 
bury, recd. 

Robert  Swan  of  Haverhill,  for  eight  mares,  conveyed 
to  Thomas  Baker  of  Topsfeild,  fower  score  and  fowerteen 
acres  of  upland  in  Haverhill,  bounded  with  ye  Merimack 
liver,  ye  land  of  John  Heath,  Haverhill  comon,  and  land 
of  Henry  Palmer.  Also  sixteen  acres  of  meadow,  part 
of  which  is  within  ye  bounds  of  ye  fore  mentioned  land  ; 
also  two  acres  of  meadow  bounded  with  land  of  Obadia : 
Eyers,  Robert  Swan,  and  ye  comon.  July  1,  1664.  With 
Nathaniel  Smith  and  John  Gould.  Ack.  by  grantor, 
June  3,  1668,  before  Daniell  Denison. 

Joseph  Peasly  of  Haverhill,  and  Ruth,  his  wife,  con- 
veyed to  Leiu*  George  Brown  of  same  place,  about  forty 
rods  of  meadow  at  east  meadow  in  Haverhill,  bounded,  for 
a  final  issue  of  all  differences  there  have  been  between  us 
about  meadows,  by  markt  trees,  a  cart  path  and  a  brooke, 
sd  land  lying  by  meadow  of  Lieut.  Brown  and  my  own. 
Aug.  22,  1678.  Wit:  Tho:  Duston  and  Benjamin  Sin- 
gletary.  Ack.  by  Joseph  [his  i  h  mark]  Peasly,  Sept.  23, 
78,  before  Nath11  Saltonstall,  commissioner. 

Receipt  signed  by  Henry  Roby,  dated  June  25,  1678, 
and  given  to  Caleb  Moudy,  for  full  satisfaction  for  a  fine 
that  Lenard  Hariman  was  to  pay  for  his  sone  being  fined 
at  Hampton  Court.  Wit:  Nathanel  Clarke  and  Joshua 
Brown. 

(To  be  continued) 


THE 


ESSEX  INSTITUTE 


HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 


VOL.  LIX—  APRIL,  1923. 


Issued  Quarterly 


SALEM,  MASS. 

PRINTED  FOB  THE  ESSEX  INSTITUTE 
1923 


ESSEX  INSTITUTE  HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 

The  Historical  Collections  are  published  quarterly  with  illustra- 
tions, each  volume  containing  a  complete  index.  Subscription 
93.00  per  annum. 

Entered  at  the  Post  Office  in  Salem,  Massachusetts,  as  second  class  matter. 

CONTENTS— APRIL,  1923. 

1.  General  Charles  Lawrence  Peirson.     By  Thomas  Amory 

Lee      .        .        .        ...        .        .        .        .        .       97 

2.  Forty  Years  Ago  in  Salem.    Extracts  from  the  Diary  of 

Francis  H.  Lee    . .102 

3.  The    Suppression     of    Piracy  in  the  West  Indies.     By 

Francis  B.  C.  Bradlee.     (Illustrated.)    (Continued.)        .      103 

4.  The    Burnap-Burnett    Genealogy.      By    Henry   Wyckoff 

Belknap.    (Continued)        . 153 

5.  Salem  Vessels  and  Their  Voyages.     By   George  Granville 

Patnam.     (Continued.)    (Illustrated).      .        .        .        .      169 

SALEM  VESSELS  AND  THEIR  VOYAGES. 
By  George  Granville  Putnam. 

Figuring  prominently  in  the  East  India  commerce  after  the  Revo- 
lution, was  the  Pepper  Trade  between  Salem  and  thj^  Island  of  Su- 
matra,— a  trade  marked  by  romance,  pathos,  tragedy  and  prosperity. 
The  first  American  vessel  to  visit  the  northwest  coast  of  Sumatra 
and  to  bring  a  consignment  of  pepper  in  bulk  to  this  country  was 
the  property  of  Salem  merchants,  commanded  by  a  Salem  shipmas- 
ter and  manned  by  Salem  men. 

Mr.  Putnam,  who  is  an  authority  on  Salem  shipping,  has  gathered 
from  old  newspapers  and  other  sources  the  story  of  the  sagacity 
and  heroism  of  the  men  of  Salem  and  nearby  towns  in  bringing 
their  valuable  cargoes  to  this  port,  interspersed  with  anecdotes  of 
thrilling  adventures  with  the  Malays. 

160  pp.  with  Index;  8vo.;  42  full-page  illustrations,  comprising  75 
separate  pictures.    Blue  boards.    Price,  postpaid,  $3.50. 


THE  EASTERN   RAILROAD. 
By  Francis  B.  C.  Bradlee. 

The  demand  for  this  historical  work  by  Mr.  Bradlee  has  been 
constant  since  the  first  edition  was  exhausted,  and  at  the  solicita- 
tion of  those  interested  in  railroading  all  over  the  country,  this  new 
edition,  with  additional  material  and  illustrations,  is  herewith  pre- 
sented. 

The  Eastern  Railroad,  which  ran  from  Boston  to  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.,  was  incorporated  in  1836,  and  was  one  of  the  first  railroads 
built  in  New  England. 

300  copies  printed;  pp.  122;  24  full-page  illustrations;  8vo.  Cloth, 
fSJiO  per  volume. 

New  Catalog  of  all  Publications  of  the  Essex  Institute  sent  on 
application. 


GENERAL  CHARLES  LAWRENCE  PEIRSON 


HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 

OF  THE 

ESSEX  INSTITUTE 


Vol.  LIX  April,  1923  No.  2 


GENERAL  CHARLES  LAWRENCE  PEIRSON. 


By  Thomas  Amory  Lee. 


Charles  Lawrence  Peirson,  Harvard,  1853,  who  died  at 
his  home,  191  Commonwealth  Avenue,  Boston,  on  Janu- 
ary 23d,  1920,  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished  officers 
of  the  Civil  War  from  Massachusetts.  He  also  achieved 
success  in  business  after  the  war,  at  first,  with  General 
Robert  Hooper  Stevenson,  under  the  firm  name  of  Steven- 
son &  Peirson,  and  later  by  himself  as  Charles  L.  Peirson 
&  Company. 

General  Peirson  was  born  in  Salem,  January  15th,  1834, 
of  old  New  England  and  Harvard  ancestry.  He  was  a 
son  of  Dr.  Abel  Lawrence  Peirson,  Harvard,  1812  (A.M., 
M.  D.,  1816,  and  Fellow  of  the  American  Academy),  a 
distinguished  physician  of  Salem,  and  his  wife,  Harriet 
Lawrence  Peirson.  He  was  also  a  descendant  of  the  well- 
known  Pages,  of  Danvers  and  vicinity,  who  played  such 
a  distinguished  part  in  the  first  years  of  the  Revolution, 
and  of  the  Lawrences  of  Groton.  General  Peirson  stud- 
ied engineering  at  the  Lawrence  Scientific  School,  and 
received  his  degree  of  S.  B.  from  Harvard  in  1853,  the 
same  year  that  his  father  died.  After  taking  his  degree 
he  went  to  Minnesota,  where  he  practiced  the  profession 
of  civil  engineering  and  farming  on  a  large  scale. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  having  returned  to 
Boston  in  the  meantime,  he  served  as  a  corporal  in  the  4th 
battalion  under  Major,  later  Brigadier-General,  Thomas 
Greeley  Stevenson,  which  in  the  spring  of  1861  did  gra- 
tuitous service  at  Fort  Warren,  Boston  Harbor,  and  having 
volunteered  his  services  to  Governor  Andrew,  was  com- 

(97) 


98  GENERAL   CHARLES   LAWRENCE   PEIRSON 

missioned  first  lieutenant  and  adjutant  of  the  20th  Massa- 
chusetts Volunteer  Infantry,  upon  the  recommendation  of 
Lieutenant  Colonel  (later  Brigadier  General)  Francis 
Winthrop  Palfrey.  This  famous  regiment  was  commonly 
known  as  the  Harvard  regiment,  on  account  of  the  large 
number  of  officers  who  were  Harvard  men,  including 
(besides  General  Peirson)  Colonel  William  Raymond 
Lee,  1851  ;  Lieutenant  Colonel  Francis  Winthrop  Palfrey, 
1851;  Major,  and  later  Brevet  Brigadier  General,  Paul  J. 
Revere,  1852 ;  Dr.  Edward  H.  R.  Revere,  1849 ;  Major 
Henry  Livermore  Abbott,  1860  ;  Major  Henry  Lyman  Pat- 
ten, 1858  ;  Dr.  Murdoch  MacGregor,  1863  ;  Captain,  and 
later  General,  Casper  Crowninshield,  1860  ;  Captain,  later 
Major  General,  William  F.  Bartlett,  1862  ;  Captain,  later 
Lieutenant  Colonel,  Norwood  P.  Hallowell,  1861;  Cap- 
tain, later  Lientenant  Colonel,  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes, 
Jr.,  1861  ;  Captain,  later  Brigadier  General,  Charles 
A.  Whittier,  1860 ;  the  heroic  James  Jackson  Lowell, 
1858;  Henry  Ropes,  1862,  who  was  killed  at  Gettys- 
burg ;  Arthur  G.  Sedgwick,  1864;  Charles  A.  Rand,  1865; 
William  Lowell  Putnam,  1860,  who  died  of  his  wounds 
in  1861;  Sumner  Payne,  1865,  who  was  killed  in  1863; 
and  others.  Of  these  men,  Col.  Lee,  Col.  Palfrey,  Capt. 
Crowninshield  and  Lieut.  Ropes  were  of  well  known  Salem 
ancestry.  This  regiment  was  one  of  the  most  notable 
regiments  in  the  service,  and  stands  fifth  on  the  roll  of  all 
the  regiments  that  suffered  the  heaviest  losses  during  the 
war.  Eleven  of  its  officers  went  up  to  general  rank,  most 
of  them  being  Harvard  men,  as  evidenced  by  the  follow- 
ing list:  Brevet  Major  General  William  F.  Bartlett, 
Brevet  Major  General  George  N.  Macy,  Brevet  Brigadier 
General  William  Raymond  Lee,  Brevet  Brigadier  Gen- 
eral Francis  Winthrop  Palfrey,  Brevet  Brigadier  General 
Paul  J.  Revere,  Brevet  Brigadier  General  Charles  Law- 
rence Peirson,  Brevet  Brigadier  General  Charles  A.  Whit- 
tier, Brevet  Brigadier  General  Casper  Crowninshield, 
Brevet  Brigadier  General  Edward  N.  Hallowell,  Brevet 
Brigadier  General  Arthur  R.  Curtis,  Brevet  Brigadier 
General  Henry  Lyman  Patten. 

The  regiment,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Lee,  who 
was  a  West  Pointer  of  the  same  class  as  General  Robert 
E.  Lee,  went  into  camp  eight  miles  from  Boston  on  July 


BY   THOMAS   AMORT   LEE  99 

10th,  and  after  organization  went  into  camp  on  the  upper 
Potomac,  and  on  October  20th  had  its  baptism  of  fire  at 
the  bloody  affair  of  Ball's  Bluff,  where  the  losses  of  the 
regiment  were  terrible,  and  Colonel  Lee,  Major  Paul  Re- 
vere, Dr.  Revere,  Lieutenant  Perry,  and  General  (then 
Lieutenant)  Peirson,  were  taken  prisoners  and  confined  in 
Libby  prison.  On  January  20th,  1862,  General  Peirson 
was  released  from  prison,  and  went  at  once  to  Washing- 
ton, where  for  the  next  eleven  days  he  used  his  utmost 
endeavors  to  secure  the  exchange  of  his  friends.  It  will 
be  remembered  that  the  United  States  Government  had 
taken  prisoners  certain  privateers,  which  it  treated  as 
pirates,  and  that  immediately  the  Confederate  Government 
took  as  hostages  the  seven  highest  ranking  officers  in  Libby 
prison,  including  Colonel  Lee,  Major  Revere,  Colonel 
Cogswell  and  Colonel  Wood,  confined  them  in  Henrico 
county  jail,  in  a  small  cell,  which  they  were  forbidden  to 
leave  for  weeks,  and  treated  them  with  the  utmost  sever- 
ity, informing  them  that  they  would  be  hanged  if  sentence 
were  executed  upon  the  privateers.  General  Peirson, 
while  still  at  Libby,  with  Lieutenant  George  B.  Perry, 
Lieutenant  J.  H.  Hooper,  of  the  15th  Massachusetts, 
Lieutenant  J.  E.  Green,  Captain  John  Markoe,  of  the 
71st  Pennsylvania,  Lieutenant  C.  M.  Hooper,  of  the  71st 
Pennsylvania,  and  W.  E.  Merrill,  United  States  En- 
gineers, proposed  that  they  be  permitted  to  take  the  place 
of  Colonel  Lee,  Major  Revere,  and  the  other  officers,  in  a 
letter  to  General  J.  H.  Winder,  January  19th,  1862.  It 
was  thought  very  likely  that  the  United  States  officers 
would  be  hanged,  and  no  man  ever  did  more  gallant  or 
chivalrous  deed  than  did  Charles  Peirson  when  he  first 
refused  to  leave  the  battlefield  of  Ball's  Bluff,  because 
his  aged  colonel  could  not  swim  ,and  then  offered  his  life  for 
him,  saying  that  he  was  young  and  unmarried,  had  few 
family  ties,  and  that  his  colonel  was  old  and  married  and 
had  children  who  needed  him.  It  was  Charles  Peirson 
who  induced  the  other  officers  to  sign  this  letter,  and  to 
him  goes  the  credit  for  one  of  the  bravest  acts  of  the  Civil 
war,  though  one  little  known.  On  the  31st  of  the  month, 
General  Peirson  having  reached  Washington  and  having 
seen  Secretary  Stanton,  Gen.  McClellan,  Senator  Charles 
Sumner  (1830),  John  M.  Forbes  of  Boston,  and  Congress. 


100  GENERAL  CHARLES   LAWRENCE  PEIRSON 

man  A.  H.  Rice,  secured  an  order  from  the  War  Depart- 
ment transferring  the  status  of  the  privateers  to  that  of 
prisoners  of  war,  and  thereby  secured  the  release  of  his 
friends. 

Colonel  Peirson  then  was  immediately  detailed  for  spec- 
ial service  on  the  staff  of  General  N.  J.  T.  Dana,  and  later 
upon  that  of  General  John  Sedgwick,  and  thus  passed 
through  the  Peninsula  campaign.  While  on  sick  leave 
from  that  service,  he  was  notified  of  his  appointment,  on 
August  30th,  1862,  as  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  39th 
Massachusetts  Volunteer  Infantry,  with  which  he  served 
until  he  was  severely  wounded,  by  a  cannon  ball,  at  the 
Weldon  railroad,  on  August  18th,  1864.  He  carried  this 
ball  until  the  day  of  his  death,  and  the  author  remembers 
having  seen  a  photograph  of  it  taken  about  1915.  It  was 
at  one  time  thought  he  would  die  from  the  wound,  but  he 
at  last  recovered.  On  July  13th,  1864,  he  was  promoted 
to  be  Colonel  of  his  regiment,  after  the  death  of  Colonel 
P.  Stearns  Davis  on  July  11th,  but  was  not  mustered  in 
as  Colonel  until  the  23d  of  November.  After  months  of 
prostration,  incident  to  his  severe  wound,  and,  after  learn- 
ing that  he  would  be  unable  to  return  to  active  duty,  he 
resigned,  and  was  mustered  out  of  service  January  11, 
1865.  Upon  the  recommendation  of  Major  General  G.  K. 
Warren,  he  was  commissioned  Colonel  of  Volunteers  by 
Brevet,  to  date  from  March  16th,  1865,  for  meritorious 
conduct  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness  of  Spottsylvania 
in  May,  1864  ;  and  as  Brigadier  General  of  Volunteers 
by  Brevet,  to  date  from  March  13th,  1865,  for  gallant  and 
meritorious  conduct  in  the  battle  of  the  Weldon  railroad 
in  August,  1864.  He  served  in  the  following  battles  as 
authorized  by  the  War  Department  to  be  borne  on  the 
battle  flags  of  the  regiments  engaged:  Ball's  Bluff,  York- 
town,  West  Point,  Seven  Pines,  Fair  Oaks,  Peach  Orchard, 
Savage's  Station,  Whitebark  Swamp,  Glendale,  Malvern 
Hill,  Mine  Run,  Wilderness,  Spottsylvania,  Petersburg, 
Weldon  Railroad,  and  it  will  thus  be  seen  that  he  was  no 
mere  colonel  by  proxy. 

After  the  close  of  the  war,  General  Peirson  formed  a 
business  partnership  with  General  Robert  Hooper  Steven- 
son as  iron  merchants,  and  continued  in  this  business  until 


BY  THOMAS   AMORT  LEE  101 

his  retirement  from  business  about  1907.  The  firm  of 
Charles  L.  Peirson  &  Company  succeeded  that  of  Steven- 
son &  Peirson.  General  Peirson  was  also  for  a  number 
of  years  treasurer  of  the  Lowell  machine  shops. 

He  married,  in  1873,  Emily,  daughter  of  George  R. 
Russell  of  Boston.  His  wife  died  in  1908.  General  and 
Mrs.  Peirson  had  no  children. 

In  1898  General  Peirson  received  the  honorary  degree 
of  A.  M.  from  Harvard  ;  he  was  an  honorary  member  of 
the  historic  society  of  the  Cincinnati  (New  Hampshire 
State  Society)  ;  a  prominent  member  of  the  Loyal  Legion, 
of  which  he  was  State  Commander  in  1895  ;  of  the  Mili- 
tary Historical  Society  of  Massachusetts ;  of  the  New 
England  Historic  Genealogical  Society,  and  of  the  Essex 
Institute,  and  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Arts  of  London.  He 
also  belonged  to  the  Somerset  and  other  social  clubs. 

General  Peirson  wrote  a  number  of  papers  for  the  Mili- 
tary Historical  Society  of  Massachusetts,  and  devoted 
his  leisure  after  his  retirement  from  business  to  his  coun- 
try place  at  Pride's  Crossing,  and  to  studies  of  the  Civil 
War.  Among  his  papers  is  one  entitled  "Ball's  Bluff," 
which  was  privately  reprinted,  as  a  book,  "For  the  in- 
formation later  on  of  Charles  Lawrence  Peirson  of  New 
York  and  Charles  Peirson  Lyman  of  Massachusetts,"  his 
nephews  and  namesakes.  Another  of  his  papers,  read 
before  the  Military  Historical  Society  of  Massachusetts, 
is  "The  Operations  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  from 
the  Seventh  to  the  Eleventh  Days  of  May,"  in  Vol.  4  of  its 
publications  ;  "A  Sketch  of  the  Page  Family  of  Danvers" 
he  also  privately  printed  and  distributed.  After  a  severe 
illness  of  over  a  year,  which  left  General  Peirson  helpless, 
he  died  on  January  23d,  1920,  and  was  buried  in  Forest 
Hills  Cemetery.  His  nephews,  Theodore  Lyman,  James 
S.  Russell,  Rodolphe  Agassiz,  M.  H.  Richardson,  E.  P. 
Richardson,  and  G.  E.  Benson,  and  R.  H.  Stevenson,  acted 
as  the  ushers  at  his  funeral,  and  his  nephew,  Prof.  James 
H.  Ropes  of  Harvard,  conducted  the  services  at  the  First 
Church  in  Boston. 

No  more  gallant  officer  or  truer  friend  served  in  the 
Civil  War  than  Charles  Lawrence  Peirson,  and  Salem 
cherishes  the  memory  of  her  worthy  sou. 


FORTY  YEARS  AGO  IN  SALEM. 


Extracts  from  the  Diary  of  Francis  H.  Lee. 


The  diary  begins  on  January  first,  1878,  and  records 
sundry  small  gifts  from  members  of  the  family. 

Jan.  2,  1878.  Borrowed  of  Mr.  Willson  Everett's 
"Science  of  Thought,"  which  I  am  reading. 

News  came  of  the  death  of  William  Brookhouse,  son 
of  R.  Brookhouse,  at  the  house  of  his  wife's  mother  in 
New  Hampshire. 

Jan.  3.  No  Oratorio  rehearsal  this  week.  I  under- 
stand that  in  addition  to  Mendelssohn's  "Hear  My  Prayer" 
and  Parker's  "Redemption  Hymn,"  the  society  will  sing 
"The  Heavens  are  Telling,"  the  Gloria  from  Mozart's  12th 
Mass,  and  3  choruses  for  male  voices. 

Jan.  5.  Choir  meeting.  Ned  singing  in  place  of  Rob. 
Arthur  Clarke  there. 

Jan.  6.  Mr.  Willson  preached  on  Religion  as  having 
been  inherent  and  constituent  to  man  through  all  historic 
times. 

In  afternoon  went  to  Mr.  Willson's  Bible  Class — after- 
wards called  on  Miss  Savage  and  stayed  there  till  nearly 
6  o'clock.  She  gave  me  most  interesting  information 
about  Hawthorne  and  his  sister.  Mr.  H.'s  first  visit  to 
Susie  Ingersoll  was  made  with  her  and  her  sister,  she  in- 
troducing him.  It  was  when  he  was  a  young  man,  and 
lived  down  town.  He  escorted  them  home,  stopping,  as 
it  was  quite  cold,  for  them  to  rest  at  his  house.  He  went 
in  and  sat  in  the  dark,  telling  them  stories  and  expressing 
his  fondness  for  chattering  in  the  dark.  She  told  about 
her  school  days  at  Hittie  Higginson's,  and  half  promised 
to  write  out  some  of  her  reminiscences  of  Salem  in  her 
youthful  days.  At  one  time  her  mother  and  Miss  Susie 
Ingersoll  owned  the  Philip  English  house  together.  She 
gave  many  Hawthorne  letters  to  Mr.  Condit.  Mr.  Haw- 
thorne's sister  lives  at  Beverly  Farms.  She  once  called 
to  see  her  with  May  Almon  ;  the  Mannings  go  there  fre- 
quently. R.  C.  Manning  has  a  large  portrait  of  Haw- 
thorne. Mrs.  Tuttle,  on  Hawthorne  street,  has  some 
old-fashioned  things  which  she  would  be  glad  to  show  me. 

(102) 


FORTY  YEARS  AGO  IN  SALEM  103 

Miss  Savage  had  a  bunch  of  Abigail  Adams'  letters  she 
was  reading,  loaned  her  by  Miss  Osgood  of  Essex  street, 
which  formerly  belonged  to  the  wife  of  Rev.  John  Felt, 
who  was  a  niece  of  the  above,  who  was  the  wife  of  the 
first  President  Adams.  Miss  Savage  has  promised  me 
several  Hawthorne  letters  and  a  Cabot  pitcher  if  she  can 
find  it.  Mr.  Hawthorne's  father  and  Miss  Savage's  mother 
were  cousins  and  very  friendly. 

Aunt  Nancy  has  a  paper  prepared  by  Uncle  Tucker 
containing  the  regulations  of  a  ladies'  school  which  he 
established  here  in  the  building  on  Federal  street  next  to 
the  Tabernacle  Church.  This  paper  has  the  names  of 
many  of  Salem's  leading  citizens  at  the  time  on  it. 

Jan.  7.  Thermometer  this  morning  only  2  above  zero, 
the  coldest  weather  thus  far  this  winter.  A  bright,  sunny, 
clear,  quiet  day  in  the  morning,  with  some  wind  later. 
John  down  to  dinner,  and  brought  down  to  introduce  to 
Aunt  Nancy  a  Mr.  Brown,  who  is  the  new  Trustee  of  the 
Cole  estate.  Susan  King  down  and  dined  with  us.  John 
brought  a  request  from  Frank  Cabot  that  his  brother 
Fred  should  have  the  ring  with  the  arms  of  Baron  de 
Courcy  given  him.  Its  history  is  that  Mr.  John  Cabot's 
father's  uncle,  when  he  was  a  merchant  at  Marseilles,  had 
the  ring  made,  and  it  came  into  the  possession  of  his 
brother  Frederick,  who  gave  it  to  father.  I  think  I  am 
satisfied  with  my  taste  for  family  heirlooms,  in  being  a 
little  disobliging  and  retaining  it.  Father's  will  was  pro- 
bated two  weeks  ago  today.  Judge  Perkins'  will  was 
probated  today,  and  according  to  Cur  wen  gives  to  his  two 
brothers  the  property  left  him  by  his  father,  after  de- 
ducting $2400  which  they  are  to  give  to  the  judge's  chil- 
dren, then  a  $1000  is  to  be  spent  on  a  monument  to  be 
erected  over  him  and  his  first  wife  in  the  Essex  Cemetery, 
and  the  rest  of  his  property,  his  wife  consenting,  to  his 
children,  so  that  the  story  of  his  large  bequest  to  Amherst 
College  proves  untrue. 

Sent  note  Sunday  to  August  Fries  proposing  to  resume 
violin  lessons  next  Saturday  at  the  usual  hour. 

In  the  evening  called  on  Miss  Savage  and  lent  her  Em- 
erson's "Letters  &  Social  Aims,"  and  chatted  an  hour 
about  the  Adams',  raising  of  plants,  and  other  matters. 


104  FORTY   TEARS   AGO   IN   SALEM 

Alice  and  the  Tea  Party  Committee  had  a  rehearsal  of 
their  entertainment  at  the  Vestry. 

News  came  of  the  sudden  death  of  Jos.  Williams'  wife 
of  pneumonia ;  they  were  here  about  three  weeks  ago. 

Jan.  8.  The  City  Governments  of  the  State  began 
their  new  year  yesterday.  Mayor  Oliver's  inaugural  was 
one  hour  long ;  the  debt  has  considerably  lessened. 

Called  on  Miss  Carlton  and  saw  Miss  Sibley's  old- 
fashioned  bevelled  looking-glass,  quite  an  ornamented  and 
unusual  pattern,  but  sadly  needing  regilding.  Miss  Carl- 
ton gave  me  portraits  of  Dr.  Barnard  and  Dr.  Holyoke. 
She  once  gave  Curwen  an  old  silver  snuff  box  dated 
about  1720,  and  a  pile  of  old  almanacs  to  the  Institute. 
Miss  Churchill,  who  lives  with  the  Jacksons,  has  old  Dea- 
con (grandpa)  Holman's  library.  Received  from  George 
Perkins  an  excellent  silhouette  copy  of  Mrs.  Deputy 
Dutch. 

Kitty,  Sophie  and  I  went  to  the  second  Institute  Tea 
Party.  The  attendance  was  smaller  than  usual,  owing  to 
the  cold  and  the  sickness  of  Gedney  King.  About  40 
sat  down  to  tea  and  some  20  more  came  in  the  evening. 
The  shadow  pictures  representing  scenes  in  Mother  Goose 
were  excellent  and  showed  considerable  skill  in  design. 

Jan.  9.  Gedney  King  died  at  about  midnight  last 
night,  after  a  week's  sickness,  probably  of  diabetes.  Dr. 
Mack  reports  it  as  the  only  case  he  ever  heard  of,  of  a 
person  as  young  as  he  was  living  along  as  he  did  with  his 
disease;  he  was  25  years  of  age. 

Jan.  11.  At  the  Fraternity  with  Sophie  and  Alice  and 
gave  out  about  70  books. 

Called  on  Mr.  Wm.  C.  Endicott,  who  gave  me  the  large 
engraving  of  Gov.  Endicott  published  in  1841  in  New 
York  by  Geo.  and  Wm.  Endicott.  It  is  in  a  gilt  frame. 
He  showed  me  the  original  portrait  of  Gov.  Endicott  and 
also  a  copy  of  Frothingham's. 

Jan.  12.  To  Boston  and  took  my  1st  violin  lesson 
since  Father's  death.  We  played  chiefly  from  a  collec- 
tion of  Campagnoli's.  I  think  I  saw  some  improvement, 
tho'  Mr.  Fries  thinks  I  need  to  play  in  better  tune.  Ged- 
ney King's  funeral  took  place  this  afternoon ;  a  large  num- 
ber present,  including  many  of  his  classmates. 

(To  he  continued') 


THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE   WEST 

INDIES. 


By  Francis  B.  C.  Bradlee. 


(Continued  from  Volume  LIX,  page  80. .) 


"They  then  called  up  the  mate  and  began  to  beat  him  most 
barbarously,  when  luckily  a  vessel  hove  in  sight,  having  the 
appearance  of  a  man-of-war.  After  having  hastily  stripped 
me  of  my  clothes,  their  captain  offered  me  his  hand,  and 
wished  me  a  good  passage  to  Havana,  and  they  all  repaired 
to  the  boat.  They  robbed  me  in  money  and  articles  to  the 
amount  of  about  $1200.  Their  boat  was  about  30  feet 
long,  carrying  15  men,  armed  with  cutlasses,  muskets  and 
blunderbusses,  with  a  swivel  mounted  on  the  bow.  I 
then  proceeded  for  Havana,  where  I  arrived  yesterday ,the 
1st  inst." 

In  a  short  while  the  reports  of  these  piratical  depreda- 
tions spread  all  over  the  United  States  and  Europe,  and 
the  stories  lost  nothing  by  repetition.  The  mercantile 
community  became  thoroughly  alarmed,  which  was  re- 
flected in  the  tremendous  increase,  in  some  cases  almost 
prohibitive,  of  insurance  rates  on  vessels  and  cargoes 
bound  for  the  "danger  zone".*  Congress  was  soon  bom- 
barded with  petitions  and  memorials  from  the  merchants 
and  insurance  companies  calling  for  naval  protection  and 
the  hunting  down  of  these  maritime  highwaymen.  The 
report  of  the  Congressional  Naval  Committee  was  printed 
as  follows  in  the  Salem  Register : 

"Wednesday,  March  13,  1822. 
"Suppression  of  Piracy." 
"Congressional  Report." 
"In  the  House  of  Representatives    on  Saturday,  an  in- 
teresting report  was  presented  by    Mr.  M'Lane  from  the 
Committee  on  naval  affairs,  on  the  suppression  of  Piracy 
in  the  West  Indies,  of  which    the   following  is  the  sub- 
stance : 
•Records  of  the  Marblehead  Marine  Insurance  Co. 

(105) 


106      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

"The  report  states  that  the  system  of  plunder  in  the 
West  India  seas  is  truly  alarming,  and  imperiously  calls 
for  the  prompt  interposition  of  government ;  that  every 
mail  brings  such  accounts  of  massacre  and  plunder,  by 
the  vicious  and  depraved  of  all  nations,  that  if  not  winked 
at  by  the  authorities  of  Cuba,  they  are  not  restrained ; 
that  the  danger  of  smuggling  is  thereby  considerably  in- 
creased on  our  coast ;  an  ample  force  is  therefore  recom- 
mended to  suppress  it ;  that  the  force  actually  employed 
by  our  government  is  the  'Franklin',  of  74  guns,  in  the 
Pacific,  for  the  protection  of  our  commerce  in  that  quar- 
ter ;  that  the  'Constellation',  frigate  of  36  guns,  is  in  the 
same  ocean,  but  ordered  to  return  home  upon  the  arrival 
of  the  'Franklin' ;  that  the  schooner  'Dolphin',  of  12  guns, 
accompanies  the  'Franklin',  as  absolutely  necessary  upon 
so  long  a  voyage. 

"That  the  frigate  'Constitution',  of  44  guns ;  sloop  of 
war'  'Ontario',  of  18  guns  ;  and  schooner  'Nonesuch',  of 
10  guns,  are  cruising  in  the  Mediterranean,  to  keep  the 
Barbary  powers  in  awe  and  protect  our  commerce  in  that 
sea ;  and  it  is  believed  that  a  less  force  would  be  inade- 
quate for  these  objects. 

"That  the  sloop  of  war  'Hornet',  of  18  guns  ;  the  brigs 
'Enterprise'  and  'Spark',  of  12  guns  each ;  and  the 
schooners  'Porpoise',  'Grampus',  'Shark',  and  'Alligator', 
of  12  guns  each,  are  cruising  in  the  West  India  seas  and 
Gulf  of  Mexico  for  the  protection  of  trade,  the  suppres- 
sion of  piracy,  etc. ;  and  that  the  gunboats  Nos.  158  and 
168*  are  also  cruising  along  the  coasts  of  Georgia  and 
Florida  for  the  same  purposes. 

"That  the  frigate  'Macedonian'  is  now  equipping  at 
Boston  and  will  soon  sail  on  a  cruise  for  the  same  object ; 
and  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  keep,  at  least,  one  vessel 
of  war,  either  a  corvette  or  schooner,  on  the  coast  of 
Africa,  as  the  most  efficient  means  for  the  suppression  of 
the  slave  trade. 

"The  committee  are  of  opinion  that  no  part  of  the  fore- 
going enumerated  force    would    be    withdrawn  from  the 

•The  gunboats  that  were  numbered,  instead  of  being  named,  were 
the  remnants  of  a  large  fleet  built  during  the  war  of  1812  to  pro- 
tect the  coast.     They  were  practically  useless. 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.   BRADLEE  107 

service  in  which  it  is  employed,  without  detriment  to  the 
public  interest,  and  that  the  force  in  the  West  India  seas 
and  Gulf  of  Mexico  are  inadequate  for  the  objects  specified 
in  the  resolution  referred  to. 

"That  the  rest  of  the  force  belonging  to  the  Navy,  con- 
sisting of  the  'Java'  of  44  guns,  and  now  unworthy  of 
repairs ;  the  'Erie'  of  18  guns ;  the  'Peacock'  of  18 
guns ;  'Congress'  of  36  guns  ;  'Guerriere'  of  44  guns  ; 
'John  Adams'  of  24  guns;  'United  States'  of  44  guns; 
and  'Cyane'  of  24  guns,  are  in  ordinary  at  the  different 
Navy  Yards  at  Boston,  New  York,  Washington  and  Nor- 
folk. 

"That  the  committee  are  of  opinion,  to  afford  effectual 
protection  to  the  commerce  in  the  West  Indies  and  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  the  corvettes  'Cyane'  and  'John  Adams',  and 
sloops  of  war  'Peacock'  and  'Erie',  should  be  fitted  out 
as  soon  as  possible  ;  that  the  'Erie'  can  be  fitted  out  in  5 
months,  the  'Peacock'  in  2  months,  the  'John  Adams'  in 
6  weeks,  and  the  'Cyane'  in  5  weeks ;  and  that  the  'Con- 
stellation' frigate,  should  it  be  thought  necessary,  may  be 
directed  on  her  return  from  the  Pacific  to  cruise  in  the 
West  India  seas,  though  it  is  believed  it  would  be  more 
expensive  than  to  build  additional  sloops  of  war  for  the 
purpose,  which  are  for  many  reasons  superior  to  frigates, 
or  smaller  vessels,  for  such  service.  The  first  four  named 
vessels  are  now  undergoing  repairs,  and  the  amount  nec- 
essary for  this  purpose  is  already  embraced  in  the  estimate 
for  the  present  year ;  so  that  should  they  now  be  directed 
to  be  put  in  service,  it  will  be  necessary  to  increase  the 
estimates  for  the  present  year  not  more  than  $120,000, 
and  the  committee  are  authorized  to  state  that  this  appro- 
priation will  not  materially  vary  the  state  of  the  public 
treasury,  as  disclosed  by  the  Secretary's  report,  because 
since  the  date  of  that  report  there  has  been  transferred  to 
the  surplus  fund  an  amount  of  unexpended  balances  of 
appropriation  for  the  naval  service  sufficient  to  meet  the 
increased  expenditure.  But  the  committee  cannot  sup- 
pose that  where  the  safety  of  the  commerce  and  citizens 
of  the  United  States  calls  imperiously  for  the  exertion  of 
the  national  force,  so  small  an  expenditure  can  be  a  mat- 
ter of  any  moment. 


108      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

"If  the  protection  be  necessary,  it  must  be  yielded,  and 
the  only  consideration  connected  with  the  cost  should  be, 
that  the  money  necessary  to  make  it  effectual  should  not 
be  wastefully  expended. 

"In  relation  to  the  instructions  for  this  service  the  com- 
mittee think  it  would  be  inconsistent  with  public  law  and 
general  usage  to  give  any  authority  to  destroy  pirates  and 
piratical  vessels  found  at  sea  or  in  uninhabited  places. 

"The  committee  are  of  opinion  that  it  would  be  dan- 
gerous and  productive  of  great  evil  to  vest  in  the  com- 
manders of  our  public  vessels  any  authority  to  treat  as 
pirate,  and  punish  without  trial,  even  such  persons  as 
those  above  described.  It  is  not  necessary  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  object  in  view  that  such  an  authority 
should  be  given,  and  it  is  essentially  due  to  the  rights  of 
all,  and  the  principles  of  public  law  and  the  general 
usage,  that  the  consequences  and  punishment  of  piracy 
should  follow  only  a  legal  adjudication  of  the  fact. 

"On  the  whole,  the  committee  are  of  opinion  that  the 
employment  of  a  sufficient  number  of  vessels  in  the  West 
India  seas  and  Gulf  of  Mexico,  authorized  to  make  cap- 
tures under  the  existing  laws,  etc.,  if  the  officers  are 
properly  industrious  and  enterprising,  would  afford  all  the 
protection  required,  and  the  committee  therefore  recom- 
mend the  adoption  of  the  following  resolution  : 

"■Resolved,  That  it  is  expedient  forthwith  to  fit  out  and 
put  in  service  the  corvettes  'Cyane',  'John  Adams',  and 
sloops  of  war  'Peacock'  and  'Erie',  for  the  protection  of 
commerce  and  the  suppression  of  piracy  in  the  West  India 
seas  and  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  also  to  employ  the  frigate 
'Constellation',  should  the  President  of  the  United  States 
deem  the  employment  necessary  for  the  purposes  aforesaid. 

"This  report  was  ordered  to  be  printed." 

During  the  same  year,  1822,  came  the  bold  attempt  to 
plunder  the  steamer  "Robert  Fulton",  which  event  more 
than  anything  else  led  to  the  belief  that  the  pirate  chiefs 
conducted  their  "affairs"  on  strictly  "business  princi- 
ples", having  an  agent,  or  agents,  in  the  principal  Ameri- 
can seaports,  who  gave  notice  in  advance  of  vessels  bound 
for  the  West  Indies  carrying  large  sums  of  money.  The 
"Robert  Fulton"  was  one  of  the  earliest,  and  if  it  be  con- 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  109 

sidered  that  she  depended  upon  her  machinery  all  the  time,  the 
earliest  ocean  steamer  in  the  world ;  her  wooden  hull  was 
built  by  Henry  Eokford,  at  New  York,  in  1819,  for 
David  Dunham  &  Co.  of  the  same  city,  to  run  as  a  regu- 
lar packet  between  New  York,  Charleston,  S.  C,  Havana 
and  New  Orleans.  She  measured  750  tons,  a  very  large 
ship  for  those  days,  158  feet  long,  and  33  feet  beam ;  the 
machinery  was  of  the  "cross-head",  or  "square"  type, 
built  by  the  Allaire  Works  at  New  York,  having  a  44- 
inch  cylinder,  with  a  5-foot  stroke.  Two  large  copper 
boilers,  burning  wood  for  fuel,  were  installed  forward  of 
the  engine. 

On  April  20th,  1820,  the  "Robert  Fulton"  left  New 
York  on  her  first  voyage,  and  plied  regularly  until  1825, 
when,  owing  to  indifferent  financial  results,  she  was  sold 
to  the  Brazilian  Government  and  her  machinery  taken  out. 
While  a  steamer  she  had  averaged  four  days  from  New 
York  to  Charleston,  four  days  from  Charleston  to  Havana 
and  three  days  from  Havana  to  New  Orleans. 

A  century  ago  the  merchants  and  bankers,  and  even  the 
government,  made  but  little  use  of  cheques  and  drafts  in 
transmitting  money  from  one  place  to  another;  it  was 
customary,  dangerous  as  it  was,  to  send  actual  specie  in 
boxes  or  kegs  ;  more  rarely,  bank  notes.  ,  It  was  not  long 
before  the  financial  community  availed  themselves  of  the 
"Robert  Fulton"  for  the  carriage  of  funds,  offering  as 
she  did  far  greater  possibilities  of  safety. 

On  one  of  her  trips,  in  1822,  it  leaked  out  that  she  was 
to  have  on  board  a  very  large  sum  of  gold — over  $100,000 
— partly  government  funds,  in  transmission  to  New  Or- 
leans, besides  a  large  consignment  from  a  firm  in  New 
York  to  some  merchants  in  Havana.  In  some  way,  prob- 
ably through  the  before-mentioned  confederate  in  the 
United  States,  Gasparilla,  the  well-known  pirate,  learned 
of  the  rich  consignment  and  laid  a  clever  trap  to  seize 
the  "Robert  Fulton"  and  her  treasure.*  Of  course  it 
was  of  no  use  to  attempt  to  chase  the  steamer  with  even 
the  swiftest  sailing  craft,  but  Gasparilla  arranged  that  he 
and  a  dozen  or  more  of  his  most    venturesome    "friends" 

*From  Mss.  material  supplied   by   Capt.    George    L.  Norton,   for 
many  years  editor  of  the  N.  Y.  Marine  Journal. 


110      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

should  lay  in  wait  for  her  off  the  Cuban  coast  in  a  large 
open  boat,  impersonating  shipwrecked  seamen.  In  response 
to  their  distress  signals,  the  "Fulton"  would,  naturally, 
stop  to  pick  them  up,  and  the  pirates,  carrying  concealed 
weapons,  would  improve  the  opportunity  by  swarming  on 
board  the  steamer  and  seizing  her  before  the  crew  and 
passengers  could  recover  from  their  surprise. 

A  schooner  belonging  to  Gasparilla  was  to  have  been 
in  the  near  neighborhood,  to  which  the  treasure  was  to  be 
transferred,  and  the  freebooters  would  then  at  once  make 
off  in  her,  first  damaging  the  "Fulton's"  machinery  so 
that  she  could  not  pursue  them.  It  was  not,  it  would 
seem,  their  intention  to  hurt  anyone  on  the  steamer  unless 
resistance  was  offered. 

However,  "the  best  laid  plans  o'  mice  and  men  gang 
aft  a-gley,"  and  in  this  case,  it  was  said,  one  of  Gasparilla's 
gang,  having  a  grudge  against  him,  revealed  the  whole 
plot,  with  the  result  that  a  United  States  man-of-war  es- 
corted the  "Robert  Fulton"  and  her  rich  lading  safely  to 
her  destination. 

In  this  story  there  seems  a  curious  mixing  of  the  old 
and  the  new ;  the  pirates  who  make  us  think  of  seven- 
teenth century  conditions,  attempting  to  seize  a  steamer, 
the  representative  of  everything  modern. 

While  on  the  subject  of  early  steam  navigation,  it  is 
interesting  to  quote  an  official  report  of  Lieutenant  W.  H. 
Watson,  commanding  the  United  States  steamer  "Sea 
Gull"  while  in  pursuit  of  pirates.  Curiously  enough, 
this  officer  makes  no  mention  whatever  of  the  advantages 
of  steam  over  sail,  nor  does  he  refer  in  any  way  to  the 
performances  of  the  "Sea  Gull's"  machinery ;  all  the 
more  to  be  regretted,  for,  a  century  ago,  a  steamer  was 
much  more  of  an  innovation  and  curiosity  than  was  an 
aeroplane  at  the  beginning  of  the  World  War. 

In  fact,  Lieutenant  Watson  appears  to  have  left  the 
"Sea  Gull"  and  given  chase  to  the  freebooters  in  the  large 
sail  barges  (open  boats)  "Gallinipper"  and  "Mosquito"  ; 
this,  however,  was  very  likely  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
pirates,  when  pursued  near  land,  always  took  refuge  in 
shoal  water,  where  the  larger  men-of-war  could  not  follow 
them. 


BY    FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADL.EE  111 

"United  States  Steam  Galliot  'Sea  Gull', 

"Allenton,  Thompson's  Island  (Key  West), 

"July  11th,  1823. 
"Sir : 

"Having  had  the  honor  to  report  the  circumstances  at- 
tending the  cruise  of  the  division  under  my  orders,  prior 
to  our  separation  off  St.  John  de  los  Remedios,  I  have 
now  to  communicate,  for  your  information,  my  subse- 
quent proceedings  in  the  barges  'Gallinipper'  and  'Mos- 
quito'. 

"After  a  strict  examination  of  the  coasts  and  islands, 
from  Cayo  Francisco  to  Cayo  Blanco,  in  the  vicinity  of 
Point  Hycacos,  whilst  cruising  in  Siguapa  Bay,  we  dis- 
covered a  large  topsail-schooner,  with  a  launch  in  com- 
pany, working  up  to  an  anchorage,  at  which  several  mer- 
chant vessels  were  lying. 

"Being  to  windward,  I  bore  up  in  the  'Gallinipper',  for 
the  purpose  of  ascertaining  their  characters,  and  when 
within  gunshot,  perceiving  the  larger  vessel  to  be  well 
armed  and  her  deck  filled  with  men,  I  hoisted  our  colors, 
on  seeing  which  they  displayed  the  Spanish  flag,  and  the 
schooner  having  brailed  up  her  foresail,  begun  firing  at 
the  'Gallinipper'.  I  immediately  kept  away  and  ran 
down  upon  her  weather  quarter,  making  signal  at  the 
same  time  for  the  'Mosquito'  to  close.  Having  the  ad- 
vantage in  sailing,  they  did  not  permit  us  to  do  so,  but 
made  all  sail  before  the  wind  for  the  village  of  Siguapa, 
to  which  place  we  pursued  them,  and  after  a  short  action, 
succeeded  in  taking  both  their  vessels  and  effecting  the 
almost  total  destruction  of  their  crews,  amounting,  as 
nearly  as  could  be  ascertained  at  the  time,  to  50  or  60 
men,  but  as  we  are  since  informed,  to  70  or  80.  They 
engaged  us  without  colors  of  any  description,  having 
hauled  down  the  Spanish  colors  after  firing  the  first  gun  ; 
and  on  approaching  to  board,  our  men  giving  three  cheers 
and  discharging  their  muskets,  the  pirates  fled  precipi- 
tately, some  to  their  launch,  lying  in  shore,  from  which  a 
fire  was  still  kept  up,  whilst  others  endeavored  to  escape 
by  swimming  to  the  land.  A  volley  of  musketry  directed 
at  the  launch  completed  their  disorder  and  drove  them 
into  the  sea ;  but  the    boats   going   rapidly    through  the 


112      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

water,  cut  off  their  retreat,  with  the  exception  of  fifteen, 
eleven  of  whom  were  killed  or  desperately  wounded  and 
taken  prisoners  by  our  men,  who  landed  in  pursuit,  and 
the  remaining  four  apprehended  by  the  local  authorities 
and  sent  to  Matanzas. 

"The  larger  vessel  was  called  the  'Catalina',  command- 
ed by  the  celebrated  pirate  Diabolito  ('little  Devil'),  taken 
some  weeks  since  from  the  Spaniards,  between  Havana 
and  Matanzas,  and  carried  to  Siguapa  Bay,  where  she  re- 
ceived her  armament.  She  captured  nothing,  this  being 
the  beginning  of  her  piratical  cruise. 

"I  cannot  close  this  communication  without  performing 
a  most  pleasing  task,  in  reporting  the  active  gallantry  and 
good  conduct  of  my  officers  and  men,  none  of  whom  sus- 
tained the  slightest  injury  in  the  action,  the  result  of 
which  is,  1  trust,  sufficient  to  satisfy  you  that  all  under 
my  orders  did  their  duty,  particularly  when  it  is  consid- 
ered that  we  had  but  26  men,  opposed  to  a  force  of  pirat- 
ical vessels  well  supplied  with  arms  of  all  kinds,  amongst 
which  were  one  long  9  and  two  6-pounders. 

"I  have  much  pleasure  in  naming  as  my  associates 
Lieutenant  Inman,  Acting  Sailing  Master  Bainbridge,  Dr. 
Babbit,  Midshipmen  Harwood,  Taylor,  and  S.  S.  Lee,* 
and  Messrs.  Webb  and  Grice,  who  obeyed  and  executed 
all  orders  and  signals  with  a  promptitude  and  zeal  which 
could  not  be  exceeded. 

"I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedi- 
ent servant, 

"W.  H.  Watson, 

"Lieutenant  Commanding. 
"Commodore  David  Porter,    United    States    Navy,  Com- 
manding West  India  Squadron." 

During  the  month  of  August,  1823,  yellow  fever  broke 
out  at  Key  West,  and  Commodore  Porter  and  many  of 
his  officers  and  men  were  prostrated  by  it.  One  of  the 
first  victims  was  Captain  John  Minor  Maury,  U.  S.  N., 
Commodore  Porter's  flag  captain,  younger  brother  of 
Commodore  Matthew  Fontaine  Maury,  C.  S.  N.,  the  well- 

*Refers  to  Sidney  Smith  Lee,  afterwards  Commander  U.  S.  N. 
and  Commodore  Confederate  Navy,  younger  brother  of  Gen.  R.  E. 
Lee.     S.  S.  Lee  died  in  1869;  he  was  the  father  of  Gen.  Fitz  Lee. 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  113 

known  scientist.  He  had  had  a  most  gallant  record  in 
the  navy  during  the  war  of  1812,  but  died  of  the  fever 
and  was  buried  at  sea  almost  within  sight  of  Norfolk, 
Va.,  where  his  young  wife  and  two  little  children  were 
anxiously  awaiting  him.* 

As  may  be  imagined,  the  medical  treatment  of  a  century 
ago  for  yellow  fever  was  very  crude,  and,  possibly,  did  as 
much  harm  as  good.  Lieutenant  Josiah  Tattnall,  after- 
wards Commodore,  C.  S.  N.,  caught  the  disease  and  was 
so  ill  that  the  surgeon  gave  him  up,  telling  him  at  the 
same  time  that  he  could  have  anything  he  wished  to  eat 
or  drink,  as  he  had  done  all  he  could  for  him.  Tattnall 
thought  he  would  enjoy  a  mint  julep,  which  was  given 
him,  and  from  that  time  on  he  improved  rapidly  and  even- 
tually recovered.  The  stimulant  was  probably  just  what 
he  needed. 

There  were  48  deaths  in  the  squadron,  including  the 
gallant  Watson  and  Lieutenant  Hammersly,  Chaplain 
Adams,  Sailing  Master  Bainbridge,  and  Midshipmen  Bain- 
bridge  and  Reed. 

Lieutenant  David  Glasgow  Farragut,  U.  S.  N,,  the 
future  conqueror  of  New  Orleans  and  admiral  of  the 
navy,  added  to  his  already  gallant  record  during  these 
years  devoted  to  the  extirpation  of  piracy.  Entering  the 
navy  at  the  tender  age  of  nine  and  one-half  years,  his 
midshipman's  warrant  was  signed  Dec.  17th,  1810,  by 
Paul  Hamilton  of  South  Carolina,  then  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  when  to-day  boys  no  older  would  be  in  the  lower 
grades  of  the  public  schools.  Young  Farragut  was  but 
thirteen  when  he  took  part  in  the  desperate  battle  in 
Valparaiso  bay,  March  28, 1814,  between  the  U.  S.  frigate 
"Essex"  and  the  British  frigate  "Phoebe"  and  sloop-of- 
war  "Cherub",  resulting  in  the  capture  of  the  former, 
which  had  been  commanded  by  Captain  David  Porter, 
now  in  charge  of  the  West  India  squadron. 

The  "Essex"  is  always  remembered  with  pride  by  the 
people  of  Salem,  as  she  was  built  on  Winter  Island  in 
that  city,  by  Enos  Briggs,  in  1799,  and  last,  but  not  least, 
the  famous  old  frigate  was  completely  paid  for  by  volun- 
tary subscriptions  from  the  inhabitants  of  Essex  County. 
♦Recollections  of  a  Virginian,  by  Gen.  D.  H.  Maury. 


114      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

Her  total  cost,  when  ready  for  service,  with  twelve 
months'  provisions,  was  $154,687.77. 

It  is,  perhaps,  not  so  well  known  that  after  her  capture 
it  had  been  the  intention  of  the  British  naval  authorities 
to  refit  the  "Essex"  for  their  own  service,  but  she  was 
found  to  be  so  badly  knocked  about  as  to  make  her  use- 
less as  a  man-of-war.  Accordingly  she  was  used  as  a 
stationary  convict  ship  at  Kingston,  Jamaica,  until  1833, 
and  was  finally  sold  at  auction  at  Somerset  House,  in  1837, 
and  broken  up. 

In  1823  Farragut's  rank  was  what  was  then  known  as 
"passed  midshipman",  practically  that  of  "acting  lieuten- 
ant" or  watch  officer,  and  soon  after  received  his  com- 
mission as  lieutenant.  Promotion  in  those  days  in  the 
navy  was  extremely  slow. 

His  first  independent  command  was  that  of  the  schooner 
"Greyhound",  of  between  50  and  60  tons  ;  she  was  one 
of  a  fleet  of  eight,  built  on  the  model  of  the  Chesapeake 
bay  fast  pilot  schooners,  and  especially  fitted  to  hunt 
down  the  pirates  when  they  took  refuge  in  shallow  water. 
Each  of  these  schooners  was  armed  with  two  18-pound 
brass  pivot  guns.  For  six  months  in  1823  the  future 
hero  of  the  Civil  war  was  actively  employed  in  ransack- 
ing the  southern  shores  of  Haiti  and  Cuba  and  the  Mona 
Passage  between  Porto  Rico  and  Haiti. 

There  were  many  encounters  between  the  "Greyhound" 
and  the  pirates,  sometimes  afloat,  sometimes  ashore,  when 
Farragut  led  his  men  through  marsh  and  chaparral  and 
cactus — a  service  often  perilous,  always  painful  and  ex- 
hausting. It  is  a  source  of  wonder  that  his  health  held 
out  and  that  he  did  not  succumb  to  the  yellow  fever, 
which  made  sad  havoc  among  the  officers  and  men  of  the 
American  squadron.  "I  never  owned  a  bed  during  my 
two  years  and  a  half  in  the  West  Indies,"  wrote  Farra- 
gut, "but  lay  down  to  rest  wherever  I  found  the  most 
comfortable  berth."*  The  result,  however,  both  directly 
and  indirectly,  was  the  suppression  of  piracy  ;  seconded 
as  our  navy  was  by  that  of  Great  Britain,  interested  like 
our  own  in  the  security  of  commerce. 

Driven  off  the  water,    with   their   lairs  invaded,  their 

•"Life  of  Admiral  Farragut,"  by  Capt.  A.  T.  Mahan,  U.  S.  N". 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  115 

plunder  seized,  their  vessels  burned,  their  occupation 
afloat  gone,  the  marauders  organized  themselves  into  ban- 
dits, and  turned  their  predatory  practices  against  the 
towns  and  villages  of  Cuba.  This  aroused  the  Spanish 
governors  from  the  indolent  complacency,  not  to  say 
more,  with  which  they  had  watched  robberies  upon  for- 
eigners that  brought  profit  rather  than  loss  to  their  dis- 
tricts. When  the  evil  was  thus  brought  home,  the  Span- 
ish troops  were  put  in  motion,  and  the  pirates,  beset  on 
both  sides,  gradually  disappeared. 

An  interesting  incident  of  this  period  was  the  meeting 
of  the  future  Admiral  Farragut  with  his  older  brother 
William,  then  already  a  lieutenant  in  the  navy,  and  whom 
he  had  not  seen  for  thirteen  years.  How  many  Ameri- 
cans, even  students  of  naval  history,  know  that  he  had  a 
brother  ?  Lieutenant  Joseph  W.  Revere,  U.  S.  N.  (a 
kinsman  of  Col.  Paul  J.  Revere  killed  at  Gettysburg  and 
of  Asst.  Surgeon  Edward  H.  R.  Revere,  killed  at  Antie- 
tam  while  caring  for  the  wounded  under  fire),  in  his 
"Forty  Years  of  Military  and  Naval  Service,"  refers  to 
his  experiences  in  the  West  India  squadron,  while  serving 
against  the  pirates,  as  follows: 

"Leaving  St.  Augustine  for  Tampa  and  Pensacola,  I 
was  ordered  to  Key  West  from  the  latter  place,  to  take 
command  of  a  large  felucca-rigged  boat,  pulling  forty 
oars,  and  armed  with  a  long  twelve-pounder,  and  received 
instructions  to  cruise  in  the  Old  Bahama  Channel  and 
endeavor  to  capture  a  noted  pirate  named  Benavides. 
Piracy  was  at  that  time  a  regularly  organized  business  in 
the  West  Indies,  the  capital  being  supplied  by  persons  in 
Cuba  and  the  United  States,  and  the  cutthroats  by  the 
'faithful  isle.' 

"It  was  very  difficult  to  secure  the  trial  and  conviction 
of  the  corsairs  in  Havana,  however  evident  their  guilt,  for 
the  Spanish  authorities  were  notoriously  interested  in  the 
profits  of  their  nefarious  calling.  It  is  well  known  that, 
not  long  before  the  time  I  am  writing  of,  Commodore 
David  Porter  was  tried  by  a  court  martial  for  landing  at 
Foxardo  to  capture  some  of  these  gentlemanly  marauders, 
— a  rebuke  which  led  to  his  leaving  the  profession  of 
which  he  was  so  distinguished  an  ornament.     For  a  week 


116      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

or  two  we  saw  nothing  on  our  new  cruising  ground  ex- 
cept a  few  small  merchant  vessels,  and  heard  of  no  pirates, 
until  one  evening  a  felucca  appeared,  crossing  from  Cayo 
Romano  to  Cuba.  We  immediately  gave  chase,  but  lost 
sight  of  her  at  nightfall.  At  early  daylight  she  was  again 
seen  under  the  land  of  Cuba,  but  suddenly  disappeared 
up  one  of  those  estuaries  which  inlace  the  low  ground  of 
the  coast.  Making  our  way  into  the  one  we  supposed 
she  had  entered,  we  pursued  our  unseen  but  hoped-for 
prize  up  its  sinuous  course,  the  view  being  limited  by  the 
banks  of  the  estuary,  which  were  covered  by  a  mangrove 
thicket,  growing  down  into  the  water,  as  is  the  habit  of 
this  plant.  I  landed,  however,  at  the  entrance  for  a  few 
moments,  in  order  to  put  on  shore  a  couple  of  men  pro- 
vided with  means  to  signal  to  us  if  necessary. 

"After  rowing  in  this  way  for  about  ten  or  fifteen  miles, 
we  came  suddenly,  at  a  turn  of  the  estuary,  upon  a  camp, 
and  a  barque-rigged  vessel  lying  at  a  rude  pier.  Here  we 
landed,  with  the  usual  precautions  against  surprise,  and 
found  the  ship  to  be  the  French  barque  'Amedee'  of  Bor- 
deaux, evidently  not  long  since  captured  by  pirates.  Her 
cargo  had  been  nearly  all  removed  and  probably  taken  in 
lighters  to  Havana  and  Matanzas  ;  but  the  evidences  of  a 
hurried  'breaking  bulk'  were  everywhere  to  be  seen. 
The  sails  of  the  barque  had  been  burned  (for  we  found 
the  incombustible  parts),  the  rudder  unshipped,  and  both 
anchors  let  go ;  so  that  it  would  have  been  impossible  to 
remove  her  from  the  place.  Many  knickknacks,  which 
apparently  did  not  suit  the  taste  of  the  pirates,  lay  about, 
the  embarcadero  being  strewn  with  various  'articles  de 
Paris'.  The  cabin  furnished  evideuce  that  it  had  been 
tenanted  by  passengers  of  both  sexes;  and  it  was  fearful 
to  think  of  what  had  probably  been  their  fate,  although 
we  met  with  no  positive  proofs  that  murder  had  been 
done. 

"In  the  afternoon  I  wished  to  return  to  sea,  but  found 
that  some  of  my  men  had  straggled  away  into  the  coun- 
try ;  so,  leaving  the  galley  in  charge  of  a  petty  officer,  I 
started  with  a  small  party  to  hunt  them  up,  ascending  the 
hills  which  rose  above  the  landing  place  to  a  considerable 
height.     Our  search  was  vain,  however  ;  we  saw  no  traces 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.   BRADLEE  117 

of  the  stragglers,  and  after  a  walk  of  about  two  miles 
along  the  crest,  we  returned  towards  the  pirates'  camp 
down  a  ravine,  in  the  hollow  of  which  ran  a  brawling 
rivulet. 

"The  sides  of  the  ravine  were  precipitous  and  covered 
with  huge  bowlders,  while  the  dense  and  almost  impene- 
trable verdure  of  the  tropics  clothed  its  surface.  I  tried 
to  cover  as  much  ground  as  possible  with  my  men,  in 
order  to  explore  the  country  as  thoroughly  as  we  could  ; 
for  1  feared  my  lost  ones  had  stupefied  themselves  with 
liquor  obtained  from  the  French  barque.  Suddenly  one 
of  my  scouts  high  up  the  bank  of  the  ravine  shouted  to 
us  to  ascend,  and,  thinking  he  had  tidings  of  the  run- 
aways, we  scrambled  up  to  his  elevated  position.  I  found 
him  at  the  entrance  of  a  hole,  or  cave,  which  was  par- 
tially concealed  by  a  bowlder  of  great  size,  the  ground 
around  it  bearing  the  marks  of  footprints,  with  staves 
and  iron  spikes  scattered  about.  Bringing  my  little  band 
together,  I  delegated  a  young  and  agile  foretopman  to 
enter  the  hole  first,  which  he  did,  shoving  his  carbine  be- 
fore him  as  he  went  in,  and  disappeared  from  our  sight 
into  the  bowels  of  the  earth.  We  prepared  to  follow,  but 
the  first  who  entered  met  the  second  one  returning,  and, 
as  neither  could  pass  the  other  in  the  narrow  entrance, 
we  hauled  the  last  man  out  by  the  legs.  The  foretopman 
reported  that  he  had  passed  into  a  large  chamber  inside, 
but  that,  owing  to  the  darkness,  he  could  say  nothing  as 
to  its  size  or  contents. 

"Determined  to  prosecute  the  search,  I  improvised 
tapers  made  of  the  torn  leaves  of  a  book  I  had  in  my 
pocket,  and,  thus  equipped,  we  crawled  in.  At  about 
twenty  paces  from  the  entrance  we  found  ourselves  in  a 
circular  chamber,  evidently  an  excavation,  some  fifteen 
feet  in  diameter.  Our  means  of  illumination  being  scan- 
ty, we  had  not  time  to  examine  the  contents  of  some  kegs 
and  barrels,  which,  together  with  some  old  rusty  muskets 
and  cutlasses,  and  other  objects  pertaining  to  seafaring 
men,  composed  the  contents  of  the  room. 

"As  we  were  about  to  withdraw,  one  old  tar,  deter- 
mined not  to  go  without  carrying  away  some  memento  of 
the  place,  rolled  out  a  keg  before    him,    thinking,  doubt- 


118      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  "WEST  INDIES 

less,  that  it  contained  a  supply  of  liquor,  but  which,  upon 
being  upset,  gave  forth  an  ominous  rattling  sound,  that 
indicated  something  more  substantial.  We  rolled  the 
keg  down  to  the  camp,  which  I  desired  to  reach  before 
the  approaching  sunset,  after  which,  in  the  tropics,  there 
is  no  twilight.  I  found,  upon  my  arrival,  that  our 
stragglers  had  returned,  my  fears  having  been  unfounded 
as  to  their  drinking ;  for  the  pirates  had  evidently  con- 
sumed, or  effectually  concealed,  all  liquors. 

"While  on  the  subject  of  the  old-time  man-of-war's 
men's  ability  to  secure  liquor,  I  heard  a  lieutenant  say 
that  he  once  sent  a  watch  of  sailors  ashore  for  recreation 
on  an  uninhabited  island  in  the  middle  of  the  Pacific 
ocean,  and  that  they  all  came  back  drunk  ! 

Sentinels  having  been  placed  around  the  camp,  we  went 
to  sleep  after  supper,  pleased  with  visions  of  untold 
wealth  to  be  secured  in  the  morning  at  the  cave,  which 
we  imagined  must  contain  the  fabulous  treasures  of 
Aladdin  ;  for  the  keg  we  had  brought  with  us  was  filled 
with  newly-minted  Spanish  dollars.  Shortly  after  mid- 
night my  dreams  were  interrupted  by  a  sentinel,  who  re- 
ported that  a  fire  was  burning  brightly  at  the  entrance  to 
the  estuary.  As  this  was  the  signal  agreed  upon  in  case 
our  presence  was  required,  I  had  no  alternative  but  to 
start  at  once  ;  and  we  manned  our  row-galley  and  sped 
down  the  creek  as  fast  as  forty  pairs  of  vigorous  arms 
could  propel  us.  The  day  was  breaking  as  we  arrived  at 
our  destination,  ready  and  eager  for  action ;  for  we 
thought  it  probable  that  the  pirates  were  returning  to 
their  haunt,  which  was  as  secure  a  puerto  escondido  for 
those  buccaneers — 'friends  to  the  sea  and  enemies  to  all 
who  sail  on  it' — as  could  be  found  in  Cuba. 

"My  lookout  men  reported  having  seen  a  light  at  sea, 
which  we  soon  saw,  and,  boarding  the  vessel,  found  her 
to  be  H.  B.  M.  schooner  'Monkey',  on  a  cruise,  and  her 
commander  handed  me  a  despatch  from  the  commander  of 
the  U.  S.  schooner  'Grampus',  directing  me  to  join  him 
at  Havana  as  soon  after  I  received  it  as  possible.  Reluc- 
tant to  abandon  our  promising  investigations,  we  squared 
away  the  long  yards  of  the  felucca  before  the  trade-wind, 
and  next  morning  rounded  the   Moro   Castle,  ensign  and 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  119 

pennant  flying,  and  anchored  near  the  'Grampus'.  The 
secret  of  our  discovery  was  religiously  kept,  and  the  keg 
of  dollars  divided  amongst  the  crew,  each  receiving  about 
fifty  dollars,  and  we  cheered  each  other  by  the  prospect 
of  soon  returning  to  the  cache  and  enriching  ourselves 
with  the  pirates'  hoarded  treasure. 

"A  few  days  after  our  arrival  one  of  those  terrible  cy- 
clones which  periodically  devastate  the  West  Indies  came 
on,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  city  would  be  torn  down  by 
the  mere  power  of  the  wind.  Several  vessels  were  de- 
stroyed by  being  dashed  violently  against  the  wharves  at 
Regla.  .  .  .  The  damage  to  vessels  at  sea  was  immense 
.  .  .  in  the  interior  plantations  were  ruined  in  a  single 
night  .  .  .  the  hurricane  was  long  afterwards  remembered 
...  as  the  heaviest  known  for  years.   .  .  . 

"The  'Grampus'  and  'The  Forty  Thieves'  safely  rode 
out  this  tremendous  gale,  and  after  its  fury  had  abated, 
our  crews  were  instrumental  in  saving  much  property  and 
some  lives  in  the  harbor.  About  a  week  after  this  catas- 
trophe ...  we  started  again  for  our  former  cruising 
ground,  and  soon  reached  the  embarcadero,  near  the  under- 
ground treasury.  On  landing,  we  found  everywhere 
marks  of  the  passage  of  the  hurricane.  The  French 
barque  had  been  completely  torn  to  pieces  .  .  .  the  rude 
sheds  which  had  sheltered  the  pirates  were  tossed  about 
like  paper,  .  .  .  and  enormous  rocks  from  above  cumbered 
the  ground. 

"With  doubting  steps  and  hearts  saddened  by  the  sight 
of  such  terrible  havoc,  we  took  our  way  to  the  cave,  .  .  . 
The  entrance  had  disappeared.  .  .  .  Every  evidence  of  the 
existence  of  the  cave  had  been  obliterated,  and  we  re- 
turned to  our  boat  as  poor  as  we  came." 

Marooning,  or  leaving  their  victims  on  desert  islands, 
was  a  favorite  device  of  the  West  Indian  buccaneers  of 
the  seventeenth  century,  but  the  only  instance  on  record 
of  this  having  been  done  by  the  later  pirates  was  the  case 
of  Capt.  Lincoln,  whose  experience  was  so  interesting 
that  it  has  been  thought  worth  while  to  quote  it  in  full 
from  the  old  and  rare  volume,  "Life  on  the  Ocean  Wave", 
in  which  it  was  originally  published : 


120    the  suppression  of  piracy  in  the  west  indies 

Narrative  of  Captain  Lincoln, 

Who  was  taken  by  the    Pirates,    off    Cape    Cruz,  Dec.  17, 

1821,  and  subsequently  left,  with  his  crew,  to 

perish  on  a  desolate  island. 

"I  have  reluctantly  yielded  to  the  urgent  solicitations 
of  friends,  to  give  a  short  narrative  of  the  capture,  suffer- 
ings and  escape  of  myself  and  crew,  after  having  been 
taken  by  a  piratical  schooner,  called  the  Mexican,  Decem- 
ber, 1821.  The  peculiar  circumstances  attending  our 
situation  gave  us  ample  opportunity  for  learning  the  char- 
acter of  those  cruisers  which  have  lately  infested  our 
southern  coasts,  destroying  the  lives  and  plundering  the 
property  of  so  many  peaceable  traders.  If  this  narrative 
should  effect  any  good,  or  urge  our  government  to  still 
more  vigorous  measures  for  the  protection  of  our  com- 
merce, my  object  will  be  attained. 

"I  sailed  from  Boston,  bound  for  Trinidad,  in  the  Island 
of  Cuba,  on  the  13th  of  November,  1821,  in  the  schooner 
Exertion,  burden  one  hundred  and  seven  tons,  owned  by 
Messrs.  Joseph  Ballister  and  Henry  Farnam,  with  a  crew 
consisting  of  the  following  persons : 

Joshua  Bracket,         mate,         Bristol 
David  Warren,  cook,         Saco 

Thomas  Goodall,      seaman,      Baltimore 
Thomas  Young,  "  Orangetown 

Francis  de  Suze,  "  St.  John's 

George  Reed,  "  Greenock,  Scotland 

"The  cargo  consisted  of  flour,  beef,  pork,  lard,  butter, 
fish,  beans,  onions,  potatoes,  apples,  ham,  furniture,  sugar 
box  shooks,  &c,  invoiced  at  about  eight  thousand  dollars. 
Nothing  remarkable  occurred  during  the  passage,  except 
much  bad  weather,  until  my  capture,  which  was  as  fol- 
lows : 

"Monday,  December  17th,  1821, — commenced  with  fine 
breezes  from  the  eastward.  At  daybreak  saw  some  of 
the  islands  northward  of  Cape  Cruz,  called  keys — stood 
along  northwest ;  everything  now  seemed  favorable  for  a 
happy  termination  of  our  voyage.  At  three  o'clock  P.  M. 
saw  a  sail  coming  round  the  Keys,  into  a    channel  called 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  121 

Boca  de  Cavolone  by  the  chart,  nearly  in  latitude  20.55 
north,  longitude  79.55  west;  she  made  directly  for  us, 
with  all  sail  set,  sweeps  on  both  sides  (the  wind  being 
light),  and  was  soon  near  enough  for  us  to  discover  about 
forty  men  on  her  deck,  armed  with  muskets,  blunder- 
busses, cutlasses,  long  knives,  dirks,  two  carronades,  one 
a  twelve,  the  other  a  six-pounder ;  she  was  a  schooner, 
wearing  the  Patriot  flag  (blue,  white  and  blue)  of  the 
Republic  of  Mexico.  I  thought  it  not  prudent  to  resist 
them,  should  they  be  pirates,  with  a  crew  of  seven  men, 
and  only  five  muskets ;  accordingly  ordered  the  arms  and 
ammunition  to  be  immediately  stowed  away  in  as  secret 
a  place  as  possible,  and  suffer  her  to  speak  us,  hoping  and 
believing  that  a  republican  flag  indicated  both  honor  and 
friendship  from  those  who  wore  it,  and  which  we  might 
expect  even  from  Spaniards.  But  how  great  was  my 
astonishment  when  the  schooner,  having  approached  very 
near  us,  hailed  in  English,  and  ordered  me  to  heave  my 
boat  out  immediately  and  come  on  board  of  her  with  my 
papers.  Accordingly  my  boat  was  hove  out,  but  filled 
before  I  could  get  into  her.  I  was  then  ordered  to  tack 
ship  and  lay  by  for  the  pirate's  boat  to  board  me  ;  which 
was  done  by  Bolidar,  their  first  lieutenant,  with  six  or 
eight  Spaniards,  armed  with  as  many  of  the  before  men- 
tioned weapons  as  they  could  well  sling  about  their  bodies. 
They  drove  me  into  the  boat,  and  two  of  them  rowed  me 
to  their  privateer  (as  they  called  their  vessel),  where  I 
shook  hands  with  her  commander,  Captain  Jonnia,  a 
Spaniard,  who,  before  looking  at  my  papers,  ordered  Bol- 
idar, his  lieutenant,  to  follow  the  Mexican  in,  back  of  the 
Key  they  had  left,  which  was  done.  At  6  o'clock  P.  M. 
the  Exertion  was  anchored  in  eleven  feet  of  water,  near 
their  vessel  and  an  island,  which  they  called  Twelve 
League  Key  (called  by  the  chart  Key  Largo),  about  thirty 
or  thirty-five  leagues  from  Trinidad.  After  this  strange 
conduct  they  began  examining  my  papers  by  a  Scotchman 
who  went  by  the  name  of  Nickola,  their  sailing  master. 
He  spoke  good  English,  had  a  countenance  rather  pleas- 
ing, although  his  beard  and  mustachios  had  a  frightful 
appearance — his  face,  apparently  full  of  anxiety,  indicated 
something  in  my  favor;  he  gave    me    my  papers,  saying, 


122      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

'take  good  care  of  them,  for  I  am  afraid  that  you  have 
fallen  into  bad  hands.'  The  pirate's  boat  was  then  sent 
to  the  Exertion  with  more  men  and  arms  ;  a  part  of  them 
left  on  board  her,  the  rest  returning  with  three  of  my 
crew  to  their  vessel,  viz.,  Thomas  Young,  Thomas  Good- 
all,  and  George  Reed.  They  treated  them  with  something 
to  drink,  and  offered  them  equal  shares  with  themselves 
and  some  money  if  they  would  enlist,  but  they  could  not 
prevail  on  them.  I  then  requested  permission  to  go  on 
board  my  vessel,  which  was  granted,  and  further  requested 
Nickola  should  go  with  me,  bat  was  refused  by  the  cap- 
tain, who  vociferated  in  a  harsh  manner,  'No,  No,  No,' 
accompanied  with  a  heavy  stamp  upon  the  deck.  When 
I  got  on  board  I  was  invited  below  by  Bolidar,  where  I 
found  they  had  emptied  the  case  of  liquors  and  broken  a 
cheese  to  pieces  and  crumbled  it  on  the  table  and  cabin 
floor  ;  the  pirates,  elated  with  their  prize  (as  they  called 
it),  had  drank  so  much  as  to  make  them  desperately  abu- 
sive. I  was  permitted  to  lie  down  in  my  berth  ;  but, 
reader,  if  you  have  ever  been  awakened  by  a  gang  of 
armed  desperadoes,  who  have  taken  possession  of  your 
habitation  in  the  midnight  hour,  you  can  imagine  my 
feelings.  Sleep  was  a  stranger  to  me,  and  anxiety  was 
my  guest.  Bolidar,  however,  pretended  friendship,  and 
flattered  me  with  the  prospect  of  being  soon  set  at  liberty. 
But  I  found  him,  as  I  suspected,  a  consummate  hypocrite; 
indeed,  his  very  looks  indicated  it.  He  was  a  stout  and 
well-built  man,  of  a  dark,  swarthy  complexion,  with  keen, 
ferocious  eyes,  huge  whiskers,  and  beard  under  his  chin 
and  on  his  lips  four  or  five  inches  long  ;  he  was  a  Portu- 
guese by  birth,  but  had  become  a  naturalized  Frenchman 
— had  a  wife,  if  not  children  (as  I  was  told)  in  France, 
and  was  well  known  there  as  commander  of  a  first-rate 
privateer.  His  appearance  was  truly  terrific ;  he  could 
talk  some  in  English,  and  had  a  most  lion-like  voice. 

"Tuesday,  18th — Early  this  morning  the  captain  of  the 
pirates  came  on  board  the  Exertion,  took  a  look  at  the 
cabin  stores  and  cargo  in  the  state  rooms,  and  then  ordered 
me  back  with  him  to  his  vessel,  where  he,  with  his  crew, 
held  a  consultation  for  some  time  respecting  the  cargo. 
After  which  the  interpreter,    Nickola,    told  me  that  'the 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.   BRADLEE  123 

captain  had  or  pretended  to  have  a  commission  under 
General  Traspelascus,  commander-in-chief  of  the  republic 
of  Mexico,  authorizing  him  to  take  all  cargoes  whatever 
of  provisions  bound  to  any  Spanish  royalist  port — that  my 
cargo,  being  bound  to  an  enemy's  port,  must  be  con- 
demned, but  that  the  vessel  should  be  given  up  and  put 
into  a  fair  channel  for  Trinidad,  where  I  was  bound.'  I 
requested  him  to  examine  the  papers  thoroughly,  and 
perhaps  he  would  be  convinced  to  the  contrary,  and  told 
him  my  cargo  was  all  American  property  taken  in  at 
Boston  and  consigned  to  an  American  gentleman  agent  at 
Trinidad.  But  the  captain  would  not  take  this  trouble, 
but  ordered  both  vessels  under  way  immediately,  and 
commenced  beating  up  amongst  the  Keys  through  most 
of  the  day,  the  wind  being  very  light.  They  now  sent 
their  boats  on  board  the  Exertion  for  stores,  and  com- 
menced plundering  her  of  bread,  butter,  lard,  onions,  po- 
tatoes, fish,  beans,  &c,  took  up  some  sugar  box  shooks 
that  were  on  deck,  and  found  the  barrels  of  apples,  select- 
ed the  best  of  them,  and  threw  the  rest  of  them  over- 
board. They  inquired  for  spirits,  wine,  cider,  &c,  and 
were  told  'they  had  already  taken  all  that  was  on  boaid.' 
But  not  satisfied,  they  proceeded  to  search  the  state  rooms 
and  forecastle,  ripped  up  the  floor  of  the  latter,  and  found 
some  boxes  of  bottled  cider,  which  they  carried  to  their 
vessel,  gave  three  cheers  in  an  exulting  manner  to  me, 
and  then  began  drinking  it  with  such  freedom  that  a  vio- 
lent quarrel  arose  between  officers  and  men,  which  came 
very  near  ending  in  bloodshed.  I  was  accused  of  false- 
hood, for  saying  they  had  already  got  all  the  liquors  that 
were  on  board,  and  I  thought  they  had  ;  the  truth  was,  I 
never  had  any  bill  of  lading  of  the  cider,  and  consequently 
had  no  recollection  of  its  being  on  board  ;  yet  it  served 
them  as  an  excuse  for  being  insolent.  In  the  evening 
peace  was  restored  and  they  sung  songs.  I  was  suffered 
to  go  below  for  the  night,  and  they  placed  a  guard  over 
me,  stationed  at  the  companion  way. 

Wednesday,  19th,  commenced  with  moderate  easterly 
winds,  beating  towards  the  northeast,  the  pirate's  boats 
frequently  going  on  board  the  Exertion  for  potatoes,  fish, 
beans,  butter,  &c,  which  were  used  with  great  waste  and 


124      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

extravagance.  They  gave  me  food  and  drink,  but  of  bad 
quality,  more  particularly  the  victuals,  which  were 
wretchedly  cooked.  The  place  assigned  me  to  eat  was 
covered  with  dirt  and  vermin.  It  appeared  that  their 
great  object  was  to  hurt  my  feelings  with  threats  and  ob- 
servations, and  to  make  my  situation  as  unpleasant  as 
circumstances  would  admit.  We  came  to  anchor  near  a 
Key,  called  by  them  Biigantine,  where  myself  and  mate 
were  permitted  to  go  on  shore,  but  were  guarded  by  sev- 
eral armed  pirates.  I  soon  returned  to  the  Mexican  and 
my  mate  to  the  Exertion,  with  George  Reed,  one  of  my 
crew,  the  other  two  being  kept  on  board  the  Mexican.  In 
the  course  of  this  day  I  had  considerable  conversation 
with  Nickola,  who  appeared  well  disposed  towards  me. 
He  lamented  most  deeply  his  own  situation,  for  he  was 
one  of  those  men  whose  early  good  impressions  were  not 
entirely  effaced,  although  confederated  with  guilt.  He 
told  me,  'those  who  had  taken  me  were  no  better  than 
pirates,  and  their  end  would  be  the  halter  ;  but,'  he  added, 
with  peculiar  emotion,  'I  will  never  be  hung  as  a  pirate,' 
showing  me  a  bottle  of  laudanum  which  he  had  found  in 
my  medicine  chest,  saying,  'if  we  are  taken  that  shall 
cheat  the  hangman  before  we  are  condemned.'  I  endeav- 
ored to  get  it  from  him,  but  did  not  succeed.  I  then 
asked  him  how  he  came  to  be  in  such  company,  as  he  ap- 
peared to  be  dissatisfied.  He  stated  'that  he  was  at  New 
Orleans  last  summer,  out  of  employment,  and  became 
acquainted  with  one  Captain  August  Orgamar,  a  French- 
man, who  had  bought  a  small  schooner  of  about  fifteen 
tons,  and  was  going  down  to  the  bay  of  Mexico  to  get  a 
commission  under  General  Traspelascus,  in  order  to  go  a 
privateering  under  the  patriot  flag.  Captain  Orgamar 
made  him  liberal  offers  respecting  shares,  and  promised 
him  a  sailing  master's  berth,  which  he  accepted  and  em- 
barked on  board  the  schooner,  without  sufficiently  reflect- 
ing on  the  danger  of  such  an  undertaking.  Soon  after 
she  sailed  from  Mexico,  where  they  got  a  commission,  and 
the  vessel  was  called  Mexican.  They  made  up  a  comple- 
ment of  twenty  men,  and  after  rendering  the  General 
some  little  service  in  transporting  his  troops  to  a  place 
called ,  proceeded  on  a  cruise;  took  some  small  prizes 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  125 

off  Campeachy;  afterwards  came  on  the  south  coast  of 
Cuba,  where  they  took  other  small  prizes  and  the  one 
which  we  were  now  on  board  of.  By  this  time  the  crew 
was  increased  to  about  forty,  nearly  one-half  Spaniards, 
the  others  Frenchmen  and  Portuguese.  Several  of  them 
had  sailed  out  of  ports  in  the  United  States,  with  Ameri- 
can protections  ;  but,  I  confidently  believe,  none  are  na- 
tives, especially  of  the  northern  states.*  I  was  careful 
in  examining  the  men,  being  desirous  of  knowing  if  any 
of  my  countrymen  were  among  the  wretched  crew,  but 
am  satisfied  there  were  none,  and  my  Scotch  friend  con- 
curred in  the  opinion.  And  now,  with  a  new  vessel, 
which  was  the  prize  of  these  plunderers,  they  sailed  up 
Manganeil  Bay  ;  previously,  however,  they  fell  in  with  an 
American  schooner,  from  which  they  bought  four  barrels 
of  beef,  and  paid  in  tobacco.  At  the  Bay  was  an  English 
brig  belonging  to  Jamaica,  owned  by  Mr.  John  Louden  of 
that  place.  On  board  of  this  vessel  the  Spanish  part  of 
the  crew  commenced  their  depredations  as  pirates,  although 
Captain  Orgamar  and  Nickola  protested  against  it  and 
refused  any  participation ;  but  they  persisted,  and  like  so 
many  ferocious  bloodhounds,  boarded  the  brig,  plundered 
the  cabin  stores,  furniture,  captain's  trunk,  &c,  took  a 
hogshead  of  rum,  one  twelve-pound  carronade,  some  rig- 
ging and  sails.  One  of  them  plundered  the  chest  of  a 
sailor,  who  made  some  resistance,  so  that  the  Spaniard 
took  his  cutlass  and  beat  and  wounded  him  without 
mercy.  Nickola  asked  him  'why  he  did  it  ?'  the  fellow 
answered,  'I  will  let  you  know,'  and  took  up  the  cook's 
axe  and  gave  him  a  cut  on  the  head,  which  nearly  deprived 
him  of  life.f  Then  they  ordered  Captain  Orgamar  to 
leave  his  vessel,  allowing  him  his  trunk,  and  turned  him 
ashore  to  seek  for  himself.     Nickola  beffged  them  to  dis- 

...  CO 

miss  him  with  his  captain,  but  no,  no,  was  the  answer,  for 
they  had  no  complete  navigator  but  him.     After  Captain 

•The  Spaniards  at  Havana  have  been  in  the  habit  of  saying  to 
those  who  arrive  there,  after  suffering  the  horrid  abuse  of  cutting, 
beating,  hanging,  robbing,  &c,  "it  is  your  countrymen  that  do 
this." 

tHe  showed  me  the  wound,  which  was  quite  large  and  not  then 
healed. 


126      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

Orgamar  was  gone,  they  put  in  his  stead  the  present  brave 
(or  as  I  should  call  him  cowardly)  Captain  Jonnia,  who 
headed  them  in  plundering  the  before  mentioned  brig,  and 
made  Bolidar  their  first  lieutenant,  and  then  proceeded 
down  among  those  Keys  or  islands  where  I  was  captured. 
This  is  the  amount  of  what  my  friend  Nickola  told  me  of 
their  history. 

Thursday,  20th,  continued  beating  up,  wind  being  light; 
the  pirate's  boats  were  sent  to  the  Exertion  for  more 
stores,  such  as  bread,  lard,  &c.  I  this  day  discovered  on 
board  the  Mexican  three  black  girls,  of  whom  it  is  well 
to  say  no  more.  It  is  impossible  to  give  an  account  of 
the  filthiness  of  this  crew,  and  were  it  possible  it  would 
not  be  expedient.  In  their  appearance  they  were  terrific, 
wearing  black  whiskers  and  long  beards,  the  receptacles 
of  dirt  and  vermin.  They  used  continually  the  most 
profane  language ;  had  frequent  quarrels,  and  so  great 
was  their  love  of  gambling  that  the  captain  would  play 
cards  with  the  meanest  man  on  board.  All  these  things 
rendered  them  to  me  objects  of  total  disgust  (with  a  few 
exceptions,  as  will  hereafter  appear).  I  was  told  they  had 
a  stabbing  match,  but  a  few  days  before  I  was  taken,  and 
one  man  came  near  being  killed ;  they  put  him  ashore  at 
a  fisherman's  hut  and  there  left  him  to  perish.  I  saw  the 
wound  of  another,  who  had  his  nose  split  open. 

Friday,  21st — After  laying  at  anchor  through  the  night 
in  ten  fathoms  water,  made  sail  and  stood  to  the  eastward 
— by  this  time  I  was  out  of  my  reckoning,  having  no 
quadrant,  chart,  or  books.  The  pirate's  boats  were  again 
sent  for  stores.  The  captain  for  the  second  time  de- 
manded of  me  where  my  wine,  brandy,  &c,  were.  I  again 
told  him  they  had  already  got  the  whole.  They  took  the 
deep  sea  line  and  some  cordage  from  the  Exertion,  and  at 
night  came  to  anchor. 

Saturday,  22d — Both  vessels  under  way  standing  to 
the  eastward ;  they  ran  the  Exertion  aground  on  a  bar, 
but  after  throwing  overboard  most  of  her  deckload  of 
shooks,  she  floated  off ;  a  pilot  was  sent  to  her  and  she 
was  run  into  a  narrow  creek  between  two  keys,  where 
they  moored  her  head  and  stern  alongside  the  mangrove 
trees,  sent  down  her  yards  and  topmasts,  and  covered  her 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.  BRADLBE  127 

mastheads  and  shrouds  with  bushes  to  prevent  her  being 
seen  by  vessels  which  might  pass  that  way.  I  was  then 
suffered  to  go  on  board  my  own  vessel,  and  found  her  in 
a  very  filthy  condition  ;  sails  torn,  rigging  cut  to  pieces, 
and  everything  in  the  cabin  in  waste  and  confusion.  The 
swarms  of  moschetoes  and  sand-flies  made  it  impossible 
to  get  any  sleep  or  rest.  The  pirate's  large  boat  was 
armed  and  manned  under  Bolidar,  and  sent  off  with  let- 
ters to  a  merchant  (as  they  called  him)  by  the  name  of 
Dominico,  residing  in  a  town  called  Principe,  on  the  main 
island  of  Cuba.  I  was  told  by  one  of  them  who  could 
speak  English  that  Principe  was  a  very  large  and  populous 
town,  situated  at  the  head  of  St.  Maria,  which  was  about 
twenty  miles  northeast  from  where  we  lay,  and  the  Keys 
lying  around  us  were  called  Cotton  Keys.  The  captain 
pressed  into  his  service  Francis  de  Suze,  one  of  my  crew, 
saying  he  was  one  of  his  countrymen.  Francis  was  very 
reluctant  in  going,  and  said  to  me,  with  tears  in  his  eyes, 
'I  shall  do  nothing  only  what  I  am  obliged  to  do,  and  will 
not  aid  in  the  least  to  hurt  you  or  the  vessel ;  I  am  very 
sorry  to  leave  you/  He  was  immediately  put  on  duty 
and  Thomas  Goodall  sent  back  to  the  Exertion. 

"Sunday,  23d. — Early  this  morning  a  large  number  of 
the  pirates  came  on  board  of  the  Exertion,  threw  out  the 
long  boat,  broke  open  the  hatches  and  took  out  consider- 
able of  the  cargo,  in  search  of  rum,  gin,  &c,  still  telling 
me  'I  had  some  and  that  they  would  find  it,'  uttering  the 
most  awful  profaneness.  In  the  afternoon  the  boat  re- 
turned with  a  perough,*  having  on  board  the  captain, 
his  first  lieutenant,  and  seven  men  of  a  patriot  or  piratical 
vessel  that  was  chased  ashore  at  Cape  Cruz  by  a  Spanish 
armed  brig.  These  seven  men  made  their  escape  in  said 
boat,  and  after  four  days,  found  our  pirates  and  joined 
them,  the  remainder  of  the  crew  being  killed  or  taken 
prisoners. 

"Monday,  24th. — Their  boat  was  manned  and  sent  to 
the  before  mentioned  town.  I  was  informed  by  a  line 
from  Nickola  that  the  pirates  had  a  man  on  board,  a  native 
of  Principe,  who,  in  the  garb  of  a  sailor,   was  a  partner 

*A  boat  built  of  two  halves  of  a  large  tree,  hollowed   out  and  so 
put  together  as  to  carry  about  thirty  barrels. 


128      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

with  Dominico,  but  I  could  not  get  sight  of  him.  This 
lets  us  a  little  into  the  plans  by  which  this  atrocious  sys- 
tem of  piracy  has  been  carried  on.  Merchants  having 
partners  on  board  of  these  pirates  !  thus  pirates  at  sea 
and  robbers  on  land  are  associated  to  destroy  the  peace- 
able trader. 

"The  willingness  exhibited  by  the  seven  above-men- 
tioned men  to  join  our  gang  of  pirates  seemed  to  look  like 
a  general  understanding  among  them ;  and  from  there 
being  merchants  on  shore  so  base  as  to  encourage  the 
plunder  and  vend  the  goods,  I  am  persuaded  there  has 
been  a  systematic  confederacy  on  the  part  of  these  un- 
principled desperadoes,  under  cover  of  the  patriot  flag, 
and  those  on  land  are  no  better  than  those  on  the  sea.  If 
the  governments  to  whom  they  belong  know  of  the  atroc- 
ities committed  (and  I  have  but  little  doubt  they  do),  they 
deserve  the  execration  of  all  mankind. 

"Tuesday,  25th. — Still  on  board  the  Exertion — weather 
very  calm  and  warm.  The  pirate's  boat  returned  from 
St.  Maria,  and  came  for  candles,  cheese,  potatoes,  &c, 
they  saying  they  must  have  them,  and  forbid  my  keeping 
any  light  on  board  at  night — took  a  case  of  trunks  for  the 
captain's  use,  and  departed.  Their  irritating  conduct  at 
this  time  can  hardly  be  imagined. 

"Wednesday,  26th. — I  was  told  by  Bolidar  that  three 
Spanish  cruisers  were  in  search  of  them,  that  they  could 
fight  two  of  them  at  once  (which,  by  the  way,  I  believe 
was  not  true),  and  were  disappointed  in  not  finding  them. 
Same  evening  they  took  both  of  my  boats,  and  their  own 
men,  towed  their  vessel  out  of  the  creek,  and  anchored 
at  its  mouth  to  get  rid  of  sand-flies,  while  they  obliged 
us  to  stay  on  deck  under  an  awning,  exposed  to  all  the 
violence  of  these  flies ;  we  relieved  ourselves  in  some 
measure  by  the  burning  of  tobacco,  which  lasted  but  for 
a  short  time. 

"Thursday,  27th. — A  gang  of  the  pirates  came  and 
stripped  our  masts  of  the  green  bushes,  saying,  'she  ap- 
peared more  like  a  sail  than  trees' — took  one  barrel  of 
bread  and  one  of  potatoes,  using  about  one  of  each  every 
day.  I  understood  they  were  waiting  for  boats  to  take 
the  cargo,  for  the  principal  merchant  had  gone  to  Trin- 
idad. 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  129 

"Friday,  28th. — Nothing  remarkable  occurred  this  day 
— were  frequently  called  upon  for  tar  and  butter,  and 
junk  to  make  oakum.  Capt.  Jonnia  brought  on  board  with 
his  new  captain  and  officer  before  mentioned.  Again  they 
asked  for  wine,  and  were  told  as  before  they  had  gotten 
the  whole. 

"Saturday,  29th. — Same  insulting  conduct  continued. 
Took  a  barrel  of  crackers. 

"Sunday,  30th. — The  beginning  of  trouble !  this  day, 
which  peculiarly  reminds  Christians  of  the  high  duties  of 
compassion  and  benevolence,  was  never  observed  by  these 
pirates.  This,  of  course,  we  might  expect,  as  they  did 
not  often  know  when  the  day  came,  and  if  they  knew  it 
it  was  spent  in  gambling.  The  old  saying  among  seamen, 
'no  Sunday  off  soundings,'  was  not  thought  of,  and  even 
this  poor  plea  was  not  theirs,  for  they  were  on  soundings 
and  often  at  anchor.  Early  this  morning  the  merchant, 
as  they  called  him,  came  with  a  large  boat  for  the  cargo. 
I  was  immediately  ordered  into  the  boat  with  my  crew, 
not  allowed  any  breakfast,  and  carried  about  three  miles 
to  a  small  island  out  of  sight  of  the  Exertion,  and  left 
there  by  the  side  of  a  little  pond  of  thick,  muddy  water, 
which  proved  to  be  very  brackish,  with  nothing  to  eat  but 
a  few  biscuit.  One  of  the  boat's  men  told  us  the  mer- 
chant was  afraid  of  being  recognized,  and  when  he  had 
gone  the  boat  would  return  for  us,  but  we  had  great  reason 
to  apprehend  they  would  deceive  us,  and  therefore  passed 
the  day  in  the  utmost  anxiety.  At  night,  however,  the 
boats  came  and  took  us  again  on  board  the  Exertion, 
when,  to  our  surprise  and  astonishment,  we  found  they 
had  broken  open  the  trunks  and  chests  and  taken  all  our 
wearing  apparel,  not  even  leaving  a  shirt  or  pair  of  pan- 
taloons, not  sparing  a  small  miniature  of  my  wife  which 
was  in  my  trunk.  The  little  money  I  and  my  mate  had, 
with  some  belonging  to  the  owners,  my  mate  had  previ- 
ously distributed  about  the  cabin  in  three  or  four  parcels, 
while  I  was  on  board  the  pirate,  for  we  dare  not  keep  it 
about  us  ;  one  parcel  in  a  butter  pot  they  did  not  dis- 
cover. Amidst  the  hurry  with  which  I  was  obliged  to 
leave  my  vessel  to  go  to  the  before-mentioned  island,  I 
fortunately  snatched  my  vessel's  papers  and  hid  them  in 


130      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

my  bosom,  which  the  reader  will  find  was  a  happy  cir- 
cumstance for  me.  My  writing  desk,  with  papers,  ac- 
counts, &c,  all  Mr.  Lord's  letters  (the  gentleman  to  whom 
my  cargo  was  consigned),  and  several  others,  were  taken 
and  maliciously  destroyed.  My  medicine  chest,  which  I 
so  much  wanted,  was  kept  for  their  own  use.  What  their 
motive  could  be  to  take  my  papers  I  could  not  imagine, 
except  they  had  hopes  of  finding  bills  of  lading  for  some 
Spaniards,  to  clear  them  of  piracy.  Mr.  Bracket  had 
some  notes  and  papers  of  consequence  to  him,  which 
shared  the  same  fate.  My  quadrant,  charts,  books,  and 
some  bedding,  were  not  yet  taken,  but  I  found  it  impos- 
sible to  hide  them,  and  they  were  soon  gone  from  my 
sight. 

"Monday,  31st. — We  complained  to  them,  expressing 
the  necessity  of  having  clothes  to  cover  us,  but  as  well 
might  we  have  appealed  to  the  winds,  and  rather  better, 
for  they  would  not  have  upbraided  us  in  return.  The 
captain,  however,  sent  word  he  would  see  to  it,  and  or- 
dered their  clothes-bags  to  be  searched,  where  he  found 
some  of  our  things,  but  took  good  care  to  put  them  into 
his  own  cabin.  1  urgently  requested  him  to  give  me  the 
miniature,  but  'no'  was  all  I  could  get. 

"Tuesday,  January  1st,  1822. — A  sad  new  year's  day 
to  me.  Before  breakfast  orders  came  for  me  to  cut  down 
the  Exertion's  railing  and  bulwarks  on  one  side,  for  their 
vessel  to  heave  out  by  and  clean  her  bottom.  On  my 
hesitating  a  little,  they  observed  with  anger,  '  Very  well, 
captain,  suppose  you  no  do  it  quick,  we  do  it  for  you.' 
Directly  afterwards  another  boat,  full  of  armed  men,  came 
alongside  ;  they  jumped  on  deck  with  swords  drawn  and 
ordered  all  of  us  into  her  immediately.  I  stepped  below, 
in  hopes  of  getting  something  which  would  be  of  service 
to  us,  but  the  captain  hallooed,  'go  in  the  boat  directly  or 
I  will  fire  upon  you.'  Thus  compelled  to  obey,  we  were 
carried,  together  with  four  Spanish  prisoners,  to  a  small, 
low  island  or  key  of  sand  in  the  shape  of  a  half  moon, 
and  partly  covered  with  mangrove  trees,  which  was  about 
one  mile  from  and  in  sight  of  my  vessel.  There  they 
left  nine  of  us,  with  a  little  bread,  flour,  fish,  lard,  a  little 
coffee  and  molasses,    two  or  three  kegs    of  water,  which 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.    BRADLEE  131 

was  brackish,  an  old  sail  for  a  covering,  and  a  pot  and 
some  other  small  articles  no  way  fit  to  cook  in.  Leaving 
us  these,  which  were  much  less  than  they  appear  in  the 
enumeration,  they  pushed  off,  saying,  'we  will  come  to 
see  you  in  a  day  or  two.'  Selecting  the  best  place,  we 
spread  the  old  sail  for  an  awning,  but  no  place  was  free 
from  flies,  muschetoes,  snakes,  the  venomous  santipee. 
Sometimes  they  were  found  crawling  inside  of  our  panta- 
loons, but  fortunately  no  injury  was  received.  This  after- 
noon the  pirates  hove  their  vessel  out  by  the  Exertion  and 
cleaned  one  side,  using  her  paints,  oils,  &c,  for  that  pur- 
pose. To  see  my  vessel  in  that  situation  and  to  think  of 
our  prospects  was  a  source  of  the  deepest  distress.  At 
night  we  retired  to  our  tent,  but  having  nothing  but.  the 
cold  damp  ground  for  a  bed,  and  the  heavy  dew  of 
the  night  penetrating  the  old  canvass — the  situation  of 
the  island  being  fiftv  miles  from  the  usual  track  of  friend- 
ly  vessels,  and  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  from  Trinidad 
— seeing  my  owner's  property  so  unjustly  and  wantonly 
destroyed — considering  my  condition,  the  hands  at  whose 
mercy  I  was,  and  deprived  of  all  hopes,  rendered  sleep  or 
rest  a  stranger  to  me. 

"Wednesday,  2d. — The  pirates  hove  out  and  cleaned 
the  other  side.  She  then  commenced  loading  with  the 
Exertion's  cargo,  which  appeared  to  be  flour  and  lard.  In 
the  afternoon  their  boat  came  and  took  two  of  the  Span- 
iards with  them  to  another  island  for  water,  and  soon  after 
returned  with  four  kegs  of  poor,  unwholesome  water,  and 
left  us,  saying  they  should  not  bring  us  provisions  again 
for  some  time,  as  they  were  going  away  with  goods  from 
the  prize,  to  be  gone  two  or  three  days.  Accordingly 
they  brought  a  present  supply  of  beef,  pork,  and  a  few 
potatoes,  with  some  bedding  for  myself  and  mate.  The 
mangrove  wood  afforded  us  a  good  fire,  as  one  of  the 
Spanish  prisoners  happened  to  have  fireworks,  and  others 
had  tobacco  and  paper  with  which  we  made  cigars.  About 
this  time  one  of  my  men  began  to  be  unwell  ;  his  legs  and 
body  swelled  considerably,  but  having  no  medicine  I  could 
not  do  much  to  relieve  him. 

"Thursday,  3d. — The  pirates  had  dropped  off  from  the 
Exertion,  but  kept  their  boats  employed   in    bringing  the 


1  32      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

cargo  from  her  ;  I  supposed  it  to  be  kegs  of  lard  to  make 
stowage.  They  then  got  under  way  with  a  perough  in 
tow,  both  deeply  laden,  run  out  of  the  harbor,  hauled  on 
the  wind  to  the  eastward  till  out  of  sight  behind  the 
Keys,  leaving  a  guard  on  board  the  Exertion. 

"Friday,  4th. — Commenced  with  light  wind  and  hot 
sun  ;  saw  a  boat  coming  from  the  Exertion,  apparently 
loaded ;  she  passed  between  two  small  Keys  to  the  north- 
ward, supposed  to  be  bound  for  Cuba.  At  sunset  a  boat 
came  and  inquired  if  we  wanted  anything,  but  instead  of 
adding  to  our  provisions,  took  away  our  molasses,  and 
pushed  off.  We  found  one  of  the  Exertion's  water  casks 
and  several  pieces  of  plank,  which  we  carefully  laid  up, 
in  hopes  of  getting  enough  to  make  a  raft. 

"Saturday,  5th. — Pirates  again  in  sight  coming  from 
the  eastward ;  they  beat  up  alongside  their  prize  and 
commenced  loading.  In  the  afternoon  Nickola  came  to 
us,  bringing  with  him  two  more  prisoners,  which  they  had 
taken  in  a  small  sailboat  coming  from  Trinidad  to  Man- 
ganeil,  one  a  Frenchman,  the  other  a  Scotchman,  with  two 
Spaniards,  who  remained  on  board  the  pirate,  and  who 
afterwards  joined  them.  The  back  of  one  of  these  poor 
fellows  was  extremely  sore,  having  just  suffered  a  cruel 
beating  from  Bolidar  with  the  broad  side  of  a  cutlass.  It 
appeared  that  when  the  officer  asked  him  'where  their 
money  was  and  how  much,'  he  answered,  'he  was  not  cer- 
tain, but  believed  they  had  only  two  ounces  of  gold/ 
Bolidar  furiously  swore,  he  said  'ten',  and  not  finding  any 
more,  gave  him  the  beating.  Nickola  now  related  to  me 
a  singular  fact,  which  was,  that  the  Spanish  part  of  the 
crew  were  determined  to  shoot  him ;  that  they  tied  him 
to  the  mast,  and  the  man  was  appointed  for  the  purpose, 
but  Lyon,  a  Frenchman,  his  particular  friend,  stepped  up 
and  told  them  if  they  shot  him,  they  must  shoot  several 
more ;  some  of  the  Spaniards  sided  with  him,  and  he  was 
released.  Nickola  told  me  the  reason  for  such  treatment 
was  that  he  continually  objected  to  their  conduct  towards 
me,  and  their  opinion  was  if  he  should  escape  they  would 
be  discovered,  as  he  declared  he  would  take  no  prize 
money.     While  with  us  he  gave  me    a   letter,    written  in 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRAD  LEE  133 

great  haste,  which  contains  some  particulars  respecting  the 
cargo,  as  follows  ; 

"January  4th,  1822. 
"Sir — We  arrived  here  this  morning,  and  before  we 
came  to  anchor  had  five  canoes  alongside  ready  to  take 
your  cargo,  part  of  which  we  had  in ;  and  as  I  heard  you 
express  a  wish  to  know  what  they  took  out  of  her,  to  this 
moment,  you  may  depend  on  this  account  of  Jamieson* 
for  quality  and  quantity  ;  if  I  have  the  same  opportunity 
you  will  have  an  account  of  the  whole.  The  villian  who 
bought  your  cargo  is  from  the  town  of  Principe,  his  name 
is  Dominico,  as  to  that  it  is  all  1  can  learn  ;  they  have 
taken  your  charts  on  board  the  Mexican,  and  I  suppose 
mean  to  keep  them,  as  the  other  captain  has  agreed  to  act 
the  same  infamous  part  in  the  tragedy  of  his  life.  Your 
clothes  are  here  on  board,  but  do  not  let  me  flatter 
you  that  you  will  get  them  back ;  it  may  be  so, 
and  it  may  not.  Perhaps  in  your  old  age,  when  you 
recline  with  ease  in  a  corner  of  your  cottage,  you  will 
have  the  goodness  to  drop  a  tear  of  pleasure  to  the  mem- 
ory of  him  whose  highest  ambition  should  have  been  to 
subscribe  himself,  though  devoted  to  the  gallows,  your 
friend, 

"NlCKOLA   MONACRE. 

"Excuse  haste. 

"P.  S.     Your  answer  in  writing  when  I  come  again. 

"Sunday,  6th. — The  pirates  were  under  way  at  sunrise, 
with  a  full  load  of  the  Exertion's  cargo,  going  to  Principe 
again  to  sell  a  second  freight,  which  was  done  readily  for 
cash.  I  afterwards  heard  that  the  flour  brought  only  five 
dollars  per  barrel,  when  it  was  worth  at  Trinidad  thirteen, 
so  that  the  villain  who  bought  my  cargo  at  Principe  made 
very  large  profits  by  it. 

"Monday,  7th. — The  pirates  brought  more  water,  but 
being  very  brackish,  it  was  unfit  for  use.  We  were  now 
greatly  alarmed  at  Thomas'  ill  health,  being  suddenly  at- 
tacked with  a  pain  in  the  head  and  swelling  of  the  right 
eye,  attended  with  derangement.  He,  however,  soon  be- 
came better,  but  his  eye   remained    swollen  several  days, 

•This  is  the  real  name  of  Nickola. 


134      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

without  much  pain.  In  the  evening  we  had  some  heavy 
showers  of  rain,  and  having  no  secure  cabin,  no  sheltered 
retreat,  our  exposure  made  us  pass  a  very  uncomfortable 
night. 

"Tuesday,  8th. — Early  this  morning  the  pirates  in  sight 
again,  with  fore-topsail  and  top  gallant  sail  set ;  beat  up 
alongside  of  the  Exertion  and  commenced  loading,  having, 
as  I  supposed,  sold  and  discharged  her  last  freight  among 
the  inhabitants  of  Cuba.  They  appeared  to  load  in  great 
haste,  and  the  song  'O  he  ho,'  which  echoed  from  one 
vessel  to  the  other,  was  distinctly  heard  by  us.  How 
wounding  was  this  to  me !  How  different  was  this  sound 
from  what  it  would  have  been  had  I  been  permitted  to 
pass  unmolested  by  these  lawless  plunderers,  had  been 
favored  with  a  safe  arrival  at  the  port  of  my  destination, 
where  my  cargo  would  have  found  an  excellent  sale.  Then 
would  the  'O  he  ho'  on  its  discharging  have  been  a  de- 
lightful sound  to  me.  In  the  afternoon  she  sailed  with 
the  perough  in  tow,  both  with  a  full  load,  having  chairs, 
which  was  a  part  of  the  cargo,  slung  at  her  quarters. 

"Wednesday,  9th. — Very  calm  and  warm.  The  swarms 
of  moschetoes  and  flies  made  us  pass  a  very  uncomforta- 
ble day.  We  dug  in  the  sand  for  water,  but  were  disap- 
pointed in  finding  none  so  good  as  they  left  us.  In  walk- 
ing round  among  the  bushes,  I  accidentally  discovered  a 
hole  in  the  sand  and  saw  something  run  into  it;  curiosity 
led  me  to  dig  about  it.  With  the  help  of  Mr.  Bracket,  I 
found  at  the  distance  of  seven  feet  from  its  mouth  and 
one  from  the  surface,  a  large  solitary  rat,  apparently  sev- 
eral years  old  ;  he  had  collected  a  large  nest  of  grass  and 
leaves,  but  there  was  not  the  least  appearance  of  any  other 
being  on  the  island. 

"Thursday,  10th. — No  pirates  in  sight.  The  day  was 
passed  in  anxious  suspense,  David  Warren  being  quite 
sick. 

"Friday,  11th.  They  came  and  hauled  alongside  of 
the  Exertion,  but  I  think  took  out  none  of  her  cargo, 
but  had,  as  I  supposed,  a  vendue  on  board,  wherein  was 
sold  among  themselves  all  our  books,  clothing,  quadrants, 
charts,  spyglasses,  and  everything  belonging  to  us  and  our 
fellow-prisoners.     I  was  afterwards    told  they  brought  a 


BY   FRANCIS  B.    C.   BRADLEB  135 

good  price,  but  what  they  could  want  of  the  Bible,  Prayer 
Book,  and  many  other  books  in  English,  was  matter  of 
astonishment  to  me. 

"Saturday,  12th. — They  remained  alongside  the  Exer- 
tion ;  took  the  paints,  oil,  brushes,  &c,  and  gave  their 
vessel  a  new  coat  of  paint  all  around,  and  a  white  boot 
top,  took  the  perough  to  another  key  and  caulked  her  ,- 
there  was  no  appearance  of  their  taking  any  cargo  out ; 
the  Exertion,  however,  appeared  considerably  high  out  of 
water.  About  sunset  the  pirates  went  out  of  the  harbor 
on  a  cruise.  Here  we  had  been  staying  day  after  day, 
and  exposed  night  after  night ;  apprehensions  for  our 
safety  were  much  increased  ;  what  was  to  become  of  us 
seemed  now  to  rush  into  every  one's  mind. 

"Sunday,  13th. — Deprived  of  our  good  books,  deprived 
in  fact  of  everything  save  life,  and  our  ideas  respecting 
our  fate  so  gloomy,  all  tended  to  render  time,  especially 
the  Lord's  day,  burdensome  to  all.  In  the  afternoon  a 
boat  came  for  cargo,  from,  as  I  supposed,  that  villain 
Dominico. 

"Monday,  14th. — They  again  hove  in  sight,  as  usual, 
alongside  their  prize.  While  passing  our  solitary  island 
they  laughed  at  our  misery,  which  was  almost  insupport- 
able— looking  upon  us  as  though  we  had  committed  some 
heinous  crime,  and  they  had  not  sufficiently  punished  us  ; 
they  hallooed  to  us,  crying  out,  'Captain,  Captain,'  accom- 
panied with  obscene  motions  and  words,  with  which  I 
shall  not  blacken  these  pages  ;  yet  1  heard  no  check  upon 
such  conduct,  nor  could  I  expect  it  among  such  a  ganc, 
who  have  no  idea  of  subordination  on  board,  except  when 
in  chase  of  vessels,  and  even  then  but  very  little.  My 
resentment  was  excited  at  such  a  malicious  outrage,  and  I 
felt  a  disposition  to  revenge  myself,  should  fortune  ever 
favor  me  with  an  opportunity.  It  was  beyond  human  na- 
ture not  to  feel  and  express  some  indignation  at  such 
treatment.  Soon  after,  Bolidar,  with  five  men,  well 
armed,  came  to  us,  he  having  a  blunderbuss,  cutlass,  a 
long  knife  and  pair  of  pistols  ;  but  for  what  purpose  did 
he  come  ?  He  took  me  by  the  hand,  saying,  'Captain,  me 
speak  with  you,  walk  this  way.'  I  obeyed,  and  when  we 
were  at  some  distance  from  my  fellow-prisoners  (his  men 


136      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

following),  he  said,  'the  captain  send  me  for  your  wash.' 
I  pretended  not  to  understand  what  he  meant  and  replied, 
*  I  have  no  clothes,  nor  any  soap  to  wash  with — you  have 
taken  them  all' — for  I  had  kept  my  watch  about  me,  hop- 
ing they  would  not  discover  it.  He  demanded  it  again 
as  before,  and  was  answered,  'I  have  nothing  to  wash.' 
This  raised  his  anger,  and,  lifting  his  blunderbuss,  he 
roared  out,  'What  the  d — 1  you  call  him  that  make  clock, 
give  it  me.'  I  considered  it  imprudent  to  contend  any 
longer  and  submitted  to  his  unlawful  demand.  As  he  was 
going  off  he  gave  me  a  small  bundle,  in  which  was  a  pair 
of  linen  drawers,  sent  to  me  by  Nickola,  and  also  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Brooks'  'Family  Prayer  Book.'  This  gave  me 
great  satisfaction.  Soon  after  he  returned  with  his  cap- 
tain, who  had  one  arm  slung  up,  yet  with  as  many  imple- 
ments of  war  as  his  diminutive  wicked  self  could  conven- 
iently carry  ;  he  told  me  (through  an  interpreter  who 
was  a  prisoner)  'that  on  his  cruise  he  had  fallen  in  with 
two  Spanish  privateers  and  beat  them  off,  but  had  three 
of  his  men  killed  and  himself  wounded  in  the  arm.' 
Bolidar  turned  to  me  and  said,  'It  is  a  d — n  lie,'  which 
words  proved  to  be  correct,  for  his  arm  was  not  wounded, 
and  when  I  saw  him  again,  which  was  soon  afterwards, 
he  forgot  to  sling  it  up.  He  further  told  me,  'after  to- 
morrow you  shall  go  with  your  vessel  and  we  will  accom- 
pany you  towards  Trinidad.'  This  gave  me  some  new 
hopes,  and  why  I  could  not  tell.  They  then  left  us, 
without  rendering  any  assistance.  This  night  we  got 
some  rest. 

"Tuesday,  15th. — The  words  'go  after  to-morrow'  were 
used  among  our  Spanish  fellow-prisoners  as  though  that 
happy  to-morrow  would  never  come  ;  in  what  manner  it 
came  will  soon  be  noticed. 

"Wednesday,  16th. — One  of  their  boats  came  to  in- 
quire if  we  had  seen  a  boat  pass  by  last  night,  for  their 
small  sloop  sailboat  was  gone  and  two  men  deserted.  I 
told  them  'no' ;  at  heart  I  could  not  but  rejoice  at  the 
escape  and  approve  the  deserters.  I  said  nothing,  how- 
ever, to  the  pirates.  On  their  return  they  manned  three 
of  their  boats  and  sent  them  in  different  directions  to 
search,  but  at  night  came  back    without   finding  boat  or 


SPANISH   SAILOR   ABOUT    1820 
From  a  lithograph  in  the  collection  of  F.  B    C    Bradlee 


UNIFORMS  OF  U.  S.  NAVY  ABOUT  1820 
From  a  lithograph  in  the  collection  of  F.  B.  C.  Bradlee. 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.   BBADLEE  137 

men.  They  now  took  our  old  sail,  which  hitherto  had 
somewhat  sheltered  us,  to  make,  as  I  supposed,  some 
small  sail  for  their  vessel.  This  rendered  our  night  more 
uncomfortable  than  before,  for  in  those  islands  the  night 
dews  are  very  heavy. 

"Thursday,  17th,  was  passed  with  great  impatience. 
The  Exertion  having  been  unmoored  and  swung  to  her 
anchor,  gave  some  hopes  of  being  restored  to  her,  but  was 
disappointed. 

"Friday,  18th,  commenced  with  brighter  prospects  of 
liberty  than  ever — the  pirates  were  employed  in  setting 
up  our  devoted  schooner's  shrouds,  stays,  &c.  My  con- 
dition now  reminded  me  of  the  hungry  man,  chained  in 
one  corner  of  the  room,  while  at  another  part  was  a  table 
loaded  with  delicious  foods  and  fruits,  the  smell  and  sight 
of  which  he  was  continually  to  experience,  but,  alas  !  his 
chains  were  never  to  be  loosed  that  he  might  go  and  par- 
take. At  almost  the  same  moment  they  were  thus  em- 
ployed the  axe  was  applied  with  the  greatest  dexterity  to 
both  her  masts,  and  I  saw  them  fall  over  the  side  !  Here 
fell  my  hopes — I  looked  at  my  condition,  and  then  thought 
of  home.  Our  Spanish  fellow-prisoners  were  so  disap- 
pointed and  alarmed  that  they  recommended  hiding  our- 
selves, if  possible,  among  the  mangrove  trees,  believing, 
as  they  said,  we  should  now  certainly  be  put  to  death ; 
or,  what  was  worse,  compelled  to  serve  on  board  the  Mex- 
ican as  pirates.  Little  else,  it  is  true,  seemed  left  for  us; 
however,  we  kept  a  bright  lookout  for  them  during  the 
day,  and  at  night  'an  anchor  watch,'  as  we  called  it,  de- 
termined, if  we  discovered  their  boats  coming  towards  us, 
to  adopt  the  plan  of  hiding,  although  starvation  stared  us 
in  the  face,  yet  preferred  that  to  instant  death.  This 
night  was  passed  with  sufficient  anxiety.  I  took  the  first 
watch. 

"Saturday,  19th. — The  pirate's  large  boat  came  for  us. 
It  being  daylight,  and  supposing  they  could  see  us,  de- 
termined to  stand  our  ground  and  wait  the  result.  They 
ordered  us  all  into  the  boat,  but  left  everything  else  ;  they 
rowed  towards  the  Exertion.  I  noticed  a  dejection  of 
spirits  in  one  of  the  pirates,  and  inquired  of  him  where 
they  were  going  to  carry  us.     He  shook  his  head  and  re- 


188      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRA.CY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

plied,  'I  do  not  know.'  I  now  had  some  hopes  of  visiting 
my  vessel  again,  but  the  pirates  made  sail,  run  down,  took 
us  in  tow  and  stood  out  of  the  harbor.  Bolidar  after- 
wards took  me,  my  mate,  and  two  of  my  men  on  board 
and  gave  us  some  coffee.  On  examination  I  found  they 
had  several  additional  light  sails,  made  of  the  Exertion's. 
Almost  every  man  a  pair  of  canvass  trousers,  and  my 
colors  cut  up  and  made  into  belts  to  carry  their  money. 
My  jolly  boat  was  on  deck,  and  I  was  informed  all  my 
rigging  was  disposed  of.  Several  of  the  pirates  had  on 
some  of  my  clothes,  and  the  captain  one  of  my  best  shirts, 
a  cleaner  one  than  I  had  ever  seen  him  have  on  before. 
He  kept  at  good  distance  from  me,  and  forbid  my  friend 
Nickola's  speaking  to  me.  I  saw  from  the  companion  way 
in  the  captain's  cabin  my  quadrant,  spyglass,  and  other 
things  which  belonged  to  us,  and  observed  by  the  compass 
that  the  course  steered  was  about  west  by  south,  distance 
nearly  twenty  miles,  which  brought  them  up  with  a  cluster 
of  islands  called  by  some  'Cayman  Keys.'  Here  they 
anchored  and  caught  some  fish  (one  of  which  was  named 
guard  fish),  of  which  we  had  a  taste.  I  observed  that  my 
friend  Mr.  Bracket  was  somewhat  dejected,  and  asked  him 
in  a  low  tone  of  voice  what  his  opinion  was  in  respect  to 
our  fate.  He  answered,  'I  cannot  tell,  but  it  appears  to 
me  the  worst  is  to  come.'  I  told  him  that  I  hoped  not, 
but  thought  they  would  give  us  our  small  boat  and  liber- 
ate the  prisoners.  But  mercy  even  in  this  shape  was  not 
left  for  us.  Soon  after,  saw  the  captain  and  officers  whis- 
pering for  some  time  in  private  conference.  When  over, 
their  boat  was  manned,  under  the  command  of  Bolidar, 
and  went  to  one  of  those  Islands  or  Keys  before  men- 
tioned.* On  their  return  another  conference  took  place, 
— whether  it  was  a  jury  upon  our  lives  we  could  not  tell 
— I  did  not  think  conscience  could  be  entirely  extinguished 
in  the  human  breast,  or  that  men  could  become  fiends.  In 
the  afternoon,  while  we  knew  not  the  doom  which  had 
been  fixed  for  us,  the  captain  was  engaged  with  several  of 

*This  Key  was  full  of  mangrove  trees,  whose  tops  turn  down  and 
take  root,  forming  a  kind  of  umbrella.  The  tide  at  high  water  flows 
two  feet  deep  under  them;  it  is  therefore  impossible  for  human  be- 
ings to  live  long  among  them,  even  with  food  and  water. 


BY   FRANCIS    B.   C.    BRADLEB  139 

his  men  in  gambling,  in  hopes  to  get  back  some  of  the  five 
hundred  dollars  they  said  he  lost  but  a  few  nights  before, 
which  had  made  him  unusually  fractious.  A  little  before 
sunset  he  ordered  us  all  into  the  large  boat,  with  a  supply 
of  provisions  and  water,  and  to  be  put  on  shore.  While 
we  were  getting  into  her,  one  of  my  fellow-prisoners,  a 
Spaniard,  attempted,  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  to  speak  to 
the  captain,  but  was  refused,  with  the  answer,  'I'll  have 
nothing  to  say  to  any  prisoner,  go  into  the  boat.'  In  the 
meantime  Nickola  said  to  me,  'My  friend,  I  will  give  you 
your  book'  (being  Mr.  Colman's  Sermons),  'it  is  the  only 
thing  of  yours  that  is  in  my  possession,  I  dare  not  attempt 
anjrthing  more.'  But  the  captain  forbid  his  giving  it  to 
me,  and  I  stepped  into  the  boat.  At  that  moment  Nickola 
said  in  a  low  voice,  'never  mind,  I  may  see  you  again  be- 
fore I  die.'  The  small  boat  was  well  armed  and  manned, 
and  both  set  off  together  for  the  island,  where  they  had 
agreed  to  leave  us  to  perish  !  The  scene  to  us  was  a 
funeral  scene.  There  were  no  arms  in  the  prisoners' 
boat,  and,  of  course,  all  attempts  to  relieve  ourselves 
would  have  been  throwing  our  lives  away,  as  Bolidar  was 
near  us,  well  armed.  We  were  rowed  about  two  miles 
northeasterly  from  the  pirates  to  a  small,  low  island, 
lonely  and  desolate.  We  arrived  about  sunset,  and  for 
the  support  of  us  eleven  prisoners  they  only  left  a  ten- 
gallon  keg  of  water  and  perhaps  a  few  quarts,  in  another 
small  vessel,  which  was  very  poor;  part  of  a  barrel  of  flour, 
a  small  keg  of  lard,  one  ham  and  some  salt  fish,  a  small 
kettle  and  an  old  broken  pot,  an  old  sail  for  a  covering, 
and  a  small  blanket,  which  was  thrown  out  as  the  boat 
hastened  away.  One  of  the  prisoners  happened  to  have 
a  little  coffee  in  his  pocket,  and  these  comprehended  all 
our  means  of  sustaining  life,  and  for  what  length  of  time 
we  knew  not.  We  now  felt  the  need  of  water,  and  our 
supply  was  comparatively  nothing.  A  man  may  live  twice 
as  long  without  food  as  without  water.  Look  at  us  now, 
my  friends,  left  benighted  on  a  little  spot  of  sand  in  the 
midst  of  the  ocean,  far  from  the  usual  track  of  vessels, 
and  every  appearance  of  a  violent  thunder  tempest  and  a 
boisterous  night.  Judge  of  my  feelings,  and  the  circum- 
stances which  our  band  of  sufferers  now  witnessed.     Per- 


140      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

haps  you  can  and  have  pitied  us.  I  assure  you  we  were 
very  wretched,  and  to  paint  the  scene  is  not  within  my 
power.  When  the  boats  were  moving  from  the  shore,  on 
recovering  myself  a  little,  I  asked  Bolidar  'If  he  was  going 
to  leave  us  so?'  He  answered,  'No,  only  two  days — we 
go  for  water  and  wood,  then  come  back,  take  you.'  I 
requested  him  to  give  us  bread  and  other  stores,  for  they 
had  plenty  in  the  boat,  and  at  least  one  hundred  barrels 
of  flour  in  the  Mexican.  'No,  no,  suppose  to-morrow 
morning  me  come,  me  give  you  bread,  and  hurried  off  to 
their  vessel.  This  was  the  last  time  I  saw  him.  We  then 
turned  our  attention  upon  finding  a  spot  most  convenient 
for  our  comfort,  and  soon  discovered  a  little  roof  support- 
ed by  stakes  driven  into  the  sand  ;*  it  was  thatched  with 
the  leaves  of  the  cocoanut  tree,  a  considerable  part  of 
which  was  torn  or  blown  off.  After  spreading  the  old 
sail  over  this  roof  we  placed  our  little  stock  of  provisions 
under  it.  Soon  after  came  on  a  heavy  shower  of  rain, 
which  penetrated  the  canvass  and  made  it  nearly  as  un- 
comfortable inside  as  it  would  have  been  out.  We  were 
not  prepared  to  catch  water,  having  nothing  to  put  it  in. 
Our  next  object  was  to  get  fire,  and  after  gathering  some 
of  the  driest  fuel  to  be  found,  and  having  a  small  piece 
of  cotton  wick-yarn,  with  flint  and  steel,  we  kindled  a 
fire,  which  was  never  afterwards  suffered  to  be  extin- 
guished. The  night  was  very  dark,  but  we  found  a  piece 
of  old  rope,  which,  when  well  lighted,  served  for  a  candle. 
On  examining  the  ground  under  the  roof,  we  found  per- 
haps thousands  of  creeping  insects,  scorpions,  lizards, 
crickets,  &c.  After  scraping  them  out  as  well  as  we 
could,  the  most  of  us  having  nothing  but  the  damp  earth 
for  a  bed,  laid  ourselves  down  in  hopes  of  some  rest,  but 
it  being  so  wet,  gave  many  of  us  severe  colds,  and  one  of 
the  Spaniards  was  quite  sick  for  several  days. 

Sunday,  20th. — As  soon  as  daylight  came  on  we  pro- 
ceeded to  take  a  view  of  our  little  island,  and  found  it  to 
measure  only  one  acre,  of  coarse,  white  sand,  about  two 
feet,  and  in  some  spots  perhaps  three  feet,  above  the  sur- 
face of  the  ocean.     On  the  higher  part  were  growing  some 

*This  was  probably  erected  by  the  turtle  men  or  fishers,  who  visit 
these  islands  in  June  for  the  purposes  of  their  trade. 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  141 

bushes  and  small  mangroves  (the  dry  part  of  which  was 
our  fuel)  and  the  wild  castor  oil  beans.     We  were  greatly- 
disappointed  in  not  finding  the  latter  suitable  food ;    like- 
wise some  of  the  prickly  pear  bushes,  which  gave  us  only 
a  few  pears  about  the  size  of  our  small  button  pear  ;    the 
outside  has  thorns,  which  if  applied  to  the  fingers  or  lips, 
will  remain  there  and  cause  a  severe    smarting  similar  to 
the  nettle  ;  the  inside  a  spongy  substance  full  of  juice  and 
seeds,  which  are  red  and  a  little  tartish.     Had  they  been 
there  in  abundance,  we  should  not  have  suffered  so  much 
for  water — but  alas  !  even  this  substitute  was  not  for  us. 
On  the  northerly  side  of  the  island  was    a    hollow,  where 
the  tide  penetrated  the  sand,  leaving  stagnant  water.     We 
presumed,  in  hurricanes  the  island  was  nearly  overflowed. 
According  to  the  best  calculations  1  could  make,  we  were 
about  thirty-five  miles  from  any  part  of  Cuba,    one  hun- 
dred from  Trinidad,  and  forty  from  the    usual    track  of 
American  vessels,  or  others  which  might  pass    that   way. 
No  vessel  of  any  considerable  size  can  safely  pass  among 
these  Keys,  or  'Queen's  Gardens'  (as  the    Spaniards  call 
them),  being  a  large  number    extending  from    Cape  Cruz 
to  Trinidad,  one  hundred  and  fifty    miles    distance,    and 
many  more  than  the  charts  have  laid  down,  most  of  them 
very  low  and  some  covered  at  high  water,  which  makes  it 
very  dangerous  for    navigators   without   a    skilful    pilot. 
After  taking  this  view  of  our  condition,   which  was  very 
gloomy,  we  began  to  suspect  we  were  left  on  this  desolate 
island  by  those  merciless  plunderers  to  perish.     Of  this  I 
am  now  fully   convinced  ;  still    we    looked    anxiously  for 
the  pirates'  boat  to  come  according  to  promise  with  more 
water  and  provisions,  but  looked  in  vain.      We  saw  them 
soon  after  get  under  way,  with  all  sail  set,  and  run  direct- 
ly from  us  until  out    of  sight,    and    we    never  saw  them 
again  !     One  may  partially  imagine  our  feelings,  but  they 
cannot  be  put  into  words.     Before  they  were  entirely  out 
of  sight  of  us,  we  raised  the  white  blanket  upon  a  pole, 
waving  it  in  the  air,  in  hopes  that  at  two    miles'  distance 
they  would  see  it  and  be  moved  to  pity.     But  pity  in  such 
monsters  was  not  to  be  found.     It  was  not   their   interest 
to  save  us  from  the  lingering  death    which  we  now  saw 
before  us.      We  tried  to  compose  ourselves,  trusting  that 


142      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

God,  who  had  witnessed  our  sufferings,  would  yet  make 
use  of  some  one  as  the  instrument  of  his  mercy  towards 
us.  Our  next  care,  now,  was  to  try  for  water.  We  dug 
several  holes  in  the  sand  and  found  it,  but  quite  too  salt 
for  use.  The  tide  penetrates  probably  through  the  island. 
We  now  came  on  short  allowance  for  water.  Having  no 
means  of  securing  what  we  had  by  lock  and  key,  some 
one  in  the  night  would  slyly  drink,  and  it  was  soon  gone. 
The  next  was  to  bake  some  bread,  which  we  did  by  mix- 
ing flour  with  salt  water  and  frying  it  in  lard,  allowing 
ourselves  eight  quite  small  pancakes  to  begin  with.  The 
ham  was  reserved  for  some  more  important  occasion,  and 
the  salt  fish  was  lost  for  want  of  fresh  water.  The  re- 
mainder of  this  day  was  passed  in  the  most  serious  con- 
versation and  reflection.  At  night  I  read  prayers  from 
the  'Prayer  Book'  before  mentioned,  which  I  most  care- 
fully concealed  while  last  on  board  the  pirates.  This 
plan  was  pursued  morning  and  evening  during  our  stay 
there,  then  retired  for  rest  and  sleep,  but  realized  little  of 
either. 

Monday,  21st. — In  the  morning  we  walked  round  the 
beach,  in  expectation  of  finding  something  useful.  On 
our  way  picked  up  a  paddle  about  three  feet  long,  very 
similar  to  the  Iudian  canoe  paddle,  except  the  handle, 
which  was  like  that  of  a  shovel,  the  top  part  being  split 
off ;  we  laid  it  aside  for  the  present.  We  likewise  found 
some  konchs  and  roasted  them ;  they  were  a  pretty  good 
shell  fish,  though  rather  tough.  We  discovered  at  low 
water  a  bar  or  spit  of  sand  extending  northeasterly  from 
us,  about  three  miles  distant,  to  a  cluster  of  Keys,  which 
were  covered  with  mangrove  trees,  perhaps  as  high  as  our 
quince  tree.  My  friend  Mr.  Bracket  and  George  attempt- 
ed to  wade  across,  being  at  that  time  of  tide  only  up  to 
their  armpits  ;  but  were  pursued  by  a  shark  and  returned 
without  success.     The  tide  rises  about  four  feet. 

Tuesday,  22d. — We  found  several  pieces  of  the  pal- 
metto or  cabbage  tree  and  some  pieces  of  board,  put  them 
together  in  the  form  of  a  raft  and  endeavored  to  cross, 
but  that  proved  ineffectual.  Being  disappointed,  we  sat 
down  to  reflect  upon  other  means  of  relief,  intending  to 
do  all  in  our  power  for  our  safety  while  our  strength  con- 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.   BRADLEE  143 

tinued.  While  sitting  here  the  sun  was^so  powerful  and 
oppressive,  reflecting  its  rays  upon  the  sea,  which  was  then 
calm,  and  the  white  sand  which  dazzled  the  eye,  was  so 
painful  that  we  retired  under  the  awning  ;  there  the  mos- 
quitoes and  flies  were  so  numerous  that  good  rest  could 
not  be  found.  We  were,  however,  a  little  cheered,  when, 
in  scraping  out  the  top  of  the  ground  to  clear  out,  I  may 
say,  thousands  of  crickets  and  bugs,  we  found  a  hatchet, 
which  was  to  us  peculiarly  serviceable.  At  night  the 
strong  northeasterly  wind,  which  prevails  there  at  all 
seasons,  was  so  cold  as  to  make  it  equally  uncomfortable 
with  the  day.  Thus  day  after  day  our  sufferings  and  ap- 
prehensions multiplying,  we  were  very  generally  alarmed. 

Wednesday,  23d. — Early  this  morning  one  of  our  Span- 
ish fellow-prisoners  crossed  the  bar,  having  taken  with 
him  a  pole  sharpened  at  one  end ;  this,  he  said,  'was  to 
kill  sharks,'  but  he  saw  none  to  trouble  him.  While  he 
was  gone  we  tried  for  water  in  several  places,  but  still  it 
was  very  salt ;  but  not  having  any  other,  we  drank  it,  and 
found  it  had  a  similar  effect  to  that  of  glauber  salts.  We 
now  concluded  to  reduce  the  allowance  of  bread,  or  rather 
pancakes,  being  too  sensible  that  our  little  stock  of  pro- 
visions could  last  but  a  few  days  longer ;  we  had  not  the 
faintest  hope  of  any  supplies  before  it  would  be  too  late 
to  save  life.  Towards  night  the  Spaniard  returned,  but 
almost  famished  for  want  of  water  and  food.  He  reported 
that  he  found  some  plank  on  one  of  the  islands  (but  they 
proved  to  be  sugar-box  shooks),  which  revived  us  a  little, 
but  no  water.  He  said  he  had  great  difficulty  to  make  his 
way  through  the  mangrove  trees,  it  being  very  swampy, 
so  that  we  should  not  better  ourselves  by  going  there, 
although  the  key  was  rather  larger  than  ours.  This  I  un- 
derstood through  Joseph,  the  English  prisoner,  who  could 
speak  Spanish.  After  prayers,  laid  ourselves  down  upon 
our  bed  of  sand,  and  being  nearly  exhausted,  we  obtained 
some  sleep. 

••Thursday,  24th. — This  morning,  after  taking  a  little 
coffee,  made  of  the  water  which  we  thought  least  salt,  and 
two  or  three  of  the  little  cakes,  we  felt  somewhat  re- 
freshed, and  concluded  to  make  another  visit  to  those  Keys 
in  hopes  of  finding  something  more,  which  might  make  a 


144      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

raft  for  us  to  escape  the  pirates  and  avoid  perishing  by- 
thirst.  Accordingly  seven  of  us  set  off,  wading  across  the 
bar,  and  searched  all  the  Keys  thereabouts.  On  one  we 
found  a  number  of  sugar-box  shooks,  two  lashing  planks 
and  some  pieces  of  old  spars,  which  were  a  part  of  the 
Exertion's  deckload  that  was  thrown  overboard  when  she 
grounded  on  the  bar,  spoken  of  in  the  first  part  of  the 
narrative.  It  seems  they  had  drifted  fifteen  miles,  and  had 
accidentally  lodged  on  these  very  Keys  within  our  reach. 
Had  the  pirates  known  this  they  would  undoubtedly  have 
placed  us  in  another  direction.  They  no  doubt  thought 
thai  they  could  not  put  us  on  a  worse  place.  The  wind 
at  this  time  was  blowing  so  strong  on  shore  as  to  prevent 
rafting  our  stuff  round  to  our  island,  and  we  were  obliged 
to  haul  it  upon  the  beach  for  the  present ;  then  dug  for 
water  in  the  highest  place,  but  found  it  as  salt  as  ever,  and 
then  returned  to  our  habitation.  But  hunger  and  thirst 
began  to  prey  upon  us,  and  our  comforts  were  as  few  as 
our  hopes. 

"Friday,  25th. — Again  passed  over  to  those  Keys  to 
windward,  in  order  to  raft  our  stuff  to  our  island,  it  being 
most  convenient  for  building.  But  the  surf  on  the  beach 
was  so  very  rough  that  we  were  again  compelled  to  post- 
pone it.  Our  courage,  however,  did  not  fail  where  there 
was  the  slightest  hopes  of  life.  Returning  without  it,  we 
found  on  our  way  an  old  top  timber  of  some  vessel  ;  it 
had  several  spikes  in  it,  which  we  afterwards  found  very 
serviceable.  In  the  hollow  of  an  old  tree  we  found  two 
guarnas  of  small  size,  one  male,  the  other  female.  One 
only  was  caught.  After  taking  off  the  skin,  we  judged 
it  weighed  a  pound  and  a  half.  With  some  flour  and  lard 
(the  only  things  we  had  except  salt  water),  it  made  us  a 
fine  little  mess.  We  thought  it  a  rare  dish,  though  a  small 
one  for  eleven  half-starved  persons.  At  the  same  time  a 
small  vessel  hove  in  sight ;  we  made  a  signal  to  her  with 
the  blanket  tied  to  a  pole  and  placed  it  on  the  highest 
tree — some  took  off  their  white  clothes  and  waved  them 
in  the  air,  hoping  they  would  come  to  us.  Should  they 
be  pirates  they  could  do  no  more  than  kill  us,  and  per- 
haps would  give  us  some  water,  for  which  we  began  to 
suffer  most  excessively  ;  but,  notwithstanding  all  our 
efforts,  she  took  no  notice  of  us. 


• 


'it    '  I 


u_    t! 

I        I     0* 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.   BBADLEE  145 

"Saturday,  26  th. — This  day  commenced  with  moderate 
weather  and  smooth  sea  ;  at  low  tide  found  some  cockles, 
boiled  and  eat  them,  but  they  were  very  painful  to  the 
stomach.  David  Warren  had  a  fit  of  strangling,  with 
swelling  of  the  bowels,  but  soon  recovered,  and  said 
'something  like  salt  rose  in  his  throat  and  choked  him.' 
Most  of  us  then  set  off  for  the  Keys,  where  the  plank  and 
shooks  were  put  together  in  a  raft,  which  we  with  pieces 
of  boards  paddled  over  to  our  island  ;  when  we  consulted 
the  best  plan,  either  to  build  a  raft  large  enough  for  us 
all  to  go  on,  or  a  boat,  but  the  shooks  having  three  or  four 
nails  in  each,  and  having  a  piece  of  large  reed  or  bamboo, 
previously  found,  of  which  we  made  pins,  concluded  to 
make  a  boat. 

"Sunday,  27th. — Commenced  our  labor,  for  which  I 
know  we  need  offer  no  apology.  We  took  the  two 
planks,  which  were  about  fourteen  feet  long  and  two  and 
a  half  wide,  and  fixed  them  together  for  the  bottom  of 
the  boat ;  then,  with  moulds  made  of  palmetto  bark,  cut 
timber  and  knees  from  mangrove  trees,  which  spread  so 
much  as  to  make  the  boat  four  feet  wide  at  the  top, 
placed  them  exactly  the  distance  apart  of  an  Havana 
sugar-box.  Her  stern  was  square,  and  the  bows  tapered 
to  a  peak,  making  her  form  resemble  a  flatiron.  We  pro- 
ceeded thus  far  and  retired  to  rest  for  the  night ;  but  Mr. 
Bracket  was  too  unwell  to  get  much  sleep, 

"Monday,  28th. — Went  on  with  the  work  as  fast  as 
possible.  Some  of  the  Spaniards  had  long  knives  about 
them,  which  proved  very  useful  in  fitting  timbers, 
and  a  gimlet  of  miue,  accidentally  found  on  board  the 
pirates,  enabled  us  to  use  the  wooden  pins.  And  now 
our  spirits  began  to  revive,  though  water,  water,  was  con- 
tinually on  our  minds.  We  now  feared  the  pirates  might 
possibly  come,  find  out  our  plan,  and  put  us  to  death  (al- 
though before  we  had  wished  to  see  them,  being  so  much 
in  want  of  water).  Our  labor  was  extremely  burdensome, 
and  the  Spaniards  considerably  peevish,  but  they  would 
often  say  to  me,  'Never  mind,  captain,  by  and  by  Ameri- 
cana or  Spanyola  catch  them,  me  go  to  see  'um  hung.' 
We  quitted  work  for  the  day,  cooked  some  cakes,  but 
found  it  necessary  to  reduce  the  quantity  again,  however 


146      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

small  before.  We  found  some  herbs  on  a  windward  Key, 
which  the  Spaniards  called  Spanish  tea.  This,  when  well 
boiled,  we  found  somewhat  palatable,  although  the  water 
was  very  salt.  This  herb  resembles  pennyroyal  in  look 
and  taste,  though  not  so  pungent.  h\  the  evening,  when 
we  were  sitting  round  the  fire  to  keep  off  the  mosquitoes, 
I  observed  David  Warren's  eyes  shone  like  glass.  The 
mate  said  to  him,  'David,  I  think  you  will  die  before 
morning,  I  think  you  are  struck  with  death  now.'  I 
thought  so,  too,  and  told  him,  I  thought  it  most  likely 
we  should  all  die  here  soon,  but  'as  some  one  of  us  may 
survive  to  carry  the  tidings  to  our  friends,  if  you  have 
anything  to  say  respecting  your  family,  now  is  the  time.' 
He  then  said,  'I  have  a  mother  in  Saco  where  1  belong ; 
she  is  a  second  time  a  widow  ;  to-morrow,  if  you  can  spare 
a  scrap  of  paper  and  pencil,  I  will  write  something.'  But 
no  to-morrow  came  to  him.  In  the  course  of  the  night  he 
had  another  spell  of  strangling,  and  soon  after  expired, 
without  much  pain  and  without  a  groan.  He  was  about 
twenty-six  years  old.  How  solemn  was  this  scene  to  us  1 
Here  we  beheld  the  ravages  of  death  commenced  upon 
us.  More  than  one  of  us  considered  death  a  happy  re- 
lease. For  myself  I  thought  of  my  wife  and  children, 
and  wished  to  live  if  God  should  so  order  it,  though  ex- 
treme thirst,  hunger  and  exhaustion  had  well  nigh  pros- 
trated my  fondest  hopes. 

"Tuesday,  29th.  Part  of  us  recommenced  labor  on  the 
boat,  while  myself  and  Mr.  Bracket  went  and  selected  the 
highest  clear  spot  of  sand  on  the  northern  side  of  the 
island,  where  we  dug  Warren's  grave  and  boxed  it  up  with 
shooks,  thinking  it  would  be  the  most  suitable  spot  for  the 
rest  of  us;  whose  turn  would  come  next  we  knew  not.  At 
about  ten  o'clock  A.  M.  conveyed  the  corpse  to  the  grave, 
followed  by  us  survivors — a  scene  whose  awful  solemnity 
can  never  be  painted.  We  stood  around  the  grave,  and 
there  I  read  the  funeral  prayer  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brooks' 
Family  Prayer  Book,  and  committed  the  body  to  the  earth, 
covered  it  with  some  pieces  of  board  and  sand,  and  re- 
turned to  our  labor.  One  of  the  Spaniards,  an  old  man 
named  Manuel,  who  was  partial  to  me  and  I  to  him,  made 
a  cross  and  placed  it  at    the    head    of  the    grave,  saying, 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  147 

' Jesus  Christ  hath  him  now.'  Although  I  did  not  believe 
in  any  mysterious  influence  of  this  cross,  yet  I  was  per- 
fectly willing  it  should  stand  there.  The  middle  part  of 
the  day  being  very  warm,  our  mouths  parched  with  thirst 
and  our  spirits  so  depressed,  that  we  made  but  little  pro- 
gress during  the  remainder  of  this  day,  but  in  the  evening 
were  employed  in  picking  oakum  out  of  the  bolt  rope 
taken  from  the  old  sail. 

"Wednesday,  30th.  Returned  to  labor  on  the  boat  with 
as  much  vigor  as  our  weak  and  debilitated  state  would 
admit,  but  it  was  a  day  of  trial  to  us  all,  for  the  Spaniards 
and  we  Americans  could  not  well  understand  each  other's 
plans,  and  they  being  naturally  petulent,  would  not  work, 
nor  listen  with  patience  for  Joseph,  our  English  fellow- 
prisoner,  to  explain  our  views  ;  they  would  sometimes 
undo  what  they  had  done,  and  in  a  few  minutes  replace  it 
again;  however,  before  night  we  began  to  calk  her  seams, 
by  means  of  pieces  of  hard  mangrove,  made  in  form  of  a 
calking-iron,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  her  in  a 
form  something  like  a  boat. 

"Thursday,  31st. — Went  on  with  the  work,  some  at 
calking,  others  with  battening  the  seams  with  strips  of 
canvass  and  pieces  of  pine  nailed  over,  to  keep  the  oakum 
in.  Having  found  a  suitable  pole  for  a  mast,  the  rest  went 
about  making  a  sail  from  the  one  we  had  used  for  a  cover- 
ing, also  fitting  oars  of  short  pieces  of  boards,  in  form  of 
a  paddle,  tied  on  a  pole,  we  having  a  piece  of  fishing  line 
brought  by  one  of  the  prisoners.  Thus,  at  3  P.  M.,  the 
boat  was  completed  and  put  afloat.  We  had  all  this  time 
confidently  hoped  that  she  would  be  sufficiently  large  and 
strong  to  carry  us  all ;  we  made  a  trial  and  were  disap- 
pointed !  This  was  indeed  a  severe  trial,  and  the  emo- 
tions it  called  up  were  not  easy  to  be  suppressed.  She 
proved  leaky,  for  we  had  no  carpenter's  yard  or  smith's 
shop  to  go  to.  And  now  the  question  was,  'who  should 
go  and  how  many  V  I  found  it  necessary  for  six,  four 
to  row  and  one  to  steer  and  one  to  bale.  Three  of  the 
Spaniards  and  the  Frenchmen  claimed  the  right,  as  being 
best  acquainted  with  the  nearest  inhabitants ;  likewise, 
they  had,  when  taken,  two  boats  left  at  St.  Maria  (about 
forty  miles  distant),  which  they  were  confident  of  finding. 


148      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

They  promised  to  return  within  two  or  three  days  for  the 
rest  of  us.  I  thought  it  best  to  consent.  Mr.  Bracket, 
it  was  agreed,  should  go  in  my  stead,  because  my  papers 
must  accompany  me  as  a  necessary  protection,  and  my 
men  apprehended  danger  if  they  were  lost.  Joseph  Bax- 
ter (I  think  was  his  name)  they  wished  should  go,  because 
he  could  speak  both  languages,  leaving  Manuel,  George, 
Thomas  and  myself  to  await  their  return.  Having  thus 
made  all  arrangements,  and  putting  up  a  keg  of  the  least 
salt  water,  with  a  few  pancakes  and  salt  fish,  they  set  off 
a  little  before  sunset,  with  our  best  wishes  and  prayers 
for  their  safety  and  return  to  our  relief.  To  launch  off 
into  the  wide  ocean,  with  strength  almost  exhausted,  and 
in  such  a  frail  boat  as  this,  you  will  say  was  very  hazard- 
ous, and  in  truth  it  was,  but  what  else  was  left  to  us  ? 
Their  intention  was  to  touch  at  the  Key  where  the  Exer- 
tion was,  and  if  no  boat  was  to  be  found  there,  to  proceed 
on  to  St.  Maria,  and  if  none  there,  to  go  to  Trinidad  and 
send  us  relief.  But  alas  !  it  was  the  last  time  I  ever  saw 
them  !     Our  suffering  this  day  was  most  acute. 

"Tuesday,  February  1st.  This  day  we  rose  early  and 
traversed  the  beach  in  search  of  cockles,  &c,  but  found 
very  few.  I  struck  my  foot  against  something  in  the  sand, 
which  proved  to  be  a  curious  shell,  and  soon  found  two 
others  of  a  different  kind,  but  they  were  to  me  like  Cru- 
soe's lump  of  gold,  of  no  value.  I  could  not  drink  them, 
so  laid  them  by.  I  returned  to  our  tent,  and  we  made 
some  skillygolee,  or  flour  and  salt  water  boiled  together, 
which  we  found  better  than  clear  salt  water.  We  passed 
the  day  very  uncomfortably,  and  my  people  were  dissatis- 
fied at  not  having  an  equal  chance,  as  they  called  it,  with 
the  others  in  the  boat ;  but  it  is  not  always  that  we  know 
what  is  for  our  good. 

"Saturday,  2d.  Thomas  and  George  made  another 
visit  to  the  windward  Keys,  where  they  found  some  more 
shooks  and  two  pieces  of  spars ;  towed  them  round  as 
before.  We  now  had  some  hopes  of  finding  enough  to 
make  us  a  raft,  which  would  carry  us  to  some  place  of 
relief,  in  case  the  boat  should  not  return. 

"Sunday,  3d.  A  calm,  warm  day,  but  a  very  gloomy 
one  to  us,  it  being  more  difficult  to  support  life — our  pro- 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  149 

visions  nearly  expended,  no  appearance  of  rain  since  the 
night  we  first  landed,  our  thirst  increasing,  our  strength 
wasting,  our  few  clothes  hanging  in  rags,  our  beards  of 
great  length  and  almost  turned  white,  nothing  like  relief 
before  us,  no  boat  in  sight.  Think,  reader,  of  our  situation. 
We  had  marked  out  for  each  one  the  place  for  his  grave. 
I  looked  at  mine,  and  thought  of  my  wife  and  family. 
Again  we  reduced  the  allowance  of  bread,  but  even  the 
little  which  now  fell  to  my  share  I  could  scarcely  swal- 
low. I  never  seemed  to  feel  the  sensation  of  hunger,  the 
extreme  of  thirst  was  so  overpowering.  Perhaps  never 
shall  I  be  more  reconciled  to  death,  but  my  home  made 
me  want  to  live,  although  every  breath  seemed  to  increase 
thirst. 

"Monday,  4th.  Having  seriously  reflected  on  our  situ- 
ation, concluded  to  put  all  the  shooks,  &c,  together  and 
form  a  raft,  and  ascertain  what  weight  it  would  carrv, 
but  here  again  we  were  disappointed,  for  we  had  not 
enough  to  carry  two  of  us. 

"Tuesday,  5th.  About  10  o'clock  A.  M.  discovered  a 
boat  drifting  by  on  the  southeast  side  of  the  island,  about 
a  mile  distant.  I  deemed  it  a  providential  thing  to  us, 
and  urged  Thomas  and  George  trying  the  raft  for  her. 
They  reluctantly  consented  and  set  oft,  but  it  was  nearly 
three  P.  M.  when  they  came  up  with  her.  It  was  the  same 
boat  we  had  built !  Where,  then,  was  my  friend  Bracket 
and  those  who  went  with  him  ?  Every  appearance  was 
unfavorable.  I  hoped  that  a  good  Providence  had  yet 
preserved  him.  The  men  who  went  for  the  boat  found 
it  full  of  water,  without  oars,  paddle,  or  sail ;  being  in 
this  condition,  and  about  three  miles  to  the  leeward,  the 
men  found  it  impossible  to  tow  her  up,  so  left  her,  and 
were  till  eleven  o'clock  at  night  getting  back  with  the  raft. 
They  were  so  exhausted  that  had  it  not  been  nearly  calm, 
they  could  never  have  returned. 

"Wednesday,  6th.  This  morning  was  indeed  the  most 
gloomy  I  had  ever  experienced.  There  appeared  hardly  a 
ray  of  hope  that  my  friend  Bracket  could  return,  seeing 
the  boat  was  lost.  Our  provisions  nearly  gone,  our 
mouths  parched  extremely  with  thirst,  our  strength 
wasted,  our    spirits    broken,    and    our    hopes  imprisoned 


150      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

within  the  circumference  of  this  desolate  island  in  the 
midst  of  an  unfrequented  ocean,  all  these  things  gave  to 
the  scene  around  us  the  hue  of  death.  In  the  midst  of 
this  dreadful  despondence  a  sail  hove  in  sight,  bearing  the 
white  flag.  Our  hopes  were  raised,  of  course,  but  no 
sooner  raised  than  darkened  by  hearing  a  gun  fired.  Here, 
then,  was  another  gang  of  pirates.  She  soon,  however, 
came  near  enough  to  anchor,  and  her  boat  pushed  off 
towards  us,  with  three  men  in  her.  Thinking  it  no  worse 
now  to  die  by  sword  than  famine,  I  walked  down  imme- 
diately to  meet  them.  I  knew  them  not.  A  moment  be- 
fore the  boat  touched  the  ground,  a  man  leaped  from  her 
bows  and  caught  me  in  his  arms  !  It  was  Nickola  !  say- 
ing, 'Do  you  now  believe  Nickola  is  your  friend  ?  yes,' 
said  he,  'Jameison  will  yet  prove  himself  so.'  No  words 
can  express  my  emotions  at  this  moment.  This  was  a 
friend  indeed.  The  reason  of  my  not  recognizing  them 
before  was  that  they  had  cut  off  their  beards  and  whis- 
kers. Turning  to  my  fellow-sufferers,  Nickola  asked, 
'Are  these  all  that  are  left  of  you,  where  are  the  others  ?' 
At  this  moment  seeing  David's  grave.  'Are  they  dead, 
then  ?  ah,  I  suspected  it.  I  know  what  you  were  put 
here  for.'  As  soon  as  I  could  recover  myself,  gave  him 
an  account  of  Mr.  Bracket  and  the  others.  'How  unfor- 
tunate,' he  said,  'they  must  be  lost,  or  some  pirates  have 
taken  them,  but,'  he  continued,  'we  have  no  time  to  lose, 
you  had  better  embark  immediately  with  us,  and  go  where 
you  please,  we  are  at  your  service.'  The  other  two  in  the 
boat  with  him  were  Frenchmen,  one  named  Lyon,  the 
other  Parrikete.  They  affectionately  embraced  each  of 
us,  then  holding  to  my  mouth  the  nose  of  a  teakettle, 
filled  with  wine,  said,  'Drink  plenty,  no  hurt  you.'  I 
drank  as  much  as  I  judged  prudent.  They  then  gave  it 
to  my  fellow-sufferers.  I  experienced  almost  immediate 
relief,  not  feeling  it  in  my  head  ;  they  had  also  brought 
in  the  boat  for  us  a  dish  of  salt  beef  and  potatoes,  of 
which  we  took  a  little.  Then  sent  the  boat  on  board  for 
the  other  two  men,  being  five  in  all,  who  came  ashore,  and 
rejoiced  enough  was  I  to  see  among  them  Thomas  Young, 
one  of  my  crew,  who  was  detained  on  board  the  Mexican, 
but  who  had  escaped  through  Nickola's  means ;  the  other 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  151 

a  Frenchman,  named  John  Cadedt.  I  now  thought  again 
and  again,  with  troubled  emotion,  of  my  friend  Bracket's 
fate.  I  took  the  last  piece  of  paper  I  had  and  wrote  with 
a  pencil  a  few  lines,  informing  him  (should  he  come  there) 
that  I  and  the  rest  were  safe  ;  that  I  was  not  mistake  nin 
the  friend  in  whom  I  had  placed  so  much  confidence,  that 
he  had  accomplished  my  highest  expectations,  and  that  I 
should  go  immediately  to  Trinidad,  and  requested  him  to 
go  there  also,  and  apply  to  Mr.  Isaac  W.  Lord,  my  con- 
signee, for  assistance.  I  put  the  paper  into  a  junk  bottle, 
previously  found  on  the  beach,  put  in  a  stopper,  and  left 
it,  together  with  what  little  flour  remained,  a  keg  of  water 
brought  from  Nickola's  vessel,  and  a  few  other  things 
which  I  thought  might  be  of  service  to  him.  We  then 
repaired  with  our  friends  on  board,  where  we  were  kindlv 
treated.  She  was  a  sloop  from  Jamaica,  of  about  twelve 
tons,  with  a  cargo  of  rum  and  wine,  bound  to  Trinidad. 
I  asked  'which  way  they  intended  to  go  !'  They  said  'to 
Jamaica,'  if  agreeable  to  me.  As  I  preferred  Trinidad,  I 
told  them  if  they  would  give  me  the  Exertion's  boat, 
which  was  alongside  (beside  their  own)  and  some  water 
and  provisions,  we  would  take  chance  in  her,  'for  per- 
haps,' said  I,  'you  will  fare  better  at  Jamaica  than  at 
Tiinidad.'  After  a  few  minutes'  consultation,  they  said, 
'you  are  too  much  exhausted  to  row  the  distance  of  one 
hundred  miles,  therefore  we  will  go  and  carry  you ;  we 
consider  ourselves  at  your  service.'  I  expressed  a  wish  to 
take  a  look  at  the  Exertion,  possibly  we  might  hear  some- 
thing of  Mr.  Bracket.  Nickola  said  'very  wel,'  so  got 
under  way  and  run  for  her,  having  a  light  westerly  wind. 
He  then  related  to  me  the  manner  of  their  desertion  from 
the  pirates.  As  nearly  as  I  can  recollect  his  own  words, 
he  said,  'A  few  days  since  the  pirates  took  four  small 
vessels,  I  believe  Spaniards ;  they  having  but  two  officers 
for  the  first  two,  the  third  fell  to  me  as  prize-master,  and 
having  an  understanding  with  the  three  Frenchmen  and 
Thomas,  selected  them  for  my  crew,  and  went  on  board, 
with  orders  to  follow  the  Mexican,  which  I  obeyed.  The 
fourth,  the  pirates  took  out  all  but  one  man,  and  bade  him 
also  follow  their  vessel.  Now  our  schooner  leaked  so  bad 
that  we  left  her,  and  in  her  stead  agreed  to  take  this  little 


152      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

sloop  (which  we  are  now  in),  together  with  the  one  man. 
The  night  being  very  dark,  we  all  agreed  to  desert  the 
pirates,  altered  our  course,  and  touched  at  St.  Maria,  where 
we  landed  the  one  man ;  saw  no  boats  there,  could  hear 
nothing  from  you,  and  agreed  one  and  all,  at  the  risk  of 
our  lives,  to  come  and  liberate  you  if  you  were  alive, 
knowing  as  we  did  that  you  were  put  on  this  Key  to  per- 
ish. On  our  way  we  boarded  the  Exertion,  thinking  pos- 
sibly you  might  have  been  there.  On  board  her  we  found 
a  sail  and  paddle.*  We  took  one  of  the  pirate's  boats, 
which  they  had  left  alongside  of  her,  which  proves  how 
we  came  by  two  boats.  My  friend,  the  circumstance  I 
am  now  about  to  relate  will  astonish  you.  When  the 
pirate's  boat  with  Bolidar  was  sent  to  the  before-mentioned 
Key,  on  the  19th  of  January,  it  was  their  intention  to  leave 
you  prisoners  there,  where  was  nothing  but  salt  water  and 
mangroves,  and  no  possibility  of  escape.  This  was  the 
plan  of  Baltizar,  their  abandoned  pilot,  but  Bolidar's  heart 
failed  him,  and  he  objected  to  it ;  then,  after  a  conference, 
Captain  Jonnia  ordered  you  to  be  put  on  the  little  island 
from  whence  we  have  taken  you.  But  after  this  was  done, 
that  night  the  French  and  Portuguese  part  of  the  Mexi- 
can's crew  protested  against  it,  so  that  Captain  Jonnia,  to 
satisfy  them,  sent  his  large  boat  to  take  you  and  your 
fellow-prisoners  back  again,  taking  care  to  select  his  con- 
fidential Spaniards  for  this  errand.  And  will  you  be- 
lieve me,  they  set  off  from  the  Mexican,  and  after  spend- 
ing about  as  much  time  as  would  really  have  taken  them 
to  come  to  you,  they  returned,  and  reported  they  had  been 
to  your  island  and  landed,  and  that  none  of  you  were 
there,  somebody  having  taken  you  off  !  This  all  my  com- 
panions here  know  to  be  true.  I  knew  it  was  impossible 
you  could  have  been  liberated,  and  therefore  we  deter- 
mined among  ourselves  that  should  an  opportunity  occur 
we  would  come  and  save  your  lives,  as  we  now  have.'  He 
then  expressed,  as  he  hitherto  had  done  (and  I  believe 
with  sincerity),  his  disgust  with  the  bad  company  which 
he  had  been  in,  and  looked  forward  with  anxiety  to  the 
day  when  he  might  return  to   his  native    country. 

*This  proved  to  me  that  Mr.  Bracket  had  been  there,    these  being 
the  ones  which  he  took  from  the  island. 

(To  be  continued) 


THE  BURNAP-BURNETT  GENEALOGY. 


BY    HENRY    WYCKOFF    BELKNAP. 


(Continued  from  Volume  LVUI,  page  22J/.-~) 

Hannah  Burnap  of  Southboro,  widow,  and  Thomas 
Brigham,  surety,  of  Marlborough,  yeoman,  29  March,  1756, 
guardianship  of  Hannah,  aged  about  11,  daughter  of 
David  Burnap,  late  of  Southboro.  (Worcester  Probate 
Records,  9255.) 

Hannah  Burnap  of  Southboro,  widow,  and  Thomas 
Brigham,  surety,  guardianship  of  Sarah  Burnap,  minor, 
aged  about  4  years,  daughter  of  David  Burnap  of  South- 
boro, 29  March,  1756.     (Ibid,  9173.) 

Mrs.  Hannah  Burnap,  widow  of  David  Burnap,  late  of 
Southboro,  intestate,  requests  that  Thomas  Brigham  of 
Marlboro  take  administration.  He  was  appointed  24 
March,  1756,  and  rendered  an  account  10  May,  1757,  in 
which  he  mentions  Sarah,  Mary,  and  Martha  Burnap. 
(Ibid,  9149.) 

Children,  by  first  wife,  born  in  Hopkinton  : 

207.  A  child,  born  11  Dec,  1739;  died  19  Dec,  1739. 

By  second  wife,  born  in  Hopkinton  and  Southboro  : 

208.  Hannah,  born  (?)  April,  baptized  21  April,  1745;  died  before 

1756  probably. 

209.  Sarah,  born  7  May,  1752;  died  5  Oct.,  1756,  Southboro. 

210.  Mary,  no  record,  unless  there  is   an   error   and   Rhoda,  bap- 

tized 28  Sept.,  1755,  at  Christ  Church,  as  the  "child  of 
David,"  should  be  given  as  Mary,  or  it  may  be  an  error  in 
the  probate  papers  given  above.  It  is  believed,  however 
that  the  above  baptism  is  that  of  the  daughter  of  Daniel 
Burnap,  No.  205,  and  her  marriage  is  recorded  under  that 
number. 

211.  Martha,  born  before  1756;  named  in  the   administration  pa- 

pers. 

118.  Elizabeth  Burnap,  born  1  May,  1708  ;  mar- 
ried, 11  January,  1727,  at  Christ  Church,  Hopkinton, 
James,  born  17  June,  1703,  at  Hopkinton,  son  of  James 
and  Sarah  (Cutter)  Locke.     He  was  a  farmer  in  Hopkin- 

(153) 


154  THE   BURNAP-BURNETT   GENEALOGY 

ton  in  1725,  and  removed  to  Ashby  in  1749,  where  he 
died,  1  September,  1782,  ae.  79  years,  2  days.  His  wife 
died  25  November,  1785,  at  New  Ipswich,  N.  H.,  at  the 
home  of  her  son-in-law,  Ephraim  Adams,  being  77  years 
old. 

Children,  born  in  Hopkinton — Locke  : 

Elizabeth,  born  19  April,  1728;  died  26  June,  1798,  ae.  71 
unmarried. 

James,  born  20,  baptized  23  Nov.,  1729;  married,  17  Dec, 
1753,  Hannah  Farnsworth.  He  died  19  Jan.,  1808,  ae.  78, 
at  Sullivan,  N.  H. 

Sarah,  born  24  June,  1732;  married,  17  June,  1753,  William 
Clark,  Jr.     She  died  22  Sept.,  1813,  ae.  81,   at  Andover,  Vt. 

John,  born  16  Dec,  1733;  married,  12  Nov.,  1766,  Beulah  New- 
ton, at  Southborough.  He  died  16  Feb.,  1823,  in  his  90th 
year,  at  Sullivan,  N.  H. 

Rebecca,  born  13  May,  1735;  married,  18  Nov.,  1761,  as  his 
second  wife,  Deacon  Ephraim  Adams.  She  died  1822,  ae. 
87,  at  New  Ipswich,  N.  H. 

Jonathan,   born  7  Dec,  1737;  married,    2   Oct.,   1761,  Mary 

Haven,  widow Nichols,  and  1807,  Betsey  Frink,  widow 

Fields. 

DAviD.born  22  Feb.,  1740;  married,  4  Jan.,  1779,  Betsey  Kibby 
(Kirby?)  Parlin  of  Concord,  Mass.  He  died  19  Aug.,  1800, 
at  Ashby,  Mass. 

Ebenezer,  born  22  May,  1742;  died  young. 

Martha,  born  25  June,  1744;  married,  28  June,  1769,  William 
Withington,  Jr.     She  died  at  Madison,  N.  Y. 

William,  born  12  April,  1748;  married,  18  June,  1772,  at  Lan- 
caster, Mary  Fowle,  and  13  April,  1813,  Hannah,  widow  of 
Jonas  Woolson.  (Locke  Genealogy,  History  of  New  Ips- 
wich, N.  H.)  A  William  married  21  Feb.,  1773,  Rebecca 
Barrett.     He  died  30  Mar.,  1829,  ae.  87. 

120.  Jonathan  Burnap,  born  19  January,  1711/2; 
married,  10  July,  1735,  at  Christ  Church,  Hopkinton, 
Dorothy  (Doritha,  Dovally),  born  probably  between  1712 
and  1720,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Elizabeth  (Carr) 
Kimball  of  Wenham  and  Beverly,  who  removed  to  Hop- 
kinton. They  had  three  children,  and  she  died  31  Octo- 
ber, 1740,  at  Hopkinton.  He  then  married,  21  April, 
1747,  Elizabeth,  born  17  February,  1725/6,  at  Windham, 
daughter  of  William  and  Ruth  (Bemis)  Averill  of  Tops- 


BY   HENRY   WYCKOFF   BELKNAP  155 

field,  Mass.,  and  Windham,  Conn.  William  Averill  refers 
in  his  will  to  "my  daughter  Ruth  Burnet,"  but  probably 
he  meant  his  grand-daughter,  unless  the  Averill  Genealogy 
errs. 

Jonathan  Burnap  was  a  partner  in  the  Manufactory 
Company  or  Land  Bank  in  1740,  like  his  brother  David, 
q.  v. 

Jonathan  Burnap  of  Hopkinton,  husbandman,  consid- 
eration £960,  conveyed  to  Seth  Morse  of  Sherburn,  hus- 
bandman, land  in  Hopkinton,  26  January,  1744/5.  Wit- 
nesses :  Caleb  Greenwood,  Thomas  Russell.  Acknowl- 
edged 16  May,  1745.  (Middlesex  Land  Records,  vol. 
lxi,  p.  354.) 

Note  : — The  land  of  Benjamin  and  Daniel  Burnap  is 
mentioned,  and  the  privilege  reserved  for  Benjamin, 
Junior,  and  Daniel  to  pass  through  over  a  parcel. 

It  seems  likely  that  the  family  may  have  removed  to 
Connecticut  in  1745,  rather  than  1748,  as  stated  below. 

He  removed  from  Hopkinton  in  1748,  and  in  1753  was 
in  Hampton,  Conn.,  in  which  year,  being  a  member  of  the 
Scotland  Church,  he  and  others  were  allowed  to  join  the 
Canada  Society.  He  was  one  of  the  listers  in  1755,  and 
a  tithing  man  in  1760. 

In  1769  the  Society  engaged  in  a  heated  controversy 
with  its  pastor,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Moseley,  who,  through 
the  negative  power  allowed  by  the  Saybrook  Platform, 
assumed,  what  was  considered,  undue  authority  over  his 
people.  Jonathan  Burnap  was  one  of  five  prominent 
members  who  made  up  a  committee  to  remonstrate  with 
the  pastor,  and  much  recrimination  resulted.  The  matter 
was  finally  brought  to  a  vote  of  the  members  of  the 
church,  which  resulted  in  Burnap  and  seven  others  being 
pronounced  "guilty  of  scandalous  violation  of  the  third 
commandment,  of  publishing  a  false  and  scandalous  pa- 
per, of  abominable  deceit,  contemptuous  abuse  of  the 
divine  institution  of  discipline,  scandalous  violations  of 
gospel  injunctions,  etc.,"  and  they  were  called  upon  to 
make  public  acknowledgment  of  their  sins  on  the  Lord's 
day  before  the  congregation.  They  refused  to  submit, 
and  were  sustained  by  public  opinion  and  restored  to  fel- 
lowship.    The  matter   was   far    from    settled   and  again 


156       THE  BURNAP-BURNETT  GENEALOGY 

broke  out,  Bitmap  and  two  others  still  resisting,  civil 
suits  were  instituted,  and  after  some  years  the  affair  was 
taken  before  a  council  of  the  county  churches.  Here  it 
was  determined  that  neither  party  was  guilty  in  the  form 
alleged,  and  finally  the  whole  thing  was  laid  at  rest. 

Jonathan  Burnap  died  between  March  and  June,  1785, 
and  his  wife  was  then  living,  but  the  date  of  her  death 
has  not  been  found.  His  will  was  dated  19  March,  1785, 
certified  11  June,  and  proved  5  July,  1785,  and  mentions 
his  wife  Elizabeth,  Elizabeth  Royce,  Dorcas  Burnap,  Dor- 
othy Howe,  Jonathan,  Benjamin,  James,  Calvin,  Luther, 
William  Burnap,  Ruth  Parke,  Martha  Hebard,  Catharine 
and  Esther  Burnap. 

Children,  born  in  Hopkinton,  by  first  wife: 

212.  Dorothy,  born  28  May,  baptized  5  June,   1737;  died  9  Dec. 

1781,  Marlborough,  45th  year. 

213.  Elizabeth,  born  17,  baptized  18  Feb.,  1738/9  (15  Nov.,  1738, 

Church  Records);  died  27  Nov.,  1812,  Marlborough. 

214.  Doroas  (Darkes),  born  25  Oct.,   baptized  2  Nov.,  1740;  died 

after  1785. 

Children,  born  in  Windham,  by  second  wife  : 

215.  Ruth,  born  3  Feb.,  1747/8;  died  after  1790. 

216.  Jonathan,  born  8  June,  1749;  died  after  1799. 

217.  William,  born  27  April,  1751;  died  after  15  July,  1769. 

218.  Benjamin,  born  21  Feb.,  1753;  died  after  1785. 

219.  James,  born  5  April,  1756;  died  27  Jan.,  1840,  Hampton,  Conn. 

220.  Martha,  born  6  Mar.,  1758 ;  died  31  Dec,  1803. 

221.  Calvin,  born  18  May,  1760;  died  after  1785. 

222.  Catherine,  born  31  Mar.,  1762;  died  after  1785. 

223.  Luther,  born  14  February,  1764;  died  23  Dec,  1844,  ae.  81,  at 

Oxford,  Mass. 

224.  Esther,   born  13  Aug.,  1767;  died  Jan.,  1848,  Tolland,  Conn. 

225.  William,  born  17  Sept.,  1769;  died  after  1785. 

122.  Hannah  Burnap,  born  26  October,  1715 ;  mar- 
ried, 25  December,  1732,  Jason  Walker,  born  about  1708, 
died  13  February,  1787,  in  his  79th  year,  at  Hopkinton. 
He  was  a  deacon  in  the  church ;  his  parents  are  not 
known.     She  died  13  October,  1803,  at  Hopkinton. 


BY    HENRY   WYCKOFF   BELKNAP  157 

Children,  born  in  Hopkinton — Walker  : 

Jason,  bom  23  Jan.,  1733/4;  died  18  Dec,  1756. 

Thomas,  born  12  Aug.,  1735. 

Asa,  born  19  Mar.,  1736/7. 

Joseph,  born  9  Feb.,  1738/9;  "Deacon  Joseph,"  probably  he, 

married,  8  Nov.,  1764,  Sarah  Wark.     He  died  15  Dec,  1813, 

75th  year,  Hopkinton. 
Hannah,   born  8  July,  1741;  probably   she   married,  2  Julyi 

1761,  John  Gibbs. 
Mary,  born  28  July,  1745. 
Martha,  born  22  July,  1747;  probably  married,  9  Dec,  1779, 

Joshua  Andrews. 
Sarah,  born  28  Nov.,  1750. 
Mehitabel,  born  5  Nov.  [crossed  out],  1753. 

126.  Ruth  Burnap,  born  23  May,  1711 ;  married,  19 
October,  1738,  at  Reading,  John,  born  31  January,  1710, 
at  Reading,  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Lynde)  Smith. 
He  was  a  deacon  in  the  church,  and  his  first  wife  died  23 
October,  1775,  in  her  68th  year  (si'<?.)  (Town  Burying 
Ground,  Wakefield.) 

He  married  again,  26th  September,  1776,  Joanna  Sy- 
monds,  who  died  10  March,  1809,  a  widow  according  to 
the  records,  although  the  History  of  Reading  states  that 
he  had  three  wives.  What  appears  to  be  his  death  is  re- 
corded as  of  7  December,  1782,  in  his  73d  year.  (Town 
Burying  Ground,  Wakefield.) 

Children,  born  in  Reading,  baptized  in  Wakefield — 
Smith. 

Timothy,  born  18,  baptized  22  July,  1739;  died  23  July,  1747, 

ae.  10  yrs.  5  dys.  (sic);  Town  Burying  Ground,  Wakefield. 

Ruth,  born  20,  baptized  21  Mar.,  1742;  died  29  July,  1742,  ae. 

4  mos.  9  dys.  (Town  Copy,  Reading.) 

Note. — There  is  some  confusion  in  the  records,  as  a  child  is  said 

to  have  died  July,  1742,   ae.  3  mos.;  in   Wakefield   Church  Records 

also  a  Ruth,  daughter  of  John  and   Ruth,   died  9  July,  1743,    ae.  3 

mos.  11  dys.     Town  Burying  Ground,  Wakefield. 

Ruth,  born  6,  baptized  13  May,  1744;  died  23  Feb.,  1744/5,  ae. 
9  mos.  17  dys.  (Town  Copy,  Reading);  ae.   10   mos.    (Wake- 
field Church  Records). 
Anna,  born  2  June,  1752. 

Lydia,   born  2  Nov.,  1753;  married,   18  Dec,  1777,  Jeremiah 
Brown.     She  died  1822,  ae.  69. 


158  THE  BURNAP-BTJRNETT   GENEALOGY 

127.  Anna  Bttrnap,  born  26  April,  1713  ;  married, 
16  March,  1737,  Jeremiah,  born  14  September,  1708,  in 
Reading,  probably  son  of  Samuel  and  Mary  Brown.  Their 
children  are  named  in  the  will  of  Anna's  father,  the 
mother  having  died  on  10  May,  1751  (Reading  Town 
Records),  "in  her  39th  year"  (Town  Burying  Ground, 
Wakefield).  He  married  again,  30  September,  1754,  Ruth 
Welman,  as  would  seem  from  the  records.  She  is  proba- 
bly the  Ruth,  daughter  of  Abraham  and  Elizabeth  (Tay- 
lor) Welman  of  Lynn,  and  she  died,  "widow  of  Jere- 
miah," 25  October,  1786,  ae.  61  years.  (Wakefield  Town 
Burying  Ground.)  He  died  18  August,  1784,  ae.  75 
years  (Wakefield  Town  Burying  Ground);  ae.  77  years 
(Wakefield  Church  Records). 

Children,  born  in  Reading,  baptized  in  Wakefield — 
Brown  : 

Thomas,  born  14,   baptized  23  April,  1738;  probably  married, 

15  June,  1762,  Ruth  Wolton. 
Samuel,   born  14,   baptized   18  May,   1740;  married,  11  Oct., 

1762,  Bridget  Bryant. 
Sarah,  born  and  baptized  27  Sept.,  1741;  probably  married,  2 

Dec,  1766,  Edmond  Eaton. 
Hezkkiah,  born  26,  baptized  29  May,  1744. 
Anna,  born  15,   baptized  18  Jan.,   1746/7;  probably  died  10 

Feb.,  1760. 
Ruth,  born  20,  baptized  25  Mar.,  1749/50. 

133.  Rebecca  Burnap,  born  18  January,  1726/7 ; 
married,  19  January,  1747/8,  at  Maiden,  Jacob,  born  30 
April,  1723,  son  of  Phineas  and  Tamzen  (Thomasin) 
(Hill)  Upham  of  Maiden.  The  intention  was  published 
19  September,  1747.  He  was  a  weaver  in  Reading,  where 
he  died  30  September,  1775,  his  estate  being  administered 
the  following  year.  His  wife  died  14  March,  1779,  and 
her  will  was  proved  that  year. 

Children,  baptized  in  Wakefield — Upham  : 

Rebecca,  born  2,  baptized  4  Dec,  1748;  died  1  April,  1749. 

Rebecca,  born  9  Jan.,  1750/1;  died  10  Mar.,  1777. 

Sabah,  born  10  Jan.,  baptized  16   or  18   Mar.,    1753;  died  28 

June,  1753,  ae.  5  mos. 
Sabah,  born  7,  baptized  16  July,  1754;  died  24  May,  1775. 


BY   HENRY    WYCKOFF  BELKNAP  159 

Mart,  born  2,  baptized  8  May,  1757;  married,  4  April,  1780, 
William  Tarbox.    She  died  18  Oct.,  1820. 

Tamzen,  born  5,  baptized  18  Sept.,  1759;  died  26  Jan.,  1822. 

Ruth,  born  18  Jan.,  1763;  died  21  Mar.,  1810. 

Jacob,  born  16  May,  1766;  married,  17  Mar.,  1791,  Sarah  Pratt, 
and  removed  to  Amherst,  N.  H.  He  married  again  15  April, 
1827,  Sarah  Whittemore.     He  died  1  April,  1849. 

134.  Hannah  Burnap,  born  17  July,  1721  ;  mar- 
ried, 3  December,  1739,  Jonathan,  born  probably  11 
September,  1718,  son  of  Joseph  Sibley  of  Sutton.  His 
birth  appears  in  the  Sutton  Town  Records  as  "Ensign 
Jonathan,"  born  as  above,  and  his  wife's  birth  is  recorded 
as  "Hannah,  wife  of  Ensign  Jonathan,  born  17  July, 
1723,"  an  error  of  two  years.  He  died  30  March,  1787, 
"aged  nearly  69,"  according  to  the  Church  Records,  and 
his  wife  died  19  October,  1816,  ae.  95.  (West  Sutton 
Burial  Ground.) 

Children,  born  in  Sutton — Sibley  : 

Jonathan,  bornlO  Feb.,  1741;  married,  26  April,  1762,  Eunice 
Perkins. 

Reuben,  born  20  Feb.,  1743;  married,  30  Jan.,  1765,  Ruth  Sib- 
ley; died  17  Nov.,  1810,  ae.  67. 

Huldah,  born  13  Sept.,  1745;  married,  26  June,  1765,  John 
Howard. 

Paul,  born  26  April,  1748;  married,  2  Dec,  1766,  Sarah  Put- 
nam. 

Gideon, born  20  Nov.,  1750;  married,28  April,  1772,  in  Oxford, 
Tamar  Fitts.  He  died  21  Aug.,  1846,  ae  96;  West  Sutton 
Burial  Ground. 

Tabeant,  born  1  Sept.,  1754;  married,  22  April,  1779,  in  Ox- 
ford, Hannah  Putnam.  He  died  26  July,  1823,  ae.  68 
(gravestone). 

135.  Ebenezer  Burnap,  born  10  June,  1723  ;  went 
with  his  mother  and  stepfather  to  Sutton  when  he  was 
about  eight  years  old.  He  married,  28  September,  1749, 
Mary,  daughter  of  Judge  Wyman  of  Woburn.  It  is  not 
clear  which  of  the  many  Wymans  was  her  father,  and 
hence  it  is  impossible  to  find  the  date  of  her  birth.  The 
History  of  Sutton  states  that  they  arrived  in  Sutton  after 
1750,  but  we  find  no  reason  to  doubt  that  the  earlier  date 
of  1731  is  nearer  correct.     Accoidins:  to  this  same  au- 


160  THE   BURNAP-BURNETT   GENEALOGY 

thority  the  Burnap  farm  was  on  Burnap,  now  called  Bol- 
ton Hill,  about  1750,  and  Ebenezer  Burnap  lived  there 
until  about  1770,  when  he  removed  to  a  spot  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  yards  northeast,  on  the  road  from  Bra- 
manville,  Millbury,  to  the  school-house  in  district  number 
eleven,  being  the  most  northerly  farm  on  that  road  and  in 
part  on  the  Millbury  line.  The  house  stood  in  the  pres- 
ent garden,  and  was  burned  about  1833.  A  part  of  the 
barn  still  standing  was  in  the  original  structure,  but  has 
had  additions.  This  farm  passed  to  his  son  Timothy, 
who  helped  his  father  to  build  the  present  house  in  1815, 
and  Timothy  lived  there  until  1828,  when,  upon  his  death, 
his  son  Timothy  took  it,  and,  in  1830,  Elijah,  brother  of 
Timothy,  Jr.,  bought  an  interest,  and  they  occupied  it 
jointly  till  Timothy's  death  in  1858.  Elijah  sold  it  to 
Andrew  B.  Garfield,  and  he  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Henry,  who 
occupied  it  until  1878  with  C.  C.  Hall,  who  had  married 
a  great-granddaughter  of  Timothy  Burnap.  At  that  time 
there  were  only  fifty-two  acres  left  in  the  farm. 
Children,  born  in  Sutton,  except  the  first : 

226.  Mart,  born  6  Aug.,  1750,  in  Hollis,  N.  H.  The  birth  of  this 
child  in  Hollis  cannot  be  explained,  but  is  so  given  in  Sut- 
ton Records. 

227.  Sarah,  born  3  Oct.,  1751;  died  26  Dec,  1815,  ae.  64,  in  Leices- 

ter, Mass. 

228.  Anna,  born  19  Sept.,  1752;  died  11  June,  1813,  Bethel,  Vt. 

229.  Timothy,  born  25  Dec,  1753;  died  4  Oct.,  1828,  Sutton. 

230.  Ebenkzer,  born  13  Oct.,  1756;  died   12  Mar.,    1820,   ae.  63, 

Ward,  Mass. 

231.  Thomas,  born  19  Jan.,  1758;  died  13  Sept.,  1819,  ae.  62,  Wind- 

ham, Vt. 

232.  Abijah,  born  11  April,  1760;  died   21   Feb.,   1839,  Millbury, 

Mass. 

233.  John,  born  23  April,  1762;  died  1  Sept.,  1813,  Windham,  Vt. 

234.  Uzziah,   born  20  June,  1764;  died   16   June,   1793,    Hinsdale, 

N.  H. 

235.  Asa  Wyman,  born  2  June,  1765;  died  1811,  at  West  Boylston, 

Mass. 

236.  Hannah,  born  9  Dec,  1771;  died  after  1809,  at  Dixfield,  Me., 

probably. 

136.     John  Burnap,  born  3  February,  1726/7 ;  mar- 
ried, 9  March,  1749,  in  Coventry,  Conn.,  Susannah,  whose 


BY   HENRY    WYCKOFF   BELKNAP  161 

maiden  name  does  not  appear,  nor  is  there  any  Susannah 
whose  birth  is  in  the  Coventry  records  who  could  be  this 
one.  Two  of  their  children  were  born  in  Coventry,  and 
the  remainder  in  Lebanon,  where  the  family  lived  until 
1771;  they  then  removed  to  Norwich,Vt.,  six  children  being 
then  alive.  They  travelled  on  foot,  carrying  the  family 
goods  on  their  backs,  the  son  Elijah,  then  fifteen  years 
old,  carrying  a  pack  of  fifteen  pounds  as  his  share.  They 
built  a  log-house  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  town, 
and  remained  there  until  1778,  at  which  time  they  again 
removed,  this  time  to  Rutland. 

The  following  is  quoted  in  the  Vermont  Historical 
Magazine,  vol.  17,  p.  1028  : 

In  Council,  Bennington,  February  17,  1778. 
To  Captain  Joseph  Bowker — Sir  : 

Whereas,  complaint  is  made  to  this  council  by  Deacon 
John  Burnap,  that  Moses  Olmstead  and  .  .  .  Owen  of 
Pittsfield,  did  in  December  last  take  from  him  about 
twelve  hundred  weight  of  iron,  which  is  detained  from 
him  ;  he  therefore  desires  this  council  that  they  would 
direct  him  in  what  manner  he  may  obtain  his  property 
again.  Therefore  this  council  recommend  to  call  together 
the  members  of  the  several  committees  in  Rutland  and  the 
neighboring  towns,  to  the  number  of  five,  to  judge  and 
determine  the  case  pending  between  the  above  parties  ac- 
cording to  justice  and  equity. 

By  order  of  council : 

Thomas  Chittenden,  President. 

The  Trustees  of  Dartmouth  College  made  a  lease,  10 
April,  1782,  for  the  ferry  "between  the  College  and  John 
Sargeant's  in  Norwich"  with  John  Burnap,  he  to  provide 
a  boat  and  constantly  to  attend  the  ferry. 

His  wife  died  23  April,  1784,  and  he  married  again,  10 
February,  1788,  Ruth,  born  about  1730,  whose  surname 
was  Hatch,  but  whose  parents  are  unknown. 

He  died  about  1  November,  1804,  while  at  work  in  the 
fields,  and  his  wife  3  September,  1813,  ae.  83.  The  epi- 
taph of  the  first  wife  reads : 

"Within  this  sacred  bed  of  rest 
A  tender  mother  lies, 
But  she  shall  live  among  the  just 
When  Christ  shall  bid  her  rise." 


182        THE  BURNAP-BURNETT  GENEALOGY 

Children,  all  by  first  wife  : 

237.  Susannah,   born  30  Nov.,  1749;  died  in  Norwich,  unmarried. 

238.  Isaac,  born  3  Jan.,  1750/1;  died  23  April,  1775,  Norwich. 

239.  Elijah,  born  Jan.,  1756;  died  8  Sept.,  1819,  Norwich. 

240.  JAOOB,date  of  birth  not  known;  died  23  Sept.,  1777;  in  Revo- 

lutionary War. 

241.  James,  date  of  birth  not  known;  died  26  April,  1784. 

242.  John,  date  of  birth  not  known;  died  in  Thetford,  Vt.,  ae.  88. 

243.  Saeah,  born  about  1762;  died  4  Sept.,  1843,   ae.  81,  at  Nor- 

wich, Vt. 

137.  Abigail  Burnap,  born  15  November,  1735  ; 
married,  14  February,  1754,  Daniel  Skinner,  at  Coventry, 
but  nothing  further  is  known. 

138.  Abraham  Burnap,  born  1  September,  1730 ; 
married,  8  November,  1753,  at  Coventry,  Conn.,  Irene 
Wright  (called  Susan  in  Kingsbury  Genealogy),  whose 
name  suggests  relationship  with  Nathaniel  and  Irene 
Wright  of  Coventry,  and  who  may  have  been  a  niece,  of 
whom  no  further  information  has  been  found.  Abraham 
Burnap  is  called  "Captain,"  and  it  is  very  likely  he  who 
was  a  grantee,  but  not  a  settler,  at  Stafford,  Vt.,  12  Au- 
gust, 1761.  Dates  of  death  of  Abraham  and  his  wife 
do  not  appear  in  the  Coventry  records. 

Children,  born  in  Coventry  : 

244.  Uriah  (so-called  by  the  father  of  Edward  Lincoln  Burnap  of 

Norwich,  but  given  in  the  records  as  Jeriah  and  Jerijah,) 
born  23  Nov.,  1754;  died  after  1833. 

245.  Daniel,  born  1  Nov.,  1759;  died  26  Sept.,  1838,  ae.  86,  at  An- 

dover,  Conn. 

246.  Abneb,  born  23  May,  1764;  died  in  Royalton,  Ohio,   probably. 

247.  Ibene,  born  22  Sept.,  1766;  died  6  June,  1809,  at  Royalton,  Vt. 

248.  John  (?)  (according  to  Edward  Lincoln  Burnap's  father  there 

was  a  son  of  this  name  who  had  a  disagreement  with  hi* 
brothers  and  went  to  Vermont.  Possibly  it  is  the  cousin 
John,  No.  242,  who  was  meant.) 

143.  Mary  Burnap,  born  13  April,  1737  ;  married,. 
19  February,  1755,  John  Kingsley,  born  1734.  They 
were  married  in  Windham,  and  the  births  of  their  chil- 
dren are  recorded,  but  his  parents  have  not  been  found. 


BY   HENRY   WYCKOFF   BELKNAP  16$ 

Children,  born  in  Windham — Kingsley  : 
Enoch,  born  2  Dec,  1755. 
Asael,  born  10  Jan.,  1758. 
Uriah,  born  9  Sept.,  1760. 

Rufus,  born  11  April,  1763;  married  Lucinda  Cutler. 
Jason,  born  14  Nov.,  1765. 
Adams,  born  12  June,  1768. 
Chloe,  born  17  Dec,  1770. 
Mary,  born  25  May,  1773. 
Jacob,  born  19  Dec,  1775. 
Abigail,  born  19  Dec,  1775. 

144.  Abigail  Burnap,  born  8  May,  1739  ;  married, 
10  March,  1763,  Archippus,  born  10  October,  1735,  in 
Windham,  son  of  Isaac  and  Margaret  (Smith)  Parish, 
who  had  come  to  Windham  from  Ipswich,  Mass.  He  died 
22  December,  1780,  having  made  his  will  four  days  be- 
fore, and  it  was  proved  10  January  following.  At  this 
time  he  was  living  in  Mansfield,  Conn. 

Children,  born  in  Windham  and  Mansfield — Parish  : 
Abigail,  born  25  Dec,  1763,  in  Windham. 
Mary,  born  12  Oct.,  1765. 
Annie. 
Alathea. 

Archippus,    born  27   Jan.,   1773,   at   Mansfield;  married,  12 
Aug.,  1806,   Phebe  Miller,   at  Morristown,   N.  J.     He  died 
Oct.,  1847. 
Abraham,   born   10  June,    1778,  at   Mansfield;    married,   15 
March,  1801,  at  Mansfield,  Jemima  Wright. 

The  History  of  Wyoming  and  Lackawana  Valley  Fam- 
ilies states  that  Abigail  died  in  1845,  unmarried,  and  that 
Alathea  was  born  12  October,  1765,  and  married  John  or 
Timothy  Childs,  and  had  Bradley,  died  young,  and 
Archippus. 

146.     Elizabeth  Burnap,   born  17  December,  1742 ; 
married,  6  March,  1760,  at  Scotland,  John  Warren,  whose 
parentage  is  unknown.     They    lived    in    Ashford,  Conn, 
and  there  he  died  in  1811,  and  she  30  December,  1835. 
Children,  born  in  Ashford — Warren  : 

Sybil,  born  about  1776;  died  30  March,  1792,  in  her  16th  year, 

at  Ashford. 
Naomi,   born  1  Aug.,  1778;  died  11  Aug.,    1780,   ae.    2  yrs.  11 
mos.,  at  Ashford. 


164        THE  BURNAP-BURNETT  GENEALOGY 

Note — In  Bennington,  Vt.,  in  1836,  there  is  a  deed  in 
which  Justin  Dimock,  Joseph  Starin  and  wife  Calista, 
Anthony  Bruise  and  wife  Aurelia  L.,  John  Warren  and 
wife  Susan  H.  (all  sign  except  Justin,  for  whom  Elias 
Dimock  signs),  quit-claim  to  land  in  Windham  (as  heirs 
by  will  of  Elizabeth  Warren,  deceased,  to  the  estate  of 
Jacob  Burnett,  Isaac  Burnett  and  Naomi  Spring),  to  John 
Burnett  of  Windham.  This  establishes  the  fact  that 
Elizabeth  Warren  was  one  of  the  heirs  to  the  estates  of 
her  brother  Jacob,  who  died  s.  p.  in  1814,  and  whose  wife 
died  in  1835,  of  her  brother  Isaac,  who  died  unmarried  in 
1830,  and  of  her  sister,  who  evidently  married  a  Spring, 
of  which  this  is  the  only  evidence  discovered.  Justin 
Dimock  was  a  brother  of  Calista,  who  married  Joseph 
Starin,  and  they  were  children  of  Elias  and  Lydia  (War- 
ren) Dimock,  but  John  Warren  could  not  be  the  brother 
of  Lydia,  since  he  was  born  at  least  ten  years  too  late  to 
have  married  Elizabeth  Burnap.  It  is  very  probable  that 
search  in  the  records  at  Bennington  and  Ashford  would 
bring  the  facts  to  light. 

150.  Sibil  Burnap,  born  10  April,  1751 ;  married, 
30  November,  1773,  at  Scotland,  John  Knox,  but  nothing 
further  has  been  found. 

151.  Naomi   Burnap,    born  11  April,  1753  ;  married 
Spring  (see  deed  under  146),    but   no  other  record 


has  been  found.     She  evidently  died  before  1836,  leaving 
no  children  probably. 

152.  James  Burnap,  born  21  March,  1755,  is  doubt- 
less the  one  who  as  a  private,  of  Andover,  Conn.,  in 
Captain  Henry  Abbot's  company,  marched  on  the  alarm 
of  19  April,  1775,  service  7  1/2  days.  Also  he  enlisted 
voluntarily  under  Captain  James  Stedman  of  Windham, 
to  serve  until  April,  1776,  in  a  regiment  under  the  Gov- 
ernor's proclamation  of  January,  1776,  and  who  appears 
in  a  receipt  for  wages  in  the  same  company,  Colonel  John 
Douglas's  regiment,  17  June,  1776. 

He  was  a  Justice  from  Hampton,  Conn.,  and  one  of  the 
subscribers  to  the  meeting  house  fund  in  1787,  in  the 
Westminster  Society. 


BY   HENRY   WYCK0FF   BELKNAP  165 

His  business  was  that  of  a  hatter,  and  he  invented  a 
process  of  forming  hat-bodies  which  was  not  a  success, 
and  after  disposing  of  his  plant  he  "removed  westward," 
according  to  Weaver's  History  of  Windham.  This  must 
have  been  later  than  1817,  as  in  that  year  he  was  one  of 
a  committee  on  the  county  seat. 

He  married,  14  May,  1*778,  Phebe,  born  21  June,  1759, 
daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Cary)  Baker,  who  died  7 
August,  1811,  ae.  52  (Canterbury  Inscription). 

Children,  probably  all  born  in  Canterbury  : 

249.  James,  born  about  1780;  died  before  1863. 

250.  John  Baker,  born  3  Feb.,  1782;  died  10  Jan.,  1851,  at  Canter- 

bury. 

251.  Clark,  born  about  1787;  died  before  1863. 

252.  Naomi,    born  about  1794;  died  8   Oct..    1866,   at   Providence, 

R.  I. 

253.  Phebe,  no  record  found. 

153.  John  Burnap,  born  28  April,  1757,  is  said  by 
Weaver,  in  the  History  of  Windham,  to  have  served  in 
the  Revolutionary  war,  and  a  Burnap  of  the  name  is 
among  the  list  of  those  who  did,  but  the  records  are  not 
in  such  form  as  to  be  surely  those  of  John  of  Scotland. 
He  married,  30  March,  1786,  Sarah,  daughter  of  Robert 
and  Anna  (Cushman)  Avery,  and  lived  on  Merrick's 
Brook  in  Scotland.  She  was  received  into  full  communion 
in  the  Scotland  Church,  26  June,  1796,  and  he  was  a  se- 
lectman of  the  town  about  1818.  He  died  9  February, 
1840,  but  no  record  of  his  wife's  death  has  been  found. 

Child,  born  in  Scotland  : 

254.  Ann,   born   19  Sept.,   1789;  baptized    10   July,    1796;  married 

Ebenezer  Young  of  Killingly;  no  further  record  found. 

154.  Jacob  Burnap,  born  20  February,  1761  ;  mar- 
ried Esther,  possibly  the  daughter  of  Captain  Elisha  and 
Mary  (Abbe)  Wales  of  Ashford,  but  no  record  of  her  has 
been  found.  He  lived  in  the  Scotland  district  of  Wind- 
ham, and  died  there  about  1814,  while  his  wife  survived 
him  until  24  August,  1835.     They  had  no  children. 

The  will  of  Jacob  Burnet  of  Windham  mentions  brother 
James  Burnet,  wife  Esther,  brother  John  Burnet,  dated 
6  March,  1810,  proved  24  March,  1814,  by  Esther  Bur- 
nett, relict. 


166  THE   BURNAP-BURNETT   GENEALOGY 

The  family  name  often  appears  as  "Burnet"  in  the 
Windham  branch,  but  this  form  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  consistently  used. 

155.  Joseph  Bdrnap,  born  13  January,  1723/4,  may 
have  been  married  twice,  although  no  record  of  the  first 
wife  appears.  The  births  of  his  children  are  not  recorded, 
but  their  baptisms  in  the  Second  or  North  Reading  Con- 
gregational Church  are  found,  and  their  mother's  name 
was  Lydia.  The  latest  is  in  1767,  but  the  mother's  death 
is  not  on  record.  In  1775  a  Joseph  married  Lydia  Me- 
lendy  (12  January),  who  is  supposed  to  be  the  one  who 
died  in  Charlton,  Mass.,  6  September,  1814,  ae.  85,  and 
from  the  fact  that  the  record  reads  "the  mother  of  brother 
Melendy,"  it  would  seem  that  she  was  a  widow  of  a  Me- 
lendy,  though  no  marriage  of  a  Melendy  to  a  Lydia  is  to 
be  found.  Either  John  Melendy  of  Reading  or  Richard 
of  Medford,  Reading,  and  Amherst  (N.  H.),  could  have 
had  a  son  who  was  her  husband,  and  the  fact  that  Joseph 
Burnap,  in  a  deed  in  1785,  refers  to  Lydia  as  "my  now 
wife",  would  strengthen  the  belief  that  she  was  a  second 
wife. 

William  Upton  of  Reading,  housewright,  consideration 
£ 26:13:  4,  to  Joseph  Burnap  of  Reading,  yeomau,  land 
in  Reading  and  Wilmington,  24  February,  1777.  Wit- 
nesses: Timothy  Russell,  Margaret  Russell.  Acknowl- 
edged 16  April,  1777.  (Mddx.  Land  Records,  vol. 
lxxviii,  p.  171.) 

Joseph  Burnap  of  Reading  to  John  Nichols,  Jr.  (men- 
tions Lydia  my  now  wife),  4  July,  1785.  (Mddx.  Land 
Records,  vol.  cclxvi,  p.  33.) 

The  will  of  Joseph  Burnap: 

20  March,  1806,  of  Reading.  To  Lydia  my  wife,  to 
son  John,  to  son  Joseph,  to  son  Jacob,  to  son  Edward,  liv- 
ing in  Fitchburg,  land  in  Fitchburg  ;  to  daughter  Lydia 
Cutler,  to  daughter  Sarah  Miles,  to  sons  Joseph,  Edward, 
James  (the  last  to  receive  all  debts  and  pay  all  legacies)  ; 
John,  Joseph,  Jacob,  and  Edward,  to  divide  $40  amongst 
my  grandchildren  after  son  James's  decease.  James  ex- 
ecutor and  residuary  legatee.  Witnesses:  Benja.  Holt, 
Amos  Damon,  Timothy  Russell.     Proved  at  Woburn,  25 


BY   HENRY    WYCKOFF    BELKNAP  167 

April,  1809.     (Mddx.  Probate  Records,  vol.  cvi,  p.  494.) 
Children,  baptized    in    North    Reading    Congregational 
Church,  by  first  wife  : 

255.  Joseph,  baptized  1745;  died  young  doubtless. 

256.  James,  baptized  1749;  died  29  Dec,  1821,  ae.  72,  at  Reading. 

257.  John,  baptized  1752;  died  4  May,  1813,  at  Reading. 
257a.  Lydia,  baptized  1758. 

258.  Joseph,  baptized  22  July,  1759. 

259.  Jacob,  bapt.  4  Oct.,  1761 ;  died  14  June,  1807,  at  Fitchburg. 

260.  Edward,   bapt.  16  Sept.,  1764;  died   1  Aug.,    1827,  at  Fitch- 

burg. 

261.  Sarah,  baptized  5  July,  1767. 

163.  Ruth  Burnap,  born  18  December,  1727  ;  prob- 
ably married  (intention),  4  February,  1748/9,  in  An- 
dover,  Joshua,  born  11  June,  1724,  at  Andover,  son  of 
John  and  Mehitabel  (Wilson)  Holt. 

Children,  born  in  Andover — Holt: 

A  child,  born  18  Oct.,  1750;  died  young  probably. 

Isaac,  born  15  May,  1752;  married,  8  Jan.,  1778,  Hannah 
Stevens. 

Israel,  baptized  17  May,  1794;  married,  18  March,  1783,  Abi- 
gail Bailey. 

Uzziel,  baptized  1  March,  1761;  died  19  Feb.,  1762. 

Ruth,  born  11  May,  1758;  died  17  Aug.,  1825,  ae.  77,  unmar- 
ried. 

Hannah,  born  17  March,  1764;  married,  4  Jan.,  1781,  William 
Phelps  of  Salem. 

Uzziel,  born  12  April,  1766. 

Mioah,  born  31  Mar.,  1768;  perhaps  married,  15  April,  1798, 
Rachel  Cook;  died  5  Sept.,  1840,  ae.  72. 

Tabitha,  born  20  Feb.,  1770;  died  17  March,  1849,  ae.  73  or 
79  (2d  Burying  Ground,  North  Andover),  unmarried. 

167.  Ruth  Burnap,  born  28  November,  1733;  married, 
5  February,  1765,at  Reading,  Joshua,  born  23  March,1731, 
at  Wilmington,  Mass.,  son  of  Lieutenant  Jonathan  and 
Elizabeth  (Russell)  Jones.  He  had  married,  first,  Hepzibah 
daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Tabitha  (Burnap)  Flint,No.l03, 
who  died  in  1764.  He  inherited  a  part  of  his  father's 
estate  in  Wilmington,  and  died  within  the  year  of  his 
marriage,  as  administration  upon  his    estate    was  granted 


168       THE  BURNAP-BURNETT  GENEALOGY 

to  his  brother  Josiah  of  Andover  3  September,  1775, 
while  his  brother-in-law,  Captain  John  Flint,  was  appoint- 
ed guardian  of  three  minor  children  by  his  first  wife. 

The  widow  then  married,  23  September,  1773,  Daniel, 
born  22  July,  1725,  son  of  Samuel  and  Joanna  Pratt  of 
Reading,  who  had  previously  had  a  wife  named  Abigail, 
who  died  in  1771.  Her  death  does  not  appear,  and  he 
died  22  June,  1795,  in  his  70th  year  (Laurel  Street  Bury- 
ing Ground  and  Congregational  Church  Records),  or 
June,  1796  (Town  Records).  There  do  not  seem  to  have 
been  any  children  by  this  marriage.  The  widow  Ruth 
received  <£22:  5:  0,  "in  consideration  of  her  quitting  the 
estate"  of  Joshua  Jones.  (See  New  England  Historical 
and  Genealogical  Register,  vol.  lxi,  p.  354.) 

168.  Elizabeth  Burnap,  born  27  January,  1736/7  ; 
married,  4  April,  1765,  at  Reading,  John,  probably  son 
of  Bartholomew  and  Keziah  (Pudney)  Buxton  of  Salem ; 
if  so,  baptized  1734,  at  Reading.  He  served  in  the  Rev- 
olution, and  died  in  1821,  at  Packersfield,  N.  H.,  ae.  91, 
having  removed  from  Reading,  first  to  Wilton,  N.  H.,  and 
later  to  Packersfield  (Nelson).  The  date  of  her  death 
has  not  been  found. 

Children — Buxton  : 

Eunice,  baptized  18  May,  1766,  at  Reading;  perhaps  died  28 

May,  1820,  at  Reading. 
Timothy  Russell,   born  7  March,  1773,  at  Wilton;   married 

Eunice  Chandler.     He  died   10  April,  1847,   at   Packersfield 

(Nelson),  N.  H. 

171.  John  Burnap,  born  25  June,  1744;  married,  24 
December,  1767,  Mary  Hayward,  born  8  March,  1740,  at 
Reading,  whose  parents  are  not  known.  John  was  prob- 
ably the  one  listed  as  a  voter  in  the  Second  Parish,  Read- 
ing, in  1771.  He  may  also  be  the  one  who  enlisted,  24 
April,  1775,  as  a  private  in  Captain  John  Bacheller's  com- 
pany, Colonel  Ebenezer  Bridge's  regiment,  and  who  ap- 
pears in  several  service  records  in  that  year.  He  is  said 
to  have  been  in  Temple,  N.  H.,  for  a  short  time,  and  to 
have  then  removed  to  Packersfield  (Nelson),  N.  H.  He 
is  also  said  to  have  died  28  May,  1815,  and  his  wife  26 
February,  1825.  Neither  his  death  nor  that  of  his  wife 
are  to  be  found  in  the  Reading  records  it  is  certain,  and 
the  last  child  recorded  was  born  in  1781. 

(To  be  continued) 


K  ul 


5    5 

E1 


SALEM  VESSELS  AND  THEIR  VOYAGES. 


The  Ship  "George." 


By  George  Granville  Putnam. 


(Continued  from   Volume  LIX,  page  £^.) 

This  passage  of  the  George  from  Cape  Good  Hope  to 
Salem  is  believed  to  be  the  quickest  on  record  of  any  sail- 
ing vessel  from  the  Cape  to  a  North  Atlantic  port,  partic- 
ularly New  York,  Boston,  Capes  of  Delaware,  or  Salem. 
The  writer  has  seen  the  reports  of  scores  of  sailing  vessel 
passages,  but  in  no  instance  did  he  find  a  single  one  among 
all  the  fast  tea  clippers  that  even  equalled  it.  So  the  glory 
all  belongs  to  this  old  Salem  ship. 

The  ship  Mandarin,  Capt.  Cook,  sailed  from  Sand 
Heads,  Feb.  11,  for  Salem,  and  arrived  here  July  16,  161 
days'  passage  from  Calcutta,  153  from  Sand  Heads,  the 
Greorge  thus  beating  her  66  and  60  days  respectively. 

Sixteenth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem  Aug.  10,  1831,  Jonathan  H.  Lovett, 
Jr.,  master.  Crossed  the  Equator  Sept.  7,  27  1-2  days 
out ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Oct.  8,  59  days  out,  and 
arrived  at  Sand  Heads  Nov.  22,  104  days  from  Salem,  and 
at  Calcutta  Nov.  26,  all  well.  Sailed  from  Calcutta  Jan. 
13,  1832  ;  Sand  Heads,  Jan.  17  ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope 
March  4,  46  days  from  Sand  Heads;  crossed  the  Equator 
March  27,  in  longitude  30.26  W.,  69  days  out,  and  ar- 
rived at  Salem  April  20,  1832,  93  days' passage.  Voyage, 
eight  months  and  ten  days,  her  quickest  round  trip.  Du- 
ties, $60,386.20. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Jonathan  H.  Lovett,  Jr.,  Beverly ;  mate,  Ed- 
ward Kilham,  Beverly ;  second  mate,  Charles  H.  Allen  ; 
supercargo,  James  B.  Briggs,  Salem;  carpenter,  John  L. 
Lovett,  Beverly;  seamen,  John  West,  Charles  D.  Mugford 
and  Francis  A.  Winn,  Salem  ;  William  Lovett,  Jr.,  and 
John  Lovett,    Beverly  ;  Charles  Bush,    John    Goldsmith, 

(169) 


170  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

William  H.  Allen  and  Andrew  Haraden,  Jr.,  Salem  ;  Cal- 
vin Wallis,  Beverly  ;  Richard  W.  Seccomb,  Salem  ;  Ed- 
ward F.  Weld,  Beverly;  steward,  John  Tucker,  Salem; 
cook,  William  Drew  (Dorchester),  Salem. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  James  B.  Briggs,  Jona- 
than H.  Lovett,  Jr.,  Ebenezer  Seccomb,  Jr.,  Robert  Peele, 
3d,  Peter  E.  Webster,  Edward  Kilhani,  Andrew  Hara- 
den, Jr.,  Samuel  G.  Rea,   William  H.  Allen. 

Three  ships  sailed  from  Calcutta  previous  to  the  George, 
but  she  outsailed  them  all.  They  were :  Ship  Fenelon, 
Capt.  Joseph  Webb  of  Salem,  from  Calcutta,  Dec.  23, 
1831,  Sand  Heads  Dec.  27,  for  Boston,  where  she  arrived 
April  24,  1832,  118  days'  passage;  ship  Tremont,  Capt. 
Darling,  from  Calcutta,  Dec.  28,  1831,  Sand  Heads  Jan. 
3, 1832,  for  Boston,  and  arrived  April  30,  117  days'  pas- 
sage ;  ship  Mount  Vernon,  Capt.  Davis,  from  Calcutta, 
Jan.  4,  1832,  Sand  Heads  Jan.  14,  for  Boston,  where  she 
arrived  May  20,  126  days'  passage,  having  lost  bulwarks 
in  a  long  and  hard  gale  off  Cape  Good  Hope. 

Seventeenth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem,  Aug.  7,  1832,  Jonathan  H.  Lovett, 
Jr.,  master.  Crossed  the  Equator  Sept.  13,  37  days  out  ; 
passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Oct.  11,  65  days  out,  and  arrived 
at  Sand  Heads  Dec.  16,  131  1-2  days'  passage  from  Salem, 
and  at  Calcutta  Dec.  21.  Sailed  from  Calcutta  Feb.  7, 
1833;  Sand  Heads,  Feb.  12;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope 
April  6,  53  days  out ;  passed  the  Equator  April  28,  75 
days  out,  and  arrived  at  Salem  May  22,  1833,  97  days 
from  Sand  Heads.  Voyage,  nine  months  and  fifteen  days. 
Duties,  $17,162.94. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Jonathan  H.  Lovett,  Jr.,  Beverly ;  mate,  Ben- 
jamin Balch,  Jr.,  Salem ;  second  mate,  Charles  H.  Allen, 
Salem ;  supercargo,  Samuel  Barton,  Salem ;  carpenter, 
John  L.  Lovett,  Beverly ;  seamen,  William  H.  Allen, 
Salem  ;  Calvin  Wallis,  Beverly;  John  Goldsmith  and 
William  Peele,  Salem ;  Thomas  Williamson  (Fairfax 
County,  Va.),  Salem  ;  Joseph  Noble,  Jr.,  Dan  vers;  Charles 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM        171 

Bnsh,  Salem  ;  John  W.  Allen,  Manchester;  John  Church, 
Beverly ;  Perley  Z.  M.  P.  Putnam,  Salem  ;  Edward  F. 
Weld,  Beverly  ;  William  B.  Graves,  Salem  ;  steward,  John 
Tucker,  Salem  ;  cook,  Charles  Hollis,  Salem. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  John  L.  Lovett,  John 
Tucker,  Jonathan  H.  Lovett,  Jr.,  William  H.  Allen,  Ben- 
jamin Balch,  Jr.,  Charles  Bush,  Calvin  Wallis,  Peter  E. 
Webster. 

Off  Cape  Good  Hope,  the  Q-eorge  spoke  the  ship  Brook- 
line,  of  Salem,  Capt.  Samuel  Kennedy,  Sr.,  of  Salem, 
bound  to  Boston,  which  sailed  from  Calcutta  seven  days 
before  the  George.  Capt.  Lovett  tried  hard  to  speak  the 
Brookline,  but  that  ship  would  not  answer.  The  Greorge 
arrived  at  Salem  exactly  two  weeks  before  the  Brookline 
reached  Boston.  Meeting  the  mate  of  the  Brookline  on 
Salem  Common  one  day,  Mr.  Balch  asked  him  why  he  did 
not  answer  the  George  off  Cape  Good  Hope.  The  reply 
was,  "The  old  man  (a  term  always  applied  by  sailors  to 
their  master)  was  so  mad  to  think  that  you  had  caught  us 
that  he  would  not  allow  me  to  reply."  When  the  Brook- 
line left  Calcutta,  Capt.  Kennedy  offered  to  take  home 
letters  from  the  Greorge,  but  Capt.  Lovett  politely  declined 
the  kindness,  saying,  "We  shall  sail  in  a  few  days,  and  I 
guess  the  George  will  get  home  as  soon  as  the  Brookline.'''' 

August  24,  1832,  seventeen  days  after  the  Greorge  left 
Salem,  the  brand  new  ship  Dover,  Capt.  Austin,  sailed 
from  Boston  for  Calcutta.  Before  the  Greorge  sailed, 
wagers  were  laid  that  the  Dover  would  make  the  shorter 
passage,  that  she  would  arrive  out  first,  and  that  she 
would  complete  the  voyage  first.  The  Q-eorge  arrived  at 
Calcutta  in  136  1-2  days  from  Salem,  as  before  stated. 
She  loaded  her  home  cargo,  and  was  proceeding  down  the 
Hoogly  river,  when  a  ship  was  seen  coming  up  the  river, 
bound  to  Calcutta.  "What  ship  and  from  where  ?"  shout- 
ed Capt.  Lovett.  The  reply  was  drawled  out,  "The 
Dover,  170  days  from  Boston."  The  first  news  of  the 
Dover  after  she  left  Boston  was  brought  to  Salem  by  the 
Greorge  in  the  foregoing  report.  Such  were  some  of  the 
instances  of  sailing  ship  days,  now  no  more. 

Thomas  Williamson,  who  was  induced  to  try  a  voyage 
n  the  Greorge,  in  the  hope  that    a    sea  trip    would  result 


172  SALEM   VESSELS    AND   THEIR    VOYAGES 

beneficially,  died  on  board  the  G-eorge,  of  consumption,  off 
Sand  Heads,  Feb.  12,  1833,  on  the  homeward  passage.  He 
was  off  duty  most  of  the  outward  passage,  and  was  in  the 
hospital  at  Calcutta  six  weeks.  When  the  George  sailed 
for  home  he  begged  Capt.  Lovett  to  take  him  and  not  to 
leave  him  there  alone  to  die.     His  request  was  granted. 

Eighteenth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem  July  7,  1833,  for  Gibraltar,  Jona- 
than H.  Lovett,  Jr.,  master.  She  was  to  load  quicksilver 
for  South  America.  She  arrived  at  Gibraltar  July  27, 
and  remained  there  seven  months,  and  finding  it  impossi- 
ble to  obtain  a  cargo,  returned  to  Salem.  She  sailed  from 
Gibraltar  Feb.  28,  1834,  and  arrived  at  Salem  April  1. 
Passage  out,  20  days  ;  home,  32  days,  both  good.  Voyage, 
eight  months,  twenty-five  days.     Duties,  $149.18. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Jonathan  H.  Lovett,  Jr.,  Beverly  ;  mate,  Ben- 
jamin Balch,  Jr.;  second  mate,  William  H.  Allen,  Salem ; 
supercargo,  Samuel  Barton,  Salem;  carpenter,  John 
Burns,  Salem ;  seamen,  Henry  Warden  (New  York), 
Salem ;  William  Harris  and  Nathaniel  Lane,  Salem  ; 
William  C.  Fauvell  (Baltimore),  Salem ;  James  Bates 
(Washington),  Salem  ;  William  Upton,  Timothy  Green- 
leaf,  Henry  B.  Manning,  and  Perley  Z.  M.  P.  Putnam, 
Salem  ;  John  James  (Anconia),  Salem  ;  Caleb  Buffum, 
Jr.,  and  Thomas  Brown,  Salem;  steward,  John  Tucker, 
Salem ;  cook,  John  G.  Powell,  Salem. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  merchandise  and  46  gal- 
lons red  wine  from  Gibraltar. 

Nineteenth  Voyage. 

The  foregoing  voyage  not  proving  to  the  liking  of 
either  the  ship  or  the  owner,  she  was  returned  to  her  first 
love,  the  Calcutta  trade.  Sailed  from  Salem  July  30, 
1834,  Jonathan  H.  Lovett,  Jr.,  master.  Crossed  the 
Equator  Aug.  27,  28  days  out ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope 
Sept.  24,  56  days  out,  and  arrived  at  Sand  Heads  Nov. 
15,  109  days  from  Salem,  and  at  Calcutta  Nov.  19.     Left 


SHIP   "ALFRED"  OF  SALEM 

Joseph  Felt,  Master.     Jacob  Gottfreid  Agge,  Mate. 

Frcm  a  copy  of  the  original  water-color  painting  by  Nicolai  Carmillieri,  in  1807, 

now  in  the  Peabody  Museum,  Salem 


SHIP  "AREATUS"  OF  BOSTON 

Built  at  Bristol,  Maine,  in  1837.      Lost  in  1850. 

From  a  painting  in  possession  of  the  Peabody  Museum,  Salem 


BY   GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  173 

Calcutta  Feb.  8,  1835  ;  Sand  Heads,  Feb.  12 ;  passed 
Cape  Good  Hope  April  5,  53  days  out  ;  crossed  the  Equa- 
tor April  29,  in  longitude  31.30  W.,  76  days  out,  and  ar- 
rived at  Salem  May  25,  1835,  102  days  from  Sand  Heads. 
Voyage,  9  months,  25  days.     Duties,  $16,374.24. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Jonathan  H.  Lovett,  Jr.,  Beverly  ;  mate,  Ben- 
jamin Balch,  Jr.,  Salem  ;  second  mate,  William  H.  Allen, 
Salem ;  supercargo,  Samuel  Barton,  Salem ;  carpenter,  Eze- 
kiel  Goss  (Mendon),  Salem ;  seamen,  Daniel  Andrew, 
Salem;  John  Johnson  (Sweden),  Salem;  Stephen  Church, 
Beverly  ;  James  Symonds  and  John  Hancock,  Salem  ;  John 
Shurtleff  (Philadelphia),  Salem;  Oloff  Anderson  (Sweden), 
Salem;  Charles  E.  Flagg,  Beverly;  Custadia  M.  Vieira 
(Brazil),  Salem;  John  F.  Lovett,  Beverly;  Caleb  Buffum, 
Jr.,  Salem  ;  Thomas  V.  Oliver  (Weathersfield,  Vt.), 
Salem  ;  steward,  John  Tucker,  Salem  ;  cook,  London  Ru- 
liff,  Salem. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  William  H.  Allen,  Ben- 
jamin Balch,  Jr.,  Samuel  Barton,  Jonathan  H.  Lovett,  Jr. 

Passengers    from    Calcutta,    Mr.    Haines,    Miss  Eliza 
Haines  and  servant,  John  W.  Kalon,  and  John  A.  Burn 
ham. 

The  George  did  not  always  wait  for  favorable  weather, 
when  ready  for  sea.  When  she  sailed  from  Salem  on  this 
voyage,  July  30,  at  2  P.  M.,  the  wind  was  east  and  the 
weather  thick  and  rainy. 

On  the  outward  passage  the  ship  averaged  five  and  a 
half  knots  an  hour,  and  the  distance  sailed  was  only  14,581 
miles  by  the  log. 

Twentieth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem  June  16,  1835,  for  Calcutta,  Benja- 
min Balch,  Jr.,  master.  Crossed  the  Equator  July  19,  33 
days  out ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Aug.  24,  69  days  out, 
and  arrived  at  Sand  Heads  Oct.  7,  113  days  from  Salem. 
Left  Calcutta  Jan.  6;  Sand  Heads,  Jan.  9,  1836;  passed 
Cape  Good  Hope  March  4,  55  days  out ;  crossed  the  Equa- 


174  SALEM  VESSELS   AND   THEIR  VOYAGES 

tor  March  26,  in  longitude  28.34  W.,  77  days  out,  and 
arrived  at  Salem  April  20,  102  days'  passage.  Voyage, 
ten  months  and  four  days.     Duties,  $15,929.98. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Benjamin  Balch,  jr.,  Salem ;  mate,  William  H. 
Allen,  Salem ;  second  mate,  Stephen  Church,  Beverly ; 
supercargo,  Samuel  Barton,  Salem;  carpenter,  Ezekiel 
Goss  (Mendon),  Salem  ;  seaman  and  clerk,  Thomas  V. 
Oliver  (Weathersfield,  Vt.),  Salem  ;  seamen,  Philip  Man- 
ning, Jr.,  Joseph  Trask  and  John  Patey,  Salem ;  John 
Fisher  (London),  Salem ;  William  Shaw  (Liverpool), 
Salem ;  John  Murey  (Western  Islands),  Salem  ;  John 
Barnes  (Wilmington,  N.  C),  Salem  ;  John  Messervy  and 
Augustus  Hitchens,  Salem;  Thomas  A.  Robbins,  Dan- 
vers. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  James  B.  Briggs,  Joseph 
W.  Peabody,  Benjamin  Balch,  Jr.,  William  H.  Allen, 
Samuel  Barton,  J.  Chamberlain. 

Previous  to  leaving  Calcutta  on  her  twentieth  voyage, 
the  Banian  merchants  of  that  port  presented  to  the  ship 
a  complete  and  beautiful  "freedom  suit"  of  silk  signals 
and  colors,  which  for  many  years  remained  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  late  Colonel  Francis  Peabody,  and  possibly 
may  still  be  in  existence.  When  the  ship  was  off  Cape 
Good  Hope,  February  22,  on  this  voyage,  guns  were  fired 
from  the  quarter,  the  vessel  was  dressed  from  stem  to 
stern  in  her  new  silk  colors,  and  a  general  jollification 
took  place,  all  in  honor  of  the  birthday  of  George  Wash- 
ington. 

The  George  spoke  in  the  Hoogly  river,  bound  up  to  Cal- 
cutta, the  ship  Trescott,  Capt.  Lindsey,  130  days  from 
Boston. 

Twenty-First  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem  Aug.  5, 1836,  for  Calcutta,  Benjamin 
Balch,  Jr.,  master.  Arrived  at  Calcutta  about  Dec.  12. 
Left  Calcutta  Jan.  25,  1837  ;  Sand  Heads,  Jan.  30,  and 
arrived  at    Salem   May  17,    1837,    107    days    from   Sand 


-J  o 

<    CE 

03     LU 


•    —  © 


BY   GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  175 

Heads.      Voyage,  nine  months  and  twelve  days.     Duties, 
$17,043.29. 

Deposited  in  the  Essex  Institute  by  Frank  Balch,  Mrs. 
Frederick  W.  Broadhead  and  Miss  Elizabeth  Balch,  is  a 
silver  service  of  four  pieces,  which  was  presented  to 
Captain  Balch  for  his  humane  assistance  at  sea,  on  this 
voyage,  of  the  passengers  and  crew  of  the  English  ship 
Heroine. 

Captain  Balch  was  on  the  passage  from  Salem  to  Cal- 
cutta when  he  sighted,  on  November  16,  1836,  a  ship 
showing  signals  of  distress.  He  immediately  bore  down 
to  her,  and  found  her  to  be  the  Heroine,  short  of  provis- 
ions, and  bound  from  London  for  Calcutta,  with  passen- 
gers aboard.  He  supplied  her  with  provisions  and  took 
some  of  the  passengers  aboard  the  George.  The  silver 
service  bears  the  names  of  the  passengers. 

A  Calcutta  paper  gives  the  particulars  of  the  assistance 
rendered  by  Captain  Balch  to  the  passengers  and  crew  of 
the  Heroine,  taken  from  the  log  book  of  the  Heroine  and 
republished  in  the  Salem  Register  of  May  29,  1837,  as 
follows  : 

"November  16,  1836,  at  6  A.  M.,  after  several  days  of 
anxious  watching,  we  at  last  observed  a  sail  about  ten 
miles  to  windward,  steering  the  same  as  ourselves,  N.  N. 
W.  The  ensign  and  signal,  'I  wish  to  speak  to  you,' 
were  hoisted  in  conspicuous  parts.  The  stranger  now 
bears  towards  us.  Passengers  all  on  the  qui  vive,  and 
once  more  our  countenances  beamed  with  joy  at  the  pros- 
pect of  assistance. 

"The  gallant  ship  came  most  beautifully  under  our 
stern,  and  her  commander  inquired  if  we  were  in  want  of 
assistance.  On  an  affirmative  reply  being  returned,  they 
hove  to  immediately.  We  then  read  on  her  stern,  '  George, 
Salem.'  The  Coccle  Shell  so  unwillingly  supplied  us  by 
the  Navarino  served  to  convey  the  second  mate  and  my- 
self to  the  George,  Captain  Balch,  from  Salem  for  Cal- 
cutta, out  103  days. 

"It  will  be  difficult  to  describe  the  kind  reception  we 
met  with  on  board  of  this  hospitable  American,  who  im- 
mediately offered  whatever  we  required,  and  presently  her 
boat,  as  well  as  ours,  began  loading    with    flour,    biscuits, 


176  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

bread,  salmon,  and  other  fish,  pork,  beef,  some  ropes,  and 
half  the  quantity  of  potatoes  remaining.  The  handsome 
manner  in  which  these  were  given  out  and  the  kind  feel- 
ing shown  by  the  commander,  officers  and  crew  of  the 
George  considerably  enhanced  the  value  of  their  service. 
Even  our  own  men  were  supplied  by  the  American  crew 
with  tobacco,  cigars,  etc. 

"Captain  McCarthy's  feelings  were  quite  overpowered, 
and  he  could  not  help  going  on  board  the  American  per- 
sonally to  thank  them.  Myself  and  some  of  the  passen- 
gers, who  were  particularly  anxious  to  get  up  to  Calcutta 
without  delay,  were  welcomed  and  most  handsomely  ac- 
commodated by  the  captain,  the  chief  mate  (William 
Henry  Allen  of  Salem),  who  gave  up  his  cabin,  the  su- 
percargo (James  B.  Briggs  of  Salem),  and  I  need  not  say 
much  to  convince  you  that  we  met  with  the  noblest  feel- 
ing of  sympathy  and  kindness  during  the  few  days  we 
were  under  the  command  of  Captain  Balch." 

The  Heroine  probably  arrived  at  Calcutta  all  right,  as 
no  further  mention  was  made  of  her,  and  all  that  she 
needed  when  the  George  spoke  her  was  provisions.  It 
will  be  noticed  that  the  foregoing  does  not  state  when  and 
where  the  presentation  was  made,  but  as  the  news  was 
first  published  in  a  Calcutta  paper,  the  inference  may  well 
be  drawn  that  it  took  place  in  that  city. 

Officers  and  Crew. 

Master,  Benjamin  Balch,  Jr.;  mate,  William  H.  Allen, 
Salem ;  second  mate,  John  Barnes,  Salem  ;  supercargo, 
James  B.  Briggs,  Salem  ;  seamen,  Henry  Johnson  (Balti- 
more), Salem  ;  Winfield  Ricker  (Dover,  N.  H.),  Salem ; 
Francis  Deneasche  (Genoa),  Salem  ;  John  Stevenson 
(Hull,  Eng.),  Salem  ;  William  Richards,  Samuel  Benson 
and  Henry  B.  Silsbee,  Lynn  ;  David  Brown  (Thomaston, 
Me.),  Salem  ;  Francis  Pulsifer  (Salem),  Beverly  (he  was 
taken  sick,  and  Richard  Patterson  was  substituted)  ;  Ed- 
ward H.  Trumbull  (Haverhill),  Salem  ;  Thomas  V.  Oliver 
(Weathersfield,  Vt.),  Salem ;  steward,  John  Tucker, 
Salem  ;  cook,  Hazard  Fletcher  (Marblehead),  Salem. 

Consignees — Joseph  Peabody,  James  B.  Briggs,  Joseph 


£  r. 


Z    CO 
X    ° 

O  2 


BY   GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  177 

W.  Peabody,  Benjamin  Balch,  Jr.,  William  H.  Allen,  John 
Tucker,  Tucker  Daland,  Daniel  Perkins,  T.  V.  Oliver. 

After  her  twenty-first  voyage,  the  old  ship  was  sold  to 
Jefferson  Adams  and  Caleb  Smith,  and  was  fitted  for  a 
voyage  to  South  America.  She  sailed  from  Salem  Sept. 
24,  1837,  Jefferson  Adams,  master,  for  Pernambuco  and 
a  market.  She  arrived  at  Pernambuco  Nov.  4,  proceeded 
to  Bahia  and  Rio  Janeiro,  and  was  condemned  at  Rio 
Janeiro  previous  to  January  12,  1838,  and  sold  for  6000 
millreis,  and  this  was  the  end  of  the  old  Salem  ship  George, 
small  in  size,  but  great  in  achievement. 

The  writer  has  before  him  a  copy  of  a  note  written  to 
him  many  years  ago  by  the  late  George  B.  Foster,  which 
reads  as  follows :  "When  Captain  Peabody  decided  to 
sell  the  ship  in  1837,  her  former  officers  got  up  a  fishing 
party,  and  with  other  friends,  one  summer  morning  in 
June  or  July,  1837,  went  down  the  harbor  in  the  yacht 
Caravan,  and  caught  a  fine  mess  of  cod  and  haddock.  At 
noon  they  boarded  the  George  at  her  anchorage,  and  with 
the  addition  of  another  party  from  the  shore,  Tucker 
Daland,  the  clerks  from  the  counting  room,  supercargoes, 
captains,  and  other  officers  of  former  years,  had  a  glorious 
dinner  on  the  old  ship.  Captain  Balch,  Captain  Endicott, 
Captain  Briggs,  Captain  William  H.  Allen,  and  other 
officers,  myself  and  other  friends,  were  present.  One  in 
particular  I  recall  (the  relative  of  the  man  who  made  up 
his  mind,  if  Colonel  Leslie,  at  North  Bridge,  in  February, 
1775,  ordered  his  soldiers  to  fire  on  Robert  Foster  and 
his  party,  who  'hoisted  the  Draw,'  to  clinch  him  around 
the  waist  and  jump  overboard  with  him),  whose  brilliant 
fun  kept  the  party  in  royal  spirits  all  day.  I  well  remem- 
ber when  the  George  sailed  from  Salem  on  her  last  voyage. 
We  watched  her  departure  as  that  of  an  old  friend,  which 
she  was,  and  one  very  dear  to  us  all,  because  of  the  mem- 
ories that  clustered  around  her.  It  was  a  day  of  sorrow 
in  Salem." 

The  following  is  a  tabular  statement  of  the  several 
voyages  of  the  George,  her  entrances  at  the  Salem  Custom 


178 


SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR    VOYAGBS 


House,  the  names  of  her  commanders,  and  the  amount  of 
duties  paid  on  her  several  cargoes : 


Date 
June  13,  1816, 
Sept.,  1817, 
April,  1819, 
May,  1820, 
April,  1821, 
April,  1822, 
April,  1823, 
May,  1824, 
May,  1825, 
May,  1826, 
May,  1827, 
May,  1828, 
June,  1829, 
May,  1830, 
May,  1831, 
April,  1832, 
May,    1833, 

April,  1834  (Gibraltar), 
May,    1835, 
April,  1836, 
May,    1837, 


Captain 
William  Haskell, 
Thomas  West, 


Samuel  Endicott, 


Thomas  M.  Saunders, 
it         n  <t 

Samuel  Endicott, 
Thomas  M.  Saunders, 

(<  (C  u 

Samuel  Endicott, 
n  ti 

Jonathan  H.  Lovett,  Jr., 


Benjamin  Balch,  Jr., 


Total, 


Duties 
$48,272.07 
48,968.72 
44,519.45 
38,239.42 
21,940.39 
17,257.91 
21,910.96 
28,082.63 
59,778.56 
47,931.53 
42,915.57 
21,875.72 
21,055.68 
42,915.57 
44,933.48 
60,386  20 
17,162  94 
149.18 
16,374.24 
15,929.98 
17,043.29 

$651,743.32 


A  glance  at  the  George  will  be  of  interest  at  this  time. 
Her  length,  beam,  and  depth  of  hold  have  been  before 
stated,  but  the  following  was  related  to  the  writer  in  the 
course  of  an  evening  by  the  late  Captain  Thomas  M. 
Saunders  and  Captain  Charles  H.  Allen :  "The  deck  was 
one  unbroken  sweep  from  the  bow  to  the  stern.  The  only 
house  on  it  was  the  "doctor's  office"  (galley).  Forward 
was  the  old-fashioned  windlass,  which  required  all  hands 
to  weigh  anchor  ;  also  the  forecastle,  companionway.  Aft 
was  the  long  tiller,  wheels  not  being  in  use  in  those  days, 
and  the  cabin  companionway.  There  were  but  two  hatches, 
and  through  them  were  lowered  and  hoisted  thousands 
upon  thousands  of  dollars'  worth  of  cargo. 

"All  of  the  cables,  with  the  exception  of  one  for  the 
starboard  anchor,  were  made  of  rope,  and  it  was  not  until 
the  ship  had  made  many  voyages  that  the  chain  was  car- 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM         179 

ried.  One  cannot  help  being  amazed  as  he  compares,  in 
his  mind's  eye,  this  world-trotter  with  any  of  the  modern 
clippers  of  later  years,  any  one  of  which  she  could  out- 
sail. The  latter  had  magnificent  cabins,  luxuriously  fur- 
nished, and  spacious  forecastles,  galley  and  other  houses, 
fitted  with  conveniences,  on  deck. 

"Below : — Aft  was  the  cabin,  divided  by  a  single  parti- 
tion, the  forward  part  being  used  for  the  dining  room. 
Opening  from  this  were  the  "staterooms"  of  the  captain, 
mate,  and  supercargo.  In  the  after  cabin  was  the  second 
mate's  stateroom,  by  far  the  pleasantest  on  the  ship.  The 
officer  could  stand  in  the  middle  of  it  and  obtain  a  fine 
view  through  the  two  large  stern  windows  of  the  rolling, 
tumbling,  never  quiet  ocean.  Just  forward  of  the  cabin 
were  the  steward's  and  store  rooms. 

"Then  came  the  ''tween  decks'  space,  forward  of  which 
was  the  forecastle,  with  its  bunks  for  the  crew.  When 
the  ship  was  in  ballast  trim,  'Jack'  would  sling  his  ham- 
mock in  the  ''tween  decks,'  but  when  the  vessel  was  load- 
ed there  was  no  connection  between  the  cabin  and  fore- 
castle, excepting  by  going  up  on  deck.  As  one  left  the 
ship  he  noticed  that  she  had  paiuted  ports,  and  those, 
with  the  peculiar  rake  of  her  masts,  gave  her  the  appear- 
ance of  a  man-of-war." 

An  important  member  of  the  ship's  company  was  a  very 
large  black  and  white  cat,  that  the  crew  named  "George," 
because  that  name  fitted  the  feline.  "George"  made 
three  voyages  in  the  ship — the  second,  third  and  fourth. 
On  the  fifth  voyage  he  was  taken  aboard  the  ship,  but 
somehow  made  his  escape.  The  morning  after  the  ship 
sailed  he  was  found  sitting  on  the  doorstep  of  the  house 
of  Second  Mate  Thomas  M.  Saunders.  When  the  ship 
returned,  "George"  was  away  on  a  voyage  to  Cape  Good 
Hope,  having  been  borrowed  by  the  master.  The  sixth 
voyage  was  made  without  him,  but  when  the  ship  started 
on  her  seventh  voyage  the  cat,  which  had  in  the  meantime 
been  at  the  home  of  Mate  Saunders,  was  again  taken 
aboard  the  Greorge,  and  this  time  was  perfectly  contented 
to  remain.  He  was  a  great  favorite  with  the  crew,  and 
he  had  free  range  of  the  whole  ship,  and,  like  Robinson 
Crusoe,  he  was  monarch  of  all  he  surveyed,  and  his  right 


180  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

there  was  none  to  dispute.  At  sea,  he  would  go  over 
the  ship  into  the  channel,  in  good  weather,  watch  his 
chance,  and  catch  a  flying  fish  for  a  repast,  after  which 
he  vvould  sprawl  himself  on  deck  and  go  sound  asleep. 
In  port  at  Calcutta,  he  never  offered  to  leave  the  ship, 
but  would  often  go  up  the  mast  and  out  on  the  yards  and 
watch  the  men  at  work.  On  the  seventh  voyage  he  be- 
came poisoned  in  some  way,  and  died.  Kequies  cat  in 
pace ! 

The  writer  never  learned  that  the  ship  ran  short  of 
food,  but  the  supply  of  firewood  on  the  second  voyage,  on 
the  homeward  passage,  fell  shy.  To  make  the  matter 
worse,  the  cook  was  taken  sick,  and  a  sailor  being  obliged 
to  take  his  place,  the  natural  result  was  an  increased  con- 
sumption of  fuel.  By  the  strictest  economy,  however, 
and  by  being  put  on  allowance,  the  stock  lasted  until  the 
ship  reached  Salem. 

Frequent  reference  in  these  articles  has  been  made  to 
the  crack  sailing  of  the  ship.  Captain  Saunders,  in  his 
twelve  voyages  from  boy  to  master,  never  saw  her  beaten. 
"Yet,"  he  said  to  the  writer,  "I  never  knew  her  to  make 
over  thirteen  knots  an  hour,  for  at  that  rate  she  would 
bury  herself  in  the  sea,  and  sail  had  to  be  shortened,  for 
nothing  was  being  gained.  In  light  winds  she  would  fan 
along  when  others  were  at  a  standstill.  The  largest  day's 
work  that  I  ever  knew  her  to  roll  up  was  250  miles. 
Some  extreme  clipper  ships  are  recorded  as  having  made 
in  a  day  from  350  to  400  miles,  but  none  of  them,  not 
one,  has  ever  excelled  her  passage  of  41  days  from  Cape 
Good  Hope  to  a  North  Atlantic  port  (22  from  St.  Helena 
and  19  from  the  Equator).  And  where  can  be  found  a 
better  average  of  21  round  voyages  between  Calcutta  and 
the  United  States  ? 

Perhaps  some  of  the  passages  from  Salem  to  the  Equa- 
tor appear  rather  long,  but  the  fact  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  the  George  almost  always  left  home  at  the  time 
of  year  when  calms  and  light  airs  prevailed  between 
those  points.  That  fact  considered,  the  passages,  even 
then,  are  good. 

The  G-eorge  was  almost  invariably  piloted  to  sea  by 
Captain  Joseph  Perkins,  father  and  son,  and  from  sea  to 


5    c 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM        181 

port  by  Captain  Perkins  or  Captain  Ambrose  Martin. 
The  shipkeeper  for  the  first  two  voyages  was  Captain 
Thomas  Phippen,  and  for  most  of  her  later  voyages 
Philip  Manning. 

Her  officers  and  sailors  enjoyed  an  enviable  reputation 
for  seamanship,  and  Ephraim  Emmerton,  when  super- 
cargo, wrote,  "All  of  the  crew  are  skilled  in  lunars  and 
navigation,  and  the  cook  only,  an  African,  cannot  read 
or  write."  At  the  time  of  their  ceasing  to  follow  the 
sea,  of  those  who  used  "to  hand,  reef,  and  steer"  aboard 
of  her,  45  ranked  as  captains,  20  as  mates,  and  six  as 
second  mates,  and  quite  a  number  as  supercargoes.  The 
men  who  had  charge  of  the  culinary  department  were 
eminently  trustworthy  and  unexcelled  in  any  particular, 
while  the  floor  of  the  cabin,  always  as  white  as  snow,  for 
it  was  not  carpeted,  the  polished  brass  work,  and  the 
exquisite  neatness  of  the  cabin,  testified  to  the  diligence 
and  pride  of  the  stewards. 

In  a  note  written  by  the  late  Hon.  Henry  L.  Williams, 
a  former  mayor  of  Salem,  he  states  that  Joseph  Peabody 
built  26  vessels — 12  ships,  11  brigs,  and  3  schooners,  and 
he  owned  at  various  times  59  vessels,  as  follows : 

Ships  (19) — Franklin,  Cincinnatus,  Sally,  Augustus, 
Mt.  Vernon,  Francis,  Janus,  Glide,  George,  China,  Cath- 
erine, Sumatra,  Eclipse,  Naples,  Lotus,  Duxbury,  Car- 
thage, Isaac  Hicks,  and  New  Jersey. 

Barque  (one) — Pallas. 

Brigs  (28) — Alonzo,  Welcome  Return,  Sally,  Betsey, 
Three  Brothers,  Three  Friends,  Neptune,  Resolution, 
Catherine,  Augusta,  George,  Rotund,  Levant,  Speed, 
Superb,  Cossack,  Dawn,  Canton,  Pioneer,  Amazon,  Niag- 
ara, Roque,  Cambrian,  Hope,  Jason,  Leander,  Acorn,  and 
Mexican. 

Schooners  (nine) — Equality,  Cynthia,  Fishhawk,  John, 
Nabby,  Hazard,  Tiger,  Hunter,  and  Tabitha. 

Sloops  (two) — Merrimack  Packet  and  Lively. 

Mr.  Peabody  imported  from  Calcutta,  between  1807 
and  1840,  4554  chests  of  Bengal  indigo,  about  1,500,000 
pounds  of  which  the  ship  G-eorge  brought  in  17  voyages, 
3283  chests,  about  755,000  pounds. 


182  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

He  shipped  about  6500  men,  and  his  ships  made,  among 
others,  47  voyages  to  St.  Petersburg,  38  to  Calcutta,  32 
to  Sumatra,  and  17  to  Canton.  He  promoted  to  captains 
in  his  employ  35  men  who  entered  his  service  as  boys, 
In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  his  vessels  made  20  voyages 
to  the  North  of  Europe,  20  to  Mediterranean  ports,  and 
many  to  the  West  Indies,  Spanish  Main,  and  along  our 
coast.  He  was  also  largely  engaged  in  a  Northwest  Coast 
Trading  and  Navigation  company.  He  died  Jan.  5, 1844, 
and  his  venerable  form  and  dignified  presence  are  remem- 
bered to-day. 

Captain  William  Haskell. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  the  reader  to  learn  something 
of  the  officers  and  men  of  the  George  on  her  many  voy- 
ages between  Salem  and  the  East  Indies,  and  first  will  be 
presented  a  sketch  of  the  original  commander,  Captain 
William  Haskell. 

From  a  paper  on  "Descendants  of  William  Haskell  of 
Gloucester,"  by  Ulysses  G.  Haskell  of  Beverly,  published 
in  the  Historical  Collections  of  the  Essex  Institute,  vol- 
ume 32,  the  writer  learns  that  Captain  Haskell  was  born 
in  Ipswich,  in  March,  1768,  the  son  of  Mark  and  Eliza- 
beth (Ingersoll)  Haskell,  and  he  died  in  St.  Jago,  Cuba, 
April  25,  1833,  aged  65  years. 

He  was  mate  of  the  ship  Cineinnatus,  owned  by  Joseph 
Peabody,  on  a  voyage  between  Salem  and  Sumatra,  1802- 
1803,  and  commanded  by  Captain  Samuel  Endicott,  Sr. 
The  ship  loaded  a  full  cargo  of  pepper  for  Salem,  but  on 
the  way  home  put  into  the  Isle  of  France  for  provisions. 
There  Captain  Endicott  was  offered  a  sum  for  his  cargo, 
much  higher  than  he  would  receive  for  it  in  Salem,  the 
cargo  to  be  delivered  in  France  at  the  owner's  risk. 

In  July,  1803,  when  north  of  the  Equator  in  the  North 
Atlantic,  the  Cincinnatus  was  met  by  five  English  men- 
of-war,  and  was  ordered  to  come  alongside  of  the  com- 
modore's ship.  Captain  Endicott  was  ordered  aboard,  but 
before  leaving  the  Cineinnatus  he  handed  a  bag  containing 
the  ship's  cargo  accounts,  with  instructions  to  Mr.  Haskell 
to  sink  it  in  case  the  ship  should  be    searched,  because  if 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM        183 

the  ship  was  found  to  contain  cargo  for  a  French  port,  she 
would  be  confiscated. 

The  British  officers  came  aboard  and  began  a  search  of 
the  ship,  and  at  a  signal  from  Captain  Endicott,  the  ring- 
ing of  the  cabin  bell,  Mr.  Haskell  cut  the  line  holding  the 
bag,  which  was  hidden  in  the  rudder  case,  and  the  bag 
and  contents  sunk.  The  English  officers  finding  nothing 
contraband  aboard,  allowed  Captain  Endicott  to  proceed, 
first  notifying  him  that  England  and  France  were  at  war, 
that  the  Bay  of  Biscay  was  full  of  war  vessels,  and  that 
all  French  ports  were  blockaded.  Captain  Endicott  then 
came  straight  to  Salem  with  his  cargo,  and  arrived  here 
in  September,  1803. 

On  the  next  voyages  of  the  ship,  in  1803,  1804,  1805, 
and  1806,  Captain  Haskell  was  in  command.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1807,  Mr.  Peabodjr  gave  him  command  of  his  new 
ship  Francis,  but  owing  to  the  embargo,  the  ship  did  not 
leave  Salem  for  two  years.  When  she  did  sail  the  Francis 
was  the  first  vessel  to  leave  Salem  on  a  voyage  to  the  east- 
ward of  Cape  Good  Hope  after  the  embargo  of  1809.  He 
commanded  the  Francis  on  other  voyages,  and  probably 
other  vessels,  before  being  placed  in  command  of  the 
George.  He  joined  Essex  Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  March 
10,  1808,  and  the  old  Salem  Marine  Society  October  31, 
1806.     He  was  a  privateersman  in  the  War  of  1812. 

Captain  Thomas  West. 

Captain  Thomas  West  died  at  his  home,  125  Essex 
street,  Salem,  Jan.  24,  1849.  He  was  76  years  old,  and 
had  served  as  a  privateersman  in  the  War  of  1812. 

Captain  Samuel  Endicott. 

Captain  Samuel  Endicott  died  in  Beverly,  Jan.  28,  1872, 
in  his  79th  year.  He  was  born  in  Beverly,  July  18, 1793, 
the  son  of  Robert  and  Mary  (Holt)  Endicott,  his  mother 
being  a  daughter  of  Rev.  Nathan  Holt  of  Danvers.  Capt. 
Endicott  was  in  the  seventh  line  of  direct  descent  from 
Gov.  John  Endicott.  He  was  mate  with  Capt.  Thomas 
West,  and  succeeded  him  in  command  of  the  ship,  being 


184  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

master  from  1820  to  1824,  and  again  in  1827,  1830,  and 
1831. 

Captain  Thomas  M.  Saunders. 

In  an  illustrated  volume,  entitled  "A  Record  of  the 
First  Fifty  Years  of  the  Old  Ladies'  Home,  at  Salem," 
the  late  Hon.  Robert  S.  Rantoul  wrote  the  following  inter- 
esting sketch  of  Captain  Thomas  M.  Saunders  : 

"Captain  Thomas  Mason  Saunders  was  born  June  11, 
1795,  possibly  in  the  brick  house  numbered  260  Essex 
street,  and  now  known  as  "The  Rainville."  The  house 
had  belonged  to  his  great-grandfather,  Philip  Saunders, 
and  passed  from  him  to  his  son  Daniel,  who  was  living  at 
the  birth  of  Thomas.  There  is  little  certainty  about  the 
place  of  his  birth.  His  family  at  one  time  occupied  the 
Joseph  Jenkins  Knapp  house,  which  stood  on  Essex 
street,  between  Curtis  and  Orange  streets,  and  has  since 
then  been  removed  around  the  corner,  being  now  num- 
bered 5  on  Curtis  street.  They  also  lived  at  one  time  in 
the  quaint  old  Morgan  house,  numbered  358  Essex  street, 
in  which  Captain  Saunders  and  his  sisters,  Mrs.  Johnson 
and  Mrs.  Stevens,  have  owned  shares,  and  in  which  Wash- 
ington is  thought  to  have  visited  the  Clarkes  in  1756. 
The  house  is  employed  as  an  illustration  in  the  elaborate 
Pickering  Genealogy  and  in  the  Institute  Memoir  of 
Frederick  Townsend  Ward.  Captain  Saunders  must  have 
been  born  in  one  of  these  three  houses. 

"His  father,  Daniel  Saunders,  Jr.,  a  well-known  master 
mariner  of  Salem,  encountered,  in  1792,  terrible  seafaring 
experiences,  which  led  to  the  publication  of  a  biographical 
narrative  of  what  he  endured  at  the  cruel  hands  of  the 
Arabs  on  the  east  coast  of  Africa  and  of  his  thrilling 
escape.  The  book,  printed  by  Cushing  at  Salem  in  1794, 
is  entitled  "A  Journal  of  the  Travels  and  Sufferings  of 
Daniel  Saunders,  Jr.,  a  Mariner  upon  Board  the  Ship 
Commerce  of  Boston,  cast  away  near  Cape  Morebet,  on 
the  Coast  of  Arabia,  July  10,  1792." 

The  catastrophe,  which  happened  just  before  the  birth 
of  Captain  Thomas  Saunders,  cannot  fail  to  be  of  interest 
here.     This  is,    in   brief,    the   story :     The   father  sailed 


TITLE   PAGE  OF  AN   EARLY   19th   CENTURY   LOG   BOOK 
Kept  by  Thomas  M.  Saunders  on  Ship  "  George" 


BY   GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  185 

from  Salem  for  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  May  4,  1791,  as 
second  mate  of  the  Derby  snow  Grand  Sachem,  Captain 
Jonathan  Carnes,  master,  proceeding  to  the  Isle  of  France, 
where  he  arrived  August  30,  and  quit  the  snow,  preferring 
a  place  as  able  seaman  on  the  ship  Commerce,  of  Boston, 
Captain  John  Leach  in  command,  Captain  Carnes  taking 
in  exchange  a  seaman  from  the  Commerce.  Reaching 
Madras,  March  25,  1792,  Captain  Leach  turned  the  ship 
over  to  a  Captain  Johnson,  a  stranger  to  the  coast.  Bad 
weather  prevailed.  Says  the  log:  "Sailed  for  Bombay; 
.  .  .  Ship  lost,  July  10,  on  the  coast  of  Arabia  Felix  ; 
grounded  two  or  three  miles  from  shore  at  3  A.  M.,  on  a 
dark  night."  The  nearest  port  having  European  trade 
was  Muskat.  Travelling  fifty-one  days  on  foot,  without 
supplies,  in  reaching  Muskat,  the  party  of  twenty-seven — 
nineteen  blacks  and  eight  whites,  all  who  had  succeeded 
in  getting  ashore — three  others  had  been  drowned — were 
reduced  to  the  last  extremity,  and  dropping  oat  from 
exhaustion,  one  by  one,  the  surviving  remnant  of  them 
encountered  every  peril,  privation,  terror  and  distress, 
which  human  beings  could  possibly  survive.  The  sun's 
rays  were  at  times  so  hot  that  camels  refused  to  move, 
and  the  scorching  sand  blistered  the  bare  feet  by  day, 
while  it  furnished  them  a  welcome  and  the  only  covering 
for  their  rest  at  night.  Stripped  of  their  clothes,  without 
hats  to  shield  them  from  the  midday  sun,  their  flesh  the 
prey  of  vermin,  for  days  without  drink,  their  only  food 
dry,  salted  shark's  meat,  onions,  crabs,  and  dates  ;  sleep- 
ing under  the  stars,  or  pressing  on  by  night  that  they 
might  spare  themselves  the  ardor  and  glare  of  the  sand 
and  the  terrible  potency  of  the  sun ;  strangers  to  the  re- 
freshing sight  of  grass,  no  rain  for  fifty  days  of  cloudless 
sky,  a  month  without  a  razor  or  a  comb,  the  bondmen  of 
land  pirates,  roving  Bedouins  of  the  desert,  the  most  dar- 
ing of  men,  yet  afraid  to  sleep  under  a  roof,  who  scorn 
to  abide  continuously  on  a  single  spot  of  earth,  their  name 
for  the  ocean  the  'water  desert,'  untaught  children  of 
nature's  waste  places,  who  live  on  rice,  dates  soaked  in 
kurds,  no  eggs,  no  poultry,  meat  for  their  great  feasts 
only,  a  kid,  or  perhaps  a  camel  calf,  for  nuptial  ceremo- 
nies  or  funereal  rites,  and  for   the   general  consumption 


186  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

rats,  lizards,  snakes  and  locusts, — with  such  surroundings 
this  was  the  life,  if  bare  endurance  can  be  accounted  life, 
which  the  survivors  of  that  unspeakable  tragedy  sustained. 
One  after  another  they  perished  by  the  wayside,  until,  at 
the  close  of  August,  the  eight  survivors  of  the  twenty- 
seven  dragged  themselves  into  Muskat,  as  their  chronicler, 
Captain  Saunders,  hopefully  and  quaintly  says,  'once 
more  placed  in  a  situation  to  seek  a  living  in  this  varie- 
gated, troublesome  world. " 

The  mother  of  Captain  Thomas  Saunders  was  Sarah 
Phippen  Gill,  a  granddaughter  of  Deacon  David  Phippen, 
one  of  the  descendants  of  the  Fitzpens  of  Dorset.  Cap- 
tain Saunders  grew  up  with  his  sisters,  being  the  only 
son  of  his  father,  who  died  before  1810,  a  wreck  in 
health  and  fortune,  and  of  a  devoted  mother,  who  se- 
cured a  modest  competency  for  the  family  by  teaching  a 
private  school  in  the  Morgan  House.  Circumstances  fos- 
tered a  manly  independence  in  the  boy  before  he  left 
school.  His  sisters  were  Sarah,  who  married  Captain 
Emery  Johnson,  and  Eliza,  who  married  John  Stevens,  a 
Salem  tradesman.  The  grandfather  of  Captain  Thomas 
Saunders,  Captain  Daniel  Saunders,  Senior,  had  married, 
in  1770,  Sarah,  a  daughter  of  Captain  Jonathan  Peele, 
whose  mother  was  Margaret,  a  daughter  of  Captain 
Thomas  Mason,  by  his  wife,  Preserved  Lambert.  Philip, 
the  father  of  Daniel,  Senior,  with  Mary  Elkins,  his  wife, 
lie  buried  just  on  the  north  of  the  entrance  to  St.  Peter's 
Church.  Other  kindred  rest  in  the  old  Charter  street 
ground. 

In  early  life  Thomas  Mason  Saunders  had  learned  the 
calling  of  a  compositor  in  the  office  of  the  Essex  Register, 
but,  preferring  the  wild  freedom  of  the  ocean  to  the  con- 
finement of  the  printing  case,  he  abandoned  that  vocation 
to  follow  the  sea.  His  first  voyage  was  with  Captain 
Nathaniel  Phippen,  in  the  brig  Betsey,  sailing  in  1811 
from  Salem  to  Matanzas  and  return.  He  next  shipped,  in 
1812,  in  the  Peabody  brig  Levant,  from  Salem  for  Havana 
and  back.  Like  so  many  of  his  townsmen,  he  sturdily 
worked  his  way  from  forecastle  to  quarterdeck.  At  the 
age  of  seventeen,  when  war  broke  out,  he  joined  the  Essex 
Coast  Guard,  but  left  it  to  sail    as    mate,  under  Captain 


BY   GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  187 

Joseph  Ropes,  in  the  Crowninshield's  famous  privateer 
America  on  her  first  cruise,  and,  after  some  months  of  un- 
varying success,  he  re-enlisted,  with  a  dozen  of  his  fel- 
lows, for  the  second  cruise.  All  of  the  squad,  save  Sam- 
uel Hutchinson  and  he  abandoned  the  America  and  shipped 
on  board  a  Portsmouth  privateer,  which  sailed  from  that 
port  and  was  never  heard  of  again.  He  next  shipped  on 
Joseph  Peabody's  brig  Speed  for  Havanna,  and,  on  his 
second  trip  in  her,  was  captured  by  a  British  frigate  and 
suffered  a  long  imprisonment  in  Bermuda.  At  the  close 
of  the  war  he  sailed  before  the  mast,  May  23,  1815,  on 
the  first  voyage  of  Captain  Peabody's  favorite  ship  George, 
named  for  his  third  son,  and  commanded  by  Captain  Wil- 
liam Haskell.  In  her  he  made  a  round  dozen  of  wonder- 
ful Calcutta  voyages,  rising  through  every  grade  of  ser- 
vice from  able  seaman  to  master,  and  commanding  her  on 
her  four  passages  in  the  years  1824,  1825,  1827,  1828. 
Neither  Captain  Saunders  nor  Captain  Endicott,  nor  any 
mariner  who  trod  the  George's  decks — they  were  of  the 
best  blood  of  Essex  County — ever  tired  of  sounding  the 
praises  of  that  ocean  greyhound.  She  went  and  came 
with  the  regularity  of  a  shuttle,  her  crews  wore  uniform, 
her  discipline  was  worthy  of  a  man-of-war,  and  Captain 
Peabody,  on  being  rowed  down  the  harbor  to  welcome  her 
return  from  a  long  voyage,  with  a  cargo  of  the  nature  of 
which  he  knew  nothing, — there  was  neither  cable  nor 
wireless  then,  and  the  George  sailed  faster  than  a  letter 
could  be  dispatched, — when  he  learned  that  Captain  En- 
dicott had  shrewdly  and  wisely,  but  without  orders,  filled 
her  hold,  saluted  that  trusted  navigator  with  the  hearty 
ejaculation,  "You  have  made  my  fortune." 

"To  have  sailed  as  master  of  the  George  was  among 
the  distinctions  of  Salem  seamanship,  and  Captain  Saun- 
ders ranked  with  the  best  of  commanders.  The  life  of 
the  ship  was  twenty-two  years,  and  Captain  Saunders 
sailed  in  her,  as  boy  and  man,  on  more  than  half  of  her 
voyages.  Her  average  outward-bound  passage  to  Calcutta 
was  one  hundred  and  fifteen  days,  and  her  homeward- 
bound  passage  averaged  one  hundred  and  three  days. 
Captain  Saunders,  in  1825,  navigated  the  George  from 
Salem  to  Sand  Heads  in  one  hundred  and  ten  days,  and,  in 


188  SALEM    VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

1827,  he  brought  her  home  in  ninety-eight  days.  The 
ship  won  her  freedom  suit  on  her  last  voyage,  when  she 
was  presented  with  a  fine  set  of  silk  colors  by  the  Banian 
merchants  of  Calcutta.  This  was  in  1836-7.  Forty-five 
graduates  of  this  training  school  became  masters  of  ships, 
and  twenty-six  others  became  mates. 

"In  the  Derby  employ,  Captain  Saunders  commanded 
at  sundry  times  the  ship  Mi.  Vernon,  the  Georgia,  and  the 
Briggs  Brothers,  and  in  the  Whites'  employ  he  commanded 
the  barque  Eliza.  He  sailed  his  last  voyage  in  the  ship 
Arab,  from  Boston  to  Calcutta  and  back,  as  supercargo,  in 
1840. 

The  circumstances  of  his  quitting  Captain  Peabody's 
employ  and  of  his  chartering  the  Georgia  for  himself  and 
a  few  friends,  are  characteristic  of  the  man.  Tucker 
Daland  was  then  in  the  management  of  the  Peabody 
counting  room,  and,  during  a  period  of  depression,  sug- 
gested a  reduction  of  pay.  Captain  Saunders  said  noth- 
ing, but  started  for  Boston  by  the  next  conveyance,  and, 
before  his  return,  had  become  a  merchant  on  his  own  ac- 
count. 

"Captain  Saunders  was  a  man  of  the  most  genial  tem- 
per, and  while  far  from  garrulous,  was  a  facile  talker  and 
made  his  conversation  most  entertaining  to  young  and  old, 
to  those  who  had,  like  him,  as  well  as  to  those  who  had 
not,  enjoyed  a  wide  acquaintance  with  the  world  at  large. 
His  descriptions  of  seafaring  experiences  in  the  East 
seemed  to  unfold  Oriental  life  like  a  panorama  before  the 
listener.  He  was  a  ready  and  elegant  penman,  and  made 
charts  in  red  and  black  ink  of  his  voyages  around  the 
world,  some  of  which  adorned  the  walls  of  his  dining- 
room  and  some  of  which  are  preserved.  Having  quit  the 
sea  when  he  was  but  forty-five,  he  passed  a  long  life 
amongst  his  friends  at  home,  living  always  in  the  house 
so  much  identified  with  him,  and  busying  himself  with  the 
occupations  of  his  garden  and  of  a  delightful  social  and 
family  life.  He  married,  in  May,  1823,  Eveline  Allen  of 
Manchester,  a  daughter  of  Captain  William  Allen,  and  a 
half-sister  of  Captain  Charles  H.  Allen  of  Salem.  His 
wife,  who  survived  him  but  a  few  weeks,  died  October  31, 
1879. 


BY    GEORGE   GRANVILLE    PUTNAM  189 

"Captain  Saunders  died  in  his  85th  year,  after  a  week's 
illness,  the  only  illness  of  his  life,  August  19,  1879.  His 
children  were  three  sons,  and  he  outlived  them  all.  The 
sons,  who  all  followed  the  sea,  were  George  Mason,  Charles 
Franklin,  and  Edward  Allen. 

"Captain  Saunders  had  been  a  youthful  parishioner  of 
Doctor  Bentley,  and  was  an  attendant  at  the  Sunday 
school  of  the  old  East  Church  on  Essex  street,  and,  later, 
at  the  newer  house  of  worship  on  Washington  Square. 
With  no  taste  for  public  life,  he  yet  allowed  himself  to 
be  chosen  to  the  Common  Council  for  the  years  1844  and 
1815,  and  to  the  Board  of  Aldermen  for  the  years  1846, 
'47,  and  '48.  Some  of  the  duplicate  log  books,  which 
membership  in  the  East  India  Marine  Society  required  of 
him,  as  of  every  shipmaster,  are  preserved  in  the  Society's 
collection.  He  joined  the  East  India  Marine  Society  in 
1826." 

Captain  Jonathan  H.  Lovett,  Jr. 

Captain  Jonathan  H.  Lovett,  Jr.,  died  in  Beverly,  April 
4,  1882.  He  went  to  sea  when  15  years  of  age.  At  19 
he  became  second  mate  of  the  George,  and  he  made  nine 
voyages  in  her,  the  last  four  as  commander.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Dane  Street  Church,  Beverly,  47  years. 
During  the  latter  years  of  his  life  he  engaged  in  the  fish- 
ing business,  and  he  was  always  noted  for  his  promptness 
and  fidelity  in  fulfilling  all  his  obligations.  He  was  the 
grandfather  of  Miss  Annie  F.  Lovett  of  Beverly. 

Captain  Benjamin  Balch,  Jr. 

Captain  Benjamin  Balch,  Jr.,  was  a  son  of  the  late  Ben- 
jamin Balch,  who  for  many  years  was  a  watchmaker  and 
jeweler  in  Salem.  The  son  early  went  to  sea,  and,  in 
1829,  was  mate  of  the  ship  Glide,  which  was  totally 
wrecked  at  the  Fiji  Islands.  All  of  the  crew,  excepting 
a  few,  were  killed.  He  was  held  by  the  natives,  at  that 
time  utterly  barbarous,  for  over  two  years.  They  curious- 
ly tattooed  his  hands,  feet,  and  portions  of  his  body,  and 
the  colors  held  bright  to  the  day  of  his  death.  The  story 
is  told  in  a  small  book  entitled  "The  Wreck  of  the  Glide." 


190  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

Hot  and  unhealthy  climates  broke  down  his  constitution 
and  he  was  an  invalid  several  years.  He  was  the  father 
of  the  late  David  Moore  Balch,  a  distinguished  chemist 
of  California,  who  died  several  months  ago,  and  of  the 
late  E.  Frank  Balch,  so  long  agent  of  the  Naumkeag 
Steam  Cotton  Company,  Salem.  A  sketch  of  Captain 
Balch  is  printed  in  the  Essex  Institute  Historical  Collec- 
tions, Volume  VIII. 

First  Officer. 

Jacob  Gottfried  Agge,  the  first  officer  of  the  ship  on 
the  first  and  second  voyages,  was  born  in  Carlscrona,  Swe- 
den. Just  when  he  came  to  Salem  the  writer  knoweth 
not,  but  before  he  was  mate  of  the  George  he  held  the 
same  position  on  the  ship  Alfred,  Captain  Joseph  Felt,  on 
a  voyage  to  Marseilles.  He  married  Miss  Mary  Gale  of 
Marblehead  in  1803,  and  he  died  in  Salem  in  January, 
1832,  of  typhoid  fever.  The  late  Jacob  Agge,  who  for 
many  years  carried  on  the  blacksmith  business  in  South 
Salem,  and  who  is  well  remembered  by  older  Salem  peo- 
ple, was  his  son.  William  Agge  and  the  Misses  Anna  A., 
Chattarina  W.,  and  Emily  M.  Agge  of  Linden  street,  are 
his  grandchildren,  and  in  their  home  hangs  a  beautiful 
picture  of  the  ship  Alfred. 

Second  Officer. 

Charles  Henry  Allen  left  the  ship  after  his  fifth  voyage. 
He  was  born  in  Salem,  July  31, 1810,  in  the  Wellman  house, 
still  standing,  on  the  corner  of  Hardy  and  Derby  streets. 
He  was  the  son  of  Captain  William  Allen,  a  shipmaster. 
Oct.  10,  1826,  he  shipped  as  a  green  hand  on  the  brig 
Midas,  owned  by  Stephen  W.  Shepard,  whose  counting 
room  he  left  to  go  to  sea.  He  arrived  home  June  15, 
1827,  the  vessel  having  been  sold  during  the  voyage.  He 
then  joined  the  George,  as  a  light  hand,  and  made  live 
voyages  in  her,  the  last  two  as  second  mate.  He  made 
two  voyages  in  the  brig  Leander,  Capt.  James  Silver,  one 
to  Smyrna  and  the  other  to  Matanzas,  between  voyages  in 
the  George.  Leaving  the  George,  he  became  mate  of  the 
ship  Brookline,  Captain  George  Pierce,  owned  by  Stephen 


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BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM        191 

C.  Phillips,  making  a  double  voyage  in  her  between  Salem, 
Batavia,  Whampoa,  Hamburg,  Batavia  (second  time), 
Manila,  Whampoa,  Manila  and  New  York,  being  absent 
thirty-three  months.  He  next  commanded  the  Brookline, 
the  ship  Eliza,  ship  St.  Paul,  in  which  he  made  five  voy- 
ages, the  ship  Syren,  and  the  ship  Shirley,  all  of  Salem. 
He  spent  thirty-three  years  and  six  months  abroad,  made 
twenty-two  voyages  to  India,  fifteen  as  master,  four  to 
other  countries,  and  went  around  the  world  three  times. 
He  never  used  tobacco  or  liquor  in  his  life.  He  died  in 
Salem,  May  28,  1899,  in  his  89th  year. 

Supercargoes. 

Daniel  Hopkins  Mansfield,  who  was  the  first  supercargo 
of  the  ship,  died  in  Salem,  Dec.  24,  1874,  aged  73  years. 
He  joined  the  ship  at  Pernambuco,  and  was  then  only  14 
years  of  age.  He  followed  the  sea  long  after  leaving  the 
Q-eorge,  and  was  master  in  the  African  trade,  sailing  sev- 
eral voyages  as  commander  of  the  barque  Emily  Wilder. 
He  was  later  United  States  consul  at  Zanzibar,  and  was 
most  efficient  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties.  It  is  related 
of  him  that  while  at  Zanzibar  two  sailors  came  in  from 
sea  in  an  open  whale  boat.  They  claimed  that  their  ship 
had  been  wrecked,  and  they  applied  to  him  for  assistance. 
He  did  not  like  their  appearance,  but  took  charge  of  them 
for  a  while.  He  was  satisfied  that  they  were  deserters 
and  had  stolen  the  boat.  The  men  found  they  were  sus- 
pected, and  disappeared.  He  sold  the  boat,  and  when  the 
whaler  to  which  they  belonged  put  into  Zanzibar  for  sup- 
plies, Captain  Mansfield  paid  the  money  over  to  the  com- 
mander. For  many  years  Captain  Mansfield  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  this  city. 

Samuel  Endicott. 

Samuel  Endicott  died  in  Salem,  May  1,  1828,  after  a 
short  illness,  aged  65.  He  was  a  direct  descendant  of 
Governor  Endicott ;  in  early  life  an  active  shipmaster, 
and  afterwards  an  enterprising  merchant.      Captain  Endi- 


192  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR    VOYAGES 

cott  had  represented  this  town  in  the  Legislature  of  the 
Commonwealth,  and  sustained  in  the  various  relations  of 
life  a  fair  and  unblemished  character.  A  faithful  husband 
and  kind  parent,  he  has  left  behind  him  a  most  interesting 
and  lovely  family  to  mourn  this  melancholy  bereavement. 
— Salem  Register  of  May  5,  1828. 

Ephraim  Emmerton. 

Ephraim  Emmerton,  supercargo  of  the  Greorge  in  1820 
and  1821,  under  Captain  Endicott,  died  in  Salem,  March 
22,  1877,  aged  85  years.  In  early  life  he  was  a  mercan- 
tile clerk  to  his  relative,  Captain  Clifford  Crowninshield, 
and  subsequently  made  several  voyages  around  the  world. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Salem  East  India  Marine  Society 
fifty-four  years,  and  in  the  library  of  that  society  is  a  jour- 
nal kept  by  him  while  in  the  Greorge.  After  leaving  the  sea 
he  became  a  merchant  and  engaged  in  foreign  commerce, 
with  a  success  commensurate  with  his  energy,  enterprise, 
and  sagacity.  He  was  a  member  of  the  famous  old  Essex 
Guards,  a  company  organized  for  home  defence  during 
the  War  of  1812.  Captain  Thomas  M.  Saunders  was  also 
a  member,  and  he  and  Mr.  Emmerton  were  afterwards 
shipmates  together  on  several  occasions,  notably  in  the 
Greorge,  when  the  former  was  first  officer.  Mr.  Emmerton 
was  the  father  of  Captain  Charles  S.  Emmerton,  a  Civil 
War  veteran,  now  living  in  Salem,  and  the  late  George 
R.  Emmerton  and  Captain  E.  Augustus  Emmerton  of  the 
old  commercial  firm  of  Ropes,  Emmerton  &  Co.  of  Salem. 

Samuel  Barton 

Died  in  Salem,  Feb.  1,  1840,  of  consumption,  aged  35 
years.  He  was  supercargo  on  the  11th,  12th,  13th,  14th, 
15th,  17th,  18th,  19th  and  20th  voyages  of  the  ship, 
making  more  round  trips  in  her  than  any  other  person, 
with  the  exception  of  Captain  Saunders,  whose  voyages 
numbered  twelve. 

(To  be  continued.^) 


THE 


ESSEX  INSTITUTE 


HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 


VOL.  LIX—  JULY,  1923. 


Issued  Quarterly 


SALEM,  MASS. 

PRINTED  FOB  THE  ESSEX  INSTITUTE 

1923 


ESSEX  INSTITUTE  HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 

The  Historical  Collections  are  published  quarterly  with  illustra- 
tions, each  volume  containing  a  complete  index.  Subscription 
$3.00  per  annum. 

Entered  at  the  Post  Office  in  Salem,  Massachusetts,  as  second  class  matter. 

CONTENTS— JULY,  1923. 

1.  Salem  Vessels  and  Their  Voyages.    By  George  Granville       \ 

Putnam.     (Continued.)    (Illustrated).      .        .        .        .      193 

2.  The    Suppression    of    Piracy  in  the  West  Indies.     By 

Francis  B.  C.  Bradlee.     (Illustrated.)    (Continued.)        .      217 

3.  The    Burnap-Burnett    Genealogy.      By    Henry    Wyckoff 

Belknap.    (Continued) .      265 

4.  Old  Norfolk  County  Records.    (Continued.)        .        .        .      281 

SALEM  VESSELS  AND  TBEIR  VOYAGES. 
By  George  Granville  Putnam. 

Figuring  prominently  in  the  East  India  commerce  after  the  Revo- 
lution, was  the  Pepper  Trade  between  Salem  and  the  Island  of  Su- 
matra,— a  trade  marked  by  romance,  pathos,  tragedy  and  prosperity. 
The  first  American  vessel  to  visit  the  northwest  coast  of  Sumatra 
and  to  bring  a  consignment  of  pepper  in  bulk  to  this  country  was 
the  property  of  Salem  merchants,  commanded  by  a  Salem  shipmas- 
ter and  manned  by  Salem  men. 

Mr.  Putnam,  Who  is  an  authority  on  Salem  shipping,  has  gathered 
from  old  newspapers  and  other  sources  the  story  of  the  sagacity 
and  heroism  of  the  men  of  Salem  and  nearby  towns  in  bringing 
their  valuable  cargoes  to  this  port,  interspersed  with  anecdotes  of 
thrilling  adventures  with  the  Malays. 

160  pp.  with  Index;  8vo.;  42  full-page  illustrations,  comprising  75 
separate  pictures.    Blue  boards.    Price,  postpaid,  $3.50. 


THE  EASTERN  RAILROAD. 
By  Francis  B.  C.  Bradlee. 

The  demand  for  this  historical  work  by  Mr.  Bradlee  has  been 
constant  since  the  first  edition  was  exhausted,  and  at  the  solicita- 
tion of  those  interested  in  railroading  all  over  the  country,  this  new 
edition,  with  additional  material  and  illustrations,  is  herewith  pre- 
sented. 

The  Eastern  Railroad,  which  ran  from  Boston  to  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.,-was  incorporated  in  1836,  and  Was  one  of  the  first  railroads 
built  in  New  England. 

300  copies  printed;  pp.  122;  24  full-page  illustrations;  Svo.  Cloth, 
$3.50 per  volume. 

New  Catalog  of  all  Publications  of  the  Essex  Institute  sent  on 
application. 


HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 

OF  THE 

ESSEX  INSTITUTE 


Vol.  LIX  July,  1923  No.  3 


SALEM  VESSELS  AND  THEIR  VOYAGES. 


The  Ship  "  George." 


By  George  Granville  Putnam. 


(Continued  from    Volume  LIX,  page  192.~) 
Capt.  James  B.  Briggs 

Died  in  Salem,  Dec.  3,  1857,  aged  67  years.  A  notice 
in  the  Salem  Register  says  :  "Capt.  Briggs  was  bred  to 
the  sea.  For  many  years  he  was  one  of  our  most  accom- 
plished and  trusted  shipmasters  and  factors  in  the  com- 
merce with  East  Indies  and  China.  When  he  relinquished 
this  pursuit  he  was  elected  president  of  the  Essex  Insur- 
ance Company,  and  continued  to  discharge  with  fidelity 
and  success  the  duties  of  this  office  till  the  expiration  of 
the  company's  charter.  ...  He  was  a  gentleman  well 
known  and  highly  esteemed  in  this  community.  He  was 
an  amiable,  upright,  honorable  man  ;  a  man  of  quick  sen- 
sibilities and  a  cheerful  and  happy  temper ;  a  pleasant 
companion,  a  lover  of  children,  unselfish,  prompt  in 
deeds  of  kindness  and  charity,  and  a  good  neighbor. 
George  W.  Endicott. 

George  W.  Endicott,  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Putnam) 
Endicott,  was  born  in  Danvers,  Jan.  15,  1800,  and  mar- 
ried, May  5,  1834,  Sarah  S.,  daughter  of  Abel  Lawrence, 
merchant,  and  removed  to  Kingston,  N.  Y.  He  became 
a  member  of  Essex  Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  June  14, 
1825. 

Captain  William  Henry  Allen, 
who  was  the  last  first  officer  of  the  George,    in    the  1835 
and  1836  voyages,  died  in  the  Mindoro  Sea,  June  4, 1848, 
while  commander  of  the  ship  Hamilton,  which  sailed  from 
Manila  May  30,  1848,  for  Boston.    He  was  born  in  Salem, 

(193) 


194  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

Nov.  27, 1811,  the  son  of  Captain  Henry  and  Mrs.  Hannah 
E.  Allen,  and  was  a  grandson  of  Captain  Edward  Allen. 
He  was  a  clerk  in  the  counting  room  of  Nathaniel  West 
on  Derby  wharf  in  1830,  and  he  joined  the  Greorge  as  a 
boy  in  August,  1831. 

His  promotion  was  rapid,  as  he  was  a  highly  intelligent 
man.  In  six  years'  time  he  became  master  of  a  vessel — 
the  brig  William  Penn.  The  brig  was  the  smallest  be- 
longing in  Salem,  and  was  owned  by  Captain  Allen  and 
William  A.  Rea.  She  was  only  82  50-95  tons,  was  built 
in  Salem  in  1832,  was  69  feet  and  4  1-2  inches  long,  17 
feet  and  10  inches  beam,  and  7  feet  and  6  inches  depth 
of  hold.  Captain  Allen  sailed  from  Salem,  Sept.  14, 1837, 
for  Cape  de  Verde  Islands,  Rio  Janeiro,  and  a  market. 
He  sold  her  at  Rio  Janeiro  and  returned  as  passenger  in 
the  Avon,  Aug.  23,  1838.  Antonio  Imperial,  a  well-known 
and  very  efficient  Salem  mariner  of  his  time,  was  mate 
of  the  William  Penn.  In  1841  Captain  Allen  was  master 
of  the  ship  Mason,  and  Captain  Charles  D.  Mugford  was 
mate. 

Seamen. 

Captain  William  Driver,  ''Old  Glory,"  as  he  is  known 
to-day  wherever  flies  the  Stars  and  Stripes  of  America, 
was  born  in  Salem,  March  17,  1803,  and  he  died  in 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  March  2,  1886.  He  lived  in  Nash- 
ville nearly  half  a  century.  He  graduated  from 
the  old  West  grammar  school,  Salem,  under  Masters 
Hacker,  Sawyer  and  Emerson,  successively,  before  he 
was  13  years  old,  and  went  to  sea,  continuing,  to  use  his 
own  expression,  for  many  years,  "backing  and  filling  all 
over  the  globe,  anywhere  but  the  home  of  his  birth,  yet 
always  at  home,  and  never  less  alone  than  when  alone." 

After  leaving  the  George,  he  made  many  voyages  to 
different  parts  of  the  world,  soon  rising  to  command.  In 
January,  1831,  he  sailed  from  Salem  in  command  of  the 
brig  Charles  Doggett,  belonging  to  N.  L.  Rogers  &  Broth- 
ers. On  this  voyage  occurred  one  of  the  most  memorable 
events  of  his  sea  life,  the  rescue  of  the  Pitcairn  Islanders, 
descendants  of  the  famous  Mutineers  of  the  Bounty.  In 
July,  1831,  he  arrived  at  Matta  Why  (Dead  or  Still 
Water),  the  Matava  Bay  of  Captain  Cook.  At  the  village 
of  Bobi  Ali   (Small  Water),    he  found   sixty-five  of  the 


BY   GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  195 

inhabitants  of  Pitcairn  Island,  poor,  sickly,  despondent 
creatures,  huddled  together  in  a  large  thatch  house,  in 
which  twelve  of  their  number  had  died  of  a  kind  of  ship 
fever,  or  typhoid.  The  gallant  captain  took  them  back 
to  their  native  home,  and  received  their  most  grateful  ac- 
knowledgments. 

Just  an  allusion  must  here  be  made  to  the  story  of 
"Old  Glory"  and  of  Captain  Driver's  sturdy  patriotism 
during  the  Civil  War.  When  General  Nelson's  wing  of 
the  Union  army  took  possession  of  Nashville,  in  February 
1862,  Captain  Driver  carried  his  flag,  "Old  Glory,"  as  he 
had  been  used  to  call  it,  to  the  State  House,  and  hoisted 
it  with  his  own  hands  on  the  Capitol,  amid,  as  he  wrote, 
the  heaven-shaking  cheers  of  thousands,  "over  this  proud 
city,"  he  added,  "where  I  have  been  treated  with  scorn 
and  shunned  as  one  infected  with  the  leprous  spots." 

This  flag  was  an  elegant  one,  35  by  19  feet  in  dimen- 
sions, and  was  presented  to  him  in  a  foreign  port  by  resi- 
dents to  whom  he  had  rendered  some  special  service.  He 
had  concealed  it  in  a  "comfort"  early  in  the  rebellion,  and 
kept  it  on  or  under  his  bed,  not  a  child  of  his  knowing 
where  to  find  it.  He  wrote  :  "He  had  been  my  fellow- 
prisoner  and  bed-fellow  for  some  ten  months  in  Dixie,  and 
stood  much  in  need  of  an  airing.  He  was  beautiful  to 
behold."  The  flag  was  carried  through  the  war  by  the 
Sixth  Ohio  Regiment,  and  pieces  of  it  were  distributed. 
Caleb  Buffum. 

Caleb  Buffum  died  in  Salem,  Dec.  7,  1899,  in  his  84th 
year.  Besides  his  two  voyages  in  the  George,  he  made 
one  or  two  more  in  other  vessels.  He  was  an  assessor  of 
the  city  of  Salem  for  many  years.  He  was  the  father  of 
Miss  Alice  Buffum  of  Salem  and  Mrs.  James  J.  Ingalls 
of  Chelsea  and  Frank  Barr  Buffum  of  Dauvers. 

A  Seaman's  Protection  certificate  granted  to  Mr. 
Buffum  has  been  loaned  to  the  writer,  and  a  photograph 
of  it  is  of  interest.  It  is  dated  July  1,  1833,  and  is 
signed  by  William  W.  Oliver,  Deputy  Collector,  to  whom 
reference  is  made  on  page  21,  whose  name  is  attached, 
also,  to  hundreds  of  others,  some  of  which  may  be  found 
at  the  Salem  Custom  House  to-day.  Deputy  Collector 
Oliver  was  one  of  the  noted  characters  of  his  time.  He 
lived  on  Broad  street,  Salem,  in  his  later  years.     In  arti- 


196  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

cles  on  "A  Century  of  the  Salem  Custom  House,"  Hon. 
Charles  W.  Palfray,  a  former  Collector,  wrote  in  his 
paper,  the  Salem  Register,  in  May,  1876,  as  follows  con- 
cerning Mr.  Oliver  : 

"William  W.  Oliver  was  born  Dec.  10,  1778,  and  he 
died  in  Salem,  Dec.  29,  1869,  having  lived  91  years  and 
19  days.  In  a  letter  now  before  me,  written  by  him  Oct. 
11,  1858,  Mr.  Oliver  says  : 

"I  am  now  more  than  80  years  old.  At  the  age  of  12 
years  I  went  to  live  with  Major  Joseph  Hiller,  Collector 
of  Customs  of  Salem.  April  1,  1793,  at  14,  he  took  me 
into  the  Custom  House.  Aug.  13,  1802,  Colonel  William 
It.  Lee  was  appointed  Collector  of  Salem,  and  in  Febru- 
ary, 1803,  he  made  me  Deputy  Collector.  I  continued 
with  him  till  he  died,  October  24,  1824,  and  I  settled  his 
business  to  the  end  of  December,  1824,  when  General 
James  Miller  was  appointed  Collector,  and  I  continued 
deputy  till  April  10,  1839.  I  was  in  the  office  46  years 
and  10  days.  Another  boy  and  myself  did  all  the  quick 
business  in  the  office  for  ten  years.  In  September,  1799, 
my  superior  in  office,  of  the  same  age  as  myself  (Dudley 
L.  Pickman,  who  died  November  4,  1846,  aged  67),  left 
the  office  to  go  to  sea  as  supercargo  of  a  ship  to  the  East 
Indies,  being  then  20  years  old.  He  died  a  few  years 
since,  and  left  his  family  twelve  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
In  1799  another  boy  was  taken  to  fill  my  place  (Jonathan 
Holman,  born  February,  1785 ;  died  September  3,  1855, 
aged  70  years  and  7  months),  and  we  were  in  the  office 
forty  years  together. 

"The  business  of  Salem  increased  very  fast,  and  in  the 
December  quarter  of  1807  the  duties  secured  in  Salem 
amounted  to  five  hundred  and  thirteen  thousand  dollars. 
I  had  the  care  of  all  the  money  received  and  paid  for 
more  than  thirty-six  years.  In  the  year  1808  the  Collec- 
tor sent  to  the  United  States  Branch  Mint  in  Boston 
$504,326.82,  a  considerable  part  of  which  was  gold,  which 
I  delivered  to  P.  R.  Dalton,  cashier  of  the  First  United 
States  Bank.  Paid  debentures,  bounty  and  other  de- 
mands, $559,000.  Whole  expense  of  the  Custom  House, 
$11,557.99  ;  total  amount  of  transactions,  $1,074,884.81. 

From  1852  to    1857,    inclusive,   six   years,  the  whole 


WILLIAM  W.  OLIVER 
Deputy  Collector  of  the  Port  of  Salem 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM        197 

revenue  of  Salem  was  $1,017,543.  Expenses  of  collec- 
tion for  the  six  years,  $137,146. 

"In  1808  I  carried  a  large  amount  of  gold  to  Boston, 
all  of  which  I  took  from  one  bank.  The  Collector  said, 
'You  must  see  it  weighed  here,  and  see  it  weighed  in  Bos- 
ton.' I  took  the  bags  from  the  bank  in  Salem  to  the 
bank  in  Boston,  and  in  no  instance  took  my  hand  from 
the  bag  till  I  delivered  it  in  Boston. 

"My  memory  was  so  great  that  I  could  recollect  dates 
and  the  tonnage  of  vessels  so  as  not  to  turn  to  books. 

"August  1,  1796,  ship  Martha,  340  tons,  John  Prince, 
master,  cleared  for  the  Isle  of  France,  and  the  crew  of 
this  ship  received  the  first  protections  of  the  United 
States  granted  by  the  Collector  of  Salem." 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  Mr.  Palfray  preserved  a 
slip  that  he  cut  from  the  Boston  Journal  in  1850,  written 
by  Mr.  Oliver,  and  which  he  permitted  the  writer  of  this 
story  of  the  George  to  copy.  The  article  contains  a  lot 
of  curious  and  valuable  statistics  well  worthy  the  ponder- 
ing of  citizens  of  Salem  of  to-day,  as  showing  the  tre- 
mendous commercial  business  done  at  this  ancient  seaport. 
Deputy  Collector  Oliver  wrote  : 

"On  the  28th  day  of  April,  1798,  the  ship  Perseverance, 
245  tons,  arrived  in  Salem  from  Canton,  with  5000  chests 
Bohea  tea  on  board,  marked  F.  N.  H.  (Forrester,  Nichols 
&  Hodges).  Simon  Forrester  owned  the  ship.  In  June, 
1790,  the  ship  Light  Horse,  Captain  Ichabod  Nichols,  be- 
longing to  Elias  Hasket  Derby,  and  the  brig  William  <f 
Henry,  Captain  Benjamin  Hodges,  belonging  to  William 
Gray  and  William  Orne,  arrived  in  Salem  from  Canton. 

"More  tea  was  landed  in  Salem  in  the  year  1790  than 
in  any  year  since.  Of  fifteen  vessels  in  Canton  in  the 
year  1789,  five  of  them  belonged  to  Salem — four  to  E.  H. 
Derby. 

"I  filed  a  bond  in  the  Custom  House  of  Salem  for  the 
duties  on  the  tea  imported  by  the  Perseverance  (before 
mentioned).  The  penalty  was  $60,000.  I  recollect  the 
duties,  at  12  cents,  were  a  little  over  $20,000,  which  I 
then  thought  was  much  money.  The  whole  cargo,  5000 
chests,  about  180,000  pounds,  was  sold  in  Salem  for 
$140,000,  or  thereabouts.     The    Perseverance  touched  at 


198  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

New  York,  with  freight  from  Canton,  and  the  New  York 
merchants  wanted  the  tea  landed  there. 

"On  the  7th  day  of  July,  1800,  the  ship  Pallas,  of  331 
tons,  commanded  by  William  Ward,  father  of  Thomas 
Wren  Ward,  arrived  from  Canton  in  one  hundred  and 
ninety-seven  days,  and  paid  duties  to  the  amount  of  nearlv 
$76,000. 

"The  ship  Mount  Vernon,  belonging  to  Elias  Hasket 
Derby,  and  commanded  by  his  son,  E.  H.  Derby,  arrived 
in  Salem  on  the  same  day  from  the  Mediterranean,  and 
proceeded  to  Boston.  She  was  there,  with  her  cargo,  sold 
at  auction,  her  owners  having  died  in  September,  1799. 
The  Mount  Vernon  was  a  beautiful  ship  of  355  tons  bur- 
then, mounted  20  guns,  and  had  on  board  45  men.  She 
was  purchased  by  Messrs.  Wait  &  Pierce  of  Salem,  and 
was  lost  on  her  passage  to  Laguayra  in  the  same  year. 

"In  the  year  1797,  Enos  Briggs  of  Salem  built  for 
Messrs.  Wait  &  Pierce  the  ship  Friendship,  of  342  tons. 
She  went  to  Batavia  on  her  first  voyage  with  $50,000,  re- 
turned to  Salem  the  next  year  with  coffee  and  sugar,  which 
she  took  to  Hamburg,  and  returned  to  Salem  in  July,  1799, 
with  a  cargo,  of  dry  goods  and  gin.  She  had  on  board  on 
her  return  three  trunks  of  laces,  which  cost  $14,000  in 
Hamburg.  On  her  third  voyage  she  went  to  Laguayra, 
and  returned  to  Salem  loaded  with  cocoa  in  bulk,  48,000 
pounds  of  first  quality  indigo,  and  50,000  pounds  of  cof- 
fee. After  landing  all  her  cargo,  the  cocoa  was  put  in 
hogsheads,  and  she  went  to  Cadiz,  whence  she  returned 
to  Salem  in  three  months,  and  took  the  indigo  and  coffee 
to  London,  and  returned  to  Salem  from  that  port  in  three 
months.  In  all  these  voyages  she  was  commanded  by 
Israel  Williams  (father  of  former  Mayor  Henry  L.  Wil- 
liams of  Salem),  who  had  gathered  much  money  for  his 
owners  and  himself.  William  Story  of  Marblehead,  who 
was  chief  officer  of  the  ship  in  these  voyages,  subsequent- 
ly took  command  of  her  and  went  to  Sumatra  and  Can- 
ton. 

"In  the  year  1807,  in  the  fourth  quarter,  thirteen  ships 
barques  and  brigs  arrived  in  Salem  from  Calcutta  and 
Sumatra.  The  ship  Eliza,  of  512  tons,  landed  more  than 
one  million  pounds  of  pepper,   which   cost  three  cents  a 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM        199 

pound,  and  the  duties  were  six  and  six-tenths  cents  per 
pound,  the  ship  being  Dutch  built. 

"In  the  same  year  236  vessels  entered  in  Salem  from 
foreign  ports,  being  the  greatest  number  which  ever  en- 
tered at  this  port  in  any  one  year,  and  the  duties,  $1,152,- 
000,  were  greater  than  in  any  other  year.  In  1835  the 
duties  collected  amounted  to  nearly  a  million  dollars,  and 
in  1836  to  more  than  a  million  of  dollars. 

"In  May,  1821,  two  ships  sailed  from  Salem  in  one  day 
for  Calcutta,  with  $622,000  in  specie  (the  George  and  the 
Acasta  before  mentioned). 

"In  the  year  1798  the  brig  Alert,  of  123  tons,  com- 
manded by  Robert  Gray  of  Boston,  sailed  from  Salem  for 
the  northwest  coast  and  Canton,  and  was  captured  by  the 
French  a  short  time  after  leaving  Salem.  Captain  Gray 
formerly  commanded  the  sloop  Washington,  which  went 
out  to  the  northwest  coast  in  company  with  the  ship  Co- 
lumbia, Captain  Kendrick. 

"On  the  first  day  of  February,  1809,  I  took  a  correct 
list  of  61  ships  and  12  barques  then  belonging  to  Salem 
and  Beverlv,  and  only  two  of  the  owners  are  now  living 
(1850). 

"On  the  29th  day  of  October,  1789,  I  saw  George 
Washington  in  Salem,  and  heard  him  say,  'Put  on  your 
hats,  my  men,  you  will  get  cold.'  He  slept  in  the  south- 
east chamber  of  the  brick  house  which  stands  near  the 
Salem  depot.  On  the  morning  of  Oct.  30, 1789,  six  months 
to  a  day  after  he  was  proclaimed  in  New  York  President 
of  the  United  States,  I  saw  him  mount  the  same  white 
horse  he  rode  during  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  for  the 
purpose  of  proceeding  to  Portsmouth.  He  was  accompa- 
nied by  his  black  man  William,  who  was  with  him  during 
the  war.  He  returned  from  Portsmouth  by  the  upper 
road. 

A  query  has  been  made  regarding  vessels  built  at  Fiye's 
Mills,  and  again  the  writer  refers  to  Mr.  Oliver,  who  pub- 
lished in  the  Salem  Observer  of  January  7,  1871,  the 
following  list,  the  vessels  being  understood  to  have  been 
built  on  the  North  river,  in  the  vicinity  of  Frye's  Mills, 
where  are  now  extensive  tanneries,  currying  establish- 
ments, and  the  like. 


200  SALEM   VESSELS    AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

Vessels  Built  by  Ebenezer  Mann  at  Frye's  Mills, 

Salem. 

1783. 
[The  first  name  in  each  line  is  that  of  the  vessel ;  the  sec- 
ond that  of  the  owner ;  the  third  that  of  the  master ;  and  the 
figures  against  the  name  of  the  vessel  represent  the  tonnage.] 

Sch.  Betsey,  91,  Peter  Lander,  Peter  Lander. 
Brig  Dispatch,  96,  Johnson  Briggs,  Johnson  Briggs. 
Sch.  Sally,  59,  Ephraim  Very,  Ephraim  Very. 
Sch.  Sally,  65,  John  Leach,  Benj,  Tarrant. 

1784. 
Brig  William,  182,  Wm.  Gray,  Seward  Lee. 
Sch.  Sukey  &  Betsey,  88,  S.  Ingersoll,  Thos.  Bowditch. 
Brig  Success,  103,  Hugh  Hill,  Thos.  Williams. 
Brig  Fanny,  152,  Benj.  Goodhue,  Thorndike  Proctor. 
Sch.  Betsey,  91,  Daniel  Peirce,  Francis  B.  Dennis. 
Sch.  Polly,  71,  John  Norris,  Nath'.l  Knight. 
Sch.  Betsey,  66,  John  Tucker,  Jona.  Tucker. 
Sch.  Hannah,  50,  Jas.  Buffinton,  Jas.  Buffinton. 
Sch.  Bee,  68,  Wm.  Gray,  Hezekiah  Wallace. 
Sch.  Diligent,  82,  Jos.  Sprague,  Jas.  Buffinton. 
Sch.  Whim,  78.  Samuel  Gray,  Penn  Townsend,  Jr. 
Sch.  Betsey,  60,  Hugh  Hill,  Freeborn  Woodberry. 
Barque  Good  Intent,  171,  Simon  Forrester,  Michael  Haskell. 
Brig  Tryall,  119,  Weld  Gardner,  David  Ingersoll. 
Brig  Ruthy,  148,  Johnson  Briggs,  Johnson  Briggs. 
Sch.  Betsey,  108,  Jerathmel  Peirce,  Henry  Prince. 
Brig  Lucy,  152,  Caleb  Low,  John  Frost. 
Brig  Olive  Branch,  158,  Joseph  Sprague,  John  Buffinton. 
Sch.  Catharine,  87,  Robert  Leach,  Jos.  Henderson. 
Sch.  Hopewell,  96,  William  Orne,  Thomas  Webb. 
Sch.  Triall,  100,  John  Norris,  John  Tucker. 

1794. 

Sch.  Betsey,  190,  Daniel  Peirce,  Daniel  Peirce. 
Brig  Venus,  151,  J.  W.  Fawsatt,  W.  Grafton. 
Sch.  Friendship,  111,  Benj.  Lovett,  H.  Woodberry. 
Brig  Hind,  136,  Wm.  Orne,  Jona.  Hodges. 
Brig  Favorite,  141,  Peter  Lander,  Peter  Lander. 
Ship  Good  Hope,  187,  Nathaniel  West,  John  Collins. 
Brig  George,  185,  Josiah  Orne,  Josiah  Orne. 
Ship  Adventure,  184,  John  Norris,  James  Barr,  Jr. 
Bark  Eliza,  187,  Joseph  W^hite,  Gamaliel  Hodges. 


DISTRICT  OF  SAUK  8c  BEVERIY. 


SihRM  &BvvRRiY, do  hereby  cerfyy,lhffC:    .-£1<*Zi£-      -^£*^c\t£^. 
an  American  Senmetn,  aged* .    ''       ■  ■     '*'    years,  or  JhereajxHtts,  of 
the  height  of,         Sj*j    fc*U   -    -  inches,  o/o» ;  .■y  ^      complexion, 

homines        .  ^.'V. ->:-*"  i/n  tin  State  of  ^    '   ---    ^-^   '~.-i->' ■X*Z£v'^> 

has     <,—  -',      feair, 


/i«.<*  fc&M  rfrty  produced  to  me  proof,  in  the  manner  directed  by  the  Act,  en- 
titled, "  An  Act  for  the  Relief  and  Protection  of  American    Seamen,'" 
andi  jpur8uunt.4&~the  said  A.cl,  I  do  hereby  certify  that  the  saidl^    y  ,;-';. 
<" •'  -;    '        ,;-;'  £•»  a  Qirizi-xioftke  United  States  of 

AjrftfjcA. 


IN     WITNESS    WBHlEor,  I  b.™  !nr.,DI.„;.',  H..1 


Collector. 


SEAMAN'S  PROTECTION   PAPER  OF  CALEB   BUFFUM,   1833 
Signed  by  William  W.  Oliver,  Deputy  Collector  of  the  Port  of  Salem 


BY  GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  201 

Ship  Hazard,  215,  J.  &  R.  Gardner,  Richard  Gardner. 
Brig  Rambler,  165,  I.  Thorndike,  John  Moulton. 
Brig  Fame,  144,  John  Collins,  George  Archer. 
Ship  Prudent,  214,  Nath'l  West,  B.  Crowninshield. 
Ship  Borneo,  213,  John  Gibant,  John  Gibaut. 
Sch.  Success,  92,  Timothy  Brooks,  Joseph  Campbell. 
Ship  Mary,  176,  John  N orris,  John  Burchmore. 

Total  number  of  vessels,  41 ;  total  tonnage,  5233 ;  average 
tonnage,  128. 

Vessels  Built  by  Christopher  Turner. 

Sch.  Good  Intent,  89,  James  Silver,  James  Silver. 

Brig  St.  Michael,  177,  Edward  Allen,  Joseph  Cook. 

Ship  Brothers,  256,  0.  &  A.  Mitchell,  Elisha  Folger,  Jr. 

Sch.  Essex,  114,  Wm.  Fabens,  Wm.  Fabens. 

Sch.  Eliza,  132,  T.  Whitteredge,  T.  Whitteredge. 

Sch.  Hope,  92,  Asa  Hooper,  Asa  Hooper. 

Sch.  Lydia,  78,  Tyler  Parsons,  Tyler  Parsons. 

Brig  Mary,  20_,  Samuel  Gray,  Oliver  Obear. 

Ship  Pompey,  188,  Wm.  Orne,  David  Crafts. 

Ship  Endeavour,  234,  Simon  Forrester,  David  Pulsifer. 

Ship  Hope,  282,  J.  &  Jas.  Barr,  Jas.  Barr. 

Brig  Forrester,  252,  G.  Nichols  &  T.  Bryant. 

Brig  Brutus,  198,  Nathaniel  Garland. 

Ship  Hunter,  296,  Wait  &  Peirce,  Philip  P.  Pinel. 

Brig  Romp,  213,  Ropes  &  Wellman,  Wm.  Lander. 

Brig  Independence,  223,  Nath'l  L.  Rogers. 

Sch.  Rambler,  286,  G.  Nichols  &  T.  Bryant,  T.  Bryant. 

Brig  Gleaner,  147,  Joseph  Winn,  Joseph  Winn, 

Total  number  of  vessels,  18 ;  total  tonnage,  3359 ;  average 
tonnage,  156. 

Turner,  12  years  ;  vessels,  18 
Mann,    17       "  "        41 

29  59 

John   Goldsmith. 

Captain  John  Goldsmith  died  in  Salem,  May  21,  1888, 
in  his  82d  year.  He  was  a  member  of  Essex  Lodge,  A. 
F.  and  A.  M.  He  made  his  first  voyage  in  the  schooner 
Begulus,  Captain  Hill,  up  the  Mediterranean.  The  vessel 
brought  home  a  cargo  of  brandy  and  brimstone,  and  was 
120  days  on  the  passage  from    Gibraltar,    an   unusually 


202  SALEM    VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

long  and  trying  one,  the  craft  being  given  up  as  lost.  He 
was  in  the  George  on  her  16th  and  17th  voyages,  being  then 
only  25  years  old.  He  made  twenty-five  voyages  to  Africa, 
three  to  Calcutta,  two  to  China,  and  others  to  Russia  and 
up  the  Mediterranean.  He  was  one  of  the  California  pio- 
neers, making  the  passage  in  the  barque  Nile,  of  which  he 
was  master,  his  son  John  H.,  later  a  shipmaster,  accompa- 
nying him. 

John  Hancock. 

John  Hancock  not  only  sailed  in  the  George,  but  also 
in  the  Eliza  and  St.  Paul,  being  second  mate  of  the  St. 
Paul  on  several  voyages.  When  the  figure-head  was  re- 
moved from  the  St.  Paul  he  was  greatly  distressed,  and 
declared  as  she  sailed  out  of  the  harbor  that  she  would 
never  come  back.  His  words  proved  true,  as  she  was  lost 
on  the  Island  of  Masbata,  on  her  outward  passage  to 
Manila.  Mr.  Hancock  also  served  two  years  in  the  United 
States  Navy. 

Michael  Lord. 

Captain  Michael  Lord  died  in  Salem,  Sept.  23,  1879,  in 
his  76th  year.    He  commanded  ships  in  the  Sumatra  trade. 

Captain  Henry  B.  Manning. 

Captain  Henry  B.  Manning  commanded  the  brig  M. 
Shepard  in  the  trade  between  Salem  and  Para.  He  made 
several  voyages,  during  which  the  vessel  put  up  many 
records  for  speed  and  became  famous  as  one  of  the  fliers, 
on  one  occasion  coming  into  Massachusetts  Bay  in  only 
seventeen  days  from  the  river.  He  afterwards  command- 
ed the  barques  Elizabeth  Hall  and  Storm  King,  and  died 
on  board  the  latter  on  July  29,  1857,  at  Aden,  Arabia,  in 

his  43d  year.     He  was  the  father  of  Manning  and 

Philip  Manning. 

Captain  Charles  D.  Mugford. 

Captain  Charles  D.  Mugford  was  born  on  June  17, 1814, 
sailed  from  Boston  as  master  of  the  ship  Areatus  for  the 
East  Indies,  his  wife  accompanying  him    on  the  voyage. 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM        203 

The  ship  went  to  Batavia,  Manila,  Tabayas,  Hong  Kong, 
Whampoa  and  Canton,  and  then  sailed  for  home  April  17; 
passed  Anjier,  Java,  May  5,  and  arrived  at  Boston  Sept. 
9,  1845.     Captain  Mugford  died  in  Salem,  July  5,  1868. 

Captain  James  Murdock. 

Captain  James  Murdock,  who  made  two  voyages  in  the 
Q-eorge — 1828,  1829 — was  born  of  American  parents  in 
Cuba,  and  came  to  this  country  when  quite  young.  He 
was  educated  at  Medford,  Mass.,  and  Exeter,  N.  H.,  and 
received  the  rudiments  of  a  military  education  in  Par- 
tridge's Military  Academy,  Norwich,  Vermont.  At  the 
close  of  his  school  life  he  conceived  a  fondness  for  the 
sea  and  came  to  Salem,  where  he  began  a  long  and  suc- 
cessful career  upon  the  ocean. 

His  father  was  an  intimate  friend  of  Mr.  Peabody,  the 
owner  of  the  G-eorge,  and  Mr.  Peabody  took  the  young 
man  into  his  employ.  On  his  return  to  Salem  in  his  sec- 
ond voyage,  he  left  Mr.  Peabody's  service  and  began  to 
work  his  own  way  in  his  profession,  and  his  promotion 
rapidly  followed.  At  an  early  age  he  was  master  of  a  ship 
engaged  in  the  East  India  trade,  and  he  subsequently  be- 
came one  of  the  "crack"  captains  of  Enoch  Train's  cele- 
brated line  of  packet  ships  between  Boston  and  Liverpool. 

In  1848  came  to  him  the  sorest  trial  of  his  life,  the 
severest  happening  that  can  come  to  a  shipmaster  in  the 
very  height  of  his  glory,  when  his  ship,  the  Ocean  Mon- 
arch, was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  several  passengers  lost 
their  lives,  when  only  a  few  hours  out  from  Liverpool. 
The  disaster  sent  a  thrill  of  horror  throughout  the  world, 
for  the  ship  was  crowded  with  passengers.  Captain  Mur- 
dock was  exonerated  from  all  blame,  but  the  affair  ended 
his  career  on  the  ocean.  He  lived  a  retired  life  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days. 

Captain  Perley  Z.  M.  P.  Putnam. 

Captain  Perley  Z.  M.  P.  Putnam  commanded  vessels  in 
the  African  trade,  and  died  at  sea  while  in  command  of 
the  barque  Active  of  Salem,  when  homeward  bound.  He 
was  a  son  of  the  late  Colonel  Perley  Putnam. 


204  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

Captain  John  D.  Symonds. 

Captain  John  D.  Symonds  died  in  Salem,  March  26, 
1877,  in  his  85th  year.  He  belonged  to  the  North  Salem 
family  of  that  name,  and  was  one  of  four  brothers,  the 
other  three  being  Eben,  Stephen  and  Danforth  (Nathaniel 
D.)  Symonds.  He  sailed  once  to  Russia,  but  most  of  his 
voyages  were  to  St.  Jago,  Cuba,  in  command  of  vessels 
owned  by  S.  Chamberlain.  Ordinarily  the  voyages  aver- 
aged four  a  year,  but  one  voyage  was  made  by  him  in 
the  brig  Greneral  Warren  in  less  than  two  months.  He 
served  Salem  in  the  General  Court  and  as  superintendent 
of  the  almshouse,  and  was  also  an  inspector  in  the  Salem 
Custom  House. 

Captain  Samuel  V.  Shreve. 

Captain  Samuel  V.  Shreve  was  born  in  Maine.  He 
commanded  the  barque  Udwin,  and  in  the  gold  fever  pe- 
riod he  sailed  in  her  for  California,  but  put  into  Valpa- 
raiso and  sold  the  vessel  there.  He  next  commanded  the 
ship  Cleopatra  and  the  ship  Witch  of  the  Wave.  He  was 
a  brother  of  Benjamin  Shreve,  founder  and  head  of  the 
firm  of  Shreve,  Crump  &  Low,  jewellers  of  Boston,  and 
father  of  William  Shreve,  who  entered  the  employ  of  the 
firm,  and  later  became  one  of  the  partners.  Retiring 
from  the  sea,  he  conducted  a  grocery  on  what  is  now 
Central  street,  and  opposite  his  home.  He  married  Miss 
Mary  Moore,  sister  of  the  late  David  Moore  of  Salem, 
and  he  died  in  Salem  July  11,  1870,  aged  66  years. 

Captain  Edward  H.  Trumbull. 

Captain  Edward  H.  Trumbull  died  at  his  home,  18 
Winter  street,  Nov.  4,  1860,  aged  35  years.  He  was  the 
father  of  Walter  H.  Trumbull,  of  the  old  firm  of  Ropes, 
Emmerton  &  Co.,  and  now  the  only  surviving  member  of 
the  firm,  and  of  Captain  Edward  B.  Trumbull,  for  many 
years  engaged  in  the  East  Coast  of  Africa  trade  as  master 
of  the  barque  Taria  Topan. 


by  george  granville  putnam  205 

Captain  George  Whitmarsh. 

Captain  George  Whitmarsh,  after  leaving  the  George, 
continued  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Peabody,  and  was  mate 
of  his  ship  Eclipse  when  that  vessel  was  plundered  and 
Captain  Wilkins  and  a  boy  named  William  Babbidge  were 
murdered.  He  brought  the  ship  home,  and  was  master  of 
her  for  several  voyages. 

Captain  Enoch  Wood. 

Captain  Enoch  Wood  of  Boxford,  before  leaving  the 
sea,  commanded,  from  1830  to  1850,  several  of  the  finest 
packet  ships  between  Boston  and  Liverpool. 

Pilot  Perkins. 

Pilot  Perkins  was  a  familiar  name  in  Salem  for  many 
years.  Joseph  Perkins,  who  used  to  pilot  the  George  to 
sea  from  Salem,  was  appointed  a  pilot  Oct.  7,  1813,  and 
he  performed  the  responsible  duties  of  that  position  until 
his  decease  in  1837.  He  officiated  in  that  position  aboard 
the  United  States  frigate  Constitution,  "Old  Ironsides," 
when  she  came  into  Salem  harbor  from  Marblehead,  after 
her  escape  from  a  British  squadron  in  April,  1814.  Joseph 
Perkins,  his  son,  was  appointed  a  pilot  April  27,  1827,  and 
his  commission  bore  the  signature  of  Levi  Lincoln,  then 
and  for  several  years  before  and  after  Governor  of  Mas- 
sachusetts. His  son  Joseph  was  appointed  a  pilot  Jan.  7, 
1857.  Asa  B.  Perkins,  a  brother  of  the  last  named,  also 
became  a  pilot,  so  that  for  about  a  century  there  was  a 
Pilot  Perkins  of  Salem.  These  officers  conducted  thou- 
sands of  vessels  in  and  out  of  the  port  of  Salem,  among 
them  ships  whose  voyages  are  famous  in  the  commercial 
history  of  Salem  and  the  United  States.  Nathaniel  F. 
Perkins  of  this  city  is  a  grandson,  and  Harold  Millett 
Perkins  of  Salem,  the  haberdasher,  is  a  great-grandson  of 
the  original  Joseph  Perkins. 


THE  BARQUE  "GLIDE." 


And  Some  Account  of  the  African  Teade. 


Leaving  now  the  Calcutta  trade,  the  writer  asks  his 
readers  for  the  pleasure  of  their  company  in  considering 
the  trade  Salem  enjoyed  with  the  East  Coast  of  Africa, 
Madagascar  and  Arabia.  He  will  deal  principally  with 
the  barques  Glide  and  Taria  Topan,  though  others  will 
receive  attention. 

The  direct  trade  between  Salem  and  Zanzibar  was 
opened  by  the  brig  Ann,  Captain  Charles  Millett,  master, 
and  owned  by  Henry  Prince  &  Son  of  Salem.  The  Ann 
left  Salem  March  12,  1826,  for  Mocha.  Arriving  there, 
the  captain  found  a  scarcity  of  breadstuffs,  left  a  clerk  in 
charge,  and  went  to  Zanzibar  and  Lamo,  where  he  obtained 
a  homeward  cargo.  From  there  he  went  to  Mocha,  thence 
to  Salem,  and  arrived  home  May  9,  1827. 

A  sketch  of  Captain  Millett  and  his  experience  in  the 
Ann,  and  of  his  wonderful  escape  from  shipwreck,  is  told 
in  the  Historical  Collections  of  the  Essex  Institute,  and 
also  in  Volume  one  of  "Salem  Vessels  and  Their  Voyages," 
published  by  the  Institute.  The  providential  escape  of 
the  Ann,  in  1829,  has  been  further  commemorated  by  that 
delightful  son  of  Salem,  Rev.  Charles  Timothy  Brooks, 
brother  of  Henry  M.  Brooks,  for  so  many  years  secretary 
of  the  Essex  Institute.  In  a  poem  by  the  reverend  gen- 
tleman, for  the  celebration  by  the  Essex  Institute  of  the 
250th  anniversary  of  the  landing  of  Governor  John  Ende- 
cott,  September  18,  1878,  Mr.  Brooks  writes  ; 

"  I  was  a  boy  when  the  brig  Ann,  a  wreck, 
Crawled  up  to  Derby's  wharf  and  landed  there 
Her  Oriental  cargo  rich  and  rare. 
What  sweets  and  fragrances,  in  frails  and  crates, 
Gum-copal,  allspice,  nutmegs,  cloves  and  dates! 
Then  filled  the  eyes  of  every  Salem  boy 
(206) 


UJ        I- 

_l       a 

5       2 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM         2)7 

With  mingling  tears  of  sadness  and  of  joy. 

We  laughed  to  see  how  the  old  yellow  stores 

Took  in  the  bags  of  sweetmeats  through  their  doors; 

We  wept  to  see  through  what  a  hard  fought  fight 

The  brave  old  hulk  had  brought  us  such  delight. 

Sadly  she  seemed  to  figure  as  she  lay, 

The  sunset  of  our  old  commercial  day." 

From  the  first  vessel  to  enter  at  the  Salem  Custom 
House  from  Zanzibar,  the  three-masted  schooner  Spy, 
Captain  Andrew  Ward,  August  11,  1827,  with  a  cargo 
consigned  to  Nathaniel  L.  Rogers  &  Brothers,  until  May  1, 
1870,  when  the  barque  Glide  was  the  last  vessel  to  enter 
at  this  port  from  Zanzibar,  there  were  189  arrivals  here 
from  that  port,  and  145  of  those  entries  were  made  be- 
tween 1840  and  1860,  the  period  of  greatest  activity  in 
this  trade. 

The  name  that  to-day  comes  first  to  one  at  all  familiar 
with  the  facts  is  that  of  Captain  John  Bertram,  Salem's 
eminent  philanthropist  and  benefactor,  as  a  merchant  en- 
gaged in  this  trade.  If,  however,  he  should  but  scan  the 
imposts  books  at  the  Salem  Custom  House,  he  will  there 
find,  with  frequent  recurrence,  the  names  of  Nathaniel  L. 
Rogers  &  Brothers,  Michael  Shepard,  David  Pingree 
Joseph  Peabody,  Andrew  Ward,  Nathaniel  Weston,  James 
B.  Curwen,  Ephraim  Emmerton,  Tucker  Daland,  George 
West,  Benjamin  A.  West,  Michael  W.  Shepard,  and  other 
merchants. 

Among  the  names  of  masters  are  those  of  William  B. 
Smith  (familiarly  termed  "Zanzibar  Smith,"  because  of 
his  many  voyages  there),  Augustus  Staniford  Perkins, 
Edward  Brown,  Francis  Brown,  William  B.  Bates,  E. 
Augustus  Emmerton,  John  Wallis,  Joseph  Moseley,  An- 
drew Ward,  Brackley  R.  Peabody,  James  Staniford  Kim- 
ball, N.  W.  Andrews,  J.  P.  Page,  William  McFarland, 
John  McMullan,  William  Hollingsworth  Hawthorne, 
Stephen  Cloutman,  James  S.  Williams,  Nathan  A.  Bachel- 
der,  Edward  B.  Trumbull,  William  Beadle,  John  C.  Pond, 
Charles  O.  Welch,  J.  Warren  Luscomb,  and  others. 


208  salem  vessels  and  their  voyages 

Barque  Glide. 

April  25,  1861,  the  marine  column  of  the  Salem  Regis- 
ter contained  this  paragraph  : 

"Launch. — A  splendid  barque  of  about  480  tons, 
called  the  Glide,  will  be  launched  from  Mr.  Edward  F. 
Miller's  shipyard  in  South  Salem  this  day  (Thursday),  at 
10  1-2  o'clock  A.  M." 

The  vessel  slid  into  the  water  according  to  announce- 
ment, many  Salemites  being  aboard  of  her,  and  the  pretty 
sight  was  witnessed  by  a  large  gathering  of  spectators. 
The  Glide  was  officially  registered  at  the  custom  house  as 
492.40  gross  tonnage  and  467.68  tons  net ;  was  129.8 
feet  long,  29.2  feet  beam,  and  17.4  feet  depth  of  hold. 

First  Voyage. 

The  Glide  cleared  from  the  Salem  Custom  House  May 
10,  1861,  John  McMnllan  of  Salem,  master,  and  John 
Bertram,  owner,  for  Zanzibar,  and  she  sailed  the  same 
evening  at  8.30  o'clock.  Arrived  at  Zanzibar  August  20, 
102  days'  passage,  and  sailed  August  26  for  Muscat,  where 
she  arrived  September  10.  Sailed  thence  for  Aden,  and 
from  there  November  21  for  Zanzibar  and  Salem.  She 
arrived  at  Salem  March  21,  1862,  from  Zanzibar  Dec.  22; 
89  days'  passage,  and  having  been  18  days  north  of  Ber- 
muda, with  heavy  N.  W.  gales.  She  brought  a  valuable 
cargo  of  dates,  figs,  hides,  etc.,  to  John  Bertram.  Voyage, 
ten  months  and  eleven  days. 

Cargo — One  hundred  and  eleven  pieces  Scuivellas  ivory, 
3933  hides,  500  half  and  1000  quarter  bags  coffee,  and 
215  bags  gum  copal.     Duties,  $13,863.49. 

Her  commander,  Captain  John  McMullan,  was  a  native 
of  Salem,  and  had  sailed  before  in  Captain  Bertram's  em- 
ploy. On  Sept.  4,  1860,  while  in  command  of  the  barque 
Glide,  the  vessel  was  wrecked  on  a  reef  on  the  passage 
from  Zanzibar  for  Aden,  in  latitude  eight  degrees  and 
nine  minutes  north,  longitude  51  degrees  and  30  minutes 
east,  Ras  Hafoon  bearing  north,  one-half  west. 

The  mate  of  the  Glide  was  William  G.  Churchill  of 
Salem,  and  his  wages  were  $35  a  month,  and  he  will  be 
remembered  by    older   Salemites ;  Charles    Miles,  second 


00 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM        209 

mate,  wages  $25  a  month ;  Charles  A.  Benson,  steward, 
$20  a  month ;  John  L.  Jones,  cook,  $18  a  month  ;  Alex- 
ander McCormic,  Barnes  A.  Gardner,  Benjamin  Douglass, 
C.  E.  Manning  and  VV.  F.  Cloon,  able  seamen,  $14  a 
month  ;  Collins  Ingalls  Andrews,  ordinaiy  seaman,  $10  a 
month  (he  afterwards  commanded  the  ship  Big  Bonanza, 
on  long,  deep  water  voyages  to  China  and  the  East  Indies; 
he  was  a  brother  of  the  late  Augustus  H.  Andrews,  for 
many  years  a  driver  in  the  Salem  fire  department,  and 
uncle  of  Herbert  C.  Andrews,  formerly  of  Salem,  and 
now  living  in  California)  ;  John  O'Donnell,  ordinary  sea- 
man, $9  a  month,  and  Daniel  Riley  and  George  E.  Plan- 
der,  boys,  $6  a  month.  The  last  three  will  be  recognized 
as  real  down  town  boys. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  crew  lists  are  not  at  hand 
of  those  who  sailed  on  the  Glide  on  her  many  voyages. 
Such  names  as  will  be  used  in  this  series  of  articles  have 
been  received  from  friends  and  from  the  Salem  Custom 
House  records  of  lists  of  crews,  which  are  not  complete. 

Second  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem  April  23,  1862,  at  7  P.  M.,  John 
McMullan,  master,  for  the  East  Indies.  Arrived  at  Aden. 
Arabia,  Aug.  25,  via  Zanzibar,  where  she  arrived  Aug.  5, 
and  sailed  Aug.  11.  Returned  to  Zanzibar,  and  sailed 
thence  for  Salem  Nov.  28,  and  arrived  at  Salem  Monday, 
March  9,  1863.  Experienced  very  severe  weather  on  the 
coast.  Took  a  pilot  from  boat  William  Starkey  of  Boston 
on  Saturday  morning,  and  anchored  in  Nantasket  roads 
on  Sunday  morning.  Was  towed  to  Salem  by  tug  Charles 
Pearson.     Voyage,  eleven  months  and  sixteen  days. 

Cargo — Sixty-four  packages,  11  barrels  and  one  box  of 
beeswax,  8000  hides,  602  bags,  14  barrels  and  seven  boxes 
gum  copal,  370  bags  bird  peppers,  116  pieces  large  ivory, 
478  Sew.  ivory,  and  2060  frails  dates.  Duties,  $17,672.10. 

Third  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem  April  7,  1863,  John  McMullan,  mas- 
ter, for  East  Indies.  Arrived  at  Mozambique  June  27, 
61  days'  passage  ;  sailed  July  5  for  Zanzibar,  arrived  July 
7  ;  sailed  July  14,  and  arrived  at  Aden  July  28  ;    arrived 


210  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR    VOYAGES 

back  at  Zanzibar,  and  sailed  for  Salem  Sept.  21.  Arrived 
at  Provincetown  Jan.  8,  1864,  and  was  towed  from  there 
by  tug  Charles  Pearson  to  Salem,  where  she  arrived  Jan. 
11,  1864.  Was  27  days  N.  of  Bermuda,  with  continual 
gales  from  west  to  north.  Voyage,  nine  months  and  four 
days.  The  outward  passage  of  61  days  to  Mozambique  is 
a  fine  one. 

Cargo — One  box  of  Malachise,  720  goat  skins,  1140 
Aden  hides,  102  packages  senna,  4402  Zanzibar  hides,  915 
ba^s  cloves,  1639  packets  clove  stems,  247  pieces  large 
ivory,  427  Sews,  ivory,  881  bags  pepper,  713  bundles  coir 
yarn,  38  bags  myrrh.     Duties,  $40,242.92. 

Fourth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Boston  April  13,  1864,  John  McMullan, 
master,  for  Zanzibar.  Arrived  at  Zanzibar  June  27  ;  went 
to  Aden,  where  she  arrived  July  27 ;  returned  to  Zanzi- 
bar, and  sailed  thence  Sept.  11  for  Mozambique  and  Salem. 
Arrived  home  Dec.  7,  in  81  days  from  Mozambique.  Pas- 
senger from  Zanzibar,  William  W.  Goodhue  of  Salem. 
Voyage,  7  months  and  24  days. 

Cargo — Twenty-two  bags  gum  arabic,  538  bales  goat 
skins,  63  do.  sheep  skins,  one  do.  hides,  200  12-20  Corges 
goat  skins,  nioe  pieces  ivory,  102  one-quarter  bales  coffee, 
four  bundles  Zanzibar  mats,  four  bags  candy,  two  Rhorns, 
two  barrels  limes,  five  fee.     Duties,  $14,698.45. 

Fifth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem  March  23,  1865,  John  McMullan, 
master,  for  Zanzibar.  Arrived  at  Aden  July  20,  via  Zan- 
zibar. Left  Aden  July  28,  and  arrived  at  Muscat  Aug.  6. 
Sailed  Sept.  13  for  Zanzibar  and  Salem.  Arrived  at  Zan- 
zibar Oct.  12,  in  charge  of  the  mate,  William  Hollings- 
worth  Hathorne,  Captain  McMullan  having  died  October 
4  on  the  passage.  Sailed  for  Salem  Oet.  18,  and  arrived 
home  Feb.  15,  1866.  She  put  into  Nantasket  Roads  night 
of  Oct.  17,  and  was  towed  from  there  to  Salem. 

Master,  John  McMullan,  Salem  ;  mate,  William  H. 
Hathorne,  Salem ;  crew,  David  Frederick,  Aaron  Moses, 
George    Dexter,    no   residence    given ;    William  White, 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE  PUTNAM        211 

Salem  ;  Henry  W.  Emerson,  Newton ;  John  H.  Fisher 
and  Semon  Peterson,  Sweden,  both  discharged  at  Zanzi- 
bar; Thomas  Clark,  Concord,  N.  H.  ;  Charles  Mason, 
Daniel  Riley,  19,  Thomas  Bowditch,  17,  James  D.  Brani- 
gan,  15,  and  Joseph  Miller,  15,  of  Salem.  There  were 
shipped  at  Zanzibar,  Sam  Baker  and  Alie  Bin  of  Zanzibar 

and    Victor  of    Mauritius,    who    were  certified  by 

United  States  Consul  Edward  D.  Ropes  as  being  free 
blacks. 

Mr.  Ropes  subsequently  became  the  head  of  the  firm 
of  Ropes,  Emmerton  &  Co.,  successors  to  the  house  of 
John  Bertram,  on  the  death  of  Captain  Bertram,  March 
22,  1882. 

Mrs.  Kate  McMullan,  who  was  a  passenger  on  the  Glide 
and  wife  of  Captain  McMullan,  died  Aug.  3,  1865,  three 
days  before  the  vessel  arrived  at  Muscat.  Her  husband, 
as  before  stated,  died  Oct.  4,  1865,  eight  days  before  the 
arrival  of  the  Glide  at  Zanzibar. 

Cargo — Thirty  bundles  of  coir  yarn,  523  frails  dates, 
99  packages  goat  skins,  70  bales  cocoanut  fibre,  517  goat 
skins,  103  sheep  skins,  60  packages  senna,  192  salted 
hides,  eight  packages  coffee.     Duties,  $5,477.81. 

Sixth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  below  Salem  April  1,  1866,  William  H. 
Hathorne,  master,  for  ports  east  of  Cape  Good  Hope. 
Arrived  at  Aden  Aug.  3,  via  Mozambique  and  Zanzibar, 
where  she  arrived  July  8,  and  sailed  July  12.  Arrived  at 
Muscat  Sept.  18,  from  Aden,  and  sailed  Nov.  17  for  Zan- 
zibar, where  she  arrived  and  finished  loading  for  Salem. 
Sailed  from  Zanzibar  Dec.  22,  Mozambique  Jan.  13,  St. 
Helena  Feb.  22,  and  arrived  at  Salem  April  12,  1867. 
Passenger,  Captain  George  W.  Hall  of  Providence,  R.  I., 
of  barque  Ella  Virginia,  which  was  lost  at  Quillamane. 
Voyage,  one  year  and  eleven  days. 

Master,  William  Hollingsworth  Hathorne;  mate,  James 
S.  Williams  of  Salem  ;  second  mate,  Henry  Bertram, 
Salem ;  seamen,  John  Ford,  Salem  ;  Sargent  S.  P.  Lee, 
Christian  Peter  Marchen,  Charles  H.  Bell,  John  Schoen- 
maker  and  Charles  W.  Taylor,  Boston ;  Henry  R.  Bois, 
Salem;  Peter   Nielsen,    Boston;  light  hands,  Jsseph  A. 


212  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR    VOYAGES 

Stickney,  aged  18,  Charles  O.  Welch,  Ernest  D.  Lord  and 
Frank  M.  Real  of  Salem,  16  years  old. 

Charles  O.  Welch  became  a  master  in  the  east  coast  of 
Africa  trade,  served  in  the  Civil  war,  was  for  many  years 
a  railway  postal  clerk,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was 
master  of  the  Salem  Marine  Society. 

Cargo — Nine  bales  sheep  skins,  25  do.  do.,  44  bales 
goat  skins,  three  hides,  584  frails  dates,  12  packages  cof- 
fee, one  box  cocoanut  oil,  one  silk  dress,  the  duty  on  the 
last  named  being  $5.40.     Duties,  $2,586.60. 

Seventh  Voyage. 

After  discharging  her  cargo  at  Salem  on  the  last  voyage, 
the  Grlide  went  to  Boston,  and  there  loaded  for  ports  east 
of  Cape  Good  Hope.  She  sailed  from  Boston  May  2, 
1867,  William  H.  Hathorne,  master.  Arrived  at  Tamatave 
July  26,  85  days'  passage,  then  to  Zanzibar.  Sailed  from 
Aden,  May  3,  for  Muscat,  and  arrived  Nov.  7.  Sailed 
Dec.  9,  and  arrived  at  Zanzibar  Jan.  1,  1868.  Sailed  Jan. 
19  for  Salem,  passed  Cape  of  Good  Hope  Feb.  18,  crossed 
the  equator  March  19,  in  longitude  33.30  W.,  passed 
Bermuda  April  6,  and  arrived  at  Salem  April  13,  1868. 

Master,  William  H.  Hathorne ;  mate,  James  S.  Wil- 
liams, Salem ;  second  mate,  J.  Orne  Rider  ;  steward, 
Thomas  R.  Chambers,  Salem  ;  cook,  John  B.  Stout ;  sea- 
men, Metra  Antonia,  Boston ;  Charles  Atherton,  New 
York ;  James  Herrick,  do.;  William  T.  Harper,  do.  (de- 
serted at  Aden)  ;  Antonio  Cabasa,  Boston ;  William  C. 
Wood,  19,  Howard  P.  Gardner,  17,  George  C.  Florentine, 
15,  and  John  Prince,  15,  the  last  four  of  Salem.  John 
Duncan  of  England  was  shipped  at  Zanzibar,  and  Charles 
Oliver  at  Aden  for  Muscat,  but  the  latter  deserted  Oct.  3, 
1867. 

Cargo — Two  hundred  and  thirty-one  bales  goat,  58  do. 
sheep  skins,  7980  hides,  1460  do.,  500  do.,  64  bales  goat 
skins,  31  frails  dates,  16  packages  coffee,  8  bags  beeswax. 
Duties,  $2,081.22. 

Eighth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Salem,  May  22,  1868,  William  H.  Hathorne, 
master,  for  Zanzibar.     Arrived  at  Tamatave  Aug.  10,  via 


o    £ 


BY   GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  213 

Zanzibar.  Arrived  at  Muscat,  from  Zanzibar,  14  days' 
passage.  Proceeded  to  Aden  and  returned  to  Zanzibar, 
from  which  she  sailed  Dec.  25  for  Salem.  Arrived  home 
March  18,  1869,  having  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Jan.  14, 
and  crossed  the  equator  Feb.  14,  in  longitude  36  W.  In 
connection  with  this  homeward  passage  the  writer  has 
before  him  a  copy  of  an  interesting  letter  written  by  the 
late  Captain  William  Beadle  of  Salem,  who,  as  will  be 
seen  later,  became  a  commander  of  the  Grlide. 

"In  1868  and  1869,"  wrote  Captain  Beadle,  "I  was 
mate  of  the  barque  Atlanta,  Captain  John  C.  Pond  of 
Salem.  We  had  been  on  the  coast  and  had  visited  the 
usual  ports  of  Aden,  Muscat  and  Zanzibar.  We  were  at 
the  last  named  port  until,  on  Dec.  23,  1868,  the  Atlanta 
sailed  for  home.  The  Grlide  was  nearly  ready,  and  the 
two  commanders  jollied  each  other  as  to  which  vessel 
would  get  home  first.  The  mate  of  the  Glide  was  James 
S.  Williams,  who  on  his  next  voyage  sailed  as  master  of 
the  new  barque  Jersey  of  Salem,  and  was  so  unfortunate 
as  to  lose  the  vessel. 

"Two  days  after  the  Atlanta  sailed  for  home,  the  Grlide 
left  Zanzibar,  and  the  race  was  on.  Honors  were  consid- 
ered even.  We  were  anxiously  looking  for  the  Grlide 
daily.  A  few  days  after  rounding  Cape  Good  Hope,  and 
while  rolling  down  St.  Helena,  we  saw  from  the  topgallant 
forecastle  a  vessel  on  the  horizon  'hull  up.'  Everything 
about  her  appeared  to  Captain  Pond  as  the  Grlide.  She 
was  to  the  northwest  of  us,  and  the  atmosphere  caused 
her  to  loom  up.  She  looked  to  be  a  craft  of  1000  tons, 
more  than  double  the  size  of  the  Grlide,  which,  if  it  was 
she,  she  had  so  far  beaten  us,  and  was  still  to  the  wind- 
ward. 

"However,  during  the  night  we  kept  a  sharp  lookout, 
and  at  4  A.  M.  I  turned  in.  I  had  not  fairly  started  on 
my  beauty  sleep  when  Captain  Pond  called  me  up  with 
the  information  that  the  Glide  was  up  'on  our  weather 
beam.'  There  was  no  more  sleep,  so  I  went  on  deck,  and 
as  the  air  was  somewhat  sharp,  the  first  thing  for  health's 
sake  was  a  cup  of  hot  coffee.  Having  been  warmed  and 
refreshed,  I  paid  attention  to  Captain  Pond's  criticism  of 
the  stranger.     As  the  breeze  was  moderate,  the  vessel  lay 


214  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR    VOYAGES 

over  ou  her  side,  so  that  we  could  get  a  good  view  of  her 
deck. 

"Among  Captain  Pond's  criticisms  were,  'You  see  that 
fruit  hatch  goes  one-half  of  the  length  of  the  main  hatch, 
and  the  lids  are  open  to  ventilate  the  dates  and  to  keep 
them  cool.'  'Yes,'  I  replied,  'that  is  the  Glide  all  right, 
and  I  would  like  to  toll  him  down  here.  Suppose  I  run 
the  ensign  up  Union  down,  and  let  him  think  we  are  in 
distress.'  'Suppose  it  is  not  the  Glide,'  hesitated  Captain 
Pond.  'But  you  feel  sure  that  it  is,  and  if  we  find  on 
nearer  approach  that  it  is  not,  I  can  reverse  the  ensign,' 
I  replied.  'Well,  go  ahead,'  he  said.  And  the  ensign  was 
run  up  in  distress. 

"Shortly  the  main  yard  of  the  Glide  was  checked,  and 
at  seven  bells  she  was  on  our  weather  bow,  within  speak- 
ing distance.  We  went  to  breakfast,  a  short  one,  and 
then,  having  exchanged  chronometer  time,  Captain  Pond 
shouted,  'Look  out,  Hathorne,  I  am  going  in  stays.'  The 
Glide  was  immediately  stayed,  the  Atlanta  following, 
bringing  the  Glide  to  windward.  The  Atlanta  drew  ahead, 
and  we  worked  up  across  the  Glide's  bow  and  to  wind- 
ward, and  having  high  enough,  Captain  Pond  held  the 
Atlanta  in  the  wind,  and  let  the  Glide  pass  ahead.  He 
then  swung  the  Atlanta  off,  ran  under  the  stern  of  the 
Glide,  passing  so  close  that  we  could  toss  a  biscuit  aboard, 
and  saying,  'Good  bye,  Hathorne,  pleasant  passage.  I 
will  report  you  when  we  reach  New  York,'  which  we  did, 
one  week  ahead  of  the  arrival  of  the  Glide  at  Salem.  We 
passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Jan.  15,  and  crossed  the  equator 
Feb.  13,  in  Ion.  34  W. 

"I  have  been  with  many  captains,  but  think  Capt.  Pond 
was  the  equal  of  any  aud  far  superior  to  many.  I  learned 
much  from  him,  and  I  pay  him  the  tribute  to  say  that  it 
was  of  great  value  to  me  when  I,  too,  became  a  master  in 
the  East  Coast  of  Africa  trade.  Ten  years  later  the  Glide 
was  lying  alongside  Lewis  wharf,  Boston,  when  what 
should  I  see  but  the  Atlanta  being  docked  next  to  her, 
and  temporarily  being  made  fast  to  the  Glide.  I  recalled 
that  brush  with  her  in  1869,  and  felt  that  although  there 
is  a  great  deal  of  fun  in  the  international  yacht  regattas, 
yet  it  cannot  compare  with  a  long   race   between  trading 


BY   GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  215 

ships  on  the  ocean,  or  with  such  a  race  as  was  ours  be- 
tween Zanzibar  and  Boston  and  Salem." 

What  a  pity  it  is  that  a  proper  record  of  Salem's  con- 
nection with  the  East  Coast  of  Africa  and  all  other  trades 
has  not  been  kept.  It  would  furnish  a  glorious  chapter 
in  the  world's  history  that  would  shine  with  a  greater  lus- 
tre as  the  years  pass.  Captain  Beadle  passed  away  in 
Duxbury,  Sept.  25,  1912,  but  others  are  left  who  could, 
if  they  only  would,  tell  many  interesting  stories  of  when 
they  sailed  years  ago  to  the  "rich  ports  of  the  far  East." 
They  would  thus,  in  no  small  degree,  contribute  to  such  a 
record. 

James  S.  Williams,  who  was  mate  of  the  Glide  on  this 
and  on  previous  voyages,  did  not  go  on  the  next  voyage, 
but  remained  at  home  to  take  command  of  the  new  barque 
Jersey,  owned  by  Captain  Bertram,  and  built  by  Edward 
F.  Miller  in  South  Salem.  The  Jersey  was  launched  Dec. 
14,  1868,  and  many  a  Salemite  of  to-day  remembers  that 
event.  After  being  at  home  just  nine  days,  Capt.  Wil- 
liams sailed  from  Salem  March  27,  1869,  for  East  Coast 
of  Africa  ports,  and  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  lose  the 
beautiful  vessel  while  going  into  Tamatave,  Madagascar, 
June  18,  1869.  She  was  a  fine  barque  of  599  tons  regis- 
ter, of  excellent  model,  elegantly  finished,  built  of  the 
best  materials  throughout,  and  fitted  with  modern  im- 
provements. Her  loss  was  a  great  disappointment  to  her 
owner  and  Salem  people,  who  looked  for  her  to  hung  up 
some  fine  records  of  speed. 

Ninth  Voyage. 

The  G-lide  sailed  from  Salem  July  3,  1869.  for  Zanzi- 
bar, William  H.  Hathorne,  master.  Arrived  at  Aden, 
Arabia,  Dec.  8,  via  Madagascar  and  Zanzibar.  Sailed  from 
Aden  Dec.  29,  for  Salem,  via  Zanzibar,  and  arrived  there 
Jan.  17,  1870.  Sailed  for  home  Jan.  24,  passed  Cape 
Good  Hope  Feb.  21,  crossed  the  equator  March  28,  in 
longitude  33.30  west,  and  arrived  at  Salem  April  26,  1870. 

This  was  the  last  arrival  of  the  G-lide  at  Salem,  and 
also  the  last  of  any  Salem  vessel  from  ports  east  of  Cape 
Good  Hope.  Since  then,  however,  there  have  been  sev- 
eral arrivals  from  Calcutta,  with  jute  for  the  Nevins  bag- 


216  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

ging  mills,  notably  the  ship  Memnon,  ship  Prince  Lucien, 
ship  Steinvora,  barque  Chalmette,  barque  Rambler^  and 
barque  Sontag,  but  none  belonged  in  Salem,  and  the  Stein- 
vora and  Prince  Lucien  were  British  iron  ships. 

The  crew  list  of  the  Glide  was  :  William  H.  Hathorne, 
Salem,  master ;  Samuel  G.  Pedrick,  Beverly,  mate ;  Henry 
R.  Boyce,  Boston,  second  mate  ;  James  T.  Martin,  Boston, 
steward  ;  John  Frye,  Boston,  cook  ;  James  L.  McCarthy, 
Boston;  John  Brown,  New  York  ;  Joseph  Jones,  Phila- 
delphia ;  Alexander  Foreman,  Boston  ;  John  Martin,  New 
York;  E.  W.  Moors,  Boston,  seamen;  James  O'Neil  and 
Moses  Mentel,  Boston,  light  hands ;  Thomas  McCormic 
and  Frank  Luscotnb,  Salem,  boys. 

Captain  Hathorne  did  not  sail  again  in  the  Glide,  but 
was  honored  by  Captain  Bertram  in  being  made  comman- 
der of  the  new  barque  Taria  Topan,  in  which  he  sailed 
five  voyages  as  master.  He  next  became  resident  agent 
in  Zanzibar  for  Captain  Bertram,  and  later  was  United 
States  consul  there. 

Cargo — One  rug,  23  frails  dates,  16  bags  coffee,  11  1-2 
gallons  wine,  and  11,720  hides.     Duties,  11,287.38. 

Barque  Sachem. 

The  Glide  was  a  little  more  than  two  months  at  sea 
when  another  fine  vessel  arrived  in  Salem  from  Zanzibar. 
It  was  the  barque  Sachem,  owned  by  Captain  Bertram, 
and  commanded  by  John  Kerivan.  The  Sachem  sailed 
from  Zanzibar  May  8,  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  July  20, 
having  been  off  the  cape  eighteen  days,  with  heavy  west- 
erly gales  ;  touched  at  St.  Helena  Aug.  4 ;  crossed  the 
equator  Aug.  16,  in  longitude  30  W.,  and  arrived  at  Salem 
Sept.  18,  1869. 

The  crew  list  of  the  Sachem  on  this  voyage  was  :  John 
Kerivan,  Salem,  master ;  William  A.  Peterson,  Salem, 
mate,  32  years  of  age  ;  Frank  Burton,  Salem,  second  mate, 
30,  died  at  sea  Feb.  21 ;  Jeremiah  Welch,  Salem,  25  ; 
Charles  Thompson,  Salem,  25 ;  Nicholas  McGrane,  Salem, 
28  ;  Albert  Merritt,  Boston,  32 ;  Charles  Bancroft,  Bos- 
ton, 35  ;  Richard  Evans,  New  York,  31. 

{To  be  continued') 


U-  B 

O       o- 
(5       5 


THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE   WEST 

INDIES. 


By  Francis  B.  C.  Bradlee. 


{Continued  from  Volume  LIX,  page  152. ~) 

"I  advised  hint  to  get  on  board  an  American  vessel, when- 
ever an  opportunity  offered,  and  come  to  the  United  States, 
and  on  his  arrival  direct  a  letter  to  me,  repeating  my 
earnest  desire  to  make  some  return  for  the  disinterested 
friendship  which  he  had  shown  towards  me.  With  the 
Frenchman  I  had  but  little  conversation,  being  unacquaint- 
ed with  the  language. 

"Here  ended  Nickola's  account.  'And  now,'  said  the 
Frenchman,  'our  hearts  be  easy.'  Nickola  observed  he 
had  left  all  and  found  us.  I  gave  them  my  warmest  trib- 
ute of  gratitude,  saying  I  looked  upon  them,  under  God, 
as  the  preservers  of  our  lives,  and  promised  them  all  the 
assistance  my  situation  might  ever  enable  me  to  afford. 
This  brings  me  to 

"Thursday  evening,  7th,  when,  at  11  o'clock,  we  an- 
chored at  the  creek's  mouth,  near  the  Exertion.  I  was 
anxious  to  board  her ;  accordingly  took  with  me  Nickola, 
Thomas,  George,  and  two  others,  well  armed,  each  with  a 
musket  and  cutlass.  I  jumped  on  her  deck,  saw  a  fire  in 
the  camboose,  but  no  person  there  ;  1  called  aloud  Mr. 
Bracket's  name  several  times,  saying,  'It  is  Captain  Lin- 
coln, don't  be  afraid,  but  show  yourself,'  but  no  answer 
was  given.  She  had  no  masts,  spars,  rigging,  furniture, 
provisions,  or  anything  left,  except  her  bowsprit  and  a 
few  barrels  of  salt  provisions  of  her  cargo.  Her  sealing 
had  holes  cut  in  it,  no  doubt  in  their  foolish  search  for 
money.  I  left  her  with  peculiar  emotions,  such  as  I  hope 
never  again  to  experience,  and  returned  to  the  little  sloop, 
where  we  remained  till 

"Friday,  8th.  When  I  had  a  disposition  to  visit  the 
island  on  which  we  were  first  imprisoned.  Found  nothing 
there  ;  saw  a  boat;  among  the  mangroves,  near  the  Exer- 
tion. Returned,  and  got  under  way  immediately  for  Trin- 
idad.    In  the  night,  while  under  full  sail,  run  aground  on 

(217) 


218      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRA.CY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

a  sunken  Key,  having  rocks  above  the  water,  resembling 
old  stumps  of  trees ;  we,  however,  soon  got  off  and  an- 
chored. Most  of  these  Keys  have  similar  rocks  about 
them,  which  navigators  must  carefully  guard  against. 

"Saturday,  9th.  Got  under  way  again,  and  stood  along 
close  in  for  the  main  island  of  Cuba,  in  order  that  if  we 
should  see  the  pirates,  to  take  our  boats  and  go  on  shore. 

"Sunday,  10th.  Saw  the  highlands  of  Trinidad.  At 
night  came  to  anchor  in  sight  of  the  town,  near  a  small 
Key.     Next  morning — 

"Monday,  11th. — Got  under  way — saw  a  brig  at  anchor 
about  five  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  harbor  ;  we  hoped 
to  avoid  her  speaking  us ;  but  when  we  opened  in  sight  of 
her  discovered  a  boat  making  towards  us,  with  a  number 
of  armed  men  in  her.  This  alarmed  my  friends,  and  as 
we  did  not  see  the  brig's  ensign  hoisted,  they  declared  the 
boat  was  a  pirate,  and  looking  through  the  spy-glass, 
thought  they  knew  some  of  them  to  be  the  Mexican's 
men  !  This  state  of  things  was  quite  alarming.  They 
said,  "we  will  not  be  taken  alive  by  them."  Immediately 
the  boat  fired  a  musket ;  the  ball  passed  through  our 
mainsail.  My  friends  insisted  on  beating  them  off.  I 
endeavored  to  dissuade  them,  believing,  as  I  did,  that  the 
brig  was  a  Spanish  man-of-war,  who  had  sent  her  boat  to 
ascertain  who  we  were.  1  thought  we  had  better  heave 
to.  Immediately  another  shot  came.  Then  they  insisted 
on  fighting  and  said,  if  I  would  not  help  them  I  was  no 
friend.  I  reluctantly  acquiesced,  and  handed  up  the 
guns,  commenced  firing  upon  them,  and  they  upon  us. 
We  received  several  shots  through  the  sails,  but  no  one 
was  hurt  on  either  side.  Our  two  boats  had  been  cast 
adrift  to  make  us  go  the  faster,  and  we  gained  upon  them, 
continuing  firing  until  they  turned  from  us  and  went  for 
our  boats,  which  they  took  in  tow  for  the  brig.  Soon 
after  this  it  became  calm ;  then  I  saw  that  she  had  us  in 
her  power.  She  armed  and  manned  two  more  boats  for 
tis.  We  now  concluded,  since  we  had  scarcely  ammuni- 
tion, to  surrender,  and  were  towed  down  alongside  the 
brig,  taken  on  board,  and  were  asked  by  the  captain,  who 
could  speak  English,  'what  for  you  fire  on  the  boat  ?'  I 
told   him  we  thought  her  a  pirate,  and  did  not  like  to  be 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  219 

taken  by  them  again,  having  already  suffered  too  much, 
showing  my  papers.  He  said,  'Capt.  Americana,  never 
mind,  go  and  take  some  dinner — which  are  your  men  V  I 
pointed  them  out  to  him,  and  he  ordered  them  the  liberty 
of  the  decks ;  but  my  friend  Nickola  and  his  three  asso- 
ciates were  immediately  put  in  irons.  They  were,  how- 
ever, afterwards  taken  out  of  irons  and  examined,  and  I 
understood  the  Frenchmen  agreed  to  enlist,  as  they  judged 
it  the  surest  way  to  better  their  condition.  Whether 
Nickola  enlisted  I  do  not  know,  but  think  that  he  did,  as 
I  understood  that  offer  was  made  to  him  ;  I,  however,  en- 
deavored to  explain  more  distinctly  to  the  captain  the 
benevolent  efforts  of  these  four  men  by  whom  my  life  had 
been  saved,  and  used  every  argument  in  my  power  to  pro- 
cure their  discharge.  I  also  applied  to  the  governor,  and 
exerted  myself  with  peculiar  interest,  dictated  as  I  trust 
with  heartfelt  gratitude — and  I  ardently  hope  ere  this 
Nickola  is  on  his  way  to  this  country,  where  I  may  have 
an  opportunity  of  convincing  him  that  such  an  act  of  be- 
nevolence will  not  go  unrewarded.  Previous  to  my  leav- 
ing Trinidad  I  made  all  the  arrangements  in  my  power 
with  my  influential  friends,  and  doubt  not  that  their  laud- 
able efforts  will  be  accomplished.  The  sloop's  cargo  was 
taken  on  board  the  brig,  after  which  the  captain  requested 
a  certificate  that  I  was  politely  treated  by  him,  saying  his 
name  was  Captain  Candama,  of  the  privateer  brig  Pru- 
dentee  of  eighteen  guns.  This  request  I  complied  with. 
His  first  lieutenant  told  me  he  had  sailed  out  of  Boston, 
as  commander  for  T.  C.  Amory,  Esq.,  during  the  last  war. 
In  the  course  of  the  evening  my  friends  were  taken  out 
of  irons  and  examined  separately,  then  put  back  again. 
The  captain  invited  me  to  supper  in  his  cabin,  and  a  berth 
for  the  night,  which  was  truly  acceptable.  The  next 
morning,  after  breakfast,  I  with  my  people  were  set  on 
shore,  with  the  few  things  we  had,  with  the  promise  of 
the  Exertion's  small  boat  in  a  day  or  two.  But  it  was 
never  sent  me — the  reason  let  the  reader  imagine.  On 
landing  at  the  wharf  Casilda  we  were  immediately  taken 
by  soldiers  to  the  guard-house,  which  was  a  very  filthy 
place  ;  thinking,  I  suppose,  and  even  calling  us  pirates. 
Soon  some  friends  came  to  see  me.     Mr.  Cotton,  who  re- 


220      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

sides  there,  brought  us  some  soup.  Mr.  Isaac  W.  Lord, 
of  Boston,  my  merchant,  came  with  Captain  Tate,  who 
sent  immediately  to  the  governor,  for  I  would  not  show 
my  papers  to  any  one  else.  He  came  about  sunset,  and 
after  examining  Manuel,  my  Spanish  fellow-prisoner,  and 
my  papers,  said  to  me,  giving  me  the  papers,  'Captain, 
you  are  at  liberty.'  I  was  kindly  invited  by  Captain 
Matthew  Rice,  of  schooner  Galaxy,  of  Boston,  to  go  on 
board  his  vessel  and  live  with  him  during  my  stay  there. 
This  generous  offer  I  accepted,  and  was  treated  by  him 
with  the  greatest  hospitality,  for  I  was  an  hungered  and 
he  gave  me  meat,  I  was  athirst  and  he  gave  me  drink,  I 
was  naked  and  he  clothed  me,  a  stranger  and  he  took  me 
in.  He  likewise  took  Manuel  and  my  three  men  for  that 
night.  Next  day  Mr.  Lord  rendered  me  all  necessary  as- 
sistance in  making  my  protest.  He  had  heard  nothing 
from  me  until  my  arrival.  I  was  greatly  disappointed  in 
not  finding  Mr,  Bracket,  and  requested  Mr.  Lord  to  give 
him  all  needful  aid  if  he  should  come  there.  To  Captain 
Carnes,  of  the  schooner  Hannah  of  Boston,  I  would  ten- 
der my  sincere  thanks  for  his  kindness  in  giving  me  a 
passage  to  Boston,  which  I  gladly  accepted.  To  those 
gentlemen  of  Trinidad,  and  many  captains  of  American 
vessels,  who  gave  me  sea  clothing,  &c,  I  offer  my  cordial 
gratitude. 

"Captain  Carnes  sailed  from  Trinidad  on  the  20th  of 
February.  Fearing  the  pirates,  we  kept  a  long  distance 
from  the  land  and  two  degrees  to  westward  of  Cape  An- 
tonio. On  our  passage  experienced  several  gales  of  wind, 
in  one  of  which,  while  lying  to,  shipped  a  sea,  which  did 
considerable  injury,  and  swept  a  young  man  overboard 
from  the  pump,  named  Nelson.  We  never  saw  him 
again.  We  arrived  at  Boston  March  25th,  and  when  I 
stepped  upon  the  wharf,  though  much  emaciated,  I  felt 
truly  happy. 

"I  am  fully  of  the  opinion  that  these  ferocious  pirates 
are  linked  in  with  many  inhabitants  of  Cuba,  and  the 
government  in  many  respects  appears  covertly  to  encour- 
age them. 

"It  is  with  heartfelt  delight  that,  since  the  above  narra- 
tive was  written,  I  have  learned  that  Mr.  Bracket  and  his 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.   BRADLEE  221 

companions  are  safe ;  he  arrived  at  Port  d'Esprit,  about 
forty  leagues  east  of  Trinidad.  A  letter  has  been  re- 
ceived from  him,  stating  that  he  should  proceed  to  Trini- 
dad the  first  opportunity.  It  appears  that  after  reaching 
the  wreck,  they  found  a  boat  from  the  shore,  taking  on 
board  some  of  the  Exertion's  cargo,  in  which  they  pro- 
ceeded to  the  above  place.  Why  it  was  not  in  his  power 
to  come  to  our  relief  will  no  doubt  be  satisfactorily  dis- 
closed when  he  may  be  so  fortunate  as  once  more  to 
return  to  his  native  country  and  friends. 

"For  many  months  I  remained  without  any  certain  in- 
formation respecting  the  fate  of  Mr.  Bracket  and  his 
companions.  But  in  the  course  of  the  ensuing  autumn, 
if  I  recollect  right,  Mr.  Bracket  very  unexpectedly  paid 
me  a  visit  at  Hingham,  the  place  of  my  residence.  We 
were  mutually  rejoiced  to  see  each  other  once  more  among 
the  living,  as  for  a  time  at  least  each  had  regarded  the 
other  as  dead.  He  gave  me  an  account  of  his  adventures 
and  of  the  reasons  why  he  did  not  return  to  us.  He 
told  me  that  when  they  left  us  and  put  to  sea,  in  the  mis- 
erable boat  which  we  had  constructed,  they  went  to  the 
Exertion,  and  fortunately  found  a  better  boat,  of  which 
they  took  possession,  and  suffered  the  old  one  to  float 
away,  and  it  accordingly  passed  our  solitary  island  in  its 
random  course,  causing  us  a  great  deal  of  alarm.  From 
the  wreck  they  steered  among  the  keys  to  the  mainland 
of  Cuba,  and  reached  Principe,  the  town  where  my  cargo 
was  sold.  Here  Mr.  Bracket  related  his  tale  of  suffering 
and  requested  assistance  to  rescue  the  remaining  prisoners 
on  the  key.  The  authorities  furnished  him  with  several 
soldiers,  with  whom  he  put  again  to  sea,  with  the  humane 
intention  of  coming  to  relieve  us.  They  had  gone  but  a 
short  distance,  however,  when  the  soldiers  positively  re- 
fused to  go  any  further  and  forced  him  to  return  with 
them  to  Principe  ;  thus  all  his  hopes  of  being  able  to 
rescue  us  were  entirely  extinguished.  A  stranger,  and 
helpless  as  he  was,  it  was  out  of  his  power  to  do  anything 
more,  and  he  could  only  hope  that  we  might  have  been 
saved  in  some  other  way.  Friendless,  without  money, 
and  debilitated  by  recent  suffering,  he  hardly  knew  which 
■way  to  turn.     He  was    desirous    of  reaching   home,  and 


222      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

finally  resolved  to  travel  to  the  north  side  of  Cuba.  After 
a  long  and  tedious  journey,  during  which  he  suffered 
dreadfully  from  the  hard  travelling  and  want  of  necessa- 
ries and  comforts,  he  at  length  arrived  at  Havana,  from 
which  port  he  took  passage  to  Boston.  Thus  the  reasons 
of  his  conduct  were  satisfactorily  explained,  and  my  un- 
certainty respecting  his  fate  happily  terminated. 

"I  felt  great  anxiety  to  learn  what  became  of  Jamieson, 
who,  my  readers  will  recollect,  was  detained  on  board  the 
Spanish  brig  Prudentee,  near  Trinidad.  I  heard  nothing 
from  him,  until  I  believe  about  eighteen  months  after  I 
reached  home  when  I  received  a  letter  from  him,  from  Mon- 
tego  Bay,  Jamaica,  informing  me  that  he  was  then  residing 
in  that  island.  I  immediately  wrote  to  him  and  invited 
him  to  come  on  to  the  United  States.  He  accordingly 
came  on  passenger  with  Capt.  Wilson  of  Cohasset,  and 
arrived  in  Boston  in  August,  1824.  Our  meeting  was 
very  affecting.  Trying  scenes  were  brought  up  before 
us  ;  scenes  gone  forever,  through  which  we  had  passed 
together,  where  our  acquaintance  was  formed,  and  since 
which  time  we  had  never  met.  I  beheld  once  more  the 
preserver  of  my  life,  the  instrument,  under  Providence, 
of  restoring  me  to  my  home,  my  family  and  my  friends, 
and  I  regarded  him  with  no  ordinary  emotion.  My  family 
were  delighted  to  see  him  and  cordially  united  in  giving 
him  a  warm  reception.  He  told  me  that  after  we  sepa- 
rated in  Trinidad,  he  remained  on  board  the  Spanish 
brig.  The  commander  asked  him  and  his  companions  if 
they  would  enlist ;  the  Frenchmen  replied  that  they 
would,  but  he  said  nothing,  being  determined  to  make  his 
escape  the  very  first  opportunity  which  should  present. 
The  Spanish  brig  afterwards  fell  in  with  a  Columbian 
privateer,  an  armed  brig  of  eighteen  guns.  Being  of  equal 
force,  they  gave  battle,  and  fought  between  three  and 
four  hours.  Both  parties  were  very  much  injured,  and,, 
without  any  considerable  advantage  on  either  side,  both 
drew  off  to  make  repairs.  The  Spanish  brig  Prudentee 
put  into  St.  Jago  de  Cuba.  Jamieson  was  wounded  in 
the  action  by  a  musket  ball  through  his  arm,  and  was 
taken  on  shore,  with  the  other  wounded,  and  placed  in 
the  hospital  at  St.  Jago.     Here  he  remained  for  a  consid- 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  223- 

erable  time,  until  he  had  nearly  recovered,  when  he  found 
an  opportunity  of  escaping  and  embarked  for  Jamaica. 
He  arrived  in  safety  at  Kingston,  and  from  there  traveled 
barefoot  over  the  mountains,  until,  very  much  exhausted,, 
he  reached  Montego  Bay,  where  he  had  friends,  and 
where  one  of  his  brothers  possessed  some  property.  From 
this  place  he  afterwards  wrote  to  me.  He  told  me  that 
before  he  came  to  Massachusetts  he  saw  the  villainous- 
pilot  of  the  Mexican,  the  infamous  Baltizar,  with  several 
other  pirates,  brought  into  Montego  Bay,  from  whence 
they  were  to  be  conveyed  to  Kingston  to  be  executed. 
Whether  the  others  were  part  of  the  Mexican's  crew  or 
not  I  do  not  know.  Baltizar  was  an  old  man,  and,  as 
Jamieson  said,  it  was  a  melancholy  and  heart-rending 
sight  to  see  him  borne  to  execution  with  those  gray  hairs, 
which  might  have  been  venerable  in  virtuous  old  age, 
now  a  shame  and  reproach  to  this  hoary  villain,  for  he  was 
full  of  years  and  old  in  iniquity.  When  Jamieson  re- 
ceived the  letter  which  I  wrote,  he  immediately  embarked 
with  Capt.  Wilson  and  came  to  Boston,  as  I  have  before 
observed. 

"According  to  his  own  account,  he  was  of  a  very  re- 
spectable family  in  Greenock,  Scotland.  His  father 
when  living,  was  a  rich  cloth  merchant,  but  both 
his  father  and  mother  had  been  dead  many  years.  He  was 
the  youngest  of  thirteen  children,  and  being,  as  he  said* 
of  a  roving  disposition,  had  always  followed  the  seas. 
He  had  received  a  polite  education,  and  was  of  a  very 
gentlemanly  deportment.  He  spoke  several  living  lan- 
guages, and  was  skilled  in  drawing  and  painting.  He  had 
travelled  extensively  in  different  countries,  and  acquired 
in  consequence  an  excellent  knowledge  of  their  manners 
and  customs.  His  varied  information  (for  hardly  any 
subject  escaped  him)  rendered  him  a  very  entertaining 
companion.  His  observations  on  the  character  of  differ- 
ent nations  were  very  liberal,  marking  their  various  traits* 
their  virtues  and  vices,  with  playful  humorousness,  quite 
free  from  bigotry  or  narrow  prejudice. 

"He  was  in  France  during  the  disturbance  between 
France  and  England,  when  all  British  subjects  whatever 
in  France  were  detained  prisoners  of  war.     He  was  one 


224      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

who  was  thus  compelled  to  remain  a  prisoner  to  Napoleon. 
He  was  there  at  the  time  of  Napoleon's  memorable  expe- 
dition to  Russia,  and  saw  the  splendid  troops  of  the 
Emperor  when  they  left  delightful  France  to  commence 
their  toilsome  and  fatal  journey,  and  also  the  remnant 
when  they  returned,  broken  down,  dispirited,  haggard  and 
wan,  their  garments  hanging  about  them  in  tatters,  and 
hardly  life  enough  in  them  to  keep  soul  and  body  together. 
The  particulars  respecting  this  period  he  could  communi- 
cate with  the  minuteness  of  an  eye-witness,  which  conse- 
quently rendered  them  very  interesting.  During  the  first 
part  of  his  residence  in  France  he  was  supported  by  re- 
mittances from  his  father  and  allowed  the  liberty  of  the 
city  of  Valenciennes,  a  gentleman  there  being  bound  for 
his  good  behavior.  He  thus  had  an  opportunity  of  visit- 
ing and  becoming  acquainted  with  the  inhabitants.  He 
lived  in  this  manner  several  years.  At  length  aroused,  as 
he  said,  by  the  consciousness  that  he  was  spending  the 
best  days  of  his  life  in  idleness,  he  formed  the  determina- 
tion to  try  and  make  his  escape  from  the  country.  He 
honorably  released  the  gentleman  who  was  bound  for  him 
from  his  obligation,  frankly  telling  him  that  he  should 
run  away  the  first  opportunity.  From  this  time  he  was 
alternately  arrested  and  imprisoned,  and  by  various  strata- 
gems effected  his  escape,  until  he  had  been  placed  in 
ninety-three  different  prisons.  During  his  wanderings  he 
climbed  the  Alps,  and  visited  the  famous  passage,  cut 
through  the  solid  rocks  by  Hannibal,  which,  as  he  said, 
was  of  sufficient  magnitude  to  admit  a  large  loaded  wagon 
to  pass  through.  From  his  long  residence  in  France  he 
had  learned  to  speak  the  French  language  with  a  facility 
almost  equal  to  a  native.  The  charm  of  his  conversation 
and  manners  drew  people  around  him,  they  hardly  knew 
how  or  why. 

"I  was  in  trade  between  Boston  and  Philadelphia  at  the 
time  he  came  to  Massachusetts,  and  he  sailed  with  me 
several  trips  as  my  mate.  He  afterwards  went  to  Cuba, 
and  was  subsequently  engaged  in  the  mackerel  fishery  out 
of  the  port  of  Hingham  during  the  warm  season,  and  in 
the  winter  frequently  employed  himself  in  teaching  navi- 
gation to  young  men,  for  which  he  was    eminently  quali- 


BY  FRANCIS   B.   C.   BRADLEE  225 

fied.  He  remained  with  us  until  his  death,  which  took 
place  in  1829.  At  this  time  he  had  been  out  at  sea  two 
or  three  days,  when  he  was  taken  sick  and  was  carried 
into  Cape  Cod,  where  he  died,  on  the  first  day  of  May, 
1829,  and  there  his  remains  lie  buried.  Peace  be  to  his 
ashes  !  They  rest  in  a  strange  land,  far  from  his  kindred 
and  his  native  country. 

"Since  his  death  I  have  met  with  Mr.  Stewart  in  Phila- 
delphia, who  was  commercial  agent  in  Trinidad  at  the 
time  of  my  capture.  He  informed  me  that  the  piratical 
schooner  Mexican  was  afterwards  chased  by  an  English 
government  vessel,  from  Jamaica,  which  was  cruising  in 
search  of  it.  Being  hotly  pursued,  the  pirates  deserted 
their  vessel  and  fled  to  the  mangrove  bushes,  on  an  island 
similar  to  that  on  which  they  had  placed  me  and  my  crew 
to  die.  The  English  surrounded  them,  and  thus  they 
were  cut  off  from  all  hope  of  escape.  They  remained 
there,  I  think,  fourteen  days,  when,  being  almost  entirely 
subdued  by  famine,  eleven  surrendered  themselves  and 
were  taken.  The  others  probably  perished  among  the 
mangroves.  The  few  who  were  taken  were  carried  by 
the  government  vessel  into  Trinidad.  Mr.  Stewart  said 
that  he  saw  them  himself,  and  such  miserable  objects  that 
had  life  he  never  before  beheld.  They  were  in  a  state  of 
starvation ;  their  beards  had  grown  to  a  frightful  length, 
their  bodies  were  covered  with  filth  and  vermin,  and  their 
countenances  were  hideous.  From  Trinidad  they  were 
taken  to  Kingston,  Jamaica,  and  there  hung.  Thus  there 
is  every  reason  to  believe  that  this  horde  of  monsters  was 
at  last  broken  up  and  dispersed." 

By  1824  piracy  in  West  Indian  waters  had  been  sup- 
pressed to  a  great  extent,  and  although  sporadic  attacks 
were  made  for  some  years  more  on  attractive  merchant- 
men, yet  they  were  as  nothing  in  number  and  frequency 
compared  with  the  wholesale  murder  and  pillage  practiced 
with  impunity  a  few  years  before. 

Commodore  Porter  determined  to  take  his  fever-stricken 
squadron  to  recuperate  in  a  cooler  climate,  and  after  an 
absence  of  several  months  returned  to  his  station.  This 
absence  tended  to  revive  somewhat  the  drooping  spirits 
of  the  freebooters.     There    was    a   secret    association  of 


226      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

desperadoes  with  some  of  the  merchants  and  custom 
house  officers,  most  of  the  latter  being  natives  of  old 
Spain,  intent  only  on  making  their  fortunes  and  greedy 
and  rapacious  beyond  imagination.  They  prevailed  on  the 
Spanish  authorities,  some  of  whose  high  officials,  it  is  be- 
lieved, were  not  above  accepting  bribes,  to  refuse  the 
American  naval  forces  the  privilege  of  pursuing  the 
pirates  in  Spanish  territory  ;  but  even  so,  the  latter  found 
themselves  no  longer  able  to  arm  and  equip  many  formi- 
dable vessels. 

As  soon  as  the  United  States  fleet  returned  to  its  for- 
mer cruising  ground,  the  little  "mosquito  fleet"  resumed 
the  arduous  work  of  scouring  the  coasts,  convoying  mer- 
chant vessels,  and  destroying  all  suspected  haunts  of 
pirates. 

Before  the  fleet  left  for  the  north,  during  the  autumn 
of  1823,  the  barge  "Gnat"  returned  from  a  most  arduous 
cruise  among  the  keys  north  of  Cuba  in  search  of  piratical 
establishments. 

While  at  Cayo  Roman,  midshipman  Hunter  was  cap- 
tured by  a  gang  of  desperadoes  while  on  his  way  to  buy 
some  provisions.  The  pirates  took  him  some  distance 
away,  but  released  him  at  night.  Lieutenant  Freelons,. 
commanding  the  "Gnat,"  seized  all  the  boats  he  could 
find,  blockaded  the  island,  and  remained  there  six  days 
without  capturing  any  of  them.  He,  however,  managed 
to  destroy  three  large  row  galleys,  fitted  with  masts  and 
sails,  belonging  to  the  pirates,  together  with  a  large  quan- 
tity of  arms  and  ammunition  they  had  left  behind  in 
their  hasty  retreat. 

This  particular  gang  was  organized  under  the  leadership 
of  one  Antonio  El  Majorcam,  a  notorious  freebooter,  said 
at  one  time  to  have  been  an  officer  in  the  Spanish  navy. 
He  subsequently  became  a  highwayman  on  shore.  In* 
August,  1824,  Lieutenant  Paine,  in  the  schooner  "Ter- 
rier," captured  a  launch  with  eight  men  just  after  they 
had  plundered  a  French  barque,  which  he  recaptured  from 
them  off  Havana.  Lieutenant  C.  W.  Skinner,  commanding 
the  schooner  "Porpoise,"  at  Matanzas,  on  Oct.  20th,  1824, 
secretly  sent  a  boat  expedition  from  his  vessel,in  command 
of  Lieutenant  Hunter,  to  examine  the  adjacent  bays  and 


BY  FRANCIS  B.   C.   BRADLEE  227 

inlets,  long  notorious  as  retreats  of  pirates.  Two  days 
after  Lieutenant  Hunter  returned  with  a  piratical  schooner 
mounting  a  twelve-pound  brass  pivot  gun,  a  large  new  row 
galley,  and  ten  smaller  row  boats  ;  one  of  these  was  cap- 
tured with  three  men  on  board.  They  stated  that  their 
vessel  had  been  taken  by  armed  men,  who  had  given  them 
that  boat  in  exchange,  with  a  promise  of  returning  in  a 
few  days.  The  next  day  he  discovered  a  suspicious 
schooner  standing  to  sea  in  chase  of  another  vessel  in 
sight.  On  his  approach  the  schooner  tacked  and  stood  in 
for  the  shore,  closely  pursued  by  the  boats.  The  crew 
abandoned  the  schooner  and  fled  to  the  woods,  where  they 
were  sought  for,  but  unsuccessfully.  The  schooner  proved 
to  be  a  pirate  mounting  the  usual  pivot  brass  heavy  gun 
and  small  arms. 

From  the  number  of  valuable  nautical  instruments, 
trunks  of  clothing,  rigging,  and  sails,  three  United  States 
flags,  and  from  the  stains  of  blood  on  the  articles  on  board, 
she  must  have  robbed  several  vessels  and  murdered  their 
crews.  No  papers  were  discovered  which  could  lead  to 
the  identification  of  the  vessel  or  vessels  captured.  Sev- 
eral articles  of  clothing  were  marked  "Captain  Shaw," 
quite  a  few  had  the  initials  "A.  S."  embroidered  on  them. 
A  bag,  on  which  was  painted  "Brig  'Morning  Star's'  Let- 
ter bag"  ;  a  card  marked  "Mrs.  Loris's  boarding  house, 
Charleston,  So.  Ca.",  and  several  other  articles,  were 
found.  The  three  prisoners  were  sent  to  Matanzas,  to- 
gether with  the  blood-stained  relics.  The  schooner  her- 
self was  manned  and  cruised  as  a  decoy,  but  piracy  had 
largely  ceased  in  that  neighborhood,  and  thenceforth  only 
asserted  itself  on  very  favorable  opportunities. 

President  James  Munroe,  in  his  message  to  Congress, 
dated  December  1st,  1824,*  paid  high  compliments  to  the 
navy  in  his  references  to  their  services  in  suppressing 
piracy  : 

"The  activity,  zeal  and  enterprise  of  our  officers  and 
men  have  continued  to  command  approbation.  All  the 
vessels  have  been  kept   uniformly  and    busily  employed, 

*Messages  and  State  Papers  of  James  Munroe,   Fifth  President  of 
the  United  States. 


228      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

where  the  danger  was  believed  to  be  greatest,  except  for 
short  periods,  when  the  flag  officer  (Commodore  Porter) 
supposed  it  necessary  that  they  should  return  to  the 
United  States  to  receive  provisions,  repairs  and  men,  and 
for  other  objects  essential  to  their  health,  comfort  and 
efficiency. 

"No  complaints  have  reached  the  Navy  Department  of 
injury  from  privateers  of  Porto  Rico  or  any  other  Spanish 
possessions,  nor  have  our  cruisers  found  any  violating  our 
rights.  A  few  small  piratical  vessels  and  some  boats  have 
been  taken,  and  establishments  broken  up,  and  much 
salutary  protection  afforded  our  commerce.  The  force 
employed,  however,  has  been  too  small  constantly  to  watch 
every  part  of  a  coast  so  extensive  as  that  of  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  and  some  piratical  depredations  have  therefore 
been  committed,  but  they  are  of  a  character,  though  per- 
haps not  less  bloody  and  fatal  to  the  sufferers,  yet  differ- 
ing widely  from  those  which  first  excited  the  sympathy  of 
the  public  and  exertions  of  the  Federal  Administration. 
There  are  few,  if  any,  piratical  vessels  of  large  size  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Cuba,  and  none  are  now  seen  at  a 
distance  from  the  land.  But  the  pirates  conceal  them- 
selves, with  their  boats,  in  small  creeks,  bays  and  inlets, 
and  finding  vessels  becalmed,  or  in  a  defenceless  situation, 
assail  and  destroy  them.  When  discovered,  they  readily 
and  safely  retreat  into  the  country,  where  our  forces  can- 
not follow,  and  by  the  plunder  which  they  have  obtained, 
and  which  they  sell  at  prices  low  and  tempting  to  the 
population,  and  by  the  apprehensions  which  they  are  able 
to  create  in  those  who  would  otherwise  give  information, 
they  remain  secure,  and  mingle  at  pleasure  in  the  business 
of  the  towns  and  transactions  of  society,  and  acquire  all 
the  information  necessary  to  accomplish  their  purposes. 

"Against  such  a  system  no  naval  force  can  afford  com- 
plete security,  unless  aided  by  the  cordial,  unwavering  and 
energetic  co-operation  which  would  render  their  lurking 
places  on  land  unsafe,  and  make  punishment  the  certain 
consequence  of  detection.  Unless  this  co-operation  be 
obtained,  additional  means  ought  to  be  intrusted  to  the 
Executive,  to  be  used  in  such  manner  as  experience  may 
dictate." 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.   BRADLEE  229 

Shortly  after  this  message  was  read  news  was  received 
from  Commodore  Porter  that  he  had  punished  the  Span- 
ish authorities  at  Foxardo,  Porto  Rico,  for  their  ill-con- 
cealed hostility  to  the  American  naval  officers  engaged  in 
suppressing  piracy.  His  act  was  disapproved  by  the 
President  and  his  cabinet,  with  subsequent  serious  results, 
for  after  Commodore  Porter  was  relieved,  the  zeal  of  the 
navy  naturally  received  a  cold  douche.  The  pirates  and 
their  friends  were  not  long  in  perceiving  this,  and  tempo- 
rarily resumed  their  operations,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  fol- 
lowing pages. 

Commodore  Porter's  official  report  of  his  conflict  with 
the  Spanish  authorities  was  as  follows : 

"United  States  Corvette  'John  Adams', 

"Passage  Island,  November  15th,  1824. 

"Sir :  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that,  on  my 
arrival  at  St.  Thomas  I  was  informed  that  Lieutenant 
Commandant  C.  T.  Piatt,  of  the  United  States  schooner 
'Beagle',  who  had  visited  Foxardo,  a  town  on  the  east 
coast  of  Porto  Rico,  about  two  miles  from  the  sea,  for 
the  purpose  of  making  inquiries  respecting  a  quantity  of 
dry  goods  supposed  to  have  been  deposited  there  by 
pirates,  was,  after  being  recognized  as  an  American  officer 
by  the  proper  authorities,  there  imprisoned  and  shame- 
fully treated. 

"Indignant  at  the  outrages  which  have  so  repeatedly 
been  heaped  upon  us  by  the  authorities  of  Porto  Rico,  I 
proceeded  to  this  place,  where  I  left  the  flagship  (the 
'John  Adams'),  and,  taking  with  me  the  schooners  'Gram- 
pus' and  'Beagle'  and  the  boats  of  the  'John  Adams', 
with  Captain  Dallas  and  part  of  his  officers,  seamen  and 
marines,  proceeded  to  the  port  of  Foxardo,  where,  finding 
preparations  were  making  to  fire  on  us  from  the  shore 
batteries,  I  sent  a  party  of  seamen  and  marines  to  spike 
the  guns,  which  was  done  in  a  few  minutes,  as  the  Span- 
iards fled  on  the  landing  of  the  party. 

"I  then  landed  with  200  seamen  and  marines  and 
marched  to  the  town,  spiking  on  the  way  the  guns  of  a 
small  battery  placed  for  the  defence  of  a  pass  on  the  road, 
and  reached  the  town  in  thirty  minutes  after  landing.  I 
found  them  prepared  for  defence,  as  they  had  received  in- 


230      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

formation  from  St.Thomas  of  my  intentions  of  visiting  the 
place.  I  halted  about  pistol-shot  from  their  forces  drawn  up 
on  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  and  sent  in  a  flag  requiring  the 
alcade,  or  governor,  with  the  captain  of  the  port,  the 
principal  offenders,  to  come  to  me  to  make  atonement  for 
the  outrage,  giving  them  an  hour  to  deliberate. 

"They  appeared  accordingly,  and  after  begging  pardon 
(in  the  presence  of  all  the  officers)  of  the  officer  who  had 
been  insulted,  and  expressing  great  penitence,  I  permitted 
them  to  return  to  the  town,  on  their  promising  to  respect 
all  American  officers  who  may  visit  them  hereafter. 

"We  then  returned  to  the  vessels  and  left  the  harbor, 
after  being  at  anchor  about  three  hours.  As  we  were 
getting  under  weigh,  a  number  of  persons  appeared  on  the 
beach  bearing  a  white  flag,  and  having  with  them  some  bul- 
locks and  a  number  of  horses  apparently  laden — no  doubt  a 
present  from  the  authorities  of  the  place,  which  they  in- 
formed me  they  should  send  me.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
our  persons  and  our  flag  will  be  more  respected  hereafter 
than  they  have  been  by  the  authorities  of  Porto  Rico. 

"Every  officer  and  man  on  this  occasion  conducted 
themselves  in  a  manner  to  meet  my  entire  approbation. 

"I  am,  with  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

"D.  Porter. 

"Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
Washington  City." 

This  report,  though  it  was  evidently  in  harmony  with 
the  expressed  wishes  of  the  administration,  produced  an 
order  relieving  Porter  of  his  command.  As  usual,  there 
were  "wheels  within  wheels",  and  the  question  of  up- 
holding the  honor  of  one's  flag  and  country  became  inex- 
tricably mixed  with  politics,  some,  if  not  most  of  the 
latter  being  of  a  not  very  high  order. 

In  passing  it  is,  perhaps,  not  uninteresting  to  wonder 
what  would  happen  to  the  unfortunate  naval  officer,  say, 
in  the  year  of  grace  1924,  a  century  after  the  events  re- 
lated above,  should  he  undertake  to  resent  in  like  manner 
an  insult  to  the  United  States  flag.  He  would  lose  his 
commission,  that  goes  without  saying,  but  he  would  be 
extraordinarily  lucky  if  a  worse  fate  did  not  befall  him. 
Commodore  Porter  was  court-martialed  for  overstepping 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.    BRADLEE  231 

his  authority  and  doing  that  for  which,  in  any  other 
country,  he  would  have  been  promoted  and  highly  honored. 

The  commodore  and  his  friends  asserted,  and  it  is 
thought  not  entirely  without  reason,  that  the  court  was 
"packed"  with  his  personal  and  political  enemies,  and  it 
must  be  remembered  that  a  century  ago  political  feeling 
ran  high,  and  gentlemen,  especially  officers  of  the  army 
and  navy,  were  held  accountable  for  their  words.  Duels 
were  frequent,  and  an  incident  not  wholly  unlike  Commo- 
dore Porter's  case  led  to  the  famous  encounter  between 
Commodores  Barron  and  Decatur,  which  resulted  in  the 
latter's  death. 

The  result  of  the  court-martial  so  deeply  wounded  the 
feelings  of  Commodore  Porter  that  he  immediately  re- 
signed from  the  navy.  He  afterwards  entered  the  service 
of  Mexico  as  admiral,  and  served  with  brilliant  success 
against  the  Spaniards,  but  he  resigned  after  the  Mexicans 
bad  been  relieved  of  external  foes  and  returned  home. 
Later  in  his  life  he  received  several  appointments  in  the 
United  States  diplomatic  service,  and  finally  as  minister  to 
Turkey,  where  he  died  March  3d,  1843. 

David  Porter  was  born  in  Boston,  February  1st,  1780  ; 
he  was  appointed  midshipman  in  the  navy  April  16th, 
1798  ;  lieutenant,  October  8th,  1799  ;  master  comman- 
dant, April  20th,  1806;  captain,  July  2d,  1812.  His 
father,  Captain  David,  commanded  a  Boston  merchant 
ship,  and  was  actively  engaged  in  the  Revolution,  when 
he  attained  the  rank  of  lieutenant  in  the  Continental  navy. 
After  the  peace  in  1783,  the  elder  Porter  removed  to  Bal- 
timore, and  engaging  in  the  West  India  trade,  introduced 
his  son  to  the  naval  career  at  the  age  of  sixteen. 

Young  Porter  served  in  the  frigate  "  Constellation", 
in  her  famous  action  with  the  "Insurgente",  in  February 
1799,  during  our  war  with  France;  his  good  conduct  in 
the  action  and  in  securing  the  prize,  caused  his  promotion 
soon  after. 

In  January,  1800,  he  was  wounded  in  an  engagement 
with  a  pirate  off  San  Domingo ;  in  August,  1801,  Lieu- 
tenant Porter  was  made  executive  officer  of  the  schooner 
"Enterprise",  which  captured  a  Tripolitan  cruiser  of  su- 
perior force. 


232      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

While  first  lieutenant  of  the  frigate  "New  York",  the 
the  flagship  of  the  Mediterranean  squadron,  he  command- 
ed a  boat  expedition  which  destroyed  several  feluccas 
laden  with  wheat,  under  the  batteries  of  Tripoli,  and  was 
again  wounded. 

Lieutenant  Porter  was  then  transferred  to  the  unfortu- 
nate frigate  "Philadelphia",  which  was  captured  while 
aground  in  the  harbor  of  Tripoli,  in  October,  1803 ;  he 
was  eighteen  months  a  prisoner,  and  on  his  release  he  was 
promoted  to  the  command  of  the  schooner  "Enterprise". 
While  in  command  of  her,  in  1806,  Porter  severely  pun- 
ished twelve  Spanish  gunboats  that  rashly  attacked  him 
while  in  sight  of  Gibraltar.  Appointed  to  the  command 
of  the  small  frigate  "Essex",  32  guns,  Captain  Porter 
sailed  from  New  York  on  what  was  to  be  one  of  the  most 
famous  cruises  ever  undertaken  by  a  United  States  man- 
of-war,  July  3d,  1812. 

He  soon  made  several  valuable  captures  :  H.  B.  M.  ship 
sloop  "Alert"  of  20  guns — the  first  ship  of  war  taken  in  our 
second  war  with  Great  Britain — on  December  12th,  the 
"Essex"  captured  the  British  post  office  packet  "Nocton", 
with  specie  to  the  amount  of  155,000  on  board  ;  and,  at 
the  close  of  January,  1813,  the  future  Commodore  Porter 
sailed  for  the  Pacific,  where  he  played  havoc  among  the 
British  trading  and  whaling  fleet. 

Nevertheless,  on  March  28th,  1814,  the  "Essex"  and 
her  commander  were  captured,  after  a  severe  fight,  in 
the  neutral  port  of  Valparaiso,  by  the  British  frigate 
"Phoebe",  36  guns,  and  sloop  "Cherub",  28  guns.  Captain 
Porter  published  a  narrative  of  this  remarkable  cruise  in 
1822.  From  1815  to  1823  he  was  one  of  the  navy  com- 
missioners, which  office  he  resigned,  as  has  been  seen,  to 
accept  the  command  of  the  fleet  in  West  Indian  waters. 
David  Porter  had  positive  and  stirring  qualities,  was  fer- 
tile in  resources,  combined  with  great  energy  ;  excessive, 
and,  sometimes,  not  over-scrupulous  ambition.  He  was 
impressed  with  and  boastful  of  his  own  powers,  given  to 
exaggeration  in  relation  to  himself.  Not  too  generous  to 
older  and  superior  living  officers,  Commodore  Porter  was 
brave,  daring,  and  endowed  with  the  qualities  that  go  to 
make  up  a  great  naval  leader. 


UJ     z 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.    BRADLEE  233 

He  was  the  father  of  David  D.  Porter,  who  played  such 
a  prominent  part  in  the  naval  history  of  the  Civil  war, 
and  was,  after  the  death  of  Admiral  Farragut  in  1870, 
made,  in  his  turn,  admiral  of  the  navy,  a  position  he  held 
until  his  death  in  1891  ;  another  brother,  Commodore 
William  Porter,  distinguished  himself  on  the  western 
rivers  during  the  war  of  Secession,  his  death  in  1864 
being  the  result  of  severe  injuries  caused  by  the  bursting 
of  a  boiler.  It  cannot,  however,  be  said  that  the  later 
Porters  were  as  popular  as  their  father ;  they  were  too 
much  given  to  self -appreciation  at  the  expense  of  others  ; 
David  D.,  especially,  from  having  been  an  intimate  friend 
of  General  Grant,  became  in  his  later  years  on  "official" 
terms  only  with  the  latter,  the  result,  it  is  said,  of  a  back- 
biting letter  written  to  Secretary  of  the  Navy  Welles  by 
Admiral  Porter  while  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  was  in  pro- 
gress. 

After  the  recall  of  Commodore  Porter,  Captain  Lewis 
Warrington,  U.  S.  N.,  succeeded  to  the  command  of  the 
squadron,  which,  during  1825,  consisted  of  the  frigate 
"Constellation",  corvette  "John  Adams",  brigs  "Hornet" 
and  "Spark",  schooners  "Grampus",  "Shark",  "Fox", 
"Ferret",  "Jackal",  the  steamer  "Sea  Gull",  store-ship 
"Decoy",  and  the  barges.  The  "Ferret"  was  capsized  in 
a  sudden  squall  on  February  4th,  1825,  off  the  coast  of 
Cuba  ;  five  of  her  crew  were  drowned  and  the  vessel  sunk. 
Turning  back  a  few  months,  before  the  events  related 
above  had  taken  place,  the  Salem  Gazette  for  January 
23d,  1824,  reported  the  following  act  of  piracy  : 

"Capt.  Labonisse  arrived  at  New  York,  22  days  from 
Domingo  City,  informs  that  a  small  schooner  was  fitted 
out  at  that  place,  to  go  in  quest  of  the  pirates  who  robbed 
the  brigantine  'William  Henry'  of  Salem.* 

"The  governor  furnished  men,  arms,  ammunition  and 
money.  After  being  out  12  days,  the  schooner  returned 
with  18  pirates,  a  considerable  quantity  of  hides,  coffee  and 
indigo,  and  some  cash,  found  on  the  island    of  Saona,    25 

*The  only  brigantine  "William  Henry"  to  be  found  in  the 
Salem  Ship  Register  was  an  old  vessel  of  166  tons,  built  at  Kingston, 
Mass.,  in  1784.  Registered  at  Salem,  July  15th,  1790;  William  Gray, 
Jr.,  owner;  Thomas  West,  master. 


234      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

leagues  to  windward  of  St.  Domingo,  and  it  was  expected 
they  (the  pirates)  would  receive  the  punishment  due  their 
crimes." 

The  same  paper  for  April  1st,  1824,  contains  an  ex- 
citing tale  of  marine  highway  robbery  : 

"The  brig  'Echo',  Blanchard,  of  Portland,  Maine,  25 
days  from  St.  Croix,  has  arrived  at  N.  Y.  Capt.  Blan- 
chard reports  that  on  the  17th  inst.,  in  lat.  31.50,  long.  73, 
he  saw  a  vessel  at  the  eastward,  bearing  down  upon  the 
'Echo',  which  had  all  sail  set  she  could  carry.  At  mid- 
night the  strange  vessel  passed  the  stern  of  the  'Echo', 
put  about  and  stood  towards  her.  It  was  soon  found  that 
she  outsailed  the  'Echo',  and  at  1  o'clock  A.  M.  she  came 
within  pistol  shot,  fired  two  muskets  into  her,  and  ordered 
the  captain  to  come  to  and  send  his  boat  on  board,  which 
being  done,  the  boat  soon  returned,  full  of  armed  men,  to 
the  number  of  about  fifteen. 

"When  the  boat  came  alongside,  they  demanded  of  the 
captain  his  papers.  They  inquired  as  to  the  longitude 
they  were  in,  and  demanded  if  there  was  any  money  on 
board.  The  'Echo's'  crew  were  then  driven  into  the 
forecastle,  and  the  pirates  began  breaking  open  all  the 
chests  in  the  cabin,  and  all  in  the  brig,  taking  away  all 
the  clothes  they  could  find.  Three  trunks  belonging  to 
the  cargo  were  also  broken  and  plundered.  They  likewise 
took  away  the  new  foresail,  which  was  bent,  a  new  jib, 
two  steering  sails,  etc.,  a  quantity  of  spare  rigging,  blocks, 
etc.  Much  more  they  destroyed.  They  further  took  a 
spare  topmast,  several  other  spars,  and  would  have  taken 
the  cargo  had  it  not  been  for  a  squall  which  came  on  and 
obliged  them  to  take  to  their  own  ship,  which  they  did, 
keeping  a  small  boat  and  oars. 

"Two  of  the  'Echo's'  crew  were  kept  on  board  the 
pirate  while  the  plundering  was  going  on.  They  described 
the  vessel  as  a  full-rigged  brig,  mounting  30  6-pounders 
and  a  long  18  amidships.  The  decks  were  full  of  men, 
apparently  Spaniards  for  the  most  part." 

A  few  months  later  the  Salem  Gazette  again  recorded 
an  act  of  piracy,  as  follows : 

"September  20th,  1824. 

"N.  Y.  papers  of  Sept.  8th  contain  an   account  of  the 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  235 

recapture  of  the  brig  'Henry',  of  Hartford  (Conn.),  from 
the  pirates,  by  a  launch  fitted  out  for  the  purpose  by 
Capt.  Graham,  R.  N.,  of  H.  B.  M.  frigate  'Icarus',  and 
the  capture  of  two  piratical  vessels  of  Cayo  Blanco,  in 
the  Bay  of  Honda.  The  pirates  all  escaped  but  six,  who 
were  shot  in  the  attempt.  The  pirates,  it  is  stated,  had 
previously  captured  12  vessels,  burnt  them  to  the  water's 
edge,  and  murdered  their  crews." 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1825,  Lieutenant  Sloat,  in  com- 
mand of  the  schooner  "Grampus",  heard  of  a  piratical 
sloop  in  the  vicinity  of  the  island  of  St.  Thomas.  He 
fitted  out  a  merchant  sloop,  with  a  lieutenant,  a  midship- 
man (Andrew  Hull  Foote,  of  whom  mention  will  be  made 
later),  and  23  men,  in  pursuit.  The  pirate,  not  suspect- 
ing the  real  character  of  this  vessel,  came  alongside  and 
opened  fire.  Sloat  and  his  men  returned  shot  for  shot 
with  a  twelve-pound  carronade  (a  type  of  gun  very  suc- 
cessful at  short  range),  and  after  a  hot  fight  of  some  forty- 
five  minutes,  the  pirates  beached  their  craft  to  escape  by 
land.  Two  of  them  were  killed,  and,  strange  to  relate, 
ten  more  were  captured  by  the  Spanish  soldiers  after 
they  had  landed.  The  notorious  pirate  chief  Cofrecina 
was  amongst  those  captured,  all  of  whom  were  executed 
by  the  terrible  "garrote"  method  in  Porto  Rico. 

Midshipman  Andrew  Hull  Foote,  who  was  to  have  such 
a  distinguished  career  in  the  Civil  war,  then  a  young  man 
of  sixteen  (he  received  his  midshipman's  warrant  in 
1822),  behaved  in  a  particularly  gallant  and  brilliant 
manner  in  this  engagement.  He  was  born  at  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  September  12th,  1806,  and  was  the  son  of 
Governor  S.  A.  Foote  ;  owing  to  his  distinguished  services 
in  the  long  and  hard  contest  of  the  West  India  squadron 
against  the  pirates,  Midshipman  Foote  was  advanced  to 
the  grade  of  lieutenant,  May  27th,  1830.  In  those  days 
the  navy  was  small,  and  there  was  no  retired  list  for  the 
senior  officers  ;  the  result  being  that  in  the  junior  grades 
promotion  was  practically  stagnant,  to  the  great  detriment 
of  the  service,  and  so  it  was  not  until  December  19th, 
1852,  that  Foote,  the  future  hero  of  the  Civil  war,  at- 
tained the  rank  of  commander.  While  stationed  at  the 
naval  asylum,  1811-43,    he   prevailed   upon  many  of  the 


236      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

inmates  to  give  up  their  spirit  rations ;  being  one  of  the 
first  to  introduce  the  principle  of  total  abstinence  from 
intoxicating  drinks  in  the  navy,  and  continued  this  effort 
in  the  "Cumberland"  in  1843-45,  besides  delivering  every 
Sunday  an  extemporaneous  sermon  to  the  crew.  In  1849- 
52,  in  command  of  the  brig  "Perry",  he  was  on  the 
African  coast,  successfully  engaged  in  suppressing  the 
slave  trade,  and  published  a  book  on  the  subject,  "Africa 
and  the  American  Flag."  Although  Admiral  Foote  pos- 
sessed sterling  qualities  and  the  highest  professional  at- 
tainments, it  is  to  be  doubted  whether  he  was  a  cheerful 
companion  among  a  few  officers  cooped  up  for  months  on 
a  small  vessel.  This  feeling  cropped  out  in  a  diary  kept 
by  one  of  the  "Perry's"  officers  while  she  was  on  the 
African  coast,  and  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  that  the  com- 
missioned force  rather  complained  that  their  commander, 
with  his  strict  Puritanical  notions,  his  habit  of  preaching, 
and  his  strong  dislike  of  alcoholic  liquors  at  a  time  when 
drinking  was  common,  did  not  add  to  the  gayety  of  a  long 
voyage. 

During  the  gloomy  "secession"  winter  of  1860-61,  Com 
mander  Foote  was  executive  officer  at  the  Brooklyn  navy 
yard;  he  was  an  intimate  friend  from  boyhood  of  Hon.  Gid- 
eon Welles,  soon  to  be  Secretary  of  the  Navy  in  President 
Lincoln's  administration,  and  the  future  admiral  performed 
a  service  of  inestimable  value  to  the  country  by  warning 
Mr.  Welles  of  certain  officers  of  the  navy  who,  he  was 
sure,  would  not  be  faithful  to  their  oath,  and  giving  him, 
also,  his  professional  estimate  of  many  other  officers. 

In  July,  1861,  Foote  was  promoted  to  be  full  captain 
(then  the  highest  rank  by  law  in  the  navy)  ;  two  months 
later  he  was  made  flag  officer — at  that  period  a  mere  tem- 
porary grade — of  the  flotilla  fitting  out  on  the  western 
rivers.  He  sailed  from  Cairo,  Illinois,  on  February  4th, 
1862,  with  seven  gunboats,  four  of  them  ironclads,  to 
attack  Fort  Henry  on  the  Tennessee  river.  Without 
waiting  for  the  co-operation  of  General  Grant,  he  attacked 
the  fort  and  compelled  its  surrender,  and  without  the  help 
of  Flag  Officer  Foote  and  the  navy,  the  army  under 
General  Grant  could  not,  a  few  days  later,  have  captured 
Fort  Donelson. 


BY  FRANCIS   B.   C.  BRADLEE  237 

Foote  was  severely  wounded  in  the  ankle  at  the  latter 
battle,  which  injury  compelled  him  to  go  east  on  sick 
leave  a  few  weeks  later.  He  was  made  a  rear  admiral 
and  the  head  of  one  of  the  bureaus  in  the  navy  depart- 
ment on  July  31,  1862.  It  was  also  the  intention  of 
the  administration  to  have  given  Admiral  Foote  the  com- 
mand of  the  South  Atlantic  blockading  squadron  in  place 
of  Admiral  Du  Pont,  but  the  former's  health  had  been 
shattered,  and  he  died  in  New  York  City  on  June  26th, 
1863,  after  a  short  illness. 

In  March,  1825,  Lieutenant  W.  W.  McKean  (afterwards 
commodore  and  well  known  for  convoying  home,  in  1860, 
the  first  Japanese  embassy  to  this  country),  with  the 
steam-galliot  "Sea  Gull"  and  barge  "Gallinipper",  took 
command  of  an  expedition,  in  co-operation  with  the  boats 
of  H.  B.  M.  frigate  "Dartmouth",  to  search  a  certain  key 
reported  to  be  a  base  of  piratical  operations.  They  soon 
found  a  schooner  secreted  behind  trees.  A  brief  but 
spirited  action  ensued,  which  resulted  in  a  complete  vic- 
tory ;  eight  pirates  were  killed  and  nineteen  were  cap- 
tured, their  schooner  was  also  taken  after  she  had  been 
run  ashore. 

Her  armament  consisted  of  two  brass  six-pounders,  five 
swivel  blunderbusses,  and  arms,  etc.,  for  a  crew  of  35  men. 
She  pretended  to  carry  Spanish  papers,  but  these  were 
discovered  to  be  false.  Cases  of  American  goods  were 
found  on  board  the  schooner  and  on  shore.  Another 
small  topsail  schooner  was  captured  by  the  expedition,  but 
her  crew  escaped.  In  1828  the  United  States  West  India 
squadron  was  commanded  by  Flag  Officer  Charles  (Jr. 
Ridgeley  (for  his  gallant  services  during  the  war  with 
the  Barbary  corsairs  this  officer  had  received  the  con- 
gressional gold  medal  of  honor),  and  consisted  of  the 
following  vessels  :  Sloop-of-war  "Natchez",  flagship,  18 
guns,  master  commandant  Budd  ;  sloop-of-war  "Erie",  18 
guns,  master  commandant  Turner  ;  sloop-of-war  "Hornet", 
18  guns,  master  commandant  Claxton  ;  sloop-of-war  "Fal- 
mouth", 18  guns,  master  commandant  Morgan  ;  schooner 
•"Grampus",  12  guns,  Lieutenant  Latimer;  and  schooner 
^'Sliark",  12  guns,  Lieutenant  Adams. 

It  was  found  necessary   to    keep    a   squadron  in  these 


238      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

waters,  with  a  view  to  prevent  piracy,  for  some  years, 
and  although  sporadic  outbreaks  took  place  from  time  to 
time,  there  was  no  comprehensive  revival  of  the  free- 
booters' "trade."  The  same  system  of  marine  police  was 
continued,  and  with  the  more  or  less  active  co-operation 
of  the  Spanish  authorities,  the  marine  highwaymen  be- 
came fewer  and  far  between,  until  by  the  early  1830's  it 
was  difficult  to  find  any  more,  and  merchant  vessels 
bound  to  the  West  Indies  had  a  reasonable  chance  of 
arriving  at  their  destination  without  being  attacked. 

The  war  on  the  West  India  pirates  is  one  of  the  bright 
pages  in  the  history  of  the  United  States  navy.  In  this, 
as  well  as  other  operations,  our  men  were  uniformly 
successful,  and  although  often  outnumbered  in  individual 
encounters,  bravery,  good  discipline  and  good  marksman- 
ship (for  which  our  sailors  have  always  been  renowned) 
won  the  day. 

The  course  pursued  by  President  Munroe  and  his  ad- 
ministration, resulting  in  the  court  martial  of  Flag 
Officer  David  Porter  for  resenting  the  insult  to  his  officers 
by  the  Spanish  authorities,  naturally  encouraged  the 
pirates.  Our  officers  felt  that  energetic  measures  on  their 
part  might  not  be  upheld  by  their  government,  so  they 
naturally  became  extremely  cautious,  and  the  result  was 
manifested  in  renewed  sporadic  outbreaks  of  piracy. 

The  Salem  Register  for  March  19th,  1829,  contained 
the  following  gruesome  tale  of  murder  and  robbery  on 
the  high  seas  : 

"Piracy. 

"We  gave  in  our  last  paper  a  condensed  account  of  the 
horrible  piracy  and  murder  committed  on  board  the  brig 
'Attentive'  of  Boston.  A  more  particular  account  of 
the  bloody  affair  is  given  in  the  following  statement,  made 
under  oath  by  the  second  officer  of  the  brig,  who  was  the 
only  person  left  alive  (and  his  escape  was  most  providen- 
tial) to  furnish  the  horrid  recital : 

"The  Notarial  Certificate  sets  forth  the  testimony  of 
Alfred  Hill,  who  stated  'that  he  was  second  mate  of  the 
brig  'Attentive',  Capt.  Caleb  W.  Grozier,  of  Boston,, 
which  vessel  sailed  hence  on  Sunday,  February  2 2d  inst., 
bound  to  New  York,  from  Matanzas,  having  on  board  the 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  239 

following  named  persons,  viz:  Caleb  Grozier,  master  ; 
Joseph  Jordan,  first  mate ;  this  appearer,  Alfred  Hill, 
second  mate ;  John  Robinson,  Joseph  Blaseday,  and 
Potter,  seamen  ;  and  cook,  a  black  man,  name  unknown. 
That  off  Point  Yaco,  was  boarded  and  brought  to  by  a 
piratical  schooner,  about  60  or  70  tons  burthen,  full  of 
men  armed  with  cutlasses,  and  having  on  board  two 
large  guns,  who  ordered  the  boat  to  be  lowered  and  sent 
on  board  the  schooner,  which  was  done,  having  on  board 
Capt.  Grozier  and  two  men,  Joseph  Blaseday  and  John 
Robinson ;  that  as  soon  as  the  boat  got  alongside  of  the 
schooner  a  number  of  her  men  jumped  on  board,  took  out 
the  two  seamen,  and  immediately  shoved  alongside  of  the 
brig  and  boarded  her,  and  ordered  all  hands,  except  the 
captain,  into  the  fore  peak.  After  shutting  the  scuttle 
over,  they  waited  about  ten  minutes,  and  ordered  all  hands 
on  deck  again.  That  at  this  time  he,  the  said  Alfred 
Hill,  was  stowed  away  among  the  cargo,  for  the  purpose 
of  secreting  himself ;  that  they  were  called  on  deck  sep- 
arately ;  that  he  then  heard  a  heavy  groan  from  the  cap- 
tain, and  heard  him  distinctly  repeat  these  words,  'Lord 
have  mercy  on  my  soul,'  and  heard  a  scuffling  on  deck 
and  groans  of  the  people ;  that  after  the  noise  had 
ceased  they  commenced  searching,  as  he  supposes,  for 
money  ;  that  at  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  they  knocked 
out  her  bow  port,  when  she  immediately  began  to  fill  with 
water ;  hearing  a  noise  on  deck  at  the  time,  he  supposed 
that  the  pirates  had  not  left  her,  and  was  afraid  to  go 
upon  deck ;  that  having  discovered  the  noise  to  proceed 
from  the  flapping  of  the  sails,  after  having  remained  be- 
low till  twilight,  he  went  upon  deck  and  got  some  blank- 
ets, with  which  he  endeavored  to  stop  up  the  bow  port, 
but  found  it  of  no  use,  as  the  force  of  the  sea  washed 
them  in  again ;  that  he  then  filled  the  topsails,  to  endeavor 
if  possible,  to  get  her  back  into  the  harbor.  That  about 
three  miles  and  a  half  from  the  shore  she  sunk,  and  with 
the  assistance  of  a  plank,  he  succeeded  in  getting  ashore 
about  4  o'clock  the  following  morning,  and  continued 
walking  along  shore  as  far  as  he  could ;  that  he  then  went 
to  a  house,  where  they  gave  him  an  order  to  go  to  Mr. 
Roberts'  ferry,  where   he    dined.     That   from    thence  he 


240      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIBACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

went  to  the  plantation  of  Mr.  Echevarria,  where  he  slept 
last  night,  from  whence  he  this  morning  came  to  town. 
That  the  brig  was  overhauled  and  boarded  between  12 
and  1  o'clock  of  the  day  of  their  leaving  port,  and  that 
the  pirates  left  her,  as  he  supposes,  between  4  and  5 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  That  after  coming  on  deck,  he 
discovered  marks  of  blood  near  the  rails,  and  pieces  of 
watches,  &c,  and  wearing  apparel  strewed  about  the  cabin 
and  deck.  That  he  has  no  doubt,  from  the  noise  he 
heard,  and  the  appearance  of  blood,  that  the  captain  and 
crew  were  murdered." 

"The  'Attentive'  was  cleared  for  Matanzas  on  the  4th 
of  December  last.  The  following  list  of  her  officers  and 
crew  is  taken  from  the  Custom  House  files : 

Capt.  Grozier,  aged  58,  of  Boston,  a  native  of  Truro  ; 
Jeremiah  Jordan,  1st  mate,  a  native  of  Canton,  Mass., 
residence  in  Medford  ;  A.  Hill,  of  Portsmouth,  2d  do., 
aged  17  ;  Joseph  Blasdel,  of  do.,  aged  21  ;  Stephen  Pot- 
ter, of  Thomaston,  aged  25 ;  John  Robertson,  a  native  of 
the  Netherlands,  aged  39 ;  Andrew  Liahman,  a  native  of 
Alexandria,  aged  43 ;  John  Price,  cook,  of  N.  York 
(black),  33. 

"There  is  a  great  reason  to  fear  that  the  officers  and 
crew  of  the  brig  "New  Priscilla",  of  Salem,  have  shared 
an  equally  deplorable  fate,  although  many  persons  enter- 
tain hopes  that  they  may  have  escaped  in  the  boats,  which 
were  not  seen  on  board  the  vessel  when  she  was  fallen  in 
with.  The  'New  Priscilla'  was  last  from  Charleston,  S.  C, 
bound  to  Matanzas,  and  was  commanded  by  Capt.  Charles 
Hart,  an  enterprising,  resolute  man,  and  worthy  citizen. 
He  likewise  was  owner  of  a  part  of  the  vessel.  A  letter 
from  Capt.  Weston,  who  has  arrived  at  Charleston  from 
Havana,  says  he  has  no  doubt  that  Capt.  Hart  and  his 
crew  were  all  cut  off. 

"The  captain  of  an  English  sloop  informed  Capt.  Wat- 
son, who  arrived  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  on  the  7th  inst., 
from  Havana,  3d  inst.,  that  the  same  day  the  brig  'New 
Priscilla',  of  Salem,  was  seen  on  the  Bank,  he  saw  a  ship 
lying  to,  in  company  with  a  small  vessel,  and  that  several 
other  vessels  were  in  sight,  some  of  which  probably  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  pirates." 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.   BRADLEE  241 

"From  a  slip  from  the  Charleston  Courier  we  learn 
that  the  Governor  General  of  Cuba  has  issued  a 
proclamation  offering  a  reward  of  $5000  for  the  capture 
of  the  piratical  schooner  (which  had  captured  the  brig 
'Attentive'  and  murdered  her  crew),  together  with  all  or 
two-thirds  of  the  crew — $2000  for  the  schooner  alone,  and 
$250  for  each  and  every  one  of  her  crew. 

"The  American  merchants  and  masters  of  vessels  in 
Havana  chartered  a  vessel  to  go  in  pursuit  of   the  pirate." 

A  few  months  later  the  New  York  Shipping  and  Com- 
mercial List,  the  largest  and  most  influential  mercantile 
and  financial  paper  published  in  the  United  States  at  that 
time — its  files  from  the  beginning,  1808,  up  to  1860,  are 
a  mine  of  valuable  information  relating  to  the  commercial 
history  of  our  country — reported  the  following  serious 
cases  of  piracy,  and  most  of  the  newspapers  published  in 
the  seaports,  denounced  in  scathing  editorials  the  lax 
policy  pursued  by  the  past  administrations.  President 
Munroe  had  gone  out  of  office  on  March  4th,  1825,  and 
had  been  succeeded  by  President  John  Quincy  Adams, 
who  was  never  a  friend  to  an  efficient  army  or  navy.  But 
when  Andrew  Jackson — "old  Hickory" — became  chief 
magistrate,  March  4th,  1829,  he  issued  orders  that  "The 
seas  should  be  swept  of  the  marine  highwaymen,  if  the 
navy  had  to  be  doubled." 

"Oct.  21,  1829. 

"Ship  'Globe',  Macy,  at  the  Cape  de  Verdes,  from 
Buenos  Ayres,  was  robbed  of  $1200,  clothes,  etc.,  by  a 
piratical  schooner,  17th  June,  lat.  6  N.,  long.  22  W." 

"Dec.  16,  1829. 

"Ship  'Candace',  Lindsey,  from  Marblehead,  Mass.,  for 
Sumatra,  returned  to  Marblehead,  12th  inst.,  having  been 
robbed  of  all  her  specie,  about  $20,000,  on  the  13th  of 
November,  lat.  9  N.,  long.  24  W.,  by  an  hermaphrodite 
piratical  brig." 

The  "Candace"  was  a  large,  important  ship  in  her  day. 
Her  captain,  Nathaniel  Lindsey,  Jr.,  was  equally  well 
known,  and  as  they  both  hailed  from  Essex  County,  Mas- 
sachusetts, an  extended  account  of  this  occurrence,  taken 
from  various  sources,  will  be  found  not  uninteresting.    It 


242      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

may  be  stated  that  it  is  more  than  likely  that  every  soul 
on  the  "Candace"  would  have  been  murdered  but  for  the 
pluck  of  Capt.  Lindsey. 
"Salem  Gazette,  Dec.  15,  1829. 

"Marblehead,  Dec.  12 — Arr.  ship  'Candace',  Lindsey, 
from  Marblehead  20th  Oct.  for  Sumatra.  On  13th  Nov., 
lat.  9  N,  Ion.  24  W.  (a  little  S.  of  Capede  Verde  Islands), 
fell  in  with  a  piratical  hermaphrodite  brig,  which  boarded 
and  robbed  them  of  all  their  specie  ($19,850),  7  bales  of 
dry  goods,  the  principal  part  of  the  officers'  clothing, 
watches,  provisions,  etc.  The  officers  and  crew  of  the 
piratical  vessel  were  Spanish  and  Portuguese,  and  about 
40  in  number,  had  a  long  brass  3 2-pounder  amidships,  and 
two  small  guns.  They  confined  the  officers  in  the  cabin 
and  the  crew  in  the  forecastle,  under  a  guard,  while  they 
plundered  the  vessel.  They  boarded  the  'Candace'  about 
3  P.  M.,  and  left  her  about  7,  at  which  time  another  ves- 
sel was  in  sight,  which  they  stood  for.  They  used  na 
violence  to  the  crew  nor  injured  the  vessel  in  any  respect.. 
The  'C  had  5  boxes  of  opium  which  they  declined 
taking,  and  said  they  would  make  them  a  present  of  it. 

"The  'Candace',  a  fine  full-rigged  ship  of  428  tons,  was 
owned  by  Messrs.  Bixby  and  Valentine  of  Marblehead 
and  Boston,  and  was  commanded  by  Capt.  Nath'l  Lind- 
sey, Jr.,  of  Marblehead.  The  property  on  board  of  her 
was  insured  only  to  the  amount  of  $14,000.  The  Boston 
Courier  states  that  Capt.  Lindsey,  in  case  the  pirates  had 
proceeded  to  murder,  had  everything  prepared  to  blow  up- 
the  ship." 

The  Salem  Gazette,  in  an  editorial  inspired  by  the 
"Candace"  outrage,  said,  in  its  issue  of  Dec.  18th  :  "The 
robbery  of  the  ship  'Candace',  Capt.  Lindsey,  mentioned 
in  our  last,  is  a  fact  calculated  to  alarm  our  East  India 
merchants,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  it  will  awaken  the 
attention  of  the  Federal  government  as  well  as  those  of 
the  sovereign  states. 

"Other  outward  bound  Indiamen  have  been  chased  by~ 
suspicious-looking  vessels,  near  the  line,  who  reconnoitre 
them,  and,  if  they  appear  to  be  well  armed,  usually  make 
off.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  these  vessels  are  Brazil- 
ian Guineamen  on  their  way  to  the  coast   for  a  cargo  of 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  243 

slaves.  Slavers  are  generally  fast  sailing  craft,  manned 
with  a  motley  mixture  of  all  nations,  of  unprincipled 
characters  and  piratical  dispositions  ;  and  already  exiled 
from  the  society  of  honest  men,  and  desperadoes  by  pro- 
fession, they  are  reckless  of  consequence.  If  they  chance 
to  meet  any  unarmed  vessel,  with  specie,  they  have  no 
objection  to  making  her  a  prize. 

"They  are  well  armed  and  full  of  men,  so  that  resist- 
ance in  case  of  such  an  attempt  would  be  useless.  The 
crime  once  committed,  they  are  off  in  a  moment — they 
paint  their  sides  of  a  different  stripe,  and  if  the  same  ship 
should  meet  again  it  would  be  impossible  for  her  to  iden- 
tify them.  Such  dangerous  freebooters  ought  to  be  looked 
after.  Two  or  three  small  vessels  cruising  between  Brazil 
and  the  opposite  coast  would  be  sufficient  to  keep  them  in 
check,  and  would  aid  in  suppressing  the  diabolical  traffic 
in  sinews  and  freedom." 

An  absolutely  true  and  unexagge rated  account  of  this 
unpleasant  experience,  as  published  in  "Old  Marblehead 
Sea  Captains,"  by  Benjamin  J.  Lindsey  (Captain  Lindsey's 
nephew),  is  as  follows.  It  was  originally  printed  in  the 
Marblehead  Messenger  for  January  21st,  1881 : 

"The  ship  'Candace',  Capt.  Nathaniel  Lindsey,  Jr.,  of 
Marblehead,  master,  sailed  from  Marblehead  for  the  coast 
of  Sumatra  in  October,  1829,  supplied  with  20,000  hard 
dollars  to  purchase  a  cargo  of  pepper.  Samuel  Graves  of 
Marblehead  was  the  chief  officer.* 

"While  in  the  track  where  Indiamen  cross  the  equator, 
Nov.  18,  1829,  she  was  chased  many  hours  by  a  pirate 
brig,  overtaken  and  robbed.  The  particulars  of  the  affair 
we  have  gleaned  from  various  sources,  but  principally 
from  a  graphic  account  by  Capt.  Graves,  which  he  kindly 
furnished  us  in  writing. 

"The  'Candace'  was  in  latitude  9  N.,  longitude  24  W., 
and  28  days  out  of  port.  The  night  preceding  the  piracy 
was  one  of  those  warm,  still  nights  so  common  in  the 
tropics.  The  ship  was  becalmed  and  rocked  lazily  on  the 
long  and  regular  swell.  The  cabin  windows  being  open, 
Capt.  Lindsey  heard  at  times  during  the  night,  in  the  dis- 

*Samuel  Graves  was  afterwards  one  of  the  best  known  of  Marble- 
head's  many  "deep  water"  shipmasters. 


"244      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

tance  astern,  the  creaking  of  a  heavy  boom,  as  of  some 
big  vessel  close  behind.  This  was  his  first  intimation  of 
the  pirates'  approach. 

"At  daybreak  a  large  hermaphrodite  brig  was  discov- 
ered astern  and  gaining  on  the  'Candace'.  Suspicion  was 
at  once  aroused,  and  every  sail  that  would  draw  was  or- 
dered to  be  set.  Still  the  chaser  gained,  and  at  ten  o'clock 
ran  up  a  large  red  flag  and  fired  a  shot  which  dropped 
about  half  a  mile  astern. 

"The  officers  and  crew  of  the  pursued  ship  strained 
every  nerve  to  obtain  some  slight  advantage  which  might 
allow  them  to  escape,  and  many  were  the  ominous  glances 
at  the  dark-hulled  brig  which  all  the  while  crept  nearer 
and  nearer  to  them,  and  was  now  seen  to  be  full  of  men. 

"At  that  time  Spanish  vessels,  fitted  out  at  Havana  for 
a  slaving  voyage,  in  accordance  with  Spanish  laws,  then 
proceeded  along  the  coast  of  Cuba,  where  more  men  and 
guns  were  clandestinely  taken  on  board,  and  then  sailed 
for  the  equator  in  the  track  of  Indiamen,  knowing  they 
took  specie  to  purchase  their  return  cargoes.  These 
slavers  often  robbed  every  vessel  they  met  with  on  their 
voyage,  and  were  guilty  of  the  most  shocking  cruelty  and 
barbarity  known  to  man.  The  stories  of  piratical  mur- 
ders were  household  words,  and  every  mariner's  heart 
sank  at  the  dreadful  prospect  of  encountering  one  of  these 
robbers  of  the  sea. 

"The  feelings  of  those  on  board  the  'Candace'  at  the 
inevitable  fate  which  apparently  awaited  them  can  be  bet- 
ter imagined  than  described.  They  had  no  reason  to  ex- 
pect that  they  would  form  any  exception  in  the  long  wake 
of  blood  and  horror  which  usually  marked  a  pirate's 
course,  and  as  they  saw  that  escape  was  getting  to  be 
hopeless,  each  man  prepared  himself  for  the  worst. 

"That  the  chase  was  in  dead  earnest  was  easy  to  be 
seen.  At  intervals  there  were  heavy  squalls,  which 
obliged  it  to  take  in  all  sail  and  put  the  vessel  before  the 
wind.  When  the  squall  abated,  the  next  instant  all  sail 
would  be  set  again  and  the  pursuit  of  the  ship  resumed. 

"At  noon  another  shot  was  fired,  which  fell  about  two 
hundred  yards  astern.  At  2.45  a  third  passed  over  the 
fore-yard  of  the  'Candace'    and   dropped   a   quarter  of  a 


BY  FRANCIS  B.   C.   BRADLBB  245 

mile  ahead.  It  was  then  discovered  that  the  brief  was 
full  of  men  and  was  armed  with  a  large  gun  in  the  waist 
mounted  on  a  pivot,  besides  four  long  brass  nines.* 

"The  armament  of  the  'Candace'  consisted  only  of  two 
four-pound  cannons,  five  or  six  muskets  and  as  many- 
pistols.  Her  crew  numbered  but  sixteen  men  and  boys. 
She  was  therefore  totally  unprepared  to  cope  with  her 
adversary,  and  it  was  felt  that  resistance  would  avail 
nothing.  'Had  we  been  prepared  to  combat  the  enemy,' 
writes  Capt.  Graves,  'no  braver  or  better  man  walked  the 
deck  of  a  ship  than  Capt.  Lindsey,  nor  would  have  de- 
fended his  ship  with  more  stability.' 

"The  'Candace'  was  hove  to,  and  the  pirate,  with  her 
men  to  quarters,  also  hove  to,  and  ordered  the  boat  of  the 
'Candace'  to  come  to  them.  The  mate  and  four  men 
proceeded  to  the  pirate  craft,  but  when  within  a  few  yards 
of  her  were  met  by  their  boat  and  ordered  to  return  with 
them  at  once. 

"After  boarding  the  'Candace'  the  pirates  questioned 
the  captain  sharply,  and  getting  what  information  they 
desired,  returned  to  their  brig.  Immediately  two  boats, 
full  of  Spaniards  and  Portuguese,  ferocious-looking  fel- 
lows, armed  to  the  teeth  with  pistols  and  daggers,  left  the 
pirate  craft  and  boarded  the  ship.  There  were  thirty  in 
all,  and  by  the  aid  of  an  interpreter  they  at  once  ordered 
the  officers  into  the  cabin  and  the  sailors  into  the  fore- 
castle, and  stationed  a  sentry  at  each  place. 

"It  was  agreed  between  the  captain  and  the  mate  that 
in  case  a  massacre  was  begun,  one  cf  them  should  fire 
into  a  barrel  of  gunpowder  in  the  hold  and  explode  the 
ship.  It  was  thought  to  be  a  better  fate  to  kill  all  in  one 
general  ruin. 

"Soon  the  cabin  swarmed  with  the  miscreants,  who  de- 
manded the  money  or  the  lives  of  the  officers.  Regretting 
his  inability  to  defend  his  ship,  Capt.  Lindsey  very  reluc- 
tantly gave  up  the  money,  which  was  quickly  removed  to 
the  pirate  vessel  by  another  set  of  men,  while  the  first 
lot  consulted  together  on  the  deck  as  to  whether  or  not 
the  vessel  had  better  be  destroyed. 

"Mr.  Graves,  who  had  some  slight  acquaintance  with 

•"Nines,"  meaning  cannon  throwing  a  nine-pound  shot. 


246      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

the  Spanish  language,  overheard  their  conversation,  where- 
in some  of  them  thought  it  advisable  to  supply  themselves 
with  provisions  from  the  'Candace'  (which  was  done),  and 
then  take  the  prisoners  on  deck,  one  at  a  time,  and  shoot 
them,  and  set  fire  to  the  ship.  Others  proposed  another 
plan. 

"While  this  discussion  was  going  on,  they  ordered  the 
second  mate  on  deck.  The  hearts  of  the  other  officers 
beat  quick,  and  each  took  a  swift  resolution  to  sell  his  life 
as  dearly  as  possible.  Having  no  doubt  but  that  the 
pirates  were  about  to  slay  their  first  victim,  officer  Graves 
seized  his  pistol,  quickly  dropped  from  the  cabin  to  the 
hold,  and  leveled  the  weapon  at  the  powder  barrel.  Just 
then  a  voice  from  above  shouted,  'Stop !  they  have  not 
killed  him.'  It  was  a  timely  warning,  for  in  another 
second  the  occupants  of  the  cabin  and  the  pirates  on  deck 
would  have  perished  together,  'in  one  red  burial  blent.' 

"However,  the  conversation  still  having  a  murderous 
tone,  it  was  felt  that  danger  was  imminent.  The  chief 
mate  went  between  decks,  determined  to  defend  himself 
at  all  hazards,  but  five  of  the  pirates  dropped  on  him 
unawares  from  the  after  hatch,  overpowered  him,  took 
away  his  weapons,  and  pointing  a  knife  at  his  breast, 
demanded  his  watch  and  money.  The  first  he  handed 
them,  but  the  latter  being  the  proceeds  of  a  former  voyage 
to  India,  he  did  not  give  up.  They  made  a  search  and 
were  near  the  money  several  times,  but  did  not  get  it. 

"One  of  the  most  singular  circumstances  connected 
with  the  whole  affair,  and  one  to  which  it  is  not  improba- 
ble all  on  board  the  'Candace'  owed  their  lives,  is  thus 
narrated  by  Capt.  Lindsey  : 

"  'Our  supercargo,  having  a  brother  an  actor,  he  took 
with  him  theatrical  dresses  to  wear  ashore  among  the 
natives,  an  opportunity  offering.  He  went  to  his  room, 
dressed  himself  in  a  full  black  silk  gown  and  a  square 
white  cravat,  turned  down  the  broad  sides  of  an  old-fash- 
ioned military  hat  (with  a  low  crown),  and  thus  imitated 
a  Spanish  padre. 

"  'He  seated  himself  in  his  room,  looking  very  serious, 
counting  a  string  of  beads  around  his  neck  (saying  his 
prayers,   of  course).     When   seen    by   the  pirates,    they 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.   BRADLEE  247 

crossed  themselves  and  turned  away  with  a  hideous  look.' 

"The  supercargo  thus  lost  nothing,  although  he  had 
considerable  gold  in  his  possession. 

"The  conversation  of  the  pirates,  which  was  long  and 
animated,  took  up  time  and  brought  night  nearer,  which 
proved  to  be  a  favorable  circumstance.  A  heavy  squall 
arose,  with  rain,  thunder  and  lightning.  Suddenly  and 
with  much  confusion,  the  pirates  took  to  their  boats  and 
pulled  for  their  brig,  it  may  be  not  caring  to  be  separated 
any  longer  from  the  precious  money  which  had  been 
transferred  to  the  vessel,  and  which,  perhaps,  they  were 
not  quite  certain  was  in  safe  hands  ;  but  this  is  all  con- 
jecture. 

"The  'Candace'  had  been  heading  east,  but  immediate- 
ly wore  around  to  the  west,  very  cautiously  getting  every- 
thing in  readiness,  without  attracting  the  attention  of  the 
pirates,  whom  it  was  feared  might  even  yet  change  their 
minds  and  return.  At  last  all  sail  was  cracked  on  and 
the  good  ship  leaped  across  the  waves,  every  man  breath- 
ing freer  as  they  widened  the  distance  between  themselves 
and  the  pirate  craft.  Darkness  shut  in  and  hope  revived. 
In  the  morning  the  brig  had  disappeared. 

"Capt.  Lindsey,  who  was  a  diligent  reader  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, after  retiring  to  his  stateroom  that  night,  took 
down  his  Bible,  according  to  his  usual  custom.  He  opened 
the  book  at  random  at  the  one  hundred  and  twenty-fourth 
psalm,  which  so  wonderfully  fitted  itself  to  circumstances 
that  it  seemed  almost  like  a  divine  message  to  those  on 
board  and  made  a  lasting  impression  on  his  mind.  The 
reader  will  do  well  to  turn  to  it. 

"On  a  stormy  day  in  December  the  people  of  Marble- 
head  were  surprised  at  seeing  a  ship  under  full  sail  head- 
ing for  the  harbor,  and  surprise  gave  way  to  excitement 
when  it  was  discovered  that  it  was  the  'Candace',  which 
was  supposed  to  be  in  another  quarter  of  the  globe.  The 
news  quickly  spread,  and  hundreds  hastened  to  the 
wharves  to  ascertain  the  meaning  of  the  unlooked-for 
return.  As  the  story  was  told,  it  may  be  imagined  that 
interest  was  not  in  any  degree  lessened. 

"The  'Candace'  was  the  property  of  Bigsbee  and  Val- 
entine of  Boston  and  Marblehead,  and  a  few  days  later 
sailed  for  Boston. 


248      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

"The  pirate  craft  was  afterwards  thought  to  be  the 
Spanish  brig  'Macrinarian',  commanded  by  Mansel  Alcan- 
tra,  a  Spaniard  who  had  committed  many  outrages  on  the 
high  seas.  He  is  supposed  to  have  been  responsible  for 
the  tragical  loss  of  the  Boston  ship  "Topaz"  She  was 
formerly  a  Liverpool  packet,  but  while  on  her  way  from 
Calcutta  to  Boston,  in  1829,  under  command  of  Captain 
Brewster,  she  was  destroyed  by  pirates  in  the  vicinity  of 
St.  Helena,  and  every  one  on  board  was  murdered.  Sus- 
picion strongly  indicated  that  Alcantra  had  done  the  foul 
deed. 

"A  letter  from  Havana,  July  12th,  received  at  Balti- 
more, states  that  the  brigantine  'Mauzanarez',  which 
robbed  the  'Candace'  of  Marblehead,  has  been  sent  into 
Sierra  Leone  with  a  cargo  of  slaves  and  sold,  and  the 
captain  and  crew  set  at  liberty,  the  captors  being  ignorant 
of  their  character." 

We  are  indebted  to  the  Marblehead  Register,  a  paper 
published  in  Marblehead  from  1830  to  1832,  for  the  fol- 
lowing interesting  tales  of  piracy.  In  those  days  Marble- 
head was,  from  a  commercial  point  of  view,  a  much  more 
important  town  than  it  is  to-day.  Nearly  all  its  inhab- 
itants were  connected  with  the  sea  in  one  way  or  another, 
so  that  the  Register  literally  teemed  with  marine  news. 
It  was  a  surprisingly  high-class  newspaper,  and  one  learns 
with  regret  that  Mr.  Blaney,  the  editor,  after  a  two  years' 
heroic  struggle  against  adverse  circumstances,  was  obliged 
to  suspend  publication  for  lack  of  financial  support. 

"June  12th,  1830. 

"The  U.  S.  corvette  'Vincennes',  Wm.  B.  Finch,  Esqre., 
commander,  arrived  at  Boston  day  before  yesterday  from 
St.  Helena,  having  been  only  33  days  on  her  voyage  from 
that  island.  Through  Capt.  Finch  the  following  particu- 
lars of  an  act  of  piracy  are  learned  : 

"On  the  12th  of  May  (1830),  lat.  7.28,  Ion.  18.30,  the 
'Vincennes'  boarded  the  French  brigantine  'Eliza',  Capt. 
Pihon,  47  days  from  Bordeaux,  bound  to  Bourbon.  The 
'Eliza'  had  fallen  in  with  the  brig  'St.  Helena'  in  the  East 
India  Company's  employ,  on  the  24th  of  April,  lat.  3.3 
N.,  Ion.  9.24  W.,  from  St.  Helena,  bound  to  Sierra  Leone, 
and  learned  that  she  had   been    overtaken  by  a  piratical 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  249 

vessel  on  the  6th  of  April,  in  S.  lat.  2,  W.  Ion.  11.30.  A 
desperate  gang  boarded  the  'St.  Helena',  and  after  having 
bound  the  captain  (Harrison)  and  a  passenger  (Dr.  Wad- 
dell),  and  thrown  them  into  the  sea,  murdered  also  the 
mate  and  eight  seamen  and  rifled  the  vessel.  The  pirate 
was  a  3  masted  schooner,  mounting  ten  guns,  and  one  on 
a  pivot.  He  had  a  crew  of  about  70  men,  principally 
blacks.  Capt.  Pihon  rendered  every  assistance  in  his 
power  to  enable  the  'St.  Helena'  in  her  destitute  state  to 
reach  Sierra  Leone.  He  was  requested  by  the  survivors 
of  the  crew  to  give  publicity  to  the  misfortune  of  the 
vessel." 

"Marblehead  Register, 
July  3d,  1830. 

"Piracy — The  'Repeater',  at  Baltimore,  in  30  days  from 
the  coast  of  Africa,  gives  the  following  intelligence  :  'On 
the  19th  of  May  was  boarded  by  a  boat  from  H.  B.  M. 
sloop-of-war  'Medina',  who  informed  Capt.  Rose  that  a 
despatch  vessel,  bound  to  Sierra  Leone,  was  boarded  a 
few  days  previous  by  a  pirate,  and  the  crew  treated  in 
the  most  horrible  manner,  tying  the  captain  and  first 
officer  back  to  back  and  throwing  them  into  the  sea,  and 
so  continued  until  twelve  others  had  shared  the  same  fate. 
After  remaining  thirty  hours,  plundering  and  destroying 
all  that  was  on  board,  they  cut  away  the  masts  and  tired 
several  shots  through  the  hull.  Five  of  the  crew  during 
the  time  were  concealed  below  deck,  and  thus  escaped  a 
watery  grave — they  afterwards  rigged  jury  masts,  and 
fortunately  reached  their  destined  port.' 

"On  20th  May,  off  Cape  Vergo,  was  spoken  by  an 
English  armed  vessel,  who  ordered  the  'R.'  to  send  a  boat 
on  board,  which  was  refused  on  account  of  leaking  badly. 
After  some  conversation,  permitted  to  proceed,  and  de- 
sired that  the  'R.'  should  keep  a  good  lookout,  as  several 
pirates  were  on  the  coast." 

"Marblehead  Register, 

July  17th,  1830. 

"Extract  of  a  letter  from  an  officer  of  a  Salem  ship  at 
Havana,  dated  June  21  : 

"There  is  an  English  sloop-of-war  here    having  caught 


250      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

the  villain  that  robbed  the  'Candace'*  of  Marblehead.  The 
sloop-of-war  chased  him  from  Cape  Antonio  to  the  Isle  of 
Pines  before  succeeding  in  taking  him.  A  beautiful 
schooner  arrived  here  this  afternoon — a  Guineaman.  After 
having  landed.  150  slaves,  he  was  overhauled  by  the  Eng- 
lishman and  brought  in  the  news.  The  English  seem  to 
catch  everything,  but  the  Americans,  if  they  look  out  as 
sharply,  are  less  fortunate." 

"Another  letter  states  that  the  American  Vice  Consul 
(at  Havana)  has  taken  measures  to  inform  the  British 
commander  respecting  the  robbery  of  the  'Candace',  and 
it  is  supposed  he  will  take  the  crew  on  board  and  carry 
them  to  Jamaica,  leaving  the  vessel  at  Havana." 
"Aug.  7th,  1830. 

"A  letter  from  Havana,  July  12,  received  at  Baltimore, 
states  that  the  brig  'Manzanarez',  which  robbed  the  'Can- 
dace' of  Boston,  had  been  sent  into  Sierra  Leone,  with  a 
cargo  of  slaves,  and  sold,  and  the  captain  and  crew  set 
at  liberty,  the  captors  being  ignorant  of  their  real  char- 
acter." 
"Marblehead  Register, 

"September  3d,  1831. 

"Capt.  Fabens,  of  the  brig  'Richmond'!  of  Salem,  ar- 
rived at  Norfolk  (Va.),  from  the  former  port,  states  that 
on  the  20th  inst.,  in  lat.  37,  Ion.  74.25,  saw  a  vessel  of  a 
suspicious  character,  a  clipper  built  brig  of  about  200 
tons,  with  five  or  six  guns  on  each  side.  She  passed  close 
to  leeward  of  the  'Richmond'  and  ran  close  across  the 
stern,  seemingly  with  an  intention  of  reconnoitering  them, 
after  which  she  stood  to  the  E.  about  2  leagues  and  hove 
round  aud  stretched  to  the  westward  in  pursuit  of  a  ship 
supposed  to  be  a  New  York  and  Charleston  packet." 
"Marblehead  Register,  Sept.  18th,  1830. 

"Havana — By  the  schooner  'Rockland',  at  Philadelphia, 
the  editors  of  the  Baltimore  American  have  received  a 
letter  from  their  attentive  correspondent  at  Havana,  un- 
der date  of  August  21,  which  says  : 

*The  writer  of  this  letter  was  evidently  misinformed,  as  it  has 
been  seen  that  the  "Candace"  was  brought  into  port  by  her  crew. 

t  According  to  the  Salem  Ship  Register,  the  "Richmond"  was  a 
brig  of  153  tons,  built  in  Salem  in  1825,  and  owned  and  commanded 
by  Wm.  Fabens,  Jr. 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  251 

"The  brig  'Sultana',  Smith,  of  Baltimore,  which  arrived 
here  from  Liverpool  on  the  14th  inst.,  was  chased  on  the 
south  side  of  the  Island  of  Cuba  by  a  schooner  under 
Buenos  Ayres  colors. 

"She  is  known  to  be  a  privateer  fitted  out  at  Omoa, 
under  a  commission  of  Central  America,  in  July.  She  is 
a  small  gaff  topsail  schooner,  with  a  brass  eight-pounder 
on  a  pivot,  and  a  crew  of  forty-four  men,  French,  Italians, 
Creoles  of  St.  Domingo,  English,  and  a  few  Indians  of 
Central  America,  commanded  by  a  Spaniard  of  this  island 
named  Vallanueva,  and  well  known  in  the  Colombian 
service. 

"The  vessel  is  named  the  'General  Morazan',  after  the 
President  of  the  Republic.  There  is  little  doubt  that  the 
above  vessel  is  a  pirate.  The  colors  of  Central  America 
are  exactly  similar  to  those  of  Buenos  Ayres,  except  that 
in  the  union  the  former  has  a  rising  sun  and  one  or  two 
volcanic  mountains.  Most  of  the  Spanish,  American  and 
British  cruisers  on  this  station  are  informed  of  the  cir- 
cumstances.' " 
"October  9th,  1830. 

"Brig  'Sabbatas',  Capt.  Howard,  at  New  York  from 
Cette,  was  boarded  off  St.  Michaels,  Western  Islands,  by 
a  British  frigate,  the  boarding  officer  of  which  informed 
Capt.  H.  that  they  had  captured  a  piratical  brig  which 
had  captured  a  Sardinian  brig,  and  sent  her  into  St. 
Michaels;  they  supposed  the  piratical  brig  was  one  of  Don 
Miguel's  squadron.  The  British  frigate  was  then  in  search 
of  the  rest  of  Don  M.'s  fleet." 

Basil  Lubbock,  in  his  wonderfully  interesting  work  on 
the  old-time  British  sailing  ships,  "The  Blackwall  Fri- 
gates" (James  Brown  and  Son,  Glasgow,  1922),  says  of 
the  latter  day  pirates  : 

"In  the  nineteenth  century  the  true  pirate  had  gener- 
ally served  an  apprenticeship  in  a  slaver,  and  his  ship  was 
always  a  heeler,  usually  built  in  Baltimore  or  Havana  for 
the  slave  trade.  It  was  only  the  most  daring  ruffian  who 
dared  show  his  colors — the  black  flag  with  the  skull  and 
crossbones — and  he  almost  invariably  sneaked  down  on 
his  prey  with  some  little  known  ensign  at  his  peak. 


252      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

"The  following  notices,  taken  from  the  shipping  papers 
of  the  year  1838,*  will  give  a  good  idea  of  his  usual 
methods : 

'20th  June,  in  35°  N.,  70°  W.,  the  Thule  was  brought 
to  by  a  brig  carrying  a  red  and  white  flag ;  deck  covered 
with  men,  most  of  whom  were  black ;  weather  heavy  ; 
cargo  not  tempting  enough. 

'25th  June,  in  34°  N.,  67°  W.,  the  William  Miles  was 
boarded  by  a  piratical  schooner  about  150  tons,  under 
Brazilian  and  Portuguese  colours,  with  50  or  60  men  on 
board.     Took  two  casks  of  provisions. 

'4th  July,  in  36°  N.,  47°  W.,  the  Ceylon  (American 
brig)  was  boarded  by  a  piratical  schooner  under  Portu- 
guese colours ;  wine,  water  and  provisions  taken. 

'5th  July,  in  38°  N.,  44°  W.,  the  Catherine  Elizabeth 
was  boarded  by  a  schooner  under  Spanish  colours ;  ap- 
peared to  have  50  or  60  men.  Took  a  cask  of  beef  and 
one  of  pork. 

'The  Azores  packet,  five  days  from  Teneriffe,  was 
boarded  by  a  piratical  brig  full  of  men,  which  took  from 
her  a  chain  cable,  hawsers,  etc. 

'Eliza  Locke,  o'  Dublin,  was  chased  off  Madeira  by  a 
suspicious  schooner  for  two  days  in  May. 

'29th  July,  an  American  schooner  was  boarded  off  Cay 
West  by  a  piratical  schooner  and  plundered  of  400  dollars 
worth  of  articles. 

'5th  July,  in  39°  N.,  34°  W.,  the  Isabella  was  boarded 
by  a  Spanish  brig  and  robbed  of  spare  sails,  cordage,  can- 
vas and  twine. 

"It  is  noticeable  from  these  reports  that  the  corsair 
only  left  traces  of  his  path  where  he  had  met  with  ships 
from  which  there  was  nothing  worth  taking  beyond  pro- 
visions and  bosun's  stores.  Who  knows  how  many  'miss- 
ing ships'  the  above  buccaneers  could  have  accounted  for  ? 

"Perhaps  the  best  known  pirate  of  the  thirties  was 
Benito  de  Soto,  a  villain  whose  history  is  worth  noticing. 
Benito  de  Soto  was  a  Portuguese.  In  1827  he  shipped 
before  the  mast  in  a  large  brigantine    at    Buenos  Ayres. 

*In  the  first  pages  of  this  book  the  author  mentioned  the 
case  of  the  brig  "Mexican"  of  Salem,  as  the  very  last  vessel  at- 
tacked by  pirates  in  the  Atlantic  (1832).  He  was  not  then  aware  of 
the  above  quotation. 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  253 

This  vessel,  named  the  'Defensar  de  Pedro',  sailed  for  the 
coast  of  Africa  to  load  slaves.  Like  all  slavers,  she  car- 
ried a  large  crew  of  dagoes  ;  the  mate,  a  notorious  ruffian, 
made  friends  with  de  Soto  on  the  run  across,  and  between 
them  they  hatched  a  plot  to  seize  the  ship  on  her  arrival 
at  the  slave  depot.  The  'Defensar  de  Pedro'  hove  to 
about  ten  miles  from  the  African  shore,  and  as  soon  as 
the  captain  had  left  the  ship  to  see  the  slave  agent,  de  Soto 
and  the  mate  took  possession  of  her;  22  of  the  crew 
joined  them,  but  the  remaining  18  refused.  These  men 
were  immediately  driven  into  a  boat,  which  was  capsized 
in  an  attempt  to  make  a  landing  through  the  surf,  and 
every  one  of  the  honest  18  drowned. 

"The  ship  was  then  headed  out  to  sea ;  the  new  pirates 
lost  no  time  in  breaking  into  the  spirit  room,  and  by  sun- 
set every  man  aboard  had  drunk  himself  into  a  stupor 
except  Bonito.  This  superior  ruffian  immediately  took 
advantage  of  this  to  put  a  pistol  to  the  head  of  his  help- 
less confederate,  the  mate,  and  daring  the  drunken  crew 
to  interfere,  promptly  shot  him  dead. 

"The  whole  thing  was  carried  through  in  the  true  pirat- 
ical spirit.  The  drunken  crew  at  once  declared  that  de 
Soto  was  just  the  sort  of  captain  they  wanted,  and  with- 
out any  more  ado  he  took  command. 

"It  appears  that  the  ship  had  already  got  her  cargo  of 
"black  ivory"  on  board,  for  Benito  de  Soto  is  next  heard 
of  in  the  West  Indies,  where  he  sold  the  slaves  at  very 
good  prices. 

"He  remained  cruising  in  West  Indian  waters  for  some 
time  and  plundered  a  quantit}'  of  ships,  most  of  which 
he  scuttled  after  battening  their  crews  down  below. 

"Having  exhausted  this  cruising  ground,  he  next  took 
up  a  position  in  the  South  Atlantic,  right  in  the  route  of 
the  traffic  to  the  East. 

"In  a  very  short  while  his  raking  brigantine,  which  had 
been  renamed  the  'Black  Joke',  had  become  the  scourge 
of  those  seas. 

"Indeed,  so  great  was  the  terror  of  Benito  and  his 
'Black  Joke'  in  those  seas  by  1832  that  homeward  bound 
Indiamen  began  to  make  up  convoys  of  themselves  at  St. 
Helena  before  heading  north. 


251      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

"Early  in  that  year  a  whole  fleet  of  ships  was  held  up 
there  through  fear  of  the  pirate. 

"At  last  a  convoy  of  eight  ships  was  made  up  which 
started  off  homeward,  with  the  Indiarnan  'Susan',  of  600 
tons,  as  their  flagship.  Unfortunately  one  of  these  ves- 
sels, a  barque,  the  'Morning  Star',  of  Scarborough,  home- 
ward bound  from  Ceylon,  with  25  invalid  soldiers  and  a 
few  passengers,  was  an  extraordinary  slow  sailer.  By  the 
third  day  all  the  ships  had  gone  ahead  except  the  'Susan', 
which,  in  order  to  keep  back  to  the  'Morning  Star's'  pace, 
had  to  reduce  sails  to  topsails  and  foresail. 

"This  progress  was  at  last  too  slow  for  the  'Susan', 
and  bidding  good-bye  to  the  barque,  she  also  went  ahead. 

"At  11  A.  M.  on  the  second  day  after  parting  with  the 
'Morning  Star',  the  'Susan'  sighted  a  large  brigantine, 
crowded  with  men  and  showing  a  heavy  long  torn*  amid- 
ships. The  pirate  immediately  bore  down  upon  the  India- 
man,  and  clearing  his  long  gun  for  action,  hoisted  the 
skull  and  crossbones  at  the  main. 

"The  'Susan'  was  only  a  small  Indiaman  of  600  tons 
and  eight  guns,  nevertheless  the  sight  of  her  four  star- 
board and  broadside  guns  run  out  made  Benito  de  Soto 
sheer  off  into  her  wake.  Here  he  dodged  about  for  over 
two  hours,  hesitating  whether  to  attack  or  not ;  finally  he 
sailed  off  in  the  direction  he  had  appeared  from.  It  was 
a  lucky  escape,  for  by  some  oversight  the  'Susan'  had  no 
powder  on  board,  though  tons  of  shot. 

"Meanwhile  the  'Morning  Star'  was  jogging  along  in 
the  wake  of  the  'Susan'.  On  the  21st  February,  when 
abreast  of  Ascension,  a  sail  was  sighted  at  daylight  on 
the  western  horizon.  Her  hull  was  fast  disappearing  from 
sight  when  suddenly  she  altered  her  course  and  bore 
down  upon  the  barque.  The  action  was  a  suspicious  one, 
especially  when  a  pirate  was  known  to  be  in  the  vicinity, 
and  Captain  Sauley  of  the  'Morning  Star'  immediately 
called  all  hands  and  crowded  sail  to  get  away. 

"The  stranger  proved  to  be  a  long  black  brigantine 
with  raking  masts.  'The  Black  Joke'  was  whispered 
round  the  decks  with  bated  breath. 

•"Long  torn'1,  the  nickname  by  which  sailors  referred  to  a  heavy 
pivot  brass  cannon,  usually  a  24  or  32-pounder. 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.   BRADLEE  255 

"The  pirate,  as  she  rapidly  overhauled  the  slow-sailing 
'Morning  Star',  hoisted  British  colours  and  fired  a  gun  for 
the  barque  to  back  her  topsail,  but  Captain  Sauley  kept 
on  ;  thereupon  the  Colombian  colours  replaced  the  British 
on  the  pirate.  He  was  now  so  close  to  the  barque  that 
his  decks  could  be  seen  crowded  with  men.  Benito  de 
Soto  himself  could  be  made  out  standing  by  the  mainmast 
— a  head  and  shoulders  taller  than  his  crew.  Suddenly 
he  sprang  to  the  long  gun  and  fired  it.  It  was  loaded 
with  canister,  which  cut  up  the  rigging  of  the  'Morning 
Star'  and  wounded  many  of  her  crew. 

"Captain  Sauley  held  a  hasty  conference  with  his 
officers  ancf  passengers.  It  was  decided  to  surrender; 
the  colours  were  thereupon  struck  and  the  topsail  backed. 

"The  'Black  Joke',  with  her  long  torn  trained  on  to  the 
deck  of  the  barque,  now  ranged  up  to  within  40  yards, 
and  de  Soto  in  stentorian  tones  ordered  Captain  Sauley 
aboard  the  brigantine  with  his  papers.  A  courageous 
passenger,  however,  volunteered  to  go  to  try  and  make 
terms  with  the  pirate.  But  he  and  his  boat's  crew  re- 
turned to  the  barque,  bleeding  and  exhausted,  having 
been  cruelly  knocked  about  and  beaten  by  the  pirates. 
He  brought  the  following  arrogant  message  :  'Tell  your 
captain  that  Benito  de  Soto  will  deal  with  him  alone.  If 
he  does  not  come  I'll  blow  him  out  of  the  water.'  At  this 
Captain  Sauley  went  aboard  the  'Black  Joke',  taking  his 
second  mate  and  three  soldiers  with  him,  besides  the 
boat's  crew. 

"Benito  de  Soto,  cutlass  in  hand,  silently  motioned  the 
wretched  skipper  to  approach.  Then,  as  he  stood  in  front 
of  him  uncertain  what  to  do,  the  pirate  suddenly  raised 
his  cutlass  and  roared  out,  'Thus  does  Benito  de  Soto  re- 
ward those  who  disobey  him.'  The  blow  fell  in  full  sight 
of  the  terrified  people  on  the  deck  of  the  'Morning  Star.' 
The  poor  skipper  was  cleft  to  the  chin  bone  and  fell  dead 
without  a  sound  at  the  pirate's  feet.  A  shout  of  horror 
echoed  across  from  the  barque,  at  which  Sauley's  second 
mate,  who  had  been  motioned  forward,  turned  quickly  in 
his  tracks,  only  to  be  struck  down  and  killed  by  Brabazon, 
de  Soto's  chief  officer. 

"The  pirates,    like    wild    beasts,    having  tasted  blood, 


256      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

wanted  more.  The  long  gun  was  trained  on  the  deck  of 
the  'Morning  Star',  and  as  the  ladies  ran  screaming  below 
a  shower  of  grape  rattled  about  their  ears.  A  boat  of 
armed  cut-throats  next  boarded  the  barque,  but  no  resist- 
ance was  offered,  so  Major  Lobic  and  his  sick  soldiers  were 
first  stripped  of  their  clothes  and  then  thrown  into  the 
hold,  a  sick  officer  named  Gibson  dying  from  the  brutal 
treatment  shown  to  him. 

"The  ladies  were  fastened  into  the  fo'c'sle,  and  looting 
commenced.  All  this  time  de  Soto  stood  calm  and  com- 
posed at  his  vantage  post  by  the  mainmast  of  the  'Black 
Joke',  directing  operations  with  the  voice  of  a  tiger. 
Stores,  instruments  and  cargo,  including  seven  packages 
of  jewelry,  were  transferred  to  the  pirate,  and  the  cabins 
were  looted  of  every  vestige  of  clothing. 

Then  the  hatches  were  battened  down,  and,  with  the 
steward  to  wait  upon  them,  the  pirates  settled  down  to  a 
regular  buccaneering  carousal.  The  wretched  women 
were  brought  out  of  the  fo'c'sle,  and  their  screams  rang 
out  over  the  sea.     It  was  a  scene  of  awful  savagery. 

"Fortunately  the  pirates  became  so  drunk  that  they 
forgot  de  Soto's  bloodthirsty  orders  to  butcher  every  soul 
aboard.  However,  they  first  locked  the  women  in  the 
fo'c'sle  again,  and  then  cut  the  rigging  to  pieces,  sawed 
the  masts  in  two,  bored  holes  in  the  ship's  bottom,  and, 
satisfied  that  she  would  sink,  tumbled  into  their  boats 
and  returned  to  the  'Black  Joke',  which  immediately 
filled  her  topsail  and  went  off  after  another  victim. 

"Meanwhile  on  the  'Morning  Star'  there  was  not  a 
sound  to  be  heard.  For  long  those  below  had  been  shut- 
ting their  ears  to  the  screams  of  their  women  and  the 
drun^pfcn  yells  of  the  pirates,  and  now  they  suddenly  real- 
ized that  the  pirate  had  sheered  off,  but  at  the  same  time 
they  also  realized  their  horrible  fate  if  they  failed  to 
break  their  way  out  of  the  hold,  for  in  the  semi-gloom 
it  was  noticed  that  the  ship  was  slowly  filling  with  water_ 
The  women,  though  they  succeeded  in  forcing  their  way 
out  of  the  fo'c'sle,  did  not  dare  show  themselves  on  deck 
for  some  hours,  being  half  crazed  with  fear.  And  it  was 
only  after  some  desperate  struggles  that  the  men  succeed- 
ed in  bursting  a  hatch  open. 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  257 

"Rushing  on  deck,  they  found  that  it  was  nearing  sun- 
set. The  vessel  lay  rolling  sluggishly,  an  utter  wreck. 
Forward  the  women  were  discovered  huddled  together  in 
a  state  of  collapse.  Aft  the  compass  had  disappeared, 
whilst,  almost  more  serious  still,  not  a  bit  of  food  or  drop 
of  water  remained. 

"The  pumps  were  quickly  manned  and  the  leaks  plugged. 
Fortunately  for  the  unhappy  survivors,  a  ship  hove  in 
sight  next  day,  and  with  her  assistance  the  'Morning 
Star'  actually  succeeded  in  getting  home,  where  her  arri- 
val in  the  Thames  created  a  great  sensation. 

"In  the  meantime  Benito  de  Soto,  on  learning  that  the 
crew  and  passengers  of  the  'Morning  Star'  had  not  been 
butchered  in  accordance  with  his  orders,  put  back  again 
to  look  for  her,  but  failing  to  find  her  concluded  that  she 
had  gone  to  the  bottom,  and  thereupon  resumed  his 
cruising. 

"He  is  next  reported  as  being  thwarted  in  his  attack 
on  an  outward  bound  Indiaman  by  a  sudden  storm.  The 
story  is  well  told  by  one  of  the  Indiaman's  passengers, 
and  as  it  presents  a  good  picture  of  the  times,  I  herewith 
give  it  in  full : 

"  'The  gong  had  just  sounded  8  bells,  as  Captain  M. 
entered  the  cuddy,  "care  on  his  brow  and  pensive 
thoughtfulness."  So  unusual  was  the  aspect  he  wore 
that  all  remarked  it ;  in  general  his  was  the  face  of 
cheerfulness,  not  only  seeming  happy,  but  imparting  hap- 
piness to  all  around. 

"What  has  chased  the  smiles  from  thy  face  V  said  one 
of  the  young  writers;  a  youth  much  given  to  ftyron  and 
open-neck  cloths.  "Why  looks  our  Caesar  with  an  angry 
frown?     But  poetry  apart,  what  is  the  matter?" 

"Why,  the  fact  is,  we  are  chased  !"  replied  the  captain. 
"Chased  !  Chased  ! !  Chased  ! !  !"  was  echoed  from  mouth 
to  mouth  in  various  tones  of  doubt,  alarm  and  admiration. 

"Yes,  however  extraordinary  it  may  seem  to  this  good 
company,"  continued  our  commander,  "I  have  no  doubt 
that  such  is  the  fact ;  for  the  vessel  which  was  seen  this 
morning  right  astern  and  which  has  maintained  an  equal 
distance  during  the  day  is  coming  up  with  us  hand  over 
hand.     I  am  quite  sure,    therefore,    that  she  is  after  no 


258      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

good  ;  she's  a  wicked-looking   craft ;  at    1    bell  we  shall 
beat  to  quarters." 

"We  had  left  the  Downs  a  few  days  after  the  arrival 
of  the  'Morning  Star',  and  with  our  heads  and  hearts 
full  of  that  atrocious  affair,  rushed  on  the  poop.  The 
melancholy  catastrophe  alluded  to  had  been  a  constant 
theme  at  the  cuddy  table,  and  many  a  face  showed  signs 
of  anxiety  at  the  news  just  conveyed  to  us.  On  ascend- 
ing the  poop  assurance  became  doubly  sure,  for,  certain 
enough,  there  was  the  beautiful  little  craft  overhauling 
us  in  most  gallant  style.  She  was  a  long,  dark-looking 
vessel,  low  in  the  water,  but  having  very  tall  masts,  with 
sails  white  as  the  driven  snow. 

"The  drum  had  now  beat  to  quarters,  and  all  was  for 
the  time  bustle  and  preparation.  Sailors  clearing  the 
guns,  handing  up  ammunition,  and  distributing  pistols  and 
cutlasses.  Soldiers  mustering  on  the  quarter  deck  prior 
to  taking  their  station  on  the  poop — we  had  200  on  board. 
Women  in  the  waist,  with  anxious  faces,  and  children 
staring  with  wondering  eyes.  Writers,  cadets  and  assist- 
ant surgeons  in  heterogeneous  medley.  The  latter,  as 
soon  as  the  news  had  been  confirmed,  descended  to  their 
various  cabins  and  reappeared  in  martial  attire.  One 
young  gentleman  had  his  'toasting  knife  stuck  through 
the  pocket-hole  of  his  inexpressibles — a  second  Monk- 
barns  ;  another  came  on  exulting,  his  full  dressed  shako 
placed  jauntingly  on  his  head  as  a  Bond  Street  beau 
wears  his  castor ;  a  third,  with  pistols  in  his  sash,  his 
swallow-tailed  coat  boasting  of  sawdust,  his  sword  dang- 
ling between  his  legs  in  all  the  extricacies  of  novelty — he 
was  truly  a  martial  figure,  ready  to  seek  for  reputation 
even  at  the  cannon's  mouth. 

"Writers  had  their  Joe  Mateon  and  assistant  surgeons 
their  instruments.  It  was  a  stirring  sight,  and  yet,  withal, 
ridiculous. 

"But,  now,  the  stranger  quickly  approached  us,  and 
quietness  was  ordered.  The  moment  was  an  interesting 
one.  A  deep  silence  reigned  throughout  the  vessel,  save 
now  and  then  the  dash  of  the  water  against  the  ship's 
side,  and  here  and  there  the  half-suppressed  ejaculation  of 
some  impatient  son  of  Neptune. 


J 


ADMIRAL   DAVID  GLASGOW   FARRAGUT 
At  the  age  of  thirty-seven 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.   BRADLEE  259 

"Our  enemy,  for  so  we  had  learned  to  designate  the 
stranger,  came  gradually  up  in  our  wake.  No  light,  no 
sound  issued  from  her,  and  when  about  a  cable's  length 
from  us  she  luffed  to  the  wind,  as  if  to  pass  us  to  wind- 
ward ;  but  the  voice  of  the  captain,  who  hailed  her  with 
the  usual  salute,  'Ship  ahoy !'  made  her  apparently  alter 
her  purpose,  though  she  answered  not,  for,  shifting  her 
helm,  she  darted  to  leeward  of  us. 

"Again  the  trumpet  sent  forth  its  summons,  but  still 
there  was  no  answer,  and  the  vessel  was  now  about  a 
pistol  shot  from  our  larboard  quarter. 

"Once  more,  what  ship's  that  ?  Answer,  or  I'll  send  a 
broadside  into  you,"  was  uttered  in  a  voice  of  thunder 
from  the  trumpet  by  our  captain. 

"Still  all  was  silent,  and  many  a  heart  beat  with  quicker 
pulsation. 

"On  a  sudden  we  observed  her  lower  studding  sails 
taken  in  by  some  invisible  agency ;  for  all  this  time  we 
had  not  seen  a  single  human  being,  nor  did  we  hear  the 
slightest  voice,  although  we  had  listened  with  painful  at- 
tention. 

"Matters  began  to  assume  a  very  serious  aspect.  Delay 
was  dangerous.  It  was  a  critical  moment,  for  we  had  an 
advantage  of  position  not  to  be  thrown  away.  Two  main- 
deck  guns  were  fired  across  her  bow.  The  next  moment 
our  enemy's  starboard  ports  were  hauled  up  and  we  could 
plainly  discern  every  gun,  with  a  lantern  over  it,  as  they 
were  run  out. 

"Still  we  hesitated  with  our  broadside,  and  about  a 
minute  afterwards  our  enemy's  guns  disappeared  as  sud- 
denly as  they  had  been  run  out.  We  heard  the  order 
given  to  her  helmsman.  She  altered  her  course,  and  in  a 
few  seconds  was  astern  of  us. 

"We  gazed  at  each  other  in  silent  astonishment,  but 
presently  all  was  explained.  Our  attention  had  been  so 
taken  up  by  the  stranger  that  we  had  not  thought  of  the 
weather,  which  had  been  threatening  some  time,  and  for 
which  reason  we  were  under  snug  sail.  But,  during  our 
short  acquaintance,  the  wind  had  been  gradually  increas- 
ing, and  two  minutes  after  the  pirate  had  dropped  astern 
it  blew  a  perfect  hurricane,  accompanied    by  heavy  rain. 


260      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

"We  had  just  time  to  observe  our  friend  scudding  be- 
fore it  under  bare  poles,  and  we  saw  him  no  more. 

"After  this  audacious  attempt,  Benito  de  Soto  steered 
north,  with  the  intention  of  running  into  Corunna  to  refit 
and  dispose  of  plunder.  Off  the  Spanish  coast  he  cap- 
tured a  local  brig,  and  after  plundering  her,  sank  her, 
with  all  on  board  except  one  man,  whom  he  retained  to 
pilot  the  'Black  Joke'  into  Corunna.  As  the  pirate 
neared  the  harbor,  with  this  man  at  the  helm,  de  Soto 
said  to  him  : 

"  'Is  this  the  entrance  ?' 

"The  reply  was  in  the  affirmative. 

"  'Very  well,  my  man,'  went  on  the  pirate  captain,  'you 
have  done  well,  I  am  obliged  to  you,'  and  drawing  a 
pistol  from  his  belt,  he  shot  the  wretched  man  dead. 

"At  Corunna  the  pirate  managed  to  sell  his  plunder 
without  arousing  suspicion,  and  obtaining  ship's  papers 
under  a  false  name,  shaped  a  course  for  Cadiz.  But  the 
weather  coming  on,  he  missed  stays  one  dark  night  close 
inshore  and  took  the  ground.  All  hands,  however,  man- 
aged to  reach  the  shore  safely  in  the  boats,  and  de  Soto, 
nothing  daunted  by  his  misfortune,  coolly  arranged  that 
they  should  march  overland  to  Cadiz,  represent  themselves 
as  shipwrecked  mariners,  and  sell  the  wreck  for  what  it 
would  fetch.  At  Cadiz,  however,  the  authorities  were 
more  on  the  alert  than  at  Corunna,  and  arrested  six  of  the 
pirates  on  suspicion  that  they  were  not  what  they  represent- 
ed themselves  to  be.  They  were  not  quite  quick  enough, 
however,  de  Soto  and  the  rest  of  the  pirate  crew  getting 
clean  away.  The  pirate  captain  made  his  way  to  Gibral- 
tar, where  some  of  the  invalid  soldiers  out  of  the  'Morn- 
ing Star',  on  their  way  to  Malta,  happened  to  recognize 
him  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  wore  a  white  hat  of  the 
best  English  quality,  silk  stockings,  white  trousers,  and 
blue  frock-coat.  He  was  thereupon  arrested,  and  in  his 
possession  were  found  clothes,  charts,  nautical  instruments 
and  weapons  taken  from  the  'Morning  Star'.  This  was 
enough  to  convict  him,  but  under  his  pillow  at  the  inn 
where  he  was  stopping  the  maid  servant  discovered  the 
pocket-book  and  diary  of  Captain  Sauley,  which  settled 
matters. 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.    BRADLEE  261 

"He  was  tried  before  Sir  George  Don,  Governor  of 
Gibraltar,  and  sentenced  to  death.  The  British  authori- 
ties sent  him  across  to  Cadiz  to  be  executed  along  with 
the  pirates  captured  there.  A  gallows  was  erected  at  the 
water's  edge.  He  was  conveyed  there  in  a  cart,  which 
held  his  coffin.  He  met  his  death  with  iron  fortitude. 
He  actually  arranged  the  noose  round  his  own  neck,  and 
rinding  the  loop  came  a  little  too  high,  calmly  jumped  on 
to  the  coffin  and  settled  it  comfortably  round  his  neck,  as 
cool  and  unconcerned  as  if  it  had  only  been  a  neckcloth. 
Then,  after  taking  a  final  look  round,  he  gazed  for  a 
moment  steadfastly  out  to  sea.  As  the  wheels  of  the 
tumbril  began  to  revolve,  he  cried  out,  'Adios  todos !' 
(farewell  all),  and  threw  himself  forward  in  order  to 
hasten  the  end. 

"Thus  died  Benito  de  Soto,  the  last  of  the  more  notable 
pirates,  and  a  true  example  of  the  old-time  sea  rover. 

"Curiously  enough,  in  the  autumn  of  the  very  year 
that  finished  Benito  de  Soto's  career,  a  man  of  the  same 
name  was  also  taken  for  piracy.  This  man  was  the  mate 
of  the  pirate  schooner  'Pinta',  which  brought  disaster  to 
the  brig  'Mexican',  of  Salem,  on  the  20th  of  September, 
1832."* 

In  the  following  pages  the  author  has,  with  much  trou- 
ble, compiled  from  the  files  of  the  New   York  Shipping 
and  Commercial  List  a  complete    list    of  vessels  of  every 
nation  attacked  by  pirates  from  1824  to  1832. 
Oct.  20,  1824. 

The  polacre  brig  "Union",  under  English  colors,  from 
Gibraltar  to  Vera  Cruz,  ran  ashore  on  the  N.  E.  point  of 
the  harbor  of  Neuvitas  and  bilged — crew  captured  and 
cargo  plundered  by  the  pirates. 

Brig  "Albert",  Phillips,  of  New  York,  from  Cadiz  to 
Havana,  captured  by  a  Colombian  pirate  off  Stirup  Key ; 
was  cast  away  on  the  11th  Sept.    near   Abaco.     Vessel  a 
total  loss. 
Nov.  17,  1824. 

The  brig  "Laura  Ann",  Shaw,  of  New  York,  from 
Montevideo  for  Havana,  with  jerked  beef,  has    been  cap- 

*The  account  of  this  act  of  piracy  will  be  found  on  pp.  8-11. 


262      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

tured  and  burnt  by  pirates,  on  the  coast  of  Cuba,  and  all 
on  board  murdered,  with  the  exception  of  one  man. 
Dec.  11,  1824. 

Schooners  "Ann",  Ryan,  and  "Rainbow",  Davis,  from 
Jamaica  for  North  Carolina,  have  both  been  plundered  by 
a  piratical  schooner. 
Dec.  18,  1824. 

The  French  ship  "Calypso",  captured  by  pirates  near 
Cape  St.  Philip,    Cuba,    has    been   recaptured  by  the  U. 
States  schooner  "Terrier",  and  was  proceeding  for  Thomp- 
son's Island  (now  Key  West),  16th  ult. 
Dec.  22,  1824. 

The  Spanish  corvette  "Alvea",  from  Corunna  for  Ha- 
vana, was    captured    1st  ult.  by  the    Colombian  schooner 
"Aquilla",  commanded  by  a    famous    pirate,    and  taken 
into  Port  Cavello. 
Jan.  12,  1825. 

The  brig  "Edward",    Dillingham,    from  Bordeaux  for 
Havana,  was  captured  by  pirates  near  the  coast  of  Cuba, 
11th  Oct.  last — not  known  where  she  was  carried.     Part 
of  her  crew  escaped  in  one  of  her  boats. 
Jan.  15,  1825. 

Spanish  brig  "Maceas",  from  Gibara,  Cuba,  for  Cadiz, 
with  a  cargo  of  tobacco,  was  captured  on  the  3d  ult.  by 
the  pirate    schooner    "Centella",    formerly   a  Colombian 
privateer. 
Jan.  26,  1825. 

The  wreck  of  the  French  ship  "Jerome  Maximillien", 
Marre,  which  sailed  from  this  port  (New  York)  early  in 
December  for  Port  an  Prince,  drifted  ashore  at  Turks 
Island,  about  30th  ult. — no  person  on  board.  She  is 
supposed  to  have  been  plundered  by  pirates  and  her  crew 
murdered. 

Ship  "Louisa",    Hopkins,    from    Providence    for   New 
Orleans,  has  put  into  Savannah — having  seen  a  pirate  off 
the  Hole  in  the  Wall. 
Feb.  9,  1825. 

Brig  "Betsey",  Hilton,  from  Wiscasset  (Maine),  for 
Matanzas,  with  lumber,  has  been  totally  lost  on  the 
double-headed  Shot  Keys,  as  is  stated  by  a  sailor  named 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.    BRADLEE  263 

Collins,  who  belonged  to  her,  and  who  also  states  that  all 
the  crew  except  himself  were  murdered   by   pirates  after 
the  shipwreck. 
March  12,  1825. 

Schooner  "Mobile",  Prescott,  from  Baltimore  for  Porto 
Rico,  put  into  Jacquemel  about   the  middle  of  February, 
having  been  chased  by  two  piratical  boats,  and  threw  over 
her  deck  load. 
March  19,  1825. 

Brig  "Alexander",  Linzee,  of  Boston,    at  Rio  Janeiro, 
was  fired  upon  and  robbed  of  sundry  articles  by  a  schooner 
of  about  75  tons,  in  lat.  7  N.  long.  21  W. 
May  18,  1825. 

Schooner  "Planter",  Eldridge,  from  this  port  (New 
York),  for  Neuvitas,  was  captured  by  a  pirate  about 
March  10th.  Captain  and  crew  supposed  to  be  murdered. 
May  21,  1825. 

Schooner    "Alert",    Eldredge,    of    Yarmouth,  has  put 
into  Antigua,  in  distress,  having  been  robbed  by  a  pirate 
in  lat.  17,  Ion.  58. 
June  4,  1825. 

Brig  "Edward",  Ferguson,  from  Havana  for  this  port 
(New  York),  was  captured  by  a  pirate  on  the  17th  of 
February  last.  A  passenger  and  two  of  the  crew  were 
landed  on  an  island  on  the  coast  of  Cuba.  The  remain- 
der supposed  to  have  been  murdered,  and  the  vessel  de# 
stroyed. 
Sept.  7,  1825. 

Spanish  brig  "Carmen",    from  Barcelona  and  Cadiz  for 
Havana,  with  government  stores,   was    captured  on  June 
28,  off  Baracoa,  by  the  pirate  "Zulene". 
Oct.  22,  1825. 

Spanish  ship  "Catalina  del  Commercio",   of  Barcelona, 
from  Cuba,  was  captured  by  a  pirate  on  Aug.  4.     Crew 
sent  into  Cadiz. 
Nov.  12,  1825. 

Dutch  ship  "Augustine",  Granswald,  from  Campeaclry 
for  Havana,  was  captured  by  a  Colombian  pirate  on  29th 
ult. 


264      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

Jan.  25,  1826. 

Schooner  "Gen.  Warren",  Morris,  of  Cohasset,  from 
Boston  for  Tarapico,  put  into  Charleston  13th  inst. — part 
of  her  crew  having  landed  at  the  double-headed  Shot 
Keys,  where  they  were  supposed  to  be  detained  by  pirates. 

April  12,  1826. 

Schooner  "Hope  and  Susan",  Chase,  from  Marseilles 
for  Havana,  has  been  captured  by  the  piratical  Colombian 
privateer  "Constantia",  and  seut  into  Carthagena. 

August  9,  1826. 

Brig    "Henry",    Green,   from    Boston,  arrived  at  Rio 
Grande  early  in  May — was  robbed   by   a   pirate    a  little 
south  of  the  equator. 
March  31,  1827. 

Brig  "Falcon",  Somers,  of  Gloucester,  Mass.,  had  been 
robbed  in  the  Archipelago,  by  Greek  pirates,  and  would 
have  to  proceed  to  Smyrna  for  provisions. 

May  2,  1827. 

Brig  "Ann",  of  and  from  Salem,*  for  river  La  Plata, 
was  spoken  about  the  middle  of  March,  having  been 
robbed  of  sails,  rigging,  provisions,  etc.,  by  a  piratical 
schooner  near  the  Equator. 

Dec.  1,  1827. 

Brig  "Bolivar"  Clark,  of  and  from  Marblehead,  Mass., 
to  Mobile,  Oct.  12th,  was  chased  by  an  armed  schooner, 
supposed  to  be  a  pirate ;  part  of  the  brig's  cargo  was 
thrown  overboard  to  avoid  capture. 

Dec.  5,  1827. 

Brig  "Cherub",  Loring,  from  Boston,  was  taken  by  a 
pirate,  Sept.  5th,  two  miles  from  the  island  of  Ceriga,  and 
plundered  of  all  her  cargo,  sails,  rigging,  etc. 

Dec.  26,  1827. 

Brig  "Rob  Roy"  was  plundered  by*  Greeks,  between 
the  islands  of  Tino  and  Micani,  of  about  40  cases  of  opium 
and  10  cases  of  indigo,  with  all  the  clothing  and  money 
of  the  officers. 

*The  brig  "Ann"  referred  to  is  probably  the  vessel  built  at 
Pembroke  in  1815,  204  tons.  On  July  21st,  1821,  she  was  owned  by 
Henry  Prince  and  Henry  Prince,  Jr.;  Charles  Millet,  master. 

(To  be  continued) 


THE  BURNAP-BURNETT  GENEALOGY. 


BY    HENRY    WYCKOFF    BELKNAP. 


(  Continued  from  Volume  LIX,  page  168  .) 

If  it  is  true  that  he  moved  to  New  Hampshire,  it  then 
becomes  difficult  to  account  for    a    John  Burnap  whose 
marriage  intentions   are    recorded    as    of  23  May,  1782, 
with  the  widow  Hepzibah  Fish.     The  name  should  doubt- 
less be  Fisk,  and  in  the  Fiske  Genealogy  it  is  stated  that 
John  Fiske,    born  in  1751,    married    Hepzibah  .  .  .  and 
died  5  April,  1773  ;  that  she  then  married,  in  1776   (in- 
tentions 17  August),  Moses  Pearson,  and  that  upon  his 
death,  of  which  the  date  is    not   given,    she    married,  in 
1782  (intention  23  May,  Reading  Town  Records,  where 
she  is  called  Hepzibah  Fish,  widow),  a  Burnap  or  Burnet. 
From  the  Town   Records    it    appears  that  his  name  was 
John.     The  only  Moses  Pearson  whose  death  appears  died 
in  Andover  in  1835,  ae.  83,  and  if  Hepzibah  had  married 
a  Pearson,  why  is  she  called  widow  Fish  in  1782  ?     The 
surmise  of  the  writer  is  that  Mary  Hayward  died  about 
1781,  after  the  birth  of  her   son    Amos,    and  that  John 
Burnap  then  married,  in  1782,  Hepzibah,  widow  of  John 
Fiske.     The  widow  of  a  John  Burnap  died  9  May,  1813, 
but  her  name  is  not  given. 

John,  the  son  of  the  above,  married  and  lived  in  Tem- 
ple, N.  H.,  and  this  may  have  given  rise  to  the  story  that 
his  father  was  there. 

Children  : 

262.  John,  born  27  Sept.,  1769;  died  3  Feb.,  1795,  Temple,  N.  H. 

263.  Eli,  born  25  Jan.,  1772;  died  5  Oct.,  1800,  Temple,  N.  H. 

264.  Pius  Upton,   born  5  Feb.,  1775;  died  11  Aug.,  1827,   Packers- 

field,  N.  H. 

265.  Molly,  born  23  Aug.,  1778;  died  5  Feb.,  1799. 

266.  Amos,  born  4  Aug.,  1781;  died  1  Mar.,  1812. 

Note — The  last  two  children  are  based  upon  information  from  a 
descendant  of  John  Burnap's,  and  are  not  found  in  the  records. 

172.  Mary  Burnap,  baptized  in  1744  in  the  Reading 
Congregational  Church ;  married,  29  November,  1768,  at 

(265) 


266  THE   BURNAP-BTJRNETT   GENEALOGY 

Reading,  Ebenezer,  bom  14  May,  1749,  at  Andover,  son 
of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Walcott)  Chandler  of  Andover. 
She  died  22  October,  1778,  at  Wilton,  N.  H.,  and  he  mar- 
ried, about  1779,  Sarah  Averill,  widow  of  James  Hutchin- 
son, who  died  after  1794,  when  he  married,  for  a  third 
wife,  Remembrance  Fletcher,  widow  of  Moses  Pierce. 
He  died  15  September,  1823,  at  Wilton,  in  his  75th  year. 
(Averill  and  Chandler  Genealogies.) 

Children,  born  at  Wilton  probably,  by  first  wife — 
Chandler  : 

Mary,  born  IT  Oct.,  1769;  married  Isaac  Jewett  of  Temple, 

N.  H. 
Bette,  born  7  Feb.,  1771;  married  John  Prince   of  Brooklyn, 

Conn.,  and  Joseph  Melendy. 
Eunice,  born  12  Feb.,  1773;  married,  27  Nov.,  1800,  Timothy 

R.  Buxton. 
Ruth,   born  15  Mar.,  1775;  married,   12   Sept.,  1830,   Darius 

Douglas  of  Wilton,  N.  H. 
Hannah,  born  27  July,  1778;  married  Nathaniel  Blodget. 

173.  Samuel  Burnap,  born  17  July,  1747  ;  married, 
16  January,  1770,  at  Reading  (intention  16  November, 
1769,  at  Andover),  Bette,  probably  the  daughter  of  Jabez 
and  Elizabeth  Hayward,  if  so,  born  11  March,  1748/9,  at 
Reading.  His  name  appears  as  Burnam  in  the  Andover 
and  Reading  Records,  but  as  Burnap  in  the  Middlesex 
Court  Records.  The  first  two  children  were  born  in 
Reading,  and  about  1775-6  the  family  removed  to  Tem- 
ple, N.  H. 

He  was  a  farmer,  and  signed  the  Association  Test  in 
1776  ;  recorded  as  of  Andover,  he  was  a  private  in 
Captain  Henry  Abbot's  company,  which  marched  on  the 
alarm  of  April  19,  1775,  for  a  day  and  a  half  of  service. 
He  also  served  in  Captain  Drury's  company,  Lieutenant 
Colonel  T.  Heald's  regiment,  29  June,  1777,  to  Ticonder- 
oga,  and  again  in  the  same  company,  Colonel  Daniel 
Moore's  regiment,  29  September,  1777,  to  Saratoga,  and 
was  discharged  26  October,  1777. 

As  a  boy  of  16  he  was  placed  under  the  guardianship 
of  Ephraim  Pratt,  turner,  23  August,  1762.  (Middlesex 
Probate  Court  Records,  vol.  xxx,  p.  391.) 


BY   HENRY   WYCKOFP   BELKNAP  267 

His  name  appears  as  a  subscriber  to  the  Meeting  House 
fund  at  Temple  on  3  August,  1781,  to  which  he  gave  $2. 

He  died  2  January,  1832,  ae.  81,  and  his  wife  died  10 
April,  1838,  ae.  89,  at  Temple,  an  apparent  error  as  to  his 
age  in  the  gravestone. 

Children,  born  in  Reading  and  Temple,  N.  H. : 

267.  Betsey,   born  22  Feb.,  1771,   in  Reading;    died  after  1808,  in 

Andover,  Vt. 

268.  Samuel,  born  24,  baptized  28  Nov.,  1773,  in  Reading;   died  18 

June,  1842,  in  Fitchburg,  Mass.,  ae  68  yrs.  2  mos.  18  days. 

269.  Ruth,  no  records  found. 

270.  Bethiah,   born  12  Sept.,  1784;  died  3  Mar.,  1874,   in  Chelms- 

ford, Mass. 

271.  Eunice,  no  records  found. 

The  last  three  were  probably  born  in  Temple. 

174.  Susanna  Bdrnap,  born  26  October,  1736  ;  mar- 
ried (intention  29  December,  1754,  at  Lynn),  Nathaniel, 
born  30  March,  1730,  at  Lynn  (baptized  1730,  Reading 
Church  Record),  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Dorcas  (Sawyer) 
Sherman.  Her  name  appears  as  "Burnitt"  in  the  Lynn 
Records.  They  lived  in  Lynn  and  Lynnfield,  where  she 
died  3  October,  1768,  in  her  33d  year  (Congregational 
Church,  Lynnfield),  and  he  died  27  September,  1809,  ae. 
79.  It  was  probably  he  whose  marriage  intentions  were 
published  30  January,  1791,  with  Mary  Wilkins,  but  no 
children  are  recorded  by  this  marriage. 

Children,  by  first  wife,  recorded  in    Lynn — Sherman  : 

Susannah,  born  19  April,  1756;  died  4  Sept.,  1822,  ae.  abou 
77,  in  Lynnfield. 

Rebekah,  born  6  July,  1758;  married,  9  July,  1781  (3  July 
1783,  Universalist  Church,  Saugus  Records),  John  Meeds. 
She  died  12  Nov.,  1786,  ae.  27  (Lynnfield  Church   Records). 

Dorcas,  born  10  July,  1760;  married,  2  May,  1786  (intention 
19  Sept.,  1785),  Edward  Pratt  of  Lynnfield.  She  died  23 
June,  1791,  31st  year  (North  Reading  Church  Records). 

Keutha,  born  27  Feb.,  1762,  possibly  the  "Katy"  who  mar- 
ried Timothy  Burnham  26  June,  1783,  at  Lynn.  No  further 
records  found. 

Ltdia,  born  27  Feb.,  1762;  married,  28  Oct.,  1784,  at  Lynn- 
field, Benjamin  Willey. 


268  THE   BURNAP-BTJRNETT   GENEALOGY 

175.  Martha  Burnap,  born  28  Dec,  1737  ;  married 
before  1760,  Richard,  born  17  March,  1731/2,  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Elizabeth  (Lamson)  Melendy  of  Reading,  Mass., 
and  Amherst,  N.  H.  She  died  November,  1796  (Reading 
Congregational  Church  Records),  and  he  married,  23  Jan- 
uary, 1798,  Mary  (Polly)  Goodale,  at  Reading.  He  re- 
mained in  Reading  when  his  parents  removed  to  Amherst, 
and  it  would  appear  lived  in  Wilmington,  Mass.,  about 
1778,  as  twin  daughters  were  born  there ;  however,  he 
died  in  Reading,  15  July,  1824,  ae.  92,  but  the  death  of 
his  second  wife  is  not  recorded. 

Children,  by  his  first  wife,  born  in  Reading  and  Wil- 
mington— Melendy  : 

Martha,  born  21  Aug.,  1760;  married,   26  Jan.,  1786,   Benja- 
min Woodbridge. 
Susanna,  born  9  Feb.,  1765. 

Richard,  born  28  July,  1767;  married,  18  April,  1793,  Polly 
Tay,  at  Woburn.  It  is  possible  that  it  was  his  wife  who 
died  November,  1796,  rather  than  his  mother,  for  the  entry 

simply  reads,  " ,  wife  of  Richard,"  and  his  second  and 

last  child  was  born  in  1795,  but  as  his  father  was  still  alive, 
it  would  seem  that  he  would  have  been  called  Richard,  Jr. 
In  view  of  this  possibility,  it  may  also  be  that  it  was  he  and 
not  his  father  who  was  married  again  in  1798. 

Thomas,  born  26,  baptized  29  Oct.,  1769  (Wakefield  Church 
Records). 

Joseph,  born  12  Mar.,  baptized  21  June,  1772;  probably  mar- 
ried Bette  Chandler,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Chandler,  No. 
172.       , 

William,  born  16  May,  1774;  died  Feb.,  1795,  ae.  20,  in 
Reading. 

Mary,  born  13  Oct.,  1778,  in  Wilmington. 

Samuel,  born  13  Oct.,  1778,  in  Wilmington;  married  Hannah 
Pierce  (intention),  16  June,  1802;  died  20  Mar.,  1844,  ae.  65, 
in  Reading. 

177.  Bethiah  Burnap,  born  6  October,  1739  ;  mar- 
ried, 5  June,  1760,  at  Reading,  John,  born  21  September, 
1736,  at  Reading,  son  of  John  and  Joanna  (Nichols) 
Nichols.  He  inherited  his  father's  house  in  Reading,  and 
died  there  20  August  (September  in  Town  Records), 
1819,  ae.  82  (Laurel  Hill  Cemetery),  and  his  wife  died 
there  19  May,  1823,  ae.  84  (Ibid). 


BY   HENRY   WYCKOFF   BELKNAP  269 

Children,  born  in  Reading — Nichols  : 

John,  born  19  April  (baptized  8  May,  1763),  1761;  married  8 
Dec,  1785,  Jerusha  Parker.  He  died  14  Sept.,  1823,  ae.*62 
(ae.  63,  Laurel  Hill  Cemetery). 

Mart,  born  2  Oct.,  1763;  died  1  April,  1838,  ae.  75,  unmar- 
ried. 

Kendall,,  born  10  Jan.,  1766;  married,  5  June,  1787,  Hannah 
Symonds,  and  removed  to  Sharon,  Mass. 

James,  born  29  April,  1768;  married  (intention),  10  Sept., 
1793,  Lydia  Hosea  of  Amherst,  N.  H.  He  died  10  March, 
1849,  ae.  80  yrs.  11  mos. 

Zechariah,  born  14  July,  1770;  married  (intention),  1  Oct., 
1792,  Rebeckah  Damon. 

Samuel,  born  28  Aug.,  1772;  removed  to  Stoddard,  N.  H. 

Ebenezer,  baptized  29, Oct.,  1775;  died  2  Sept.,  1778,  ae.  4 
(Laurel  Hill  Cemetery). 

Uriah,  bapt.  30  Aug.,  1778. 

Bethiah,  born  Aug.,  1778;  died  10  Sept.,  1778,  ae.  12  days. 

Hosea,  given  in  History  of  Reading,  not  in  Vital  Records. 

180.  Elizabeth  Bdrnap,  born  6  June,  1745;  mar- 
ried, 24  January,  1765,  at  Reading,  Andrew,  born  27  Sep- 
tember, 1741,  at  Reading,  son  of  Andrew  and  Elizabeth 
(Nickolls)  Beard.  They  removed  to  Gardner,  Mass.,  after 
March,  1772,  where  he  carried  on  his  trade  of  carpenter, 
and  died  22  January,  1831,  ae.  89  (Church  Records),  and 
his  wife  died  about  1835.  The  name  appears  variously 
as  "Bard,"  "Baird,"  and  "Bayrd." 

Children,  born  in  Reading  and  Gardner — Beard  : 

Andrew,  born  10  Aug.,  1766;  died  young  probably. 

Elizabeth,  born  21  May,  1768. 

Tabitha,  born  2  Mar.,  1770;  married,  8  Mar.,  1795,  Abel 
Woodward,  at  Gardner.  She  died  26  Aug.,  1842,  ae.  72.  at 
Westminster,  Mass. 

Andrew,  born  20  Mar.,  1772;  married,  19  Feb.,  1795,  Lucy 
Dunn,  at  Gardner.     He  died  in  1851,  ae.  79,  at  Gardner. 

Artemas,  given  in  History  of  Gardner,  but  birth  not  record- 
ed; married,  31  Aug.,  1801,  Sarah  Nichols,  at  Gardner. 

Aaron,  given  in  History  of  Gardner,  but  birth  not  recorded; 
married,  10  Aug.,  1802,  Anne  Dunster,  at  Gardner. 

Mary,  given  in  History  of  Gardner,  but  birth  not  recorded. 

Abel,  born  about  1780;  died  5  Nov.,  1835,  ae.  55,  at  Wakefield. 
Note — The  fact  that  the  last  four  of  these  children  do  not  appear 


270        THE  BURNAP-BURNETT  GENEALOGY 

in  the  records  of  any  of  the  towns  in  which  the  family  is  known  to 
have  been,  suggests  that  during  this  time  they  may  have  been  in 
some  other  place. 

Bethiah  (Thier),  birth  not  recorded;  married,  27  June,  1802, 
Aaron  Wood.     She  died  19  May,  1835,  ae.  51,  at  Gardner. 

Doboas,  baptized   18  Feb.,    1787,   at  Gardner;  married  

Jewett,  according  to  History  of  Gardner. 
Hepzibah,  given  in  History  of  Gardner. 
Lucinda  (Cene),  baptized  30  May,  1790,  at  Gardner. 

181.  Rebecca  Burnap,  born  6  June,  1745  ;  married, 
3  November,  1763,  at  Reading,  David,  born  7  March, 
1741,  at  Reading,  son  of  John  and  Johanna  (Nichols) 
Nichols,  brother  of  John  Nichols  who  married  her  sister 
Bethiah,  No.  177.  The  children  supposed  to  be  theirs  and 
so  given  in  the  History  of  Gardner,  were  born  in  Lynn, 
Chelmsford,  and  Westminster,  and  both  David  and  his 
wife  died  in  Gardner,  so  it  may  be  assumed  that  they  lived 
in  all  these  towns  for  a  time.  He  died  "before  19  Octo- 
ber, 1791"  (Church  Records),  and  she  died  21  December, 
1825. 

Children — Nichols  : 

David,  born  2  Feb.,  1766,   in   Lynn;  married,   4   Dae,  17SS 
Rachel  Howard.     He  died  19  Aug.,  1822,   ae.  56  yrs.  6  mos., 
at  Westminster. 

Kendall,  born  5  July,  1768,  in  Chelmsford;  married,  31  July, 
1792,  at  Gardner,  Deborah  Partridge. 

Rebekah,  born  4  July,  1770,  in  Westminster;  married,  27 
July,  1790,  Joseph  Wright.  She  died  20  June,  1837,  ae.  67 
(Center  Burial  Ground,  Gardner). 

Mart,  born  5  May,  1773,  in  Westminster;  married,  19  June, 
1794,  at  Gardner,  Jonathan  Kendall,  and  lived  at  Hubbard- 
ston. 

Isaac,  born  20  Sept.,  1774,  in  Westminster;  married,  9  Sept., 
1798,  Nancy  Dodge  (Dogg-Doddge). 

Asa,  born  15  May,  1779,  in  Westminster;  married  Mary  Darby 
(intention),  10  Jan.,  1806,  at  Westminster. 

Sabah,  born  21  June,  1781,  in  Westminster ;  married,  31  Aug., 
1800,  at  Gardner,  Artemas  Beard  (Bard-Baker),  son  of  An- 
drew and  Elizabeth  (Burnap)  Beard,  No.  180. 

Edmund,  born  16  Mar.,  1784;  married,  15  May,  1806,  at  West- 
minster, Esther  Jackson.  She  died  15  June,  1807,  and  he 
married,  1  Dec,  1808,  at  Gardner,   Dorcas  Whitney.     The 


BY   HENRY   WYCKOFF   BELKNAP  271 

History  of  Gardner  says  his  second  wife  was  Rhoda  For- 
bush,  but  this  does  not  appear  in  the  Vital  Records,  nor  are 
there  any  children  recorded  in  their  names.  The  History 
of  Westminster  says  that  Dorcas  Whitney  married  another 
Edmund,  which  may  be  true.  This  history  also  says  that 
this  other  Edmund  married,  secondly,  17  June,  1813,  Betsey 
Adams,  and  in  the  Vital  Records  of  Westminster  the  hus- 
band of  Betsey  died  7  Nov.,  1839,  ae.  57,  which  would  cer- 
tainly be  the  age  of  Edmund,  second  cousin  of  Edmund 
born  1784,  who  was  born  in  1782. 

183.  Joseph  Burnap,  born  13  June,  1747  ;  married, 
24  November,  1768,  Abigail,  baptized  1748,  North  Read- 
ing Congregational  Church,  the  daughter  of  Ebenezer 
and  Abigail  Bickford.  They  lived  in  Reading,  and  if  the 
Emerson  Genealogy  is  correct,  in  New  York,  but  no  evi- 
dence of  this  has  been  found. 

William  Bickford  of  Reading,  cordwainer,  Jonathan 
Foster,  yeoman,  and  Abigail  Foster,  his  wife,  and  Abigail 
Bickford,  spinster,  of  Reading,  and  David  Bickford  of 
Salem,  carpenter,  consideration  £200:  2:  8,  to  James  fos- 
ter of  Lynn,  land  in  Reading,  9  May,  1767.  Witnesses  : 
Jos.  Parker,  Jr.,  Jonathan  Foster,  Jr.,  Samuel  Foster, 
Jacob  Kemball,  Benjamin  Brown,  William  Bickford,  Abi- 
gail Foster,  Jonathan  Foster,  Abigail  Burnap  (different 
hand),  David  Bickford  (the  last  two  for  Abigail  Burnap). 
Acknowledged  last  Tuesday  in  November,  1783.  (Mddx. 
Land  Records,  vol.  lxxxv,  p.  205.) 

Joseph  Burnap  of  Reading,  gent.,  consideration  <£210, 
to  Nathan  Parker  of  Reading,  Esq.,  land  in  Reading,  ex- 
cept the  one-half  of  the  house  which  Isaac  Burnap  left  to 
his  widow  Susanna  during  her  life,  also  part  of  a  house 
reserved  in  said  will  to  Sarah  Burnap.  24  Feb.,  1789. 
Witnesses :  John  Alford,  mason,  William  Winthrop. 
Acknowledged  24  Feb.,  1789,  by  Joseph  Burnap.  (Mddx. 
Land  Records,  vol.  c,  p.  38.) 

Joseph  Burnap  of  Reading,  gent.,  consideration  X90, 
to  Edmund  Eaton  of  Reading,  gent.,  one-half  a  house  in 
Reading,  West  Parish,  provided  that  whereas  Isaac  Bur- 
nap, late  of  Reading,  deceased,  provided  in  his  will,  his 
son  Joseph  abovesaid  the  executor,  and  Edmund  Eaton 
and  Thomas  Brown  were  bound  with  Joseph  to  the  Judge 


272       THE  BURNAP-BURNETT  GENEALOGY 

of  Probate  to  save  said  Eaton  all  trouble  and  expense.  6 
March,  1789.  Witnesses:  James  Bancroft,  Jonathan 
Wesson,  Jr.  Acknowledged  26  March,  1789.  (Mddx. 
Land  Records,  vol.  c,  p.  91. 

Nathan  Parker  of  Reading,  Esq.,  for  good  and  suffi- 
cient reasons,  to  Joseph  Burnap  of  Reading,  gent.,  a 
building  and  land  in  Reading,  West  Parish,  55  acres.  19 
March,  1789.  Witnesses :  James  Bancroft,  Daniel  Da- 
mon, Jr.  Acknowledged  19  March,  1789.  (Mddx.  Land 
Records,  vol.  c,  pp.  195-9. 

Joseph  Burnap  of  Reading,  gent.,  consideration  XI:  5: 
6,  to  Samuel  Damon,  Jr.,  of  Reading,  yeoman,  land  in 
Reading.  26  March,  1789.  Witnesses  :  James  Bancroft, 
Jonathan  Wess[on],  Jr.  Abigail  Burnap  also  signs.  Ac- 
knowledged 26  March,  1789. 

Joseph  Burnap  of  Reading,  gent.,  19  March,  1789,  ac- 
knowledged a  debt  to  Jonathan  Wesson,  Jr.,  gent.,  £206, 
which  ought  to  have  been  paid  23  March  instant  ;  of  the 
good,  etc.,  of  Joseph  Burnap  cause  to  be  paid  to  said 
Jonathan  Wesson.  3  March,  1789.  Nathan  Parker, 
Esq.,  Samuel  Damon,  yeoman,  and  Edmund  Eaton,  gent., 
appraisers.  Appraisers'  return  24  March,  1789,  and 
creditors'  receipt  15  July,  1789.  (Mddx.  Land  Records, 
vol.  xcix,  p.  125.) 

There  is  no  record  of  the  death  of  Joseph  Burnap  in 
Reading,  but  an  Abigail  Burnap  died  there  20  September, 
1.830,  ae.  83,  which  corresponds  to  his  wife's  age  and  may 
be  her  death.  On  the  other  hand  it  may  be  that  there  is 
good  foundation  for  the  statement  that  he  removed  to  New 
York. 

Children,  born  in  Reading  : 

272.  Joseph  J., bora  4 Feb.,  1770;  died  27  June,  1857,ae.  82,  in  Wil- 

mington. 

273.  Abigail,  born  25  April,  1772. 

274.  Susanna,  born  20  Oct.,  1774;  died  14  Feb.,  1849,  ae.  74:  3:  15, 

at  Reading. 

275.  Cyrus,  born  8  Feb.,  1777. 

276.  Isaac,  born  30  Mar.,  1779. 

277.  George,  born  24  Feb.,  1781. 

278.  Zoroday,  born  17  May,  1783. 


BY  HENRY   WYCKOFF   BELKNAP  273 

184.  Jacob  Burnap,  born  20  October,  1748  ;  married, 
7  October,  1773,  at  Reading,  Ruth,  born  13  March,  1748, 
baptized  3  April,  1748,  at  Reading,  daughter  of  Ebenezer 
and  Ruth  Hopkinson.  She  died  21  December,  1773,  and 
he  married  again,  31  December,  1776,  Elizabeth,  born  26 
June,  1757,  daughter  of  Caleb  and  Ruth  (Albree)  Brooks 
of  Charles  town  and  Medford. 

Jacob  Burnap  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in 
1770  (D.  D.  1813),  and  the  following  year  was  invited  to 
preach,  as  a  candidate,  at  Merrimack.  The  church  voted, 
23  December,  1771,  to  give  him  a  call  as  pastor  and  to 
pay  him  £75  as  settlement,  with  an  annual  salary  of  £50, 
which  call  he  accepted  in  March,  1772.  The  town  then 
had  a  population  of  five  hundred,  and  deep  interest  was 
taken  in  the  approaching  ordination,  a  great  crowd  being 
anticipated  for  the  ceremony,  so  much  so  that  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  lay  a  loose  floor  in  the  galleries  of  the 
then  unfinished  meeting  house,  to  brace  the  galleries  and 
put  up  a  rough  breastwork  in  front,  with  stairs  or  ladders 
to  each.  Only  temporary  seats  were  provided  at  that 
time,  and  it  was  several  years  before  "pew-grounds"  were 
laid  out  and  deeded  to  purchasers.  On  Wednesday,  14 
October,  1772,the  event  took  place,  thirteen  other  churches 
being  represented,  and  Mr.  Burnap  began  his  pastorate  of 
over  forty-nine  years. 

His  testimonial  to  his  first  wife  upon  her  gravestone 
reads:  "in  memory  of  her  affection,  prudence,  goodness, 
virtue  and  piety,  I  inscribe  her  praise  and  lament  her 
sudden  death  ;  but  not  as  they  who  mourn  without  hope, 
for  I  believe  and  expect  the  resurrection  of  them  that 
sleep  in  Christ." 

The  Rev.  Humphrey  Moore  of  Milford,  in  a  funeral 
discourse,  remarks:  "The  faculties  of  his  mind  were 
strong  and  well-proportioned.  They  were  calculated  for 
extensive  acquirements  and  usefulness,  and  for  the  for- 
mation of  a  complete  character.  His  understanding  was 
clear  and  quick  in  its  operations.  His  reason  was  strong 
and  conclusive.  His  judgment  was  sound  and  correct. 
His  memory  was  retentive.  These  powers  were  well  cul- 
tivated. He  was  remarkable  for  patience  of  thought,  by 
which  he  was  peculiarly  qualified  for   investigation.     He 


274  THE   BURNAP-BURNETT   GENEALOGY 

could  dwell  on  subjects  till  light  collected  and  truth  ap- 
peared. .  .  .  He  continued  to  preach  until  prostrated  by 
his  last  sickness,  which  was  only  of  two  weeks'  duration, 
when  he  was  removed  from  the  scenes  of  his  earthly 
labors,  after  having  been  pastor  of  the  church  almost  fifty 
years."     (Centennial  Celebration  in  Merrimack,  1846.) 

Rev.  William  Bentley  of  Salem,  in  his  remarkable  diary, 
says,  "At  Merrimack  Mr.  Burnap  is  much  esteemed,"  this 
under  date  of  May,  1805. 

His  second  wife  died  1  May,  1810,  ae.  52,  and  he  him- 
self 26  December,  1821,  ae.  73.     His  epitaph  reads : 

"After  a  long  and  peaceful  ministry, 
He  died  in  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ ; 
He  sleeps  here  in  the  midst  of  his  flock, 
By  whom  he  was  beloved  and  revered, 
Awaiting  a  happy  resurrection 
To  a  new  and  better  life." 

Children,  born  in  Merrimack: 

279.  Horatio  Gates,  born  4  Jan.,  1778  (?  9  Jan.,  1777). 

280.  Elizabeth,  born  1799;  died  1840,  probably  in  Montpelier,  Vt. 

281.  Ruth,  born  1780;  died  27  Nov.,  1806,  ae.  26. 

282.  Hannah,  born  about  1781;  died  25  Oct.,  1800,   in  Medford, 

Mass. 

283.  Rebecca,  born  14  May,  1784. 

284.  Abigail,  born  1785;  died  26  Aug.,  1808,  ae.  22. 

285.  John,  born  1788;  died  1827. 

286.  Jacob,  born  17  Feb.,  1790;  died  1862,  in  Merrimack. 

287.  Susan,  born  14  Nov.,  1791. 

288.  Caleb  B.,  born  17  Feb.,  1794. 

289.  Francis,  born  24  Jan.,  1796;  was  a  lawyer,  and  living  in  Rook- 

ville,  111.,  in  1846. 

290.  Lucy,  born  2  Oct.,  1797. 

291.  George  Washington,  born  30  Nov.,  1802;  died  8  Sept.,  1859, 

ae.  57,  probably  in  Baltimore. 

186.  Abigail  Burnap,  born  21  June,  1752  ;  married, 
15  January,  1771,  at  Reading,  Thomas,  probably  born  22 
Feb.,  1748/9,  at  Reading,  son  of  Thomas  and  Phebe 
Tayler,  and  died  probably  24  Oct.,  1819. 

Children,  born  in  Reading — Tailer  : 


BY   HENRY   WYCKOFF   BELKNAP  275 

James,  born  21  Nov.,  1771;  married,  31  May,  1798,  Sarah  Nick 

of  Marblehead.     He  died   14  Jan.,    1849,    ae.   72:   6:    8,  at 

Reading. 
Thomas,  born  4  Aug.,  1773;  probably  died  young. 
A  son,  born  6  Aug.,  1776;  perhaps   the   James   baptized  that 

year. 
A  daughter,  born  2  Oct.,  1778. 
Phebe,  born  19  Oct.,  1780;  died  10  Nov.,  1822. 
Thomas,  born  24  Nov.,  1782. 
Susannah,  born  12  Aug.,  1785;  married,  28  Oct.,  1810,  Joseph 

Wheeler.     She  died  15  Jan.,  1817,  32d  year. 
Isaac,  baptized  25  Sept.,  1787. 

187.  Mehetabel  Burnap,  born  28  October,  1728, 
baptized  10  November,  1728 ;  married,  17  September, 
1766,  at  Hopkinton,  Solomon,  born  19  September,  1744. 
son  of  Nathan  and  Persis  (Whitney)  Goodale  of  Marlbor- 
ough, Mass.  She  died  6  October,  1769,  and  he  married 
again,  Persis  Bailey.  He  lived  in  Athol  and  New  Brain- 
tree,  Mass.,  and  in  Wardsboro,  Vt,  where  he  died  in  1815. 
It  is  not  recorded  that  he  had  any  children. 

188.  John  Burnap,  born  20  September,  1731 ;  bap- 
tized 26  September,  1731 ;  married,  1  May,  1755,  Anna, 
born  8  July,  1736,  daughter  of  Solomon  and  Anne  (Rip- 
ley) Wheat  of  Windham,  Conn.  The  name  sometimes 
appears  as  Burnett,  but  the  children  were  baptized  as 
Burnaps.  The  baptisms  were  recorded  in  Hopkinton,  al- 
though he  was  married  in  Uxbridge,  and  may  have  lived 
there  for  a  time. 

He  is  probably  the  John  whose  name  is  in  a  muster  roll 
of  Worcester  County  for  service  in  Rhode  Island,  etc. 

His  wife  died  after  1774,  and  he  married,  about  1788, 
Lydia,  born  24  April,  1725,  at  Hingham,  Mass.,  daughter 
of  Ebenezer  and  Hannah  (Gannett)  Kent,  who  had  previ- 
ously married,  20  December,  1753  (22  December,  History 
of  Hingham),  Noah  Ripley.  She  was  63  years  old  when 
she  married  John  Burnap,  and  died  17  June,  1816,  ae.  91, 
at  Barre,  Mass.  She  had  outlived  him  ten  years,  as  he 
died  in  1806.  If  he  had  any  estate  to  settle,  no  papers 
concerning  it  are  to  be  found  in  Worcester  Probate  Rec- 
ords, although  some  deeds  are  recorded,  as  given  below. 

The  gravestone  of  his  second  wife  reads  :  "In  memory 
of  Mrs.  Lydia  Burnett,   who  was  first  the  consort  of  Mr. 


276  THE   BURNAP-BTJRNETT   GENEALOGY 

Noah  Ripley,  by  whom  she  had  8  sons  and  11  daughters, 
17  of  whom  lived  to  have  children.  The  descendants  at 
her  death  were  97  grandchildren  and  106  great-grandchil- 
dren. She  died  June  17th,  1816,  aged  91  years.  'Many 
daughters  have  done  virtuously,  but  thou  excellent.'  " 

Edward  Chamberlain  of  Hopkinton,  husbandman,  con- 
sideration £14:  6:  8,  to  John  Burnap  of  Hopkinton,  hus- 
bandman, land  in  Hopkinton,  19  acres  60  rods  (easterly 
bounds  Capt.  Burnap),  he  to  pay  to  Trustees  of  Hopkin- 
ton Lands  the  yearly  rent  of  Id.  per  acre.  27  Aug.,  1764. 
Acknowledged  27  Aug.,  1764.  Witnesses:  John  Jones, 
Benjamin  Carrell.  (Hopkinton  and  Upton  Deeds,  vol. 
vi.,  p.  99.) 

John  Burnet  of  Hopkinton,  gent.,  consideration  ,£200 
to  Barachias  Morse  of  Hopkinton,  yeoman,  land  lying  in 
common  and  undivided  with  land  of  Dea.  Benjamin  Bur- 
net in  Hopkinton,  45  acres.  (Daniel  Burnet's  land  men- 
tioned.) 19  December,  1772.  Anna  Burnet  also  signs. 
Acknowledged  19  Dec,  1772, by  John  Burnet.  Witnesses: 
John  Wilson,  Jesse  Rice,  Samuel  Stimson,  Benjamin 
Burnes.  (Mddx.  Land  Records,  vol.  lxxiii,  p.  525.) 
(Note  also  the  deeds  under  his  father's  name.) 

John  Burnett  of  Hopkinton  and  Anna  his  wife,  consid- 
ration  £18  to  Samuel  Stimson  of  Hopkinton,  land  in 
Hopkinton.  4  January,  1773.  Acknowledged  8  March, 
1773.  Witnesses :  Amus  Stimson,  Alexander  Stimson, 
Hannah  Burnet,  Lois  Burnet,  John  Burnet,  Anna  Bur- 
net.    (Ibid.) 

John  Burnett  of  Barre,  consideration  £30  to  Jacob 
Parker  of  Hopkinton,  yeoman,  land  in  Hopkinton,  part  of 
the  farm  formerly  belonging  to  Dea.  Benjamin  Burnett, 
deceased.  26  January,  1789.  Acknowledged  9  Feb., 
1789,  by  John  Burnett.  Witnesses :  Nathaniel  Burnett, 
Charles  R.  Burnett.     (Ibid,  vol.  ci,  p.  234.) 

Note  that  he  is  here  called  "of  Barre".  A  similar  deed 
is  registered  in  Worcester,  vol.  cxxxii,  p.  469,  considera- 
tion £12,  9  Feb.,  1789,  acknowledged  the  same  date  and 
with  same  witnesses. 

John  Burnett  and  Joseph  Daby  of  Leominster  to  Ben- 
jamin Lawrence,  24  Dec,  1794,  acknowledged  1799. 
(Worcester  Land  Records,  vol.  cxxxii,  p.  469.) 


BY   HENRY   WYCKOFF  BELKNAP  277 

Children,  born  in  Hopkinton,  by  first  wife  : 

292.  Henrietta  (Hanneretta),  born  2  July,  1755;  baptized  1  July 

1758  (16  July,  Church  Records). 

293.  Aknis,  born  14  Aug.,  baptized  3  Oct.,  1756;  died  about  1789 

or  1790,  at  Concord,  Vt. 

294.  Charles  Ripley,  born  15  July,   baptized  20  July,  1760;  died 

about  1824. 

295.  Benjamin,  baptized  23  May,  1762. 

296.  John,  baptized  12  April,  1767. 

297.  Nathaniel,   baptized  7  April,  1771;  died  12  April,    1849,  at 

Gill,  Mass. 

298.  Abner,  baptized  11  Dec,  1774(?). 

195.  Jerusha  Burnap,  born  20  September,  1734 ; 
married,  1  October,  1760,  at  Hopkinton,  John,  born  28 
December,  1736,  at  Ipswich,  son  of  Joseph  and  Thomasin 
(Baker)  Abbe.  He  died  5  January,  1771,  at  Hopkinton, 
and  she  married,  22  June,  1774,  Henry,  baptized  8  June, 
1735,  at  Hopkinton,  son  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  Mellen, 
and  widower  of  Sarah  Toney  of  Mendon,  Mass.  They 
lived  at  Hopkinton,  all  the  children  being  born  there,  and 
although  it  is  said  also  at  Milford,  it  is  presumed  that  the 
death,  at  Hopkinton,  13  August,  1828,  ae.  87,  of  the  widow 
of  Henry  Mellen,  refers  to  Jerusha. 
Children — Abbe  : 

Mary  (Polly),  born  23  June,  baptized  28  June,  1761;  married, 
21  June,  1781,  at  Hopkinton,   Josiah  Bent  of  Framingham, 
who  removed  to  Petersham. 
John,  born  4  May,  1763;  married,  11  Nov.,  1784,  Anne  (Anna) 

Battle. 
Joseph,  born  1  April,  1765;  perhaps  married  Hannah  Ellis. 
Jerusha,  born  20,  baptized  24  May,  1767;  died  12  May,  1770, 

at  Hopkinton. 
Amos   Burnett,   born  5,   baptized   11  June,   1769;  perhaps 
married  Vesta  Turner. 

Children — Mellen  : 

Rhoda,  born  29  Mar.,  1775;  perhaps  married,    10   July,  1794, 

Moses  Chamberlain. 
Thomas,  born  29  Mar.,  1775. 
Lydia,  born  15  Dec,  1777;  married,  2  May,  1798,  John  Claflin. 

She  died  19  Mar.,  1868. 
Nancy,   born  15  May,  1781;  perhaps   married,  2  April,  1801 

Luther  Cutler. 


278  THE   BURNAP-BURNETT    GENEALOGY 

196.  Daniel  Burnap,  born  24  May,  1742,  would 
seem  to  have  married,  about  1761  or  1762,  a  wife  Eliza- 
beth, as  in  Worcester  County  Warnings  we  find  several 
records  which  appear  to  concern  this  family,  although  all 
may  not  be  so  connected.  In  Brookfield,  8  May,  1764 
Daniel  and  his  wife  Elizabeth,  from  Hopkinton,  as 
well  as  Sarah  from  Oxford,  were  "warned,"  while  21 
May,  1765,  in  Rutland,  Elizabeth  Burnet  from  Oxford  re- 
ceived a  like  notice,  and  Isabel  from  the  same  town  was 
notified,  20  August  the  same  year  and  7  January,  1766, 
Daniel,  with  his  wife  Elizabeth  and  daughter  Sarah,  were 
warned  in  New  Braintree,  to  which  entry  is  appended  the 
date  31  December,  1765,  which  is  supposed  to  be  the 
date  of  their  arrival  in  town.  Granting  that  the  assump- 
tion is  correct,  that  all  or  part  of  these  items  have  to  do 
with  Daniel  Burnap  and  his  family,  we  must  conclude 
that  he  was  of  the  rolling-stone  persuasion  and  probably 
not  particularly  blessed  with  this  world's  goods. 

It  seems  to  have  been  he  who  was  a  private  from  Brook- 
field  in  Captain  John  Granger's  company  of  Minute  Men 
in  Jonathan  Warner's  regiment,  and  who  enlisted  19  April, 
1775. 

The  only  child  we  can  be  certain  of  is  the  daughter 
Sarah,  although  an  Isabel  from  Oxford,  who  was  warned 
in  Rutland  20  August,  1765,  may  have  been  his  daughter 
also. 

197.  Nathan  D.  Burnap,  born  2  July,  1749  ;  mar- 
ried, 24  April,  1877,  in  Hopkinton,  Mary,  born  23  April, 
1758,  in  Westboro,  daughter  of  Barachias  and  Zervia 
(Chaddock)  Morse.  He  must  have  removed  soon  after 
marriage  to  Dublin,  N.  H.,  as  he  was  practicing  medicine 
there  as  early  as  1776,  being  the  first  doctor  in  town.  This 
statement  in  the  History  of  Dublin  is  not  borne  out  by 
the  fact  that  all  the  records  of  birth  and  baptism  of  his 
children  are  found  in  the  Hopkinton  records,  and  all  fur- 
ther records  of  these  children  when  they  grew  up  are  in 
Massachusetts. 

He  is  found  in  a  list  of  those  from  Hopkinton  serving 
as  a  private  in  Captain  Moses  Wheelock's  company,  Col. 
Jonathan  Ward's  regiment,  on  a    muster    roll  1  August, 


BY   HENRY    WYCKOPF   BELKNAP  279 

1775,  having  enlisted  24  April,  1775,  three  months  and 
a  half  service.  Also  as  surgeon's  mate  in  Colonel  Ephraim 
Doolittle's  regiment  in  camp  at  Winter  Hill,  6  August, 
1775,  discharged  7  March,  1776,  and  in  the  same  rank  in 
the  Fourth  Continental  Infantry,  1  January,  1776/7,  to 
March  of  that  year. 

The  dates  of  death  of  Doctor  Nathan  and  his  wife  have 
not  been  found. 

Children,  recorded  in  Hopkinton  : 

299.  Nathan,  born  17  Feb.,  1778. 

300.  Maby,  born  March,  1781;  died  in  Holliston,  Mass. 

301.  Ltdia,   born  6  July,    1784;  baptized   22   May,    1791;  died  25 

Nov.,  1862,  according  to  Boston  Records,    but  before  June 
from  the  Probate  Records. 

302.  Nancy,  born  about  1791;  baptized  27  Sept.,  1795;  died  10  July 

1808,  ae.  17  (Christ  Church  Records). 

303.  A  child,  born  1794;  died  Mar.,  1795,  ae.  9  mos.  (Christ  Church 

Records.) 

304.  Jkrusha,  baptized  27  Sept.,  1795. 

204.  Isaac  Burnap,  born  21  July,  1751 ;  married, 
18  November,  1778,  at  Weston,  Mass.  (or  18  December 
from  another  account),  Beulah,  born  26  June,  1752,  at 
Weston,  daughter  of  Abraham  and  Mary  (Gale)  Jones  of 
that  place. 

He  served  as  a  private  in  Captain  John  Homes's  com- 
pany, Colonel  Samuel  Bullard's  regiment,  which  marched 
on  the  alarm  of  19  April,  1775,  to  Roxbury.  By  1778 
he  had  risen  to  the  rank  of  major. 

His  wife  died  16  May,  1805,  and  28  November  of  that 
year  he  married  again,  Hannah,  born  about  1751  at  Mil- 
ford,  Mass.,  daughter  of  Colonel  Ichabod  and  Polly 
Thayer,  widow  of  Jonathan  Stearns  of  Hopkinton. 

He  owned  the  covenant  in  the  Hopkinton  Church  in 
1791,  and  was  one  of  the  members  prominent  in  church 
affairs. 

Daniel  Norcross  of  Hopkinton,  yeoman,  consideration 
<£20  to  Isaac  Burnap  of  Hopkinton,  yeoman,  land  in 
Hopkinton.  27  February,  1783.  Witnesses  :  John  Jones, 
Joel  Norcross.  Acknowledged  27  Feb.,  1783.  (Mddx. 
Land  Records,  vol.  xcv,  p.  35.) 

Samuel  Haven  of  Hopkinton,  yeoman,  administrator  of 


280  THE   BURNAP-BURNETT   GENEALOGY 

the  estate  of  James  Goodwin,  late  of  Hopkinton,  deceased, 
consideration  £109  to  Isaac  Burnap  of  Hopkinton,  yeo- 
man, land  in  Hopkinton,  he  to  pay  the  trustees  Id.  yearly 
per  acre,  etc.  2  February,  1785.  Witnesses :  John  Haven, 
Daniel  Moulton.  Acknowledged  7  March,  1785.  (Hop- 
kinton and  Upton  Deeds,  Mddx.  County  Records,  vol. 
viii,  p.  128. 

Samuel  Haven  of  Hopkinton,  yeoman,  administrator  of 
the  estate  of  Thomas  Walker,  late  of  Hopkinton,  deceased, 
consideration  £50  to  Isaac  Burnap  of  Hopkinton,  yeoman, 
land  in  Hopkinton,  19  acres,  he  to  pay  Id.  yearly  per  acre 
to  the  trustees  of  Harvard  College.  2  February,  1785. 
Witnesses  :  John  Haven,  Daniel  Moulton.  Acknowledged 
22  April,  1793.     (Ibid,  vol.  viii,  p.  389.) 

Samuel  Gibbs  of  Hopkinton,  yeoman,  consideration  20/ 
to  Isaac  Burnap,  land  in  the  4th  division.  5  April,  1788. 
Witnesses  :  John  Jones,  Walter  McFarland.  Acknowl- 
edged 5  April,  1788.     (Ibid,  vol.  ix,  p.  99.) 

Sarah  Burnap,  spinster  (No.  192)  of  Hopkinton,  con- 
sideration £4:  1:  6  to  Isaac  Burnap  of  Hopkinton,  a  pew 
in  the  Meeting  House  at  the  Right  Hand  of  the  Great 
Doors,  reserving  the  right  to  sett  in  sd.  pew  myself.  10 
May,  1790.  Witnesses :  Peter  Ward,  Sarah  Ward.  Ac- 
knowledged 25  May,  1791.     (Ibid,  vol.  ix,  p.  143.) 

William  Copeland  and  Simeon  Stone,  both  of  Thompson 
Co.,  of  Windham,  Ct.,  yeomen,  consideration  £5  to  Isaac 
Burnap  of  Hopkinton,  gent.,  land  in  Hopkinton  or  Upton 
which  fell  to  our  wives  by  their  Honble  grandfather  John 
Jones,  Esq.,  late  of  Hopkinton,  deceased.  17  November, 
1792.  Witnesses :  Perley  Corin,  Ebenezer  Copeland, 
William  Copeland,  Sarah  Copeland,  Simeon  Stone,  Han- 
nah Stone.  Acknowledged  19  November,  1792.  (Ibid, 
vol.  xv,  p.  265.) 

Elias  Whiting  of  Medway,  Norfolk  Co.,  yeoman,  con- 
sideration $195  to  Isaac  Burnap  of  Hopkinton,  13  acres, 
Susannah  his  wife  consents.  9  May,  1709  (sic.)  Ac- 
knowledged 10  May,  1799.     (Ibid,  vol.  xv,  p.  265.) 

(To  be  continued) 


OLD  NORFOLK  COUNTY  RECORDS. 


(  Continued  from  Volume  LIX,  page  96.) 


Whereas,  Henry  Williams,  marshall,  levied  an  execu- 
tion upon  ye  estate  of  Mr  Edward  Colcord  for  twenty 
pounds  in  money,  with  charges,  and  has  extended  sd  exe- 
cution upon  house,  house  lott,  swamp  adjoining,  six  acres 
fresh  meadow,  with  three  stacks  hay  upon  it,  all  in  Hamp- 
ton, and  one  white  face  cow  of  Mr  Colcords  in  lieu  of  all 
his  cattle,  and  as  the  sd  Williams,  by  virtue  of  an  order 
of  Mr.  Colcord's,  dated  Sept.  24,  1678,  was  empowered 
to  sell  as  much  of  his  estate  as  would  satisfy  sd  execu- 
tion, but  his  sons,  viz.,  Benjamin  ffifeild,  Sam11  Colcord 
and  Tho:  Dearborn,  for  tender  respect  to  their  ao-ed 
ffather,  Mr.  Edward  Colcord,  did  procure  at  extreme  and 
very  hard  termes  so  much  money  as  will  satisfy  sd  execu- 
tion and  for  their  security  sd  Williams  has  made  over  ye 
sd  Colcord  estate,  therefore  ye  sd  Williams,  by  order  of 
Mr.  Colcord  aforesd,  and  of  Benj.  ffifeild,  Sam11  Colcord 
and  Tho  :  Dearborn,  the  execution  being  satisfied,  and  re- 
ceipt of  money  acknowledged,  conveyed  to  sd  ffifeild,  Col- 
cord and  Dearborn,  the  aforesaid  described  property  in 
Hampton,  with  all  moveables  in  ye  aforesaid  house  and 
all  cattle  belonging  to  Mr.  Colcord.  Oct.  3,  1678.  Wit : 
Jno.  Redman  and  Henry  Dow.  Ack.  by  Henry  Williams, 
marshall  deputy,  4.  8  mo.,  1678,  before  Sam11  Dalton, 
commissioner. 

Lidia  Williams  of  Haverhill,  daughter  of  John  Wil- 
liams, deceased,  with  the  free  consent  of  her  mother,  Jane 
Williams,  for  security  given  her  by  her  brother,  Joseph 
Williams,  conveyed  to  Leiftenant  Georg  Brown  of  Haver- 
hill, about  two  acres,  as  it  was  layd  out  in  ye  east  meadow 
of  Haverhill,  bounded  by  Henry  Palmer  and  ye  river. 
Jan.  28,1677.  [No  witness.]  Ack.  by  Lidia  [her  A  mark] 
Williams  and  Jane  [her  I  mark]  Williams,  Jan.  28,  1677, 
before  Nath11  Saltonstall,  commissioner. 

Henry  Alt,  aged  about  seventy-three  years,  deposed 
that  John  Smart  did  mow  and  possess  all  ye  meadow  on  ye 
S.westside  of  John  Goddards  creek,  and   that  sd  Smart 

(281) 


282  OLD   NORFOLK   COUNTY    RECORDS 

did  possess  it  twelve  years  before  Dover  was  a  township, 
and  hee  did  possess  it  sixteen  years  peaceably  together, 
and  no  man  did  molest  him  to  my  knowledge.  Attest, 
March  2,  1677-8,  before  Richard  Martyn,  commissioner. 

Wm  Pirkins,  aged  about  thirty-nine  years,  deposed  that 
he  did  see  Robert  Smart  mow  ye  two  marshes  against  my 
marsh  on  ye  southwest  side  of  John  Goddards  cove,  and 
sd  Smart  did  possess  it  sixteen  yeare  together,  and  fur- 
ther deposed  that  he  did  see  John  Meder  and  John  Davis 
mow  ye  thatch  of  ye  flatts  against  sd  meadow  and  carry 
it  away.  Taken  upon  March  2,  1677-8,  before  Richard 
Martyn,  commissioner. 

William  Durgin,  aged  about  thirty-five  years,  deposed 
that  he  did  see  Robert  Smart  mow  ye  two  marshes  on  ye 
southwest  side  of  John  Goddards  cove,  and  he  did  possess 
it  sixteen  years,  and  that  he  did  see  John  Meder,  sen.,  and 
John  Davis,  jun.,  mow  ye  thatch  of  ye  flatts  against  ye 
meadow  and  carry  it  and  load  it  on  ye  canoes  last  hay- 
time.  Sworn  March  12,  1677-8,  before  Sam11  Dalton, 
commissioner. 

Benjamin  Yorke,  aged  about  twenty-three  years,  de- 
posed that  he  did  see  Robert  Smart  mow  ye  marshes  on 
ye  southwest  side  of  John  Goddard's  cove  for  ten  years, 
and  my  father  mowed  ye  marsh  of  Robert  Smart  about 
ten  years  agoe  with  ye  leave  of  Robert  Smart,  and  fur- 
ther saith  that  he  saw  Jn°  Meder,  sen.,  and  John  Davis, 
jun.,  cut  ye  thatch  of  sd.  marsh  and  carrie  it  away,  this 
was  last  hay  tyme.  Sworn  March  12,  1677-8,  before 
Sam11  Dalton,  commissioner. 

Edward  Hilton,  aged  about  forty-eight  years,  and  Wil- 
liam Hilton,  about  forty-six  years,  testifyed  that  they 
knew  that  old  goodman  Smart,  deceased,  did  mow,  several 
years  before  fifty-two,  and  carry  away  peaceably  ye  hay 
from  yeare  to  year,  from  ye  meadow  and  flatts  adjoining 
thereto,  now  in  controversy,  lying  on  ye  neck  of  land  be- 
twixt Godder's  cove  and  Lampoole  river,  begining  at  a 
gravelly  beach  in  ye  mouth  of  ye  river  and  up  ye  river, 
and  two  small  parcells  on  north  side  of  ye  neck  of  land. 
Deponents  further  said  that  John  and  Robert,  sons  of  sd. 
Smart,  successively  after  their  father's  decease  did  peace- 


OLD  NORFOLK  COUNTY  RECORDS         283 

ably  possess  ye  same  meadow  and  flatts,  wee  often  chang- 
ing worke  in  mowing  of  it  came  to  know  it,  till  two  or 
three  of  these  later  years  they  have  been  molested.  Ed- 
ward and  William  Hilton  made  oath  hereunto,  March  30, 
1678,  before  Sam11  Dalton,  commissioner. 

Thomas  Easman  of  Haverhill,  for  twenty-eight  pounds, 
conveyed  to  his  brother,  Timothy  Easman  of  Salisbury, 
twenty-eight  acres  of  land  in  Haverhill,  bounded  by  land 
of  Abraham  Whitticker,  by  a  tree  near  Merries  Creek,  by 
land  of  Moses  Bradstreet  and  Nathaniel  Elithorp.  No- 
vember 3,  1676.  Wit :  Nathaniel  Smith  and  Robert 
fiord.  Ack.  by  grantor,  Jan.  31,  1676,  before  Robert 
Pike,  associate. 

Division  of  estate,  an  agreement  between  Joseph  Easman 
and  Benjamin  Easman  concerning  property  held  in  part- 
nership, viz.,  for  Joseph's  part,  ye  dwelling  house, 
oarchyard,  tanyard,  fatts,  pumps,  shoots,  tanforks,  lime 
hooks,  beame  flesher  and  working  knife,  mill  with  mill- 
ston,  harness  and  Whipple  tree,  chaine  and  shovels,  Joseph 
also  to  have  liberty  to  make  use  of  ye  mill  as  it  stands 
and  egress  and  regress  from  mill  to  tanyard  until  planting 
time  next,  and  for  ye  house,  oarchard  and  appurtinances 
abovesd,  Joseph  is  to  pay  to  Benjamin  seventeen  pounds, 
one-third  part  in  cattle  to  be  prized  by  two  indifferent 
men,  one-third  in  corne,  and  one-third  in  shooes  at  price 
currant.  Joseph  to  have  also  half  ye  dung  provided  it 
be  removed  before  winter,  and  in  case  they  cannot  agree 
about  ye  dividing  of  ye  dung,  John  Stevens,  jun.,  is  to 
divide  it  between  them,  and  Benjamin  to  have  ye  glass  y* 
stands  in  ye  dwelling  house  window.  It  is  also  agreed 
that  the  bounds  of  ye  land  they  bought  in  partnership  of 
their  father,  Rodger  Easman,  shall  be  as  follows,  viz,  ye 
dividing  line  shall  begin  at  a  landing  place  by  ye  creeke, 
leaving  liberty  of  free  egress  and  regress  of  both  parties, 
and  further  divided  by  certain  trees,  stakes,  stumps  and 
stones,  and  also  a  marked  pitch  pine  on  ye  comon,  Joseph 
choosing  ye  south  side  and  Benjamin  ye  north  side.  Aug. 
23,  1688.  Wit:  Sam11  [his  mark]  ffelloes  and  Ephraim 
Winsly.  Signed  by  Benjamin  Easman  and  Joseph  Eas- 
man. 


284  OLD    NORFOLK   COUNTY   RECORDS 

Memorandum.  Both  parties  agree  that  a  cartway  shall 
be  left  through  John  Easman's  yard  to  run  through  ye 
south  division,  giving  free  egress  and  regress  to  ye  north 
division.  23,  6  mo.  1678.  Wit :  Sam11  Dalton,  Willi. 
Buswell  and  John  Stevens,  jun.  Ack.  by  Joseph  Easman 
and  Benjamin  Easman,  Aug.  23,  1678,  before  Sam11 
Dalton,  commissioner. 

This  agreement  is  approved  by  undersigned,  being 
chosen  by  both  parties  to  end  difference,  Sam11  Dalton, 
Willi:  Buswell  and  Jno.  Stevens,  jun.,  Aug.  23,  1678. 

Onesiphrus  Page,  of  Salisbury,  weaver,  for  eight  pounds 
sterling,  conveyed  to  John  Clough,  jun.,  of  same  town, 
husbandman,  seven  acres  upland  in  Salisbury,  being  part 
of  ye  land  I  purchased  lately  of  Richd  Goodale  of  Salis- 
bury, bounded  with  land  now  of  Cornelius  Connor  and 
other  land  of  sd.  Jno.  Clough.  Oct.  10, 1678.  Wit:  Nath  : 
Winsly  and  Nathanael  Brown.  Ack.  by  Onesiphrus 
Page,  Mary,  his  wife,  resigning  her  right  of  dower,  Oct. 
10,  1678,  before  Nath:  Saltonstall,  commissioner. 

Onesiphrus  Page  of  Salisbury,  weaver,  for  eight  pounds 
sterling,  conveyed  to  Cornelius  Connor  of  same  town, 
planter,  seven  acres  upland  in  Salisbury,  which  is  part  of 
land  I  lately  purchased  of  Richd  Goodale  of  Salisbury, 
bounded  by  land  of  sd.  Connor  and  land  now  of  John 
Clough,  jun.  Oct.  10,  1678.  [No  witnesses  and  no  ac- 
knowledgment.] 

Edward  Colcord,  of  Hampton,  conveyed  to  James 
Chase  of  same  towne,  mariner,  one  share  of  cowes  comon 
in  Hampton,  as  may  appear  upon  town  booke,  by  a  division 
made  23,  12  mo.,  1645,  by  town  of  Hampton,  29,  8  mo., 
1678.  Wit :  Henry  Roby  and  Abraham  Drake.  Ack.  by 
Edward  Colcord,  30,  8  mo.,  1678,  before  Sam11  Dalton, 
commissioner. 

John  Smith  of  Hampton,  tayler,  for  thirty  pounds, 
conveyed  to  Henry  Roby  of  same  towne,  my  dwelling 
house  and  house  lott  of  about  five  acres  in  Hampton,  with 
all  ye  fruit  trees  and  fences  belonging  to  sd.  land.  Bound- 
ed with  land  of  William  Marston,  Mr.  Samuel  Dalton, 
butting  upon  ye  comon  land  called  ye  Ring,  and  by  land 
of  Robert  Page.  Feb.  14,  1676.  Wit:  Henry  Dow  and 
Tho:  Nudd.  Ack.  by  John  Smith,  15.  12  mo.,  1676,  be- 
fore Sam11  Dalton,  commissioner. 


OLD  NORFOLK  COUNTY  RECORDS        285 

Nathaniel  Batcheler  of  Hampton,  yeoman,  for  three 
acres  of  marsh  lying  near  to  Hoplands,  conveyed  to  Henry 
Roby  about  three  acres  of  meadow  sometime  of  ye  wid- 
dow  Hussey,  late  of  Hampton,  and  by  her  sold  to  Tho : 
Coleman,  and  by  sd.  Coleman  sold  unto  me,  sd.  Batchel- 
der,  sd.  meadow  bounded  with  ye  meadow  of  John  Moul- 
ton,  now  of  Henry  Moulton,  the  meadow  of  Christopher 
Hussey,  now  of  Giles  ffuller,  a  river  and  a  highway 
towards  ye  beach.  10.  12  mo.,  1663.  Wit  :  Samuel 
Dalton  and  Giles  ffuller.  Ack.  by  Nathanael  Batcheler, 
April  18,  1664,  before  Tho:  Wiggin. 

Thomas  Thurton  of  St.  Buttals,  Bishopsgate,  London, 
Tobackoness,  being  by  last  county  court  held  at  Hamp- 
ton, New  England,  declared  to  be  heire  apparent  to  ye 
estate  of  Giles  ffuller,  late  of  Hampton,  deceased,  as  was 
made  evident  to  his  majestie's  Court  of  Justis,  under 
seal  of  Lord  Mayor  of  London,  conveyed  to  Henry  Roby 
of  Hampton  about  three  acres  of  meadow  in  Hampton, 
formerly  of  Giles  ffuller,  of  Hampton,  deceased.  Bounded 
by  meadow  of  sd.  Henry  Roby,  Christopher  Palmer  and 
Abraham  Drake.  Nov.  1,  1677.  Wit:  Sam11  Dalton  and 
Jonathan  Perkins.  Ack.  by  Tho:  Thurton,  2.  9  mo.  1677, 
before  Sam11  Dalton,  commissioner. 

Edward  Colcord  of  Hampton,  planter,  for  fifteen 
pounds,  conveyed  to  Henry  Roby  of  same  town,  yeoman, 
about  fower  acres  salt  marsh,  as  it  was  formerly  made 
over  to  Hugh  Marsh  of  Nubery  for  payment  of  a  debt, 
and  now  redeemed  by  sd.  Henry  Roby  from  sd  Marsh.  Sd. 
land  being  bounded  with  marsh  of  Capt.  Bradburies  of  same 
division,  now  in  hands  of  Jn°  Redman,  jun.,  and  by  land 
of  Abraham  Pirkins.  1.  9  mo.,  1678.  Wit:  Hugh  Marsh 
and  Mary  Woodbridg.  Ack.  at  Nubery  by  Edward  Col- 
cord, Nov.  1,  1678,  before  John  Woodbridg,  commissioner. 

Christopher  Palmer  of  Hampton,  yeoman,  for  seven 
hundred  pounds,  in  good  merchantable  pay,  horses  except- 
ed, conveyed  to  his  two  sones,  Sam11  Palmer  and  Joseph 
Palmer,  my  house  and  house  lott,  containing  about  twenty 
acres,  in  Hampton,  with  all  buildings  and  edifices  upon 
sd.  lott,  bounded  with  lott  of  Morris  Hobbs  and  John 
Moulton.     Also  twelve    acres    planting   land  in  ye  East 


286        OLD  NORFOLK  COUNTY  RECORDS 

feild,  bounded  by  Joseph  Moulton  and  John  Smith,  cooper. 
Also  twelve  acres  fresh  meadow  between  the  east  field 
and  ye  beach,  bounded  with  ye  meadow  of  Morris 
Hobbs,  together  with  ten  acres  of  planting  land  in  ye 
North  playne,  bounded  with  land  of  Herron  Levitt  and 
Moses  Cox;  likewise  twenty-three  acres  of  pasture  land 
in  ye  east  feild  and  fowerteen  acres  of  salt  marsh  between 
ye  marsh  of  Tho:  Marston  and  marsh  of  Mr  Dalton,  all 
lying  in  Hampton,  together  with  three  shares  of  cows 
comon  and  one  share  oxe  comon.  Also  sd.  Palmer  con- 
veyed my  fourth  part  of  a  dubble  Geerd  saw  mill,  being 
upon  a  branch  of  Piscataqua  river  called  Puscassett  in  ye 
bounds  of  ye  town  of  Exiter,  with  three  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land,  lying  by  sd.  mill,  joyning  to  Pascassett 
river  and  running  a  mile  and  a  halfe  into  ye  woods,  and 
one-halfe  of  a  parcell  of  marsh,  on  ye  westerly  side  of 
Lampoole  river  mouth  towards  Exiter  (ye  whole  being 
about  sixteen  acres  as  it  joins  Lampoole  river).  Also  sd. 
Palmer  conveyed  all  my  stock  of  cattle  and  all  my  move- 
ables within  dores  and  without.  Nov.  9,  1678.  Wit  : 
Sam11  Dalton,  jun.,  and  Philemon  Dalton.  Ack.  by  Chris- 
topher Palmer,  Nov.  9,  1678,  before  Sam11  Dalton,  com- 
missioner. 

Mortgage  deed.  Richard  Currier  of  Eamsbury,  mill- 
wright, for  forty-three  pounds  sterling,  conveyed  to  Capt. 
Pall  White  of  Nubery,  marchnt,  all  my  right  in  ye  saw- 
mill in  Eamsbury,  being  a  third  part  of  ye  sd.  mill.  Pro- 
vided that  if  sd  Richard  Currier  pays  sd  forty-three 
pounds  in  neat,  fatt  cattle  before  Nov.  10  next,  to  be 
delivered  at  ye  dwelling  house  of  sd  Pall  White  in  Nu- 
bery, and  to  be  prized  by  indifferent  men,  or  sd  Currier 
pays  part  of  sd  sum  in  marchantable  oake  planke,  slitt 
worke  or  pine  boards,  to  be  delivered  at  ye  warehouse  of 
sd  Pall  White  att  ye  water  side  in  Nubery,  then  this  bill 
of  sale  is  of  none  effect.  Also  sd  Richard  Currier  engages 
to  pay  forty  shillings  more  for  Steven  Swett,  sen.,  of  Nu- 
bery. March  22,  1675.  Wit:  John  Jones  and  Willm 
Chandler.  Ack.  by  Richard  Currier,  May  18,  1676,  before 
Tho:  Bradbury,  associate. 

Tho  :  Thurton,  Cittisen  of  London,  England,  Tobaccon 


OLD  NORFOLK  COUNTY  RECORDS         287 

est,  being,  at  Court  held  at  Hampton,  Oct.  9,  1677,  de- 
clared to  be  heire  apparent  to  the  estate  of  Giles  ffuller 
late  of  Hampton,  deceased,  for  twenty  pounds  and 
two  thousand  marchantable  staves,  conve}7ed  to  William 
Samborn,  sen.,  of  Hampton,  yeoman,  a  certain  dwelling 
house  and  house  lott,  with  all  buildings,  oarchyards,  gar- 
dens, fences,  and  appurtenances  thereto  belonging,  lately 
in  possession  of  ye  sd  Giles  ffuller.  Sd  house  lott  beino- 
about  six  acres  and  three-quarters  as  recorded  in  Hampton 
town  book,  bounded  by  land  of  Jasper  Blake,  a  common 
roadway  yt  goeth  to  Piscataqua,  and  a  way  going  to 
Exiter,  and  a  certain  swamp  commonly  calledGiles  swamp. 
Nov.  16,  1678.  Wit :  Sam11  Dalton,  jun.,  and  Elisabeth 
Dalton.  Ack.  by  grantor,  Nov.  16,  1678,  before  Sam11 
Dalton,  commissioner. 

George  Martyn  of  Eamsbery,  Blacksmith,  for  an  eio-ht 
acre  lot  of  upland  in  Eamsberrie,  in  a  place  commonly 
called  ye  Lyons  mouth,  conveyed  to  Jn°  Jimson  of  Eams- 
berrie, planter,  my  forty  acre  lott  of  upland  in  Eamsberry, 
in  a  place  commonly  called  Bugmore  division.  Sd  lott 
bounded  by  land  of  Gerard  Haddon,  Henry  Blasdell  and 
the  widdow  Rowell.  Sept.  — ,  1675.  Wit:  Tho  :  Wells 
and  Nath11  Emerson.  Ack.  by  George  [his  M  mark©] 
Martyn,  Aprill  9,  '78,  before  Nath11  Saltonstall,  commis- 
sioner. 

George  Martyn  of  Eamsbery,  Blackmith,  for  naturall 
love  and  affection,  conveyed  to  my  well  beloved  daughter 
Hester,  ye  now  wyfe  of  John  Jimson  of  same  town, 
planter,  twelve  acres  of  upland  in  Eamsbery,  bounded 
with  land  formerly  of  John  Hoyt,  sen.,  of  Esekiel  Watson 
and  Richard  Martyn.  Sept.  — ,  1675.  Wit :  Tho:  Brad- 
bury and  William  Bradbury.  Ack.  by  George  [his  M 
marke]  Martyn,  April  9,  '78,  before  Nath:  Saltonstall, 
commissioner. 

Acquittance  of  John  Jimson  of  Amsbury  given  by  Wm: 
Symonds  of  Wells,  of  all  demands.  Jan.  5,  1678.  Wit: 
Sam11  Symonds,  Rebeccah  Stacy.  Signed  by  William  Sy- 
monds. 

Execution  against  estate  of  Tho:  Phillbrick  and  Martha 
Cass  as  executors,  to  estate  of  John  Cass,  to  satisfy  judg- 


4 


288  OLD   NORFOLK  COUNTY  RECORDS 

ment  of  70  li.  in  money  granted  Jno.  Redman,  jun.,  on 
May  30,  1676,  at  Hampton  court,  and  served  by  Henry 
Dow,  marshall  of  Norfolk.  Dated  Sept.  26,  1678.  Return 
was  made  by  Henry  Dow  by  attachment  of  a  house,  barne 
and  6  acres  upland  tendered  by  Thos.  Philbrick  and  Mar- 
tha Cass.  Said  property  being  bounded  by  lands  of 
Christopher  Palmer  and  John  Redman.  As  also  half  a 
five  acre  piece  of  meadow  at  beach  river,  so  called,  and 
lands  of  William  Samborn  and  Christopher  Palmer.  Also 
one-half  of  eight  acres  salt  marsh  on  beach  river,  bounded 
by  land  now  in  the  hands  of  Jno.  ffuller  and  marsh  some- 
times Edward  Colcord's,  and  marshes  of  Nath.  Batcheller 
and  Jno.  Redman,  sen.,  all  of  which  lands  are  in  Hampton, 
and  were  formerly  in  possession  of  Jno.  Redman,  jun., 
and  sold  by  him  to  Jno.  Cass,  late  deceased.  Dated  Nov. 
20,  1678,  and  ack.  the  same  date  by  John  Redman,  jun., 
as  full  satisfaction. 

Mortgage  deed.  Richard  Currier  of  Eamsbery,  mill- 
wright, for  fifty-three  pounds,  ten  shillings  sterling,  con- 
veyed to  Henry  Jaques  of  Nubery,  carpenter,  my  now 
dwelling  house  in  Eamsbery  and  about  ten  acres  land  ad- 
joyning  it,  bounded  with  ye  Pawwaus  River,  ye  minister's 
land,  land  of  my  sone  Thomas  Currier,  and  land  of  Robert 
Jones.  Nov.  28,  1678.  Wit:  Tho:  Woodbridg  and  Hugh 
Marsh.  Ack.  by  Richard  Currier,  Nov.  19,  1678,  before 
John  Woodbridg,  commissioner. 

John  Wedgwood  of  Exiter  conveyed  to  Edward  Hilton 
of  Exiter,  gent.,  one  hundred  and  50  acres  land,  with 
trees,  wood  and  timber  thereon,  in  Exiter,  bounded  with 
John  ffoulsham's  land,  land  of  Mr.  Smart,  ye  comons,  and 
sd  Hilton's  marshes.  June  12,  1674.  Wit:  Edw:  Smith 
and  Tho :  [his  I  R  marke]  Rawlings.  Ack.  by  John 
Wedgwood,  Nov.  18,  1678,  before  Jn°  Gillman,  commis- 
sioner. Edward  Hilton  owned  that  ye  land  in  ye  deed 
was  delivered  by  him  to  Mr  Vaghan  in  consideration  of  a 
debt  due  Cap*  Richd  Cutt,  deceased.  Ack.  before  Johu 
Gillman,  commissioner. 

(To  be  continued.') 


THE 

ESSEX  INSTITUTE 
HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 

VOL.  LIX—  OCTOBER,  1923. 

Issued  Quarterly 


SALEM,  MASS. 

PRINTED  FOR  THE  ESSEX  IN8TITUTE 
1923 


ESSEX  INSTITUTE  HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 

The  Historical  Collections  are  published  quarterly  with  illustra- 
tions; each  volume  containing  a  complete  index.  Subscription 
$3.00  per  annum.  "     

"  Entered  at  the  Post  Office  in  Salem,  Massachusetts,  as  second  class  matter. 

CONTENTS— OCTOBER,  1923. 

1.  Salem  and  the  War  of  1812.     By  William  Dismore  Chappie.      ^ 

(Continued.)      .        •        •  ■        '        *        " 

2.  The  Suppression  of    Piracy    in    the    West  Indies.      By 

Francis  B.C.  Bradlee.    {Illustrated.)  (Concluded.)        .      805 

3  Forty  Tears  Ago  in  Salem.    (Continued.)    .  359 

4  Salem  Vessels  and  Their  Voyages.     By  George  Granville 

Putnam.    (Continued.)  (Elustrated.)  -      OD1 

5  The    Burnap-Burnett    Genealogy.      By    Henry    Wyckoff 

Belknap.     (Continued.)    .        ...        ■        •        • 

SALEM  VESSELS  AND  THEIR  VOYAGES. 
By  George  Granville  Putnam. 

Figuring  prominently  in  the  East  India  commerce  after  the  Revo- 
lution was  the  Pepper  Trade  between  Salem  and  the  Island  of  Su- 
matra-a  trade  marked  by  romance,  pathos,  tragedy  and  prosperity. 
The  first  American  vessel  to  visit  the  northwest  coast  of  Sumatra 
Jnd  to  bring  a  consignment  of  pepper  in  bulk  to  this  country  was 
the  propertl  of  Salem  merchants,  commanded  by  a  Salem  shipmas- 

teMar11  pXmfwto^r  aXrity  on  Salem  shipping  has  gathered 
from  old  newspapers  and  other  sources  the  story  of  the  sagacity 
nnd  heroism  of  the  men  of  Salem  and  nearby  towns  in  bringing 
theii Sable  cargoes  to  this  port,  interspersed  with  anecdotes  of 
thrilling  adventures  with  the  Malays.  -     -     .  , 

160  pP  with  Index;  8vo.;  &  full-page  illustrations  computing  75 
separate  pictures.    Blue  boards.     Price,  postpaid,  $3.50. 

PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES  AND  ITS 

SUPPRESSION,  1820-1832. 

By  Francis  B.  C.  Bradlee. 

This  new  story  by  the  well-known  author  of  books  on  marine 
subiects  ta  one  of  the  most  thrilling  and  absorbing  .yet  Published. 
Indeed  t Is  the  first  published  work  giving  a  complete  history  of 
Jhi,  nefarious  practice  in  the  West  Indies,  which  for  years  menaced 
American  commerce  until  the  Government  took  a  hand  in  its  sup- 
Americancum  is  considerable   local  flavor  in  the 

l^lTo^c^oi^Ll,  belonging  to  Salem,  Marblehead, 
Newburvport,  Boston,  and  other  New  England  ports 

In  adStion  to  a  list  of  American  vessels  attacked  by  pirates  s  a 
historv  of  Slavers  engaged  in  the  lucrative  business  of  bringing  into 
the United ^^tates  thousands  of  negroes  to  be  sold  at  enormous  profit 

t0^p\7wmindcx;  8,o.;  S7  full  page  Illustrations.  Bed  cloth. 
Price,  postpaid,  $5.00. 

Address : 

THE  ESSEX  INSTITUTE, 

Salem,  Mass. 


New  Catalog  of  all  Publications  of  the  Essex  Institute  sent  on 
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O    g  : 

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HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 

OF  THE 

ESSEX  INSTITUTE 


Vol.  LIX  October,  1923  No.  4 


SALEM  AND  THE  WAR  OF  1812. 


By  William  Dismore  Chapple. 


A  majority  of  the  citizens  of  Salem  were  unquestion- 
ably opposed  to  the  War  of  1812,  and  in  order  that  we 
may  understand  their  point  of  view  it  is  necessary  to 
briefly  review  the  condition  of  affairs  for  the  preceding 
ten  or  twelve  years. 

No  section  of  the  country  was  so  favored  as  Massachu- 
setts by  the  Federalist  administrations  of  Washington  and 
Adams,  for  under  the  lead  of  that  greatest  of  all  Federal- 
ists, Alexander  Hamilton,  not  only  were  fishing  bounties 
granted,  but  a  draw-back  system  was  established  under 
which  tariff  duties  on  imported  goods  were  repaid  if  the 
merchandise  were  re-shipped  to  a  foreign  country  within  a 
year,  and  Massachusetts  soon  became  the  leading  State  in 
the  re-shipment  of  foreign  merchandise. 

Goods  imported  in  foreign  vessels  had  to  pay  ten  per 
cent  additional  duty  on  ordinary  goods  and  fifty  per  cent 
additional  on  tea,  over  and  above  what  they  would  have 
been  obliged  to  pay  if  they  had  been  imported  in  Ameri- 
can vessels.  Our  own  vessels  also  paid  a  duty  of  six 
cents  per  ton  burden  under  the  Act  of  1790,  while  foreign 
vessels  had  to  pay  fifty  cents  a  ton  burden.  In  the  coast- 
ing trade  our  vessels  paid  this  duty  but  once  a  year,  while 
foreign  ones  paid  it  at  every  port. 

As  a  result  of  these  Federalist  measures  the  commerce 
of  Salem,  as  well  as  that  of  other  ports  of  Massachusetts, 
grew  by  leaps  and  bounds.  While  British  attacks  on  our 
commerce  in  1793  and  1791  were  provoking,  yet  still 
more  abhorrent  to  the    conservative    merchants  of  Essex 

(289) 


290  SALEM    AND    THE    WAR    OF    1812 

County  was  the  lawlessness  and  rioting  of  the  French 
Revolution.  However,  those  who  favored  France  were 
gaining  in  other  parts  of  the  country  under  the  influence 
of  Jefferson,  who  had  been  our  minister  to  France  at  the 
outbreak  and  during  the  first  part  of  their  Revolution,  and 
who  was  thoroughly  infatuated  with  everything  French  ; 
and  the  Federalists  in  1796,  the  last  presidential  election 
which  they  were  ever  to  carry,  were  only  successful  by 
the  close  vote  of  71  for  John  Adams  and  68  for  Thomas 
Jefferson,  who  thereupon  became  Vice-President,  with 
Timothy  Pickering  of  Salem  as  Secretary  of  State. 

France  had  hoped  for  the  election  of  Jefferson.  Her 
minister  to  this  country  was  audacious  enough  to  publish 
in  American  newspapers  a  plea  for  the  election  of  Jeffer- 
son as  a  friend  of  France,  and  the  cockade  of  the  French 
Republic  became  the  campaign  emblem  of  the  followers 
of  Jefferson.  When  the  result  of  the  election  was  known, 
France  gave  up  all  pretence  of  friendship  and  increased 
her  seizing  of  American  ships  which  she  had  begun  in 
1793,  and  thereafter  treated  our  vessels  as  though  she 
were  at  war  with  the  United  States.  Her  injuries  to  our 
commerce  were  only  less  than  the  damage  inflicted  by 
England,  because  she  had  less  vessels  than  the  latter  coun- 
try with  which  to  seize  our  ships.  No  formal  declaration 
of  war  against  France  took  place,  but  on  April  7th,  1798, 
all  existing  treaties  with  her  were  abrogated. 

The  enthusiasm  for  war  against  France  was  very  strong 
in  Salem,  and  when,  in  1798,  we  were  apparently  about 
to  engage  in  such  a  war  and  had  no  navy  of  any  conse- 
quence, Congress  authorized  President  Adams  to  accept 
such  vessels  as  private  citizens  might  offer,  paying  for 
them  in  six  per  cent  stock.  Salem  responded  at  once  by 
opening  a  subscription  to  build  such  a  ship,  and  Elias 
Hasket  Derby  made  the  first  pledge  of  $10,000,  followed 
immediately  by  another  subscription  for  a  similar  amount 
from  William  Gray.  Others  put  down  smaller  sums  until 
about  $75,000  had  been  raised,  and  the  Frigate  Essex  was 
built,  by  Enos  Briggs,  the  famous  ship-builder.  She  was 
launched  September  30th,  1799,  carrying  thirty-two  guns, 
and  was  the  pride  of  our  early  navy,  as  well  as  its 
fastest  vessel. 


BY    WILLIAM    DISMORE    CHAPPLE  291 

Farragut  served  as  a  midshipman  upon  her,  and  she  is 
credited  with  taking  over  two  million  dollars'  worth  of 
English  prizes  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  yet  she  was  never 
a  paying  investment  to  the  Salem  merchants  who  had  ad- 
vanced the  money  to  build  her  ;  the  stock  in  her  was 
quoted  during  the  latter  part  of  her  career  at  fifty  cents 
on  the  dollar.  She  did  tremendous  damage  to  the  English 
shipping  in  the  Pacific,  and  was  finally  captured  while 
under  the  command  of  Captain  David  Porter  by  being 
attacked  while  in  a  damaged  condition  from  storm  by  two 
English  ships,  although  lying  close  to  the  neutral  shore 
at  Valparaiso. 

During  the  trouble  with  France  the  Constellation,  carry- 
ing 38  guns,  captured  the  French  Frigate  IS  Insurgente,  of 
40  guns,  and,  a  little  later,  the  Vengeance,  carrying  54 
guns.  Talleyrand,  finding  that  he  had  gone  too  far,  now 
invited  the  United  States  to  send  envoys,  but  by  the  time 
they  arrived  the  Directorate  had  been  overthrown  by  Na- 
poleon, who,  as  First  Consul,  was  disposed  to  be  friendly, 
and  made  a  treaty  with  the  United  States,  which  ended 
the  possibility  of  war. 

At  the  next  national  election  Jefferson  and  Burr,  Dem- 
ocrats, both  received  7S  votes  to  65  for  Adams  and  64  for 
Pinckney,  Federalists.  Under  the  law  at  that  time,  the 
electors  each  voted  for  two  persons,  without  stating  which 
was  for  president  and  which  for  vice-president ;  the  rule 
being  that  the  person  receiving  the  highest  vote  was  to  be 
president  and  the  second  vice-president,  but  as  Jefferson 
and  Burr  both  received  the  same  number,  the  election  was 
transferred  to  the  House  of  Representatives,  where  the 
Federalists  were  in  control.  "Wishing  to  make  as  much 
trouble  for  the  Democratic  party  as  possible,  they  voted 
for  Burr  for  president,  well  knowing  that  it  was  the  in- 
tent of  the  Democrats  to  select  him  only  for  vice-presi- 
dent, but  after  thirty-six  ballots,  upon  the  advice  of  Alex- 
ander Hamilton,  Jefferson  was  elected. 

France  and  England  had  been  at  war  from  1793  to  1802, 
when  there  was  a  brief  suspension  of  hostilities,  but  the 
next  year,  1803,  the  war  was  again  renewed,  and  nation 
after  nation  was  dragged  into  the  contest,  until  Napoleon 
met  his  final  defeat  at  Waterloo.     During  all  of  this  time 


292         SALEM  AND  THE  WAR  OF  1812 

England  was  master  of  the  sea  and  Napoleon  almost  in- 
vincible on  the  land.  The  ships  of  France,  Spain  and 
Holland  were  driven  from  the  ocean,  and,  therefore,  these 
countries,  in  order  to  secure  their  much  needed  products 
from  their  colonies  in  the  West  Indies,  South  America  and 
elsewhere,  had  to  open  their  colonial  trade  to  neutrals, 
and  American  vessels,  with  those  of  Salem  well  in  the 
lead,  soon  acquired  a  monopoly  of  this  trade  and  became 
the  principal  carriers  of  the  world. 

By  the  Rule  of  1756,  a  belligerent  was  not  permitted 
to  open  to  neutrals  in  time  of  war  its  colonial  trade  which 
was  not  open  to  them  in  times  of  peace,  and  England 
therefore  claimed  a  right  to  seize  any  neutral  vessel  carry- 
ing a  cargo  between  a  belligerent  port  and  a  colony  of  that 
belligerent,  but  the  rule  did  not  apply  to  a  cargo  passing 
between  a  neutral  port  and  that  of  a  belligerent.  There- 
fore, all  that  a  merchant  of  Salem  had  to  do  was  to  sail 
from  a  French  or  Spanish  port  in  the  West  Indies  to 
Salem,  unload  the  cargo  at  some  local  wharf,  entering  it 
at  the  Custom  House,  have  the  duties  remitted  because  it 
was  to  be  reshipped  to  a  foreign  port  within  a  year,  reload 
the  goods  in  the  same  ship,  and  sail  away  on  a  perfectly 
lawful  voyage  to  France  or  Spain. 

The  English  Admiralty  Court  held  this  to  be  legal  by 
a  decision  in  April,  1800,  and  under  this  ruling  hundreds 
of  American  ships  from  Salem  and  other  ports  sailed 
from  the  Colonial  possessions  of  France,  Spain,  Holland 
and  Italy,  breaking  the  journey  at  some  Salem  wharf  and 
then  taking  the  cargoes  to  the  belligerents  in  Europe. 
England  found,  however,  if  her  enemies  could  get  all  the 
supplies  they  needed  by  this  process,  she  could  never  win 
in  spite  of  her  naval  supremacy,  and  accordingly  Lord 
Stowell  reversed  this  decision  in  1805,  holding  the  prac- 
tice to  be  an  evasion  of  the  law,  that  the  intent  of  the 
voyage  should  be  considered,  and  that  this  practice  was 
illegal.  Whereupon  the  seizing  of  American  vessels  be- 
gan, and  116  were  seized  the  first  year  and  350  during 
three  years. 

Napoleon,  having  lost  his  fleet  to  Lord  Nelson  at  Tra- 
falgar, undertook  by  means  of  his  Continental  System  to 
forbid  the  admission  of  English    goods    into  any  port  of 


BY    WILLIAM    DISMORE    CHAPPLE  293 

the  continent  controlled  by  himself  or  his  allies.  England 
replied  with  an  Order  in  Council  which  declared  some  800 
miles  of  the  coast  of  Europe  to  be  under  blockade,  but 
established  no  vessels  outside  the  closed  ports  to  warn 
ships  of  the  blockade,  and  all  American  ships  bound  for 
Europe  were  presumed  to  be  bound  for  a  blockaded  port 
and  liable  to  capture.  Napoleon,  by  his  Berlin  Decree, 
next  declared  that  the  British  Isles  were  blockaded. 
Whereupon  England  issued  another  Order  in  Council  for- 
bidding all  trade  with  France  or  her  allies,  and  Napoleon 
then  came  back  with  the  Milan  Decree  which  directed  the 
capture  of  all  neutral  vessels  which  allowed  themselves  to 
be  searched  by  an  English  ship  or  which  were  bound  to  or 
from  an  English  port. 

These  British  Orders  in  Council  and  French  Decrees 
put  all  Europe  under  a  blockade  and  all  American  ships 
which  sailed  to  or  from  an  English  or  Continental  port 
were  liable  to  capture.  France  and  England  both  seized 
American  ships  upon  every  pretence,  and  as  Salem  was 
one  of  the  leading  ports  of  the  country  it  suffered  heavily 
at  the  hands  of  both  nations.  England  further  claimed 
that  if  a  man  had  been  born  an  English  subject  he  re- 
mained an  English  citizen,  and  refused  to  recognize  any 
naturalization  of  their  subjects.  The  pay  in  the  British 
service  was  poor  and  the  discipline  severe,  and  as  a  result 
their  sailors  deserted  in  great  numbers  to  American  ships, 
where  the  pay  and  living  conditions  were  better.  England 
claimed  the  right  to  search  our  ships  and  take  from  them 
any  men  whom  they  asserted  to  be  English  subjects,  some 
of  whom  were  undoubtedly  deserters,  but  many  of  them 
were  American  born. 

As  England's  need  of  men  increased  by  reason  of  the 
war  with  Napoleon,  and  our  Government  only  screamed 
and  scolded,  being  seemingly  afraid  or  too  weak  to 
fight,  English  ship  captains  became  bolder,  until  apparent- 
ly in  order  to  emphasize  their  contempt  for  America,  dur- 
ing the  summer  of  1807  the  English  man-of-war  Leopard 
followed  the  U.  S.  Frigate  Chesapeake  out  of  Norfolk  har- 
bor, and  under  the  pretence  that  they  wished  to  send  dis- 
patches to  Europe,  boarded  her  and  demanded  that  cer- 
tain deserters  be  given  up.     Commodore    Barron  replied 


294         SALEM  AND  THE  WAR  OF  1812 

that  he  knew  of  no  deserters,  but  that  he  would  allow  no 
search  even  if  there  were  such  on  board.  After  some 
altercation,  the  English  ship  fired  a  broadside,  killing  and 
wounding  many  of  the  Chesapeake' 8  crew.  Whereupon, 
as  the  Chesapeake  had  only  one  gun  that  could  be  manned, 
she  surrendered,  was  boarded  and  her  crew  mustered,  four 
being  arrested  as  deserted,  three  of  them  negroes  (two 
natives  of  the  U.  S.  and  one  of  South  America),  the 
fourth  probably  was  an  Englishman.  For  this  insult  an 
explanation,  apology  and  reparation  was  demanded,  the 
captain  of  the  Leopard  was  removed  as  having  exceeded 
his  authority,  but  a  proclamation  was  also  issued  requiring 
all  British  seamen  on  foreign  merchantmen  to  be  taken, 
and  those  on  men  of  war  to  be  demanded,  and  if  not  sur- 
rendered the  fact  reported  to  the  Admiral  of  the  British 
fleet. 

Jefferson  was  opposed  to  a  navy  and  stopped  any  fur- 
ther construction  of  ships  of  the  type  of  those  which 
composed  the  gallant  little  navy  which  had  been  started 
during  the  administrations  of  Washington  and  Adams.  In 
place  of  such  ships  and  the  fortification  of  our  harbors, 
he  recommended  the  construction  of  small  gunboats  to 
cost  about  $2,000  each,  and  carrying  at  the  stern  of  each 
one  small  gun,  which  boats  were  to  be  kept  on  wheels 
under  sheds  on  shore  until  they  were  needed  and  then 
launched  like  our  life-saving  boats.  Congress  provided  a 
small  number  of  them,  which  were  utterly  worthless  when 
war  did  come  in  1812. 

As  Jefferson  was  opposed  to  war  on  principle,  and 
England  and  France  were  capturing  our  ships  upon  the 
slightest  pretext,  he  decided  that  the  only  way  to  protect 
our  ships  was  to  keep  them  out  of  danger  by  making  them 
stay  at  home,  and  he,  therefore,  in  the  autumn  of  1807, 
recommended  that  Congress  declare  an  embargo  on  all 
American  shipping.  He  also  felt  that  England  and  France 
were  so  dependent  on  our  merchandise  and  carrying  trade 
that  if  they  were  cut  off  from  it  they  would  soon  come 
to  terms,  and  his  influence  with  Congress  was  such  that 
it  passed  an  embargo  on  December  2  2d,  1807,  which  re- 
mained in  force  for  fourteen  months. 

In  spite  of  the  depredations  of  the  French  and  English, 


BY    WILLIAM    DISMORE    CHAPPLE  295 

Salem  in  1807,  at  the  time  the  embargo  became  law,  was 
at  the  height  of  its  maritime  glory,  because,  as  George 
Cabot  said,  profits  were  so  high  that  if  one  vessel  out  of 
three  escaped  capture  the  owner  could  make  a  good  profit 
on  the  total,  but  the  moment  the  embargo  took  effect  a 
blight  descended  upon  Salem.  No  vessel  was  allowed  to 
sail  to  a  foreign  port,  nor  could  a  coaster  depart  without 
giving  bond  in  double  the  value  of  the  vessel  and  cargo 
that  she  would  not  land  at  any  foreign  port.  As  a  result 
of  this  law,  which,  as  John  Randolph  said,  was  "like 
cutting  off  your  toes  to  cure  your  corns",  vessels  and 
their  cargoes  rotted  at  their  wharves,  merchants  could  not 
pay  their  bills,  sailors  were  out  of  work,  and  everyone  in 
want,  all  business  which  was  dependent  on  ships  or  ship- 
ping stopped  entirely,  and  the  busy  streets  and  wharves 
of  Salem  were  deserted. 

This  act  of  the  Democratic  administration  drove  most 
of  the  merchants  and  people  of  Salem  into  the  ranks  of 
the  Federalist  party,  although  the  greatest  ship-owner  of 
all  in  the  town,  William  Gray,  supported  Jefferson  in  the 
embargo,  ceasing  to  be  a  Federalist  in  1808  and  became  a 
Democrat;  but  his  act  was  so  unpopular  and  he  received 
so  much  criticism  and  abuse  from  his  fellow  merchants  in 
Salem  that  he  left  the  town  in  1809  and  removed  to  Bos- 
ton, where  he  became  a  leading  Democrat  and  was  elected 
Lieutenant  Governor  of  Massachusetts  in  1810  and  1811. 

Salem  people  thought  they  saw  in  the  enactment  of  the 
embargo  by  the  Democrats  an  attempt  to  injure  them  and 
the  rest  of  New  England  and  to  benefit  the  South,  because 
why  else  should  their  trade  with  China  and  the  Orient  be 
forbidden  when  their  ships  in  that  trade  were  not  subject 
to  capture  by  either  the  English  or  French  ?  Timothy 
Pickering  had  well  said  that  the  sea  was  New  England's 
farm,  and  naturally  as  distress,  want  and  suffering  in- 
creased, the  resentment  against  the  Democratic  party  in- 
creased in  Salem  and  other  New  England  towns  until  it 
came  near  to  rebellion.  Finally,  John  Quincy  Adams, 
who  was  no  longer  a  Federalist,  notified  Jefferson  that  if 
the  embargo  continued  longer  in  force,  there  was  danger 
that  New  England  would  be  driven  to  consider  even  sep- 
arating from  the  Union,    and  therefore   Jefferson,  on  the 


296  SALEM    AND    THE    WAR    OF    1812 

last  day  of  his  term,  March  3d,  1809,  signed  its  repeal. 
Immediately  shipping  began  to  revive,  but  Salem  and 
other  small  ports  did  not  again  reach  the  pinnacle  of  trade 
that  was  theirs  in  1807. 

During  the  administration  of  Washington  he  was  sup- 
ported hy  all  factions,  and  no  other  person  received  a  vote 
when  he  was  a  candidate  ;  but  parties  were  in  the  making, 
and  there  never  was  such  bitter  partisan  feeling  as  in  the 
three  or  four  administrations  which  succeeded  him. 
European  policies  had  much  to  do  with  widening  the 
breach  between  early  American  political  parties.  The 
Federalists  as  a  rule  were  friendly  to  England,  while  the 
Democrats,  who  at  first  were  also  called  Republicans,  were 
great  admirers  of  France.  So  bitter  was  the  feeling  that 
Federalists  and  Democrats  did  not  as  a  rule  meet  in  the 
same  assemblies  or  use  the  same  halls.  For  instance,  they 
did  not  attend  the  same  churches.  Those  who  would  now 
be  known  as  Unitarians  and  were  Federalists  worshipped 
with  Dr.  Barnard  at  the  North  Meeting  House,  while 
those  who  were  Democrats  attended  Dr.  Bentley's  East 
Church.  Dr.  Bentley  himself  was  so  bitter  a  Democrat 
that  he  did  not  exchange  pulpits  with  other  pastors  in 
Salem  because  they  were  Federalists. 

The  Federalists  attended  public  meetings  at  either 
Hamilton  Hall  or  Washington  Hall,  which  was  in  the 
building  which  occupied  the  site  of  the  present  Neal  & 
Newhall  building,  next  to  City  Hall,  and  for  large  gather- 
ings used  the  North  Meeting  House  ;  while  the  Democrats 
met  in  Concert  Hall,  on  the  site  of  the  present  Phoenix 
Building,  or  in  Madison  Hall  in  the  Archer  Building, 
which  preceded  the  Franklin  Building,  and  also  at  the 
so-called  Branch  Church  on  Howard  street.  In  fact,  when 
the  owners  of  Hamilton  Hall,  which  was  erected  and  first 
used  in  1805,  undertook  to  get  incorporated,  although  it 
was  then  1820,  they  were  afraid  they  could  not  get  a  char- 
ter from  the  Democratic  Legislature  of  that  year  if  they 
asked  that  the  corporation  bear  the  name  of  Hamilton, 
and  they,  therefore,  had  themselves  incorporated  under 
the  name  of  the  "Proprietors  of  the  South  Buildings", 
which  name  they  still  bear. 

The  banking  institutions  were  also  divided   politically  ; 


BT    WILLIAM    DISMORE    CHAPPLE  297 

the  Essex  and  Salem  Banks  were  patronized  by  the  Fed- 
eralists, while  the  Merchants  Bank,  under  the  presidency 
of  B.  W.  Crowninshield,  and  later  of  Judge  Story,  was 
the  financial  headquarters  of  the  Democratic  faction.  The 
Salem  Light  Infantry  was,  to  a  man,  Federalist,  and  was 
described  by  the  Gazette  of  that  day  as  the  pride  of  that 
party,  while  the  Cadets,  after  many  dissensions,  finally 
became  Democratic.  On  each  Fourth  of  July  two  cele- 
brations were  held  ;  one  by  the  Federalists,  generally  in- 
cluding a  parade  headed  by  the  Salem  Light  Infantry  and 
concluding  with  an  oration  by  some  Federalist  statesman 
in  the  North  Meeting  House,  which  then  stood  where  Mrs. 
Carlton's  house  now  is,  at  the  corner  of  North  and  Lynde 
streets,  and  was  so  large  that  it  was  frequently  used  for 
public  assemblies.  The  Democrats  also  held  another  cel- 
ebration, with  parades  and  a  speech  by  a  Democratic  ora- 
tor at  the  Branch  Church. 

The  Essex  Register,  also  called  the  Salem  Register,  was 
the  administration  organ,  edited  by  that  most  loyal  Demo- 
crat, Rev.  William  Bentley,  who  was,  in  addition  to  being 
a  minister,  a  good  fighter  and  a  good  hater.  He  was  also 
a  great  admirer  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon  and  of  the 
French  people.  The  anti-administration,  or  Federal  organ, 
was  the  Salem  Gazette,  edited  by  Cushing,  which  was  so 
extreme  in  its  Federalism,  so  violent  in  opposition  to 
everything  done  by  the  administration,  and  so  friendly  to 
England  during  the  war  of  1812,  that  reading  as  I  have 
every  issue  of  the  paper  published  during  that  war,  after 
an  interval  of  over  a  century,  it  is  apparent  that  many  of 
the  articles  published  in  that  organ  approached  absolute 
disloyalty.  In  1810  and  1811  the  Democrats  controlled 
the  State  Government,  with  Elbridge  Gerry  of  Marble- 
head  as  Governor,  and  William  Gray,  formerly  of  Salem, 
then  of  Boston,  as  Lieutenant-Governor,  and  wishing  to 
perpetuate  their  control  of  the  Massachusetts  Senate,  they 
divided  up  the  State  into  such  districts  as  would  best  ac- 
complish this  result. 

As  Salem  was  Federalist,  therefore  Marblehead  was 
Democratic,  and  so  strongly  of  that  political  faith  that  it 
could  by  its  Democratic  majority  overcome  the  Federalist 
majority  in  Salem  and  other  towns  ;  therefore  the  Demo- 


298  SALEM    AND    THE    WAR    OF    1812 

cratic  Legislature  made  the  towns  of  Chelsea,  Lynn,  Salem, 
Marblehead,  Danvers,  Lynnfield,  Middleton,  Andover, 
Methuen,  Haverhill,  Amesbury  and  Salisbury  into  one 
senatorial  district,  with  three  Senators.  Of  course  it  was 
difficult  to  find  towns  which  had  less  in  common  and  were 
more  remote  from  one  another,  and  Gilbert  Stuart,  the 
famous  artist,  discovering  that  the  towns  as  the}"  appeared 
on  the  map  resembled  an  animal,  added  thereto  a  head 
and  claws,  whereupon,  in  honor  of  the  Democratic  Gov- 
ernor, it  was  called  the  "Gerrymander".  Almost  the  first 
reference  to  this  now  common  word  appeared  in  the  Gazette 
of  March  27th,  1812,  as  follows  : 

"The  Legislature  having  left  its  illegally  begotten 
child  (our  senatorial  district)  without  a  name,  people  have 
been  puzzled  how  or  what  to  call  it,  till  at  length  a  name 
is  fixed  to  it  by  the  discovery  in  the  County  of  Essex  of 
a  horrid  monster,  which  the  learned  Dr.  Watergruel  is  of 
the  opinion  belongs  to  the  Salamander  tribe,  and  though 
the  Devil  must  have  been  concerned  in  its  procreation, 
yet  that  other  powerful  causes  concurred  to  give  it  exist- 
ence, such  as  the  combustible  and  venemous  state  of  af- 
fairs, fiery  ebulitions  of  party  spirit,  explosions  of  demo- 
cratic wrath,  gubernatorial  fulminations  of  vengeance, 
etc.,  and  as  it  is  not  a  perfect  Salamander  in  all  its  mem- 
bers, he  has  decreed,  in  compliment  to  his  Excellency,  that 
its  name  shall  be  the  "Gerrymander",  and  this  furnishes 
a  name  for  our  district  which  shall  henceforth  be  known 
as  the  Gerrymander  district." 

And  that  the  scheme  of  the  Democratic  Legislature 
worked  is  shown  by  the  election  returns  of  1812,  when 
eleven  of  the  twelve  towns  in  the  district  gave  a  Federal- 
ist majority  of  266,  but  the  twelfth  town,  Marblehead, 
with  a  Democratic  vote  of  621  to  a  Federalist  vote  of  90, 
swung  the  balance  the  other  way  and  gave  the  twelve 
towns  three  Democratic  Senators.  Governor  Gerry  was 
defeated,  although  later  in  the  year  he  was  elected  Vice- 
President  of  the  United  States,  serving  during  Madison's 
second  term  until  his  death  in  1814. 

On  April  4th,  1812,  another  embargo  was  passed  for 
ninety  days,  the  purpose  being  to  give  ships  an  opportu- 
nity to  get  back  to  port  and  to  be  kept  there  until  war  was 


BY    WILLIAM    DISMORE   CHAPPLE  299 

declared,  but  instead  of  vessels  hurrying  back  to  their 
home  ports,  the  result  was  that  as  soon  as  the  rumor 
reached  Salem  and  other  New  England  ports  that  another 
embargo  was  being  considered,  every  vessel  was  hustled 
out  to  sea  that  could  be  gotten  ready,  and  these  vessels 
remained  away  from  American  ports,  trading  in  other 
countries,  until  the  embargo  expired,  and  by  that  time 
war  had  begun.  The  seizing  of  American  ships  by  both 
England  and  France  continued  until  up  to  1812.  England 
had  captured  917  and  France  558,  at  a  total  loss  to  the 
American  people  of  over  $70,000,000. 

Madison  had  served  most  of  his  first  term  and  another 
presidential  election  was  approaching.  It  seemed  as  if 
we  were  drifting  toward  war,  but  there  was  no  unanimity 
as  to  which  country  should  be  fought. 

Jefferson,  Madison  and  the  Democratic  party  felt  kindly 
to  France,  while  conservative  New  England,  where  the 
Federalists  were  strongest,  in  spite  of  the  English  seizing 
their  vessels  and  impressing  their  sailors,  was  more  friendly 
to  England,  whom  they  believed  was  fighting  almost  alone 
for  civilization  against  the  aggressions  of  Napoleon. 

"If  honor  demands  a  war  with  England,  what  opiate 
stills  that  honor  to  sleep  over  the  wrongs  done  us  by 
France  ?"  asked  Josiah  Quincy,  Senator  from  Massachu- 
setts. President  Madison  did  not  wish  to  go  to  war,  but 
he  did  wish  to  be  re-elected,  and  his  friends  told  him  that 
unless  he  went  with  his  party  and  declared  war  on  England 
he  could  not  win. 

On  June  2d,  1812,  Representative  Samuel  Putnam  of 
Salem,  in  the  Massachusetts  House  of  Representatives, 
moved  the  appointment  of  a  committee  to  report  on  the 
expediency  of  presenting  a  respectful  petition  to  Congress 
praying  them  to  avert  the  nation  from  the  calamity  of 
war  with  England,  and  "by  the  removal  of  commercial 
restrictions  to  restore  as  far  as  depends  upon  them  the 
benefits  of  trade  and  navigation  which  are  indispensable 
to  the  prosperity  and  comfort  of  the  people  of  Massachu- 
setts." This  resolution  passed  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives by  a  vote  of  406  to  2-40,  but  was  defeated  in  the 
Democratic  Senate. 

The  Salem  Gazette   on    June  19th,  1812,   said  :     "The 


300  SALEM  AND  THE  WAR  OF  1812 

national  administration  will  find  itself  fatally  misled  and 
deceived  if  the  clamors  of  a  few  interested  office  holders 
in  this  quarter  of  the  nation  induce  them  to  believe  that 
the  people  are  in  favor  of  a  war  with  England.  The  mass 
of  the  people  shudder  at  such  an  event,  as  unnecessary, 
ruinous,  and  criminal  as  suicide.  All  who  have  anything 
valuable  at  stake  are  the  friends  of  peace.  It  must  be 
confessed  that  there  are  a  few  unprincipled,  heedless  and 
turbulent  men  who  pray  for  war,  desolating  war,  because 
when  the  tempest  comes  their  morbid  curiosity  will  be 
fed  and  gratified  by  a  horrid  recital  of  feats  of  broil  and 
battle,  by  dire  accidents  by  flood  and  field,  of  cities  sacked 
and  burned,  and  of  thousands  slaughtered  by  the  foe,  but 
thank  God  our  country  is  dishonored  and  disgraced  by 
only  a  few  of  such  miscreants,  who  are  importunate  and 
clamorous  for  war  because  it  makes  news,  and  for  the 
ruin  of  their  fellow  citizens  because  all  will  then  be  equal- 
ly miserable." 

In  the  Gazette  of  June  22, 1812,  appears  the  following: 
"Yesterday  the  inhabitants  of  Salem  met  in  Town  Meeting 
to  take  into  consideration  the  gloomy  and  desperate  state 
of  our  public  affairs.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  draft 
a  Memorial  to  Congress  praying  that  the  people  may  yet 
be  saved  from  an  unjust  and  ruinous  war  with  Great 
Britain.  The  Committee  appointed  was — Jacob  Ashton, 
Joseph  Peabody,  William  Orne,  Willard  Peele,  Samuel 
Putnam,  Benjamin  Pierce,  Samuel  Upton,  Nathaniel  Bow- 
ditch,  and  John  Pickering.  The  petition  recited  that  your 
Memorialists  are  among  that  class  of  American  citizens  to 
whom  a  war  with  Great  Britain  must  be  peculiarly  calam- 
itous. .  .  .  They  believe  that  such  a  war  would  be  im- 
politic because  an  immense  amount  of  property  would  ■  be 
abandoned  to  the  cruisers  of  Great  Britain,  while  our 
means  of  retaliating  upon  her  are  comparatively  trifling. 

"Your  Memorialists  would  further  state  that  in  addition 
to  their  sufferings  in  common  with  other  parts  of  the 
United  States,  the  inhabitants  of  this  town  would  indi- 
vidually sustain  immense  losses,  there  being  now  three 
millions  of  their  property  at  hazard.  A  still  more  dis- 
tressing consequence  of  war  would    be    the  exposure  of 


BY   WILLI  A31   DISMORE   CHAPPLE  301 

thousands  of  our  seamen  to  unexpected  capture,   impris- 
onment, and  all  their  attendant  calamities." 

However,  on  the  very  day  that  the  above  was  published 
word  reached  Salem  that  war  had  been  declared  on  June 
18th,  which  tidings  created  great  consternation  and  excite- 
ment in  town. 

From  Salem  Gazette,  June  22,  1812  :  "Hardly  had  the 
petition  from  this  Town  to  Congress  been  framed  on 
Monday  last  to  save  us  from  the  horrors  of  a  war  with 
Great  Britain  when  all  the  hopes  of  its  success  were 
blasted  by  the  tidings  that  a  declaration  of  such  a  war  had 
actually  been  made  and  that  our  country  and  all  that  we 
hold  dear  put  to  this  dreadful  hazard.  On  Tuesday  ar- 
rived the  official  act  itself.  The  inhabitants  of  all  parties 
were  struck  with  consternation  and  dismay,  as  if  offered 
as  a  sacrifice  to  the  grim  Moloch  of  Europe  who  can  be 
appeased  with  nothing  but  the  blood  and  groans  of  his 
fellow-creatures.  A  Town  Meeting  was  called  for  an  early 
hour  on  Wednesday  morning.  Jacob  Ashton  was  Moder- 
ator, and  Benjamin  Merrill,  Clerk  pro  tempore,  John 
Prince,  the  Town  Clerk,  being  absent  from  Town.  Ichabod 
Tucker  opened  the  business  of  the  meeting  with  some 
observations  on  the  perilous  situation  in  which  we  were 
placed,  plunged  into  a  war,  unnecessary,  inexpedient,  un- 
just, and  the  calamities  of  which  were  not  to  be  described, 
nor  the  final  issue  calculated,  and  moved  that  a  committee 
of  nine  persons  be  chosen  to  draw  up  a  Memorial  to  the 
House  of  Representatives  of  this  State  to  express  to  them 
the  great  alarm  which  was  felt  by  the  inhabitants  and  the 
miseries  which  they  apprehend  would  fall  upon  us,  and 
praying  them  to  exercise  any  constitutional  powers  they 
might  possess  to  rescue  their  country  from  ruin." 

War  was  declared  principally  for  two  reasons,  firstr 
because  of  the  British  Orders  in  Council  ordering  the 
capture  of  neutral  vessels  (mostly  American)  which  were 
carrying  goods  to  blockaded  ports,  and  second,  because 
of  the  impressment  of  our  seamen ;  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
England  had  repealed  her  Orders  in  Council  on  June  17, 
1812,  the  day  before  war  was  declared  against  her,  but  of 
course  news  of  such  repeal  had  not  reached  Congress.  It 
is  a  strange    fact   that   although    Salem  and  other  New 


302  SALEM    AND   THE    WAR   OF    1812 

England  ports  were  the  principal  sufferers  from  the  seiz- 
ing of  our  ships  and  the  practice  of  impressment,  they 
were  almost  unanimously  opposed  to  war  with  England, 
and  if  it  were  not  for  the  embargo,  their  commerce  would 
have  still  continued  to  gain,  because  of  the  great  profits 
of  successful  cruises,  they  cheerfully  taking  the  risk  of 
occasional  capture  and  the  impressment  of  some  of  their 
seamen. 

They  further  said  that  the  United  States  was  in  no  con- 
dition to  fight,  which  was  true,  as  the  Democratic  admin- 
istration had  almost  disbanded  the  army,  reducing  it  to 
about  6000  poorly  equipped  and  disciplined  men,  whose 
officers  were  either  veterans  of  the  Revolution,  too  old  to 
be  of  effective  service,  or  those  who  were  merely  poli- 
ticians. The  navy  had  only  about  sixteen  sea-going 
vessels,  while  England  had  830,  although  most  of  them 
were  engaged  in  the  war  with  Napoleon  until  his  defeat 
in  1814  released  them.  Almost  all  of  the  merchants  and 
other  prominent  citizens  of  Salem  were  Federalists  and 
opposed  to  the  war,  except  a  very  few,  notably  the  Crown- 
inshields. 

However,  as  soon  as  the  news  of  war  arrived,  there 
was  great  activity  among  the  Salem  fleet,  many  of  which 
were  lying  idly  at  their  wharves  owing  to  the  second  em- 
bargo. Work  began  at  once  fitting  them  out  as  privateers, 
and  so  rapidly  did  work  progress  that  on  June  26th,  only 
four  days  after  the  news  of  war  reached  Salem,  the  fault- 
finding Gazette,  always  ready  to  complain  about  anything 
the  administration  did  or  did  not  do,  said : 

"There  are  three  privateers  in  this  and  several  in  neigh- 
boring ports,  all  ready  for  a  cruise,  but  no  commissions 
can  be  obtained.  The  declaration  of  war  is  sent  abroad 
among  our  enemies,  who  are  thus  moved  to  capture  our 
vessels,  but  even  if  it  happens  in  sight  of  us,  we  cannot 
retake  them  without  being  guilty  of  piracy,  for  we  have 
no  commissions  to  authorize  it.  Does  our  Government 
intend  the  war  shall  be  all  on  one  side  ?  If  not,  why  did 
not  blank  commissions  accompany  the  declaration  of 
war  ?" 

On  June  27th  Mr.  Bentley  records:  "Our  port  has 
not  been  so  busy  for   months.     Privateers  are  all  in  the 


BY   WILLIAM    DISMORE   CHAPPLE  303 

order  of  the  day  and  some  are  already  armed  and  fitted 
waiting  for  their  commissions." 

On  July  1st  he  says :  "The  commissions  came  for  the 
privateers  which  had  been  already  fitted  in  Salem  Harbor. 
Capt.  G.  Crowninshield's  pleasure  boat  we  met  upon  our 
return  from  Baker's  Island  in  the  offing  with  30  men  go- 
ing out,  and  afterwards  another  with  25  men,  all  of  whom 
had  had  some  command  in  merchant  vessels.  These  were 
in  a  fishing  smack  called  a  jigger.  They  were  in  fine 
spirits  and  huzzaed  as  the}7  passed.  This  crew  is  a  valu- 
able one  and  upon  any  mishap  must  be  a  great  loss  to 
Salem.  As  we  passed  Marblehead  Harbor  we  found  a 
privateer  fitting  for  a  cruise,  and  in  Salem  Harbor  others 
busy  to  be  ready  for  sea.  The  number  that  will  be  out 
will  be  very  great,  as  some  are  fitting  from   other  ports." 

The  fishing  smack  was  the  Fame,  a  pinky-sterned  Che- 
bacco  boat  of  30  tons,  so-called  because  this  class  of  boats 
were  first  built  in  Essex.  She  carried  two  six-pounders, 
and  receiving  a  commission  at  noon  on  July  1st,  sailed 
an  hour  or  two  later,  under  command  of  Capt.  William 
Webb,  the  boat  being  owned  by  himself,  and  a  crew  of 
24  shipmates,  consisting  almost  wholly  of  captains  of 
merchant  ships.  On  July  4th,  a  most  appropriate  day, 
she  captured  two  British  vessels  off  Grand  Manan,  the 
ship  Concord,  of  300  tons,  with  a  load  of  square  timber, 
and  the  brig  Elbe,  of  200  tons,  with  a  cargo  of  tea.  On 
July  9th  the  Fame  returned  to  town  with  the  Concord, 
the  first  prize  sent  into  Salem.  The  Fame  was  a  success- 
ful privateer  for  nearly  two  years,  until  she  finally  ran 
ashore  on  Mud  Island,  in  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  d urine:  April, 
1814. 

George  Crowninshield's  pleasure  boat,  the  Jefferson,  was 
the  first  yacht  in  Salem.  It  was  of  14  tons  burthen  and 
only  36  feet  in  length,  but  a  very  fast  sailer.  She  was 
decked,  with  a  standing  room  in  the  rear,  and  was  much 
like  the  yachts  of  the  present  day.  On  July  10th,  the 
day  after  the  arrival  of  the  first  prize  in  Salem,  she  sent 
in  the  brig  Sally,  a  schooner  laden  with  timber,  and  a 
shallop  with  dry  goods,  but  the  Jefferson  was  very  small 
and  it  was  hard  work  for  thirty  men  to  stow  themselves 
away  in  her.     Bentley  says  that  a  woman   who  saw  them 


304  SALEM    AND   THE   WAR    OF    1812 

landing  at  her  door  in  Maine  to  buy  some  milk,  observed 
to  them,  "When  I  saw  you  landing  I  could  think  of  noth- 
ing else  than  so  many  goslings  in  a  bread  tray".  She  only 
carried  one  4-pounder,  and  yet  was  very  successful 
throughout  the  whole  war,  taking  many  prizes,  and  was 
never  captured. 

Within  ten  days  of  the  arrival  of  the  privateering  com- 
missions the  following  privateers  had  sailed :  Cutter 
Jefferson,  Capt.  Kehew,  1  gun,  30  men,  14  tons  ;  schooner 
Fame,  Capt.  Webb,  2  guns,  30  men,  30  tons ;  schooner 
Fair  Trader,  Capt.  Morgan,  1  gun,  35  men,  40  tons  ;  cut- 
ter Polly,  Capt.  Hardy,  4  guns,  60  men,  96  tons  ;  schooner 
Dolphin,  Capt.  Endicott,  3  guns,  70  men,  140  tons;  schoon- 
er Regulator,  Capt.  Mansfield,  1  gun,  50  men,  75  tons  ; 
schooner  Buckskin,  Capt.  Bray,  5  guns,  50  men,  60  tons  ; 
schooner  Active,  Capt.  Patterson,  2  guns,  25  men,  20 
tons. 

With  the  opening  of  the  war  privateering  became  the 
principal  business  of  Salem,  and  while  of  course  the  profits 
from  it  never  replaced  the  great  losses  sustained  by  the 
town  owing  to  the  suspension  of  commerce,  yet  it  was 
of  the  greatest  importance  in  the  final  result  of  the  war, 
because  from  a  national  standpoint  it  is  not  the  wealth 
amassed  by  the  owners  of  privateers,  but  the  amount  of 
injury  inflicted  upon  the  enemy  which  is  important  in 
settling  the  issue  of  the  war.  Outside  of  our  attacks 
upon  Canada,  which  were  poorly  managed  and  generally 
unsuccessful,  England  had  nothing  against  which  we 
could  wage  an  offensive  war  but  her  shipping,  and  this 
shipping  was  to  her  of  vital  importance,  because,  by 
reason  of  her  limited  area,  she  could  not  live  without  im- 
ports. 

(To  be  continued.') 


\  \ 


THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE    WEST 

INDIES. 


By  Francis  B.  C.  Bradlee. 


{Continued  from  Volume  LIX,  page  26Jf-} 

Brig  "Phoebe  Ann",  of  Portsmouth,  N.H.,  from  Trieste 
for  Smyrna,  was  taken  by  the  Greeks   to  Napoli    de  Mal- 
vaiza,  and  there  robbed  of  all  the  cargo  she  had. 
Dec.  27,  1828. 

Schooner  "Carroll",  Swain,  from  Marblehead,  Mass., 
for  St.  Andrews  Bay,  East  Florida,  was  plundered  at  sea 
by  pirates  about  Nov.  3d,  and  on  the  18th  went  ashore 
on  St.  Rose  Island — threw  overboard  part  of  her  cargo, 
and  got  into  the  bay  about  40  miles  from  Pensacola, 
where  she  lay  in  five  feet  of  water,  27th  ult. 
Aug.  9,  1828. 

Brigantine  "Fox",    at    Rio    de    Janeiro,    of  and  from 
Gloucester,  Mass.,  was  robbed  by  an  armed  schooner,   un- 
der Mexican  colors,  in  lat.  34  N.,  long.  34,  of  part  of  her 
cargo,  spare  sails,  clothes,  money,  watches,  etc. 
Oct.  11,  1828. 

Schooner  "Industry",    Hunter,    at   Guadaloupe,    from 
Newbern,  N.  C,  was  plundered    by    a   piratical  schooner, 
17th  Aug.,  lat.  28.14,  of  her  chain  cable,  rigging,  stores, 
clothes,  etc. 
Nov.  1,  1828. 

Bremen    brig  "London    Packet",    Wessels,    arrived  at 
Laguira,  7th  Oct.     In  lat.  of  Madeira  was  boarded  by  a 
piratical  schooner  and  robbed  of  property  to   the  amount 
of  §7000. 
March  14,  1829. 

Brig  "America",  Crabtree,    of  Sullivan,  Maine,  at  St. 
Baits,  7th  Feb.,    was    robbed    of  various    articles  to  the 
amount  of  $200  by  a  schooner  under  French  colors,  lat. 
26,  long.  64. 
March  18,  1829. 

Brig  "New  Priscilla",  of  Salem,  was  seen,  14th  Feb., 
near  Dog  Keys  ;  no  person  on  board,  having  been  cap- 
tured by  a  pirate  ;  crew  supposed  to  be  murdered. 

(305) 


306      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

Brig  "Atlantic",  Grover,  of  Boston,  which  sailed  from 
Havana  21st  Feb.,  was  captured  by  a  pirate,  and  all  hands 
murdered  except  one,   who  was  secreted,  and  the  vessel 
scuttled. 
March  21,  1829. 

Brig  "Fawn",  of  Salem,*  was  robbed  near  the  line,  on 
her  passage  to  India,  last  June,  by  a  schooner  under 
Buenos  Ayrian  colors,  of  sundry  articles  of  cargo,  amount- 
ing to  $1500. 

Brig  "Triton",  of  Waldoborough,  Maine,  at  St.  Croix, 
26th  Feb.,  was  robbed  of  provisions,  boat,  clothing,  etc., 
in  lat.  26,  long.  69. 
Oct.  7,  1829. 

Schooner    "Perry",    Hoodless,    at    Newburyport   from 
Barracoa,  was  robbed  of  part  of  her   cargo,    on  her  out- 
ward passage,  by  a  piratical  schooner,  lat.  30,  long.  69. 
Oct.  9,  1830. 

Brig  "Orbit",  Woodbury,  of  and  for  this  port  (N.  Y.), 
from  the  Coast  of  Africa,  was  fallen  in  with,  11th  Sept., 
lat.  13.10  N.,  long.  45.42  W.,  in  the  possession  of  a  pirat- 
ical crew,  who  had  boarded  her,  murdered  the  captain 
and  mates,  and  were  supposed  to  be  heading  for  St. 
Thomas. 
Sept.  28,  1831. 

Supposed  Piracy. 

The  brig  "Wade",  on  29th  Sept.,  1830,  in  lat.  37  N., 
long.  59  1-2  W.,  six  days  out  from  New  York,  boarded 
the  barque  "Henry",  without  any  other  name  or  letters 
on  her  stern,  with  masts  all  gone  by  the  board,  part  of  an 
English  Jack  made  fast  to  one  of  the  poop  rails,  cabin 
ceiling  and  transom  tore  to  pieces,  as  if  in  search  of 
money,  furniture  thrown  down  the  run,  forecastle  empty. 
Saw  a  rug  in  the  cabin  which  appeared  to  be  stained  with 
blood  ;  water  casks  all  stove  ;  cargo,  rum  and  sugar  ; 
appeared  tight,  and  only  to  have  been  abandoned  about 
three  weeks  ;  coppered  to  the  bends. 

•The  "Fawn"  referred  to  was  a  brig  of  168  tons,  built  at  Quincy, 
Mass..  in  1S16.  In  1826  Robert  Brookhouse,  Josiah  Lovett,  Jr.,  of 
Beverly,  were  her  owners,  and  Emery  Johnson,  master. 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  307 

No  less  a  person  than  Richard  Henry  Dana,  in  his  "Two 
Years  Before  the  Mast",  relates  that  the  vessel  he  was  in, 
the  brig  "Pilgrim",  of  and  from  Boston,  bound  to  the  coast 
of  California,  was  chased  by  a  supposed  piratical  craft, 
"September  22d  (1834),  when,  upon  coming  on  deck  at 
seven  bells  in  the  morning,  we  found  the  other  watch 
aloft  throwing  water  upon  the  sails ;  and,  looking  astern, 
we  saw  a  small  clipper-built  brig,  with  a  black  hull,  head- 
ing directly  after  us. 

"We  went  to  work  immediately  and  put  all  the  canvas 
upon  the  brig  which  we  could  get  upon  her,  rigging  out 
oars  for  extra  studding  sail,  yards,  and  continued 
wetting  down  the  sails  with  buckets  of  water 
whipped  up  to  the  mast-head,  until  about  nine  o'clock, 
when  there  came  on  a  drizzling  rain.  The  vessel  contin- 
ued in  pursuit,  changing  her  course  as  we  changed  ours, 
to  keep  before  the  wind. 

"The  captain,  who  watched  her  with  his  glass,  said  she 
was  armed  and  full  of  men,  and  showed  no  colors.  We 
continued  running  dead  before  the  wind,  knowing  that 
we  sailed  better  so,  and  that  clippers  are  fastest  on  the 
wind.  We  had  also  another  advantage.  The  wind  was 
light,  and  we  spread  more  canvas  than  she  did,  .  .  .  while 
she,  being  a  hermaphrodite  brig,  had  only  a  gaff  topsail 
aft.  .  .  .  All  hands  remained  on  deck  throughout  the  day, 
and  we  got  our  firearms  in  order,  but  we  were  too  few  to 
have  done  anything  with  her  if  she  had  proved  to  be 
what  we  feared. 

"Fortunately  there  was  no  moon,  and  the  night  which 
followed  was  exceedingly  dark,  so  that,  by  putting  out 
our  lights  on  board  and  altering  our  course  four  points, 
we  hoped  to  get  out  of  her  reach.  We  removed  the  light 
in  the  binnacle,  and  steered  by  the  stars,  and  kept  perfect 
silence  through  the  night.  At  daybreak  there  was  no 
sign  of  anything  in  the  horizon,  and  we  kept  the  vessel 
off  to  her  course." 

Among  the  many  well  known  American  sea  captains  in 
the  palmy  days  of  our  merchant  marine  probably  the  best 
remembered  is  Capt.  Samuel  Samuels,  who  for  many  years 
commanded  the  equally  well  known  New  York  and  Liv- 
erpool packet  ship  "Dreadnought."     This  craft  holds  the 


308      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

record  for  the  fastest  transatlantic  passage  ever  accom- 
plished by  a  sailing  vessel,  she  having,  on  two  voyages  in 
1859,  sighted  the  Irish  coast  within  ten  days  of  her  de- 
parture from  Sandy  Hook.* 

Captain  Samuels'  adventures  all  over  the  world  as  a 
sailor  are  contained  in  a  most  interesting  volume,  "From 
the  Forecastle  to  the  Cabin,"  now  out  of  print  and  not 
easy  to  obtain.  When  a  mere  boy,  Samuels  came  near 
being  captured  by  pirates  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  while 
on  a  voyage  from  Liverpool  to  Galveston,  Texas,  in  the 
British  brig  "Emily".  The  exact  date  of  the  occurrence 
cannot  be  given,  for  the  only  fault  with  Captain  Samuels' 
book  is  that  he  rarely  gives  the  dates  of  events,  but  as 
nearly  as  can  be  reckoned,  his  narrow  escape  from  being 
captured  by  the  freebooters  took  place  in  1837. 

"The  vessel  came  down  on  us  like  a  meteor.  Before 
we  got  on  deck  she  was  close  aboard  on  our  starboard 
beam.  Peter  told  me  to  look  at  her  carefully.  ('Peter' 
was  a  middle-aged  man,  a  sailor  on  the  'Emily',  who  had 
taken  a  great  fancy  to  young  Samuels  ;  he  appears,  never- 
theless, to  have  been  a  'hard  ticket',  and,  as  will  be  seen 
further  on,  had  at  one  time  been  himself  a  pirate.) 

"She  was  a  two  top-sail  schooner  ;  that  is,  she  had  a 
square  fore  and  main  top-sail,  with  top-gallant  sails  over. 
When  these  square  sails  were  furled,  the  yards  on  deck, 
and  the  masts  housed,  the  fore  and  aft  sails  would  equal 
single  reefs.  This  rig  is  now  obsolete  ;  though,  if  I  were 
going  to  build  a  large  sailing  yacht,  I  would  rig  her  in 
this  way.  She  would  be  the  most  rakish  and  saucy-look- 
ing craft  afloat.  The  stranger  had  a  long  swivel  [cannon] 
amidships  and  a  smaller  one  mounted  forward  of  the 
foremast.  She  was  painted  black,  had  a  flush  deck,  and 
four  quarter  boats.  No  flag  was  flying.  We  were  hailed 
in  good  English,  though  he  who  hailed  us  looked  like  a 
Spaniard. 

'What  ship  is  that  ?'  he  asked.  'Where  are  you  from, 
and  where  are  you  bound  ?' 

"We  replied  to  all  these  interrogations.  Our  captain 
was  too  much  astonished  at  her  extraordinary   speed  and 

•See  "The  'Dreadnought'  of  Newburyport,"  by  F.  B.  C.  Bradlee, 
2d  edition,  Essex  Institute,  Salem,  Mass.,  1921. 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  309 

appearance  to  ask  any  questions.  There  was  no  name  on 
her  stern,  and  only  three  men  were  to  be  seen  on  deck. 
Captain  Gillette  asked  the  mate  what  he  made  her  out. 
He  replied  that  she  was  a  mystery,  and  that  he  did  not 
like  her  looks,  as  she  appeared  like  neither  a  war-ship  nor 
a  merchantman. 

"At  ten  o'clock  the  wind  moderated  enough  to  let  us 
set  all  light  sails,  including  the  starboard  studding  sails. 
At  noon  we  sighted  the  mysterious  stranger  again  right 
ahead.  At  1  P.  M.  a  heavy  squall  was  coming  down  on 
us.  Then  we  took  in  the  studding-sails,  and  royal. 
The  main  top-gallant  studding-sail  fouled  over  the 
brace  block,  and  I  went  aloft  to  clear  it.  While  I  was  on 
the  yard  the  squall  struck  us  with  terrific  force.  Every- 
thing had  to  be  let  go  by  the  run  to  save  the  masts.  The 
studding-sail  blew  to  ribbons  in  my  hands.  The  top-sail 
halyards  had  been  let  go,  and  down  I  went  with  the  yard. 
I  had  secured  myself  on  the  foot-rope  near  the  brace 
block.  This  I  did  to  save  myself  from  being  knocked  off 
by  the  slapping  of  the  top-gallant  sheet.  It  was  marvel- 
lous that  I  was  not  thrown  from  the  yard  when  it  came 
down  on  the  cap.  The  squall  was  soon  over,  but  it  took 
the  rest  of  the  day  to  repair  the  split  sails. 

"About  four  o'clock  the  stranger  hove  to  till  we  passed 
her,  when  she  trimmed  her  canvas  and  was  alongside  again 
like  magic. 

"What  does  your  cargo  consist  of  ?"  he  asked. 

"Coal,  salt,  crates,  and  iron,"  we  replied. 

"She  starboarded  her  helm  and  hauled  to  the  south- 
ward, but  before  dark  was  ahead  of  us  again.  By  this 
time  all  hands  showed  uneasiness,  but  said  nothing.  Sup- 
per was  announced,  but  no  one  had  any  appetite.  We  all 
sat  on  the  forecastle,  straining  our  eyes  into  the  darkness 
to  see  if  we  could  discern  the  schooner.  The  captain 
came  forward  at  eleven  o'clock  to  join  the  mate,  who  had 
been  sitting  forward  among  us  all  the  evening. 

"Mr.  Crawford,"  he  said,  "let  us  trim  the  yards  and 
haul  up  four  points  to  the  southward.  I  don't  like  that 
craft.  She  was  right  ahead  when  last  seen.  We  had 
better  give  her  the  slip  during  the  night." 

"Peter  now   joined    in    and    said,   'If  you    don't  want 


310      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

them  to  board  us,  we  had  better  keep  our  course.  They 
have  their  eye  on  us,  and  if  we  attempt  to  avoid  them 
they  may  suppose  we  are  not  bound  for  Galveston,  and 
that  our  cargo  is  not  of  such  small  value  as  we  told  them. 
Once  on  board  of  us  they  will  show  their  true  character, 
and  before  daylight  we  shall  all  have  walked  the  plank 
and  the  'Emily'  will  be  sunk  five  thousand  fathoms  deep. 
None  of  us  will  be  left  to  tell  the  tale.  I  have  been  on 
these  waters  before,  Captain  Gillette,  and  know  these 
crafts,  and  what  I  am  talking  about.' 

"Peter's  words  were  ominous.  They  sent  a  thrill  of 
horror  through  us  all.  They  sounded  like  the  death 
sentence  pronounced  by  a  judge  in  deep,  solemn  tones,  to 
a  prisoner  whose  hours  are  numbered. 

"The  course  was  not  changed.  Silence  pervaded  the 
whole  crew.  The  night  was  very  dark.  Suddenly  Peter 
nudged  me  and  motioned  me  to  follow  him  aft.  When 
abreast  of  the  gangway  he  whispered  in  my  ear,  'Boy,  be 
a  man.  Don't  tremble  so.  Your  teeth  chatter  as  if  you 
had  the  ague.  Slip  down  below  and  bring  up  a  pannikin 
of  rum  ;  you  know  where  it  is  stowed.  You  need  cour- 
age to  carry  out  what  you  will  have  to  undertake  before 
sunrise.  By  that  time  there  will  be  no  more  of  the  'Emi- 
ly' or  her  crew,  except  you  and  me.  Get  the  rum,  and 
then  hear  the  rest.' 

"I  groped  my  way  down  the  after  hatch  and  into  the 
store-room  and  got  the  rum.  I  begged  him  not  to  take 
too  much,  as  I  knew  his  desperate  character  when  in 
liquor. 

'Don't  fear,'  he  said,  'I  never  take  too  much  in  serious 
times.  Now  drink  a  little  yourself ;  it  will  brace  you  up. 
Put  the  cup  where  we  can  get  it  again,  and  let  us  walk 
the  deck  where  we  can  be  seen  but  not  heard.  Much  of 
my  life  you  have  heard  me  relate,  from  boyhood  to  man- 
hood. The  rest  you  shall  hear  now.  My  first  criminal 
act,  when  I  was  a  mere  child,  led  on  by  others,  landed 
me  and  them  in  the  galleys,  whence  we  escaped  after  mur- 
dering the  guard.  All  except  me  were  taken  and  guillo- 
tined. I  was  too  small  to  have  a  hand  in  the  murder.  At 
the  trial  my  plea  of  ignorance  of  an  evil  intent  saved  me 
from  the  extreme  penalty  of  the  law,   but  I  was  sent  on 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.   BRADLEE  311 

board  a  French  man-of-war,  from  which  I  escaped  after 
many  years  of  service.  Then  I  found  myself  in  the  Span- 
ish navy,  and  after  the  battle  of  Trafalgar  I  shipped  in  a 
slaver. 

"We  were  on  our  way  from  the  Congo,  bound  to  San 
Domingo,  with  four  hundred  slaves  stored  in  the  hold. 
The  prospects  were  good  for  a  profitable  voyage.  When  we 
were  off  Porto  Rico  a  schooner,  just  like  the  one  you  have 
seen  this  morning,  came  up  and  hailed  us.  It  was  just 
getting  dark,  and  she  passed  ahead.  When  the  next  day 
was  breaking  she  hailed  us  to  heave  to,  and  brought  her 
guns  to  bear.  In  a  moment  we  were  grappled  and  board- 
ed. Part  of  our  crew  at  once  attacked  our  officers,  and, 
with  the  pirates  who  had  boarded  us,  made  short  work  of 
those  who  showed  any  resistance.  We  who  had  done  this 
were  allowed  to  join  the  pirate  crew,  as  we  had  proved 
ourselves  worthy  of  them.  If  we  had  acted  otherwise 
we  would  have  been  slain  also. 

"An  officer  with  a  prize  crew  took  charge  of  our  schoon- 
er after  we  had  been  sent  aboard  the  pirate,  and  took  the 
slaver  into  Havana,  where  she  and  her  cargo  were  sold. 
I  stayed  with  the  pirates  three  years,  but  their  life  did 
not  suit  me,  and  I  made  my  escape  during  a  battle  with 
two  English  ships-of-war  which  had  discovered  our 
stronghold  in  the  Bay  of  San  Lorenzo. 

"  'Now,  boy,'  Peter  continued,  'to  save  ourselves  we 
must  join  these  pirates,  who  will  board  us  about  day- 
break. You  take  your  position  behind  Mr.  Crawford,  and 
as  soon  as  they  board  strike  him  with  the  knife  between 
the  shoulders.' 

"At  these  instructions  my  knees  began  to  give  way. 
Peter  seized  me,  or  I  should  have  fallen.  The  story  he 
told  me  was  all  very  well  until  it  became  my  turn  to  be 
an  actor.  But  a  nip  of  rum,  administered  by  him,  set  me 
all  right.  He  said  it  would  be  better  to  kill  the  mate 
than  to  be  killed  myself,  and  our  crew  would  all  be 
slaughtered  anyway.  He  called  it  justifiable  self-defence, 
and  said  that  after  we  had  joined  the  pirates  he  would 
find  a  way  for  us  to  escape.  He  so  worked  on  my  imagi- 
nation that  I  reallv  felt  I  was  groins  to  do  an  excusable 
deed.     The  knife  he  gave  me  was  his  favorite  one  it  had  a 


312      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

very  long  blade  incased  in  a  wooden  sheath,  instead  of 
the  leather  usually  used  for  sheath-knives.  1  agreed  to  do 
as  he  bade  me,  and  took  my  place  behind  the  mate.  Peter 
took  his  place  near  the  captain.  It  had  just  struck  seven 
bells.  There  had  been  scarcely  a  word  spoken  forward 
during  the  night.  The  sound  of  the  bells  fell  upon  me 
like  a  funeral  knell.  Tears  began  to  run  down  my  cheeks. 
Mr.  Crawford  had  always  been  good  to  me ;  why  should 
I  kill  him  ?  Everybody  had  treated  me  well  on  board.  I 
thought  of  home,  and  the  plans  I  had  laid  for  the  future; 
now  my  aspirations  and  hopes  would  all  be  ruined  in  the 
next  half  hour.  A  horror  of  the  situation  seized  me.  I 
slipped  off  the  bitts  upon  which  I  had  been  sitting  and 
walked  aft.     Peter  followed  me.     He  said  ; 

"  'You  had  better  take  a  little  more  rum.  I  don't  think 
the  cook  will  serve  us  with  coffee  this  morning.  It  is 
chilly  for  you  after  the  long  night's  watch.  I  see  that 
you  have  a  slight  attack  of  ague.' 

"  'No,  Peter,  I  don't  want  to  drink  ;  I  am  not  cold. 
But  I  would  rather  be  killed  than  commit  murder  in  such 
cold  blood.' 

"But  his  pleadings,  his  love  for  me,  and  the  review  of 
his  friendship,  had  their  effect.  The  demon  that  seduced 
our  great  mother  was  whispering  in  my  ear.  I  again  did 
as  he  told  me,  and  stationed  myself  behind  the  mate. 

"The  silence  was  broken  by  the  captain  saying  he 
wished  it  was  daylight. 

"  'It  will  be  here  soon  enough,'  I  heard  Peter  say.  "I 
see  it  breaking  in  the  east,  and  before  the  sun  is  up  all 
will  be  over.' 

"The  da}T  was  indeed  breaking,  and  night  was  furling 
her  black  flag.  The  light  mounted  slowly  towards  the 
zenith,  and  as  our  eyes  were  strained  to  catch  a  glimpse 
of  the  mysterious  craft,  we  saw  her  shoot  out  of  the  dark- 
ness, heading  across  our  bow  to  the  northward.  We 
looked  in  tehat  direction  and  saw  a  large  West  India  mer- 
chantman about  four  miles  on  our  starboard  beam.  She 
was  running  before  the  wind,  with  studding-sails  set  on 
both  sides,  and  was  evidently  Dutch  from  her  build. 

"  'She  is  doomed,'  Peter  said,  'and  we  are  safe.  Those 
poor  fellows  will  never  muster  round  the  grog-pail  again. 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BBADLEE  318 

Presently  you  will  see  the  schooner  make  her   heave  to.' 

"The  words  were  scarcely  spoken  when  wre  saw  the 
smoke  from  her  Long  Tom.  The  signal  was  unheeded, 
and  a  shot  brought  down  her  foremast,  which  took  the 
maintopmast  with  it.  This  crippled  her  so  that  in  less 
than  an  hour  she  was  out  of  sight  astern. 

"While  in  Amsterdam,  years  after,  my  curiosity  led  me 
to  ascertain  what  ships  were  lost  during  the  year  in  which 
the  above  incident  occurred  and  I  learned  that  the  ship 
'Crown  Prince  William',  from  Rotterdam,  bound  for  Cura- 
coa,  was  never  heard  from. 

"We  felt  ourselves  safe  for  the  time  being,  but  changed 
our  course,  fearing  that  after  she  had  pillaged  and  sunk 
the  ship,  she  might  overtake  and  destroy  us,  to  avoid  be- 
ing reported.  We  did  not  consider  ourselves  out  of  dan- 
ger until  we  entered  the  harbor  of  Galveston." 

The  case  of  the  disappearance  of  the  British-Australian 
packet  ship  "Madagascar"  was  not,  strictly  speaking,  due 
to  piracy  in  the  old  sense  of  the  term  ;  yet  the  loss  of  this 
fine  vessel  resulted  from  a  deeply  laid  plot,  and  it  is  inter- 
esting to  include  this  thrilling  sea  tale,  one  of  the  most 
audacious  in  the  criminal  annals  of  the  ocean.  It  is  re- 
produced by  the  kind  permission  of  Basil  Lubbock,  Esq., 
author,  and  Messrs.  James  Brown  and  Son,  Glasgow,  pub- 
lishers of  that  wonderful  book  of  marine  history,  "The 
Blackwall  Frigates" ;  supplemented  somewhat  by  a  letter 
from  the  secretary  of  Lloyd's,  London,  to  the  author. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  soon  after  the  discovery  of 
gold  in  Australia,  in  the  early  1850's,  the  population  was 
of  a  very  "mixed"  character ;  ship's  crews  were  exceed- 
ingly hard  to  get,  and  captains  took  what  there  was  with- 
out asking  questions,  being  only  too  glad  to  fill  their 
forecastles  for  the  home  run. 

"In  July,  1853,  she  (the  'Madagascar')  lay  in  Port 
Phillip  (Australia),  with  the  Blue  Peter  flying,  a  full 
complement  of  passengers,  and  68,390  ounces  of  gold 
dust  on  board.  Just  as  she  was  about  to  sail,  Melbourne 
detectives  hurried  on  board  and  arrested  two  of  her  pas- 
sengers for  being  concerned  in  the  Mclvor  Gold  Escort 
robbery,  which  had  been  the  latest  piece  of  robbery  under 
arms  to  excite  the  colony. 


314      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

"The  passengers  were  tried,  and  though  a  great  deal  of 
gold  dust  was  found  in  their  baggage  on  the  'Madagascar', 
the  crime  could  not  be  brought  home  to  them.  After  be- 
ing delayed  a  month  by  this  affair,  the  'Madagascar' 
sailed.  And  when  time  passed  and  she  did  not  arrive,  all 
sorts  of  rumors  began  to  circulate  in  order  to  account  for 
her  disappearance,  but  the  most  general  belief  was  that 
she  had  been  captured  by  a  number  of  desperadoes,  who, 
it  was  said,  had  taken  passage  in  her  for  that  very  pur- 
pose. 

"Years  afterwards  the  following  story  went  the  round 
of  the  colonies.  A  woman  in  New  Zealand,  being  on  her 
death-bed,  sent  for  a  clergyman  and  said  that  she  had  been 
a  nurse  on  the  ill-fated  'Madagascar'.  According  to  her 
the  crew  and  several  of  the  passengers  mutinied  when 
the  ship  was  in  the  South  Atlantic.  Captain  Harris  and 
his  officers  were  all  killed,  and  the  rest  of  the  passengers, 
with  the  exception  of  some  of  the  young  women,  were 
locked  up  below.  The  boats  were  then  lowered,  and  the 
gold  and  young  women  put  into  them.  Finally  the  mu- 
tineers followed,  having  set  fire  to  the  ship  and  left  their 
prisoners  to  burn. 

"However,  they  soon  paid  for  their  crimes  with  their 
own  lives,  for  only  one  of  the  boats,  containing  six  men 
and  five  women  (the  narrator  amongst  them),  succeeded 
in  reaching  the  coast  of  Brazil,  and  even  this  boat  was 
capsized  in  the  surf,  and  its  cargo  of  stolen  gold  dust  lost 
overboard. 

"The  sufferings  of  its  crew  had  been  severe  enough  on 
the  sea,  but  on  land  they  grew  more  terrible  day  by  day. 
At  last  a  small  settlement  was  reached.  But  this  proved 
a  death  trap,  for  yellow  fever  was  raging.  In  a  very  short 
time  only  two  of  the  mutineers  and  this  woman  remained 
alive.  They,  after  more  hardships  and  privations,  at  last 
reached  civilization.  Then  the  two  scoundrels,  after 
having  dragged  the  woman  with  them  through  every  kind 
of  iniquit}',  eventually  deserted  her.  One  of  them  dis- 
appeared entirely,  but  the  other,  according  to  her,  was 
hanged  in  San  Francisco  for  murder. 

"The  woman  described  herself  as  having  been  a  nurse 
on  board  the  'Madagascar',  and  this  may  have  been  possi- 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.   BRADLEE  315 

ble,  as  there  was  a  Mrs.  de  Carteret  with  her  children  on 
board.  .  .  . 

"The  nurse's  story  can  never  be  proved  ;  but  it  is  like- 
ly enough,  for  before  the  'Madagascar'  sailed  there  were 
many  sinister  rumors  in  Melbourne  concerning  the  objects 
and  antecedents  of  her  crew  and  many  of  her  passengers." 

According  to  a  letter  from  the  secretary  of  Lloyd's  to 
the  author,  the  "Madagascar"  was  not  finally  posted  as 
"missing"  until  June  21st,  1854,  nearly  a  year  after  the 
date  of  her  sailing  from  Melbourne. 

This  celebrated  tragedy  of  the  sea  forms  the  basis  for 
one  of  Mr.  Clark  Russell's  best  marine  novels,  "The  Tale 
of  the  Ten"  ;  in  it  he  has  slightly  altered  the  facts,  and, 
of  course,  the  names  ;  the  story  also  ends  well,  but  other- 
wise the  tale  is  largely  as  related  above. 

The  last  actual  case  of  piracy  was  one  quite  as  pictur- 
esque, and  perhaps  more  curious  than  any  related  before 
in  this  little  book,  and  certainly  may  be  said  to  have  been 
modern  and  up-to-date,  as  the  piratical  vessel  in  question 
was  a  steamer.  As  far  as  the  author  can  trace,  it  is  the 
only  case  of  a  "steam  pirate".  In  February,  1860,  Gen- 
eral Miramon,  who  was  then  the  principal  representative 
of  the  Mexican  so-called  "Clerical  and  Conservative" 
party,  with  a  company  of  followers,  chartered  at  Havana 
the  steamer  "Marquis  de  la  Habana",*  which  was  the 
property  of  a  Spanish  Havana  firm  and  had  made  one  or 
more  voyages  as  a  slaver. 

General  Miramon's  plan  was  that  he  and  his  "friends" 
were  to  be  landed  at  Vera  Cruz,  where  they  hoped  to 
bring  about  a  revolution,  a  common  occurrence  in  modern 
Mexico.  The  "Marquis  de  la  Habana"  was  a  wooden 
propeller  of  about  600  tons  and  carrying  one  or  two  old- 
fashioned  32-pounders  and  a  modern  brass-rifled  pivot  24- 
pounder.  Unfortunately  for  Miramon,  when  his  steamer 
appeared  off  Vera  Cruz  and  refused  to  show  the  flag  of 
any  civilized  country,  the  United  States  fleet,  then  cruis- 
ing off  the  Mexican  and  Central  American  coasts,  on  the 
watch  to  prevent  the  landing  of  Walker  and  his  band  of 

•The  "Marquis  de  la  Habana"  is  not  to  be  confused  with 
another  steamer  "Habana",  which,  prior  to  the  Civil  war,  plied 
regularly  between  New  Orleans  and  Havana,  and  became  the  well 
known  Confederate  cruiser  "Sumter". 


31 6      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

filibusters,  also  stopped  Miramon  and  his  gang  from  going 
ashore. 

Here  was  a  quandary  for  the  Mexican  "general"  and 
his  friends  ;  they  had  very  little  or  no  money,  the  "Mar- 
quis de  la  Habana's"  charter  had  only  been  partially  settled, 
and  the  rank  and  file  of  the  proposed  landing  party  were 
clamoring  for  the  liberal  pay  promised  them.  However, 
Miramon,  or  some  other  fertile  brain  among  his  followers, 
soon  hit  on  the  following  scheme,  which,  if  successful 
(and  it  might  easily  have  been),  would  have  filled  all 
their  pockets  with  gold,  and  at  a  moderate  amount  of 
risk. 

The  plan  was  as  follows  :  What  could  be  easier  than 
to  stop  one  of  the  homeward-bound  California  "treasure" 
steamers,  plunder  the  ship  and  her  passengers,  then  put 
on  all  steam,  run  the  "Marquis  de  la  Habana"  ashore  on 
some  unfrequented  spot  on  either  the  Central  or  South 
American  coasts,  and  all  hands  could  scatter,  each  for 
himself.  It  must  be  remembered  that  this  was  years  be- 
fore the  building  of  the  first  trans-continental  railroad, 
and  the  principal  means  of  communication  between  Cali- 
fornia and  the  east  was  by  steamer  from  San  Francisco  to 
Panama,  thence  by  rail  across  the  Isthmus  to  Aspinwall, 
whence  one  of  "Commodore"  Vanderbilt's  big  side- 
wheelers  in  eight  or  nine  days  more  landed  the  traveller 
in  New  York. 

Neither  were  there,  in  1860,  many  ocean  cables  to  give 
the  alarm,  so  that  the  pirates  could  be  traced  and  over- 
taken. Moreover  it  did  not  take  long  for  Miramon's  fol- 
lowers, composed  for  the  most  part  of  the  refuse  of  the 
world  that  then  hung  about  Cuban  and  Central  American 
ports,  to  fall  in  with  the  scheme. 

Unfortunately  for  them,  however,  the  proverb,  "There's 
many  a  slip  'twixt  the  cup  and  the  lip",  proved  but  too 
true. 

Somehow,  and  in  some  way,  very  likely  by  treachery, 
news  of  the  bold  plot  reached  the  ears  of  Commander 
Jarvis,  commanding  the  U.  S.  (sailing)  sloop-of-war 
"Saratoga",*  and  he  immediately  set   forth   in  search  of 

*The  "Saratoga"  was  originally  built  at  the  Portsmouth 
Navy  Yard  as  a  frigate,  but  in  1860  had  been  recently  cut  down  to 
a  sloop-of-war. 


BY  FRANCIS   B.   C.   BRADLEE  317 

the  miscreants,  and  as  they  were  supposed  to  be  not  far 
off  and  the  wind  was  light,  the  "Saratoga"  was  taken  in 
tow  by  the  steamer  "Indianola".  Sure  enough,  in  a  few 
hours,  on  March  6th,  the  "Marquis  de  la  Habana"  and  a 
schooner  were  found  anchored  side  by  side  off  Point 
Anton  Lizardo.  Upon  the  approach  of  the  "Saratoga", 
Miramon's  vessels  attempted  to  escape,  but  were  soon 
overtaken,  and  in  answer  to  Commander  Jarvis'  order  to 
surrender,  the  "Marquis  de  la  Habana"  fired  twice  from 
her  pivot  gun.  The  "Saratoga"  now  gave  them  a  broad- 
side, upon  which  a  general  contest  ensued,  and  Miramon 
was  soon  forced  to  surrender,  but  not  before  some  twenty 
men  were  killed  and  wounded.  Many  of  the  Mexicans 
escaped  ashore  in  small  boats  while  the  fight  was  going 
on.  It  was  said  that  Miramon  had  the  Spanish  flag  hoisted 
and  was  captured  with  it  flying  above  him. 

A  prize  crew  was  now  put  on  board  the  "Marquis  de  la 
Habana",  and  Lieutenant  R.  T.  Chapman  was  ordered  to 
take  her  to  New  Orleans  and  turn  her  over  to  the  U.  S. 
marshal  there  "as  being  a  pirate  on  the  high  seas". 

It  has  been  impossible  to  find  out  what  became  of  Mi- 
ramon, whether  or  not  he  was  indicted ;  if  so,  perhaps  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war  put  an  end  to  his  troubles. 
A.t  any  rate,  he  afterwards  became  prominent  as  one  of 
Emperor  Maximilian's  staunchest  supporters  during  his 
short  reign  in  Mexico,  and  was  executed  with  him  at 
Queratero  in  1867.  The  "Marquis  de  la  Habana"  was 
taken  into  the  Confederate  navy  as  the  "McRae".  She 
was  fitted  out  as  a  commerce  destroyer,  and  it  was  hoped 
would  be  a  companion  ship  to  the  "Sumter",  "Ala- 
bama", etc. 

The  Union  fleet,  however,  proved  too  vigilant,  and  the 
"McRae"  was  never  able  to  reach  the  open  sea.  She  took 
part  in  the  battle  of  New  Orleans  in  April,  1862,  under 
the  command  of  Lieutenant  Thomas  B.  Huger,  C.  S.  N., 
who  was  mortally  wounded,  like  the  "McRae"  herself, 
which  sank  the  next  day  from  injuries  received  in  the 
battle. 

That  the  danger  from  pirates  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  as 
late  as  1861  was  not  altogether  unfounded  is  proved  by 
the  following  despatch  from  Hon.  Isaac  Toucey,  Secretary 


SI 8      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

of  the  Navy  in  President  Buchanan's  cabinet,  to  Lieuten- 
ant Charles  Thomas,  commanding  the  U.  S.  S.  "Falmouth", 
stationed  at  Aspinwall : 
"Navy  Department,  Washington  City, 

"January  19th,  1861. 
"Sir : 

"It  is  rumored  that  a  piratical  expedition  is  on  foot  to 
proceed  to  the  Isthmus  for  the  purpose  of  seizing  the 
California  steamers  with  their  treasure  ;  that  a  schooner 
has  already  been  chartered  to  convey  the  expedition  to 
Aspinwall,  where  they  will  be  clandestinely  landed  and 
make  their  attack  after  the  treasure  shall  have  been  put 
on  board  the  steamer.  There  may  not  be  foundation  for 
this  rumor.  You  will,  however,  be  vigilant,  and,  if  nec- 
essary, be  prompt  to  use  all  means  at  your  command  for 
the  protection  of  the  California  steamers  and  their  treas- 
ure, or  other  property  of  citizens  of  the  United  States. 
".I  am,  respectfully, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 
"I.  Toucey, 

"Secretary  of  the  Navy." 
"Lieutenant  Charles  Thomas, 

"Commanding  U.  S.  Storeship  'Falmouth', 
"Aspinwall,  New  Grenada." 

The  coast  of  New  England,  in  fact,  the  whole  Atlantic 
coast  line,  is  full  of  traditions  of  pirates.  A  most  pecu- 
liar one  is  the  legend  of  the  shrieking  woman  of  Marble- 
head,  which  is  a  ghost  story  connected  with  that  part  of 
the  town  known  as  Oakum  Bay. 

A  piratical  cruiser,  having  captured  a  Spanish  vessel 
about  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  brought  her 
into  Marblehead  harbor,  which  was  then  the  site  of  a  few 
humble  dwellings.  The  male  inhabitants  were  all  absent 
on  their  fishing  voyages.  The  pirates  brought  their  pris- 
oners ashore,  carried  them  at  the  dead  of  night  into  a 
retired  glen,  and  there  murdered  them. 

Among  the  captives  was  an  English  female  passenger. 
The  women  of  Marblehead  heard  her  dying  outcries,  as 
they  rose  through  the  midnight  air,  and  reverberated  far 
and  wide  along  the  silent  shores.  She  was  heard  to  ex- 
claim,   "O,  mercv !  Lord    Jesus    Christ    save   me !    Lord 


BY  FRANCIS   B.    C.   BRADLEE  319 

Jesus  Christ  save  me  !"  Her  body  was  buried  by  the 
pirates  on  the  spot.  The  same  piercing  voice  is  believed 
to  be  heard,  at  intervals  more  or  less  often,  almost  every 
year,  on  clear  moonlight  nights.  There  is  something,  it 
is  said,  so  wild,  mysterious,  and  evidently  super-human  in 
the  sound,  as  to  strike  a  chill  of  dread  into  the  hearts  of 
all  who  listen  to  it. 

The  writer  of  an  article  on  this  subject  in  the  old  Mar- 
blehead  Register  of  April  3d,  1830,  declared  that  "there 
are  not  wanting  at  the  present  day  persons  of  unimpeach- 
able veracity  and  known  respectability  who  still  continue 
to  firmly  believe  the  tradition,  and  to  assert  that  they 
themselves  have  been  auditors  of  the  sounds  described, 
which  they  declare  were  of  such  an  unearthly  nature  as 
to  preclude  the  idea  of  imposition  or  deception. 

No  less  a  person  than  the  late  Judge  Joseph  Story,  who 
died  in  1845,  a  native  of  Marblehead,  and  who  became 
one  of  the  most  prominent  constitutional  lawyers  in  the 
country,  about  the  last  person  who  would  be  taken  in  by 
ghost  stories,  averred  that  "he  had  heard  those  ill-omened 
shrieks  again  and  again  in  the  still  hours  of  the  night." 
A  perusal  of  the  old  records  reveal  the  fact  that  about 
1700  the  whole  coast  of  Essex  County,  Massachusetts, 
was  infested  with  pirates,  and  in  Gloucester  particularly 
there  were  the  famous  John  Phillips  and  John  Quelch, 
who  were  hung  in  1704  for  their  piratical  activities. 

At  the  Point  of  Pines,  on  the  shore  line  between  Lynn 
and  Revere,  there  has  ever  been  a  romance  that  pirate 
gold  is  supposed  to  be  safely  hidden  somewhere  on  that 
point  of  land.  According  to  tradition,  a  great  chest  of 
gold  is  buried  at  the  root  of  a  tree,  the  chest  being  cov- 
ered by  a  large  flat  stone.  This  treasure  chest  is  supposed 
to  have  been  placed  there  by  the  same  pirate  crew  of 
which  tradition  also  says  that  they  had  their  retreat  in 
what  has  since  been  always  known  as  Pirate's  Glen,  in 
one  of  the  wildest  and  loneliest  spots  in  Saugus. 

Not  far  from  the  Point  of  Pines  was  once  the  old 
half-way  house  known  as  "The  Blew  Ankor,"  a  tavern 
much  patronized  by  travellers.  Here  it  was  that  a  party 
was  formed  to  search  for  the  treasure,  and  David  Kunks- 
shamooshaw,   a  wizard  with  a  divining  rod,  located  the 


320      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

spot  where  the  treasure  was  buried,  and  the  party  by  the 
light  of  their  lanterns,  began  to  dig.  Soon  their  shovels 
struck  a  rock,  and  with  a  level  it  was  partially  razed,  and 
there  were  those  who  claimed  they  saw  an  old  chest  be- 
neath it.  Then  a  mighty  wind  arose,  and  coming  on  the 
back  of  the  wind  was  a  hatless  giant  on  a  charger,  shout- 
ing, 'By  my  blood,  what  do  ye  here  ?  Filching  my  gold, 
hard  earned  upon  the  sea  by  danger  and  fire.  But  the 
devil  will  save  his  own,  I  wot.  Avoyant  ye,  or  bear  a 
pirate's  malediction." 

So  stunned  were  the  diggers  that  they  backed  away 
from  the  spot,  the  stone  sank  into  the  chest,  and  the 
searchers  ran  for  their  lives.  At  various  times  in  the 
centuries  sone  by,  the  Saugus  river  was  the  scene  of  mys- 
terious fortune  parties,  it  being  claimed  that  this  little 
stream  quite  often  afforded  an  opportunity  of  hiding  when 
the  pirates' were  too  hard  pressed. 

The  particular  story  which  has  lasted  the  longest  and 
has  interest  even  now  is  that  connected  with  Dungeon 
rock  in  the  great  Lynn  Woods  reservation,  which  is  vis- 
ited by  thousands  every  year.  According  to  tradition, 
the  pirates  at  one  time  brought  a  beautiful  woman  to  the 
woods,  coming  up  the  Saugus  river,  seeking  a  post  in  the 
rocks  and  crags  from  the  tops  of  which  a  good  view  of 
the  ocean  was  obtained.  They  found  such  an  outlook, 
and  here  they  built  a  hut,  dug  a  well  and  made  a  garden, 
and  the  woman  lived,  died  and  was  buried  there. 

Three  of  the  pirates  in  this  particular  escapade  were 
captured  and  died  on  the  gibbet  in  England.  The  fourth, 
Thomas  Veale,  escaped  to  the  cavern,  where  he  is  sup- 
posed to  have  hidden  his  booty.  He  worked  the  remain- 
der of  his  life  as  a  shoemaker  or  cordwainer,  only  coming 
down  into  the  village  for  food. 

Then  came  the  earthquake  of  1658,  and  the  shock  of 
the  great  convulsion  of  nature  split  to  its  foundation  the 
rock  in  which  the  cavern  was  located,  blocking  the  en- 
trance and  enclosing  Veale  in  a  frightful  rocky  tomb.  The 
cliff  has  ever  since  been  known  as  the  Dungeon  rock. 

Hiram  Marble,  in  1854,  began  a  search  of  Dungeon 
rock  cavern  for  the  pirate  gold,  and  for  thirty  years  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death  continued  an    unsuccessful  search. 


EXECUTION  OF  CAPTAIN   NATHANIEL  GORDON,  AT  NEW  YORK,   FEBRUARY  22,   1862 

The  only  person  ever  hanged  in  the  United  States  for  the  crime  of  slave  smuggling 

From  a  sketch  in  the  New  York  Illustrated  News,  March,  1862 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.   BRADLEE  321 

His  son  continued   his    efforts,  and    tons    of  rocks  were 
moved  by  them  in  the  course  of  time,  but  with  no  results. 

Now  and  again  comes  the  tale  of  someone  searching  for 
treasure  gold  in  the  sands  of  Gloucester  or  along  the 
Ipswich-Newburyport  dunes,  but  never  yet  has  there  come 
a  story  of  the  discovery  of  any  of  these  mysterious  chests, 
lined  with  gold  and  precious  jewels,  which  were  supposed 
to  be  the  particular  property  of  pirates  at  large.  In  the 
seventeenth  century  it  is  certain  that  the  Isles  of  Shoals, 
off  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  were  the  resort  of  pirates  with 
such  names  as  Dixy  Bull,  Low  and  Argall  (a  licensed  and 
titled  buccaneer),  who  left  the  traces  of  their  own  law- 
lessness in  the  manner  of  life  of  the  islanders.  It  was  a 
convenient  place  in  which  to  refit  or  obtain  fresh  provis- 
ions without  the  asking  of  troublesome  questions.*  The 
pirates  could  expect  little  booty  from  the  fishermen,  but 
they  often  picked  them  up  at  sea  to  replenish  their 
crews. 

In  the  year  1689  two  noted  buccaneers,  Thomas  Haw- 
kins and  Thomas  Pound,  cruised  on  the  coast  of  New 
England,  committing  many  depredations.  The  Bay 
Colony  determined  on  their  capture,  and  dispatched  an 
armed  sloop  called  the  "Mary",  Samuel  Pease,  commander, 
which  put  to  sea  in  October  of  that  year.  Hearing  the 
pirates  had  been  cruising  at  the  mouth  of  Buzzard's  Bay, 
Captain  Pease  made  all  sail  in  that  direction.  The  "Mary" 
overhauled  the  outlaw  off  Wood's  Hole.  Pease  ran  down 
to  her,  hailed,  and  ordered  her  to  heave  to.  The  free- 
booter ran  up  a  blood  red  flag  in  defiance,  when  the 
"Mary"  fired  a  shot  athwart  her  forefoot,  and  again 
hailed,  with  a  demand  to  strike  her  colors.  Pound,  who 
stood  upon  his  quarter-deck,  answered  the  hail  with, 
"Come  on,  you  dogs,  and  I  will  strike  you."  Waving  his 
sword,  his  men  poured  a  volley  into  the  "Mary",  and  the 
action  for  some  time  raged  fiercely,  no  quarter  being  ex- 
pected. Captain  Pease  at  length  carried  his  adversary 
by  boarding,  receiving  wounds  in  the  hand  to  hand  conflict 
of  which  he  died. 

In  1723  the  sloop  "Dolphin",  of  Cape  Ann,  was  taken 
on  the  Banks  by  Phillips,  a  noted  pirate.  The  able-bodied 
♦"Massachusetts  Colonial  Records",  vol.  IV,  part  2,  p.  449. 


322      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

of  the  "Dolphin"  were  forced  to  join  the  pirate  crew. 
Amongr  the  luckless  fishermen  was  John  Fillmore  of 
Ipswich.  Phillips,  to  quiet  their  scruples,  promised  on 
his  honor  to  set  them  at  liberty  at  the  end  of  three 
months.  Finding  no  other  hope  of  escape,  for  of  course 
the  liar  and  pirate  never  meant  to  keep  his  word,  Fillmore, 
with  the  help  of  Edward  Cheesman  and  an  Indian,  seizing 
his  opportunity,  killed  three  of  the  chief  pirates,  including 
Phillips,  on  the  spot.  The  rest  of  the  crew,  made  up  in 
part  of  pressed  men,  submitted,  and  the  captured  vessel 
was  brought  into  Boston  by  the  conquerors  on  the  3d  of 
May,  1724.  John  Fillmore,  the  quasi  pirate,  was  the 
great-grandfather  of  Millard  Fillmore,  thirteenth  President 
of  the  United  States. 

It  is  affirmed  on  the  authority  of  Charles  Chauncy  that 
Low  once  captured  some  fishermen  from  the  "Shoals". 
Disappointed,  perhaps,  in  his  expectation  of  booty,  he 
first  caused  the  captives  to  be  barbarously  flogged,  and 
afterward  required  each  of  them  three  times  to  curse 
Parson  Mather  or  be  hanged.  The  prisoners  did  not  re- 
ject the  alternative. 

No  doubt  these  pirates  had  heard  of  the  sermons  Cotton 
Mather  was  in  the  habit  of  preaching  before  the  execution 
of  many  of  their  confederates.  In  his  time  it  was  the 
custom  to  march  condemned  prisoners  under  a  strong 
guard  to  some  church  on  the  Sabbath  preceding  the  day 
on  which  they  were  to  suffer.  There,  marshaled  in  the 
broad  aisle,  they  listened  to  a  discourse  on  the  enormity 
of  their  crimes  and  the  torments  that  awaited  them  in 
the  other  world,  this  being  the  manner  in  which  the  old 
divines  administered  the  consolations  of  religion  to  such 
desperate  malefactors. 

New  England  could  contribute  a  thick  volume  to  the 
annals  of  piracy  in  the  New  World  from  the  records  of  a 
hundred  years  subsequent  to  her  settlement.  The  name 
of  Kidd  was  long  a  bugbear  with  which  to  terrify  way- 
ward children  into  obedience,  and  the  search  for  his  treas- 
ure continues,  as  we  have  seen,  to  this  day.  Bradish, 
Bellamy  and  Quelch  sailed  these  seas  like  true  followers 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.    BRADLEE  323 

of  those  dreaded  rovers  who  swept  the  English  coasts  and 
sent  their  defiance  to  the  king  himself : 

"Go  tell  the  King  of  England,  go  tell  him  thus  from  me, 
Though  he  reigns  king  o'er  all  the  land,  I  will  reign 
king  at  sea." 

They  have  still  the  ghost  of  a  pirate  on  Appledore,* 
one  of  Kidd's  men.  There  has  consequently  been  much 
seeking  after  treasure.  The  face  of  the  spectre  is  "pale 
and  very  dreadful"  to  behold  ;  and  its  neck,  it  is  averred, 
shows  the  livid  mark  of  the  hangman's  noose.  It  answers 
to  the  name  of  "Old  Bab".  Once  no  islander  could  be 
found  hardy  enough  to  venture  on  Appledore  after  night- 
fall. 

In  1700  Rear  Admiral  Benbow  was  lying  at  Piscataqua, 
with  nine  of  Kidd's  pirates  on  board  for  transportation  to 
England.  Robert  Bradenham,  Kidd's  surgeon,  says  the 
Earl  of  Bellomont,  was  the  "obstinatest  and  most  hard- 
ened of  'em  all."  In  the  year  1726  the  pirates  William 
Fly,  Samuel  Cole,  and  Henry  Greenville  were  taken  and 
put  to  death  at  Boston,  after  having  been  well  preached 
to  in  Old  Brattle  Street  by  Dr.  Colman.  Fly,  the  cap- 
tain, like  a  truculent  knave,  refused  to  come  into  church, 
and  on  the  way  to  execution  bore  himself  with  great 
bravado.  He  jumped  briskly  into  the  cart,  with  a  nosegay 
in  his  hands,  smiling  and  bowing  to  the  spectators  as  he 
passed  along,  with  real  or  affected  unconcern.  At  the 
gallows  he  showed  the  same  obstinacy  until  his  face  was 
covered,  f 

The  various  legends  relative  to  the  corsairs,  and  the 
secreting  of  their  ill-gotten  gains  among  these  rocks, 
would  of  themselves  occupy  a  lengthy  chapter ;  and  the 
recital  of  the  fearful  sights  and  sounds  which  have  con- 

*Appledore  is  one  of  the  islands  forming  the  group  called  the 
Isles  of  Shoals.     They  lie  ten  miles  off  Portsmouth,  N.  H. 

t  After  execution  the  bodies  of  the  pirates  were  taken  to  the  little 
island  in  Boston  harbor  known  as  Nix's  Mate,  on  which  there  is  a 
monument.  Fly  was  hung  in  chains,  and  the  other  two  buried  on 
the  beach.  The  total  disappearance  of  this  island  before  the  en- 
croachments of  the  sea  is  the  foundation  of  a  legend.  Bird  Island, 
in  the  same  harbor,  on  which  pirates  have  been  executed,  has  also 
disappeared.    It  formerly  contained  a  considerable  area. 


324      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

fronted  such  as  were  hardy  enough  to  seek  for  treasure 
would  satisfy  the  most  inveterate  marvel-monger  in  the 
land.  Among  others  to  whom  it  is  said  these  islands  were 
known  was  the  celebrated  Captain  Teach,  or  Blackbeard 
as  he  was  often  called.  He  is  supposed  to  have  buried 
immense  treasure  here,  some  of  which,  like  Haley's  ingots, 
has  been  dug  up  and  appropriated  by  the  islanders.  On 
one  of  his  cruises,  while  lying  off  the  Scottish  coast  wait- 
ing for  a  rich  trader,  he  was  boarded  by  a  stranger,  who 
came  off  in  a  small  boat  from  the  shore.  The  new-comer 
demanded  to  be  led  before  the  pirate  chief,  in  whose  cabin 
he  remained  some  time  shut  up.  At  length  Teach  ap- 
peared on  deck  with  the  stranger,  whom  he  introduced  to 
the  crew  as  a  comrade.  The  vessel  they  were  expecting 
soon  came  in  sight,  and  after  a  bloody  conflict  became  the 
prize  of  Blackbeard.  It  was  determined  by  the  corsair 
to  man  and  arm  the  captured  vessel.  The  unknown  had 
fought  with  undaunted  bravery  and  address  during  the 
battle.     He  was  given  the  command  of  the  prize. 

The  stranger  Scot  was  not  long  in  gaining  the  bad 
eminence  of  being  as  good  a  pirate  as  his  renowned  com- 
mander. His  crew  thought  him  invincible  and  followed 
where  he  led.  At  last,  after  his  appetite  for  wealth  had 
been  satisfied  by  the  rich  booty  of  the  Southern  seas,  he 
arrived  on  the  coast  of  his  native  land.  His  boat  was 
manned  and  landed  him  upon  the  beach  near  an  humble 
dwelling,  whence  he  soon  returned,  bearing  in  his  arms 
the  lifeless  form  of  a  woman. 

The  pirate  ship  immediately  set  sail  for  America,  and 
in  due  time  dropped  her  anchor  in  the  road  of  the  Isles 
of  Shoals.  Here  the  crew  passed  their  time  in  secreting 
their  riches  and  in  carousal.  The  commander's  portion 
was  buried  on  an  island  apart  from  the  rest.  He  roamed 
over  the  isles  with  his  beautiful  companion,  forgetful,  it 
would  seem,  of  his  fearful  trade,  until  one  morning  a  sail 
was  seen  standing  in  for  the  islands.  All  was  now  activity 
on  board  the  pirate ;  but  before  getting  under  way  the 
outlaw  carried  the  maiden  to  the  island  where  he  had 
buried  his  treasure,  and  made  her  take  a  fearful  oath  to 
guard  the  spot  from  mortals  until  his  return,  were  it  not 
'til  doomsday.     He  then  put  to  sea. 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  325 

The  strange  sail  proved  to  be  a  warlike  vessel  in  search 
of  freebooters.  A  long  and  desperate  battle  ensued,  in 
which  the  cruiser  at  last  silenced  her  adversary's  guns. 
The  vessels  were  grappled  for  a  last  struggle,  when  a  ter- 
rific explosion  strewed  the  sea  with  the  fragments  of  both. 
Stung  to  madness  by  defeat,  knowing  that  if  taken  alive 
the  gibbet  awaited  him,  the  rover  had  fired  the  magazine, 
involving  friend  and  foe  in  a  common  fate. 

A  few  mangled  wretches  succeeded  in  reaching  the 
islands,  only  to  perish  miserably,  one  by  one,  from  cold 
and  hunger.  The  pirate's  mistress  remained  true  to  her 
oath  to  the  last,  or  until  she  also  succumbed  to  want  and 
exposure.  By  report,  she  has  been  seen  more  than  once 
on  White  Island — a  tall,  shapely  figure,  wrapped  in  a 
long  sea-cloak,  her  head  and  neck  uncovered,  except  by  a 
profusion  of  golden  hair.  Her  face  is  described  as  ex- 
quisitely rounded,  but  pale  and  still  as  marble.  She  takes 
her  stand  on  the  verge  of  a  low,  projecting  point,  gazing 
fixedly  out  upon  the  ocean  in  an  attitude  of  intense  ex- 
pectation. A  former  race  of  fishermen  avouched  that  her 
ghost  was  doomed  to  haunt  those  rocks  until  the  last 
trump  shall  sound,  and  that  the  ancient  graves  to  be 
found  on  the  islands  were  tenanted  by  Blackbeard's  men.* 

In  the  autobiography  of  the  late  Rear  Admiral  B.  F. 
Sands,  U.  S.  N.,  "From  Reefer  to  Rear  Admiral",  he 
states  that  in  1838  he  was  employed  on  coast  survey  work, 
as  were  in  turn  all  naval  officers  at  that  period,  and 
"Whilst  walking  along  the  shore  near  Babylon  (Long 
Island,  N.  Y.),  as  our  work  progressed,  Mr.  Renard  and  I 
were  on  one  occasion  amusing  ourselves  skipping  flat 
pebbles  into  the  sea,  watching  them  as  they  glanced  from 
ripple  to  ripple  on  the  water,  when  just  as  I  was  about 
to  launch  one  I  felt  it  was  unusually  heavy,  and  curiosity 
made  me  examine  it.  After  some  little  rubbing  I  found 
it  to  be  a  Spanish    dollar   of  date    1700.     The  edge  was 

*A  somewhat  more  authentic  naval  conflict  occurred  during  the 
■war  of  1812  vfith  Great  Britain,  vfhen  the  American  privateer, 
"Governor  Plummer,"  was  captured  near  Jeffrey's  Ledge  by  a  British 
cruiser,  the  "Sir  John  Sherbrooke."  The  American  had  previous- 
ly made  many  captures.  Off  Newfoundland  she  sustained  a  hard 
fight  with  a  vessel  of  twelve  guns,  sent  out  to  take  her.  She  also 
beat  off  six  barges  sent  on  the  same  errand. 


326      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

almost  sharpened  by  friction  on  the  sandy  beaches.  The 
discovery  prevented  the  throwing  of  pebbles  that  had  not 
been  weighed  and  examined.  That  particular  find  was 
placed  dans  ma  poche  as  a  lucky  piece,  but  unluckily  it 
went,  with  a  quantity  of  other  silver,  some  years  later, 
into  the  pocket  of  a  burglar  who  helped  himself  to  what 
I  had. 

"On  returning  to  camp  with  it  that  afternoon,  it  was 
held  to  be  one  of  Captain  Kidd's  dollars,  and  the  sight  of 
it  revived  many  stories  of  search  for  the  pirate's  hidden 
treasure,  as  it  was  claimed  that  this  neighborhood  was  one 
of  his  favorite  resorts. 

"One  old  fisherman  told  me  of  his  grappling  a  bag  of 
money  with  his  tongs  whilst  fishing  for  oysters  off  the 
inlet ;  that  feeling  something  heavy  and  knowing  that 
shell-fish  could  not  be  so  weighty,  he  became  excited  as  it 
was  hauled  near  to  the  surface,  and,  finding  its  weight  di- 
minishing, he  quickened  his  movement,  and  giving  a  vig- 
orous jerk  into  the  boat,  found  remaining  in  the  teeth  of 
his  tongs  only  the  tied  end  of  an  old  canvas  bag  and  two 
or  three  Spanish  dollars. 

"He  concluded  that  he  had  first  gotten  hold  of  a  sack 
of  Kidd's  treasure,  which  had  been  thrown  overboard  upon 
approaching  the  coast  in  a  boat  in  bad  weather.  He 
marked  the  place  by  bearings,  and  frequently  repeated  his 
search,  but  without  the  slightest  success. 

"In  this  connection  I  will  here  relate  an  incident  which 
occurred  to  Mr.  Renard  (Admiral  Sand's  chief  in  coast 
survey  work)  the  following  season.  There  was  wild  ex- 
citement in  the  papers  of  the  day  about  a  discovery  of 
some  of  Kidd's  treasure  on  the  beach  near  Babylon  by  a 
countryman,  who  was  walking  along  the  beach  after  a  gale, 
which  was  a  common  custom  on  this  coast,  in  the  hopes  of 
picking  up  driftings  from  the  sea. 

"He  saw  on  a  sand-hill  half  blown  away  by  the  gale 
some  pieces  of  old  canvas,  which,  upon  inspection,  proved 
to  be  bags  with  money  scattered  about,  to  secure  which 
he  hurried  home,  and,  bringing  a  cart,  carried  off  his 
treasure  trove.  Some  of  the  neighbors  got  wind  of  it, 
and  the  whole  region  was  up  and  out  on  the  search,  with 
no  greater  success  than  a  few  old  silver  dollars  and  canvas 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEB  327 

bags,  which,  however,  but  served  to  keep  up  the  excite- 
ment for  some  months  afterwards. 

"Mr.  Renard,  seeing  the  news  in  the  papers,  at  once 
recognized  from  the  description  given  that  we  had  gone 
over  the  place  in  our  survey  ;  so  hiring  a  buggy  he  started 
for  the  locality,  and,  sure  enough,  it  was  that  very  hill 
upon  which  I  had  erected  a  signal  for  our  survey.  The 
hill  having  been  partly  blown  away,  showed  where  the 
treasure  deposit  was  made,  which  was  within  three  feet 
of  the  hole  dug  for  the  signal  staff,  which  lay  there  upon 
the  top  of  the  hill. 

"In  his  letter  to  me  telling  of  the  fact,  Mr.  Renard  ex- 
pressed his  wonder  that  I  had  not  placed  my  signal  pole 
three  feet  nearer  the  hidden  treasure,  it  being  said  that 
the  lucky  finder  had  carried  away  in  his  cart  some  fifteen 
thousand  dollars. 

"...  My  detail  this  season  (1839)  was  for  the  Atlan- 
tic coast  of  New  Jersey  below  Long  Branch,  the  latter 
part  of  the  coast  having  been  apportioned  to  my  old  friend 
and  chief,  Mr.  Renard. 

"This  part  of  the  coast  about  Barnegat  had  gained  a 
bad  reputation,  because  of  the  frequent  recurrence  of 
wrecks  there  and  the  robberies  and  murders  accompanying 
them.  The  wrecks  were  usually  caused  by  false  lights 
shown  by  the  natives  to  lure  vessels  to  their  de- 
struction, when  the  whole  neighborhood  would  turn  out 
in  force,  robbing  and  maltreating  the  victims  of  their 
treachery  without  pity,  their  conduct  bringing  upon  the 
inhabitants  the  odious  name  of  Barnegat  Pirates. 

"It  was,  therefore,  deemed  advisable  for  our  two  parties 
to  keep  together  as  much  as  possible,  at  least  when  near 
the  most  dangerous  part  of  the  coast,  that  we  might  have 
mutual  protection  in  our  numbers,  not  expecting  to  be 
treated  as  welcome  visitors  for  many  reasons. 

"  .  .  .  Our  experience,  however,  was  quite  different 
from  our  anticipations,  the  people  there  keeping  aloof 
from  us  altogether  and  in  no  wise  troubling  us." 

The  inhabitants  of  Block  Island,  in  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, also  had  an  unenviable  reputation  as  "wreckers", 
which  has  even  been  celebrated  in  a  poem  by  Whittier. 
It  is,  nevertheless,  but  fair  to    say    that   the    historian  of 


328      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

Block  Island,  Rev.  S.  T.  Livermore,  after  careful  and 
prolonged  researches,  denies  emphatically  the  cruel  alle- 
gations as  regards  the  islanders  : 

"All  this  barbarous  work  is  here  charged  upon  a  little 
population  of  as  pure  morals  as  ever  adorned  any  part  of 
Puritan  New  England.  Let  no  one  suppose  that  the  poet 
(Whittier)  was  aware  of  misrepresentation  and  injustice 
to  the  islanders.  He,  like  others,  doubtless  supposed  that 
the  piracy  once  common  about  Block  Island  was  carried 
on  by  the  inhabitants.  But  that  was  not  the  case.  Pirates 
from  abroad,  near  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
infested  the  island,  and  as  they  sallied  forth  from  this 
point  upon  our  own  and  foreign  vessels,  they  gave  a  repu- 
tation, probably,  to  the  island  which  in  nowise  belonged 
to  the  descendants  of  the  Pilgrims."* 

The  pirate  vessels  "Ranger"  and  "Fortune"  were 
headed  for  Block  Island  when  captured  by  the  colonial 
cruiser  "Greyhound"  in  1723.  Twenty-six  of  the  mem- 
bers of  their  crews  were  executed  on  Gravelly  Point,  at 
Newport,  R.  I.,  July  19th,  1723."f 

As  late  as  1740  the  Rhode  Island  General  Assembly 
voted  an  appropriation  of  <£13  13s.  "for  victuals  and 
drink  to  the  pirates  at  Block  Island  and  their  guards"  ; 
and  from  the  fact  of  keeping  pirates  as  prisoners  on  the 
island,  many  abroad  doubtless  heard  frequent  mention  of 
"Block  Island  pirates,"  without  distinguishing  them  from 
the  native  citizens  of  the  island.  But  in  all  these  cases 
the  pirates  appear  to  have  been  foreigners  to  the  island, 
lodging  there  only  temporarily. 

In  1861,  during  the  Civil  war,  Captain  William  Harwar 
Parker,  C.  S.  N.,  was  on  duty  at  various  places  on  the 
North  Carolina  coast.  He  says:  "I  used  to  hold  long 
conversations  with  a  pilot  I  met  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Neuse  river.  He  had  passed  his  life  on  the  sound  (Pam- 
lico), and  was  a  real  old-fashioned  fellow,  a  believer  in 
signs  and  tokens.  He  told  me  of  his  many  attempts  to 
find  the  money  buried  by  Teach  the  pirate.  Teach  fre- 
quented Pamlico  Sound  and  used  to  lie  at  an  island  in  it 

•"History  of  Block  Island,"  by  Rev.  S.  T.  Livermore,  A.  M. 
•["Colonial  Records  of  Rhode  Island,"  Vol.  IV,  pp.  329-331. 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.    BRADLEK  329 

from  which  he  could  watch  Hatteras  and  Ocracoke  Inlets. 

"I  visited  this  island  and  every  square  foot  of  earth  on 
it  had  had  a  spade  in  it  in  the  search  for  Teach's  money. 
Everybody  hereabouts  believed  that  Teach  had  buried  a 
large  amount  of  money  somewhere  on  the  shore  of  the 
sound.  This  pilot  told  me  he  had  sometimes  seen  lights 
on  the  shore,  which  lights  indicated  the  spot  where  the 
money  was  buried.  The  great  point  was  to  get  to  the 
place  before  the  light  was  extinguished. 

"He  said  he  had  several  times  jumped  into  a  boat  and 
pulled  for  one,  but  unfortunately  the  light  always  disap- 
peared before  he  could  reach  the  shore. 

"Such  was  the  tale  that  was  told  to  me 
By  that  shattered  and  battered  son  of  the  sea."* 

And  so  nearly  the  whole  eastern  coast  line  of  the  United 
States  might  be  gone  over.  Much  of  it  has  traditions  of 
pirate's  hidden  treasure,  but  it  is  to  be  doubted  whether 
even  a  small  proportion  has  been  found  in  spite  of  the 
many  persistent  efforts  to  do  so. 

From  the  "Compromise"  of  1850  until  the  breaking 
out,  in  1861,  of  the  Civil  war,  the  group  of  public  men 
in  the  Southern  States  known  as  "fire-eaters"  and  often 
called  "the  Slave  Power"  by  the  northern  press,  while 
diligently  striving  to  enlarge  the  field  of  their  political 
power,  were  also  mindful  of  a  corresponding  increase  in 
the  number  of  their  human  working  tools.  Many  of  these 
politicians  openly  urged  upon  their  constituents  the  re- 
opening of  the  African  slave  trade  in  order  to  meet  this 
want,  and,  according  to  them,  bring  to  the  South  unend- 
ing prosperity. 

While  it  was  evident  that  the  spirit  of  the  age  would 
not  permit  of  a  legalized  trade  in  African  negroes,  never- 
theless the  result  of  this  ceaseless  agitation  was  that  a 
large  illicit  foreign  slave  traffic  sprang  up,  mainly  under 
the  American  flag,  and  in  vessels  built,  owned  and 
equipped  in  American  ports. 

The  North  will,  also,  have  to  assume  equal  blame  with 
the  South  in  this  nefarious  business,  for,  while  it  must  be 

•"Recollections   of  a  Naval  Officer,"  by  Capt.   William  Harwar 
Parker,  C.  S.  N. 


830     THE  SUPPRESSION   OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

acknowledged  that  the  smuggling  in  of  negroes  at  certain 
points  of  the  southern  coast  was  comparatively  easy,  and, 
public  opinion  in  that  section  being  largely  in  its  favor, 
the  risk,  even  if  the  slavers  were  detected,  was  not  great, 
still  it  must  be  admitted  that  a  majority  of  the  ves- 
sels employed  in  this  trade,  their  owners  and  masters,  all 
belonged  in  New  England. 

Since  the  abolition  of  the  foreign  slave  trade  in  1808, 
the  bringing  in  of  African  negroes  to  the  United  States 
constituted  a  case  of  piracy  according  to  the  federal  laws, 
and  so  the  story  of  the  last  few  shiploads  of  blacks 
brought  to  our  shores  is  not,  it  would  seem,  out  of  place 
in  this  little  volume.  It  may  astonish  some  of  our  readers 
to  know  that  as  late  as  1862  a  native  of  the  State  of  Maine 
was  hung  in  the  city  of  New  York  for  piracy,  the  result 
of  his  being  caught  red-handed  in  a  bold  attempt  to  slip 
in  a  large  cargo  of  negroes.  The  New  York  Herald,  in 
the  summer  of  1860,  published  an  estimate  that  "from 
thirty  to  forty  slavers  are  fitted  out  every  year,  in  New 
York,  Boston,  Bristol,  R.  I.,  Portland,  Me.,  and  other 
eastern  ports ;  but  New  York  and  Boston  are  the  favorite 
places,  from  the  fact  that  the  operations  of  the  traders  can 
be  carried  on  with  less  risk  of  detection.  Comparatively 
a  limited  number  are  captured  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  and 
those  that  are  so  captured  are  taken  by  British  cruisers, 
while  but  few  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  United  States 
squadron. 

A  New  York  correspondent  of  the  Charleston,  S.  C, 
Mercury,  said,  in  its  issue  of  Aug.  15th,  1860,  "That  it  is 
no  exaggeration  to  state  that  a  dozen  or  twenty  slavers 
leave  New  York  annually.  These  facts  have  recently 
come  to  my  knowledge  ...  It  is  not  possible  for  any 
one  person  to  know  the  whole  extent  of  the  business,  but 
some  things  cannot  be  kept  secret  and  are  well  known  to 
many.  ...  I  know  of  two  ladies,  now  attracting  adora- 
tion at  a  fashionable  watering  place,  who  invested  in  a 
little  venture  of  this  kind  not  long  ago,  and,  as  a  result, 
have  augmented  their  bank  accounts — one  to  the  extent 
of  $23,000,  and  the  other  116,000.  The  headquarters  of 
the  traffic  in  this  city  (New  York),  are  mainly  in  South, 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  331 

William,  Broad  and  Water  streets.     Two  vessels  are  now 
fitting  out  here  for  the  business." 

A  few  days  later  the  New  York  Herald  claimed  to  have 
"information  that  no  less  than  six  vessels  have  left  New 
York  for  the  African  coast  within  the  past  fortnight,  all 
of  which  expect  to  have  negroes  for  their  return  cargoes." 

Among  these  latter  day  slavers  the  best  known  and  the 
one  standing  out  most  prominently  in  the  public  eye  was 
the  schooner  "Wanderer."  She  had,  it  was  said,  been  orig- 
inally designed  and  intended  for  a  yacht,  and  was  built  at 
Setauket,  Long  Island,by  James  Rowland,  in  1857,  largely 
on  the  plan  of  the  famous  "America",  the  cup  defender, 
although  the  "Wanderer"  was  somewhat  larger,  measur- 
ing 260  tons  register,  105  feet  in  length,  26  feet  beam. 
June,  1857,  saw  the  launch  of  the  future  slaver,  and 
shortly  after  she  is  said  to  have  made  a  trip  from  New 
Orleans  to  New  York  in  nine  days.  Since  the  days  of  the 
"Red  Rover",  that  weird  roamer  of  the  seas,  it  is  doubtful 
if  any  vessel  so  vividly  aroused  public  interest  as  the  so- 
called  yacht"Wanderer",  for  it  may  be  stated  that  there  is 
grave  reason  to  doubt  if  she  ever  quite  deserved  the  in- 
nocent prefix  to  her  name. 

When  she  first  arrived  in  New  York  harbor  she  was 
looked  on  as  a  model  yacht,  but  very  soon  her  mysterious 
proceedings  attracted  the  attention  of  U.  S.  Marshal  Isaiah 
Rynders,  who  was  snubbed  by  many  persons  for  what  they 
considered  his  officious  meddling  in  arresting  her.  The 
"Wanderer"  was  then  lost  sight  of  for  several  months 
(the  schooner's  whole  career  is  naturally  shrouded  in  ob- 
scurity), when  she  suddenly  turned  up  in  a  southern  port, 
having  landed  a  large  and  valuable  cargo  of  slaves  at 
an  obscure  part  of  the  Georgia  coast.* 

Such  were  the  profits  arising  from  this  illicit  traffic  that 
a  vessel  often  paid  for  itself  twice  over  in  one  voyage. 
It  was  estimated  that  there  were  then  about  forty  American 
vessels  engaged  in  the  foreign  slave  trade.  These,  it  was 
calculated,shipped  600  negroes  each  from  theAfrican  coast, 
of  whom  500  were  landed  at  the  port  of  destination.     Al- 

*When  the  author  passed  some  time  at  Mobile,  Ala.,  in  1914,  sev- 
eral old  and  uncouth  negroes  were  pointed  out  to  him  as  having 
been  landed  near  Mobile  by  the  "Wanderer." 


332      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

lowing  $ 3000  for  each  vessel  for  brokerage  and  commis- 
sion from  the  port  whence  she  sailed  ;  $4000  on  each  vessel 
for  officers  and  men,  $15  a  head  for  the  purchase  of  negroes 
on  the  African  coast,  and  -$42  to  secure  the  landing  of 
each  negro  at  the  port  of  delivery,  the  whole  cost  came 
up  to  $1,467,000.  Twenty  thousand  negroes,  at  $500 
each,  would  produce  $10,000,000,  a  clear  profit  of 
$9,524,000,  or  upon  two  voyages  a  year,  more  than 
$17,000,000. 

While  on  the  African  coast  the  "Wanderer"  fell  in  with 
a  British  cruiser,  and  with  characteristic  coolness  the 
slaver's  captain  hoisted  the  New  York  Yacht  Club  flag, 
and  entertained  the  British  officers  in  lavish  style,  respond- 
ing to  the  toast  given  by  one  of  these  officers  in  honor  of 
the  club,  in  a  speech  of  considerable  ability  and  impu- 
dence. Little  did  the  jolly  mariners  of  England  dream 
that  they  were  accessories  before  the  fact  to  an  infamous 
violation  of  the  laws  of  God  and  man.  After  her  Afri- 
can voyage,  the  "Wanderer"  again  changed  hands  and 
was  bought  by  a  Mr.  Lamar  of  Georgia,  who  entered,  it 
was  said,  into  an  agreement  to  re-sell  her  to  one  "Cap- 
tain" Martin. 

About  the  middle  of  October,  1859,  Martin  "stole"  the 
"Wanderer",  so  it  was  pretended,  and  went  to  sea  without 
papers,  intending  to  go  to  Africa  for  another  freight  of 
human  beings.  Lamar,  the  owner,  pursued  a  little  way 
in  a  steamboat,  but  undoubtedly  by  preconcert  without 
success,  for  the  so-called  "theft"  had  probably  been  ar- 
ranged between  the  owner  and  the  "thief"  as  an  easy  and 
shrewd  way  of  getting  the  schooner  to  sea  without  the 
trouble  and  risk  of  custom  house  preliminaries,  and  of 
securing  to  the  owner  a  pretext  for  reclaiming  her  with- 
out even  the  trifling  cost  of  a  sham  purchase  should  she 
fall  into  hands  unfriendly  to  her. 

The  crew,  it  seems  from  subsequent  events,  knew 
nothing  of  her  destination  till  they  were  out  at  sea,  and 
most  of  them  went  on  unwillingly  after  learning  it. 

On  Nov.  22d,  1859,  when  near  the  Canaries,  the  cap- 
tain taking  four  men  with  him  in  a  boat,  boarded  a  French 
vessel  which  they  had  met  to  obtain  a  supply  of  provis- 
ions.    The  rest  of  the  crew  seized  the  opportunity  to  es- 


BY  FRANCIS  B.    C.   BRADLEE  333 

cape,  set  all  sail  and  steered  for  Boston,  where  they  ar- 
rived on  Dec.  24th,  bringing  also  with  them  two  Portu- 
guese women,  whom  the  captain  had  decoyed  on  board  at 
one  of  the  Azores  and  carried  off  with  the  intention  of 
exchanging  them  in  Africa  for  negroes. 

On  their  arrival  at  Boston  the  crew  of  the  "Wanderer" 
surrendered  the  vessel  to  the  United  States  authorities, 
and  legal  proceedings  were  begun  against  her  as  a  slaver. 
She  was  also  libelled  by  the  crew  for  their  wages,  and  by 
persons  who  had  furnished  her  with  supplies  for  their  re- 
spective dues.  Lamar,  on  hearing  of  the  arrival  of  his 
ship,  made  formal  demand  for  her,  offering  in  support  of 
his  claim  the  copy  of  an  indictment  in  the  United  States 
Circuit  Court  for  the  district  of  Georgia  against  the  late 
master  for  piratically  running  away  with  her.  After  a 
long  hearing  and  an  appeal  by  counsel  for  the  govern- 
ment, the  "Wanderer"  was  restored  to  Lamar,  on  his 
giving  bond  for  $5940  to  abide  the  final  decision  of  the 
court  in  her  case. 

The  Boston  Iranseript  for  March  5th,  1860,  contained 
the  following  account  of  the  court  proceedings  : 

**  'Wanderer'. — This  notorious  vessel  is  now  riding  at 
anchor  in  the  stream,  ready  for  the  sea,  the  admiration  of 
all  who  behold  her  tasteful  model  and  beautiful  propor- 
tions. The  'Wanderer'  has  been  surrendered  to  her 
owner,  Mr.  Lamar,  of  Savannah,  under  a  bond  of  $5000, 
to  abide  by  the  decision  of  the  court  in  her  case,  which  is 
soon  to  be  tried.  In  the  meantime  she  is  in  the  hands  of 
Capt.  C.  R.  Moore,  one  of  our  most  experienced  and 
worthy  shipmasters,  who  takes  her  to  Savannah.  She  i& 
cleared  by  E.  D.  Brigham  and  Co." 

The  "Wanderer"  returned  to  Savannah,  but  her  career 
afterwards,  as  has  been  mentioned,  was  a  good  deal  of  a 
mystery,  and  naturally  so.  It  has  been  stated  that  during 
the  early  months  of  the  Civil  war  she  was  armed  and 
became  part  of  the  "Georgia  State  Navy,"  which  was  to 
protect  the  coast  of  this  "sovereign  state  from  the  incur- 
sions of  the  Yankees." 

Still  another  account  has  it  that  the  "Wanderer"  was 
used  as  a  revenue  cutter  at  Pensacola  and  was  afterwards 
in  the  cocoanut  trade  between  the  southern  ports  of  the 


334      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

United  States  and  the  West  Indies,  and  that  eventually 
she  was  wrecked  on  Cape  Henry.  Her  owner,  while  she 
was  a  slaver,  Lamar,  was  killed  in  the  last  battle  of  the 
Civil  war,  at  Columbus,  Ga.,  April  16th,  1865. 

By  1859  the  maritime  commerce  of  Salem  had  sensibly 
declined,  overshadowed  as  it  was  by  New  York  and  Bos- 
ton. The  foreign  trade  indeed  had  almost  ceased  to  exist, 
and,  therefore,  one  could  hardly  imagine  a  worst  place  to 
fit  out  a  vessel  for  a  slaving  voyage.  Secrecy,  the  prime 
necessity  and  of  the  first  importance  for  carrying  on  such 
operations  was  practically  impossible  in  a  small  seaport 
where  everyone  knew  each  other  and  which  was  notori- 
ously full  of  marine  "loafers."  Yet  in  that  same  year  the 
New  York  and  Boston  papers  reported  that  there  were 
two  vessels  in  Salem  fitting  out  for  the  slave  trade.  As 
may  be  imagined,  these  articles  created  quite  a  sensation, 
which  resulted  in  a  semi-humorous  editorial  in  the  Salem 
Register  of  August  11th,  1859. 

"Slavers  Fitting  Out  at  Salem. 

"The  New  York  Times  has  the  following  special  de- 
spatch, dated  Boston,  Aug.  7  :  'There  are  at  this  time 
two  vessels  fitting  out  at  Salem,  in  this  State,  for  the 
slave  trade  on  the  coast  of  Africa.  The  principals  in  the 
affair  are  a  Spanish  firm  in  New  York;  and  the  pecuniary 
equipment  of  the  vessels  has  just  been  forwarded,  in  the 
form  of  nearly  $20,000  in  hard  specie.  If  the  govern- 
ment really  wishes  to  stop  this  infamous  trade,  it  must 
look  North  as  well  as  South,  and  to  these  small  New  Eng- 
land ports,  as  well  as  New  York  and  New  Orleans.  There 
will  be  no  difficulty  in  identifying  the  craft  at  Salem, 
and  this  is  not  the  first  instance  in  the  last  three  months.' 

Immediately  upon  the  receipt  of  the  above  startling 
information,  we  despatched,  after  the  most  approved  fash- 
ion of  the  New  York  and  Boston  press,  a  corps  of  special 
reporters  to  every  quarter  of  the  city,  with  explicit  in- 
structions to  burrow  in  every  dock  and  explore  every 
cove,  inlet,  outlet,  mill  stream,  sluice-way,  and  brook, 
leading  in  or  out  of,  or  any  wise  connected  with  the  waters 
of  the  harbor,  and  to  ferret  out  the  infernal  slaver,  or 
perish   in   the    attempt.     The   most   keen-sighted  of  the 


BY    FBANC1S    B.    C.   BKADLZE  835 

experts  was  furnished  with  a  pair  of  seven  league  boots, 
and  the  way  he  streaked  it  down  town,  notebook  in  pocket 
and  pencil  whittled  to  the  sharpest  kind  of  a  point,  in 
hand,  was  a  caution  to  the  Custom  House  loafers,  who 
were  balancing  themselves  on  the  hind  legs  of  their  chairs, 
enjoying  their  siesta  and  dreaming  of  their  next  quarter 
day.     His  progress  was  a  sight  to  behold. 

Since  the  days  of  John  Gilpin,  with  the  exception  of 
the  ever  memorable  'gallopade'  of  President  Polk  and 
Secretary  (now  President)  Buchanan  through  the  streets 
of  Salem  in  1847,  urged  on  by  the  forty  oath  power  of 
Marshal  Barnes — no  such  specimen  of  go-aheadtiveness 
has  been  manifested  as  was  exhibited  by  our  Corypheus 
of  reporters  on  this  occasion.  .  .  . 

The  first  approach  to  discovery  was  made  at  Phillips 
wharf,  where  our  reporter  was  'sure  he'd  got  'em.'  His 
attention  was  rivetted  on  this  locality  from  the  moment 
that  he  saw  several  twig-looking  vessels  apparently  'well 
found',  and  about  which  there  was  no  little  bustle.  Ever 
and  anon,  from  a  distance,  he  saw  large  quantities  of 
round,  shining  black  bodies  hoisted  up  from  the  vessel's 
hold  and  dumped  in  great  haste  into  freight  cars  on  the 
wharf  alongside.  .  .  . 

Imagine  his  'f eelinks',  then,  when  he  found  what  he  had 
supposed  to  be  darkies  in  the  act  of  landing  to  be  nothing 
more  than  lumps  of  good,  honest,  Pennsylvania  anthracite  ! 
Somewhat  sobered  by  this  rebuff,  his  drooping  spirits  were 
revived  by  soon  seeing  another  sight.  .  .  . 

At  Webb's  wharf,  sure  enough,  were  some  mysterious 
looking  craft  which  certainly  required  overhauling.  Sun- 
dry long,  low,  black-looking  hulls,  partially  dismantled, 
apparently  a  little  the  worse  for  wear.  .  .  .  these  sorry 
looking  old  hulls,  we  say,  afforded  to  our  reporter  ample 
grounds  for  suspicion,  and  thither  he  hurried,  but  also 
only  to  find  .  .  .  that,  vulgarly  speaking,  he  had  smelled 
a  'mice'  of  the  largest  kind.  .  .  . 

But,  seriously,  somebody  has  been  'sold'.  There  are 
some  half  a  dozen  of  the  regular  African  traders  lying 
at  the  wharves,  although  not  one  ...  is  justly  liable  to 
suspicion.  When  a  vessel  does  fit  away  at  Salem  for  the 
slave  trade,  we  venture  to  predict  that  it  will  not  escape 


336      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

the  lynx-eyed  observation  of  the  habitues  of  the  wharves. 

In  spite  of  the  preceding  article,  there  was  at  this  time 
in  the  slave  trade  a  vessel  which  had  been  wholly  or  par- 
tially owned  in  Salem — the  celebrated  clipper  ship  "Night- 
ingale." Nor  must  mention  be  omitted  of  the  brig  "Mary 
Pauline",  172  tons,  built  at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  in 
1833.  Under  the  name  of  "Lalla  Rooke"  this  vessel  had 
been  a  well  known  slaver,  but  unfortunately  no  record  of 
her  as  such  can  be  found.  In  1843  she  was  registered 
from  Salem,  Henry  E.  Jenks,  Charles  Hoffman,  Osgood 
Dunlap,  owners ;  Neal  P.  Heweson,  master.  During  the 
year  1845  the  "Mary  Pauline"  was  lost  at  sea  while  on  a 
voyage  to  Africa. 

The  "Nightingale"  (named  for  Jenny  Lind,  the  cele- 
brated Swedish  singer,  and  her  figurehead  was  a  beauti- 
fully made  bust  of  her),  was  built  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H., 
by  Samuel  Hanscom,  in  1851.  She  was  174  feet  long, 
36  feet  beam,  and  registered  1066  tons.  For  some  weeks 
before  she  was  launched  the  following  advertisement  ap- 
peared in  the  Boston  papers  :  "For  London  direct  from 
Commercial  wharf.  The  new  clipper  ship  'Nightingale' 
will  positively  sail  Aug.  1,  for  the  purpose  of  conveying 
visitors  to  the  Crystal  Palace  (the  First  World's  Fair) 
Exhibition  in  London,  and  back  to  the  United  States.  The 
vessel  has  been  built  and  fitted  up  expressly  for  this  ex- 
cursion and  affords  exceptional  accommodations." 

The  "Nightingale"  arrived  at  Boston,  from  Portsmouth, 
July  19th,  1851,  under  command  of  Captain  Yeaton,  and 
he  and  Hon.  Ichabod  Goodwin  of  Portsmouth  remained 
agents  of  the  vessel  until  Oct.  18th,  when  she  was  regis- 
tered in  the  name  of  Sampson  and  Tappan  of  Boston. 

Captain  Arthur  H.  Clark,  author  of  the  "Clipper  Ship 
Era",  to  whom  the  author  is  indebted  for  a  portion  of  the 
facts  relating  to  the  "Nightingale",  says  :  "That  in  addi- 
tion to  her  elaborate  passenger  fittings  for  carrying  tour- 
ists to  the  London  World  Fair,  the  ship  carried  a  mechan- 
ic's lien  of  131,500,  which  Sampson  and  Tappan  were 
obliged  to  liquidate,  in  addition  to  the  $43,500  they  paid 
for  the  'Nightingale',  but  as  it  turned  out,  she  was  a 
cheap  ship  at  that,  and  made  a  large  sum  of  money  for 
her  owners." 


BY  FRANCIS   B.  C.   BRADLEE  337 

Just  before  she  left  Boston  on  her  first  voyage,  the  Bos- 
ton Traveller  mentioned  the  "Nightingale"  as  follows  : 
"Naval  architecture  in  perfection  of  model  can  go  no  fur- 
ther. .  .  .  Thoroughly  bolted  and  coppered  throughout, 
well  found  in  boats  and  tackle,  cabin  containing  ten  state- 
rooms, instead  of  berths,  ladies'  cabin  with  eight  state- 
rooms, water  tank  holding  4500  gallons  of  water,  and 
accommodations  for  250  passengers." 

Sampson  and  Tappan  ran  her  in  the  Australian  and 
California  trades,where  freights  were  in  the  early  50's  very 
high,  until  1859,  when  the  "Nightingale"  changed  hands, 
and  a  part  of  her  later  career,  when  a  slaver,  is  necessarily 
somewhat  obscure,  as  her  owners  during  that  period  would 
obviously  shun  publicity. 

Captain  Clark  says  of  her:  "She  was  sold  to  a  firm  in 
Salem  (it  may  be  stated,  however,  that  the  "Nightingale" 
was  never  registered  from  Salem,  but  that  does  not  in  the 
least  prevent  her  having  been  owned  in  that  city),  who 
sent  her  to  Rio  Janeiro,  intending  to  run  her  in  the  coffee 
trade,  but  she  was  sold  to  a  Brazilian,  who  used  her  as  a 
slaver,  and  she  landed  a  cargo  of  Africans  on  the  coast  of 
Brazil  prior  to  her  capture  by  a  United  States  man-of-war. 

"Assuming  this  story  to  be  correct,  it  would  appear  that 
when  the  'Nightingale'  became  the  property  of  a  Bra- 
zilian she  was  legally  under  the  Brazilian  flag,  but  it  by 
no  means  follows  that  she  did  not  obtain  a  United  States 
register,  which  was  a  valuable  asset.  Nothing  could  be 
more  simple,  and,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  it  is  exactly  what 
it  appears  did  happen.  Bowen  (her  legal  captain  at  this 
period)  was  made  the  dummy  owner,  consignee,  and 
captain,  and  is  so  registered  in  the  American  Lloyds, 
while  one  Cortina  was  the  real  captain,  who  represented 
the  actual  owners,  which  accounts  for  his  presence  on 
board  the  'Nightingale'  when  she  was  captured."*  It  is 
a  fact  worth  noting  that  the  "Nightingale"  was  registered 

*A  common  trick  practiced  by  slaving  ships  at  this  period,  espec- 
ially those  under  the  American  flag,  was  to  carry  two  crews  and  two 
sets  of  officers,  American  and  foreign,  generally  Spanish  or  Portu- 
guese. If  captured  by  an  American  man-of-war,  it  would  be 
claimed  that  the  ship,  officers  and  crew  were  foreign,  the  Americans 
being  merely  passengers;  if  captured  by  the  British,  the  opposite 
claim  would  be  made. 


338     THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY   IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

as  belonging  to  the  port  of  New  York ;  nevertheless, 
Bowen  does  not  seem  to  have  considered  it  necessary  to 
paint  out  "Boston,"  which  was  on  her  stern  when  cap- 
tured. 

The  Salem  Gazette  for  June  18th,  1861,  relates  the 
capture  of  the  "Nightingale"  as  follows,  and  its  account 
of  the  ship's  career  before  her  seizure  varies  considerably 
from  that  of  Captain  Clark's,  yet  bears  every  mark  of 
accuracy.  This  knotty  question  is  left  for  our  readers  to 
decide  for  themselves. 

"Capture  of  a  Slaver:  The  slave  ship  'Nightingale' 
was  brought  into  New  York  on  Saturday,  in  charge  of 
Lieut.  J.  J.  Guthrie,  U.  S.  N.,  and  a  prize  crew  from  the 
U.  S.  sloop-of-war  'Saratoga'.  The  'Nightingale'  was 
captured  April  23d  (1861),  off  Kabenda,  W.  C.  A.,  by 
the  'Saratoga',  having  on  board  950  negroes.  She  was 
taken  into  Monrovia,  where  the  cargo  was  put  on  shore, 
and  272  men,  97  women,  340  boys,  and  92  girls,  making 
a  total  of  801,  160  having  died  on  the  passage  from  Ka- 
benda. The  'Nightingale'  is  a  clipper  ship  of  1100  tons 
burthen,  built  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  and  intended  for  the 
Transatlantic  or  Australian  passenger  trade,  but  as  her 
builders  did  not  fulfill  their  contract,  she  passed  into  other 
hands.  She  sailed  from  New  York  Sept.  13th,  1860,  with 
a  load  of  grain  for  Liverpool,  and  arrived  there  Oct.  6th, 
where  she  discharged  cargo,  and  was  up  for  the  East 
Indies.  She  sailed  from  Liverpool  Dec.  2d,  and  on  the 
14th  of  January,  1861,  anchored  at  the  island  of  St. 
Thomas  (W.  C.  A.).  On  the  22d  of  January  she  was 
boarded  off  Congo  by  H.  B.  M.  'Archer'  and  the  U.  S.  S. 
'Mystic',  when  she  proceeded  up  the  Congo  river  and  re- 
mained there  until  the  1st  of  April,  when  she  was  fallen 
in  with  by  the  'Saratoga'  and  boarded,  and  her  papers 
found  all  right.  She  was  allowed  to  proceed,  but  on  the 
23d  of  April  was  captured  as  above.  The  captain  (Fran- 
cis Bowen),  the  Spanish  supercargo,  and  the  cabin  servant 
made  their  escape  from  the  vessel  the  night  previous  to 
her  sailing  from  Kabenda,  a  portion  of  the  crew  having 
previously  escaped  in  the  boats.  Those  that  did  not  es- 
cape were  transferred  to  the  'Saratoga'  and  shipped  for 
the  service." 


BY   FRANCIS  B.    C.   BRADLEE  339 

In  the  "Life  of  Commodore  George  Hamilton  Perkins, 
U.  S.  N.",  by  Carroll  Storrs  Alden,  is  another  account  of 
the  "Nightingale's"  earlier  career  as  a  slaver,  which 
formed  part  of  a  letter  written  home  by  the  Commodore, 
then  Acting  Master,  of  the  U.  S.  steamer  "Sumter": 

"April  15,  1860.  The  clipper  ship  'Nightingale',  of 
Salem,  shipped  a  cargo  of  2000  negroes  and  has  gone 
clear  with  them.  If  she  gets  them  to  Havana  they  will 
bring,  on  an  average,  $600  apiece  ;  so  you  can  calculate 
how  much  money  will  be  made  on  her.  The  'Nightingale' 
is  a  powerful  clipper,  and  is  the  property  of  her  captain, 
Bowen,  who  is  called  the  Prince  of  Slavers.  The  first 
time  I  was  up  the  Congo  the  'Sumter'  went  up  fifteen 
miles  after  a  slaver  under  his  command,  called  the  'Sul- 
tana'. We  found  the  barque  'Sultana'  and  the  brig 
'Kibby',  with  their  slave  decks  all  laid  and  everything 
ready  for  cargo. 

"We  examined  both  ships  and  detained  one  for  three 
days ;  then  our  captain  let  her  go,  declaring  against  every 
proof  that  there  was  nothing  in  the  ship  but  what  was  in 
her  manifest.  Of  course  these  ships  at  once  filled  up  with 
slaves  and  calmly  sailed  off — there  was  no  escape  about 
it. 

"With  the  money  Bowen  made  from  the  sale  of  those 
slaves  he  has  purchased  the  'Nightingale',  one  of  the 
fastest  clippers  known.  When  I  saw  Bowen  in  command 
of  the  'Sultana'  he  was  living  very  luxuriously  ;  every- 
thing in  his  cabin  had  elegance,  and  everything  about  his 
career  was  as  nearly  as  possible  like  that  of  the  romantic 
pirates  and  slave  captains  who  are  introduced  into  novels. 
Our  vessels  cruise  very  little  now  after  slavers.  The  cap- 
tains think  it  useless  under  existing  laws." 

It  is  understood  that  Captain  Bowen,  the  owner  of  the 
"Nightingale",  above  referred  to,  unlike  Captain  Gordon 
and  most  of  the  other  latter-day  slavers,  kept  the  fortune 
he  had  made,  and  when  there  was  no  longer  a  profitable 
market  for  slaves,  turned  his  attention  to  hotel  keeping 
in  Aspinwall,  Central  America,  and  was  flourishing  there 
when  last  heard  of. 

After  her  seizure  the  "Nightingale"  was  condemned 
and  sold  as  a  prize  in  New  York  and  was    bought  by  the 


340      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

government  for  $13,000.  She  was  placed  in  charge  of 
Acting  Master  D.  B.  Horn,  and  attached  to  the  South  At- 
lantic blockading  squadron.  Two  light  guns  were  mount- 
ed on  her,  but  she  served  as  a  coal  ship.  From  1861  to 
1864  she  served  alternately  as  a  coal  ship,  ordnance  ship, 
and  a  dispatch  boat,  and  in  1864  was  ordered  to  New  York 
for  repairs. 

At  the  end  of  the  war  the  "Nightingale"  was  again 
employed  in  the  China  and  California  trades,  and  in  1871 
on  a  voyage  from  New  York  to  San  Francisco,  she  put 
into  the  Falkland  Islands,  leaky,  with  her  crew  in  a  state 
of  mutiny,  one  of  whom  had  stabbed  her  chief  mate  to 
death.  In  1876  the  old  ship  again  changed  hands  at  the 
Merchants  Exchange  in  San  Francisco,  for  $11,000.  Her 
purchaser,  George  Howes,  loaded  her  with  oil  and  sent 
her  to  New  York,  where  she  was  sold  for  $1 5,0  00  to 
Norwegian  owners,  and  all  further  trace  of  her  disap- 
pears. 

In  the  early  1840's  a  company  of  shipbuilders,  several 
of  them  being  Essex  County  men,  left  New  England  and 
settled  at  Marietta,  Ohio,  where  they  engaged  in  the  busi- 
ness of  building  western  river  steamboats.  Between 
whiles  they  also  constructed  several  square-rigged  vessels, 
which  were  floated  [towed]  down  the  Ohio  and  Missis- 
sippi rivers  and  proved  to  be  good  sea-boats,  even  if  they 
were  put  together  thousands  of  miles  from  salt  water. 
One  of  these  rather  unique  craft,  the  brig  "Ohio,"  143 
tons,  built  at  Marietta  in  1847,  and  for  many  years  owned 
and  registered  in  Salem,  was,  while  on  a  trading  voyage  to 
the  west  coast  of  Africa,  in  1848,  very  strongly  suspected 
of  being  a  slaver. 

The  late  Rear  Admiral  Benjamin  F.  Sands,  U.  S.  N.,  in 
his  memoirs,  "From  Reefer  to  Rear  Admiral,"  refers  as 
follows  to  the  "Ohio"  (pp.  195-196):  "The  26th  of 
November  (1848)  saw  us  off  the  coast  in  company  with 
the  schooner  (brig)  'Ohio',  upon  which  suspicion  had 
fallen  as  being  a  'slaver'. 

"Our  captain  used  to  sit  all  day  with  the  darkies  on 
shore,  listening  to  their  tales  of  the  slave-dealers,  and 
under  their  information  believed  that  every  vessel  flying 
the  'stars  and  stripes'  was  engaged  in  aiding  and  abetting 
the  slave-dealers. 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  341 

"It  was  now  suspected  that  the  'Ohio'  was  to  carry 
the  famed  adventurer  and  slave-dealer,  Captain  Theodore 
Canot  (whose  career,  so  successful  in  his  nefarious  busi- 
ness, which  made  him  for  many  years  a  prominent  man  on 
that  coast)  from  the  Colony  to  Gallinas,  where  he  had  a 
'factory'  full  of  slaves. 

"I  went  on  board  and  examined  her  papers  and  hold, 
but  found  nothing  to  excite  suspicion  except  the  fact, 
which  the  captain  admitted,  that  he  was  to  take  Canot  as 
a  passenger  and  drop  him  at  Gallinas  en  route  to  Sierra 
Leone.  He  explained  he  had  no  right  to  question  his 
passenger  as  to  his  business. 

"Captain  Gordon  said  that  he  would  watch  him,  and  if 
he  landed  that  old  slave-trader  at  Gallinas  he  would  seize 
the  vessel  as  a  prize  and  send  her  to  the  States.  So  off 
we  went  on  another  wild  goose  chase. 

"The  'Ohio'  was  built  at  Marietta  in  February,  and 
came  out  to  this  coast  as  a  trader.  On  the  night  of  the 
28th  of  November,  in  a  squall,  we  lost  sight  of  the  'Ohio', 
which  we  were  watching,  but  in  the  morning  sighted  a 
stranger,  a  saucy-looking  schooner,  and  fired  a  shot  to 
make  her  'heave  to'  or  show  her  flag.  .  .  .  We  armed  a 
couple  of  boats  about  nine  o'clock  and  1  was  off  in  pur- 
suit in  the  first  cutter,  the  doctor  having  charge  of    the 

gig n.      a 

"I  took  possession  of  her  .  .  .  and  found  a  Brazilian  nag 

in  the  rigging.  1  found,  however,  that  she  had  everything 
in  readiness  for  her  occupation  as  a  slaver  ;  the  slave  deck 
was  laid,  coppers  in  place,  some  forty  or  fifty  water  casks 
filled,  etc.,  etc.  ...  So  we  lost  sight  of  Canot,  who  soon 
afterwards,  finding  the  English  and  American  governments 
in  earnest,  gave  up  the  slave  traffic  and  reformed.  A  nar- 
rative of  his  eventful  career  was  published  from  his  own 
notes  in  1854  by  Brantz  Mayer." 

At  this  time  the  future  Rear  Admiral  Sands  was  serv- 
ing in  the  West  African  squadron  as  executive  officer  of 
the  U.  S.  brig  "Porpoise",  12  guns,  in  charge  of  Comman- 
der Gordon.  This  vessel  (built  at  the  Boston  Navy  Yard 
in  1836)  afterwards  achieved  the  melancholy  distinction 
of  being  one  of  the  few  U.  S.  men-of-war  put  down  as 
"missing." 


342      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

On  September  21st,  1854,  she  and  the  sloop-of-war 
"Vincennes"  left  Hong  Kong  to  survey  certain  islands  in 
the  MalayArchipelago;  a  few  days  later  a  severe  gale  came 
up,  and  the  "Porpoise"  was  never  heard  of.  She  proba- 
bly capsized,  as  did  the  U.  S.  brig  "Sorners",  off  Vera 
Cruz  during  the  Mexican  war.  There  existed  a  strong 
prejudice  against  these  brigs  in  the  navy,  as  they  were 
considered  crank  and  top-heavy.  The  picture  of  the 
"Porpoise"  reproduced  in  this  book  is  from  the  original 
oil  painting  of  her  in  the  author's  collection. 

The  first  schooner  "Porpoise",  which  saw  so  much  ser- 
vice against  the  West  Indian  pirates,  is  often  confused 
with  her  namesake  mentioned  above,  but  was  a  totally 
different  vessel.  She  was  bought  by  the  Navy  Depart- 
ment at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  in  1820,  measured  198  tons, 
and  carried  12  guns. 

Soon  after  the  "Nightingale's"  capture  by  the  U.  S.  S. 
"Saratoga",  previously  mentioned,  several  of  her  officers, 
together  with  others  connected  with  the  slave  trade,  were 
indicted  for  piracy  (then  a  capital  offence),  according  to 
the  following  article  reproduced  from  the  New  York  Illus- 
trated News  for  March  15th,  1862.  Captain  Gordon, 
mentioned  in  the  article,  had  been  found  guilty  and  hung, 
of  whom  more  will  be  said  further  on,  and  that  seems  to 
have  satisfied  the  "ends  of  justice,"  for  all  the  other  slavers 
had  their  cases  placed  on  file. 

"The  following  persons  are  indicted  for  serving  in  the 
slave  trade  :  Samuel  B.  Hayens,  first  mate  of  the  'Night- 
ingale'; Bradley  Winslow,  second  mate  of  the  same  vessel ; 
William  H.  Byrnes,  master  of  the  barque  'W.  L.  Kibby'; 
Morgan  Fredericks,  first  mate  of  the  'Cora'  ;  Erastus  H. 
Booth,  master  of  the  'Buckeye'  ;  George  Garnett,  first 
mate  of  the  same  vessel ;  Henry  C.  Crawford,  master  of 
the  ship  'City  of  Norfolk'  ;  William  Warren,  first  mate, 
and  David  Hall,  second  mate  of  the  'Erie',  under  com- 
mand of  the  late  Captain  Gordon. 

"Should  any  of  these  men  be  found  guilty  of  the  capi- 
tal offence  and.  sentenced  to  death,  will  they  be  hung  ?  To 
make  an  exception  in  favor  of  either  would  be  to  admit 
that  Gordon  was  unjustly  executed,  and  to  execute  them 
all  would  be  regarded  as  an   outrage   on  humanity.     This 


BY   FKANCIS    B.    C.    BRADLEE  343 

is  one  of  those  cases  in  which  a  horror  of  capital  punish- 
ment induces  a  jury  to  acquit.  Perhaps  the  lilliputian 
Dracas,  who  cry  'Death !  Death  !'  will  reflect  a  little." 

Although  the  United  States  had  been  the  nation  to 
found  Liberia,  the  state  for  freed  negroes,  our  government 
had  shown  gross  negligence  in  enforcing  the  laws  against 
the  slave  trade. 

From  1808,  when  the  importation  of  slaves  became 
illegal,  till  1842,  this  country  did  practically  nothing  to 
suppress  it ;  for  the  next  seventeen  or  eighteen  years,  al- 
though American  ships  of  war  were  sent  regularly  to  the 
African  coast,  the  perfunctory  efforts  accomplished  but 
little. 

On  the  other  hand,  Great  Britain  and  other  European 
countries,  particularly  France,  had  exhibited  considerable 
vigilance  in  seizing  vessels  of  their  respective  nations 
engaged  in  the  nefarious  business. 

Vice-Admiral  Jurien  de  la  Graviere,  the  well  known 
French  naval  commander,  in  his  "La  Marine  D'Autre- 
fois,"  says  that  when  he  first  entered  the  navy  (1829), 
some  of  the  French  men-of-war  had  serving  on  board  many 
members  of  the  crews  of  ex-slavers,  whose  penalty  on 
being  caught  was  a  three  years'  term  of  service  in  the 
navy. 

As  has  been  stated  before,  the  decade  following  1850 
saw  a  great  increase  in  the  illicit  slave  trade  to  the  United 
States.  According  to  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  more  slaves 
were  imported  in  1859  than  in  any  year  previous,  not 
excluding  the  time  when  the  traffic  was  legal ;  he  estimated 
the  number  to  be  not  less  than  15,000.  Most  of  our  naval 
officers  ordered  to  the  African  coast,  well  aware  of  the 
sentiment  prevailing  in  governmental  circles  in  Washing- 
ton, were  not  over  zealous  in  their  patrol  duty  and  would 
send  in  a  prize  only  when  the  proofs  were  scarcely  less 
than  absolute.  Even  in  these  few  cases  the  offending 
captains  and  their  ships  were  released  on  bond,  and  the 
trials  were  long  postponed.  Whenever  a  man  was  con- 
victed, the  executive  found  some  reason  for  not  carrying 
out  the  sentence. 

It  was  not  until  Mr.  Lincoln  was  inaugurated  that  un- 
compromising suppression  of  the  slave  <rade  began  and 


344      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

that  an  offender  (Captain  Gordon,  previously  mentioned), 
suffered  the  full  penalty — hanging. 

Meanwhile,  during  the  fifties,  since  the  United  States 
often  embarrassed  the  American  offenders  and  France  and 
Great  Britain  vigorously  prosecuted  all  those  flying  her 
flag,  the  misery  attending  the  slave  traffic  became  inten- 
sified. Traders  could  not  afford  to  wait  for  a  favorable 
tide  or  calm,  but  when  a  speck  appeared  on  the  horizon 
suspected  to  be  the  sail  of  a  man-of-war,  would  crowd  the 
negroes  into  canoes  and  proceed  to  loading.  When  the 
canoes  were  caught  in  the  surf,  some  of  the  blacks  were 
drowned  and  others  were  devoured  by  sharks.  This 
meant  a  money  loss,  but  the  shipmaster  could  afford  it  if 
he  secured  a  moderate  sized  cargo  and  succeeded  in  es- 
caping. That  the  slaves  might  be  shipped  at  an  hour's 
notice  they  were  herded  together  in  barracoons  at  various 
points  on  the  shore.  Small  pox  and  contagious  fevers 
frequently  broke  out,  whereupon  the  sick  would  often  be 
poisoned,  drowned,  or  shot,  that  the  epidemic  might  be 
checked. 

Troubles  as  bad  or  worse  followed  when  the  negroes 
were  crowded  between  decks  on  ships,  where  death  from 
the  exhaustion  of  fresh  water,  as  well  as  from  epidemics, 
frequently  occurred.  To  maintain  the  supply  of  slaves 
on  the  coast,  to  be  traded  for  and  shipped,  the  fiercer 
tribes  kept  up  a  constant  warfare  ;  they  made  frequent 
raids,  destroying  villages,  and  bringing  back  hundreds  of 
men,  women  and  children.  In  exchange  for  slaves  they 
received  guns,  merchandise  of  various  kinds,  and  cheap 
rum. 

The  last  demoralized  the  whole  coast,  and  to  the  blacks 
of  all  kinds  was  irresistible.  Although  President  Bu- 
chanan's administration,  like  the  preceding  ones,  was  re- 
miss in  dealing  with  this  problem,  Congress  had  become 
aroused  by  the  cruelties  and  gross  violations  of  law  report- 
ed, and  required  that  a  more  vigorous  policy  be  insti- 
tuted. 

In  1859,  in  place  of  three  or  four  heavy  sailing  frigates, 
ill  adapted  for  the  service,  several  small  steamers  were 
sent  out.  These  were  the  "Sumter",  "Mystic",  and 
"Crusader",  propellers  of  about  500  tons  each,  and  carry- 


BY   FRANCIS    B.    C.    BBADLEE  345 

ing  a  few  light  guns.  The  Navy  Department  had  pur- 
chased them  especially  for  this  service  from  the  merchant 
marine,  where  they  had  been  known  as  the  "Atlanta", 
"Memphis",  and  "Southern  Star". 

Of  all  the  American  naval  officers  stationed  on  the  West 
African  coast  during  the  last  years  of  the  nefarious  slave 
traffic,  probably  the  most  zealous  was  Commander,  after- 
wards Rear  Admiral,  Andrew  Hull  Foote,  previously 
mentioned  in  connection  with  his  services  against  the  West 
Indian  pirates.  Before  Foote's  time  it  had  been  the  custom 
for  the  men-of-war  to  stand  in  near  the  coast  and  attempt 
to  catch  the  slavers  in  the  act  of  embarking  their  living 
cargoes.  He,  however,  thought  that  by  cruising  one 
hundred  or  more  miles  off  shore,  there  was  as  much,  if 
not  more  chance  to  capture  the  "traders",  as  they  called 
themselves,  where  they  least  suspected  danger. 

Suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  Commander  Foote,  then 
in  charge  of  the  brig-of-war  "Perry",  changed  his  cruising 
ground,  at  the  same  time  disguising  as  far  as  was  possible 
his  vessel,  so  that  she  appeared  to  be  a  merchantman. 

His  plan  soon  met  with  success,  for  on  June  6th,  1850, 
he  captured  the  full-rigged  ship  "Martha",  of  New  York, 
one  of  the  largest  slavers  on  the  coast.  Commander  Foote 
sent  her  back  to  the  United  States,  in  charge  of  a  prize 
crew,  and  the  "Martha"  was  seized  and  condemned,  a  feat 
hitherto  very  difficult  of  accomplishment,  for  the  slavers 
generally  were  furnished  with  two  sets  of  papers,  one  of 
them  Brazilian,  and  when  close  pressed  the  American 
documents  were  thrown  overboard,  as  was  done  in  this 
case,  but  they  were  picked  up  before  they  were  even 
soaked  through. 

Is  is  doubtful,  however,  if  Commander  Foote's  zeal  was 
smiled  upon  in  high  quarters,  for  soon  afterwards  he  was 
recalled  on  some  pretext,  but  he  has  left  a  most  interesting 
record  of  his  experiences  in  "Africa  and  the  American 
Flag"  (New  York,  1854),  a  book  which  really  did  a  great 
deal  towards  opening  the  eyes  of  the  complacent  public 
to  the  abominable  traffic  going  on  under  the  Stars  and 
Stripes.  Those  who  wish  to  read  of  the  enormities  and 
barbarous  cruelty  of  the  last  years  of  the  slave  trade  can- 
not do  better  than  read  this  volume  ;  the  subject  is  large, 


346      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

so  large  that  all  the  author  has  attempted  to  do  is  to  men- 
tion a  few  of  the  best  known  latter  day  slavers,  a  com- 
plete list  of  these  so-called  "traders",  if  obtainable,  would, 
of  itself,  fill  a  small  sized-book. 

Among  the  many  "deep  water"  sea  captains  hailing 
from  Marblehead  in  the  last  half  of  the  nineteenth  century 
perhaps  one  of  the  best  known  was  Captain  Michael 
Gregory,  one  of  four  brothers,  all  of  whom  were  ship- 
masters. Captain  "Mike",  as  the  former  was  generally 
called,  sailed  for  a  firm  named  Napier,  Johnson  &  Co.,  of 
New  York,  who  had  built  for  him  the  extreme  clipper 
ship  "Sunny  South",  703  tons  register.  She  was  always 
considered  one  of  the  prettiest  ships  ever  launched,  and 
was  the  only  sailing  vessel  built  by  the  celebrated  George 
Steers,  the  designer  of  the  yacht  "America",  U.  S.  steam 
frigate  "Niagara",  and  the  Collins  line  steamer  "Adri- 
atic". 

The  "Sunny  South"  was  built  for  the  China  trade  and 
launched  at  Williamsburg,  Sept.  7th,  1854.  It  is  a  singu- 
lar fact  that  while  this  ship  was  well  known  to  possess 
great  speed  when  in  company  with  other  clippers,  yet  she 
never  made  a  passage  worthy  of  being  recorded,  neither 
was  she  a  successful  ship  financially. 

In  1859  the  "Sunny  South"  was  sold  at  Havana  and 
her  name  was  changed  to  "Emanuela".  Havana  and  Rio 
Janeiro  were  well  known  as  the  two  principal  ports  where 
slavers  were  bought,  sold  and  fitted  out.  The  next  we 
hear  of  the  "Emanuela"  was  on  August  10,  1860,  when 
she  was  seized  by  H.  B.  M.  S.  "Brisk"  in  the  Mozambique 
channel,  flying  the  Chilian  flag,  and  with  a  cargo  of  850 
slaves  packed  on  board. 

Her  chase  and  capture  was  described  as  follows  :  "At 
11.30  A.  M.  on  the  10th  of  August  last,  as  H.  B.  M. 
'Brisk',  Captain  De  Horsey,  bearing  the  flag  of  Rear  Ad- 
miral the  Hon.  Sir  Henry  Keppel,  K.  C.  B.,  was  running 
to  the  northward  in  the  Mozambique  Channel,  a  sail  was 
reported  as  seen  from  the  masthead.  Steam  was  got  up 
without  delay  and  sail  made  in  chase. 

"It  being  hazy,  the  stranger  was  shortly  lost  sight  of. 
When  the  weather  had  partially  cleared  the  stranger  was 
reported  four  points  on  the  starboard  bow,  and  the  ship's 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BKADLEE  347 

course  altered  in  that  direction.  We  were  now  going  111-2 
knots,  and  the  captain,  feeling  that  it  must  be  something 
out  of  the  common  that  would  alter  bearings  at  that  dis- 
tance  in  so  short  a  time,  proceeded  himself  with  his  glass 
to  the  foretopmast  head,  officers  mounting  the  rigging. 

"That  a  general  excitement  prevailed  was  evident  from 
the  manner  in  which  our  sails  were  trimmed,  taken  in, 
and  set  again.  Hottentots  and  landsmen,  who  on  other 
occasions  only  looked  at  ropes,  now  laid  hold  of  them  with 
a  will.  The  captain's  order  from  the  masthead  to  keep 
away  two  points  showed  that  he  had  observed  something 
suspicious — in  fact  he  had  noticed  a  sudden  alteration  of 
the  chase,  and  pronounced  her  to  be  a  long,  rakish-looking 
ship,  too  large  to  be  a  slaver,  but  thought  there  was  some- 
thing very  suspicious  in  the  sudden  alteration  of  her  course, 
her  crowd  of  sail,  .  .   . 

"On  closing  under  her  lee,  and  when  within  a  cable's 
length,  a  white  package  was  thrown  from  her  side  into  the 
sea,  and  the  experienced  then  exclaimed,  'A  slaver,  and 
there  goes  her  papers  !'  A  few  minutes  more,  and  we 
sheered  up  alongside  to  leeward  of  as  beautiful  model  of 
a  ship  as  ever  was  seen.  ...  It  was  an  anxious  five 
minutes  to  those  on  the  'Brisk'  while  our  boats  were 
away.  A  small  white  British  ensign  run  up  at  her  peak 
showed  that  she  was  a  prize,  and  a  voice  hailed  us,  'Eight 
hundred  and  fifty  slaves  on  board  ! '  " 

The  Boston  Advertiser  for  March  20th,  1856,  contained 
the  following  article: 

"The  'Falmouth',  a  new  little  fore  and  aft  schooner  of 
200  tons,  was  seized  by  the  U.  S.  marshal  at  New  York, 
suspected  of  being  a  slaver.  The  crew  were  Spanish  and 
could  not  speak  a  word  of  English.  The  'Falmouth'  was 
fitted  up  with  all  the  appurtenances  of  a  regular  slaver ; 
her  ownership  remains  a  mystery." 

According  to  the  "History  of  the  American  Slave 
Trade,"  by  John  R.  Spears,  the  "Falmouth"  (which  he 
describes  as  a  brig,  but  the  same  vessel  mentioned  in  the 
Advertiser  is  evidently  meant,  moreover  the  picture  of 
her  proves  conclusively  that  her  rig  was  that  of  a  schoon- 
er), made  three  voyages  as  a  slaver,  from  1856  to  1861  ; 
she  was  caught  each  time,  but  at  the  U.  S.  marshal's  sale 


348      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

was  as  often  "bid  in"  and  continued  on  the  "even  tenor 
of  her  ways."  The  last  time  the  "Falmouth'"  was  seized 
her  owners  are  given  as  George  H.  Leinas  and  William 
Watts. 

Once  a  vessel  became  a  slaver  it  would  seem  that  it  was 
hard  for  her  to  shake  off  her  bad  name,  even  though  she 
might  have  been  for  years  engaged  in  lawful  trade.  An 
interesting  case  in  question  was  that  of  the  brig  "C.  H. 
Jordan".  This  peculiarly  built  craft  was  a  very  old 
vessel,  large  for  her  rig  (she  measured  between  400  and 
500  tons  register),  originally  built  in  and  belonging  to 
Barcelona,  Spain.  In  1859  she  was  picked  up,  a  derelict, 
off  St.  Thomas,  by  a  Provincetown  whaler,  and  brought 
into  Provincetown. 

She  had  no  flag  or  papers.  Everything  by  which  she 
could  be  identified  had  been  destroyed.  There  were  slave 
shackles  on  board,  lumber  for  slave-decks,  a  large  number 
of  water  casks,  and  all  the  fittings  of  a  slaver ;  she  was 
seized  and  condemned  as  such  by  the  U.  S.  authorities, 
and  sold  at  auction  to  Mr.  Charles  W.  Adams,  a  Boston 
sbip  broker.  He  in  turn  sold  one-quarter  interest  in  the 
"Jordan"  to  Captain  John  D.  Whidden  of  Marblehead — 
at  the  time  the  present  lines  are  being  written  Captain 
Whidden,  who  now  lives  in  California,  is  believed  to  be 
the  very  last  survivor  of  the  old-time  Marblehead  "deep 
water"  shipmasters.*  As  the  brig  was  Captain  Whidden's 
first  command,  he  naturally  took  great  interest  in  and 
was  very  proud  of  her. 

During  his  ownership  and  command  of  the  "C.  H. 
Jordan"  she  was  engaged  in  the  lumber  trade  between 
the  United  States  and  South  American  ports,  and  in  his 
interesting  book,  "Ocean  Life",  Captain  Whidden  says 
that,  in  spite  of  her  bluff  bows,  she  often  made  fourteen 
or  more  knots  while  under  full  sail  and  with  a  favorable 
wind.  He  (Whidden)  had  always  had  his  curiosity 
aroused  by  a  large  bloodstain  on  the  brig's  cabin  floor  and 
by  several  imbedded  bullets  in  the  panels  of  one  of  the 
staterooms. 

On  one  occasion,  while  the  "Jordan"  was  undergoing 
repairs  at  Montevideo,  a  former  member  of  her  crew  rec- 

*Capt.  Whidden  has  since  died. 


BY  FRANCIS   B.   C.    BRADLEE  349 

ognized  her  and  told  Captain  Whidden  her  tragic  history. 
She  had  made  two  successful  voyages  from  Africa,  bring- 
ing slaves  to  Cuba  and  landing  them  on  the  south  side  of 
the  island  near  the  Isle  of  Pines.  While  on  her  third 
trip  to  the  African  coast,  having  $30,000  in  specie  on 
board,  the  brig's  crew  mutinied  after  reaching  the  coast, 
shooting  and  killing  the  captain  and  mates  through  the 
skylight,  while  they  were  sitting  in  the  cabin.  Running 
the  vessel  down  across  the  "trades"  until  in  the  vicinity 
of  St.  Thomas,  they  destroyed  everything  on  board  by 
which  she  could  be  identified,  and  taking  to  the  boats, 
landed  at  the  latter  port,  describing  themselves  as  ship- 
wrecked seamen. 

Most  of  them  then  proceeded  to  Havana,  and  having 
plenty  of  money,  indulged  freely  in  liquor,  over-talked 
themselves,  were  arrested,  tried,  and  executed  for  murder. 

Another  slaver  whose  career  was  famous  was  the  brig 
"Echo",  built  at  Baltimore  in  1854  ;  she  measured  230 
tons  register,  and  was  rated  1  1-2.  After  several  success- 
ful negro-smuggling  voyages,  she  was  finally  seized, 
brought  into  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  condemned. 

When  the  Civil  war  broke  out  the  "Echo"  was  fitted 
out  as  a  privateer  and  re-named  "Jefferson  Davis",  re- 
ceiving from  the  President  of  the  Confederate  States  her 
commission  to  "sink,  burn  and  destroy"  ships  of  the 
United  States. 

She  was  commanded  by  Captain  Louis  M.  Coxetter, 
Lieutenants  Postell  and  Stewart,  Surgeon  Babcock,  Cap- 
tain of  Marines  Sanfrau,  four  prize  masters,  and  a  crew 
of  seventy  men.  Her  armament  consisted  of  four  waist 
guns,  two  eighteen  pounders,  two  twelve  pounders,  and  a 
pivot  eighteen  pounder.  Although  the  "Jefferson  Davis" 
had  but  a  short  career,  she  caused  much  damage  to  our 
merchant  marine,  capturing  and  burning  no  less  than 
eight  vessels,  until  August  16th,  1861,  when  attempting 
to  enter  the  harbor  of  St.  Augustine,  Fla.,  in  a  gale,  she 
struck  on  the  bar  and  became  a  total  loss. 

In  Frank  Leslie's  Illustrated  Weekly  for  June  23d, 
1860,  there  is  the  following  interesting  account  of  the 
capture,  red-handed,  of  various  slavers : 


350    the  suppression  op  piracy  in  the  west  indies 

"Capture  of  the  Slave  Vessels  and  Their 
Cargoes. 

"Our  cruisers  have  been  very  successful  of  late  in  the 
search  after  the  slavers  which  infest  the  Cuban  coast,  and 
have  already  captured  three  vessels  with  over  one  thou- 
sand five  hundred  negroes.  The  prizes  were  all  taken  to 
Key  West  and  their  cargoes  landed.  Such  an  accession 
to  the  population  of  that  place  caused  the  authorities  no 
little  trouble  to  provide  suitable  accommodations  for 
them.  But  by  activity  and  energy,  and  by  calling  forth 
every  available  resource,  in  a  few  days  all  were  comfort- 
ably though  roughly  housed. 

"On  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  May,  while  the  U.S.  steam 
sloop  'Wyandotte'  was  on  her  course  for  the  south  side  of 
Cuba,  a  bark  was  discovered  standing  in  shore  with  all  sail 
set  to  a  light  breeze.  Chase  was  immediately  commenced 
and  continued  for  four  hours,  when  the  wind  dying  away 
and  the  steamer  gaining  rapidly  on  the  bark,  the  latter,  mis- 
taking the  'Wyandotte'  for  a  Spanish  coasting  steamer, 
tacked  and  boldly  stood  out  from  land.  About  eleven 
A.  M.,  the  'Wyandotte'  being  within  speaking  distance  of 
the  bark,  Captain  Stanley  hailed  her  in  Spanish,  asking 
what  vessel  it  was,  and  received  in  reply,  'American', 
spoken  in  good  English.  He  then  ordered  her  to  show 
her  colors,  which  she  did  by  hoisting  the  American  flag. 
An  officer  was  then  sent  on  board,  and  she  was  found  to 
be  the  American  bark  'Williams',  Captain  Simms,  appar- 
ently engaged  in  lawful  trade,  as  there  were  no  visible 
signs  of  negroes  being  on  board.  But  on  lifting  the  tar- 
paulins with  which  the  hatches  were  covered,  the  woolly 
heads  of  a  number  of  negroes  were  immediately  thrust 
up  in  bold  relief  to  the  light,  causing  the  boarding  party, 
in  the  excitement  of  the  moment,  to  give  three  cheers, 
which  was  answered  by  those  on  board  the  'Wyandotte'. 
Lieutenants  Read  and  Eggleston  and  a  prize  crew  of 
nineteen  sailors  and  marines  were  then  placed  on  board, 
and  the  officers,  crew  and  passengers  of  the  bark  taken 
on  board  the  'Wyandotte'  and  the  prize  towed  to  Key 
West. 

"The  poor  Africans  were  conveyed    from    the  bark  in 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.   BRADLEE  351 

carts  and  taken  at  once  to  their  temporary  quarters,  where 
every  care  was  taken  to  provide  for  their  cleanliness  and 
comfort. 

"The  number  of  Africans  originally  taken  on  board  the 
'Williams'  at  the  Congo  River  is  variously  stated.  The 
American  captain  says  there  were  only  six  hundred  and 
sixty-four  received,  while  other  and  perhaps  more  correct 
accounts  state  the  number  to  have  been  seven  hundred 
and  fifty.  If  this  be  true,  the  mortality  among  them  has 
been  very  great,  for  there  were  but  five  hundred  and 
forty-six  Africans  on  board  when  captured,  thus  leaving 
two  hundred  and  four  to  be  accounted  for.  To  this  latter 
number  must  be  added  the  six  found  dead  on  board  (said 
to  have  been  killed  by  the  crew  in  preserving  silence  and 
preventing  detection  before  being  boarded  by  captors), 
and  the  thirty-three  who  died  on  the  passage  to  Key  West 
— making  a  total  of  two  hundred  and  forty-three    deaths. 

"The  treatment  they  received  on  board  this  vessel  bears 
no  comparison  with  that  given  to  those  on  board  the 
'Wildfire'.  The  vessel  was  found  to  be  in  a  filthy  condi- 
tion and  the  living  freight  uncared  for. 

"The  prisoners  have  been  confined  in  jail,  and  are  un- 
dergoing an  examination  before  Commissioner  Bethel." 

Among  other  well-known  slavers  at  this  period  were 
the  barque  "Wildfire"  ;  Spanish  barque  "Cora",  formerly 
the  clipper  ship  "Gazelle",  condemned  and  sold  in  China 
in  the  early  1850's  ;  barque  "Isla  de  Cuba".  Quite  by 
accident  the  author  has  discovered  that  the  last  named 
vessel  is  believed  to  have  been  the  ship  "Tonquin",  at 
one  time  partially  owned  by  his  great-grandfather,  Josiah 
Bradlee  of  Boston.  In  1850  the  "Tonquin"  had  been 
sent  out  to  San  Francisco  with  a  cargo  of  small  portable 
houses,  made  in  sections  for  rapid  erection  in  the  mining 
districts.  She  went  into  the  harbor  of  San  Francisco  on 
a  full  tide,  there  were  then  very  few,  if  any,  reliable 
charts  of  the  coast  of  California ;  the  tide  fell,  the 
"Tonquin"  grounded  on  her  own  anchors,  was  badly  dam- 
aged, condemned  and  sold,  and  eventually  became  a 
slaver. 

In  its  last  days  the  slave  smuggling  trade  became  a 
highly  organized  modern  business  ;  in  fact  John  R.  Spears, 


352      THE  SUPPRESSION  OP  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

in  his  "American  Slave  Trade",  quotes  (pp.  197-198)  a 
letter  from  the  notorious  Charles  A.  L.  Lamar,  owner  of 
the  previously  mentioned  "Wanderer",  to  Thomas  Barrett 
of  Augusta,  Georgia,  May  24th,  1858,  in  which  he  ex- 
plains his  plans  for  the  formation  of  a  stock  company 
which  was  to  employ  a  steamer  instead  of  sailing  vessels : 

"I  have  in  contemplation,  if  I  can  raise  the  necessary 
amount  of  money,  the  fitting  out  of  an  expedition  to  go 
to  the  coast  of  Africa  for  a  cargo  of  African  apprentices, 
to  be  bound  for  the  term  of  their  natural  lives,  and  would 
like  your  co-operation.  No  subscription  will  be  received 
for  a  less  amount  than  $5,000.  The  amount  to  be  raised 
is  $300,000.     I  will  take  $20,000  of  the  stock  myself. 

"I  propose  to  purchase  the  'Vigo',*  an  iron  screw 
steamer  of  1750  tons,  now  in  Liverpool,  for  sale  at 
£30,000  cash.  She  cost  £75,000.  G.  B.  Lamar  can 
give  you  a  description  of  her.  .  .  . 

"She  is  as  good  as  new,  save  her  boilers,  and  they  can 
be  used  for  several  months.  If  I  can  buy  her  I  will  put 
six  Paixhan  guns  on  deck  and  man  her  with  as  good  men 
as  can  be  found  in  the  South.  The  fighting  men  will  all 
be  stockholders  and  gentlemen,  some  of  whom  are  known 
to  you,  if  not  personally,  by  reputation. 

"My  estimate  runs  thus  : 

Steamer,   $150,000;    repairs,    guns,  small  arms,    coal, 

etc.,  $50,000, $200,000 

Supplies,    $25,000;      money    for    purchase    of    cargo, 

$75,000, 100,000 

$300,000 

"...  The  'Vigo'  can  bring  2000  with  ease  and  com- 
fort, and  I  apprehend  no  difficulty  or  risk,  save  ship- 
wreck, and  that  you  can  insure  against.  I  can  get  one  of 
the  first  lieutenants  in  the  navy  to  go  out  in  command 
.  .  .  but  I  would  not  propose  to  fight ;  for  the  'Vigo' 
can  steam  11  knots,  which  would  put  us  out  of  the  way 
of  any  of  the  cruisers." 

*The  "Vigo'1  was  originally  built  by  Laird  Bros,  of  Liverpool  in 
1855  for  the  French  Franco-American  line.  When  they  failed  in 
1858  she  had  been  bought  by  the  well-known  Inman  line  running 
from  Liverpool  to  New  York. 


Jtefe 


O    .5?  o 
O      ^     M 

F    I  = 


BY   FRANCIS   B.   C.   BRADLEE  353 

Although  this  charming  scheme  did  not  materialize,  it 
is  known  that  other  steamers  were  employed  in  the  slave 
trade,  for  the  Boston  Transcript  for  February  17  th,  1860 
contained  the  following  news  item  concerning  them : 

"Havana  correspondenls  report  two  steamers,  named 
the  'Marquis  de  la  Habana'*  and  the  'Democrata',  about 
to  sail  for  the  Congo  river.  They  belong  to  Marby,  Bus- 
tamente  and  Co.,  and  have  been  fitted  up  openly.  .  .  . 
If  they  succeed,  the  number  of  steam  slavers  will  be  in- 
creased forthwith.  .   .  ." 

After  the  Civil  war  broke  out  the  smuggling  of  negroes 
into  the  United  States  naturally  came  to  an  end,  although 
a  few  cargoes  of  blacks  were  brought  to  the  island  of 
Cuba  by  the  following  American  vessels  : 

1861 — Barque  "Storm  King"  of  Baltimore,  650  slaves. 

1862— Ship  "Ocilla"  of  Mystic,  Conn. 

1864— Ship  "Huntress"  of  New  York. 

The  last  gasp  of  the  abominable,  illicit  slave  traffic  may 
be  said  to  have  taken  place  when  Captain  Nathaniel  Gor- 
don, of  Portland,  Maine,  the  well  known  commander  of 
slave  ships,  was  tried  and  executed  in  New  York  City. 
His  indictment  has  already  been  referred  to,  but  as  he  was 
the  only  slaver  who  ever  suffered  the  death  penalty,  and 
his  execution  meant  the  end  of  an  ignoble  traffic  which 
disgraced  the  United  States,  it  deserves  to  be  chronicled 
with  some  degree  of  minuteness. 

The  story  of  his  trial  is  taken  from  the  now  rare  files 
of  the  old  New  York  Illustrated  News. 

The  "Erie",  Captain  Gordon's  vessel,  was  a  small  full- 
rigged  ship  of  476  tons,  built  at  Warren,  R.  I.,  in  1849, 
but  registered  from  the  port  of  New  York. 

*The  steamer  "Marquis  de  la  Habana",  as  previously  mentioned, 
was  chartered  later  in  1860  by  the  Mexican  General  Miramon  and  a 
party  of  his  followers  to  convey  them  to  Vera  Cruz,  where  they 
hoped  to  stir  up  one  of  the  many  revolutions  common  to  that  coun- 
try. The  scheme  was  a  failure,  and  to  recoup  themselves  these 
villains  were  about  to  seize  one  of  the  California  gold  steamers 
when  their  plot  was  nipped  in  the  bud  by  Commander  Jarvis  in  the 
U.  S.  S.  "Saratoga."  The  "Marquis  de  la  Habana"  therefore  be- 
came the  only  steam  pirate  of  which  there  is  any  record.  She  after- 
wards was  taken  into  the  Confederate  navy  as  the  "McRae",  and  is 
not  to  be  confounded  with  another  steamer  "Habana"  that  before 
the  Civil  war  plied  between  New  Orleans  and  Havana  and  was 
changed  into  the  well-known  Confederate  cruiser  "Sumter",  com- 
manded by  Captain  Raphael  Semmes,  C.  S.  N. 


354      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

"March  8,  1862. 
"Execution  of  Captain  Nathaniel  Gordon,  the  Slaver. 
"Captain  Nathaniel  Gordon,  the  convicted  slaver,  a  na- 
tive of  Portland,  Maine,  was  a  man  of  slender  build,  about 
five  feet  six  inches  in  height,  of  dark  complexion,  with 
dark  whiskers  and  penetrating  eyes,  and  at  the  time  of  his 
death  was  about  thirty-five  years  of  age.  From  his  youth 
up  he  had  been  a  sailor,  in  various  capacities,  beginning 
as  a  cabin  boy,  and  working  himself  up  to  the  position  of 
captain.  His  mother  is  still  living,  and  is  an  exemplary 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  city  of  Port- 
land. 

"He  made  four  voyages  to  the  coast  of  Africa,  for 
negroes  to  be  sold  as  slaves.  Two  of  these  voyages  were 
successful,  the  negroes  having  been  landed  on  the  Island 
of  Cuba.  A  third  voyage  was  only  partially  successful, 
the  negroes  having  been- landed  at  a  Brazilian  port. 

"His  fourth  voyage  as  a  slaver  was  on  board  the  ship 
♦Erie',  with  which  he,  his  two  mates  and  crew,  were  cap- 
tured on  the  African  coast,  off  the  Congo  River,  by  the 
United  States  steam  sloop  of  war 'Mohican',  of  the  African 
squadron.  When  the  'Erie'  was  boarded  the  United 
States  officers  found  a  cargo  of  967  negroes,  consisting  of 
men,  women  and  children. 

"Immediately  after  the  capture  a  prize  crew  was  put  on 
board  the  'Erie',  under  command  of  a  lieutenant  and  a 
midshipman,  and  the  ship  was  headed  for  Monrovia.  On 
the  passage  thither  three  hundred  of  the  negroes  died 
and  were  buried  at  sea.  On  their  arrival  at  Monrovia  the 
negroes  were  duly  handed  over  to  the  agent  of  the  United 
States  government  at  that  point,  and  set  free  under  the 
civilizing  influences  and  institutions  of  the  Liberian  Re- 
public. 

"The  crew  of  the  'Erie'  was  taken  on  board  the  'Mo- 
hican' to  fill  the  places  of  the  United  States  sailors  who 
had  been  transferred  to  the  prize  ship  'Erie',  and  Capt. 
Gordon,  with  his  two  mates,  were  sent  on  to  New  York 
by  the  'Erie'  after  landing  the  negroes  as  stated. 

"The  'Erie'  had  previously  been  to  Liverpool,  from 
which  port  she  took  a  cargo  to  Havana,  Cuba.  There  she 
changed  hands,  and  there  Captain  Gordon  took  charge  of 


BY  FRANCIS   B.    C.   BEADLEE  355 

her  and  superintended  her  fitting  out  for  the  slave  voyage 
in  which  she  was  engaged  at  the  time  of  her  capture. 

"About  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  'Erie'  at  this 
port  with  the  prisoners,  the  rebellion  broke  out,  and,  as 
it  was  progressing,  the  lieutenant  prize  master  turned  out 
to  be  a  secessionist,  and,  in  order  to  identify  himself  more 
fully  with  the  cause  of  the  Confederacy,  left  for  the 
South.  This  step  on  the  part  of  the  lieutenant  bereft 
the  government  of  the  necessary  testimony  for  the  trial 
of  Gordon. 

"The  U.  S.  marshal,  preparatory  to  the  trial  of  Captain 
Gordon,  struck  a  panel  of  jurors  from  Columbia  county. 
To  this  panel  Gordon,  through  his  counsel,  objected,  on 
the  ground  that  the  clerk  of  the  U.  S.  Circuit  Court  had 
not  served  the  marshal  with  a  certified  copy,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  statute,  and  the  court  sustained  the  objec- 
tion. Had  Gordon  submitted  himself  to  a  trial  at  that 
time,  his  acquittal  would  have  been  certain,  as  the  gov- 
ernment had  not  the  evidence  to  convict  him. 

The  trial  was  postponed,  and  when  Gordon  again  came 
into  court  a  new  jury  had  been  impanneled,  which  he 
nearly  exhausted  by  the  pre-emptory  challenges,  and  a 
number  for  cause,  before  a  jury  for  the  trial  had  been 
selected.  This  jury  the  marshal  kept  together  until  the 
trial  was  concluded. 

"Previous,  however,  to  the  last  trial,  the  ships  of  the 
African  squadron  had  been  ordered  home  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy,  and  the  marshal  boarded  each  of  them 
at  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Boston,  and  Portsmouth,  N. 
H.,  respectively. 

"On  board  the  'Michigan',  at  Boston,  he  found  four 
sailors  who  had  belonged  to  the  crew  of  the  'Erie'  at  the 
time  of  her  capture,  and  they  were  brought  on  to  this 
city  as  witnesses,  and  on  their  testimony  Gordon  was  con- 
victed. 

"When  first  arrested,  Gordon  was  lodged  in  Eldridge 
street  jail,  and  he  was  possessed  of  about  $5,000.  On 
one  occasion  he  paid  the  sum  of  $50  for  the  fond  privi- 
lege of  a  parole  to  enable  him  to  live  with  his  family  in 
Brooklyn  for  a  few  days. 


356      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

"Since  the  President's  respite  the  prisoner  has  been  fed 
at  the  private  expense  of  the  marshal. 

"A  handbill  having  reference  to  the  execution  of  Capt. 
Gordon  was  seen  posted  about  the  streets  on  Thursday 
morning.  It  was  worded  as  follows,  and  purported  to 
have  been  signed  by  Mayor  Opdyke,  which  was  not  the 
case  : 

'Citizens  of  New  York  come  to  the  rescue!  Shall  a 
judicial  murder  be  committed  in  your  midst,  and  no  pro- 
testing voices  be  raised  against  it  1  Captain  Nathaniel 
Gordon  is  sentenced  to  be  executed  for  a  crime  which  has 
virtually  been  a  dead  letter  for  forty  years.' 

"Then  followed  a  call  for  a  meeting  at  the  Exchange, 
at  3  o'clock  P.  M.,  of  all  in  favor  of  a  commutation  of 
the  death  penal tj'.  On  learning  the  fact,  Inspector  Car- 
penter* telegraphed  to  all  the  police  captains  to  send  out 
men  to  tear  down  the  posters  and  to  arrest  any  who  might 
be  found  putting  any  of  them  up. 

"At  an  early  hour  in  the  forenoon  of  Thursday,  Mr. 
Murray  received  the  following  letter  protesting  against 
the  execution  of  Gordon  : 

'New  York,  Feb.  19,  1862. 

'Sir  :  If  you  have  any  regard  for  yourself,  your  fam- 
ily, or  your  reputation,  you  will  not  hang  that  man  Gor- 
don, for  it  will  be  nothing  short  of  murder,  and  the  stigma 
of  it  will  stick  while  you  live.  Resign  sooner,  by  all 
means,  a  thousand  times  over.  Do  not  commit  murder. 
Cut  your  right  arm  off  first.     Yours  respectfully, 

Wm.  Noble. 

"Gordon  was  almost  constantly  attended  during  his 
imprisonment  by  his  wife  and  child.  Mrs.  Gordon  has 
been  permitted  to  remain  with  him  whenever  she  chose, 
and  her  attendance  has  been  unremitting.  She  is  a  native 
of  Nova  Scotia,  about  twenty-five  years  of  age,  slight  but 
well  built,  and  of  much  personal  beauty. 

"She  has  resided  in  Brooklyn  during  most  of  the  period 
of  her  husband's  imprisonment,  in  the  family  of  a  sea 
captain,  who  has  interested  himself  somewhat  for  the 
comfort  of  Gordon  himself.  Mrs.  Gordon  has  visited 
Washington  several  times,  it  is  said,  and  for  the  last  time 
*On©  of  the  high  officials  of  the  New  York   Metropolitan  police. 


BY   FRANCIS   B.    C.    BRADLEE  S57 

no  longer  than  last  Friday.  Her  pecuniary  means  are 
derived  exclusively  from  benevolent  persons,  who  have 
supplied  her  with  what  she  pressingly  needed,  and  means 
of  seeking  a  commutation  of  the  death  penalty  in  the 
case  of  her  husband.  Accompanied  by  the  child  (a  fine 
boy  of  five  or  six  years  of  age),  she  nobly  devoted  every 
hour  at  her  command  to  Gordon's  comfort  and  to  his  con- 
solation. They  have  evidently  been  much  attached  to 
each  other. 

"Last  evening  the  final  parting  scene  occurred.  Gordon 
did  not  entirely  lose  his  self-possession,  but  the  grief  of 
Mrs.  Gordon  was  of  the  most  acute  description.  She  was 
taken  away  at  half-past  six  o'clock. 

"After  parting  with  his  wife,  Gordon  was  transferred 
to  another  cell,  and  his  clothing  thoroughly  searched  to 
prevent  the  possibility  of  any  attempt  at  suicide.  He 
then  partook  of  some  refreshments  and  lighted  a  cigar, 
and,  calling  for  pen  and  ink,  sat  down  to  write  letters. 
He  thus  passed  the  principal  part  of  the  night,  up  to  about 
four  o'clock. 

"About  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  Gordon  was  dis- 
covered in  convulsions,  and  a  physician  was  sent  for,  who 
pronounced  him  suffering  under  the  effects  of  a  dose  of 
poison.  The  prisoner  afterwards  admitted  that  he  had 
taken  a  small  powder  which  had  been  furnished  him  and 
which  he  had  concealed  in  a  crack  under  his  bench. 

"He  continued  in  convulsions  until  about  ten  o'clock 
Friday  morning,  when  the  effects  of  the  poison  seemed 
to  subside,  and  he  rallied  materially.  About  eleven 
o'clock  he  requested  that  a  lock  of  his  hair  and  a  ring 
should  be  carried  to  his  wife. 

"At  eleven  o'clock  a  despatch  was  received  from  Judge 
Beebe,  who  had  gone  to  Albany  to  see  Governor  Morgan, 
stating  that  after  his  interview  the  Governor  had  sent  a 
telegraphic  despatch  to  President  Lincoln  requesting  a 
further  respite  for  the  prisoner. 

"Inside  the  Tombs  building,  and  at  every  entrance,  a 
guard  of  marines  were  stationed  with  fixed  bayonets. 
They  had  been  detailed  from  the  Marine  Barracks,  were 
under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Cohen,  and  numbered 
about  eighty  men.     The  special  guard   was   composed  of 


358      THE  SUPPRESSION  OF  PIRACY  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 

the  marshal's  deputies,  with  some  police  captains.  A  guard 
of  police  was  also  stationed  around  the  outside  of  the 
Tombs. 

"The  gallows  was  a  new  one,  originally  made  for  hang- 
ing the  three  murderers  of  Captain  Pyke,  of  the  ship 
'General  ParkhilP,  but  not  used,  as  the  sentence  of  those 
men  was  commuted  by  the  President  to  imprisonment  for 
fifteen  years. 

"The  hour  of  twelve  was  fixed  for  the  execution. 
Over  a  hundred  persons  had  been  admitted  to  witness  the 
scene,  among  whom  were  Marshal  Keyes  of  Boston,  sev- 
eral State  Senators,  and  reporters  of  the  press. 

"Gordon  was  taken  from  his  cell  to  the  gallows  at  a 
quarter  past  twelve  o'clock.  He  was  supported  by  two 
of  Marshal  Murray's  deputies.  The  marshal  walked  on 
his  right.  The  appearance  of  Gordon's  face  was  ghastly, 
his  fear  was  extreme  ;  but  with  that  assumed  stoicism 
which  had  distinguished  him,  he  walked,  or  was  rather 
carried,  quickly  to  his  place.     He  made  no  dying  speech. 

"As  soon  as  the  noose  was  adjusted  the  black  cap  was 
pulled  over  his  face.  The  signal  was  at  once  made,  and 
and  in  an  instant  he  was  dangling  in  the  air.  He  died 
easily;  but  few  convulsive  motions  were  observed.  He 
was  dead  in  about  five  minutes  from  the  time  the  rope 
was  adjusted,  but  the  body  was  allowed  to  remain  half  an 
hour,  when  his  body  was  taken  down  and  placed  in  a 
rough  coffin,  in  which  it  will  be  delivered  to  his  friends." 

It  was  said  that  Gordon  was  at  one  time  the  possessor 
of  over  $100,000,  which  sum  he  had  accumulated  in  the 
slave  trade,  but  the  expenses,  etc.,  of  his  trial  swallowed 
up  all  his  little  fortune. 

Great  political  influence  was  brought  to  bear  on  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  to  commute  his  sentence.  He  had  already 
once  respited  Gordon  (see  Illustrated  New  York  News, 
February  22d,  1862),  and  the  latter's  friends  were  confi- 
dent that  he  would  not  die  on  the  gallows,  but  the  Presi- 
dent remained  firm. 

Thus  did  one  wretched  outrager  of  humanity  pay  for 
centuries  of  misery  and  suffering  which  bare  words  cannot 
describe. 


FORTY  YEARS  AGO  IN  SALEM. 


Extracts  from  the  Diary  of  Francis  H.   Lee 


(  Continued  from  Volume  LIX,  page  104.) 

Jan.  28th.  Called  at  Mr.  Bryant's  in  Carpenter  street 
and  saw  portraits  of  Mr.  Bryant's  father  and  mother  and 
of  Mrs.  Bryant's  mother  and  two  of  her  son  Watson 
Bryant,  all  taken  by  Mr.  Southard,  besides  other  fancy 
pictures  of  his.  She  gave  me  a  framed  certificate  of  the 
Mechanics'  Association  dated  Oct.  1,  1817,  which  be- 
longed to  her  father,  also  two  old  china  cups  and  three 
little  coins  of  no  particular  worth.  She  is  going  to  look 
up  some  old  papers  and  almanacs  for  me.  This  house 
was  built  about  70  years  ago.  Tonight  the  services  of 
opening  the  new  Washington  Church  begin.  Dr.  Bellows 
preaches.  Rev.  Batcheler  and  Israel  and  Messrs.  Horton 
and  O.  W.  Upham  have  gone  on. 

Jan.  30th.  Called  at  Mrs.  Narbonne's  and  left  Old 
Naumkeag.  Mrs.  Narbonne  went  to  school  with  a  Miss 
Carlton  in  Union  street,  also  to  a  Miss  Mary  Porter  in 
building  rear  of  Dr.  Browne's  shop.  This  lady  afterwards 
married  Seth  Low  and  moved  to  Brooklyn.  In  the  even- 
ing went  to  Josie's  and  saw  Rose  dressed  for  the  party. 
Looked  into  the  collection  of  china  in  the  parlor.  There 
are  several  old  punch  bowls,  silver  mugs  of  Joseph  and 
William  Cabot,  a  Washington  Lafayette  pitcher  made  to 
commemorate  his  visit  here  in  1824.  There  is  a  great 
deal  of  interesting  china  in  their  china  closet. 

Jan.  31st.  Went  to  the  Institute  and  looked  over  the 
portraits  in  the  Antique  room.  Into  the  picture  room  of 
the  successor  of  Grindall  and  purchased  a  very  large 
photograph  of  the  South  Church,  framed,  for  $2.00,  which 
is  very  cheap  and  about  what  the  frame  is  worth.  This 
picture  was  taken  several  years  ago  by  Bowdoin.  Called 
on  Curwen  and  saw  his  china  all  newly  arranged,  with  a 
glass  diamond  door,  making  the  corner  of  the  room  look 
very  attractive. 

Feb.  1st.  This  morning  the  snow  lies  probably  two 
feet  on  a  level,  and  in  drifts  I  have  seen  it  nearly  six  feet 

(359) 


360  FORTY   YEARS   AGO   IN   SALEM 

high,  as  in  many  places  on  the  north  side  of  Essex  street. 
There  has  been  not  so  much  snow  at  the  East,  as  the 
storm  has  not  yet  reached  there,  so  that  most  of  the  trains 
from  that  quarter  came  in  during  the  morning,  but  towards 
Chelsea  a  train  with  snow  plough  and  two  engines  got  off 
the  track,  thereby  delaying  the  mails  and  obliging  the 
trains  to  come  down  later  via  the  Saugus  branch.  We 
didn't  receive  our  Boston  paper  till  about  three  o'clock. 
It  continued  to  snow  lightly  during  the  day  and  into  the 
night. 

Feb.  2nd.  In  Boston.  Saw  an  interesting  collection 
of  charcoal  landscapes  by  Mr.  Key.  Called  on  Mr.  Staigg 
and  showed  the  copies  of  portraits  of  Timothy  Orne  and 
wife  and  T.  O.'s  mother.  He  was  quite  pleased  with  the 
portraits  of  Rebecca  Taylor,  which  he  offered  to  copy  for 
$500,  but  I  wished  to  have  it  done  for  $50.  He  has  an 
interesting  portrait  just  finished  of  Mr.  Francis  of  Low- 
ell, who  has  been  supt.  of  Locks  and  Canals  for  so  many 
years.  Called  on  the  brother  of  Rev.  Wm.  Cook  and  saw 
journals  kept  by  his  father  whilst  commanding  vessels,  an 
old  wooden  spoon  he  had  carved,  his  portrait  taken  on 
glass  in  France,  an  interesting  old  desk  and  drawers.  He 
gave  me  a  funny  picture  of  "The  death  of  Harrison",  a 
printed  sermon  of  Rev.  Wm.  Cook,  a  pamphlet  history  of 
Danvers,  and  another  pamphlet.  He  is  to  look  up  some 
old  papers. 

Feb.  3rd.  Called  on  Mr.  W.  H.  Foster  after  dinner. 
Mr.  Israel  had  just  brought  him  a  photograph  of  Mr. 
Mickle  of  Baltimore,  the  oldest  Bank  officer  in  the  coun- 
try, having  entered  the  ranks  in  1819.  Mr.  Foster  in 
1824.  Mr.  Foster  gave  me  his  photograph,  his  birthday 
being,  like  mine,  on  Dec.  23rd,  and  I  understand  Annie 
West's  is  the  same  day.  He  showed  me  a  snuff  box  of 
lacquered  wood,  with  portraits  of  Josephine  and  Napoleon 
on  the  cover,  also  a  cane  made  of  the  wood  of  the  Wm. 
Penn  house  in  Philadelphia,  which  was  being  pulled  down 
in  1867  when  he  happened  to  be  there,  a  pair  of  pitchers  of 
light  brown  ground  covered  with  pictures,  another  tall  slim 
pitcher  with  cover,  and  several  plates. 

(To  be  continued) 


CAPT.   JOHN   C.   POND 
1839-1887 


CAPT.  JOHN   BERTRAM 
1796-  1882 


CAPT.  WILLIAM  A.  PETERSON 
1836-  1888 


CAPT.  CHARLES  O.  WELCH 
1843-  1880 


SALEM  VESSELS  AND  THEIR  VOYAGES. 


The  Barque  "Glide." 
And  Some  Account  of  the  African  Trade. 


(Continued  from   Volume  LIX,  page  216.} 


By  George  Granville  Putnam. 


Additional  members  of  the  crew  were  Charles  White- 
house,  14,  now  and  for  many  years  a  signal  towerman  in 
the  employ  of  the  old  Eastern  and  Boston  &  Maine 
Railroad  at  the  Norman- Washington  street  crossing, 
Salem  ;  Richard  Kiernan,  Salem,  18  ;  Stephen  Curtis,  Jr., 
Salem,  19 ;  Daniel  O'Neil,  New  York,  32  ;  William  King, 
Philadelphia,  30.  Thomas  Edwards,  Birmingham,  Eng., 
24,  was  shipped  at  Zanzibar. 

The  Sachem  sailed  on  her  next  voyage  from  Salem  Oct. 

24,  1869,  John  Kerivan,  master,  for  Zanzibar.  Captain 
Kerivan  died  at  Zanzibar  April  3,  1870,  and  the  vessel  re- 
turned to  Boston  under  command  of  the  mate,  Captain 
William  A.  Peterson.  Captain  Peterson  afterwards  com- 
manded the  barque  Essex,  owned  by  Captain  Bertram,  in 
the  same  trade. 

Tenth  Voyage. 
The  Glide  sailed  from  Salem  June  2,  1870,  for  Boston, 
and  arrived  there  the  same  day.  Captain  James  S.  Wil- 
liams of  Salem,  having  arrived  home  after  being  wrecked 
in  the  Jersey,  was  given  command.  The  vessel  sailed  from 
Boston  June  13,  1870,  for  Zanzibar.  Arrived  at  Zanzibar 
Oct.  6 ;  arrived  at  Muscat  Nov.  22 ;  sailed  from  Muscat 
Feb.  1  for  Zanzibar,  and  from  Zanzibar  March  3  for  Bos- 
ton ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  April  9  ;  crossed  the  Equa- 
tor May  3,  in  longitude  34  W.,  and  arrived  at  Boston  May 

25,  1871.  Passenger,  Henry  Curwen  of  Salem.  Voyage, 
eleven  months  and  twelve  days. 

Eleventh  Voyage. 
Sailed  from  Boston  June  14,  1871,  James  S.  Williams, 
master,  for  the  East  Indies.  Arrived  at  Tamatave  Oct. 
10,  and  then  went  to  Zanzibar.  Sailed  for  Boston  Nov.  18. 
On  the  passage  home  the  Glide  was  destined  to  get  the 
hammering  of  her  life.   She  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Dec. 

(361) 


362  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

27,  and  crossed  the  Equator  Jan.  28.  On  Feb.  15,  in  the 
North  Atlantic,  began  a  succession  of  gales  which  con- 
tinued all  the  way  to  port.  March  2,  latitude  34.51  N., 
longitude  70.13  W.,  experienced  a  terrific  gale  from  south 
to  northwest,  barometer  at  29.08,  with  cross  seas.  The 
Glide  was  put  under  half  of  lower  maintopsail  and  half 
of  mizzen  staysail,  and  shipped  two  heavy  seas,  which 
stove  after  house  and  lee  bulwarks.  After  struggling 
nearly  a  month  under  such  adverse  conditions  and  with 
little  hope  of  the  weather  improving,  Captain  Williams 
determined  to  lay  his  course  for  New  York,  and  he  arrived 
there  March  25,  1872.  Voyage:  nine  months  and  eleven 
days. 

Passengers,  Captain  and  Mrs.  Francis  R.  Webb  and  two 
children  of  Salem. 

J.  Frank  Stickney,  now  residing  at  Salem  Willows,  was 
a  boy  on  the  Glide  on  this  voyage.  Returning  to  Salem 
from  New  York,  he  went  into  Captain  Bertram's  office  for 
his  pay,  and  the  late  Captain  Nathan  H.  Millett,  confiden- 
tial clerk,  asked  him  if  he  would  like  to  make  a  trip  in 
the  Taria  Topan,  which  was  fitting  for  sea.  Frank  gladly 
accepted  the  chance,  and  at  once  signed  the  shipping  arti- 
cles. William  Hollingsworth  Hathorne  was  master  of 
the  Taria  Topan,  and  J.  Warren  Luscomb  mate.  The  lat- 
ter was  later  master  of  the  barque.  The  Taria  Topan 
sailed  from  Boston  May  20,  1872,  visited  Aden,  Muscat, 
and  Zanzibar,  and  arrived  back  at  Boston  March  13, 1873. 
Twelfth  Voyage. 

The  Glide  sailed  from  New  York  April  13,  1872,  for 
East  Coast  of  Africa  ports,  under  command  of  Captain 
Stephen  Cloutman,  who  had  sailed  in  command  of  other 
vessels  owned  by  Captain  Bertram.  She  arrived  at  Mo- 
zambique July  1,  79  days'  passage.  Sailed  Sept.  28  for 
Zanzibar,  where  she  finished  loading,  and  sailed  for  home 
Oct.  21.  Arrived  at  Boston  Jan.  15,  1873,  in  83  days' 
passage.     Voyage,  nine  months  and  two  days. 

Charles  I.  Shepard  of  Fresno,  California,  communicates 
to  the  writer  the  following  information  :  "Ernest  D.  Lord, 
who  was  a  boy  on  the  Glide  on  her  sixth  voyage,  lived  on 
Pleasant  street.  His  father  was  a  member  of  a  firm  of 
stone  cutters  in  Salem.  After  this  voyage  in  the  Glide, 
Ernest  sailed  two  or  three  times   with   Captain  John  C, 


BY   GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  363 

Pond.  He  then  gave  up  the  sea  and  went  to  Milwaukee, 
thinking  that  it  was  better  to  do  it  then  instead  of  later. 
But  his  first  love  for  the  sea  returned,  and  he  again  tried 
it,  and  one  day  he  showed  up  in  Salem  and  told  me  that 
he  was  going  second  mate  of  the  Glide  the  next  day.  A 
few  days  out  the  mate  was  lost  overboard  and  Ernest  was 
promoted.  The  vessel  visited  Muscat  and  Aden,  and  at 
one  of  those  places  he  was  taken  sick  with  dysentery  and 
died  suddenly.  He  was  a  fine  fellow  and  we  were  inti- 
mate friends.     He  was  a  Phillips  school  boy." 

Thirteenth  Voyage. 
Sailed  from  Boston  Feb.  8,  1873,  Stephen  Cloutman, 
master,  for  Zanzibar.  Arrived  at  Zanzibar  April  22,  73 
days'  passage,  and  sailed  May  3  for  Aden,  where  she  ar- 
rived May  3.  Loaded  at  Aden  and  sailed  June  1  for 
Boston.  Arrived  at  Boston  Sept.  16,  1873,  in  117  days, 
and  concluding  the  voyage  in  the  unusually  quick  time  of 
seven  months  and  eight  days. 

Fourteenth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Boston  Jan.  16,  1874,  Stephen  Cloutman, 
master,  for  Zanzibar.  Arrived  at  Tamatave,  Madagascar, 
April  5,  79  days'  passage,  and  at  Zanzibar  April  30.  Ar- 
rived at  Aden  May  29,  from  Zanzibar.  Returned  to  Zan- 
zibar and  sailed  for  home  July  10.  Passed  Cape  Good 
Hope  Aug.  14,  St.  Helena  Aug.  23,  and  arrived  at  Boston 
Oct.  10,  89  days'  passage.  Voyage,  eight  months  and 
twenty-four  days. 

Passengers  from  Boston  for  Zanzibar,  J.  Orne  Rider  of 
Salem  and  Augustin  Sparhawk  of  Boston. 

Fifteenth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Boston  Jan.  10,  1875,  with  a  new  master 
in  charge,  Captain  Nathan  A.  Batchelder,  for  Zanzibar 
and  a  market.  Arrived  at  Tamatave,  Madagascar,  April 
5,  85  days  passage.  The  following  is  taken  from  the 
journal  kept  by  Capt.  Bachelder : 

Jan.  18,  1875 — Big  run  232  miles  this  24  hours.  Strong 
wind  from  W.  S.  W.  till  8  A.  M.,  then  hauling  to  W.  N. 
W.,  and  squally  and  rainy  and  lightning.  Passed  two 
sail.     Lat.  32.56  N.,  longitude    30.08    W.     Crossed  the 


364  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

Equator  Feb.  8,  in  Ion.  29.27  W.,  28  days  from  Nantas- 
ket  Roads  ;  March  9,  at  9  A.M.,  sighted  Tristan  d'  Acunha 
group  of  islands ;  March  20,  lat.  37.50  S.,  Ion.  27.42  W., 
took  in  topgallant  sails,  very  heavy  easterly  sea  on,  took 
in  main  topgallant  sail,  first  time  since  leaving  Boston  ; 
April  4,  dirty,  inky-looking  weather,  heavy  thunder  and 
continuous  sharp  lightning,  heavy  squalls  of  rain,  and  no 
moon  to  cheer  us ;  April  5,  arrived  at  Tamatave,  Mada- 
gascar, 85  days  from  Boston. 

April  30,  sailed  from  Tamatave  for  Aden,  and  arrived 
there  May  21,  20  days'  passage,  and  having  had  no  cur- 
rent either  way  since  leaving  Cape  Guardefie.  June  8, 
sailed  from  Aden  for  Zanzibar,  and  anchored  off  the  town 
in  eight  fathoms,  29  days'  passage.  July  13,  civil  time, 
sailed  from  Zanzibar  for  Boston,  and  arrived  in  93  days' 
passage — 12  from  Cape  Good  Hope  to  St.  Helena,  24  from 
the  Cape  to  the  Line,  51  from  the  Cape  to  Boston,  and  27 
from  the  Line  to  Boston.  Was  16  days  in  Gulf  Stream, 
with  strong  gales. 

Sixteenth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Boston  Nov.  12, 1875,  sea  time ;  discharged 
pilot  at  12.30  ;  Highland  Light,  Cape  Cod,  bore  N.  W.  by 
W.  1-2  W.,  15  miles,  at  4.30  P.  M.,  with  good  breeze  from 
N.  W.;  Nathan  A.  Bachelder,  master,  Edward  B.  Trum- 
bull, mate,  for  Zanzibar  and  a  market.  Nov.  30,  at  3.30, 
spoke  brig  O.  S.  Packard,  28  days  from  Savannah,  Ga., 
for  Buenos  Ayres,  his  longitude  being  39.25,  and  mine 
39.26.  Crossed  the  Equator  Dec.  11,  longitude  34.38 
W.,  30  days  from  Boston.  Dec.  31,  Tristan  d'  Acunha  in 
sight,  at  7  A.  M.,  passed  it  at  noon  and  saw  the  town,  and 
a  barque  was  standing  off  and  on.  Now  51  days  from 
Boston.  Jan.  30,  still  going  ahead  through  God's  good- 
ness, all  well,  wind  keeping  up  all  night,  and  at  10  A.  M. 
entered  the  harbor  of  Tamatave,  79  days  and  22  hours 
from  Boston. 

Sailed  from  Tamatave  Feb.  16,  sea  time,  for  Zanzibar, 
and  arrived  there  in  14  days'  passage.  Lay  there  12  days. 
Sailed  March  14  for  Aden,  sea  time,  and  arrived  April  9, 
25  days'  passage.  Sailed  April  16  for  Zanzibar,  arrived 
May  14,  and  sailed    May  18    for   Boston.     Passed    Cape 


CO    00 

3 


BY   GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  365 

Good  Hope  June  24,  37  days  out ;  was  27  days  from  the 
Cape  to  the  Equator,  which  was  crossed  July  21  in  longi- 
tude 34.21  west,  and  arrived  at  Boston  Aug.  16,  1876, 
at  noon,  90  days'  passage,  and  beating  the  barque  Taria 
Topan,  Captain  William  Beadle,  which  arrived  the  same 
day  from  Zanzibar,  by  38  days.  Voyage,  six  months  and 
three  days. 

Leonard  A.  Bachelder,  son  of  Captain  Bachelder,  was 
a  passenger  on  the  outward  passage,  and  is  now  a  resident 
of  Auckland,  N.  Z.,  where  he  has  lived  several  years,  and 
has  been  United  States  consul. 

Captain  Bachelder  did  not  again  command  the  Glide, 
but  he  and  his  first  officer,  Edward  B.  Trumbull,  who 
had  made  two  previous  voyages  as  second  mate  of  the 
Glide,  were  transferred  to  the  barque  Taria  Topan.  Cap- 
tain Bachelder  commanded  the  T.  T.  nine  voyages,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Captain  Trumbull,  who  was  mate  of  her 
with  Captain  Bachelder  nine  voyages,  and  then  master  of 
her  seven  voyages,  when  he  retired  from  the  sea,  having 
made  in  all  twenty-two  voyages  to  sea.  Captain  Bachelder 
died  Sept.  2,  1903. 

One  afternoon  in  the  month  of  July,  1899,  the  writer, 
realizing  that  a  fund  of  adventure  and  romance  is  locked 
up  in  the  breasts  of  Salem  shipmasters,  that  would  prove 
a  valuable  contribution  to  the  commercial  history  of 
Salem,  if  such  men  could  only  be  induced  to  tell  of  their 
adventures  by  sea  and  land,  called  upon  Captain  Bachel- 
der at  his  home  in  Salem  on  Ocean  avenue.  Captain 
Bachelder,  always  a  gentleman,  at  first  disliked  to  talk 
for  publication,  fearing  too  frequent  use  of  the  first  per- 
sonal pronoun,  but  finally  consented,  and  the  writer  took 
full  notes  for  this  sketch. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  many  of  the  voyages  here 
to  be  related  were  made  before  the  days  of  the  telegraph, 
and  even  previous  to  the  establishment  of  courts  of  law, 
and  of  banks  even  in  many  places,  the  story  is  most  re- 
markable as  showing  the  handicapped  circumstances  under 
which  these  men  labored. 

The  writer,  as  he  sat  in  a  comfortable  chair  in  the 
captain's  home,  learned  the  following  interesting  story  of 
the  captain's  life  : 


366  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

Captain  Bachelder  was  born  in  Salem,  September  3, 
1821,  and  was  the  son  of  Joshua  and  Margaret  (Aborn) 
Bachelder.  His  father  came  from  Loudon,  N.  H.,  to 
Salem,  where  he  became  a  farmer  and  contractor,  and  his 
mother  was  born  in  Peabody.  The  couple  had  seven 
children,  of  whom  Nathan  A.  was  the  eldest. 

On  March  10,  1831,  Nathan  A.,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  entered  the  private  school  of  Master  Samuel  H. 
Archer,  on  what  is  now  known  as  Odell  Hill,  and  the 
school  building  is  still  standing.  It  was  a  famous 
school  of  its  time,  and  young  Bachelder  studied  there  five 
years. 

On  leaving  school  he  obtained,  through  the  recommen- 
dation of  Master  Archer,  a  position  in  the  hardware  store 
of  Stickney  &  Hale,  the  junior  member  of  the  firm  being 
the  father  of  Col.  Henry  A.  Hale.  At  the  end  of  two 
years  he  severed  his  connection  with  the  firm  to  enter 
upon  a  seafaring  life.  And  just  here  is  where  our  story 
begins. 

"Three  days  after  leaving  Messrs.  Stickney  &  Hale," 
said  Captain  Bachelder,  "I  was  on  the  ocean,  as  a  boy  be- 
fore the  mast,  on  board  the  ship  William  and  Henry,  com- 
manded by  Captain  Charles  Fabens  of  Salem,  and  bound 
from  Salem  for  Zanzibar,  Africa,  Madagascar  and  Bom- 
bay. Being  a  boy,  very  anxious  to  go  to  sea,  and  fearful 
of  losing  my  chance,  I  ran  all  the  way  from  my  home  to 
the  end  of  Derby  wharf,  and  was  there  several  hours  be- 
fore the  ship  started.  The  next  day  at  sea,  terribly  sea- 
sick, I  would  have  run  as  fast  to  the  westward  if  1  could 
only  have  got  my  feet  on  dry  land.  The  ship  sailed  on 
July  3,  1838,  and  returned  to  Salem  after  a  voyage  of 
fourteen  months,  with  a  cargo  of  gum  copal,  dates,  etc. 
Captain  Fabens  took  great  pride  in  his  ship.  She  had 
three  standing  skysail  yards,  having  eight  feet  hoist, 
which  was  quite  remarkable  for  a  ship  of  280  tons. 

"I  sailed  again  in  the  same  ship,  as  captain's  clerk  and 
before  the  mast,  but  living  in  the  cabin.  The  commander 
was  John  Francis  of  Salem,  and  the  ship  was  bound  to 
the  coast  of  Sumatra.  Her  cargo  consisted  of  bales  of 
cotton  cloth  and  gunpowder  in  kegs  for  the  natives,  and 
$30,000  in  specie.     Arriving  on  the  coast  of  Sumatra  the 


BY  GEORGE   GRANVILLE    PUTNAM  367 

ship  took  on  board  a  full  cargo  of  pepper  in  bulk,  pouring 
it  down  the  ship's  hatches  until  the  hold  was  filled.  Then 
thirty  large  casks  were  filled  as  a  deckload.  After  leaving 
the  coast,  sailing  across  the  Indian  ocean,  nearing  the 
island  of  Madagascar,  the  cargo  settled  so  much  that  all 
the  deckload  was  poured  below  the  hatches.  We  arrived 
in  Salem  after  a  year's  voyage. 

"These  voyages  were  eventful,  often  extremely  hazard- 
ous, as  the  captain,  clerk  and  two  seamen  were  obliged  to 
go  on  shore  to  weigh  the  cargo,  which  was  transported  to 
the  ship  in  native  boats,  owing  to  the  dangerous  surf  which 
continually  rolled  on  the  beach.  On  the  island  we  were 
continually  at  the  mercy  of  the  Malays.  Several  of  the 
Salem  ships  in  this  trade  had  been  cut  off,  the  captain  and 
part  of  the  crew  murdered,  because  of  difference  of  method 
in  settling  for  the  cargo. 

"Around  the  scales,  when  the  weighing  began,  was  the 
Wall  street  of  Sumatra,  farmers  bringing  in  their  lots  of 
pepper  to  be  weighed  and  waiting  for  their  returns,  dis- 
cussing the  ship  and  her  crew,  the  quality  of  goods,  etc., 
the  rich  and  poor  mingling  together  and  enjoying  the 
cockfight,  which  seemed  to  be  their  principal  amusement. 
We  were  dependent  on  the  Malays  to  take  us  on  board,  as 
no  ship's  boat  could  live  in  such  a  heavy  surf.  When  night 
came  we  were  all  glad  to  reach  the  ship,  out  of  sight  of 
the  glistening  knives,  as  every  Malay  carried  something 
sharp. 

"The  owner,  Mr.  Pingree,  on  our  arrival  home,  kindly 
offered  me  a  similar  position  on  the  Caroline  Augusta, 
Captain  Putnam,  on  a  Sumatra  voyage,  but  not  liking  the 
trade,  I  declined  the  position. 

"I  sailed  on  my  next  voyage  in  the  good  barque  Cyn- 
thia, Captain  Emery  Johnson,  from  Salem  for  China,  with 
a  cargo  of  naval  stores  and  12,000  Spanish  and  Mexican 
silver  dollars.  The  specie  was  in  kegs  and  was  stowed  in 
the  stern  of  the  ship,  behind  a  one-inch  board  partition. 
All  of  the  crew,  with  the  exception  of  two,  were  Salem 
boys,  and  no  anxiety  was  ever  expressed  on  board  regard- 
ing the  money.  Underwriters  would  hardly  take  the 
risk,  nowadays,  of  shipping  such  a  large  amount  of  money 
with  so  little  security.     Letters  of  credit  and  bills  of  ex- 


368  SALEM   VESSELS    AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

change  were  not  then  common,  and  the  world  was  very 
wide.  The  first  port  was  Batavia,  next  Manila,  lying  at 
each  port  about  thirty  days,  sailing  then  for  Whampoo, 
China,  and  remaining  there  six  months.  Captain  Johnson 
purchased  there  a  cargo  of  tea  for  the  ship  and  another 
for  the  Thomas  Perkins,  returning  to  New  York  after  a 
voyage  of  eighteen  months.  The  only  living  members  of 
this  ship's  company  are  Thomas  Perkins,  Esq.  (captain's 
clerk),  of  Salem,  and  myself.  The  Cynthia  and  the  Wil- 
liam and  Henry  were  both  owned  by  David  Pingree,  Esq. 

"My  next  voyage  was  made  in  the  good  ship  Forrester, 
owned  by  Captain  William  B.  Parker,  from  Salem  for 
Charleston,  S.  C.  Shortly  after  arriving  at  Charleston  a 
Newburyport  ship,  the  Ilzaid,  Captain  Thayer  of  Marble- 
head,  came  in,  wanting  a  second  officer,  and  I,  being 
highly  recommended,  was  offered  the  position.  I  gladly 
accepted  it.  The  ship  was  bound  to  Liverpool  and  Bos- 
ton. The  voyage  lasted  four  months.  I  remained  by 
the  ship  in  Boston,  and  started  from  there  in  her  for 
Madras  and  Calcutta,  the  chief  mate  being  Frank  Allen 
of  Salem,  brother  of  Captain  Charles  H.  Allen  of  this 
city.  Mr.  Allen  was  afterwards  lost  at  sea  on  a  voyage 
across  the  Atlantic,  while  first  officer  of  the  ship  Celestial, 
owned  by  A.  A.  Low  &  Co.  of  New  York,  the  great  im- 
porters. He  was  knocked  overboard  by  the  bellying  of 
the  spanker,  of  which  he  was  superintending  the  reefing. 

"When  fourteen  days  out,  just  after  taking  the  N.  E. 
trades  in  the  North  Atlantic,  some  one  on  deck  sang  out, 
'Sail  ho  !'  Soon  two  vessels  were  discovered,  heading  right 
for  us,  and  both  flying  the  French  flag.  One  was  a  battle- 
ship and  the  other  a  frigate.  As  they  drew  near  both 
ships  backed  their  topsails,  and  the  Ilzaid  did  the  same. 
A  boat  was  lowered  from  the  battleship  and  came  along- 
side our  ship.  A  lieutenant  was  in  charge,  who,  on  reach- 
ing the  deck,  informed  the  captain  that  they  were  from 
Rio  Janeiro  for  Marseilles,  with  Prince  de  Joinville  and 
his  wife,  the  latter  the  daughter  of  the  Emperor  of  Brazil, 
on  board.  Asking  the  IlzaicTs  captain  to  accept  a  basket 
of  champagne  with  the  prince's  compliments,  he  said  that 
if  Captain  Thayer  had  any  papers  to  spare,  they  would 
be  very  acceptable. 


CAPT.  JOHN   McMULLAN 
1830-  1865 


CAPT.   FRANCIS  R.  WEBB 
1833  -  1892 


CAPT.  WILLIAM   BEADLE 
1841-  1912 


CAPT.  SAMUEL  A.  LORD 
1835-  1891 


BY    GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  369 

"It  must  be  remembered  that  this  was  fifty-four  years 
ago.  News  in  foreign  ports  was  scarce,  no  telegraph 
cables  ran  across  the  great  ocean,  very  few  mail  steamers 
were  afloat,  and  almost  all  the  news  was  carried  by  sailing 
ships,  and  to  obtain  a  bundle  of  papers  on  the  ocean  was 
a  great  treat. 

'»On  the  llzaid  as  passengers  were  three  young  men 
from  Boston,  going  out  to  buy  cargo,  and  a  French  doc- 
tor, who  acted  as  an  interpreter,  making  it  very  pleasant 
for  both  parties.  The  French  band  on  the  big  ship  sere- 
naded the  Americans  with  excellent  music.  It  was  a 
bright  hour  in  the  trip,  and  one  never  to  be  forgotten. 
This  same  frigate  brought  Napoleon's  remains  from  St. 
Helena  to  France.  Our  companionship  lasted  about  an 
hour,  and  then  the  ships  parted  company,  steering  opposite 
courses,  and  were  soon  out  of  sight.  The  llzaid  proceed- 
ed to  Calcutta,  loaded  a  full  cargo,  and  returned  to  Bos- 
ton, completing  the  voyage  in  about  a  year. 

"Next  voyage  I  sailed  as  second  officer  of  the  barque 
Wm.  Schroder,  owned  by  David  Pingree,  Esq.,  command- 
ed by  Captain  Benjamin  Jackson,  bound  from  Salem  for 
Zanzibar,  Bombay  and  Muscat,  receiving  cargo  at  each 
port,  and  reaching  Salem  after  a  voyage  of  ten  months, 
and  bringing  home  two  splendid  Arabian  horses  in  a  house 
on  the  main  hatch.  They  were  a  present  from  the  Sultan 
of  Zanzibar  to  the  United  States  consul,  the  late  Palmer 
Waters,  who  was  a  passenger  from  Zanzibar  to  Bombay. 
Two  other  gentlemen,  since  deceased,  were  also  passengers 
from  Muscat  to  Zanzibar — the  late  John  C.  Osgood  and 
Samuel  Masury  of  Salem,  who  were  agents  at  Zanzibar 
for  some  of  the  Salem  houses.  The  late  Captain  Waters 
and  his  son  came  home  in  the  Wm.  Schroder  from  Zanzi- 
bar. 

"I  sailed  on  my  next  voyage  as  chief  officer  of  the 
barque  Cralago,  owned  by  the  Delanos  of  New  York,  and 
commanded  by  Captain  Thomas  Johnson  of  Salem,  and 
bound  from  New  York  to  Rio  Janeiro.  The  vessel  carried 
out  flour  and  brought  coffee  home.  Another  voyage  was 
made  in  the  same  vessel. 

"I  next  joined  the  new  barque  Angola,  building  at 
Newburyport,    by   the    famous    shipbuilders,    Currier  & 


370  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

Townsend.  She  was  a  beautiful  vessel,  a  fast  sailer,  and 
having  splendid  accommodations.  She  was  owned  by 
Elbridge  Kimball  and  Benjamin  A.  West.  After  being 
launched  and  rigged,  she  came  to  Salem  to  take  in  her 
cargo,  consisting  of  print  goods  for  the  natives  and  naval 
stores,  for  a  trading  voyage  to  the  Pacific. 

"We  arrived  at  Honolulu,  Sandwich  Islands,  after  a 
passage  of  one  hundred  and  ten  days  from  Salem.  Dis- 
charging a  part  of  her  cargo,  we  sailed  for  Otaheite,  one 
of  the  Society  Islands.  After  a  short  stay  there,  the  ves- 
sel sailed  for  Monterey,  Cal.,  which  was  then  under  the 
Mexican  flag.  The  commander  of  the  Angola  was  Capt. 
Samuel  Varney  of  Salem.  The  barque  arrived  at  Monte- 
rey July  1,  1846.  After  being  there  a  few  days  three 
American  men-of-war  arrived — the  frigate  Savannah,  the 
sloop  of  war  Jamestown,  and  one  other  ship,  Commodore 
Sloat  in  charge.  This  was  an  unusual  sight  to  an  Ameri- 
can sailor.  One  morning  all  was  activity  on  the  ships, 
boats  lowered  away,  filled  with  marines  and  sailors,  some 
two  hundred  in  number,  pulled  on  shore,  landed,  and 
formed  in  line,  marching  to  the  custom  house,  near  which 
stood  the  flagstaff  on  which  was  flying  the  Mexican  flag. 
At  a  given  signal,  this  flag  was  hauled  down  and  the  Stars 
and  Stripes  hoisted  in  its  place,  and  California  was  de- 
clared territory  of  the  United  States.  An  English  three- 
deck  line-of-battle  ship,  the  Collingwood,  came  in  a  few 
days  later,  having  been  cruising  around  looking  after  the 
American  fleet,  but  he  was  too  late.  History  had  already 
been  made.  This  occurred  July  7,  1846.  Our  Mexican 
custom  house  officers  left  suddenly  for  the  shore,  sorry 
over  losing  so  nice  a  job.  Across  Monterey  bay,  at  Santa 
Cruz,  was  a  small  saw  mill,  where  Capt.  Varney  received 
on  board  a  full  cargo  and  deckload  of  the  famous  red- 
wood, this  being  the  region  or  section  where  these  won- 
derful trees  grow,  resembling  the  cedar,  and  very  fragrant, 
so  strong  that  the  insects  would  not  attack  and  destroy 
it.  It  was  much  in  favor  at  the  Sandwich  Islands  for 
building  purposes.  The  Ayxgola's  was  the  first  large  cargo 
shipped  foreign  from  Monterey.  The  barque  made  the 
passage  from  Monterey  to  Honolulu  in  twelve  or  fifteen 
days,  and  discharged  her  cargo.    She  then  sailed  for  Ranal, 


BY    GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  371 

another  of  the  Sandwich  islands,  where  the  great  northwest 
fleet  of  American  whaleships  called  to  recruit  and  replen- 
ish stores. 

"Here  was  taken  on  board,  from  forty  different  ships,  a 
full  cargo  of  whalebone  in  bulk,  something  very  rare. 
The  bone  was  in  slabs  from  eight  to  fourteen  feet  in  length, 
and  tied  in  bundles,  which  were  weighed  and  marked  with 
the  ship's  name.  Whalebone  was  then  worth  $1  a  pound, 
but  it  is  now  worth  four  times  that  amount.  This  was 
before  the  discovery  of  oil  wells  and  the  refining  of  kero- 
sene. A  large  fleet  of  vessels  was  required  to  supply  the 
demaud  for  oil.  This  was  a  splendid  cargo  for  the  ship, 
for  looking  down  the  hatches  it  seemed  all  alive  as  it 
sprang  up  and  down.  Everything  went  well  on  the  pas- 
sage around  Cape  Horn,  and  the  vessel  arrived  at  Boston 
116  days  from  the  Sandwich  Islands — a  good  passage. 

"1  sailed  again  in  the  Angola,  as  chief  officer,  from 
Boston  for  Liverpool,  with  grain  in  bulk.  We  had  very 
rough  weather  going  across  in  the  month  of  March,  and 
considerable  cargo  was  damaged.  However,  it  was  all 
sold  to  the  brewers,  and  in  time  converted  into  ale.  All 
business  finished,  the  Angola  sailed  from  Liverpool  for 
Boston,  and  reached  home  after  a  passage  of  about  thirty 
days.  I  did  not  go  on  the  Angola  again,  but  on  the  next 
voyage,  which  was  to  the  Pacific,  she  was  sold  to  the  Rus- 
sian governor  for  a  cruiser. 

"On  July  3,  1847, 1  sailed  on  my  first  voyage  as  master 
in  the  brig  John  Dunlap,  from  Salem,  bound  on  a  trading 
voyage  to  the  Pacific.  The  brig  was  owned  by  Benjamin 
A.  West  and  Elbridge  Kimball.  After  being  out  a  few 
days  the  copper  started  on  the  vessel's  bottom,  and  there 
was  only  one  suit  of  sails  on  board,  and  they  had  been 
two  voyages  to  the  coast  of  Africa.  This  was  discour- 
aging for  a  Cape  Horn  trip,  but  we  kept  on,  calling  at 
the  island  of  St.  Catherine  for  wood  and  water.  Off  Cape 
Horn  I  experienced  the  worst  weather  I  had  ever  met  in 
my  many  voyages.  It  was  not  the  fault  of  the  vessel,  for 
she  was  one  of  the  best  sea  boats  I  had  ever  sailed,  but 
with  the  copper  started  and  poor  sails,  the  craft  could  not 
carry  any  canvas.  When  it  came  on  to  blow  we  had  to 
lower  the  sails,  and  with  mittens  on  repair  them.     Owing 


372  SALEM   VESSELS    AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

to  this,  the  brig  was  off  the  Cape  forty-two  days,  and 
reached  the  Society  Islands  181  days  from  Salem,  with 
onlv  fifteen  gallons  of  water  on  board.  I  remained  there 
a  short  time  and  sold  the  cargo  to  good  advantage,  then 
sailed  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  where  I  learned  of  the 
discovery  of  gold  in  California  a  short  time  previous.  I 
sold  some  cargo,  coppered  the  vessel,  obtained  new  sails, 
and  started  for  San  Francisco,  arriving  there  about  April 
1,  1848,  after  a  passage  of  seventeen  days.  The  vessel 
sailed  without  a  pilot,  saving  the  $5  per  foot  which  many 
times  afterwards  I  had  to  pay,  passing  the  Golden  Gate, 
running  up  the  bay,  and  anchoring  in  a  small  cove  in  five 
fathoms  of  water,  near  Montgomery  street.  Where  the 
anchor  was  dropped  on  that  day  now  stand  some  of  the 
finest  blocks  of  San  Francisco.  The  crew  then  looked  in 
wonder  on  a  city  of  tents  and  with  only  a  few  frame 
houses,  lumber  being  worth  $200  a  thousand  feet.  The 
balance  of  the  cargo  and  the  vessel  were  sold,  taking  my 
pay  in  gold  dust  on  the  best  terms  I  could  make,  all  the 
way  from  $14.50  to  $16  per  ounce,  troy  weight.  This 
was  the  currency  there.  Just  imagine  being  in  a  place 
with  no  courts  through  which  a  debt  could  be  collected 
and  no  banks  to  deposit  money.  There  were  some  people 
called  bankers,  though  very  few  had  confidence  enough 
to  make  a  deposit  with  them ;  and  gambling  houses  with 
their  doors  wide  open,  with  tables  filled  with  piles  of  gold 
dust,  a  band  of  music  in  each  end  of  the  building  to  at- 
tract attention  and  to  draw  crowds  from  the  outside. 

"In  San  Francisco  I  found  my  old  friend,  Captain  John 
Eagleston,  who  had  arrived  two  months  before  in  the  brig 
Mary  Ellen,  the  first  vessel  from  Salem  to  pass  the  Golden 
Gate.  Ours  was  the  second.  This  was  in  April,  1849. 
After  selling  our  vessel,  and  while  waiting  for  the  steamer 
to  sail  for  home,  we  slept  in  the  attic  of  a  woman's  house 
on  our  ship's  mattresses,  no  bedstead,  with  twenty  other 
occupants,  paying  $1  a  night  for  our  lodging  and  $ 3  a  day 
for  our  board  at  a  restaurant.  The  proceeds  of  the  sale 
of  the  balance  of  our  cargo  and  vessel  we  kept  in  a  wood- 
en box  in  our  sea  chests,  with  only  a  cheap  iron  lock  to 
secure  it.  Of  course  we  kept  our  eye  on  our  treasure. 
After  remaining  in  San  Francisco  three  months,  Captain 


BY   GEORGE   GJBANVILLE   PUTNAM  373 

Eagleston  and  myself  sailed  for  home  in  the  first  Ameri- 
can steamer  that  ever  sailed  down  the  coast  of  California 
for  Panama,  three  having  just  been  built  in  New  York  by 
Howland  &  Aspinwall,  to  carry  the  mail  and  passengers 
from  San  Francisco  to  Panama.  Their  names  were  the 
Panama,  Oregon,  and  California,  each  about  1000  tons 
burden.  Our  ship  was  the  Panama,  commanded  by  Capt. 
Bailey,  one  of  the  old  New  York  packet  captains.  There 
being  no  insurance  companies  in  San  Francisco,  and  no 
way  to  insure  the  money  unless  we  wrote  our  owners  by 
this  steamer,  waiting  for  the  steamer  to  follow  two  months 
later,  we  concluded  to  take  the  great  risk  ourselves,  pay- 
ing freight  for  the  same  on  the  steamer,  to  be  deposited 
in  the  purser's  safe.  There  was  no  railroad  or  telegraph 
across  our  country  then. 

"Very  soon  after  sailing  from  San  Francisco  we  found 
the  discipline  on  board  very  bad.  Among  the  passengers 
was  a  large  number  of  broken-down  gamblers,  some  of 
them  leaving  California  for  their  country's  good.  The 
crew  were  greenhorns,  and  the  officers  were  not  much 
better.  Nights,  the  quartermasters  would  sit  down  on 
camp  stools,  taking  it  easy  while  steering  the  ship.  As 
passengers,  besides  ourselves,  there  were  ten  other  cap- 
tains, and  we  all  sympathized  with  Captain  Bailey.  His 
duties  were  arduous.  As  things  looked,  for  our  own 
safety  we  formed  a  vigilance  committee  without  advising 
the  captain,  dividing  the  watch  between  ourselves.  One 
dark  night,  off  the  Gulf  of  California,  just  after  we  had 
turned  in,  both  having  the  same  stateroom,  the  steamer 
struck  heavily  on  a  shoal.  We  both  started  for  the  deck, 
at  the  same  time  thinking  of  the  owner's  money.  Very 
soon  all  the  passengers  were  on  deck,  steamer's  engines 
reversed,  and  her  headway  stopped.  For  a  moment  or  two 
there  was  silence,  passengers  holding  their  breath,  not 
knowing  what  the  next  report  would  be.  All  of  a  sudden 
one  of  the  gamblers  on  the  forecastle  sang  out  in  a  loud 
voice,  'Who  discovered  the  western  continent  V  Another 
answered  quickly,  'Captain  Bailey,'  our  captain's  name. 
On  the  strength  of  this  joke  the  three  hundred  passengers 
on  board  grew  more  hopeful,  and  a  loud  shout  went  up 
from  all  hands,  fore  and  aft.     Pumps  were    sounded,  but 


374  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

the  ship  made  no  water,  and  we  sailed  on  our  course, 
reaching  Panama  after  a  passage  of  twenty  days  from 
San  Francisco,  having  called  at  the  most  noted  ports  on 
the  way.  I  could  relate  many  stirring  events  on  this  ship, 
but  the  foregoing  must  suffice. 

"The  cost  of  the  passage  in  these  early  days  from  New 
York  to  San  Francisco,  via  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  was 
$440.  This  was  years  before  the  Panama  railroad  was 
built.  The  only  safe  conveyance  across  was  on  mules, 
and  each  passenger  hired  two,  one  for  himself  and  the 
other  for  his  luggage,  the  mule  being  the  only  sure-footed 
animal  over  the  rough  and  rugged  road,  which  was  only  a 
narrow  depth  or  pathway  over  the  mountains  and  through 
dense  forests,  and  in  the  rainy  season,  with  the  mud  knee 
deep  in  many  places,  it  was  rough  travelling  for  man  or 
beast.  This  road  was  the  one  built  by  Pizarro  and  his 
followers  when  they  crossed  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pa- 
cific to  conquer  Peru.  Several  years  later,  after  the  rail- 
road was  built,  I  made  the  trip  across  to  take  charge  of  a 
ship  at  Panama.  This  was  a  delightful  ride  of  only  four 
hours,  the  foliage  and  the  forests  in  all  their  tropical 
beauty  made  a  sight  to  be  admired. 

"After  crossing  the  Isthmus  we  took  the  steamer  for 
New  York,  where  we  arrived  after  seven  days,  depositing 
our  gold  dust  in  the  bank  of  America,  on  Wall  street. 
We  arrived  home  in  Salem  just  one  year  from  the  day  on 
which  we  sailed,  bringing  our  own  news,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  letter  sent  from  the  Island  of  St.  Catharine, 
Brazil,  where  we  stopped  on  the  outward  passage  for 
water.  Our  gold  dust  was  sent  to  the  mint  in  Philadel- 
phia, with  insurance,  over  the  road  from  New  York  to 
Philadelphia,  which  was  the  only  insurance  placed  on  it. 
For  three  weeks  returns  were  made  to  the  owners  in 
Salem,  in  $20  gold  pieces,  netting  eleven  per  cent  over 
the  net  amount  due  from  the  sale  of  vessel  and  cargo, 
proving  that  the  gold  dust  we  had  received  was  well  up 
to  the  standard. 

"I  started  again  on  another  voyage  for  San  Francisco, 
in  the  brig  Faivn,  owned  by  Benjamin  A.  West  and  others, 
loaded  with  groceries  and  a  deck  load  of  lumber,  on  top 
of  the  latter  being  a  schooner-rigged  sailboat.  We  arrived 


BY   GEORGE   GRANVILLE  PUTNAM  375 

at  San  Francisco  after  a  passage  of  165  days,  and  sold 
cargo  deliverable  at  Sacramento  City  at  130  per  cent  on 
the  foot  of  the  invoice.  Brannan  &  Osborne  were  the 
purchasers,  the  junior  member  of  the  firm  being  J.  War- 
ren Osborne,  a  native  of  Salem,  and  a  son  of  William 
Osborne,  the  stabler.  Our  schooner  boat,  which  cost 
$250,  was  sold  for  $1,200.  Returning  home  via  steamer 
and  the  isthmus,  we  arrived  after  an  absence  of  ten 
months. 

"In  recalling  the  voyage  one  pleasant  incident  looms  up 
above  all  the  other  reminiscences  of  the  outward  passage. 
We  were  off  the  pitch  of  Cape  Horn,  80  days  from  Salem, 
a  long  passage  owing  to  heavy  westerly  gales,  when  we 
were  cheered  by  a  breeze  from  the  east,  an  unusual  oc- 
currence in  that  region.  While  making  the  most  of  it 
with  studding  sails  set,  some  one  on  deck  sang  out,  'Sail 
ho!'  A  large  vessel  was  seen  coming  upright  astern,  and 
being  a  fast  sailer,  she  was  soon  abreast  of  us.  After  the 
usual  sea  salutations,  the  captain  informed  me  that  he  was 
from  Liverpool  bound  for  Valparaiso,  having  called  at  the 
Falkland  Island  for  supplies,  and,  to  our  surprise,  came 
the  question,  from  a  benevolent  heart  that  even  these 
dreary  latitudes  could  not  chill,  'Would  you  like  some 
fresh  meat  ?'  Of  course  we  readily  answered,  'Yes,'  and 
thanking  him,  yet  inwardly  asking,  'How  are  we  to  get 
it  ?'  for  neither  of  us  wished  to  lose  any  time  by  stopping 
our  headway.  But  the  question  was  answered  ere  we 
thought  it.  Sailing  his  ship  right  ahead  of  ours,  the 
captain  paid  out  over  the  stern  a  small  line  with  a  piece 
of  wood  attached.  As  it  came  under  our  bow,  providen- 
tially a  long  boathook  was  handy,  with  which  we  hauled 
the  line  up  on  deck,  making  fast  our  deep  sea  lead 
line  (as  we  had  been  sounding)  to  the  end.  Then  we  paid 
out  as  they  hauled  it  back  on  board  the  ship,  bending  on 
to  our  line  a  large  package,  throwing  it  over  the  stern  into 
the  sea,  with  the  order  to  haul  in.  This  we  had  to  be  very 
cautious  in  doing,  as  our  vessels  were  going  about  six 
miles  an  hour.  We  hauled  in  the  slack  as  fast  as  possi- 
ble, at  the  same  time  luffing  our  vessels  up,  the  foretopsail 
aback.  When  the  strain  came  on  the  line  we  eased  it 
away  gradually,  and  as  our  vessel  deadened  her    way,  we 


376  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR    VOYAGES 

hauled  it  on  board,  and  to  our  surprise  found  a  quarter  of 
beef  and  three  ducks.  The  captain  hove  his  vessel  to, 
and  when  he  found  we  had  received  it  all  right,  kept  away 
on  his  course.  The  weather  being  cold,  this  gave  us 
"fresh"  for  the  week.  This  was  forty-eight  years  ago, 
when  vessels  were  not  supplied,  as  now,  with  fresh  meat 
and  vegetables.  The  captain  was  a  whole-souled  fellow 
and  gave  me  his  name  and  the  name  of  his  ship,  but  hav- 
ing lost  my  journal  of  that  voyage,  I  cannot  recall  them. 

"I  sailed  again  for  San  Francisco  in  the  new  barque 
Imaum,  named  after  the  Imaum  or  King  of  Muscat,  owned 
by  Benjamin  A.  West  and  others.  Upon  arrival  we  found 
the  market  well  stocked  with  merchandise.  We  remained 
in  San  Francisco  seven  months,  peddling  out  our  cargo. 
We  then  sailed  from  San  Francisco  for  San  Juan  and 
Panama,  with  140  passengers.  After  landing  passengers, 
we  started  for  home  via  Cape  Horn,  and  arrived  in  Salem 
after  a  voyage  of  fifteen  months. 

"While  laying  at  the  wharf  in  San  Francisco  on  this 
voyage  the  famous  vigilance  committee  was  formed  there. 
A  few  energetic  men,  weary  of  the  crimes  daily  commit- 
ted and  the  injustice  meted  out  by  the  courts  to  the  pub- 
lic, rogues  escaping  who  could  bribe  the  administrators  of 
the  law,  took  the  law  into  their  own  hands,  and  catching 
one  of  these  desperadoes  in  the  very  act  of  theft,  tried, 
condemned,  and  hanged  him.  Of  course  the  officers  of 
justice  (?)  arraigned  these  men,  but  a  body  of  one  hun- 
dred of  the  most  respectable  citizens  signed  their  names 
as  accessories  to  this  deed,  and  from  that  day  the  rogues 
caught  and  brought  before  the  vigilance  committee  felt 
that  sure  justice  would  be  done.  At  the  tap  of  the  bell 
on  the  building  used  by  the  committee,  five  hundred  men, 
armed  with  revolvers,  instantly  answered  the  summons, 
and  no  one  but  members  was  allowed  entrance  to  the 
rooms.  Through  the  sympathy  of  law-abiding  citizens, 
two  desperadoes,  who  had  robbed  and  nearly  killed  a  cap- 
tain on  shipboard,  and  committed  other  like  deeds,  yet 
running  at  large,  were  captured,  brought  before  the  vigi- 
lance tribunal,  and  condemned  to  death.  Some  traitor 
gave  away  the  password  of  the  day,  while  these  two  men 
were  confined  in  the   committee's  room,  and  the  rogues 


CAPT.  NATHAN  A.   BATCHELDER 
1821  -  1903 


BARK   IMAUM,   BUILT   IN   1850 
Owned  by  Benjamin  A.  West  and  others.      From  an  oil  painting  now  in  possession  of  Arthur  W.  West. 


BY  GEORGE  GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  377 

were  taken  out  and  carried  to  the  city  jail,  and  soldiers 
stationed  on  the  roof  of  this  one-story  affair  to  repel  any 
attempt  by  the  committee  to  secure  them  again.  All  things 
were  quiet  for  two  days.  On  Sunday  there  was  divine 
service  at  the  jail,  and  when  the  congregation  arose  at 
prayer  time,  two  men  standing  on  each  side  of  the  prison- 
ers led  them  quietly  out  of  the  door  and  into  a  coach 
which  was  waiting,  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  those 
criminals  were  hanging  by  the  neck  from  a  beam  project- 
ing from  the  side  of  the  vigilance  committee  building. 
So  were  the  executors  of  the  law  outwitted,  and  the  resi- 
dents of  San  Francisco  breathed  freely  for  several  months. 

"I  sailed  on  another  voyage  from  Boston  for  San  Fran- 
cisco, in  the  barque  Wissicumcon,  which  was  previously 
commanded  by  the  late  Captain  William  Fabens  of  Mar- 
blehead,  owned  by  John  Bertram  and  others.  The  cargo 
in  the  lower  hold  was  ice,  and  between  decks  freight. 
Arriving  in  the  N.  E.  trades  in  the  Pacific,  the  ice  had 
melted  so  much  that  the  vessel  was  very  tender.  How- 
ever, fortune  favored  us,  and  we  arrived  at  San  Francisco 
after  a  passage  of  165  days  from  Boston.  In  discharging 
the  cargo  we  found  that  more  than  one-third  of  the  ice 
had  melted. 

"I  sailed  from  San  Francisco  for  Peru,  loading  cargo 
at  the  Chincha  Islands  for  Baltimore,  and  arriving  there 
after  a  passage  of  110  days.     Here  the  vessel  was  sold. 

"I  then  joined  the  ship  Greorge  Raynes,  named  for  her 
builder,  a  famous  shipbuilder  of  that  time,  in  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.,  and  owned  by  the  late  Captain  John  Bertram  and 
others.  She  was  a  fine  ship  of  1400  tons.  On  my  last 
voyage  in  the  ship,  having  chartered  at  Valparaiso,  and 
having  taken  the  cargo  on  board,  and  all  ready  for  sea,  the 
night  before  we  were  to  sail,  at  midnight,  the  ship  took 
fire  and  was  burned  to  the  water's  edge.  I  had  an  inves- 
tigation before  the  United  States  consul,  with  no  satisfac- 
tory results  as  to  the  origin  of  the  fire.  We  sold  the 
vessel  at  auction,  on  account  of  the  underwriters,  for 
$2,000,  returning  home  in  an  English  steamer,  via  the 
Isthmus  of  Panama,  after  a  voyage  around  the  world  of 
thirty  months,  receiving  and  discharging  cargo  at  the  fol- 
lowing ports :  New  York,  San  Francisco,  Callao,  Ham- 
burg, Newcastle,  Eng.,  Hong  Kong,  and  Valparaiso. 


378  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR    VOYAGES 

"Sixty  days  after  notice  of  loss  to  underwriters,  they 
paid  the  insurance  of  $48,000  on  the  ship  and  $27,000 
on  freight,  making  a  total  of  $75,000.  It  was  a  good 
sale,  and  the  owners  were  well  satisfied. 

"After  remaining  at  home  for  a  short  time,  I  took 
charge  of  the  ship  Witch  of  the  Wave,  1200  tons  burden, 
owned  by  B.  B.  Titcomb  of  Watertown.  This  was  not 
the  original  Witch  of  the  Wave,  but  a  ship  built  later  at 
Newburyport,  and  previously  commanded  by  the  late 
Captain  John  E.  A.  Todd.  The  first  ship  of  this  name 
came  into  Salem  to  be  measured  and  to  obtain  her  register. 
On  her  first  voyage  to  San  Francisco  she  was  commanded 
by  Captain  Hardy  Millett.  On  my  second  voyage  in  this 
ship,  arriving  at  Hong  Kong  from  New  York,  after  dis- 
charging cargo,  I  took  on  board  419  Chinese  passengers 
for  San  Francisco,  including  a  Chinese  interpreter  and 
three  doctors.  I  found  them  a  patient,  orderly  lot  of  men, 
and  had  very  little  trouble  with  them  on  our  passage  of 
56  days  to  San  Francisco.  My  last  voyage  in  this  ship 
was  from  Iquique,  Peru,  to  Hamburg,  taking  on  board 
1700  tons  of  nitrate  of  soda,  at  $20  per  ton,  giving  the 
vessel  a  freight  of  $34,000.  I  sold  the  ship  in  Hamburg 
for  $35,000,  returning  home  in  a  German  steamer  after  an 
absence  of  33  months,  making  a  satisfactory  wind-up  for 
the  owners. 

"I  was  twenty-one  years  in  those  two  ships,  fourteen  in 
the  George  Raynes  and  seven  in  the  Witch  of  the  Wave, 
making  voyages  to  China,  Australia,  the  Philippine 
Islands,  and  ports  in  the  Pacific,  visiting  many  times  most 
of  the  noted  ports  from  Valparaiso  on  the  south  of  the 
Equator  to  Vancouver,  B.  C,  on  the  north.  Speaking  of 
Vancouver  City,  I  made  two  voyages  from  there  twenty- 
seven  years  ago,  taking  cargoes  of  timber  to  ports  in 
Peru.  It  was  then  called  Burrad's  Inlet.  I  cannot  help 
contrasting  the  port  at  which  I  loaded  with  the  same  of 
to-day.  We  entered  a  fine  bay,  surrounded  by  dense  for- 
ests, the  Indians  the  only  inhabitants  save  those  employed 
in  and  about  the  two  steam  sawmills,  one  on  either  side  of 
this  magnificent  harbor.  There  stands  on  that  bay  to-day 
a  city  of  over  40,000  inhabitants,  the  terminus  of  the  Ca- 
nadian and  Pacific    Railroad.     Where    was    the  seer  to 


GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  379 

prophecy  this  wondrous  change  ?     Not  among  those  who 
prepared  our  lumber,  nor  with  us  who  received  it. 

"I  remained  at  home  a  short  time,  when  the  late  Capt. 
Bertram  offered  me  the  barque  Glide,  and  I  made  two 
voyages  in  her  to  Zanzibar,  Aden  and  Madagascar.  I  then 
took  charge  of  the  Taria  Topan,  the  property  of  the  same 
owner,  but  afterwards  of  Ropes,  Emmerton  &  Co.,  the 
successors  to  Capt.  Bertram,  making  nine  voyages  to  the 
above  ports.  These  eleven  voyages  were  very  pleasant, 
were  made  in  nice  vessels,  well  kept  up,  and  of  first  class 
sailing  qualities,  with  light  cargoes,  the  master  having 
only  to  sail  his  vessel  out  and  home,  with  a  kind  agent  in 
every  port  to  help  him  along,  the  responsibility  much  less 
than  on  freighting  voyage,  where  we  had  to  secure  busi- 
ness for  ourselves. 

"I  cannot  speak  in  too  high  terms  of  my  efficient  chief 
officer,  Captain  Edward  B.  Trumbull,  now  superintendent 
of  the  spacious  brick  storage  warehouse  on  Bridge  street. 
He  was  by  the  vessel  when  I  joined  her,  going  with  me 
one  voyage  as  second  officer,  and  for  the  remaining  ten 
voyages  (one  in  the  Glide  and  nine  in  the  Taria  Topaii) 
he  was  chief  officer.  He  took  a  deep  interest  in  every 
thing  relating  to  the  ship's  welfare,  thus  relieving  me  of 
great  responsibility.  He  was  a  man  in  whom  hope  was 
strong,  always  looked  on  the  bright  side,  trusting  that  all 
would  end  well.  It  did  not  matter  whether  we  were  in 
the  long,  tedious  calms  of  the  low  latitudes  or  in  the 
gale,  or  drifting  near  the  breakers,  he  had  ever  a  word  of 
encouragement.  After  I  left  the  Taria  lopan  he  took 
charge,  and  if  I  remember  correctly  made  seven  success- 
ful voyages  to  these  ports.  Those,  added  to  the  eleven 
with  me  and  to  one  made  with  the  late  Captain  Stephen 
Cloutman, made  nineteen  voyages,and  I  have  no  doubt  that 
he  is  as  well  acquainted  with  the  harbors  and  shoals  in 
and  around  these  ports  as  with  the  streets  of  his  native 
city,  the  masters  having  to  be  their  own  pilots  in  and  out 
of  those  ports. 

"After  remaining  at  home  a  few  months,  William  Stone 
called  on  me  to  take  charge  of  his  ship  Highlander.  As 
I  had  only  forty-eight  hours'  notice,  I  was  obliged  to  hurry 
matters.     Leaving  Salem  for  San  Francisco,  after    a  trip 


380  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR   VOYAGES 

of  six  days  across  the  continent,  I  found,  on  arrival  there, 
the  ship  loaded  with  a  cargo  of  flour.  After  shipping 
crew,  I  sailed  for  Hong  Kong.  As  the  ship  had  been 
laying  four  years  in  San  Francisco,  her  bottom  was  very 
foul,  decreasing  her  sailing  qualities.  I  arrived  at  Hong 
Kong  after  a  passage  of  seventy-two  days,  and  remained 
in  that  port  eleven  months.  Then  I  sailed  for  Manila, 
loaded  a  cargo  of  hemp  on  owners'  account,  and  arrived 
at  New  York  after  a  voyage  of  nineteen  months.  This 
was  a  fine  ship  of  1300  tons,  built  in  East  Boston  by 
Samuel  Hall,  the  Stone  Brothers  paying  $110,000  for  her. 
She  laid  at  the  wharf  in  Brooklyn  two  years,  and  was 
then  sold  for  $25,000.  This  was  the  last  ship  the  Stone 
Brothers  owned  and  the  last  voyage  they  planned. 

"And  now  this  ends  my  sea  life  of  forty-eight  years, 
sailing  over  1,600,000  miles  on  the  ocean,  visiting  many 
foreign  ports,  with  no  serious  trouble  at  sea  or  on  shore, 
and  with  a  thankful  heart  I  acknowledge  a  kind  Provi- 
dence specially  directing  and  watching  over  me  these 
many  years." 

Captain  Bachelder  died  in  Salem,  September  2,  1903. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  old  Salem  Marine  Society  thirty- 
six  years.  Leonard  A.  Bachelder  of  Auckland,  N.  Z.,  is 
his  son,  and  Misses  Kate  E.,  Mabelle  and  Minnehaha  Bach- 
elder of  Salem  are  his  daughters. 

Seventeenth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Boston  Sept.  2,  1876,  William  Beadle, 
master,  and  Charles  Beadle,  captain's  brother,  mate,  for 
Zanzibar.  Arrived  at  Zanzibar  and  proceeded  to  Aden, 
where  she  arrived  previous  to  Feb.  12,  1877.  Went  ashore 
Dec.  19,  on  the  north  point  of  Zanzibar,  but  got  off  all 
right.  Sailed  from  Aden  Feb.  21  for  Zanzibar,  and  from 
Zanzibar  April  17  for  Boston.  Passed  Island  of  Ascen- 
sion June  28,  and  arrived  at  Boston  Aug.  3,  1877,  108 
days'  passage.     Voyage,  eleven  months  and  one  day. 

Passenger  on  the  outward  passage,  Walter  H.  Trumbull 
of  Salem,  later  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Ropes,  Emmerton 
&Co. 

The  Glide  brought  home  the  body  of  Captain  Stephen 
Cloutman,  who  died  of  apoplexy    at   Zanzibar,  June  12, 


BY    GEORGE   GRANVILLE   PUTNAM  381 

1875,  while  United  States  consul  there.  He  was  born  in 
Salem  Jan.  17,  1825,  was  formerly  a  shipmaster  in  the 
African  trade,  and  commanded  the  Glide  on  her  eleventh, 
twelfth,  and  thirteenth  voyages. 

Eighteenth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Boston  Aug.  25,  1877,  William  Beadle, 
master,  for  Madagascar ;  arrived  at  Tamatave  previous 
to  Dec.  17,  proceeded  to  Aden  ;  sailed  from  there  for 
Zanzibar  Feb.  2,  arrived  March  5,  and  sailed  March  10  for 
Boston.  Arrived  at  Boston  June  13,  1878,  from  Zanzi- 
bar March  10,  and  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  April  21,  93 
days'  passage.  Voyage,  seven  months  and  twenty-seven 
days. 

The  ship  Mindoro  of  Salem,  Captain  Henry  Gardner, 
arrived  at  Boston  the  same  day  as  the  Glide.  The  Min- 
doro came  from  the  Philippine  Islands,  with  a  cargo  of 
hemp  and  sugar  to  Silsbees,  Pickman,  and  George  H.  Al- 
len. She  left  Cebu  Feb.  7,  passed  Anjier  Feb.  21,  Cape 
of  Good  Hope  April  11,  and  crossed  the  equator  May  10 
in  longitude  33  W.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  Glide  beat 
the  ship  ten  days  in  the  passage  from  Cape  Good  Hope. 

Nineteenth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Boston  June  29,  1878,  William  Beadle, 
master,  for  Zanzibar  and  a  market.  Arrived  at  Zanzibar, 
sailed  Oct.  6  for  Aden,  and  she  arrived  Oct.  25.  Sailed 
from  Aden  Nov.  2,  and  arrived  at  Tamatave  Dec.  12,  and 
sailed  for  home  Dec.  25  ;  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Jan.  9, 
and  crossed  the  equator  Jan.  30  in  longitude  30  W.,  and 
arrived  at  Boston  March  1,  1879.  The  passage  home  was 
made  in  sixty-six  days  and  is  the  shortest  on  record. 
The  voyage  was  made  in  just  eight  months,  and  stops 
were  made,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  foregoing,  at  Zanzibar, 
Aden,  Arabia,  and  Tamatave.  The  following  comparisons 
of  quick  passages  are  made  : 

The  barque  Essex  of  Salem,  Captain  William  A.  Peter- 
son, arrived  at  New  York  Feb.  26,  1878,  from  Aleppey, 
Nov.  22,  passed  Cape  Good  Hope  Jan.  9,  and  crossed  the 
equator  Feb.  1  in  longitude  36.30  W       The  passages  of 


382  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIR    VOYAGES 

the  two  vessels,  both  owned  by  Captain  Bertram,  and  each 
commanded  by  a  Salem  man,  are  interesting  by  way  of 
comparison  with  the  best  speed  shown  by  a  very  small 
margin,  from  both  Cape  Good  Hope  and  the  equator,  in 
favor  of  the  Essex.  New  York  is  considered  two  days' 
nearer  sail  under  the  circumstances  of  these  passages  than 
is  Boston. 

The  barque  Sicilian  of  Boston,  commanded  by  Captain 
William  T.  Savory  of  Salem,  arrived  at  New  York  May 
2,  1878,  in  68  days  from  Tamatave.  The  best  passage 
between  Tamatave  and  Boston  was  made  in  63  days  by 
the  barque  Taria  Topan,  Captain  Edward  B.  Trumbull, 
which  arrived  at  Boston  April  4,  1! 


Twentieth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Boston  March  18,  1879,  William  Beadle, 
master,  for  Zanzibar  and  a  market.  Arrived  at  Zanzibar 
July  25,  via  Tamatave.  Sailed  Aug.  12  for  Majunga. 
Sailed  from  Majunga  Sept.  12,  passed  Cape  Good  Hope 
Oct.  9,  touched  at  St.  Helena  Oct.  24,  and  sailed  the  next 
day  and  crossed  the  equator  Nov.  9,  in  longitude  30  W., 
and  arrived  at  Boston  Dec.  6,  1879.  Voyage  in  eight 
months  and  eighteen  days. 

Passenger  from  Boston  for  Zanzibar,  Frank  H.  Pitman 
of  Salem. 

The  ship  Mindoro  of  Salem,  commanded  by  Captain 
Charles  Beadle,  a  brother  of  Captain  Beadle  of  the  Glide, 
arrived  at  Boston  two  days  before  the  Glide,  with  a  cargo 
of  hemp  for  Silsbees,  Pickman,  and  George  H.  Allen  of 
Salem.  She  left  Manila  June  8,  passed  Anjier  Aug.  28, 
Cape  Good  Hope  Sept.  26,  and  crossed  the  equator  Oct. 
30  in  longitude  34.29  W.  The  ship  was  absent  sixteen 
months. 

Twenty-First  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Boston  Dec.  29,  1879,  William  Beadle, 
master,  for  Zanzibar  and  a  market.  Arrived  at  Zanzibar 
on  April  11,  went  to  Mauritius,  and  arrived  at  Tamatave 
May  25,  and  thence  to  Majunga,  from  where  she  sailed 
for  home.  Arrived  at  Boston  Sept.  27,  1880,  80  days 
from  Majunga,  passed  Cape  Good  Hope    Aug.  1,  St.  He- 


BY   GEORGE   GRANVILLE  PUTNAM  383 

lena  Aug.  17,  and  crossed  the  equator  Aug.  25,  in  longi- 
tude 22.23  W. 

Twenty-Second  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Boston  Oct.  14,  1880,  William  Beadle, 
master,  for  Tamatave  and  a  market.  Arrived  at  Aden 
Feb.  19,  via  Tamatave.  Sailed  March  16  for  home.  Ar- 
rived at  Boston  July  25,  1881,  131  days  from  Aden  ; 
passed  Cape  Good  Hope  May  26,  and  crossed  the  equator 
June  23,  in  longitude  32  W. 

Charles  A.  Benson  of  Salem,  steward  of  the  Glide, 
died  of  rheumatism  thirteen  days  before  the  vessel  reached 
Boston,  and  was  buried  at  sea.  He  was  51  years  of  age. 
Mr.  Benson  was  well  known  in  this  city,  having  sailed  in 
the  employ  of  Robert  Upton  and  Captain  John  Bertram 
for  many  years.  He  had  sailed  in  the  barque  Wymon, 
Capt.  John  Ashby ;  barque  Hwalloiv,  Capt.  Edwin  Upton  ; 
barques  Elizabeth  and  Nubia,  Capt.  John  Ashby  ;  barque 
Dorchester,  Capt.  A.  Staniford  Perkins  and  Capt.  Stephen 
Cloutman,  and  for  six  years  with  Capt.  Beadle  in  the 
barques  Taria  Topan  and  Glide. 

Mr.  Benson  also  ministered  to  the  wants  of  military 
organizations  of  Salem  on  several  occasions  when  ashore. 
Many  a  Salem  boy,  homesick  and  seasick,  will  remember 
kindnesses  from  him  in  the  shape  of  some  delicacy.  Sel- 
dom has  a  man  for  so  long  a  time  filled  such  a  responsible 
position  as  did  Mr.  Benson  and  left  a  record  so  satisfac- 
tory and  pleasing  to  all  who  knew  him. 

It  is  with  a  deep  sense  of  high  appreciation  of  this 
worthy  man  that  this  tribute  is  here  paid  in  his  memory. 
Walter  H.  Trumbull,  who  sailed  as  a  passenger  in  the 
Glide,  said  to  the  writer,  "Say  something  nice  about  my 
good  friend,  Charley  Benson."  Mr.  Benson  was  steward 
of  the  Glide  on  her  very  first  voyage.  Truly  may  it  be 
said  of  him  that  "he  was  faithful  to  the  uttermost." 

John  H.  Allis,  electrician,  of  Salem,  informs  the 
writer  that    Capt.    John    Kerivan,    who    commanded  the 


384  SALEM   VESSELS   AND   THEIE   VOYAGES 

Sachem,  also  commanded  the  barque  Storm  King  of  Salem. 
The  barque  was  placed  under  the  British  flag  in  the  Civil 
war,  and  her  name  was  changed  to  Natal.  Mr.  Allis  then 
made  a  voyage  in  her  as  a  boy,  and  he  speaks  very  highly 
of  Captain  Kerivan.  When  the  barque  was  the  second 
day  at  sea  a  Salem  boy,  who  had  stowed  away  in  her, 
came  from  his  hiding  place.  He  told  Captain  Kerivan 
that  he  tried  to  get  a  chance  to  go  to  sea  and  failed.  The 
captain,  instead  of  abusing  the  lad,  spoke  kindly  to  him, 
set  him  to  work,  and  put  him  on  the  barque's  articles  at 
$10  a  month,  says  Mr.  Allis. 

Joseph  H.  Miller,  formerly  of  Salem,  was  a  boy  15 
years  of  age  on  the  Glide  when  Captain  McMullan  died, 
and  William  H.  Hathorne,  the  mate,  took  command.  Mr. 
Miller  died  several  months  ago,  and  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death  was  the  last  survivor  of  his  shipmates  in  the  Glide. 

Twenty-Third  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Boston  Aug.  26,  1881,  for  Aden,  William 
Beadle,  master.  Arrived  at  Aden  Dec.  20,  116  days'  pas- 
sage. Sailed  from  Aden  Jan.  4  for  Tamatave,  and  from 
there  for  home  March  31.  Arrived  at  Boston  May  11, 
1882,  making  a  fine  homeward  passage  of  69  daj'S.  She 
brought  a  cargo  of  hides  for  George  R.  Emmerton  of 
Salem.     Voyage,  eight  months  and  fifteen  days. 


Twenty-Fourth  Voyage. 

Sailed  from  Boston  Aug.  10,  1882,  William  Beadle,  for 
Aden.  Was  cleared  by  Ropes,  Emmerton  &  Co.,  succes- 
sors to  John  Bertram,  who  passed  away  March  22,  1882. 
Arrived  at  Aden  Dec.  16,  122  days'  passage.  Arrived  at 
Zanzibar,  and  sailed  March  14  for  home.  Arrived  at  Bos- 
ton June  2,  1883,  in  80  days'  passage  from  Zanzibar; 
passed  Cape  Good  Hope  April  16,  and  crossed  the  equator 
May  9,  in  longitude  32  W.  Voyage,  nine  months  and 
twenty-three  days. 

(To  he  continued) 


0.    5= 

uj    E 


5  £ 


THE  BURNAP-BURNETT  GENEALOGY. 


BY    HENRY    WYCKOFF    BELKNAP. 


(  Continued  from  Volume  LIX,  page  280.~) 

Lawson  Buckminster  of  Framingham,  gent.,  considera- 
tion $139.11  to  Isaac  Burnap  of  Hopkinton,  gent.,  land 
in  Hopkinton,  17  1/2  acres  ;  Mary  his  wife  consents.  17 
March,  1804.  Witnesses:  Jeremy  Stimson,  Emily  Stim- 
son.     (Ibid,  vol.  xv,  p.  81.) 

Isaac  Burnap  and  Hannah  his  wife  to  John  Rice.  26 
May,  1813.     (Ibid,  vol.  vi,  p.  139.) 

Isaac  Burnap  died  18  March,  1816,  ae.  64,  at  Hopkin- 
ton, and  his  wife  followed  him  28  January,  1839.  He  left 
no  will,  but  the  inventory  of  his  estate,  dated  3  April, 
1816,  was  exhibited  the  15th  of  that  month,  one  item  of 
which  was  a  note  of  Elijah  Burnap's  (No.  306).  (Mddx. 
Probate  Records,  vol.  cxxv,  p.  333.) 

20  February,  1817,  Betsey  Burnap  (No.  308),  now  the 
wife  of  Jason  Chamberlain,  served  her  father  four  years 
after  she  was  21  years  of  age,  and  received  no  adequate 
compensation  ;  she  should  be  allowed  $100  out  of  the  es- 
tate. Joseph  Valentine,  Nancy  Burnap,  Amos  Burnap, 
Elijah  Burnap,  Isaac  Burnap.     (Ibid,  vol.  cxxvii,  p.  362.) 

Appraisal  of  real  estate  9  March,  1817;  heirs,  Nancy 
Burnap,  Joseph  Valentine,  2d,  Jason  Chamberlain,  Isaac 
Burnap,  Elijah  Burnap,  Amos  Burnap,  Joseph  Burnap, 
guardian  to  Caroline,  and  Russell  Jones  Burnap. 

Items  in  an  account  give  the  names  of  Charles  Burnap, 
possibly  No.  294,  and  Amos  T.  or  I.  Burnap,  possibly  No. 
309. 

Hannah  Burnap  of  Upton  (presumably  the  widow)  to 
Smith  Arnold  and  Waldo  Earle  et  al.,  water  flowage  in 
Hopkinton.  16  April,  1834.  (Mddx.  Land  Records,  vol. 
cccxxxviii,  p.  515.) 

John  H.  Jones  of  Hopkinton,  Amos  Johnson  of  Fra- 
mingham, Silas  Johnson  of  Hopkinton,  Hollis  Johnson  of 
Berlin,  Hannah  Burnitt  of  Upton,  Russell  Wood  of  Taun- 
ton, Charles  Valentine  of  Cambridge,  consideration  $400 
to  Silas  Merrick  of  Milford,  land  in  Hopkinton.  5  May, 
1834.     Acknowledged   5  July,   1834.     Sally  S.,  wife  of 

(385) 


THE  BURNAP-BTJRNETT   GENEALOGY 

John  H.  Jones,  Betsey,  wife  of  Amos  Johnson,  Ellis,  wife 
of  Silas  Johnson,  Eunice,  wife  of  Hollis  Johnson,  Sally, 
wife  of  Russell  Wood,  also  sign.  Hannah  Burnap  signs 
in  that  form.  (Mddx.  Land  Records,  vol.  cccxxxiv,  p.  93.) 
Acknowledged  5  July,  1834. 

Children,  born  and  baptized  in  Hopkinton,  by  first  wife  : 

305.  Patty,   born   23  Oct.,   1779;  baptized   29   July,    1791;  died  9 

Mar.,  1859,  at  Westborough. 

306.  Elijah,  born  15  Mar.,    baptized  29  July,  1781;  died  25  July, 

1862,  ae.  81:  4:  10,  at  Westborougb. 

307.  Elisha,  born  15  Mar.,  1781;  died  13  May,  1781,  ae.  2  mos.,  at 

Hopkinton. 

308.  Betty,  born  8  Feb.,  baptized  8  June,  1783;  died  22  July,  1844, 

at  Westborougb. 

309.  Amos,  born  29  Sept.,  baptized  1  Oct.,  1786;  died  25  Nov.,  1824, 

ae.  38,  at  Hopkinton. 

310.  Nancy,  baptized  11  Nov.,  1792. 

311.  Isaac,   born  18,  baptized  20  Oct.,  1793;  died  5   May,  1869  (2 

May,  1870,  in  State  Records,)  ae.  75,  at  Framingham. 

Children,  born  and  baptized  in  Hopkinton,  by  second 
wife  : 

312.  Caroline  N.  (V.  in  Milford  Records),  born  14  Jan.,  baptized 

S  May,  1807. 

313.  Russell  Jones,  baptized  as  "child   of  Isaac  and   Bulab  (sic 

Hannah),"  1  Oct.,  1809;  died  11  Mar.,  1876,  ae.  65,  at  Hop- 
kinton. 

205.  Rhoda  Burnap,  born  23  December,  1753  ;  mar- 
ried, 30  April,  1782,  in  Hopkinton,  John,  born  12  Sept., 
1746,  son  of  Daniel  and  Abigail  Potter  of  Brookfield,  and 
widower  of  Lydia  Cutting  of  Paxton,  Mass.  He  was  a 
captain,  and  they  lived  in  Brookfield,  where  he  died  20 
October,  1818,  ae.  72,  and  she  died  there  11  May,  1843, 
ae.  89. 

Children,  born  in  Brookfield — Potter  : 

Cheney,  born  5  April,  1783;  married,  4  May,   1806,   Lucy 

Hunter.     He  died  14  Oct.,  1836,  ae.  53. 
Rhoda,   born  10  June,  1785;  married,   1  Dec,  1808,  Warner 

Brown. 
Betsey,  born  4  May,  1787;  probably  married,   19  Jan.,  1803, 

James  Broad  of  Barre,  and  17  Oct.,  1809,  Nicholas  Jenks  of 

West  Boylston,  Mass. 


BY   HENRY    WYCKOFF   BELKNAP  387 

George  Washington,  born  5  June,  1789. 

Benjamin  Franklin,  born  27  April,  1791. 

Jerusha,  born  8  July,  1793;  died  25  Aug.,  1795,   ae.  1:  1:  17. 

Luther,    born  2  July,  1795;  married,    19   Sept.,    1817,  Potia 

Parks,  and  lived  in  West  Brookfield. 
Frederick  Augustus,  born  14  Mar.,  1800;  died  6  Feb.,  1803, 

ae.  about  3. 

206.  Lydia  Burnap,  born  12  May,  1757  ;  married, 
15  December,  1784,  at  Hopkinton,  Anthony,  baptized  1 
July,  1753,  at  Hopkinton,  son  of  Anthony  and  Elizabeth 
(Alden)  Jones.  He  died  5  October,  1786,  and  she  mar- 
ried, 26  March,  1795,  at  Hopkinton,  William,  born  21 
June,  1762,  son  of  Enoch  and  Elizabeth  Chamberlain  and 
widower  of  Betsey  Walker.  He  died  in  1800,  and  it  is 
believed  that  it  was  she  who,  as  the  widow  of  William 
Chamberlain,  married,  23  May,  1805,  at  Hopkinton, 
[wornjeth  Clark  of  that  place.  There  is  no  birth  re- 
corded in  Hopkinton  of  any  Clark  child  with  a  name 
ending  in  "eth",  so  he  cannot  be  further  traced. 

Children,  born  in  Hopkinton — Jones  : 

Simpson,  born  4  Oct.,  1785;  died  13  Nov.,  1785. 
Anthony,  born  24  Sept.,  1786. 

Children,  born  in  Hopkinton — Chamberlain  : 

Lydia,  born  4  April,  1796. 
Nancy,  born  4  June,  1797. 
William,  born  14  Feb.,  1800. 

208.  Hannah  Burnap,  baptized  21  April,  1745  ; 
married,  24  October,  1771,  at  Marlborough,  Samuel,  born 
12  January,  1749,  at  Marlborough,  son  of  Moses  and 
Hannah  (Felton)  Howe  of  that  place.  He  was  a  select- 
man in  1789  and  1800,  was  a  deacon  in  the  church  in 
1794,  and  resided  in  the  westerly  part  of  the  town  on  his 
father's  place.  They  had  no  children,  and  he  died  31  July, 
1820,  ae.  71,  and  his  widow  5  November,  1835,  ae.  90: 
9  :  0. 

212.  Dorothy  Burnap,  born  28  May,  1737 ;  mar- 
ried, 11  December,  1764,  at  Marlborough,  Phineas,  born 
25  January,  1739,  son  of  Joseph  and  Zerviah  (Howe) 
Howe.     She  died  9  December,  1781,  in  her  45th  year,  at 


388  THE   BURNAP-BURNETT   GENEALOGY 

Marlborough,  and  he  married  in  1783,  Sarah  Brooks,  who 
died  22  July,  1784,  in  her  49th  year,  and  he  again  mar- 
ried, 4  January,  1798,  Lydia  Ruggles  of  Weston.  He 
died  14  March,  1832,  ae.  93,  and  his  widow  2  April,  1837, 
ae.  84,  at  Marlborough, 

Children,  born  in  Marlborough — How : 

Sylvanus,   born  27  Dec,  1765;  married,  12  May,  1791,  Sarah 

Gleason.     He  died  15  Sept.,  1815,  ae.  50. 
Elizabeth,  born  2  April,  1768;  married,  25  June,  1792,  Silas 

Gleason,  and  removed  from  Marlborough. 
Jedediah,  born  28  June,  1770;  married,  28  Sept.,  1795,  Lydia 

Felton,  and  removed  to  Coos  County. 
Gilbert,  born  1,  baptized  3  May,  1772;  married,  1800,  Lydia 

Howard.     He  died  12  Oct.,  1849,  a  widower. 
Lucretia,  born  22  May,  1773;  died  23  Aug.,  1775,  ae.  2:  3. 
Lovice,  born  29  Oct.,  1775;  married,  1795,  Daniel  Barnes,  and 

removed  to  Hubbardston;  d.  6  Dec,  1833,ae.  58,  at  Hubbard  - 

ston. 
Lydia,  baptized  6  Nov.,  1775. 

213.  Elizabeth  Burnap,  born  17  February,  1738/9  ; 
married,  3  April,  1776,  at  Marlborough,  Jabez,  born  7 
April,  1727,  at  Marlborough,  son  of  Daniel  and  Elizabeth 
(Taylor)  Rice  and  widower  of  Mirriam  Morse,  who  died 
28  January,  1776.  He  died  before  his  wife,  who  died  27 
November,  1812,  at  Marlborough. 

Children,  born  at  Marlborough — Rice  : 

Moses,  born  25  Jan.,  1780. 
Paul,  born  16  Feb.,  1783. 

215.  Ruth  Burnap,  born  3  February,  1747/8  ;  may 
have  married,  2  December,  1773,  Jacob  Parke  of  Groton, 
Conn.,  although  Weaver,  in  his  Burnap  Families  of  Wind- 
ham, Conn.,  thinks  this  an  error ;  however,  it  is  evident 
from  her  father's  will  that  she  married  a  Parke,  since  he 
refers  to  her  as  "Ruth  Parke."  If  the  marriage  is  cor- 
rect, they  had  the  following  children  : 

Children — Parke  : 

Erastus,  born  29  Dec,  1776. 
Betsey,  born  18  Jan.,  1782. 
Charles,  born  20  Jan.,  1785. 
William,  born  24  Mar.,  1787. 
Jonathan,  born  4  Nov.,  1790. 


BY   HENRY   WYCKOFF   BELKNAP  389 

216.  Jonathan  Burnap,  born  8  June,  1749  ;  married 
before  1798,  Abigail  Parish,  whose  parentage  is  uncer- 
tain. She  may  have  been  a  daughter  of  Archippus  and 
Abigail  (Burnap)  Parish,  No.  144,  but  if  so  would  have 
been  very  much  younger  than  her  husband,  and  it  seems 
more  probable  that  she  was  the  daughter  Abigail,  born  14 
July,  1746,  of  Solomon  and  Dinah  (Wood)  Parish  of 
Norwich  and  Mansfield,  Conn.  They  lived  at  Bethel,  Vt. 
No  dates  of  death.' 

Children,  born  in  Bethel : 

314.  Averill,  born  16  Jan.,  1798;  died  22  July,  1847,  at  Bethel, Vt. 

315.  Jonathan,  born  14  July,  1799;  died   6   Feb.,   1868,   at  Troy, 
N.  Y. 

218.  Benjamin  Burnap,  born  21  February,  1753  ; 
married,  16  February,  1775,  Elizabeth,  perhaps  born  12 
November,1754,  at  Windham,  Conn.,  daughter  of  Zebediah 
and  Elizabeth  (Durkee)  Coburn  of  that  place  and  of  Rut- 
land, Vt. 

Children  : 

319.  Chloe,  born  13  Nov.,  1775. 

317.  Benjamin,  born  23  Mar.,  1777. 

318.  Bishop,  born  22  Dec,  1779. 

319.  Harden,  born  8  July,  1781  (doubtful). 

320.  William  (doubtful). 

219.  James  Burnap,  born  5  April,  1756 ;  married 
about  1780,  at  Hampton,  Conn.,  Chloe,  born  about  1765, 
daughter  of  David  and  Elizabeth  (Hendee)  Martin.  He 
was  blind,  and  lived  at  Hampton,  where  he  died  27  Janu- 
ary, 1840,  aged  about  84,  and  his  wife  died  at  Windham, 
8  February,  1847,  aged  about  82. 

The  will  of  Chloe  Burnett  of  Hampton  :  To  daughter 
Acenath  Abbott,  to  daughter  Clarissa  Griffin,  to  daughter 
Elizabeth  Spencer,  to  daughter  Phebe  Bulkeley,  and  heirs 
of  son  John  Burnett  and  of  daughter  Chloe  Flint  and 
Lora  Hammond,  late  wife  of  Hezekiah  Hammond.  Wil- 
liam Brown,  executor.  23  May,  1845.  Witnesses :  Philip 
Searle,  Alason  Cleveland,  Lvndon  L.  Button.  Proved  15 
February,  1847. 

Bond  of  John  Tweedy  and  Dan  Bulkeley  of  Hampton, 
7  February,  1840,  estate  of  James  Burnett  of  Hampton. 


390  THE   BURNAP-BURNETT   GENEALOGY 

Chloe,  the  widow,  Dan  Bulkeley  and  Lester  Burnett  peti- 
tion for  administration,  7  February,  1840,  widow  and  next 
of  kin. 

Children,  born  in  Hampton : 

321.  Clarissa,  born  20  June,  1781. 

322.  James,  born  16  Sept.,  1782. 

323.  Chloe,  born  26  June   or  July,    1784;  died   29  Nov.,  1811,  at 

Hampton. 

324.  Elizabeth,  born  12  June,  1786. 

325.  Phoebe,  born  19  Feb.,  1789. 

326.  Asenath,  born  13  April,  1791. 

327.  John,  born  1  July,  1793;  died  1  Oct.,  1834,  in  New  York  City. 

328.  Lora,  born  9   Aug.,    1795;  died  11  or  17  Jan.,  1817,    at   Cape 

Vincent  Village,  N.  Y. 

329.  David,  born  20  Nov.,  1797.     Weaver  says   went  to  Lyme,  but 

at  least  later  lived  in  Michigan. 

330.  Jonathan,   born  16  Nov.,  1799;  died  22  Jan.,  1881,  in  Michi- 

gan. 

331.  Harriet,  born  23  Jan.,  1802;  died  11  June,  1814. 

332.  Lester,   born  29  Oct.,  1804;  died  6  Sept.,  1870,  at  Long  Bar, 

Cal. 

333.  Ellsworth,   born  21  Feb.,  1808;  died  5  Nov.,  1835,  killed  by 

Indians  in  Wisconsin. 

220.  Martha  Burnap,  born  6  March,  1758;  may 
have  married,  first,  Solomon  Abbe,  perhaps  the  son  of 
Solomon  and  Sarah  (Knight)  Abbe,  who  removed  to 
Mansfield,  Conn.,  but  is  not  given  among  their  children. 
If  this  marriage  is  correct,  he  died  before  1784,  and  she 
married,  2  December  of  that  year,  Percy  Hebbard,  prob- 
ably of  Windham,  but  whose  parents  are  not  known.  No 
children  have  been  discovered,  nor  any  further  particulars, 
except  that  she  died  31  December,  1803. 

222.  Luther  Burnap,  born  14  February,  1764 ;  mar- 
ried, 2  April,  1794,  at  Hampton,  Conn.,  Cynthia,  born  5 
or  8  February,  1772,  in  Connecticut,  daughter  of  Andrew 
and  Mary  (Benjamin)  Durkee,  he  being  of  Nova  Scotia. 
In  the  Massachusetts  State  Records  the  mother's  name  is 
given  as  Cynthia.  He  lived  in  Hampton,  Conn.,  until 
about  1804  or  1805,  and  Weaver,  in  his  History  of  Wind- 
ham, says  "Durkee  (probably  meaning  Luther)  went  to 
Worcester,  had  several  children,    and   died   there  a  few 


BY   HENRY   WYCKOFF   BELKNAP  391 

years  since,  left  Luther,  Jr.,  Harvey,  Warren,  Dolly,  Cal- 
vin, Sally  and  Mary."  He  was  a  constable  about  1818, 
and  in  November,  1821,  bought  a  farm  on  Long  Hill, 
Oxford,  of  which  the  house  was  burned  16  January,  1832. 
He  died  23  December,  1844  (Mass.  State  Records),  and 
his  wife  died  4  August,  1866,  in  Worcester,  aged  94  :  6  :  0 
(Mass.  State  Records). 

The  will  of  Luther  Burnett  of  Oxford:  To  wife  Cyn- 
thia, to  children  Luther,  Harvey,  Warren,  Calvin  A.,  and 
Charles  C,  and  daughters  Dolly  Graves,  wife  of  Frederick 
S.  Graves,  Mary  Bartlett,  wife  of  Jonas  Bartlett,  and 
Emeline  Burnett,  and  the  heirs  of  my  several  above  chil- 
dren. Jonas  Bartlett,  administrator.  10  January,  1844. 
Witnesses  :  Josiah  S.  Prentice,  Aaron  Stockwell,  Hannah 
Stockwell.     Proved  25  December,  1844. 

The  heirs  petitioned  for  administration  the  first  Tues- 
day of  January,  1845,  being  named  as  above. 

Children,  first  seven  born  in  Hampton,  Conn. : 

334.  Luther,  born  18  Jan.,  1796;  died  19  June,  1856,  at  Worcester. 

335.  Harvey,  born  4  July,  1798;  died  8  May,  1S72,  at  Dudley,Mass. 

336.  Warren,  born  18  July,  1800;  died  before   1885,  at  Dedbam, 

Mass. 

337.  Dolly,   born  26  Mar,,  1802;  died  17  Oct.,  1855,   at  Worcester. 

338.  Calvin  A.,  born  29  Jan.,  1804;  died  30  April  (8  May,  ae.  60, 

Hardwick  Records,  1858). 

339.  Sarah  P.,  born  18  Nov.,  1805;  died  1806. 

340.  Mary,  born  21  Nov.,  1807;  died  21  Jan.,  1858,  at  Worcester. 

341.  Emeline,  born  22  Dec,  1809;  died  3  Mar.,  1885,  at  Worcester. 

342.  Charles  Chandler,  born  16  Oct.,  1814;  died  after  1885. 

224.  Esther  Burnap,  born  13  Aug.,  1767;  married 
1  May,  1794,  probably  in  Hampton,  Conn.,  Dyer,  born  31 
January,  1772,  son  of  Abraham  and  Abigail  (Woodward) 
Ford  of  Hampton.  He  lived  in  Tolland,  Conn.,  where 
both  he  and  his  wife  died  in  1848,  he  being  in  his  81st 
year. 

Children — Ford: 

Chloe,  born  25  Nov.,  1794. 
Esther,  born  18  Mar.,  1796. 
Dyer,  born  8  May,  1798. 
Mary. 


392  THE  BTJRNAP-BTJRNETT   GENEALOGY 

226.  Mary  Burnap,  born  6  August,  1750 ;  married, 
19  September,  1776,  at  Sutton,  Mass.,  Joshua,  born  30 
December,  1749,  son  of  William  and  Ruth  (Lovell) 
Waite.  As  previously  stated,  for  some  unknown  reason, 
Mary  Burnap  was  born  in  Hollis,  N.H.,  however  she  grew 
up  in  Sutton,  Mass.,  and  her  children  were  born  there. 

Children,  born  in  Sutton — Waite: 

Sally,  born  3  Aug.,  1777. 

John,  born  23  July,  1778;  married  (intention),  19  Oct.,  1802, 
Amy  Stone  of  Alstead,  N.  H. 

Polly,  born  5  Feb.,  1780;  married,  6  Aug.,  1798,  Jonas  Bond, 
and  apparently,  15  Jan.,  1799,  Bill  (William)  Blake  of  Al- 
stead, N",  H. 

Joshua,  born  26  Aug.,  1781;  died  24  April,  1800. 

Amos  (Anion),  born  4  Feb.,  1783;  died  13  May,  1813,  ae.  30. 

David,  born  20  Aug.,  1784;  married  (intention),  20  July,  1813, 
Anna  Torrey  of  Chesterfield,  or  Grafton. 

Jonathan,  born  20  Aug.,  1784;  died  19  Mar.,  1785. 

Josiah,  born  18  June,  1786;  died  19  Sept.,  1808. 

Rufus,  born  19  April,  1788. 

Clarissa,  born  3  May,  1792. 

Luoina,  born  21  May,  1794. 

227.  Sarah  Burnap,  born  3  October,  1751 ;  married, 
8  July,  1777,  at  Sutton,  Jotham,  born  15  August,  1749, 
at  Oxford,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Elizabeth  (Locke)  Mer- 
riam  of  the  County  Gore  (Oxford),  he  being  called  of 
Warwick.  They  lived  in  Oxford  on  his  father's  farm, 
where  he  died  22  August,  1798,  aged  51,  and  she  married 
again  in  February,  1809,  Colonel  Samuel,  born  21  April, 
1762,  at  Leicester,  Mass.,  son  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth 
(Henshaw)  Denny.  She  died  26  December,  1815,  aged 
64,  at  Leicester,  and  he  died  21  March,  1832,  aged  70,  at 
Oakham,  Mass.  There  seem  to  have  been  no  children  by 
the  second  marriage. 

Children,  born  in  Oxford — Merriam  : 

Sarah,  born  16  June,  1778;  married,  7  Dec,  1800,  her  cousin, 

Joel  Merriam;  she  died  24  Dec,  1822. 
Ephraim,   born  12  Mar.,  or  May,  1780;  died  8   July,  1818,  at 

Mercer,  Me.,  unmarried. 
Anna,  born  23  Jan.,   1782;  married,   27   May,  1801,   James 

Merriam,  Jr.,  of  Ward,  Mass. 


BY   HENRY   WYCKOFF    BELKNAP  393 

Jotham,   born  9  April,  1784;  married,   8   Oct.,    1820,  Sophia 

Shumway,  widow  of  John  P.  Nichols.     He   died  27  April, 

1874,  at  Rochdale,  Mass. 
Reuben,  born  31  Dec,  1785;  married,  1  Nov.,  1821,  Elizabeth 

Jane  Tainter  of  Sutton,  Mass.     He  died  27  April,  1874,  the 

same  day  as  his  brother  Jotham. 
Lucy,   born  15  Jan.,  1788;  married,    19  June,  1814,  Bradford 

Hudson.    She  died  16  Feb.,  1817. 
Abijah,   born  25  May,  1790;  died  3  Feb.,   1816,  at  Spencer, 

Mass.,  unmarried. 
Silas,  born  5  Feb.,  1792;  married,  21  April,  1825,  Mary  Jacobs 

Forbes  of  Westborough,  Mass.;  and  23  Nov.,  1836,  Elizabeth 

Temple;  also  (3),   2  Nov.,  1843,   Harriet  Pamela  Watson  of 

Leicester,  Mass.     He  died  13  April,  1856. 

228.  Anna  Burnap,  born  19  September,  1752;  mar- 
ried, 25  March,  1773,  Benjamin,  born  16  July,  1749,  at 
Brookfield,  Mass.,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Hannah  (Hale) 
Batcheller.  He  removed  to  Vermont  after  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  having  lived  in  Brookfield.  His  wife  died  11 
June,  1813,  and  he  married  again,  5  May,  1814,  Sally 
Dinsmore.  He  died  12  July,  1826,  at  Bethel,  Vt.  From 
the  fact  that  twelve  of  the  children  were  born  in  Brook- 
field, it  was  evidently  after  1793  when  they  left  that 
town. 

Children — Batcheller  : 

Chester,  born  17  Sept.,  1773;  married  Sarah  Richardson. 
Molly,    born  24  Dec,  1774;  married,   24   June,  1798,   James 

Raymond. 
Anna,  born  11  Oct.,  1776;  married,  17  Dec,  1799,  Moses  Snow# 
Benjamin,  born  11  April,  1778;  married  Elizabeth  Fay. 
Salome,  born  14  Dec,  1779;  married  Elijah  Pierce  and  Noan 

Piper 
Stephen,  born  17  July,   1781;  married,   5   Oct.,   1804,  Sally 

Benjamin.     He  was  drowned  5  Aug.,  1805. 
Hannah,  born  17  May,  1783;  died  1784. 
Hannah,  born  13  Feb.,  1785;  died  young. 
Rebecca,  born  13  April,  1787;  married  John  Thomas. 
Zephaniah,  born  7  April,  1789;  married  Ruth  Kellogg. 
Asa  Wyman,  born  25  June,  1791;  married  Sophia  Martin. 
Hannah  Hale,  born  7  July,   1793;  married,   13  Feb.,  1813, 

Lodrick  Owen.     She  died  soon  after  marriage. 
John,   born  23  Aug.,  1795;  married  Mrs.   Barbara  Richards 

Erskine. 


394       THE  BURNAP-BURNETT  GENEALOGY 

Ebenezer,  born  31  Mar.,  1800;  married  Elizabeth  Kimball. 
Cynthia  Webb,  born  31  Dec,  1802;  probably  died  young. 
The  births,  except  the  last  three,  are  from  the   Brookfield  Rec- 
ords; the  remainder  are  from  the  Batcheller  Genealogy. 

229.  Timothy  Burnap,  born  25  December,  1753  ; 
lived  in  Sutton,  and  served  as  a  private  in  Captain  Samuel 
Sibley's  company,  which  marched  on  the  alarm  of  19 
April,  1775,  to  Braintree  on  April  21st.  He  was  a  corpo- 
ral in  Captain  Joseph  Sibley's  company,  Colonel  Danforth 
Keyes'  regiment,  enlisting  21  July,  1777,  and  serving  in 
Rhode  Island,  etc.,  and  is  also  in  a  return  of  men  at  North 
Kingston,  R.  I.,  in  1777,  the  paper  -being  dated  Stur- 
bridge,  1783.  He  married,  19  December,  1780,  Bethiah, 
born  10  February,  1759,  at  Sutton,  daughter  of  William 
and  Ruth  (Lovell)  Waite.  He  died  4  or  26  October, 
1828,  at  Sutton,  aged  75,  and  his  wife  died  there  13  or 
14  February,  1849,  aged  90:  4:  0. 

Bethiah,  widow,  of  Sutton,  declines  administration,  and 
requests  that  Timothy,  eldest  son,  with  Deacon  Mark 
Batcheller,  son-in-law,  be  appointed  administrators,  she 
being  incapable  by  age.  30  December,  1828.  Inventory 
31  January,  1829.  Elijah  Burnap's  note  mentioned  inan 
account  6  April,  1830.  (Worcester  Probate  Records, 
No.  9175.) 

Children,  born  in  Sutton  : 

343.  Mehitabi.e,  born  8  Oct.,  1781;  died  5  June,  1865,  at  Grafton. 

344.  Olive  (Polly),  born  6  Nov.,  1783. 

345.  Timothy  F.,   born  10  June,  1786;  died  17  April,  1858,  at  Sut- 

ton, ae.  71:  10:  7. 

346.  John,   born  30  June,  1788;  died  2  Feb.,  1864,   ae.  75:  7:  3,  at 

Sutton. 

347.  Bethiah,  born  18  May,  1790;  died  26  or  28  May,  1864,  ae.  74: 

0:  10,  at  Sutton,  unmarried. 

348.  Cyrus,  born  27  Jan.,  1792;  died  4  March,  1876,  at  Sutton. 

349.  Abijah,  born  23  April,  1794;  died  22  Feb.,   1844,  ae.  56,  at 

Paxton,  Mass. 

350.  Lucy,  born  27  April,  1796;  died  31  May,  1796,  at  Sutton. 

351.  James,  born  26  April,  1797;  died  10  May,  1869,  ae.  72:  1:  0,  at 

Sutton. 

352.  Lewis  (M.  L.,  Conant  Genealogy),   born  15  July,  1799;  died  7 

April,  1859,  or  1860,  ae.  60,  at  Sutton. 

353.  Elijah,   born  26  July,  1801;  died  27  Feb.,  1886,  at  Millbury, 

Mass. 


BY  HENRY   WYCKOFF   BELKNAP  395 

230.  Ebenezer  Burnap,  born  13  October,  1756,  at 
Sutton  ;  served  as  a  private  in  Captain  James  Greenwood's 
company,  Colonel  Ebenezer  Learued's  regiment,  which 
marched  on  the  alarm  of  19  April,  1775,  to  Roxbury,  etc. 
He  married,  about  1780  or  1781,  Thankful,  born  30  Oc- 
tober, 1762,  at  Sutton,  daughter  of  Amos  and  Mary 
(Curtis)  Singletary.  He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and 
lived  in  Ward  until  1803,  when  he  removed  to  Oxford 
and  bought  an  estate  near  Town's  Pond,  but  returned  to 
Ward  in  1810.  The  Pratt  house  in  Oxford  was  conveyed 
13  May,  1803,  by  Sylvanus  Town  to  Ebenezer  Burnap, 
and  by  him,  in  1815,  to  Elias  Pratt,  Jr.  (History  of  Ox- 
ford.) His  wife  died  25  June,  1808,  or  5  June,  aged  46, 
according  to  her  gravestone,  and  he  married  again,  6 
August,  1809,  in  Charlton,  Ruth,  born  9  January,  1780, 
in  Charlton,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Mary  (Hincher) 
Tucker.  He  died  12  March,  1820,  aged  63,  in  Ward, 
and  his  widow  was  living  in  1837. 

Appraisers'  account,  27  March,  1820,  on  estate  of 
Ebenezer  Burnap,  late  of  Ward,  assigns  to  Ruth  Burnap, 
widow  (Timothy  Bancroft's  land  mentioned)  to  Lavinia 
Pratt,  to  Sabrina  and  S}rrena  Burnap,  to  Mary  Burnap, 
Erasmus  Lilly  Burnap  and  Ebenezer  Tucker  Burnap, 
minor  children.  5  April,  1820.  Signed  with  consent  of 
Ruth  Burnap,  Sabrina  Burnap,  Syrena  Burnap,  Zebulon 
Cary,  agent  for  Lavinia  Pratt,  Thomas  Drury,  Jr.,  guar- 
dian for  minor  heirs. 

Timothy  and  Abijah  Burnap  decline  administration,  25 
March,  1820,  the  widow  Ruth  also  declines.  Account  of 
Aaron  Peirce,  administrator,  amount  due  from  the  estate 
of  John  Pratt  of  Montpelier,  Vt.,  payments  to  Sabrina 
Burnap,  Solomon  Sibley,  Abigail  Burnap,  and  others. 
Thomas  Drury,  guardian  to  Syrena.  (Worcester  Probate 
Records,  No.  9151.) 

Ruth  Burnap,  guardian  to  Ebenezer  T.,  first  Tuesday  in 
February,  1837,  of  Ward.  Ebenezer  T.,  minor,  Ruth  the 
widow,  Erasmus  Burnap,  tenants  in  common  of  the  home 
of  Ebenezer  Burnap,  deceased.  Thomas  Drury,  guardian 
to  Mary  Henshaw  and  Ebenezer  Tucker  Burnap,  under 
14,  and  children  of  Ebenezer  Burnap  of  Ward,  17  March, 
1820.     Benjamin  Winn,    guardian    of  Erasmus    L.,  over 


396  THE  BURNAP-BURNETT  GENEALOGY 

14,  and  Ebenezer  under  14,  1  January,  1831.  Ruth  Bur- 
nap,  guardian  of  Ebenezer  T.  Burnap,  8  July,  1836. 
(Ibid,  No.  9152.) 

Children,  born  in  Sutton,  Ward  and  Oxford,  by  first 
wife: 

354.  A  child,  born  about  1781;  died  7  July,  1782,  ae.  about  1  year. 

355.  Ebenezer,  born  9  June,  1785  ;  died  22  Sept.,  1803,   at  Oxford, 

ae.  18. 

356.  Lavinia  (Levina),  born  8  Mar.,  17S8;  died  after  1877. 

The  dates  of  birth  above  are  from  the  History  of  Oxford,  and  do 
not  appear  in  the  Vital  Records. 

357.  Polly,  born  2  Jan.,  1793;  died  9  Nov.,  1803. 

358.  Sabrina,  born  1  Aug.,  1795,  at  Sutton. 

358a.  Cyrena  (Syrena),  born  9  June,  1798,  at  Ward. 

359.  Sally,  born  1  Nov.,  1803,  at  Oxford;  died  young. 

360.  Singletary,  born  23  Jan.,  1805;  died  young. 

Children,  born  in  Oxford  and  Ward,   by  second  wife  : 

361.  Mary  Hinoher   (Henshaw),  born   13  July,  1810,   at   Oxford; 

died  probably  26  Jan.,  1830. 

362.  Erasmus  Lilley,  born  17  Dec,  1813,  at  Ward;  died  29  June, 

1890,  ae.  76:  6:  12,  at  Calais,  Vt. 

363.  Ebenezer  Tucker,  born  2  July,  1818,   at  (?)Auburn,  Mass.; 

died  30  Nov.,  1900,  ae.  82:  5:  2,  at  Cabot,  Vt. 

231.  Thomas  Burnap,  born  19  January,  1 758  ;  was 
of  Brookfield  when  he  enlisted,  5  May,  1777,  as  a  private 
in  Captain  Edmund  Hodges's  company,  Colonel  Josiah 
Whitney's  regiment,  for  service  in  Rhode  Island.  He  was 
discharged  6  July,  1777.  It  is  supposed  to  be  he  who 
married,  12  November,  1783,  at  Brookfield,  Abigail  (Nab- 
by),  baptized  30  Oct.,  1767(?),  in  Brookfield,  daughter  of 
Roger(?)  and  Mary  Wellington  (Willington).  He  was  in 
Windham,  Vt.,  in  1807/8,  according  to  a  family  record, 
where  he  died  13  September,  1819,  ae.  62,  and  his  wife 
died  18  November,  1849. 

Children,  born  in  Brookfield  : 

364.  Luther,  born  28  Mar.,  1784;  died  6  Nov.,  1860,  ae.  76,  at  Town- 

shend,  Vt. 

365.  John,  born  5  April,  1786. 

366.  Doria   (Dosea),   born  28  Mar.,   1788  (also  spelled  Dotia  and 

Docia);  lived  in  Townshend,  Vt. 


BY   HENRY    WYCKOFF  BELKNAP  397 

367.  Abijah,   born  7  Oct.,  1791 ;  probably  died   14  May,  1869,  at 

Rowe,  Mass. 

368.  Hahvky  (Henry),  born  6  April,  1794;  died  at  Seattle,  Wash. 

369.  Sarah  (Sally),  born  20  July,  1796. 

232.  Abijah  Burnap,  born  11  April,  1760  ;  served 
as  a  private  in  Captain  Joseph  Sibley's  company,  Colonel 
Danforth  Keyes'  regiment,  enlisting  11  July,  1777,  ser- 
vice 2  January,  1778,  at  Rhode  Island,  etc.,  and  in  Cap- 
tain Abijah  Burbank's  company,  Colonel  Jacob  Davis's 
regiment,  which  marched  to  camp  30  July,  1780,  on  the 
alarm  at  Rhode  Island,  and  was  discharged  7  August, 
1780.  He  married,  31  March,  1783,  at  Sutton,  Hannah, 
born  20  March,  1759,  daughter  of  Edmund  and  Hannah 
(Sparhawk)  Town.  Edmund  Town's  father,  of  the  same 
name,  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Zacheus  Gould  of 
Topstield,  against  whom  Thomas  Burnap,  No.  27,  brought 
an  action  for  debt. 

In  1786  a  house  in  Oxford  was  conveyed  to  him  by 
John  Nichols,  and  in  1789  another  was  deeded  to  him  by 
John  Wright.  In  1797  he  was  living  in  Oxford,  but  he 
died  21  February,  1839,  in  Millbury,  Mass.,  his  wife 
having  evidently  died  before  1835. 

Will  of  Abijah  Burnap  of  Millbury:  To  Gabriel 
Wheeler,  husband  of  my  daughter  Nancy,  note  by  Gabriel 
Wheeler  to  son  Abijah  L.  Burnap,  residue  to  Elias  Forbes, 
Esq.,  of  Millbury,  executor,  1,  to  compensate  himself;  2, 
to  manage  property  ;  3,  to  pay  avails  to  the  wife  and 
children  of  son  Abijah  L.  25  June,  1835.  Witnesses  : 
Elias  Forbes,  Lewis  Burnap,  Lewis  W.  Forbes.  Proved 
first  Tuesday  in  April,  1840. 

Pension  of  Abijah  Burnap :  He  died  on  the  21st  Day 
of  February  1839  and  was  a  Pensioner  of  the  U.  S.  at 
the  rate  of  $50  per  ann.  he  left  no  widow  and  only  one 
child  Nancy  Wheeler,  wife  of  Gabriel  F.  Wheeler  of 
Grafton.  3  March,  1840.  (Worcester  Probate  Records, 
Nos.  9138  and  9139.) 

Children,  born  in  Sutton: 

370.  Betsey,  born  5  Nov.,  1783;  died  5  April,  1812;  1802  in  dupli- 

cate record,  whicb  latter  date   is   probably  correct,  as  she 
was  about  18,  at  Sutton. 

371.  Nanoy  T.,  born  17  April,  1786;  died  after  1840. 

372.  Abijah  Leonard,  born  10  Nov.,  1795;  died  21  Feb.,  1840,  ae. 

49  or  47,  at  Millbury. 


S98        THE  BURNAP-BURNETT  GENEALOGY 

233.  John  Burnap,  born  23  April,  1762 ;  was  prob- 
ably in  Captain  Timothy  Bush's  company,  Colonel  Joseph 
Marsh's  regiment,  16  August,  1777,  under  Major  Whit- 
comb  ;  21  January,  1780,  Colonel  Peter  Olcott,  19  Octo- 
ber, 1780,  and  in  Captain  Joshua  Hazen's  company,  Col. 
Olcott's  regiment,  27  October,  1780.  His  cousins  Elijah 
and  James  served  in  some  of  these  same  commands.  It 
is  stated  by  the  family  that  he  drove  artillery  mules. 

In  1788/9  John  and  Uriah  (sic)  (Uzziah)  Burnap  of 
Sutton  purchased  a  farm  in  the  corner  of  Jamaica  that 
joins  Windham,  Vt.,  and  built  a  log  house.  In  1792  he 
removed  to  a  farm  two  miles  south  of  the  centre  of  Wind- 
ham, and  was  the  first  one  buried  in  the  burying  ground 
near  the  centre  of  the  town  (Vermont  Historical  Maga- 
zine, vol.  V,  part  3,  p.  15.) 

He  married,  1  April,  1790,  Candace,  born  24  Septem- 
ber, 1764,  daughter  of  Timothy  and  Anne  Hale  (Kings- 
ley)  Bliss,  he  of  Royalston,  Mass.,  and  Royalton,  Vt.,  and 
she  of  Rehoboth,  Mass.  His  wife's  sister  married  his 
brother  Asa,  No.  955.  He  was  a  deacon  in  the  church, 
and  died  in  Windham,  Vt.,  1  September,  1812,  aged  51, 
while  his  wife  died  14  or  15  December,  1846,  at  West 
Townshend,  Vt. 

(Above  facts  from  Miss  Annie  S.  Burnap  and  Mrs.  Bar- 
ber of  Montpelier,  as  well  as  the  Bliss  Genealogy.) 

Children : 

373.  Lucy,  born  17  April,  1791,  at  Jamaica;  died  23  Mar.,  1888,  ae. 

96:  11:  6,  at  Townshend. 

374.  John  Langdon,  born  28  Dec,  1792;  died  16  Jan.,  1876,  ae.  83, 

at  Townshend. 

375.  Uzziah  C,   born  11  July,  1794,   at  Windham;  died  12  Aug., 

1854,  ae.  60,  at  Lowell,  Mass. 

376.  Asa,  born  22  Feb.,  1796;  died  26  April,  1878,  at  Stratton,  Vt. 

377.  Candace,  born  30  Oct.,  1797;  died  15  Sept.,  1800. 

378.  Amalie,  born  30  April,  1799;  died  30  April,  1799,  ae.  7  hours. 

379.  Ira,  born  8  April,  1800;  died  22  April,  1800. 

380.  Orphas,  born  1  Oct.,  1801;  died  2  Oct.,  1801. 

381.  Sophia,   born  4  June,  1803;  died  8  Sept.,  1891,    in  Wisconsin. 

382.  Achsa,  born  5  Mar.,  1805;  died   13  April,    1872,  probably  in 

Windham. 

383.  Anna  Hale,  born  29  Oct.,  1807;  died  8  Jan.,  1898,  at  Suffield, 

Ct. 


BY   HENRY   WYCKOFF   BELKNAP  399 

384.  Gaius  Conant,  born  7  July,  1809,  at  Windham;  died  11  Sept. , 

1896,  at  Marietta,  Ga.  (Batcheller  Genealogy,  Mrs.  Gardner 
S.  Washburn.) 

234.  Uzziah  Burnap,  born  20  June,  1764,  of  Sutton; 
was  a  private  in  Captain  Joseph  Elliot's  company,  Colonel 
William  Thomas's  regiment,  enlisting  12  July,  1781.  He 
was  discharged  30  November,  1781,  having  served  at 
Rhode  Island.  He  would  appear  to  have  re-enlisted,  as 
he  encamped  at  Batte's  Hill  1  December,  1781.  He  lived 
at  Hinsdale,  N.  H.,  and  no  record  of  any  marriage  has 
been  found,  but  he  died  there   16  June,  1793. 

235.  Asa  Wyman  Burnap,  born  2  June,  1768,  whose 
name  is  given  as  Aaron  in  the  Massachusetts  State  Rec- 
ords ;  married,  first,  Harriet  Bell,  of  which  no  record  has 
been  found,  nor  does  her  death  appear.  He  married  again, 
30  June,  1799,  Elizabeth,  born  15  October,  1772,  daugh- 
ter of  Timothy  and  Anna  Hale  (Kingsley)  Bliss,  who 
married  Benjamin  Kingman  of  Winchester,  Mass.,  in  1824. 
He  was  a  tanner  by  trade,  and  lived  in  Worcester,  Mass., 
Lancaster,  N.  H.,  Bennington,  Vt.,  where  he  was  register 
of  deeds  and  in  1808  deputy  sheriff.  He  was  a  subscriber 
to  a  bill  relating  to  a  bridge  across  the  Connecticut  river 
at  Guildhall, Vt.  He  had  seven  children,  all  it  would  seem 
by  the  second  wife,  and  died  in  1811,  at  West  Boy  Is  ton, 
Mass.,  while  his  wife  died  21  March,  1867,  at  Brattleboro, 
Vt.     Several  of  the  children  have  not  been  traced. 

Children : 

884a.  Fanny,  born  12  Mar.,  1800,  at  Westminster,  N.  H. 

385.  Bliss,  born  16  Jan.,  1802,   at  Brattleboro;  died  8  Aug.,  1876, 

at  Moira,  Franklin  Co.,  N.  Y. 

386.  Alva,  born  12  Jan.,  1804,  at  Brattleboro. 

387.  Miranda,    born    21    Sept.,    1806,     Guildhall,    probably    his 

daughter,  died  before  1841,  probably  in  Brattleboro. 
888.     Calvin  F.,  born  about  1813,   at   Lancaster,  N.  H. ;   died  2g 
April,  1845,  at  Sutton,  Mass. 

236.  Hannah  Burnap,  born  9  December,  1771  ; 
married,  18  December,  1797,  at  Oxford,  William,  born  30 
July,  1778,  son  of  Jonas  and  Lucy  (Oakes)  Eddy  of 
Charlton.  She  is  called  "of  the  North  Gore  adjoining 
Oxford"  in  the  records.     They  removed  to  Dixfield,  Me., 


400       THE  BURNAP-BURNETT  GENEALOGY 

and  evidently  he  and  his  son,  at  least,    ultimately  settled 
in  Orange,  Ohio,  as  he  died  there  9  June,  1817. 
Child  : 

Cyrus,  born  18  June,  1809;  married,  4  April,  1829,  Louisa 
Rawley.  He  was  in  Illinois  in  1842,  and  removed  in  1846 
to  Orange,  Ohio. 

239.  Elijah  Burnap,  born  January,  1756  ;  served  in 
Captain  Bush's  company,  Colonel  Peter  Olcott's  regiment, 
at  Royal  ton,  16  October,  1780,  and  at  Peacham  9  March, 
1781,  probably  as  a  corporal.  He  is  on  a  list  of  those 
who  received  snow-shoes  in  the  alarm  of  23  Feb.,  1781, 
After  he  was  fifteen  years  old  he  lived  at  Norwich,  Vt., 
where  he  bought  land  and  built  a  log  house.  He  was  a 
deacon  in  the  church  and  a  writer  of  poetry.  He  mar- 
ried, 11  September,  Naomi  Farrington,  born  about  1755 
whose  parents  have  not  been  found.  He  died  8  Septem- 
ber, 1819,  aged  63,  at  Norwich,  Vt.,  and  his  widow  re- 
moved to  Cornish,  N.  H.,  where  she  died,  aged  84,  26 
June,  1839. 

Children,  probably  all  born  at  Norwich,  Vt.: 

389.  Orril,  born  7  Oct.,  1792;  died  22  May,  1850,  at  Deering,  N.  H. 

390.  Aruna,  born  10  Oct.,  1794;  died  29  Dec,  1877,  ae.  83,  at  Cor- 

nish Flats. 

391.  Jedediah,   born  15  April,  1798;  died  28  Feb.,  1862,  probably 

at  Cornish. 

392.  David,   born  5  April,  1801;  died  16  June,  1871,   at  Plainfield, 

N.  H.  Some  of  the  data  on  this  line  are  from  a  very  rare 
and  privately  printed  genealogy  of  the  Burnap  family  kind, 
ly  loaned  by  the  Library  of  Congress  at  Washington. 

242.  John  Burnap,  born  in  Lebanon,  Conn.,  but  the 
exact  date  has  not  been  found  ;  served  as  a  private  in  the 
Revolutionary  war.  He  married,  15  February,  1781,  Eliz- 
abeth Bartlett,  who  may  have  died  15  August,  1782.  He 
then  married,  28  July,  1785,  Eleanor  (Nella,  Nelly,  Ela- 
ner)  Freeman,  probably  at  Hanover,  N.  H.,  who  died  8 
April,  1801.  On  2  November,  1801,  he  married  Mary 
Holbrook,  who  is  called  "second  wife"  in  the  records, 
and  who  died  28  December,  1805. 

(To  be  continued') 


IKDEX 


Abaco,  261. 
Abbe,  Jerusha,  277. 
John,  277. 
Joseph,  277. 
Martha,  390. 
Mary,  165. 
Mary  (Polly),  277. 
Sarah,  390. 
Solomon,  390. 
Thomasin,  277. 
Abbott,  Abbot,   Ace- 
nath,  389. 
Henry,  164,  266. 
Henry     Livermore, 
98. 
Aborn,  Margaret,  366. 

Adams, ,  108,  113, 

237,  289,  291,  294. 
Abigail,  103. 
Betsey,  270. 
Charles  W.,  348. 
Ephraim,  154. 
Jefferson,  2,  177. 
John,  7,  8,  10. 
John   Quincy,    241, 

295. 
Rebecca,  154. 
Aden,     208-210,     213, 
215,   362-364,  379- 
381,  383,  384. 
Africa,    8,    106,    205, 
236,  249,  349,  354, 
371. 
Agassiz,       Rodolphe, 

101. 
Agge,  Anna  A.,  190. 
Chattarina  W.,  190. 
Emily  M.,  190. 
Jacob,  190. 
Jacob  Gottfried,  3, 

5,  190. 
William,  190. 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  357. 
Albree,  Ruth,  273. 
Alcantra,  Mansel,  248. 
Alden,  Carroll  Storrs, 
339. 
Elizabeth,  387. 
Aleppey,  381. 
Alexandria,     6-8,    11, 
12,  19,  20,  240. 


Alford,  John,  271. 
Algeziras,  26. 
Algiers,  29. 

Allen, ,  28,46,47, 

54,  170,  194. 

Charles  H.,    12,  20, 

22,    24,    169,    170, 

178,  188,  368. 

Charles  Henry,  190. 

Edward,    189,    194, 

201. 
Eveline,  188. 
Frank,  368. 
George    H.,    9,    10, 

381,  382. 
Hannah,  89. 
Hannah     E.,      192, 

194. 
Henry,  190,  194. 
Henry  William,192. 
Samuel,  89. 
W.  H,  46. 
William,  11,  188. 
William  E.,    11,  12, 

15,  17,  18. 
William  H.,  24,  170- 

174,  176,  177. 
William  Henry,  176. 
Allenton,  111. 
Allis,    John   H.,    383, 

384. 
Almou,  May,  102. 
Alstead,  N   H.,  392. 
Alt,  Henry,  281. 

Ameling,  ,  25. 

Amesbury,  Amsbery, 
Amsbury  (Eams- 
.bery),  86,  88,  89, 
91,  93,  286-288, 
298. 
Amherst,  268. 
Amherst,  N.  H.,   159, 

269. 
Amory,  T.  C,  219. 

Thomas  C,  31. 
Amsterdam,  30,  313. 
Anconia,  172. 
Anderson,  Oloff,    173. 

William,  23. 
Anderton,    Elizabeth, 
85,  86. 


Andover,  7,  8,  11,  12, 
83,    84,    88,     266, 
298. 
Andover,  Conn.,    162, 

164. 
Andover,     Vt.,     154, 

267. 
Andrew,       Andrews, 

,  7,  28,  97. 

Augustus  H.,  209. 
Benjamin,  7. 
Collins  Ingalls,  209. 
Daniel,  173. 
Herbert  C,  209. 
John,  28,  88. 
John  H.,  4. 
Joshua,  157. 
Martha,  157. 
N.  W.,  207. 
Anjier,  15,  203,  381. 
Antietam,  115. 
Antigua,  28,  32,  263. 
Antonia,  Metra,  212. 
Antwerp,  10. 
Appledore,  322,  323. 
Arabia,  184,   205,  206, 

381. 
Arabia  Felix,  185. 

Archer,  ,  79,  366. 

George,  201. 
Samuel  H.,  366. 

Argall, ,  321. 

Arnold,  Smith,  385. 
Arvedson,  Peter,  5,  6. 
Ashbv,  Benjamin,  15, 
17. 
John,  383. 
Ashby,  Mass.,  154. 
Ashford,  Conn.,    163, 
164. 

Ashton,  ,  27. 

J.  &  Co.,  27. 
Jacob,  300,  301. 
William,    17-20,    22, 
23. 

Aspinwall,  ,  373. 

Aspinwall,  New  Gran- 
ada, 316,  318,  339. 
Atherton,       Charles, 

212. 
Athol,  275. 

(401) 


402 


INDEX 


Atkinson,  Mary,  85. 

Thomas,  85. 
Attwood,  Joshua,  84. 

Mehitable,  84. 
Auburn,  396. 
Auckland,  N.  Z.,  365, 

380. 
Augusta,        Georgia, 
352. 

Austin, ,  171. 

Australia,  378. 
Aux  Cayes,  26,  32. 
Averill, ,  266. 

Elizabeth,  154. 

Ruth,  154. 

Sarah,  266. 

William,  154,  155. 
Avery,  Anna,  165. 

Robert,  165. 

Sarah,  165. 
Ayers,     Eyers,     Oba- 
dia,  96. 

Robert,  92. 
Aylward,  N.,  15. 

Nicholas,  17,  22. 
Azores,  333. 

Babbidge,      William, 
205. 

Babbit, ,  112. 

Babcock, ,  349. 

Bacuna,  Yeagua,  60. 
Bahama,  37. 
Bahia,  177. 

Bailey,    Bayley,  , 

373. 

Abigail,  167. 

David,  89. 

Ebenezer,  84. 

Edward,  83. 

Eliner,  84. 

Elizabeth,  83,  89. 

Experience,  89. 

Jeremiah,  84. 

Job,  84. 

Jonathan,  89. 

Joseph,  88. 

Mary,  84. 

Mehitable,  84. 

Miriam,  81. 

Nathan,  84. 

Persis,  275. 

Samuel,  84. 

Sarah, 84. 

William,  81. 
Bailey  &  Noyes,  29. 


Bainbridge,  ,  112, 

113. 
Arthur,  51. 

Baker, ,  71. 

John,  165. 
Mary,  165. 
Sam.,  211. 
Thomas,  96. 
Thomasin,  277. 
Baker's  Island,  10. 

Balch, ,  171,  175, 

177,  190. 
Benjamin,    170-174, 

176-178,  189. 
David  Moore,  190. 
E.  Frank,  190. 
Elizabeth,  175. 
Frank,  175. 
William,  81. 
Balize,  56,  58. 
Ballister,  Joseph,  120. 
Ball's  Bluff,  99-101. 
Baltimore,  73,79,  120, 
172,  176,  248,  250, 
251,  263,  274,  349, 
353,  360,  377. 
Baltizar,  223. 
Bancroft,  Charles,216. 
D.,  17. 
James,  272. 
Timothy,  395. 
Baracoa,  25,  263,  306. 
Barataria,  34,  35. 
Barbadoes,  26. 
Barbary,  106. 

Barber, ,  398. 

Barcelona,  263. 

Barefoot, ,  95. 

Barker,  Daniel,  83. 
Mary,  83. 

Barnard,     ,     104, 

296. 
Thomas,  2. 
Barnegat,  327. 

Barnes, ,  335. 

Daniel,  388. 
John,  174,  176. 
Lovice,  388. 
Rachel,  91. 
William,  91. 
Barr,  James,  200,  201. 
Barre,  275,  276,  386. 
Barrett,  Rebecca,  154. 

Thomas,  352. 
Barron, ,  231,  293. 


Bartlet,  Bartlett,  Abi- 
gail, 88. 

Elizabeth,  400. 

Emeline,  391. 

Gideon,  88. 

Jonas,  391. 

Mary,  391. 

William,  30. 

William  F.,  98. 

Barton,    Samuel,    12, 

15,  19,  20,    22-24, 

170,  172-174,  192. 

Batavia,  7,  9,  191,  198, 

202,  367. 
Batchelder,      Bachel- 
der,       Bacheller, 

Batcheler,     , 

359,  365,  366,  380. 

Anna,  393. 

Asa  Wyman,  393. 

Barbara    Richards, 
393. 

Benjamin,  393. 

Chester,  393. 

Cynthia,  393. 

Cynthia  Webb,  394. 

Elizabeth,  393,  394. 

Hannah,  393. 

Hannah;Hale,  393. 

John,  168,  393. 

Jonathan,  4. 

Joshua,  366. 

Kate  E.,  380. 

Leonard     A.,    365, 
380. 

Mabelle,  380. 

Margaret,  366. 

Mark,  394. 

Minnehaha,  380. 

Molly,  393. 

Nathan  A.,  207,  363, 
364,  366. 

Nathaniel,  285,  288. 

Rebecca,  393. 

Sally,  393. 

Salome,  393. 

Sarah, 393. 

Sophia       (Martin), 
393. 

Stephen,  393. 

William,  5-8,  11,  12. 

Zephaniah,  393. 
Bates,  James,  172. 

William  B.,  207. 
Batte's  Hill,  399. 


INDEX 


403 


Battle,  Anne   (Anna), 
277. 
John,  277. 
Baxter,  Joseph,  148. 
Bay  of  Biscay,  183. 
Bay  of  Fundy,  303. 
Bay  of  Honda,  235. 
Bay  of  San   Lorenzo, 
311. 

Beadle, ,  215,383. 

Charles,  380,  382. 
William,    207,    213, 
365,  380-384. 
Beard,    Bard,    Aaron, 
269. 
Abel,  269. 
Andrew,  269,  270. 
Anne,  269. 
Artemas,  269,  270. 
Bethiah,  270. 
Elizabeth,  269,  270. 
Hepzibah,  270. 
Mary,  269. 
Dorcas,  270. 
Lucinda(Cene),  270. 
Lucy,  269. 
Sarah,  269,  270. 
Tabitha,  269. 
Beck,  Joshua,  85. 

Becket, ,  28. 

Retire,  73. 

Beebe, ,  357. 

Belknap, Henry  Wyck- 

off,  153,  264. 
Bell,  Harriet,  399. 
Bellamy,  — -,  322. 
Bellington,      Alexan- 
der, 28. 

Bellomont, ,  323. 

Bellows, ,  359. 

Bemis,  Ruth,  154. 
Benavides,  115. 

Benbow, ,  323. 

Benjamin,  Mary,  390. 

Sally,  393. 
Bennett,  Josiah,  19. 
Bennington,  Vt.,  164, 

399. 
Benson,    Charles   A., 
209,  383. 
G.  E.,  101. 
Samuel,  176. 
Bent,  Josiah,  277. 
Mary  (Polly),  277. 

Bentley,  ,189,296, 

302,  303. 
William,  274. 


Berlin,  385. 
Bermuda,  187,  208. 
Berry,  Ambrose,  86. 
Elizabeth,  86. 
Sarah,  86. 
Hannah,  86. 
William,  11. 

Bertram,     ,     211, 

215,216,  361,  362, 

377,  379,  382,  384. 

John,  207,  208,  377. 

Bethel, ,  351. 

Bethel,  Vt.,  160,  389, 

393. 
Beverly,    4-8,    10,    11, 
18-20,  22,    24,    31, 
81,  151,  169. 
Beverly  Farms,  102. 
Bickford,        Abigail, 
271. 
David,  271. 
Ebenezer,  271. 
William,  271. 

Biddle,  ,  45. 

Bilbao,  31. 
Bin,  Alie,  211. 
Bird  Island,  323. 
Birmingham,        Eng- 
land, 361. 
Bisson,  Jonathan,  22, 

24. 
Bixby  and  Valentine, 

242. 
Blake,  Bill  (William), 
392. 
Jasper,  287. 
Polly,  392. 

Blanchard,    ,    79, 

234. 
Jeremiah,  25. 

Blaney,  ,  248. 

Blasdell,       Blaseday, 
Henry,  93,  287. 
Joseph,  239,  240. 
Bliss,  Anna  Hale,  399. 
Block  Island,  328. 
Blodgett,        Hannah, 
266. 
Nathaniel,  266. 
Bobi  Ali,  194. 
Boca     de     Carotene, 

121. 
Boca  Grande,    67,  68, 

70. 
Boca  Grande  Pass,72. 


Bolidar, ,  121,122, 

126-128,  136,    138, 
140,  152. 
Bombay,  185,  366,369. 
Bond,  Jonas,  392. 
Booth,     Erastus     H., 

342. 
Bordeaux,     33,     116, 

248,  262. 
Boston,  7,  30,   53,  67, 
86,  87,  95,  97,  107, 
169,  170,  184,  185, 
188,  199,  203,  205, 
215,  222,  224,  247, 
248,  250,  263,  264, 
297,  306,  307,  322, 
330,  333,  336,  337, 
354,  358,  363,  368, 
371,  382. 
Boulter,  Nath.,  90. 
Bourbon,  15,  248. 

Bowditch,  ,  6. 

Nathaniel,  300. 
Thomas,     11,     200, 
211. 

Bowdoin, ,  359. 

Bowen,  ,  337. 

Francis,  338. 
Bowker,  Joseph,  161. 
Boxford,    4-8,    11,  12, 
14,  83,  88,  89,  205. 
Boyce,  Henry  R.,  216. 
Boynton,  Jerusha,  82. 
John,  83,  84. 
Lydia,  83. 
Richard,  82. 
Ruth,  83. 

Bracket,     ,     130, 

134,  138,  142,  145, 
146,  148,  149,  151, 
152,  220. 
Joshua,  120. 
Bradbury,  Bradburie, 

,    92,   94,   96, 

285. 
John,  93. 
Mary,  94. 
Theophilus,  88. 
Thomas,  91,  94,  96, 

286,  287. 
William,  93,  94,  96, 
287. 
Bradenham,    Robert, 
323. 

Bradish,  ,  322. 

Bradford,    81-83,    86, 
87. 


404 


INDEX 


Bradley,  Bradlee, 

Archippus,  163. 
Francis,  217. 
Francis    B.    C,   33, 
104,  105,  121-  305, 
308,  353. 
Josiah,  351. 
Roberts.,  67. 
Bradshaw,     William, 

29. 
Bradstreet,Benjamin, 
83. 
Moses,  283. 
Sarah,  88. 
Braintree,  87,  394. 
Branigan,  James    D., 

211. 
Brannan  &   Osborne, 

375. 
Brantz,  Mayer,  341. 
Brattleboro,  Vt.,  399. 

Bray, ,  304. 

Brazil,    74,    173,   242, 
314. 

Brewster, .  248. 

Bridge,        Ebenezer, 
168. 

Bridgeo, ,  32. 

Brigantine,  124. 

Briggs, ,  3,  177. 

Enos,  113,  198,   290. 
James  B.,  169,  170, 

174,  176,  192. 
Johnson,  200. 
Brigham,  E.  D.  &  Co., 
333. 
Thomas,  153. 
Bristol,  120. 
Bristol,  R.  I.,  330. 
Broad,  Betsey,  386. 

James,  386. 
Broadhead,  Frederick 

W.,  175. 
Brookfield,    278,   386, 
393,  394,  396. 

Brookhonse, ,  15. 

R.,  102. 
Robert,  306. 
William,  102. 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,     59, 
266,  355,  356,  359, 
380. 
Brooks,  136,  146. 
Caleb,  273. 
Elizabeth,  273. 
Henry  M.,  206. 
Ruth  (Albree),  273. 


Brooks,  Sarah,  388. 

Timothy,  201,  206. 

Brown,  Browne, , 

9,  36,  96,  103,  359. 

Anna,  158. 

Benjamin,  271. 

Bridget,  158. 

David,  176. 

Edward,  207. 

Francis,  207. 

George,  96,  2S1. 

Hezekiah,  158. 

James,  251,  313. 

James  &  Son,  251. 

Jeremiah,  157,  158. 

John,   23,  87,  91-93, 
216. 

Lydia,  157. 

Mary,  158. 

Moses,  28. 

Nathaniel,  87,  284. 

Rachel,  86. 

Rhoda,  386. 

Ruth,  158. 

Samuel,  158. 

Sarah,  158. 

Thomas,    158,    172, 
271. 

Warner,  386. 

William,  389. 
Bruise,  Anthony,  164. 

Aurelia  L.,  164. 
Bryant, .  359. 

Benjamin,  6-8,10-12. 

Bridget,  158. 

Sarah,  82. 

T.,  201. 

Thomas,  82. 

Watson,  359. 

William,  17. 

Buchanan,  ,   318, 

335,  344. 
Buckminster,  385. 

Budd, ,  237. 

Buenos     Ayres,    241, 

251,  252,  364. 
Buffinton,  Jas.,  200. 

John,  200. 
Buffuni,  Alice,  195. 

Caleb,  172,  173, 195. 

Frank  Barr,  195. 
Bulkeley,  Chloe,  390. 

Dan.,  389,  390. 

Phebe,  389. 
Bullard,  Samuel,  279. 
Burbank,  Abijah,397. 

Caleb,  81,  83. 


Burbank,  Daniel,  83. 
Eliezer,  81-83. 
Eunice,  83. 
Lydia,  81,  83. 
Mercie,  82. 
Samuel,  83. 
Burchmore,         John, 

201. 
Burnap, ,  153,264, 

265,  385. 
Aaron,  399. 
Abigail,    162,     163, 

167,  271,  272,  274, 

389,  395. 
Abigail       (Nabby), 

396. 
Abijah,     394,      396, 

397. 
Abijah  L.,  397. 
Abner,  162. 
Abraham,  162. 
Achsa,  398. 
Alva,  399. 
Amalie,  398. 
Amos,  265,  385,  386. 
Amos  T.,  385. 
Ann,  165. 

Anna,  158,  160,  393. 
Anna  Hale,  398. 
Anne,  275. 
Annie  S.,  398. 
Aruna,  400. 
Asa,  398. 
Asa  Wyman,  399. 
Asenath,  390. 
Averill,  389. 
Benjamin,  155,  156, 

389. 
Bethiah,    267,    268, 

270,  394. 
Betsey,     267,     385, 

397. 
Bette,  266. 
Betty,  386. 
Beulah,  279. 
Bishop,  389. 
Bliss,  399. 
Caleb  B.,  274. 
Calvin, 156,  391. 
Calvin  F.,  399. 
Candace,  398. 
Caroline,  385. 
Caroline  N.,  386. 
Catherine,  156. 
Charles,  385. 
Chloe,  389,  390. 
Clarissa,  390. 


INDEX 


405 


Burnap,  Clark,  165. 

Cynthia,  390. 

Cyrena  (Syreua), 
395,  396. 

Cyrus,  272,  394,  400. 

Daniel,  153,  155,162, 
278. 

Darkes,  156. 

David,  153,  155,  390, 
400. 

Dolly,  391. 

Dorcas,  156. 

Doria  (Docia,  Do- 
tea,  Dosea),  396. 

Dorothy,  156,  387. 

Ebenezer,  159,  160, 
395,  396. 

Ebenezer  T.,  395, 
396. 

Ebenezer  Tucker, 
395. 

Edward,  166,  167. 

Edward  Lincoln, 
162. 

Eleanor  (Nella,  Nel- 
ly, Elaner),  400. 

Eli,  265. 

Elijah,  100-162,  385, 
386,  394,  398,  400. 

Elisha,  386. 

Elizabeth,  153,  154, 
156,  163,  168,  269, 
270,  273,  274,  278, 
388-390,  399,   400. 

Ellsworth,  390. 

Erasmus,  395. 

Erasmus  Lilly,  395, 
396. 

Esther,  156,  165, 
391. 

Eunice,  267. 

Fanny,  399. 

Francis,  274. 

Gaius  Conant,  399. 

George,  272. 

GeorgeWashington, 
274. 

Hannah,  153,  156, 
159,  160,  167,  274, 
279,  385-387,  397, 
399. 

Harden,  389. 

Harriet,  390,  399. 

Harvey  (Hervy), 
391,  396. 

Horatio  Gates,  274. 

I.,  385. 


Burnap,  Ira,  398. 
Irene, 162. 
Isaac,  162,  167,  271, 

272,  279,  280,  385, 

386. 
Isabel,  278. 
Israel,  167. 
Jacob,  158,  162,  165- 

- 167,  272-274. 
James,  156,  162,164- 

167,  389,  390,  394, 
398. 

Jedediah.  400. 
Jeriah,  162. 
Jerusha,  277,  279. 
John,    160-162,  165- 

168,  264,  265,  271, 
274,  275,  386,  390, 
394,  396,  398,  400. 

John  Langdon,  398. 
Jonathan,     154-156, 

159,  389,  390. 
Joseph,  166-168,271, 

272",  385. 
Joseph  J.,  272. 
Lavinia      (Levina), 

396. 
Lester,  390. 
Lewis,  394,  397. 
Lora,  389,  390. 
Lucy,  274,  394,  398. 
Luther,     156,     390, 

391,  396. 
Lydia,  166,  167,  275, 

279,  387. 
Martha,     153,     156, 

268,  390. 
Mary.  153,  159,  160, 

162,  168,  265,  278, 

279,  391,  392,  395, 

396,  400. 
Mary  Hincher(Hen- 

shaw),  396. 
Mehetabel,  275,  394. 
Micah,  167. 
Miranda,  399. 
Molly,  265. 
Nancy,  279,  385,386, 

397. 
Nancy  T.,  397. 
Naomi,  164,  165. 
Nathan,  279. 
Nathan  D.,  278. 
Nathaniel,  267. 
Olive,  394. 
Orphas,  398. 
Orrel,  400. 


Burnap,  Patty,  386. 
Phebe,  165,  390. 
Pius  Upton,  265. 
Polly,  394,  396. 
Rebecca,    158,   270, 

274. 
Rhoda,  153,  386. 
Russell  Jones,    385. 
Ruth,  156,  157,  161, 

167,  267,  272,  274, 

388,  395,  396. 
Sabrina,  395,  396. 
Sally,  391,  396. 
Samuel,  266,  267. 
Sarah, 153, 160, 165- 

167,  278,  280,  392, 

397. 
Sibil,  164. 
Singletary,  396. 
Sophia,  398. 
Susan,  162,  274. 
Susanna,    267,    271. 

272. 
Susannah,  160,  162, 

280. 
Tabitha,  167. 
Thankful,  395. 
Thomas,    160,    396, 

397. 
Timothy,    160,  394, 

395. 
Timothy  F.,  394. 
Uzziah,     160,     162, 

398,  399. 
Uzziel,  167. 
Warren,  391. 
William,  156,  389. 
Zorody,  272. 
Burnett,  Burnet,  Bur- 

nitt,     ,     153, 

166,  264,  265,  267, 

275,  385. 
Abner,  277. 
Amos,  277. 
Anna,  276. 
Annis,  277. 
Benjamin,  276,  277. 
Calvin  A.,  391. 
Charles  C,  391. 
Charles  R.,  276. 
Charles  Ripley,  277. 
Chloe,  389. 
Cynthia,  391. 
Dolly,  391. 
Elizabeth,  278. 
Esther,  165. 
Emeline,  391. 


406 


INDEX 


Burnett,  Hannah,  276, 
385. 

Harvey,  391. 

Henrietta  (Hanner- 
etta),  277. 

Isaac,  164. 

Isabel,  278. 

Jacob,  164,  165. 

James,  165,  389. 

John,  164,  165,  276, 
277,  389. 

Joseph,  276. 

Lester,  390. 

Lois,  276. 

Luther,  391. 

Lydia,  275. 

Mary,  391. 

Nathaniel,  276,  277. 

Ruth,  155. 

Sally,  391. 

Sarah  P.,  391. 

Vesta,  277. 

Warren,  391. 
Burnham,       Burnam, 
,  266. 

John  A.,  173. 

Keutha,  267. 

Timothy,  267. 
Burns,   Burnes,    Ben- 
jamin, 276. 

John,  172. 

Burr, ,  291. 

Burrill,  Jesse,    19,  20. 

John,  25,  32. 
Burton,  Frank,  216. 
Bush, ,  400. 

Charles,  23,  24,  169, 
170,  171. 

Timothy,  398. 

Bustamente, ,353. 

Buswell,  Willi,  284. 
Butler,  John,  5. 
Button,    Lyndon    D., 

389. 
Buxton,         Bartholo- 
mew, 168. 

Eunice,  266. 

Keziah     (Pudney), 
168. 

Timothy  R.,  266. 

Timothy       Russell, 
168. 
Buzzard's  Bay,  321. 
Byfield,  81,  83,  84,  87. 
Byrnes,    William   H., 
342. 


Cabasa,  Antonio,  212. 
Cabot,  Frank,  103. 

George,  295. 

Joseph,  359. 

William,  359. 
Cabot  (Vt.),  396. 
Cadedt,      John,     151, 

157. 
Cadiz,    27,    198,    260- 

263. 
Cady,  —     ,  25. 

Caesar, ,  71. 

Cairo,  111.,  236. 
Calcutta,  2-7,    10,  11, 

14,  17-24,  169-171, 
174,  182,  187,  188, 
198,  206,  215,  248, 
368,  369. 

California,  190,  204, 
307,  348,  372,  373. 

Calista,  164. 

Callao,  377. 

Cambridge,  88,  385. 

Campagnoli, ,104. 

Campbell,  Joseph, 
201. 

Campeachy,  56-58, 
125,  263. 

Canada,  304. 

Canised,  60. 

Canot,  Theodore,  341. 

Canterbury,  N.H.,  89. 

Canton,  240. 

Canton,  China,  3,  10, 

15,  182,  197-199, 
202. 

Cape  Ann,  26. 

Cape   Antonio,    36-38, 

45,  67,  220,  250. 
Cape  Catoche,  56. 
Cape    Cruz,   55,    120, 

127,  141. 
Cape  Francois,  29. 
Cape   Good   Hope,  6, 

7,  11,    18,    20,  23, 

24,    169,  185,  211, 

213,  361. 
Cape  Guardefie,   364. 
Cape  Henry,  333. 
Cape  Morebet,  184. 
Cape  St.  Philip,  262. 
Cape  Verde,  18,  241. 
Cape   Verde   Islands, 

194,  242. 
Cape  Vergo,  249. 
Cape  Vincent  Village, 

N.  Y.,  390. 


Carlton, ,  104,297, 

359. 

Phineas,  82. 
Carlscrona  (Sweden), 

3.  190. 
Carnes, ,  185,  220. 

Jonathan,  185. 

Carpenter, ,  356. 

Carr,  Elizabeth,  154. 
Carrell,        Benjamin, 

276. 
Carter, ,  48. 

Nathaniel,  87. 
Carthagena,     29,     34, 

264. 
Cary,  Mary,  165. 

Thomas,  88. 

Zebulon,  395. 
Carysford,  47. 
Casilda,  219. 
Cass,  John,  287,  288. 

Martha,  287,  288. 

Cassin,  ,  54. 

Catoche,  56. 
Cay  West,  252. 
Cayman  Keys,  138. 
Cayo  Blanco, 111,  235. 
Cayo  Francisco,  111. 
Cayo     Romano,     116, 

226. 
Cayopelean,  69. 
Cebu,  381. 

Central  America,  251. 
Ceriga,  264. 
Cette,  251. 
Ceylon,  254. 
Chaddock,         Zervia, 

278. 
Chamberlain,  Betsey, 
385,  387. 

Edward,  276. 

Elizabeth,  387. 

Enoch,  387. 

J.,  174. 

Jason,  385. 

Lydia,  387. 

Moses,  277. 

Nancy,  387. 

Rhoda,  277. 

S.,  204. 

William,  387. 
Chambers,       Thomas 

R.,  212. 
Chandler,  Bette,    266, 
268. 

Charles,  391. 


INDEX 


407 


Chandler,     Ebenezer, 

266,  268. 
Elizabeth,  266. 
Eunice,  266. 
Hannah,  266. 
Mary,  266. 
Ruth,  266. 
Samuel,  28. 
Thomas,  266. 
Timothy,  168. 
William,  9,  286. 

Chapman,    Benjamin, 
23. 
R.  T.,  317. 
Chappie,  William  Dis- 

more,  289. 
Charleston,  S.  C,  24, 
48,   79,    109,    240, 
250,  264,  330,  349, 
368. 
Charlestown,  2,  85,88, 

273. 
Charlotte  Harbor,  67- 

70,  72. 
Charlton,      166,     395, 

399. 
Chase,  — ,  264. 
Anna,  81. 
Daniel,  89. 
Elizabeth,  89. 
Ezekiel,  81,  82. 
Priscilla,  81,  82. 
Chatham,  12. 

Chauncy, ,  59. 

Charles,  322. 
Cheesman,      Edward, 
K22. 

Cheever, ,  26. 

Benjamin,  22. 
Chelmsford,     83,    86, 

267,  270. 
Chelsea,  298,  360. 
Chester,  N.  H.,  81,83. 
Chesterfield,  392. 
Childs,  Bradley,  163. 

John,  163. 
Timothy,  163. 

China,   201,   295,  367, 
378. 

Chincha  Islands,  377. 

Chipman,  Ward,  32. 

Chittenden,    Thomas, 
161. 

Christ  Church,  153. 

Christiansand,      Nor- 
way, 26-31. 


Church,  John,  170. 

Stephen,  19,  20,  22, 
173,  174. 
Churchill, ,  104. 

William  G.,  208. 
Claflin,  John,  277. 

Lydia,  277. 

Claiborne, ,  35. 

Clark.    Clarke,    , 

264,  337,  338. 

[wornjeth,  387. 

Arthur  H.,  336. 

Nathaniel,  96. 

Sarah,  154. 

Thomas,  211. 

William,  154. 

Clarkson,  ,  31. 

Claxton,  ,  237. 

Cleveland,  A  lason, 389. 
Cloon,  W.  F.,  209. 
Clough,  John,  93,  284. 

Cloutman, ,  11,26, 

380. 

Stephen,   207,    362, 
363,  379,  383. 
Coburn,       Elizabeth, 
389. 

Zebediah,  389. 
Cocheco,  90,  94,  95. 
Cocke,  W.  H.,  52. 
Coeur  de  Lion,  Rich- 
ard, 67. 
Coffin,     Coffyn,    Abi- 
gail, 87. 

Daniel,  87. 

Joseph,  87. 

Peter,  90. 

Rebecca,  87. 

Cogswell, ,  99. 

Cohasset,  222,  263. 

Cohen,  ,  357. 

Colby,  Samuel,  91. 
Colcord,  Edward,  92- 
96,  281,    284,  285, 
288. 

Sam.,  281. 
Cole,  Abraham,  93. 

Samuel,  323. 

William,  95. 
Coleman,         Colman, 
,  12,  323. 

Thomas,  285. 

William,  6-8,  11,  12, 
15,  17,  19,  20. 
Collins, ,  263. 

Edward,  11. 

John,  200,  201. 


Colman  and   Farmer, 

12. 
Colorados,  54. 
Columbus,  Ga.,  333. 
Conant,  Mary,  93. 

Condit, ,  102. 

Confrecina,  36,  235. 
Congo,  311,   338,   353, 

354. 
Connecticut,  155. 
Conner,  Connor,  Cor- 
nelius, 93,  284. 
Cooch,  William,  87. 
Cook,  .  194,  360. 

Joseph,  201. 

Rachel,  167. 
Coombs,  Philip,  87. 

William  H.,  18. 

William  R.,  17. 
Copeland,    Ebenezer, 
280. 

Sarah,  280. 

William,  280. 
Copenhagen,       26-28, 

30-32. 
Corin,  Perley,  280. 
Cornish,  N.  H.,  400. 

Cortina, ,  337. 

Coruna,  31,  260,  262. 
Cotton,  ,  219. 

Leonard,  85. 
Cotton  Keys,  127. 
Courcy, Baron  de,  103. 
Coventry,  Conn.,  160, 

161.' 
Cox,  Benjamin,  11,24. 

Moses,  286. 

R.  I.,  79. 
Coxetter,    Louis    M., 
349. 

Crabtree,  ,  305. 

Crafts,  David,  201. 

Crawford,    ,   309, 

312. 

Henry  C,  342. 
Cronstadt,  Russia,  77. 
Croswell,  Andrew,  89. 

Crowninshield,    , 

98,  187,  302. 

B.,  201. 

B.  W.,  297. 

Casper,  98. 

Clifford,  192. 

Francis  B.,  73. 

G.,  303. 

George,  73,  303. 

George  &  Sons,   73. 


408 


INDEX 


Crump, ,  204. 

Cuba,  22,  23,  25,  45, 
48,  52,  62,  74,  105, 
106,  114-116,  125, 
127,  132,  134,  141, 
203,  217,  222,  226, 
250,  261-263,  349, 
354. 
Curacoa,  26,  313. 

Currier, ,  370. 

Richard,  91,93,286, 

288. 
Stephen,  5. 
Thomas,  91. 
&  Townsend,  369. 

Curtis, ,  33. 

Arthur  R.,  98. 
Ebenezer,  83. 
Elizabeth,  83. 
Mary,  395. 
Stephen,  361. 

Curwen, ,     103, 

104,  357. 
Henry,  361. 
James  B.,  207. 

Cushing,     ,     184, 

297. 
Cushman,  Anna,    165. 
Cutler,  Lucinda,   163. 
Luther,  277. 
Lydia,  166. 
Nancy,  277. 
Cutt,  Richard,  288. 
Cutter,  Sarah,  153. 
Cutting,  Lydia,  386. 

Daby,  Joseph,  276. 
Daland, ,  5,  15. 

Tucker,  12,  177,188, 
207. 

Dale, ,  47. 

Dallas, ,  229. 

Dalrymple, ,  15. 

Dalton, ,  286. 

Elisabeth,  287. 

Mehetabel,  92. 

P.  R.,  195. 

Philemon,  286. 

Samuel,  90-95,  281- 
287. 

Samuel  M.,  5. 

Timothy,  95. 
Damon,  Amos,  166. 

Daniel,  272. 

Rebeckah,  269. 

Samuel,  272. 


Dana,  N.  J.  T.,  100. 

Richard  Henry,  307. 
Danvers,  2-7,    11,   15, 

298. 
Darby,  Asa,  270. 
Mary,  270. 

Darling, ,  170. 

Dartmoor,  5. 

Davis, ,  170. 

Jacob,  397. 
John,  282. 
Mary,  89. 
William,  8. 
Dearborn,      Thomas, 
281. 

De      Carteret,     , 

Mrs.,  315. 
Decatur,  — ,  231. 
Decker,  John,  86. 

Lydia,  86. 
Dedham,  391. 

De  Horsey, ,  346. 

De  la  Graviere,    Juri- 

en,  343. 
Deneasche,     Francis, 

176. 
Denison,  Daniell,  96. 
Dennis,     Francis    B., 
22,  200. 

Denny, ,  29. 

Elizabeth,  392. 
John,  29. 
Samuel,  392. 
Sarah, 392. 
Derby,    E.    H.,     197, 
198. 
Elias   Basket,   197, 
198,  290. 
Derry,  N.  H.,  84. 

Devereux, ,  30. 

Dexter,    George,  210. 
Diabolito  (little   Dev- 
il), 36,  54,  112. 

Dillingham, ,  262. 

Dimock,  Elias,  164. 
Justin,  164. 
Lydia,  164. 
Dinsmore,  Sally,   393. 
Dixfield,  Me.,  160. 
Dixy  Bull,  321. 
Dockham,       Stephen 

B.,  9. 
Dodge,  Nancy,  270. 
Dog  Keys,  305. 
Dole,  Jonathan,  85. 
Matthew  P.,  25. 


Domingo,  53. 
Domingo  City,  233. 
Dominico,  32,  127,128, 

133,  135. 
Don,  George,  261. 
Don  Miguel,  251. 
Doolittle,      Ephraim, 

279. 
Dorchester,  24,  170. 

Dorring, ,  160. 

Dorset,  186. 
Douglas,       Douglass, 
Benjamin,  209. 
Darius,  261. 
John,  164. 
Ruth,  266. 
Stephen  A.,  343. 
Dover,  90. 
Dover,  N.  H.,  176. 
Dow,    Henry,  90,   91, 
94,  281, '284,  288. 
Joseph,  91. 
Phebe,  83. 

Downer, ,  94. 

Robert,  94. 
Downing,  C.  M.,  23. 
Charles  M„  22,  23. 
Dracut,  81. 
Drake,  Abraham,  95, 

284,  285. 
Dresser,  Daniel,  82. 

Mary,  82. 
Drew,     William,     24, 
170. 

Driver, ,  195. 

David,  17, 19,  20,  22, 

23. 
William,  12,  15,  16, 
194. 

Drury,  ,  266. 

Thomas,  395. 
Dublin,  23,  252. 
Dublin,  N.  H.,  278. 
Dudley,  Elias,  25. 

Saml.,  90. 
Dudley,  Mass.,  391. 
Duncan,  John,  212. 
Dunham,      David     & 

Co.,  109. 
Dunlap,  Osgood,  336. 
Dunn,  Elizabeth,  86. 
Lucy,  269. 
William,  86. 
Dunstable,  84. 
Dunster,  Anne,  269. 


INDEX 


409 


Du    Pont,     Admiral, 

237. 
Durgin,  William,  282. 
Durkee,  Andrew,  390. 

Cynthia,  390. 

Elizabeth,  389. 

Mary,  390. 
Dustin,  The,  96. 
Dutch,    Deputy,   104. 

Ebenezer,  81,  82. 

Phebe,  82. 
Duxbury,  215. 

Eagleston,  John,  372, 

373. 
Eames,  Jane,  84. 

Jeremiah,  84. 
Earle,  Waldo,  385. 
Easman,       Benjamin, 
283. 

Joseph,  283. 

Thomas,  283. 

Timothy,  283. 
East  Indies,  362. 
Eaton,  Edmond,    158, 
271,  272. 

Phebe,  82. 

Sarah, 158. 

Echevarria,  ,  240. 

Eckford,  Henry,    109. 
Eddy,  Hannah,  399. 

Jonas,  399. 

Lucy,  399. 
Edwards,      Nicholas, 
15. 

Thomas,  361. 

Eggleston, ,  350. 

Eldredge,     Eldridge, 

,  263. 

Eliot  (Elliot,  Elliott), 
John,  81,  84. 

Joseph,  399. 

Robert  G.,  17,  18. 

Sarah,  84. 
Elithorp,     Nathaniel, 

283. 
Elkins,  Mary,  186. 
Ellingwood,  E.,  20. 
Ellis,  Hannah,  277. 

Joseph,  277. 
Ellison,  John,  23. 
Elton,  ,  37. 

J.  H.,  45. 

Ely,  ,  23. 

Emboden,  28. 
Emerson, ,  194. 

Edward,  86. 


Emerson,   Henry  W., 
211. 
Nathaniel,  287. 
Emery,  Samuel,  20. 

Emmerton, ,   192, 

211,  379,  380,  384. 
Charles  S.,  192. 
E.    Augustus,    192, 

207. 
Ephraim,      12,     15, 

181,  192,  207. 
Ephraim,  Jr.,  17. 
George  R.,  192,  384. 

Endicott,  ,  12,  18, 

104,  177,  183,  187, 
191,  192,  304. 
Aaron,  76,  77. 
Charles,  76. 
George,  104. 
George  W.,  15,  192. 
John,  183,  192,  206. 
Mary,  183,  192. 
Robert,  183. 
S.  &  G.,  15. 
Samuel,    2-8,    10-12, 
14,    16-19,    23,  24, 
178,  182,  183,  191. 
William,  104. 
William  C,  104. 
England,  183,  290-292, 
296,  299,  302,  3C4. 
English,  Philip,  102. 
Erie,  353-355. 
Erskine,  Barbara 

Richards,  393. 
Essex,  303. 
Essex  County,  74. 
Eucalla,  Domingo,  65, 

66. 
Europe,  105. 
Evans,    Evens,   Rich- 
ard, 216. 
Robert,  95. 

Eveleth, ,  28. 

Exeter,  286,  287. 
Exeter,  N.  H.,  203. 
Eyers,  see  Ayers. 

pabens, ,  250. 

Charles,  366. 

William,    201,    250, 
377. 
Fair  Haven,  78. 
Fair  Oaks,  100. 
Falkland  Islands,  340. 
Falmouth,  88,  89. 
Farhsund,  26,  30. 


Farmer,  Prince.ll,  12, 

15. 
Farnam,  Henry,  120. 

Farragut,    ,    114, 

115,  233,  291. 

David  Glasgow, 113. 
Farrington,      Naomi, 

400. 
Farwell,    William  C, 

172. 
Fawsatt,  J.  W.,  200. 
Fay,  Elizabeth,  393. 
Felt,  John,  103. 

Joseph,  190. 
Felton,  Hannah,   387. 

Lydia,  388. 

Ferguson, ,  263. 

Fields,  Betsey,  154. 
Fifeild,  Benjamin,  96, 

281. 
Fiji  Islands,  77,  189. 
Fillmore, ,  322. 

John,  322. 

Millard,  322. 
Finch,  Wm.  B.,  248. 
Fish, ,  265. 

Hepzibah,  265. 
Fisher,  John,  174. 

John  H.,  211. 
Fisk,  Fiske, ,264. 

Hepzibah,  265. 

John,  265. 
Fitchburg,  166,  267. 
Fitts,  Tamas,  159. 
Fitzpens,  186. 
Flagg,      Charles     E., 

173. 
Fleckefiord,  32. 
Fletcher,  Hazard, 176. 

Remembrance,  266. 
Flint,  Chloe,  389. 

Ebenezer,  167. 

John,  168. 

Tabitha,  167. 
Florentine,       George 

C,  212. 
Florida,  35,  37,  40,  47, 

67,  71,  106. 
Florida,  East,  305. 
Fly,  William,  323. 
Folger,  Elisha,  201. 
Foote, ,  236,  237. 

Andrew   Hull,   235, 
345. 

S.  A.,  235. 


410 


INDEX 


Forbes,  Elias,  397. 
John  M.,  99. 
Mary  Jacobs,  393. 
Forbusfa,  Rhoda,  270. 
Ford,  Abigail,  391. 
Chloe,  391. 
Dyer,  391. 
Esther,  391. 
Jacob,  22. 
Mary,  92,  391. 
Robert,  92,  283. 
Forman,     Alexander, 
216. 

Forrester. ,  197. 

John,  10. 

Simon,  197,  200,201. 
Forrester,   Nichols  & 

Hodges,  197. 
Forster.Nathaniel,  87. 
Fort  Donelson,  236. 
Fort  Henry,  236. 
Fort  Warren,  97. 
Foster,  Abigail,  271. 
Eunice,  83. 
George  B.,  177. 
James,  271. 
Jonathan,  271. 
Robert,  177. 
Samuel,  271. 
W.  H.,  360. 
Foulsham,  John,  288. 
Fowle,  Mary,  154. 
Fowler,  Jane,  89. 
Fox,  Edward,  90. 
Foxardo,  Porto  Rico, 

229. 
Framingham,  277,385, 

386. 
France,   34,    36,    182, 
183,  290,  292,  299, 
369. 

Francis, ,  360. 

John,  366. 
Joseph,  8. 
Franklin,         Charles, 

189. 
Frederick,  David, 210. 
Fredericks,     Morgan, 

342. 
Fredericksburg,  10. 

Freelons, ,  226. 

Freeman, ,  46. 

Eleanor  (Nella, 

Nelly,       Elaner), 
400. 
Freeze,  James,  91. 
French,   Edward,   90, 


French,  Joseph,  90. 
Fresno,  Calif.,  362. 
Friend,  Charles,  32. 
Fries,  August,  103. 
Frink,  Betsey,  154. 

Rufus,  79. 
Frost,  John,  200. 

Frothingham,       , 

104. 

Joseph,  88. 
Frye,  John,  216. 
Fuller,  Giles,285,  287, 

Jno.,288. 

William,  91. 

Gale,  Edward,  5,  6. 

Mary,  190,  279. 

Samuel,  9. 

William  C,  9. 
Gallinas,  341. 
Gallup,  John  L.,  24. 
Gannett,  Hannah,275. 
Galveston,  Texas,  36, 

308,  310,  313. 
Gardner, ,  381. 

Barnes  A.,  209. 

Howard  P.,  212. 

J.  &  R.,  201. 

Richard,  27,  201. 

Weld,  200. 
Gardner,    Mass.,    269, 

270. 
Garfield,  Andrew  B., 

160. 
Garland,  Jonathan,  90. 

Nathaniel,  201. 
Garnett,  George,  342. 
Garonne,  36. 
Gaspar,  Jose   (Gaspa- 
rilla),  67,  72,  109, 
110. 
Genoa,  176. 
George,  Benjamin, 82, 
87. 

Margaret,  82,  87. 
Georgia,  106. 

Geravdeia, ,  29. 

Gerrish, ,  26. 

Gerry, ,  298. 

Elbridge,  297. 
Gerrymander,  297. 
Gettysburg,  98,  115. 
G;bara,  Cuba,  262. 
Gibaut,  John,  201. 
Gibbs,  ,  36. 

Hannah,  157. 

John,  157. 


Gibbs,  Samuel,  280. 
Gibraltar,    5,   29,  50, 
172,  201,  232,  260, 
261. 

Gibson, ,  256. 

Giddings,  ,  31. 

Solomon,  6. 

Gilchrist,  ,  10. 

Gill,  Sarah   Phippen, 

186. 
Gill,  Mass.,  277. 

Gillette, -,  309. 

Gillman,  John,  288. 
Gilpin,  John,  335. 
Glasgow,  251. 

Glavery,  ,  179. 

Gleason,      Elizabeth, 
388. 
Sarah,  388. 
Silas,  388. 
Glendale,  100. 
Gloucester,  27,  73,  87- 
89,  264,    305,  319, 
321. 
Glover,  J.  G.,  15,  23. 
James  G.,  15,  17,18, 
22. 
Goddard,   John,    281, 

282. 
Godfrey,  Hannah,  86. 
Mary,  86. 
Peter,  85,  86. 
Gold,  Nathan,  91. 
Goldsmith,  John,  169, 

170,  201. 
Goldthwait,     Luther, 

3,  5-8,  11. 
Goldwyer,  George,90, 
91,'  94,  95. 
Martha,  90. 
Gomez,    John     (Pan- 
ther Key),   68-70, 
72. 
Goodale,     Mary,     93, 
268. 
Nathan,  275. 
Persis,  275. 
Richard,  93,  284. 
Goodall,  Thomas,  120, 
122,  127. 

Goodhue, ,  27. 

Benjamin,  200. 
Jeremiah,  31. 
John  B.,  20,  22. 
Manasseh,  4. 
William  W.,  210. 


INDEX 


411 


Goodridge,     Hannah, 

89. 
Goodwin,       Icbabod, 
336. 
James,  280. 

Gordon, ,  339,341, 

342,  344,  354,  356, 
358. 
Nathaniel,  353,  354. 
Goss,  Ezekiel,173,174. 
John,  84. 
Mehitable,  84. 
Gothenburg,     25,    28, 

30,  31. 

Gould,  John,  96. 

Zacheus,  397. 

Grafton,  W.,  200. 

Grafton,     Mass.,     83, 

392,  394. 

Graham, ,  235. 

Grand  Manan,  303. 
Grand  Terre,  34. 
Granger,  John,  278. 
Granswalcl,  263. 

Grant, ,   233,  236. 

Gravelly  Point,  328. 

Graves, ,  29,  245, 

246. 
Dolly,  391. 
Frederick  S.,  391. 
Samuel,  243. 
William  B.,  171. 
Gravesend,    England, 

23. 
Gray,  Robert,  198. 
Samuel,  200,  201. 
William,      32,     197, 
200,  233,  290,  295, 
297. 

Green, ,  264. 

J.  E.,  99. 
Greenleaf,  Benjamin, 
86. 
Edmund,  87. 
Timothy.  172. 
Tristram,  88. 
Greenock,     Scotland, 

120,  223. 
Greenough,   Richard, 


Gregory, ,  59. 

Francis  H.,   46,   56, 

58. 
Michael,  346. 
Grele,  Phillip,  90,  91, 
94. 

Grice, ,  112. 

Griffin,  Clarissa,   389. 
Ednah.  82. 
Jonathan,  82,  86. 

Grindall, ,  359. 

Grivegnee  &  Co.,  29. 
Groton,  81,  88,  89. 
Groton,  Conn,,  388. 
Groveland,  81. 

Grover, ,  306. 

Grozier,  Caleb,  239. 

Caleb  W.,  238. 
Guadeloupe,    27,    28, 

305. 
Guildhall,  Vt.,  399. 
Gulf  of  Mexico,    107, 

308. 
Gullimillit,  Breti,  66. 
Gunnison,  Gunneson, 
Ebenezer,   25,  32. 
Guthrie,  J.  J.,  338. 
Gutterez,  Juan,  64. 


Hacker, ,  194. 

Haddon,  Gerard,  287. 

Janett,  93. 
Haines,  Eliza,  173. 
Haiti,  114. 
Hale, ,  366. 

Anne,  398. 

Candace,  398. 

David,  342. 

Hannah,  393. 

Henry  A.,  366. 

Lodrick,  393. 

Timothy,  398. 
Hall,  C.  C.,  160. 

George  W.,  211. 

Isaac,  86. 

Samuel,  380. 
Hallowell, Edward  N., 


Greenville, 

323. 
Greenwood, 
155. 
James,  395. 


Norwood  P.,  98. 
Hamburg,  4,  191,  198, 
377,  378. 
Henry,    Hamilton,  Alexander, 

29,  289. 
Caleb,        Paul,  113. 

Hamilton,  Mass.,  4,  9, 
92. 


Hammersly, ,  113. 

Hammond,  Hezekiah, 
389. 
Lora,  389. 
Hampstead,  83. 
Hampton,  Conn.,  155, 

164,  389-391. 
Hampton,   N.  H.,  87, 
88,  90-96,281,284- 
286,  288. 
Hampton     Falls,     N. 

H.,  85,  89'. 
Hancock,    John,    173, 

201. 
Hanscom,        Samuel, 

336. 
Haraden,      Harradin, 
Andrew,  23,  170. 
Andrew,  Jr.,  24. 
Joanna,  89. 
Joseph,  89. 

Hardy, ,  304. 

Anna,  83. 
Daniel,  85. 
Edmund,  84. 
Eliphalet,  85. 
Hannah,  84. 
Job,  84. 
Joseph,  81. 
Lydia,  84. 
Mehitable,  85. 
Miriam,  84. 
Moses,  Jr.,  84. 
Philip,  84. 
Ruth,  81,  84. 
Sarah,  85. 
Susannah,  81. 
Thomas,  83,  84. 
Harper,    William   T., 

210. 
Harriman,    Hariman, 
Jane,  82. 
John,  82. 
Lenard,  90. 
Harris,  William,  172. 

Harrison, ,  249. 

Hart,  Charles,  240. 
Hartford,    Conn.,   50, 

235,  336. 
Harvard,  83. 
Harvey,  John,  6. 
Judith,  88. 
William,  88. 

Harwood, ,  112. 

Haskell, ,  183. 

Andrew,  7,  8,  11. 
Elizabeth,  182. 


412 


INDEX 


Haskell,  George    M., 
23. 
Mark,  182. 
Michael,  200. 
Ulysses  G.,  182. 
William,   2,   3,  177, 
182,  187. 
Haswell,    Charles  H., 

51. 
Hatch,  Ruth,  161. 

Hathorne,    ,   214, 

216. 
William  H.,  36,  210- 
212,  215,  384. 
Hatteras,  329. 
Havana,  38,  45,  48,  52, 
58,  60,  62,   75,  78, 
79,    104,  105,   109, 
112,  115,  116,  118, 
125,  186,  187,  222, 
240,  241,    248-251, 
261-264,  311,   315, 
346. 
Haven,  John,  280. 
Mary,  154. 
Samuel,  279,  280. 
Haverhill,  81,  82,  84, 
85,  88,  92,   95,  96, 
176,  281,  298. 
Havre  de  Grace,  15. 
Hawkins,        Thomas, 
321. 

Hawthorne, ,  102, 

103. 
William     Hollings- 
worth,  207. 
Hayens,    Samuel    B., 

342. 
Hayward,  Amos,  265. 
Bette,  266. 
Elizabeth,  266. 
Jabez,  266. 
Mary,  168,  265. 
Hazen,  Joshua,  398. 
Heald,  T.,  266. 
Heath,  John,  96. 
Hebard,       Hebbards, 
Martha,  156. 
Percy,  390. 
Hendee,      Elizabeth, 

389. 
Henderson,  Jos.,  200. 
Henry,  Mary  E.,    160. 
Henshaw,   Elizabeth, 
392. 
Mary,  395. 


Hernandez,  Augustus, 
66. 

Juan,  64,  66. 
Herrick,  ,  32. 

James,  212. 
Heweson,     Neal     P., 

336. 
Higginson,Hittie,102. 
Hill, ,  201. 

A.,  240. 

Alfred,  238,  239. 

Hugh,  200. 

Tamzen,  158. 
Hiller,  Joseph,  195. 
Hills,  Jacob,  83. 

Margaret,  83. 
Hilton,  ,  262. 

Edward,  282,  288. 

William,  282,  283. 
Hincher,  Mary,  395. 
Hingham,     220,     224, 

275. 
Hinsdale,  N.  H.,  160, 

399. 
Hitchens,     Augustus, 

174. 
Hobbs,  Jeames,  91. 

Morris,  91,  285,  286. 

Hodges,  Hodge,  , 

197. 

Benjamin,  197. 

Edmund,  396. 

Gamaliel,  200. 

Jona.,  200. 

Michael,  85. 
Hodgkins,  Philip,  89. 

Sarah,  89. 
Hoffman, Charles,  336. 
Holbrook,  Mary,  400. 
Holland,  292. 
Hollis,  Charles,  171. 
Hollis,  N.  H.,  84,  160, 

392. 
Holliston,  Mass.,  279. 
Holman, ,  104. 

Jonathan,  195. 
Holmes,  Oliver  Wen- 
dell, 98. 
Holt,  Benjamin,  166. 

Isaac,  167. 

John,  167. 

Mary,  183. 

Mehitabel,  167. 

Nathan,  183. 

Holyoke, ,  104. 

Homes,  John,  279. 


Hong  Kong,  202,  342, 

377,  378,  380. 
Honolulu,  370. 

Hoodless, ,  306. 

Hooghly  River,  3,  18, 
174. 

Hooper, ,  9. 

Asa,  201. 

CM.,  99. 

J.  H.,99. 

N.,  32. 

R.  and  Sons,  28. 

W.,  32. 

Hopkins,  ,  262. 

Hopkinson,  Ebenezer, 
273. 
John,  81,  84. 
John,  Jr.,  84. 
Jonathan,  83. 
Margaret,  83. 
Rebecca,  84. 
Ruth,  273. 
Sarah,  81. 
Hopkinton,      153-156, 

275-278,  385-387. 
Hoplands,  285. 
Horn,  D.  B.,  340. 

Horsey, ,  346. 

Horton, ,  359. 

Hosea,  Lydia,  269. 

Howard, ,  51,  251. 

Huldah,  159. 
Lydia,  388. 
Rachel,  270. 
Howe,  How,  Dorothy, 
156,  387. 
Elizabeth,  388. 
Gilbert,  388. 
Hannah,  387. 
Jedediah,  388. 
Joseph,  387. 
Lovice,  388. 
Lucretia,  388. 
Lydia,  388. 
Moses,  387. 
Phineas,  387. 
Samuel,  387. 
Sarah,  388. 
Sylvanus,  388. 
Zerviah,  387. 
Howes,  George,  340. 
Howland  &  Aspinwall, 

337. 
Hoyt,  John,  287. 
Hoyts,  Jno.,  91. 
Hubbard,  Aaron,  4. 
Hubbardston,  270,388. 


INDEX 


413 


Hudson,       Bradford, 
393. 
Deborah,  88. 
Eleazer,  85. 
Lucy,  393. 
Huger,    Thomas     B., 

317. 
Hull,  Eng.,  176. 
Hunt,  Thomas,  24. 

Hunter, ,  226.305. 

Lucy,  386. 

Hussey, ,  285. 

Christopher,  285. 
Hutchins,      Huchins, 

Hutchings,    , 

92. 
Bethiah,  83. 
Mercie,  83. 
Samuel,  83. 
William,  83,  92. 
Hutchinson,      James, 
266. 
Samuel,  4,  5,  187. 

Idaho,  16. 

Ilsley,  Illsley,Abigail, 

86,  89. 
David,  25. 
Isaac,  86,  89. 

Imperial,        Antonio, 

194. 
India,  191,  306. 
Ingalls,  James  J. ,195. 
Ingersoll,  David,  200. 

Elizabeth,  182. 

S.,  200. 

Susie,  102. 

Inman, ,  53,  112. 

Ipswich,  3,  17,  23,  81, 

87,  322. 
Ipswich,  163. 
Iquique  (Peru),  378. 
Irvine, ,  36. 

Isle  of  Gasparilla,  70. 
Isle   of    France,    182, 

185,  197. 
Isle  of  Pines,  62,  250. 
Islesboro,  17. 

Israel, ,    359,  360. 

Italy,  292. 

Jacquenel,  263. 
Jackson, ,26,  104. 

Andrew,  241. 

Benjamin,  369. 

Esther,  270. 


Jamaica,  25,  39,  62, 
63,  91,  125,  151, 
223,  250,  262,  398. 

Jameison,   ,    133, 

150,  222. 
James,  Jesse,  27. 

John,  172. 
Jaques,  Henry,  288. 

Jarvis,  ,  316,  317, 

353. 
Java,  15,  202. 

Jefferson,    ,    290, 

291,  294,  295,  299. 
Jemson,  JimsoD,  Hes- 
ter, 93,  287. 

John,  93,  287. 
Jenks,  Henry  E.,  336. 

Nicholas,  386. 
Jewett,  Dorcas,  270. 

Isaac,  266. 

James,  83. 

Mary,  84,  266. 

Me  hi  table,  82. 

Nathaniel,  84. 

Ruth,  83. 

Samuel,  83. 

Seth,  82. 

Susanna,  84. 
Jignapa  Bay,  53. 
John,  "King",  71. 
John, "Panther  Key'1, 
68. 

Johnson, ,  85,184, 

185,  346. 

Amos,  385,  386. 

Betsey,  386. 

Eliza,  186. 

Ellis,  386. 

Emery,      186,      367, 
368. 

Eunice,  386. 

Henry,  176. 

Hollis,  385,  386. 

John,  173. 

Silas,  385,  386. 

Thomas,  369. 

William,  85. 
Jones, ,  78,  387. 

Abraham,  279. 

Anthony,  387. 

Elizabeth,   167,  387. 

Evans,  88. 

Hepzibah,  167. 

John,  276,  279,  280, 
286. 

John  H.,  385,  386. 

John  L.,  209. 


Jones,  Jonathan,  167. 

Joseph,  216. 

Joshua,  167,  168. 

Lydia,  88. 

Mary,  279. 

Robert,  288. 

Russell,  386. 

Ruth,  168. 

Sally  S.,  386. 

Simpson,  387. 

Jonnia,  ,  121,  126, 

129,  152. 
Jordan,  C.  H.,  348. 

Jeremiah,  240. 

Joseph,  239. 
Jose,  Miguel,   64,  66. 
Joseph, ,  30. 

Kabenda,  338. 
Kalon,  John  W.,    173. 

Kearney, ,  36,  45, 

54,  55. 
Kedgeree,  6. 

Kehew, ,  303. 

Keirom,  Joseph,  17. 
Kellogg,  Ruth,  393. 

Zephania,  393. 
Kendall,Deborah,270. 

Jonathan,  270. 

Mary,  270. 

Kendrick, ,  199. 

Kennebunk,  Me.,  24. 
Kennedy,  ,  171. 

Samuel,  171. 
Kenney,  Mary,  86. 

Samuel,  86. 
Kensington,  N.H.,83. 
Kent,  Ebenezer,  275. 

Hannah,  275. 

John,  85,  86,  89. 

Richard,  85. 

Steven,  92. 
Keppel,  Henry,  346. 
Kerivan, ,  384. 

John,  216,  361,  383. 

Key, ,  360. 

Key  Largo,  121. 

Key    West,     54,    111, 

115,  262,  350. 
Keyes, ,  358. 

Danforth,    394,  397. 
Kibby,  Kirby,  Betsey, 
154. 

Kidd, ,  326. 

Kiernan,  Richard,361. 

Kilham,  Killam, , 

31. 


414 


INDEX 


Kilham,  Charles  H.,  9. 

Edward,  169,  170. 

Killingly,  Conn.,  165. 

Kimball,        Kemball, 

Dorothy,  Doritha, 

Dovally,   82,   154. 

Ebenezer,  154. 

Elbridge,  370,  371. 

Elizabeth,   154,  394. 

Jacob,  271. 

James       Staniford, 
207. 

Nathaniel,  82. 

Ruth,  81. 
King,  Gedney,  104. 

Susan,  103. 

William,  361. 
Kingman,    Benjamin, 
399. 

Elizabeth,  399. 
Kingsley, Abigail,  163. 

Adams,  163. 

Anna  Hale,  399. 

Asael,  163. 

Chloe,  163. 

Enoch,  16a. 

Jacob,  163. 

Jason,  163. 

John,  162. 

Lucinda,  163. 

Mary,  162,  163. 

Rufus,  163. 

Uriah,  163. 

Kingston,  ,  83. 

Kingston     (Jamaica), 

63,  114,  223. 
Kingston,    Mass.,  89, 

233. 
Kingstown,N.Y.,  192. 
Kittery,  87. 
Knapp,    Joseph   Jen- 
kins, 184. 
Knight,  George,  89. 

Judith,  89. 

Nath'l,  200. 

Sarah,  390. 
Knox,  John,  164. 
Kunksshamooshaw, 
David,  319. 

Labonisse,  ,  233. 

La  Cata,  62. 
Lackawanna    Valley, 

163. 
Lacy,  Dorothy,  83. 
Latitte,  Jean  (John), 

33-36,  72. 


Lafitte,  Pierre,  36,  70. 
Lagona,  56. 
Laguayra,      Laguira, 

198,  305. 
Laird  Bros.,  352. 

Lamar, ,  332. 

Charles  A.  L.,  352. 
G.  B.,  352. 
Lamb,     William    C, 

11, 12,  15. 
Lambert,    Preserved, 
186. 

Lamo, ,  206. 

Lamprill,  Daniel,  93. 
Lamson,      Elizabeth, 
268. 
Francis,  23. 
William,  268. 
Lancaster,  154. 
Lancaster,  N.H.,399. 
Lander,  Henry,  12. 
Peter,  200. 
William,  75,  201. 
Lane,  Nathaniel,  172. 
La  Plata,  264. 

Lawrence, ,  97. 

Abel,  193. 
Benjamin,  276. 

Leach,   ,    21,    31, 

185. 
John,  185,  200. 
Robert,  200. 
William,  15. 
Leach,     Stephens    & 

Killam,  31. 
Learned,      Ebenezer, 
395. 

Leavett,  Leavitt, , 

2. 

Herron,  286. 
William,  1. 
Lebanon,  Conn.,    161, 
400. 

Lee, ,  98,  99. 

Fitz,  112. 

Francis  H.,  102,359. 

Raymond    William, 

98. 
Robert  E.,  98,  112. 
Sidney  Smith,  112. 
Seward,  200. 
William  R.,  195. 
Leeds,  George,  23. 
Leicester,     160,     392, 

393. 
Leinas,     George     H., 
348. 


Leghorn,  5,  26. 
Leominster,  276. 
Leonard,  Abijah,  397. 

Leslie, ,  177. 

Lewis,  Peter,  24. 
Lexington,  81. 
Liapman,Andrew,240. 
Liberia,  343. 
Lima,  Manuel,  64,  66. 

Lincoln, ,  119,120, 

217,  343,  357,  358. 

Levi,  205. 
Lind,  Jenny,  336. 

Lindsey,     ,     241, 

246. 

Benjamin  J.,  7,  243. 

Nathaniel,  241,  242. 

Linzee,  ,  263. 

Lisbon,  31. 
Little,  Hannah,  87. 

Nathaniel,  87. 
Little  GasparillaPass, 

72. 

Livermore,  S.  T.,  328. 

Liverpool,     174,    203, 

205,  250,  308,  338, 

354,  368,  371,  375. 

Lobic,  ,  256. 

Locke,  Lock,  Betsey, 
154. 

Beulah,  154. 

David,  154. 

Ebenezer,    154,  392. 

Elizabeth,  154,  392. 

James,  154. 

John,  154. 

Jonathan,  154. 

Martha,  154. 

Mary,  154. 

Mary  Haven,  154. 

Rebecca,  154. 

Sarah,  153,  154. 

William,  154. 

Lockyer, ,  35. 

London,  26,   27,    174, 

198. 
Long  Branch,  327. 
Lord,  ,  130,  220. 

Ernest  D.,  362. 

Isaac  W.,  151,  220. 

John,  3. 

Michael,  17,  18,202. 

Loring, ,  264. 

Loris, ,  227. 

Louden,  John,  125. 
Loudon,  N.  H.,  566. 
Louisiana,  35,  71. 


INDEX 


415 


Lovell,  Ruth,  392,394. 

Lovett, ,   20,  171, 

172. 
Annie  F.,  189. 
Benj.,  200. 
John,  6,  7,  169. 
John  F.,  173. 
John  L.,  169-171. 
John  O.,  19. 
Jonathan    H.,    Jr., 
19,  20,   22-24,  169- 
173,  178,  189. 
Josiah,    12,    15,   20, 

306. 
William,  20,  169. 
William,  Jr.,  19. 
William  H.,    15,  17, 
19. 
Lovett    and     Thorn- 
dike,  20. 

Low, ,  204. 

A.  A.  &  Co.,  368. 
Caleb,  200. 
Seth,  359. 
Lowell,    James  Jack- 
son, 98. 
Lowell,  Mass.,  360. 
Lubbock,    Basil,   251, 

313. 
Lubeck,  30. 
Lull,  Hannah,  83. 

Thomas,  83. 
Lunt,  Henry,  87. 
Joseph,  88. 
Sarah,  87,  88. 
Lurney,  John,  25. 
Luscomb,  Frank,  216. 
J.  Warren,  207,  362. 
Lyman,  Charles  Peir- 
son,  101. 
Theodore,  101. 
Lyme,  Conn.,  390. 
Lynde,  Elizabeth,  95, 
157. 
Symon,  95. 
Lynn,    21,    267,    270, 

298,  319. 
Lynnfield,  267,  298. 
Lyon,  — — ,  150. 

McCarthy, ,  176. 

James  L.,  216. 
Justin  B.,  12. 

McClellan, ,  99. 

McCormic,  McCor- 
mick,  Alexander, 
209. 


McCormic,     Thomas, 
216. 

McCullock,  Hugh,  28. 
McFarland,      Walter, 
280. 
William,  207. 
McGrane,      Nicholas, 

216. 
MacGregor,  Murdock, 

98. 
Machias  (Me.),  15,  18. 

Mack,  ,  104. 

Mackay,  R.  C,  19. 
McKean,    W.  W.,  45, 
237. 

M'Lane,  ,  104,105. 

McMullan,  ,    210, 

384. 
John,  207-210. 
Kate,  211. 

Macy, ,  241. 

George,  98. 
Madagascar,  205,  206, 
215,  866,  367,  379, 
381. 
Madeira,  17,  252,  305. 

Madison, ,  35,298, 

299. 
Madison,  N.  T.,  154. 
Madras,  185,  368. 
Mahan,  A.  T.,  59,114. 
Maine,  77,  204,  303. 
Majorcam,     Antonio, 

El,  226. 
Majunga,  382. 
Malaga,  29. 
Maiden,  158. 
Malta,  260. 
Malvern  Hill,  100. 
Manatee  River,  72. 
Manchester,  17,  19,20, 
22,  23,  89,170,188. 
Manganeil,    125,    132, 

133. 
Manila,  191,  192,  202, 

367,  380,  382. 
Mann,    Ebenezer,     2, 
200. 

Manning, ,  202. 

C.  E.,  209. 
Henry  B.,    172,  202. 
Philip,  174,  181,202. 
R.  C,  102. 
William,    19,  20,  24. 
William,  Jr.,  18. 

Mansfield,   ,   191, 

304. 


Daniel  H.,  4-7,   191. 
Mansfield,  Conn.,  163, 

389,  390. 
Marble,  Hiram,  320. 
Marblehead,  7,  15,  17, 
20,  22,  25-30,  32, 
73,  104,  105,  176, 
190,  198,  241,  243, 
247,  248,  250,  264, 
297,  298,  305,  348, 
368,  377. 

Marbey,  Marbe,  , 

353. 
Sarah,  157. 
Marby,      Bustamente 

and  Co.,  353. 
March,  John,  30. 
Marco,  68. 
Marietta,  Ga.,  399. 
Marietta,   Ohio,    340, 

341. 
Markoe,  John,  99. 
Marlborough,  153,387, 
388. 

Marre, ,  262. 

Marseilles,  31,103,190, 

264,  368. 
Marsh,  Hugh,  92,  93, 
285,  288. 
Joseph,  398. 
Marston,     Elizabeth, 
91,  92. 
Ephraim,  91. 
Isaac,  91,  92. 
John,  91. 
Thomas,  91,  94,  95, 

286. 
William,  284. 

Martin,  Martyn, , 

287. 
Ambrose,  181. 
Chloe,  389. 
David,  389. 
Elizabeth,  389. 
George,  287. 
James  T.,  216. 
Richard,    281,    282, 

287. 
Sophia,  393. 
Martinico,  30,  32. 
Mason,  Charles,  211. 
George,  189. 
Margaret,  186. 
Thomas,  186. 
Mason,  N.  H.,  84. 
Massachusetts,  74,  97, 
101,  289. 


416 


INDEX 


Massey, ,  27. 

Masury,  Samuel,  369. 
Matanzas,  37,   46,  48, 
53,    60-62,     75-79, 
111,  112,  116,  186, 
190,  226,  227,  238, 
240,  262. 
Mather,  Cotton,  322. 
Matta  Bay,  194. 
Maury,  D.  H.,  113. 
John  Minor,  112. 
Matthew  Fontaine, 
112. 
Mauritius,  33,  211,382. 
Maximiliam,      Empe- 
ror, 317. 
Meder,  John,  282. 
Medford,  203,  240,273, 

274. 
Mediterranean,        59, 

106,  198,  201. 
Medway,  280. 
Meeds,  Rebekah,  267. 
John,  267. 

Meek, ,  30. 

Melbourne,   313,   315. 
Melendy,    Bette,   266. 
Elizabeth,  268. 
Hannah,  268. 
John,  166. 
Joseph,  266,  268. 
Lydia,  166. 
Martha,  268. 
Mary,  268. 
Richard,  166,  268. 
Samuel,  268. 
Susan,  268. 
Thomas,  268. 
William,  268. 
Mellen,  Elizabetb.,277. 
Henry,  277. 
Jerusha,  277. 
Lydia,  277. 
Nancy,  277. 
Rhoda,  277. 
Thomas,  277. 
Melius,    William,    15, 
17. 
William,  Jr.,  18. 
Mendon,  173, 174,  277. 
Mentel,  Moses,  216. 
Merrimack,  92. 
Merriam,  Abijah,  393. 
Anna,  392. 
Elizabeth,  392,  393. 
Ephraim,  392. 
Harriet  Pamela,393. 


Merriam,  James,  392. 
Joel,  392. 
Jotham,  392,  393. 
Lucy,  393. 
Mary  Jacobs,  393. 
Reuben,  393. 
Sarah,  392. 
Silas,  393. 
Sophia,  293. 
Merrick,  Silas,  385. 
Merrick's  Brook,  165. 
Merrill,  Abel,  88. 
Abiah,  82. 
Abigail,  81,  83. 
Ann,  88. 
Benjamin,    31,   300, 

301. 
Sarah,  87. 
Stephen,  82. 
Thomas,   81,  83,  87. 
W.  E.,  99. 
Merritt,    Albert,   216. 
Messervy,  John,  174. 
Methuen,  82,  88,  298. 
Mexico,  35,  36,  70,121, 

124. 
Micani,  264. 
Michigan,  390. 

Mickle, ,  360. 

Middleton,  298. 
Miguel,  Francisco,  66. 
Milbury,  160,  394,  397. 
Miles,  Charles,  208. 

Sarah,  166. 
Milford,    17,   18,   273, 
277,  279,  385. 

Miller, ,  78. 

Edward  F.,  208,215. 
James,  195. 
Joseph,  211. 
Joseph  H.,  384. 
Phebe,  163. 
Millers,  William,  18. 
Millett,  Benjamin,  19, 
20. 
Charles,    205,     206, 

264. 
Hardy,  378. 
Nathan  H.,  362. 
Milwaukee,  363. 
Mine  Run,  100. 
Minnesota,  97. 

Miramon,    ,    315, 

316,  353. 
Mississippi,  34. 
Mitchell,  Abigail,  81. 
Nathaniel,  81. 


Mitchell,     O.    &    A., 

201. 
Mobile,  Ala.,   48,  264, 

331. 
Mocha,  205,  206. 
Moira,  N.  X".,  399. 

Molla,  ,  57. 

Mona  Passage,  114. 
Monacre,Nickola,  133. 
Monrovia,  338,  354. 
Monson,  Moses,  29. 
Montego  Bay  (Jamai- 
ca), 222,  223. 
Monterey  Bay,  370. 
Monterey  (Cal.),  370. 
Montevideo,  261,  348. 
Montpelier,  Vt.,   395. 
Montserrat,  9. 
Moody,  Moodey,Mou- 
dy,  Caleb,  94,  96. 
John,  88. 
Joshua,  87. 
Thomas,  85. 
Moore,  C.  R.,  333. 
Daniel,  266. 
David,  204. 
Humphrey,  273. 
Mary,  204. 
Moors,  E.  W.,  216. 

Morgan, ,  237,303, 

304,  357. 
Zachariah,  12. 
Moro,  78. 
Moro  Castle,  118. 

Morris, ,    33,  263. 

William,  29. 
Morristown,  N.J. ,163. 
Morse,  Barachias,276, 
278. 
Elizabeth,  85. 
Jonathan,  89. 
Joseph,  85. 
Mary,  278. 
Mirriam,  388. 
Rebecca,  82. 
Seth,  155. 
Thomas,  82. 
Zervia,  278. 
Moseley,  Joseph,  207. 

Samuel,  155. 
Moses,  Aaron,  210. 
Moulton,  Daniel,  280. 
Henry,  285. 
John,  201,  285. 
Joseph,  286. 
William,  85,  86. 


INDEX 


417 


Mount  Desert  Island, 

77. 
Mozambique,  15,  209, 

210,  346,  362. 
Mud  Island,  303. 
Mugeres  Island,  37. 
Mugford, ,  202. 

Charles  D.,   23,  24, 
169,  194,  202. 

Munroe,      ,  227, 

238,  241. 

Murdock, ,  203. 

James,  22,  23,  202. 
Murey,  John,  174. 

Murray, ,  356,358. 

Muscat,  185,  186,  208, 

211,  213,  361,  363, 
369. 


Myer, 


-,27. 


Nantasket  Roads, 210, 

364. 
Napier,     Johnson     & 

Co..  346. 
Naples,  31. 
Napoleon,    224,     297, 

302. 
Napoli    de   Malvaiza, 

305. 

Narbonne, ,  359. 

Narragansett,    No.  1, 

81,  84. 
Nash,  John,  32. 
Nashville,  Tenn.,    16, 

194,  195. 

Neal, ,  296. 

Neal  &  Newhall,  296. 

Nelson, ,  195,  292. 

Nelson,  N.  H.,  168. 
Netherlands,  240. 
Nevis,  28. 

New  Bedford,  17,  19. 
New    Braintree,   275, 

278. 
New  England,  299. 
New  Grenada,  34,  36. 
New  Hampshire,  264. 
New  Haven   (Conn.), 

50,  235. 
New  Ipswich,   N.  H., 

154. 
New  Jersey,  327. 
New  Malago,  56,  57, 

58. 


New  Orleans,  34,  35, 
39,   73,    109,    124, 

262,  315,  317,  331, 
334,  353. 

New  Providence,  57. 

New  South  Wales,  18, 
23. 

New  York,  19,  20,  23, 
51,  53,  67,  101,107, 
109,  169,  191,  198, 
237,  250,  251,  261, 

263,  306,  307,  330, 
331,  334,  338,  340, 
345,  346,  353,  354, 
361,  369,  374,  377, 
390. 

New  Zealand,  314. 
Newborn,  N.  C,  305. 
Newbury,  81,  82,  85, 

86,  88,  285,  286. 

Newburyport,     25-32, 

81,  306,    308,  369, 

378. 

Newcastle,  Eng.,  377. 

Newell,    Thomas   H., 

60,  62. 
New  Foundland,  40. 

Newhall, ,  296. 

Newman,  Elizabeth, 
88. 

John,  88. 
Newmarket,  88. 
Newton, ,   54,  60. 

Beulah,  144. 

John  C,  50. 
Nichols,         Nickolls, 
,  35,  154,  197. 

Asa,  270. 

Bethiah,  269,  270. 

Betsey,  271. 

David,  270. 

Dorcas,  270. 

Ebenezer,  269. 

Edmund,  270. 

Elizabeth,  269, 

Esther,  270. 

G.,  201. 

Hannah,  269. 

Hosea,  269. 

Ichabod, 197. 

Isaac,  270. 

James,  269. 

Jerusha,  269. 

Johanna    (Joanna), 

269,  270. 

John,  166,  268,  269, 

270,  397. 


Nichols,  John  P.,  393. 
Kendall,  269,  270. 
Lydia  (Hosea),  269. 
Mary,  154,  269,  270. 
Nancy,  270. 
Rachel,  270. 
Rebeckah       (Rebe- 
kah,       Rebecca), 
269,  270. 
Rhoda,  270. 
Samuel,  269. 
Sarah, 269, 270. 
Sophia,  393. 
Uriah,  269. 
Zechariah,  269. 
Nick,  Sarah,  275. 

Nickoff,  ,  74. 

Nickola,  121,  122, 124- 
127,  132,  136,  138, 
139,  150,  151,  217. 
Noble,  Joseph,  170. 
Nondre,  Pedro,  66. 
Norcross,  Daniel,  279. 

Joel,  279. 
Norfolk,    Va.,  45,  53, 

113,  250. 
NorfolkCounty,90,281 
Norman's  Woe,  14. 
Norn's,  John,  29,  200, 

201. 
North  Atlantic,  362. 
North  Carolina,  262. 
North    Kingston,     R. 

I.,  394. 
North  Yarmouth,   89. 
Norton,    George     L., 

109. 
Norwalk,  Conn.,  58. 
Norwich,  Vt., 161, 162, 

203,  400. 
Nottingham,  N.H.,82, 

83. 
Nourse,  Stephen,  12. 
Nova  Scotia,  356,  390. 

Noyes, ,  29. 

William,  87. 
Nudd,Tho.,  284. 
Nuevitas,   Cuba,     45, 
261,  263. 

Oakes,  Lucy,  399. 
Oakham,  392. 
Obear,  Oliver,  201. 
Ocracoke  Inlet,  329. 
Odell  &  Perley,  15. 
O'Donnell,  John,  209. 


418 


INDEX 


Olcott,     Peter,     398, 
400. 

Oliver, ,  104,  195, 

197,  199. 

Charles,  212. 

Thomas  V., 173, 174, 
176,  177. 

William  G.,  19,  20. 

William  W.,  11,  20, 
21,  195. 
Olmstead,  Moses,  161. 
Omoa,  251. 
O'Neil,  Daniel,  361. 

James,  216. 
Ontario,  Lake,  59. 

Opdyke,  ,  356. 

Orange,  Ohio,  400. 
Orangetown,  120. 
Orgamar,  August,  124- 

126. 
Orne,  Josiah,  200. 

Timothy,  260. 

William,    197,   200, 
201,  300. 
Osborne, ,  375. 

J.  Warren,  375. 

Sally,  2. 

William,  375. 
Osgood, ,  31,  103. 

Eben  B.,  22. 

Jeremiah,  4. 

John  C,  369. 

Willi,  91. 
Otaheite,  370. 
Owen,  Lodrick,  393. 
Oxford,  William,  399. 
Oxford,    Mass.,    278, 
391,  392,  395,  396. 

pacific,  106,  107,  232. 
Packersfield,    1ST.   H., 
168. 

Page, .  26,  97. 

J.  P.,  207. 
Onesiphirus,  93,284. 
Kobert,  284. 
Samuel  &  Co.,  30. 

Paine,    Payne,    , 

226. 
Sumner,  98. 

Palfray,  Palfrey, , 

197. 
Charles  W.,  195. 
Francis    Winthrop, 
97,  98. 


Palmer,   Christopher, 
285,  286,  288. 

Henry,  96,  281. 

James,  84. 

James,  Jr.,  81. 

Joseph,  285. 

Mary,  81,  84. 

Samuel,  285. 

Sarah,  82. 
Palmetto,  Fla.,  68. 
Pamlico,  328. 
Pan   of  Matanzas,  48, 

76. 
Panama,  316,  373,  374, 

376. 
Panther    Key     John, 
see  Gomez,  John. 
Para,  202. 

Parish,   Abigail,    163, 
389. 

Abraham,  163. 

Althea,  163. 

Annie,  163. 

Archippus,  163,  389. 

Dinah,  319,  389. 

Isaac,  163. 

Jemima,  163. 

Margaret,  163. 

Mary,  163. 

Phebe,  163. 

Solomon,  389. 
Parke,  Betsey,  388. 

Charles,  388. 

Erastus,  388. 

Jacob,  388. 

Jonathan,  388. 

Ruth,  156,  388. 

William,  388. 
Parker,  Jacob,  276. 

Jerusha,  269. 

Jos.,  271. 

Nathan,  271,  272. 

Nathaniel,  81. 

Ruth,  81. 

William  B.,  368. 

William       Harwar, 
328,  329. 
Parks,  Potia,  387. 
Parlin,  Betsey,  154. 

Parrikete, ,  150. 

Parsons, ,  26. 

Tyler,  201. 
Partridge,     Deborah, 

2T0. 
Pascassett  River,  286. 
Patey,  John,  174. 


Patten,     Henry     Ly- 
man, 98. 

Patterson,    ,     26, 

34,  35,  304. 
Richard,  176. 
Pawwaus  River,  288. 
Paxton,  386,  394. 

Peabody, ,  15,177, 

187,  188,  203,  205. 
Brackley  R.,  207. 
Francis,  12,  174. 
J.,  4,  11. 
J.  A.,  15. 

Joseph,  2,   5-8,    12, 

15,  17-20,   23,   24, 

76,    170-174,    176, 

181,  182,  187,  207, 

300. 

Joseph  A.,  12. 

Joseph  W.,  174,177. 

Peabody  and  Daland, 

15. 
Peabody,  Mass.,  366. 
Peach  Orchard,  100. 
Peacham,  Vt.,  400. 
Pearson,  see  Peirson. 
Pease,  Samuel,  321. 
Peasly,  Joseph,  96. 

Ruth,  96. 
Peckham, William,  23. 

Pedrick, ,   25,  29. 

Samuel  G.,  216. 
Peele,  Jonathan,  186. 
Margaret,  186. 
Robert,  170. 
Willard,  300. 
William,  170. 
Peirce,  see  Pierce. 
Peirson,         Pearson, 

Pierson, ,  97, 

99-101,  265. 
Abel  Lawrence,  97. 
Charles,  99. 
Charles  L.  &  Com- 
pany, 101. 
Charles    Lawrence, 

97,  98,  101. 
Harriet    Lawrence, 

97. 
Jeremiah,  86. 
John,  25. 
Moses,  88,  265. 
Pelham,  N.  H.,  84,  85. 
Pemberton,    Bridget, 
83. 
John,  81,  83. 
Martha,  81. 


INDEX 


419 


Pembroke,  2,  89,  264. 
Pembroke,  N.  H.,  82. 
Penu,  Wm.,  360. 
Pensacola,     45,     115, 

305,  333. 
Pennsylvania,  99. 

Percy, ,  35. 

Perkins,  Pirkins, , 

13,  103,  205. 
Abraham,  92,  94-96, 

285. 
Asa  B.,205. 
AugustusStaniford, 

207,  383. 
Caleb,  95. 
Daniel,  177. 
Eunice,  159. 
George,  104. 
George     Hamilton, 

339. 
Harold  Millett,  205. 
Isaac,  95. 
Jonathan,  285. 
Joseph,  180,  205. 
Nathaniel  F.,  205. 
Priscilla,  89. 
Sarah,  95. 
William,  282. 

Perley, ,  15. 

Amos,  15. 
Greenleaf,    5-8,   11, 

12,  14. 
John,  5. 
Pernambuco,  3,  4,  22, 
23,  177,  191. 

Perry, ,  57,  99. 

Augustus,  17,  19. 
George  B.,99. 
Peru,  374,  377. 
Petersburg,  26,  28,  31, 

32,  100. 
Petersham,  277. 
Peterson,  Semon,  211. 
William  A.,  216,361, 
381. 
Petit  Guave,  26. 
Pettingell,  Benjamin, 
83 
Martha,  83. 
Matthew,  88. 
Phelps,  William,  167. 
Philadelphia,  3,  5,  22, 
23,    39,    67,     173, 
224,  250,  354,  360, 
361. 
Philbrick,      Thomas, 
287,  288. 


Philippine       Islands, 

381 
Phillips, ,261,321. 

John,  319. 

S.,  31. 

Stephen  C,  190. 
Phippen,  David,  186. 

Nathaniel,  186. 

Thomas,  187.' 
Pickering,  John,  300. 

Timothy,  290,  295. 

Pickman,     ,     24, 

381,  382. 

Benjamin,  4. 

Dudley  L.,  195. 

Francis  W.,  15. 

Pierce,    Peirce,  , 

198,  201. 

Aaron,  395. 

B.  &  Co.,  32. 

Benjamin,  300. 

Daniel,  200. 

Elijah,  393. 

George,  190. 

Hannah,  268. 

Jerathmel,  200. 

John  B.,  2. 

Moses,  266. 

Salome,  393. 
Pierson,  see  Peirson. 

Pihon, ,   248,  249. 

Pike,  Pyke, ,  358. 

Robert,  283. 
Pillsbury,    Elizabeth, 
86. 

Henry,  86. 

Mary,  84. 

William,  84. 
Pinckney,      Pinkney, 

,  33,  291. 

Pinder,  William,  15. 
Pingree, ,  367. 

David,  207,  868,  369. 
Piper,  Noah,  393. 

Salome,  893. 
Piscataqua  River,  90, 

94,  286,  287,  323. 
Pitcairn  Island,  195. 
Pitman,     Frank    H„ 

382. 
Pittsfield,  161. 
Pizarro,  374. 
Plainfield,  N.  H.,  400. 
Plander,    George   E., 

209. 
Piatt,  C.  T.,  229. 


Plummer,  Enoch,   87. 

Hannah,  87. 

Samuel,  87. 
Plymouth,  30. 
Point  Hycacos,  111. 
Point  Petre,  28. 

Polk,  ,  335. 

Pond, ,  214. 

John   C,   207,    213, 
362. 
Poor,  Edward,  85. 

Enoch,  87. 

Joseph,  85. 

Miller,  87. 

Rachel,  86. 
Port  au  Prince,  262. 
Port  Cavello,  262. 
Port  d'  Esprit,  220. 
Port  Phillip,   Austra- 
lia, 313. 
Port  Royal  Point,   64. 

Porter, ,  31,51-53, 

55,  112,   225,   228, 

231,  232. 
D.,230. 

David,    49,    58,   62, 
112,  113,  115,  231, 

232,  238,  291. 
John,  52. 
Mary,  359. 

Portland,  Me.,   6,  22, 
88,  234,  330,   353, 
354. 
Porto    Rico,     51,    52, 
114,  229,  230,  235, 
263,  311. 
Portsmouth,  N.H.,90, 
199,  240,  305,  316, 
323,  336,  338,  354, 
377. 
Portugal,  29. 

Postell, ,  349. 

Potomac,  99. 

Potter,  ,  239. 

Abigail,  386. 
Benjamin  Franklin, 

387. 
Cheney,  386. 
Daniel,  386. 
Frederick      Augus- 
tus, 387. 
George  Washington, 

387. 
Jerusha,  387. 
Lucy,  386. 


420 


INDEX 


Potter,  Luther,  387. 

Potia,  387. 

Rhoda,  386. 

Stephen,  240. 
Pound,  Thomas,   321. 
Povo  &  Dubier,  25. 
Powell,  John  G.,  172. 
Pratt, ,  78,  395. 

Abigail,  168. 

Daniel,  168. 

Dorcas,  267. 

Edward,  267. 

Elias,  395. 

Ephraim,  266. 

Joanna,  168. 

John,  395. 

Lavinia,  395. 

Samuel,  168. 

Sarah,  159. 
Prentice,  Josiah,  391. 

Josiah  S.,  391. 

Timothy  D.,  17. 
Prescott, ,  263. 

Anne,  88. 

Oliver,  88. 
Preston,  Jonathan,  5. 
Price,  John,  240. 
Pride, ,  9. 

Edwin,  9. 
Pride's  Crossing,  101. 
Prince,    Henry,     200, 
205,  206,  264. 

Henry  &   Son,  205, 
206. 

John,  197,  212,  266, 
301. 
Principe,   Cuba,   127, 

133. 
Proctor, ,  32. 

Bethiah,  83. 

Thorndike,  200. 
Providence,  JEt.L,  165, 

211,  222,  262. 
Provincetown,  210. 
Pudney,  Keziah,   168. 
Pulsifer,  David,  201. 

Francis,  176. 
Putnam, ,  367. 

Eleanor,  89. 

George  Granville,  1, 
169,  192,  361. 

Hannah,  159. 

Mary,  192. 

Perley  Z.  M.  P., 171, 
172,  203. 

Samuel,  299,  300. 

Sarah,  159. 


Putnam, William  Low- 
ell, 98. 

Queen's  Gardens,141. 

Quelch, ,  322. 

John,  319. 
Queratero,  317. 
Quillamane,  211. 
Quincy,  Josiah,  299. 
Quincy,  Mass.,  306. 
Quocheco,      see     Co- 
checo. 

Race  Point,  13. 
Ragged  Island,  45. 
Ramage, ,  79. 

James,  33. 
Ramsdell,  Charles, 17, 

18. 
Ranal,  370. 
Rand,  Charles  A.,  98. 
Randolph,  John,  295. 
Ranson,  William,  18. 
Rantoul,  Robert  S.,  9, 

184. 
Raphaelina,  36. 
Rowley,  Cyrus,  400. 

Louisa,  400. 
Raymond,  James,  393. 

Molly,  393. 

William,  98. 
Rea,  Samuel  G.,  170. 

William  A.,  194. 
Reading,  89,  157,  158, 
166,  168,  266-272, 
275. 
Redman,  John,  91,  92, 
94,  96,  281,  285, 
287,  288. 

Reed,  Read, ,   13, 

113,  350. 

George,  120,122,124. 
Regla,  78,  119. 
Rehoboth,  398. 

Renard, ,  326,327. 

Revere, ,    99,  319. 

Edward  H.  R.,  115. 

H.  R.,  98. 

Joseph  W.,  115. 

Paul,  99. 

Paul  J.,  98,  115. 
Reynolds,       William, 

4,  5. 
Rhode  Island,  396. 


Rice, ,  26,  78. 

A.  H.,  100. 
Daniel,  388. 
Elizabeth,  388. 
Jabez,  388. 
Jesse,  276. 
John,  385. 
Matthew,  220. 
Mirriam,  388. 
Moses,  388. 
Paul,  388. 

Rich, ,  86. 

Elizabeth,  86. 
Richards,       William, 

176. 
Richardson,  E.P.,  101. 
M.  H.,  101. 
Sarah, 393. 
Ricker,  Winfield,  176. 
Rider,    J.   Orne,  212, 
363. 
Joseph,  4. 
Ridgeley,  Charles  G., 

237. 
Riley.  Daniel,  209,211. 
Rio  de   Janeiro,    177, 
194,  263,  305,  337, 
346,  368,  369. 
Rio  Grande,  264. 
Ripley,  Anne,  275. 
Noah,  275,  276. 
Robbins,  Thomas  A., 
174. 

Roberts, ,  3. 

Robertson, ,  240. 

Robinson,  John,  239. 
Roby,  Henry,  96,  284, 

285. 
Rochdale,  393. 
Rogers,     Nath'l     L., 
201. 
Nathaniel      L.       & 
Brothers,  207. 
Rolf,  Dorothy,  88. 

Ezra,  81. 
Rolf,  John,  93. 
Rollins,  E.,  15. 
Rookville,  Md.,  274. 

Ropes,    ,    27,  98, 

192,  201,  211,  379, 
380,  384. 
Edward  D.,  211. 
Henry,  98. 
James  H.,  101. 
Joseph,  186,  187. 


INDEX 


421 


Hopes,   Emmerton   & 
Co.,  192,  204,  211, 
379,  380,  384. 
Ropes     &     Wellman, 
201. 

Rose, ,  249. 

William  S.,  17. 
Rotterdam,  313. 
Rome,  397. 

Rowell, ,  287. 

Rowland,  James,  331. 
Rowley,  82,  83,87,  89. 
Roxbury,  395. 
Royalston,  Mass.,  398. 
Royalston,  Ohio,  162. 
Royalston,   Vt.,     398, 

400. 
Royce,  Elizabeth,  156. 
Ruggles,  Lydia,  388. 
Ruliff,  James,  18. 

London,  4-7,  173. 
Rumford,  89. 
Russell,  Clark,  315. 
Elizabeth,  167. 
Eunice,  168. 
George  R.,  101. 
James  S.,  101. 
Margaret,  166. 
Thomas,  155. 
Timothy,  166,  168. 
Russia,  30,  201,  224. 
Rutland,  277,  278. 
Rutland,  Vt.,  161,389 
Rynders,  Isaiah,  331. 


Sabins, ,  48. 

Saco,  120,  146. 
Sacramento  City,  375. 
St.  Andrew's  Bay,305. 
St.  Anthony,  18. 
St.    Augustine,    Fla., 

79,  115,  349. 
St.  Barts,  305. 
St.  Catharine,  Brazil, 

371,  374. 
St.  Croix,  234,  306. 
St.  Helena,  11,  22,  24, 

180,  213,  216,  248, 

253,  363,  364,  369, 

382. 
St.  Jago,  27,  32. 
St.  Jago  de  Cuba,  25, 

29,    31,    182,   204, 

222. 
St.  John,  Porto  Rico, 

52,  120. 
St.  John,  Antigua,  30. 


St.  John  de  los  Reme- 

dios,  111. 
St.  Lucar,  27. 
St.  Malo,  33. 
St.   Maria,    127,    128, 

147,  148,  151. 
St.  Mary's,  29. 
St.  Michael's,  251. 
St.  Petersburg,  26-31, 

182. 
St.  Rose  Island,  305. 
St.  Sebasts,  27. 
St.  Thomas,  37,   229, 

306,  338. 
Salem,  1,3,4,  6,7,11, 
12,  15,    17-19,   20, 
24,  26-28,   30,   31, 
73,  75-77, 169, 172, 
173,  176,  183,  185, 
186,  190,  191,  197- 
199,  202,  205,  206, 
215,  216,  250,  264, 
274,  289,  292,  297- 
299,  306,  361,  363, 
366,  367,   369-371, 
379,  384. 
Salem,  N.  H.,  81. 
Salisbury,  81,  86,   87, 
89,  90,  93,   94,  96, 
284,  298. 
Salisbury  Island,  95. 
Salmon,  William,  85. 
Salt  Key,  73. 
Saltonstall,  Nath.,  92, 
95,    96,   2S1,    284, 
287. 

Sampson, ,  7,  336, 

337. 
Sampson  andTappan, 
336,  337. 

Samuels, ,  308. 

Samuel,  307. 
Sanborn,     Samborne, 
Elizabeth,  89. 
Moses,  89. 
William,  94,  95,287, 

288. 
Sanbornton,  N.H.,  17. 
San  Domingo,    29,  52, 

62,  231,    234,    251, 

311. 
San  Francisco, 314,316, 

340,   351,   372-374, 

376,  377,  379,  380. 
San  Juan,  376. 
Sand   Heads,  6-9,   24, 

169,  270,  172,  187. 


Sanders, ThomasM., 4. 
Sanderson,  Jaeob,  5. 
Sands,    Benjamin  F., 

325,  340. 
Sandwich,   N.  H.,  82. 
Sandwich  Islands,372. 
Sandy  Hook,  307. 
Sanibel  Island,  71. 
Santa  Cruz,  370. 
Saratoga,  N.  Y.,  266. 
Sargeant,  John,  161. 
Satchell,      Satchwell, 
Jonathan,  87. 
Mary,  87. 
Theophilus,  92. 
Sato,  Benito  de,  255, 

260. 
Saugus,  319. 
Saugur  Roads,  3. 

Sauley, ,  254,  255, 

260. 

Saunders, •,  12,  22, 

180,  184,    186-189, 
192. 
Daniel,  184,  186. 
Daniel,  Jr.,  184. 
J.  W.  &  Co.,  26. 
Philip,  181,  184,186. 
Thomas,  186. 
Thomas  M.,  4-8,  10- 
12,  14-20,   22,   23, 
178,  184,  186,  192. 

Savage,  ,  102, 103. 

Thomas,  87. 
Savage's  Station,  100. 
Savannah,    Ga.,    262, 

333,  364. 
Saverneau,  John,  25. 
Savory,    William    T., 
382. 

Sawyer, ,  194. 

Dorcas,  267. 
Sayas,    Francisco  de, 

64. 
Scarborough,  254. 
Scobie,  John  J.,  20. 
Scotland,  163-165. 

Scott, ,  79. 

Benjamin,  83. 
Sarah,  83. 

Searle, ,  30. 

Philip,  389. 
Seccomb,     Ebenezer, 
170. 
Richard  W.,  170. 
Second  Church,  81. 


422 


INDEX 


Sedgwick,  Arthur,  98. 

John,  100. 
Semmes, Raphael, 353. 
Setauket,  h.  I.,  331. 
Seven  Pines,  100. 
Sevier,  Joseph,  25. 
Sharon,  269. 
Shatswell,  Joseph,  17. 

Shaw,   ,   59,   227, 

261. 

William,  174. 
Shepard,   Charles  I., 
362. 

Michael,  207. 

Michael  W.,  207. 

Stephen  W.,  190. 
Sherbrooke,  Sir  John, 

325. 
Sherburn,  155. 
Sherman,  Dorcas,  267. 

Katy,  267. 

Keutha,  267. 

Lydia,  267. 

Nathaniel,  267. 

Rebekah,  267. 

Susannah, 267. 
Sherry,  George,  24. 
Short,  Clement,  17. 
Shot  Keys,  262,  264. 
Shreve, ,  204. 

Benjamin,  204. 

Samuel  V.,   11,  12, 
204. 

William,  204. 
Shreve,      Crump      & 

Low,  204. 
Shumway,Sophia,393. 
Shurtleff,  John,  173. 
Sibley, ,  104. 

Eunice,  159. 

G-ideon,  159. 

Hannah,  159. 

Huldah,  159. 

Jonathan,  89,  159. 

Joseph,     159,     394, 
397. 

Paul,  159. 

Reuben,  159. 

Ruth,  159. 

Samuel,  394. 

Sarah,  159. 

Solomon,  395. 

Tamar,  159. 

Tarrant,  159. 
Sierra  Leone,  248-250, 

341. 
Siguapa  Bay,  111. 


Silsbee, ,  381, 382. 

Henry  B.,  176. 
Silsbee  and  Stone,  24, 

27. 
Silver,  James, 190,201. 

Simms, ,  350. 

Simonton,  Walter  H., 
6. 

William  H.,  6. 
Singletary,  Amos, 395. 

Benjamin,  96. 

Mary,  395. 

Thankful,  395. 
Sisal,  56-58. 

Sisson, ,  38. 

Skinner,  C.  W.,  226. 

Daniel,  162. 

Sloat, ,  235,  270. 

Smart,  John,  281. 

Robert,  282. 
Smith,  Anna,  157. 

Caleb,  2,  177. 

Ebenezer,    Jr.,    18- 
20,  23. 

Edward,  288. 

Elizabeth,  157. 

Hannah,  82. 

John,    91,    95,    157, 
284,  286. 

Leonard,  28. 

Lydia,  157. 

Margaret,  163. 

Michael,   25,  29,  32. 

Nathaniel,    28,    96, 
283. 

Rebecca,  86. 

Ruth,  157. 

Samuel,  82. 

Timothy,  157. 

Wm.,  28. 

William  B.   (Zanzi- 
bar), 207. 
Smyrna,  190,  264,  305. 
Snow,  Anna,  393. 

Moses,  393. 
Society  Islands,  372. 
Somerby,  Abiel,  85. 

Mary,  85. 

Somers, ,  264. 

Somerset  House,  114. 
Soto,  Benito  de,   252, 

253. 
South    America,    77, 

172,  292. 
South  Atlantic,  75. 
South    Hampton,    N. 
H.,  83. 


Southard, ,  359. 

Southboro,  153. 
Spain,  292. 
Spanish  Main,  182. 
Sparhawk,  Augustin, 
363. 

Hannah,  397. 
Spears,  John  R.,  347, 

351. 
Spencer,      Elizabeth, 

389. 
Spencer,  Mass.,  393. 
Spicket  (Methuen),83. 
Spofford,  Daniel,  83. 

Mary,  83. 
Spottsylvania,  100. 
Sprague,  Joseph,  200. 
Spring, ,  164. 

Elizabeth,  164. 

Naomi,  164. 

Stacey, ,  31. 

Staigg, ,  360. 

Stanian,  John,  96. 
Stanley,        Standley, 
,  350. 

Nancy,  9. 

Stanton, ,  99. 

Starin,     Calista     (Di- 
mock),  164. 

Joseph,  164. 
Starr,  Clement,  25,33. 
Stearns,  Hannah,  279. 

Jonathan,  279. 
Stedman,  James,  164. 
Steers,  George,  346. 
Stein,  Robert,  23. 
Sterling,  William,  95. 
Stevens,       Stephens, 
,  31,  85,  184. 

Ann,  86. 

C,  23. 

David,  89. 

Hannah,  167. 

John,  94,    186,  283, 
284. 

Joseph,  86. 
Stevenson,  John,  176. 

Robert  Hooper,  97, 
100,  101. 

Thomas  Greeley,97. 
Stevenson  and    Peir- 
son,  97,  101. 

Stewart, ,225,349. 

Stickney, ,  366. 

Abigail,  87. 

Benjamin,  15. 

Dorothy,  81. 


INDEX 


423 


Stickney,    J.    Frank, 
362. 

John,  7,  8,  11,85,87. 

Jonathan,  82. 
Samuel,  81. 

Susannah,  81. 

Thomas,  81. 
Stickney  &  Hale,  366. 
Stimson,     Alexander, 
276. 

Amos,  276. 

Emily,  385. 

Jeremy,  385. 

Samuel,  276. 
Stirling,  Mary,  95. 

William,  95. 
Stirup  Key,  261. 
Stocker,  Ebenezer,29, 

31. 
Stockholm,  5,  6. 
Stockman,  John,  93. 

Moses,  89. 

Stockton, ,  51. 

Stockwell,  Aaron,391. 

Hannah,  391. 
Stoddard,  N.  H.,  269. 
Stodder,  Herschel,  4. 
Stone, ,   9,  24,  27. 

Amy,  392. 

Benjamin  W.,  24. 

Edmund,  8,  9. 

Hannah,  28. 

Jacob,  26. 

Mary,  9. 

Simeon,  280. 

William,  379. 
Stone,      Silsbees      & 

Pickman,  24. 
Story,  Joseph, 297,319. 

William,  198. 
Stout,  John  B.,  212. 

Stover, ,  32. 

Stowell, ,  292. 

Stratham,  89. 
Stratton,  Vt.,  398. 
Stribling,  C.  K.,  52. 
Stuart,  Elizabeth,  82. 

Gilbert,  297. 

Hannah,  82. 
Suffield,  Conn.,  898. 
Sullivan,  Me.,  305. 
Sullivan,  N.  H.,  154. 
Sumatra,   7,    19,   182, 
198,  242,  243,  366. 
Sumner,  Charles,  99. 
Suncook,  N.  H.,  82. 
Surinam,  27. 


Sutton,    83,    159,  392, 

394,  39(5,  398,  399. 

Suze,  Francis  de,  120, 

127. 
Swain,  Mary,  89. 
Swan,  Isaac,  17,  18. 

Robert,  96. 
Swasey,  Joseph,  85. 
Sweden,  173. 
Sweet,  Benjamin,   87. 

Mary,  87. 
Sweetser,  Sally,  88. 

Seth,  88. 
Swett,  Stephen,  86,89. 

Steven,  286. 
Symonds,       Simonds, 
Danforth,  204. 

Eben,  204. 

Hannah,  269. 

James,  173. 

Joanna,  157. 

John,  204. 

John  D.,  8. 

Samuel,  93. 

Stephen,  204. 

Wm.,  93,  287. 

Tabayas,  202. 
Tainter,         Elizabeth 
Jane,  393. 

Tallerand, ,  291. 

Tamatave,     212,   215, 
362,  363,  381,  382, 
384. 
Tampa,  115. 
Tampico,  264. 

Tappan, ,  336,337. 

Taria  Topan,  383. 
Tarrant,  Benj.,  200. 
Tate, ,  220. 

William,  6. 
Tattnall,  Josiah,    113. 
Taunton,  385. 
Tay,  Polly,  268. 
Taylor,    Tailer,  —     , 
51,  112. 

Abigail,  274. 

Elizabeth,  388. 

Isaac,  275. 

James,  275. 

Phcbe,  274,  275. 

Rebecca,  360. 

Sarah,  275. 

Susannah,  275. 

Thomas,  274,  275. 
Teach, ,  324,  329. 


Temple,       Elizabeth, 

393. 
Temple,  X.  H.,  266. 
Teneriffe,  78,  252. 
Tenney,  Daniel,  84. 

Joanna,  84. 

Jonathan,  81. 

Lydia,  81. 

Terrell, ,  33. 

Tewksbury,  82,  83,89. 
Thacher's    Island,   8, 

13. 
Thames,  257. 
Thayer, ,  368. 

Hannah,  279. 

Ichabod, 279. 

Polly,  279. 
Thetford,  Vt.,  162. 
Thomas, ,  133. 

Charles,  318. 

George,  148. 

John,  393. 

Rebecca,  393. 

William,  30,  399. 
Thomaston,  240. 
Thomaston,  Me.,  176. 
Thompson,     Charles, 
216. 

Smith,  33. 
Thompson's      Island, 

54,  110,  111,  262. 
Thorndike, ,  20. 

Albert,  18. 

I.,  201. 

William,  23. 
Thorndike  &  Co.,   31. 
Thurton,Thomas,  285, 

286. 
Ticonderoga,  266. 
Tino,  264. 

Tirrell.Gideon,  87,  89. 
Titcomb,  Ann,  85. 

Apphia,  86. 

B.  B.,  378. 

Benajib,  85. 

Joseph,  85. 

Mary,  86. 

Moses,  86. 

Sarah,  86. 

William,  85,  86. 
Tobasco,  56. 
Todd,  Elizabeth,  87. 

John  E.  A.,  378. 

Samuel,  87. 
Tolland,  83. 
Tolland,  Conn.,  391. 


424 


INDEX 


Toppan,  Abraham,85. 

Martha,  85. 
Topstield,  4,   96,  154, 

397. 
Torrey,  Anna,  392. 

Sarah,  277. 
Toucey,  I.,  318. 

Isaac,  317. 
Touret,  Benjamin  A., 
16. 
Frank  Hale,  16. 
Victor,  15,  16. 
Towne,     Town,    Ed- 
mund, 397. 
Elizabeth,  397. 
Hannah,  397. 
Henry,  7,  8,  11,  12. 
Sylvanus,  395. 

Townsend, ,   370. 

Townsend,  83. 
Townsend,  Penn.,200. 
Townshend,  Vt.,  396. 
Trafalgar,  292,  811. 
Train,  Enoch,  203. 
Trask,  Joseph,  174. 
Traspelascus,  123,124. 
Trieste,  305. 
Trinidad,  11,  60,  120, 
121,  128,  131,  133, 
136,  141,  148,  151, 
217,  222,  240. 
Tripoli,  231. 
Tristan    d'     Acunha, 

364. 
True,  Henry,  96. 
Trumbull,  EdwardB., 
204,  364,  365,  379, 
382. 
Edward  H.,  176,204. 
Walter  H.,  204,  380, 
383. 
Truro,  240. 
Tucker,  Ebenezer,  96. 
G.,  4-6. 
Gideon,  2. 
Hannah,  85. 
Ichabod,  301. 
John,  22-24,  83,  85, 
170-173,  176,   177, 
200. 
Jonathan,  200,  395. 
Mary  (Hincher),395. 
Rebecca,  83. 
Ruth,  395. 

Turner, ,  237. 

Christopher,  2. 
Vesta,  277. 


Turtle  Bay,  69. 
Tuttle, ,  102. 

J.  E.,  17. 
Tweedy,  John,  389. 
Twelve  League   Key, 

121. 
Tyler,  Miriam,  81. 

Moses,  81. 

Underwood,   Joseph, 

7. 
United  States,  71, 105, 

290,  294. 
Upham,  Jacob,  159. 

Mary,  159. 

O.  W.,  359. 

Phineas,  158. 

Rebecca,  158. 

Ruth,  159. 

Sarah,  158,  159. 

Tamzen       (Thoma- 
sin),  158,  159. 
Upton,  Edwin,  383. 

John,  9. 

Robert,  383. 

Samuel,  300. 

William,  166,  172. 
Upton,  Mass.,  385. 
Uxbridge,  275. 

Vaghan,  ,  288. 

Valenciennes,  224. 

Valentine,   ,   242, 

247. 
Charles,  385. 
Joseph,  385. 
Valparaiso,    113,  204, 
232,  291,  375,  377, 
378. 
Vancouver,  B.C.,  378. 

Varney, ,  370. 

Samuel,  370. 
Veale,  Thomas,  320. 
Vera   Cruz,    56,    261, 

315,  342,  353. 
Very,  Ephraim,  200. 
George  B.,  6-8,  17. 
Vessels: 
Acasta     (ship),    11, 

199. 
Acorn  (brig),  181. 
Active  (barque), 203. 
Active     (schooner), 

304. 
Adet  (privateer),25. 
Adventure     (ship), 
200. 


Vessels. 
Aeratus  (ship),  202. 
Alabama,  317. 
Albert,  39. 
Albert  (brig),  261. 
Alert  (brig),  199. 
Alert  (sch.),  263. 
Alert  (sloop),  232. 
Alexander  (brig),  3, 

263. 
Alfred  (ship),  190. 
Alligator  (sch.),  12, 

45-47,  106. 
Alonzo  (brig),  181. 
Alvea       (corvette), 

262. 
Amazon  (brig),  181. 
Amedee     (barque), 

116. 
America,  331. 
America  (brig),  305. 
America(privateer), 

1,  73,  187. 
America  (ship),  5. 
Angola       (barque), 

369-371. 
Ann  (brig),  206,261, 

264. 
Ann  (sch.),  262. 
Aquilla  (sch.),    262. 
Arab  (ship),  188. 
Argus  (brig),  47. 
Aristidies,  39. 
Atlanta      (barque), 

213. 
Atlanta    (steamer), 

345. 
Atlantic  (brig),  306. 
Attentive        (brig), 

238,  241. 
Augusta  (brig),  181. 
Augustine      (shiD), 

263. 
Augustus       (ship), 

181. 
Augustus  and  John, 

(sch.),  57. 
Aurilla  (brig),73,74. 
Avon,  194. 
Azores(packet),252. 
Bandera  de  Sangre, 

39. 
Banian  (brig),  9. 
Bas    Blanche    (pri- 
vateer), 26. 
Beagle  (sch.),  50,54, 

229. 


INDEX 


425 


Vessels. 

Bee  (sch.),  200. 
Petsey   (brig),    181, 

186,  262. 
Betsey  (sch.),  200. 
Big  Bonanza,  209. 
Black  Joke  (brigan- 

tine),  253. 
Bolivar  (brig),  264. 
Borneo  (ship),  201. 
Boston,  338. 
Bramin    (brig),   21, 

22. 
Bravo,  El  (sch.),  79. 
Briggs       Brothers, 

188. 
Brisk,  346. 
Brookline       (ship), 

171,  190. 
Brothers   (ship),  2, 

201. 
Brutus    (brig),     3, 

201. 
Buckeye,  342. 
Buckskin  (sch.)304. 
Burguera,  38. 
Bustard  (brig),  63. 
C.  H.  Jordan  (brig), 

348. 
C.S.  Packard  (brig), 

364. 
Caledonia(  ship),  3. 
California      (ship), 

373. 
Calypso  (ship),  262. 
Cambrian(brig),181. 
Candace  (ship),  241, 

242,  244,  245,  248, 

250. 
Canton  (brig),    181. 
Cape  Cruz,  120. 
Caravan,  177. 
Carmen,  La,  38. 
Carmen  (brig),  263. 
Carnation     (sloop), 

63. 
Carroll  (sch.),  305. 
Caroline     Augusta, 

367. 
Catalina,39,lll,112. 
Catalina    del   Com- 

mercio,  263. 
Carthage  (ship), 181. 
Cata,  La,  39. 
Catharine      (sch.  , 

200. 


Vessels. 

CatharineElizabeth, 
252. 

Catherine(brig),  181 

Catherine(ship),  181 

Celestial  (ship), 368. 

Centella  (sch.),  262. 

Ceylon  (brig)-,  252. 

Chalmette(barque), 
216. 

Charles  (sch.),  79. 

Charles  Doggett 
(brig),  194. 

Charles  Pearson 
(tug),  209,  2L0. 

Cherub  (brig),  264. 

Cherub  (sloop-of 
war),  113,  232. 

Chesapeake  (U.  S. 
frigate),  293,  294. 

China  (ship),  9,  181. 

Cienega  (sch.),  39, 
45. 

Cincinnatus  (ship), 
181,  182. 

City  of  Norfolk,342. 

Cleopatra  (ship)204. 

Collingwood  (ship), 
370. 

Columbia  (ship),199 

Commerce  (ship), 
185. 

Concord  (ship),  303. 

Congress  (frigate), 
45,  107. 

Constantia  (priva- 
teer), 264. 

Constitution  (frig- 
ate), 106,  205. 

Constellation  (fri- 
gate), 106-108,231, 
233,  291. 

Coquette  (sch.),  45. 

Cora  (barque),  342, 
351. 

Cossack  .brig),  181. 

Crown  Prince  Wil- 
liam (ship),  313. 

Crusader  (steamer), 
344. 

Cumberland,  236. 

Cyane  (corvette, 
107,  108. 

Cynthia  (barque), 
367,  368. 

Cynthia  (sch.),  181. 


Vessels. 
Dartmouth  (frigate) 

63,  237. 
Dawn  (brig),  181. 
Decoy  (ship),50,233. 
Defensar  de  Pedro, 

253. 
Democrata  (steam- 
er), 353. 
Devereux,  30. 
Diligent  (sch.),  200. 
Dispatch  (brig), 200. 
Dolphin(privateer), 

31. 
Dolphin  (sch.),  106, 

304. 
Dolphin  (sloop),321. 
Dorchester(barque) 

383. 
Dover  (brig),  48,  76. 
Dover  (ship),  171. 
Dragon  (barque),  5. 
Dreadnought(ship), 

307,  308. 
Duxbury  (ship), 181. 
Echo  (brig),234,349. 
Eclipse    (ship),    19, 

181,  205. 
Edward  (brig),  262, 

263. 
Edwin  (barque), 204. 
Eliza  (barque),  188, 

200,  202. 
Eliza  (brig),  10. 
Eliza    (brigantine), 

248. 
Eliza  (sch.),  3,  201. 
Eliza  (ship),191,198. 
Eliza  Locke,  252. 
Elizabeth  (barque), 

383. 
ElizabethHall(bark) 

202. 
Elbe  (brig),  303. 
Ella  Virginia(bark) 

211. 
Emanuela,  346. 
Emerald  (ship),   19. 
Emily    (brig),     308, 

310. 
Emmanuel,  39. 
Endeavour    (ship), 

3,  201. 
Enterprise      (brig), 

38,  45,  106. 
Enterprise    (steam- 
er), 50,  51. 


426 


INDEX 


Vessels. 
Enterprise     (sch.), 

231,  232. 
Equality  (sch.),  181. 
Erie,  312. 
Erie  (sloop  of  war), 

107,  108,  237. 
Essex  (barque),  361, 

381,  382. 
Essex  (frigate),  113, 

114,  232,  290. 
Essex  (sch.),  201. 
Exertion  (sch.),  124, 

126-135,  137,    144, 

148,  152,  216. 
Fair  Trader  (sch.), 

304. 
Falcon  (brig),  264. 
Falmouth(sch.),347. 
Falmouth  (sloop-of- 

war),  237. 
Falmouth  (steamer), 

318. 
Fame  (brig),  201. 
Fame(fishingsmack) 

303. 
Fanny  (brig),  200. 
Favorite  (brig),  200. 
Fawn  (brig),  306,374. 
Fenelon  (ship),  170. 
Ferret  (sch.),  50,  60, 

61,  233. 
Fishhawk(sch.),181. 
Flor  de  la  Mar,  38. 
Flora  (brig),  10. 
Flyer,  57. 
Forrester  (brig),  3, 

201. 
Forrester  (ship),368 
Forte  (ship),  63. 
Fortune,  328. 
Fortune.  La  (priva- 
teer), 25. 
Forty  Thieves,  119. 
Fox       (brigantine), 

305. 
Fox    (sch.),    50,  52, 

233. 
Francis  (ship),  181, 

183. 
Franklin  (ship), 106, 

181. 
Friendship     (sch.), 

200. 
Friendship     (ship), 

198. 


Vessels. 
Fulton,  49. 
Galago       (barque), 

369. 
Galaxy  (sch.),  220. 
Gallinipper  (barge), 

50,    52,    53,     110, 

111,  237. 
Gazelle      (clipper), 

351. 
General       Morazan 

(sch.),  251. 
General       Parkhill 

(ship),  358. 
Genoral        Warren 

(brig),  204. 
Gen.  Warren  (sch.), 

264. 
George  (brig),   181, 

200. 
George  (ship"),  1-12, 

15,    16,    18,  20-23, 

169-183,    187,  189, 

190,  192-195,    197, 

199,  202,  203. 
George  Kaynes 

(ship),  377,  378. 
Georgia  (ship),  188. 
Gleaner    (brig),     3, 

201. 
Glide  (barque),  206, 

211-216,     361-363, 

365,  379-384. 
Glide  (ship),  9,  181, 

189. 
Globe  (ship),  240. 
Gloucester     (ship), 

63. 
Gnat    (barge),    50, 

226. 
Good  Hope   (ship), 

200. 
Goodlntent(barque) 

200. 
Good  Intent  (sch.), 

2,  201. 
Governor  Plummer 

(privateer),  325. 
Grampus  (sch.),  12, 

38,  45,  50,   56,  59, 

106,  118,  119,  229, 

233,  235,  237. 
Grand       Sachem 

(snow),  185. 
Grand  Turk,  30. 
Grande  Bonaparte, 

31. 


Vessels. 
Grecian  (cutter),  62, 

63. 
Greyhound(cruiser) 

328. 
Greyhound     (sch.), 

50,  52,  54,  114. 
Guerriere,  107. 
Gunboat    No.    156, 

106. 
Gunboat    No.     168, 

106. 
Habana    (steamer), 

315,  353. 
Hamilton       (ship), 

192. 
Hannah  (sch.),  200, 

220. 
Hazard  (sch.),    181. 
Hazard  (ship),    201. 
Henry  (barque), 306. 
Henry    (brig),    235, 

264. 
Heroine,  175. 
Highlander    (ship), 

379. 
Hind  (brig),  200. 
Hirondelle,  L'  (pri- 
vateer), 29. 
Hope  (brig),  181. 
Hope  (sch.),  3,  201. 
Hope  (ship),  3,  201. 
Hope     and     Susan 

(sch.),  264. 
Hopewell(sch.),200. 
Hornet  (brig),  233. 
Hornet      (sloop-of- 

war),   37,   38,  45, 

50,  106,  237. 
Hunter  (brig),  25. 
Hunter  (sch.),  181. 
Hunter    (ship),     3, 

201. 
Huntress(ship),353. 
Hyperion  (frigate), 

63. 
Icarus  (frigate),235. 
Ilzaid,  368,  369. 
Imaum       (barque), 

376. 
Independence(brig) 

3,  201. 

lndianola      (steam- 
er), 317. 

Indus  (brig),  9. 

Industry  (sch.),  305. 


INDEX 


427 


Vessels. 
Insurgente     (priva- 
teer), 231,  291. 
Isaac  Hicks  (ship), 

181. 
Isabella,  252. 
Isle        de         Cuba 

(barque),  351. 
Jackal  (sch.)  50,233. 
Jamestown    (sloop- 

of-war),  370. 
Janus  (ship),  181. 
Jason  (brig),  181. 
Java,  107. 
Jefferson     (cutter), 

304. 
Jefferson      (yacht), 

303. 
Jefferson  Davis(pri- 

vateer),  349. 
Jerome     Maximilli- 

en  (ship),  262. 
Jersey  (barque),213, 

215,  361. 
Joanna  (brig),  25. 
John  (brig),  25. 
John  (sch.),  181. 
John  Adams  (sloop 

of   war),    45,    50, 

107,  108,  229,  233. 
John  Dunlap  (brig), 

371. 
Joseph  (sch.),  25. 
Juno,  26. 

Kangaroo  (brig),  63. 
Kibby  (brig),  339. 
Lady      Washington 

(brig),  26. 
Lareh,  39. 
Lark  (sch.),  26. 
Latimer,  237. 
Laura    Ann   (brig), 

261. 
Lavinia  (brig),  26. 
Leader  (brig),  78. 
Leader  (sloop),  26. 
Leander  (brig),  181, 

190. 
Leopard      (man-of- 
war),  293,  294. 
Levant  (brig),  181, 

186. 
Liberty  (privateer), 

25. 
Light  Horse  (ship), 

197. 
Lively  (sloop),   181. 


Vessels. 
London  Packet 

(brig),  305. 
Lotus  (ship),  181. 
Louisa    (ship),     26, 

262. 
Lucies,  39. 
Lucy  (brig),  200. 
Lydia,  26. 
Lydia  (sch.),  3,  201. 
M.  Shepard   (brig), 

202. 
Maceas  (brig),  262. 
Macedonian        (fri- 
gate), 45,  106. 
McRae       (steamer) 

317,  353. 
Macrinarian  (brig), 

248. 
Madagascar  (ship), 

315. 
Maine  (ship),  9. 
Mandarin       (ship), 

169. 
Manzanarez   (brig), 

248,  250. 
Maria  (sch.),  26. 
Marianne  (ship),  27. 
Marquis  de   la   Ha- 

bana      (steamer), 

315-317,  353. 
Martha  (ship),   197, 

345. 
Martin  (sch.),  27. 
Mary  (barque),  27. 
Mary  (brig),  3. 
Mary  (sch.),  27,  39, 

41. 
Mary  (ship),  201. 
Mary     (sloop),     27, 

321. 
Mary  Ann,  27. 
Mary    Ellen  (brig), 

372. 
Mary  Pauline(brig), 

336. 
Mary  Pilke,  27. 
Mason  (ship),  194. 
Matae  (brig-of-war), 

61. 
Mechanic,  39. 
Medina        (sloop-of 

war),  249. 
Memphis  (steamer), 

345. 
Mennon  (ship),  216. 


Vessels. 
Mentor   (ship),    19, 

27. 
Merrimac       Packet 

(sloop),  181. 
Mexican  (brig),  181, 

252,  261. 
Michigan       (ship  , 

355. 
Midas  (brig),  190. 
Midge  (barge),  50. 
Mindoro  (ship)  ,381, 

382. 
Missouri  (steam  fri- 
gate), 50. 
Mobile  (sch.),  263. 
Mohican    (sloop-of- 

war),  354. 
Monkey  (sch.),  118. 
Morning  Star 

(barque),  254,  255, 

258,  260. 
Morning  Star(brig), 

227. 
Moscow,  39. 
Moses,  27. 
Mosquito      (barge), 

50,  53,  110,  111. 
Moss  (ship),  9. 
Mt.  Vernon   (ship), 

170,  181,  188,  198. 
Mystic     (steamer), 

344. 
Nabby  (sch.),  181. 
Nalouisca  (brig),27. 
Nancy  (ship),  28. 
Naples  (ship),  181. 
Natal  (barque),  384. 
Natchez      (sloop-of 

war),  237. 
Navarino,  175. 
Neptune,  28. 
Neptune  (brig),181. 
Nereus  (brig),  6,15. 
New  Jersey   (ship), 

181. 
New  Priscilla(brig), 

240,  305. 
New  Vork  (frigate), 

232. 
Niagara   (brig),  76- 

78,  181. 
Nightingale      (clip- 
per), 336,  339,340, 

342. 
Nile  (barque),  202. 


428 


INDEX 


Vessels. 
Nocton       (packet), 

232. 
Nonsuch  (sen.), 106. 
Nubia  (barque),383. 
Ocean  Monarch, 203. 
Ocilla  (ship),  353. 
Ohio  (brig),340,341. 
Olive  Branch  (brig), 

200. 
Orbit  (brig),  306. 
Oregon  (ship),   373. 
Orestes,  28. 
Orient,  28. 
Ontario     (sloop-of- 

war),  106. 
Orleans   (ship),   37, 

67. 
Ossippee  (ship),  28. 
Pacific,  28. 
Packet,  29. 
Pallas  (barque), 181. 
Pallas  (ship),  198. 
Palmyra      (brigan- 

tine),  39,  46. 
Panama  (ship),  373. 
Panchita  (brig),  38, 

59. 
Panderer  (ship),  32. 
Pandora  (sloop),63. 
Partridge  (ship)  10. 
Patriot  (privateer), 

53. 
Peacock    (sloop-of- 

war),  50,  54,    107, 

108. 
Peggy  (sch.),  29. 
Pelican,  47. 
Pereira,  38. 
Perry  (brig-of-war), 

236,  345. 
Perry  (sch.),  306. 
Perseverance(ship), 

197. 
Philadelphia      (fri- 
gate), 232. 
Philip  (brig),  10. 
Phoebe       (frigate), 

113,  232. 
Phoebe  Ann  (brig), 

305. 
Pilgrim  (brig),   307. 
Pilot  (sch.),   39,  53. 
Pinta  (sch.),  261. 
Pioneer  (brig),  181. 
Planter  (sch.),  263. 
Polly  (brig),  29. 


Vessels. 

Polly  (cutter),   304. 
Polly  (sch.),   29,  30, 

200. 
Polly  (ship),  29. 
Poloma,  38. 
Pompey   (ship),     3, 

401. 
Porpoise  (brig),341, 

342. 
Porpoise  (sch.),  45, 

79,  106,  226,  342. 
Precurseur(corsair) 

32. 
Pride    (brigantine), 

39. 
Prince  Lucien(ship) 

216. 
Prometheus   (brig), 

37. 
Prudent  (ship),  201. 
Prudentee      (brig), 

222. 
Rambler    (barque), 

216. 
Rachel  (brig),  30. 
Rainbow  (sch.),  262. 
Rambler  (brig),201. 
Rambler  (schr),201. 
Rambler  (ship),  3. 
Ranger,  328. 
Raritan  (frigate),59. 
Rebecca  (sch.),  30. 
Red  Rover,  331. 
Redwing  (brig),  63. 
Regulator(sch.)  ,304 
Regulus  (sch.),  201. 
Repeater,  249. 
Resolution     (brig), 

181. 
Respect  (brig),  30. 
Revenge  (gunboat), 

45. 
Revenge  (sch.),  79. 
Richmond       (brig), 

250. 
Rob  Roy  (brig),  264. 
Robert  (brig),  30. 
Robert  Fulton  (str.) 

77.  108-110. 
Rockland  (sch.),250. 
Romp  (brig),  3,  201. 
Roque  (brig),  181. 
Rosalinda     (sloop), 

28. 
Rotund  (brig),    181. 
Ruthy  (brig),  200. 


Vessels. 
Sabbatas  (brig), 251. 
Sachem      (barque), 

216,  361,  384. 
St.    Helena    (brig), 

248,  249. 
St.   Michael  (brig), 

2,  201. 
St.  Paul  (ship),  191, 

202. 
Salem  School  Ship, 

1. 
Sally,  31. 

Sally  (brig),181,303. 
Sally  (sch.),  31,  200. 
Sally  (ship),  181. 
San  Sourit  (priva- 
teer), 31. 
Sandfly  (barge),  50. 
Saratoga    (sloop-of- 

war),     316,     317, 

338,  342,  353. 
Savannah  (frigate), 

370. 
Scout  (sloop),  63. 
Sea    Flower  (sch.), 

29. 
Sea  Gull  (steamer), 

49-52,     110,     111, 

283,  237. 
Sea-Horse  (brig), 10. 
Seringapatam    (fri- 
gate), 63. 
Shark  (sch.),  45,  50, 

106,  233,  237. 
Shepherdess  (sen.), 

79. 
Shiboleth  (sch.),  57. 
Shirlep  (ship),   191. 
Sicilian      (barque ), 

382. 
Sir      John       Sher- 

brooke   (cruiser), 

325. 
Sontag  (barque)216. 
Sophia,  35. 
Sophia         Thomas 

(ship),  23. 
Southern  Star 

(steamer),  345. 
Spark  (brig),  37,  45, 

50,  106. 
Spark  (sch.),  233. 
Speed    (brig),    181, 

187. 
Speedwell  (sch.),63. 
Spy  (sch.),  207. 


INDEX 


429 


Vessels. 
Star,  81. 

Steinvora  (ship),216 
Storm  King(barque) 

202,  353,  354. 
Succeos,  31. 
Success  (brig),   200. 
Success  (sen.),   201. 
Sukey,  31. 
Sukey     &     Betsey, 

200. 
Sultana      (barque)* 

339. 
Sultana  (brig),  251. 
Sumatra  (ship),  181. 
Sumter,  317, 
Sumter      (cruiser), 

315,  353. 
Sumter     (steamer), 

339,  344. 
Sunarrow,  31. 
Sunny  South   (clip- 
per), 346. 
Superb  (brig),  181. 
Susan     (Indiaman), 

254. 
Susannah  (sch.),  10. 
Swallow      (barque), 

383. 
Swan  (sch.),   48,  49. 
Swift,  31. 
Syren  (ship),  191. 
Swift  Packet  (brig), 

31. 
Tabitha  (sch.),  181 
TariaTopan(barque) 

206,  362,  364,  365, 

379,  382. 
Terrier     (sch.)    50, 

222,  262. 
Thomas       Perkins, 

368. 
Thracian  (brig),  63. 
Three  Brothers 

(brig),  181. 
Three  Friends(brig) 

181. 
Thule,  252. 
Tiger  (sch.),  181. 
Tomar    (sloop),    63. 
Tonquin  (ship),  351. 
Topaz,  32. 
Topaz  (ship),  248. 
Tremont  (ship),170. 
Trescott(ship),  174. 
Triell  (sch.),  200. 
Triton  (brig),  306. 


Vessels. 
Tropic,  39. 
Tryall  (brig),  200. 
Two  Brothers(ship) 

10. 
Two  Sisters  (sch.), 

32. 
Tyne  (sloop  of  war) 

63. 
Union,  32. 
Union  (brig),  261. 
Union  (sch.),  32. 
United  States,    107. 
Valeria  (brig),  32. 
Vansittart      (ship), 

15. 
Vengeance,  32,  291. 
Venus  (brig),  200. 
Vigo  (steamer),  351. 
Vincennes     (sloop- 

of-war),   248,  342. 
W.L.Kibby  (barque) 

342. 
Wade  (brig),  306. 
Wanderer  (ship),  7. 
Wanderer     (yacht), 

331. 
Washington   (brig), 

75. 
Washington(sloop), 

199. 
Weasel  (sch.),  50. 
Welcome       Return 

(brig),  181. 
Whim,  65. 
Whim  (sch.),  200. 
Wild  cat  (sch.),   50. 
Wildfire     (barque), 

351. 
William  (brig),  200. 
William(brigantine) 

17. 
WilliamPenn  (brig), 

192,  194. 
Wm.  Schroder,  369. 
William      Starkey, 

209. 
William     &    Henry 

(brig),  197. 
William     &    Henry 

(ship),  366,  368. 
Williams   (barque), 

350,  351. 
Wissicumcon  (brk.) 

377. 
Witch  of  the  Wave 

(ship),  204,  378. 


Vessels. 

Wyandotte   (sloop), 
350. 

Wymon      (barque), 
383. 

Zaragozana,  39. 

Zenador  (privateer), 

Zulene,  263. 
Vickery, ,  127. 

John,  20. 

John,  Jr.,  19,  20. 

Richard,  6,  7. 
Vicksburg,  233. 
Vieira,  Custadia,  173. 
Vigia  de  Chiguila,  56. 
Viscount,  Abigail,  89. 

James,  89. 

Waddell, ,  249. 

Waite,  Wait, ,198, 

201. 

Amon,  392. 

Amos,  392. 

Amy,  392. 

Anna,  392. 

Bethiah,  394. 

Clarissa,  392. 

David,  392. 

John,  392. 

Jonathan,  392. 

Joshua,  392. 

Josiah,  392. 

Lueina,  392. 

Polly,  392. 

Rufus,  392. 

Ruth,  392,  394. 

Sally,  392. 

William,  392,  394. 
Wait  and  Pierce,  198, 

201. 
Wakefield,     William, 

95. 
Wakefield,  Mass.,  157, 

269. 
Walcott,      Elizabeth, 

266. 
Waldoborough,     Me., 

306. 
Waldren,       Waldern 
Richard,  94,  95.    \ 
Wales,  Elisha,  165. 

Josiah,  9. 

Mary,  9. 
Walker, ,  165.351, 

Asa,  157. 

Betsey,  387. 


430 


INDEX 


Walker,  Hannah,  156, 
157. 

Jason,  156,  157. 

Joseph,  157. 

Martha,  157, 

Mary,  157. 

Mehitabel,  157. 

Sarah,  157. 

Thomas,  157,  280. 
Wallace,       Hezekiah, 

200. 
Waller,  Mary,  95. 
Wallis,  Calvin,  24,170, 
171. 

John,  207. 
Ward,    Andrew,    206, 
207. 

Frederick       Town- 
send,  184. 

Jonathan,  278. 

Peter,  280. 

Sarah,  280. 

Thomas  Wren,  198. 

William,  198. 
Ward.  Mass.,  160,392, 

395,  396. 
Warden,  Henry,  172. 
Wadsboro,  Vt..  275. 
Wardwell, Solomon,  4. 
Wareham,  17. 
Warner, ,  26,  28. 

Jonathan,  278. 

Joshua,  83. 

Mary,  83. 
Warren,    David,    120, 
134,  145,  146. 

Elizabeth,  164. 

G.  K..  100. 

Isaac,  164. 

Jacob,  164. 

John,  163,  164. 

Lydia,  164. 

Naomi,  163. 

Susan  H.,  164. 

Sybil,  163. 

William,  342. 
Warren,  R.I.,  79,  353. 
Warrington,      Lewis, 

233. 
Warwick,  392. 
Washburn,     Gardner 

S.,  399. 
Washington,  172. 
Washington,   George, 
21,  174,   199,   289, 
294,  296. 


Washington,  D.C.,  99, 

107. 
Waterloo,  291. 
Waters, ,  369. 

Palmer,  369. 
Watertown,  378. 

Watergruel, ,  298. 

Watson, ,    53,  54, 

113,  240. 

Eziel,  287. 

Harriet  Pamela,393. 

Judith,  83. 

W.  H.,  110,  112. 
Watts,  William,  348. 
Weare,  Nath.,  90. 
Weathersfield,      Vt., 
113,  174,  176. 

Weaver, ,  388,390. 

Webb,   ,    12,    19, 

304. 

Arthnr  N.,  19. 

Francis  R.,  362. 

John,  84- 

Joseph,  19,  170. 

Thomas,  19,  20,  200. 

William,  303. 
Webster,  Peter  E.,  24, 
170,  171. 

Nicholas,  89. 

Thomas,  95. 
Wedgwood, John,  288. 
Welch,     Charles    O., 
207. 

Jeremiah,  216. 
Weld,  Edward  F.,170, 
171. 

Welles,    Wells,    , 

233. 

Gideon,  236. 

Mary,  91. 

Thomas,  91. 
Wellington,    Willing- 
ton,  Mary,  396. 

Roger,  396. 
Wellman,       Welman, 
,  27,  201. 

Abraham,  158. 

Elizabeth,  158. 

Ruth,  158. 

Timothy,  4. 

Timothy,  3d,  4. 
Wells  (Me.),  93. 
Wenham,  81,  154. 

Wessels, ,  305. 

Wesson,       Jonathan, 
272. 


West, ,  7. 

Annie,  360. 
Arthur  W.,  5. 
Benjamin,  5. 
Benjamin    A.,   207, 
370,  371,  374,  376. 
George,  207. 
John,  24,  169. 
Nathaniel,  194,  200, 

201. 
Thomas,     4-7,    178, 
183,  2J3. 
West    Boylston,    160, 

386,  399. 
West  Brookfield,  387. 
West  Indies,  59,67,77, 
87,    104,  105,  107, 
182,  292. 
West  Point,  100. 
West  Townshend.Vt., 

398. 
Westboro,278,386,393. 
Western  Islands,  174, 

251. 
Westford,  84. 
Westminster,     Mass., 

269,  270, 
Westminster,   N.   H., 
399. 

Weston, ,  240. 

Ephraim,  85. 
Nathaniel,  207. 
Weston,  279,  388. 
Whampoa,    191,    202, 

367. 
Wheat,  Anne,  275. 

Solomon,  275. 
Wheatland,  R.,  26. 

Richard,  17. 
Wheeler,  Gabriel,397. 
Joseph,  275. 
Nancy,  397.  _ 
Susannah,  275. 
Wheelock,Moses,  278. 
Wheelwright,  Aug.E., 
29. 
Jeremiah,  88. 

Whidden,    ,    348, 

349. 
John  D.,  348. 

Whitcomb, ,  398. 

White,  Christopher,4. 
Joseph,  200. 
Pall,  286. 
Stephen,  31. 
William,  210. 


INDEX 


431 


White   Bark   Swamp, 

100. 
Whitehouse,  Charles, 

361. 
Whiting.  Elias,  280. 
Whitmarsh,     George, 

19,  20,  205. 
Whitney,  A.  H.,  15. 

Dorcas,  270. 

Israel,  25. 

J.,  15. 

J.  and  A.  H.,  15. 

Josiah,  396. 

Persis,  275. 
Whittemore,     Sarah, 

159. 
Whitteredge,  T.,  201. 
Whitticker,  Abraham, 

283. 
Whittier, ,  227. 

Charles  A.,  98. 

Thomas,  92. 
Wiggin,  Thomas,  95. 
Wilder,  Emily,  191. 
Wilderness,  100. 
Wilkins,  ,  19,  205. 

Mary,  267. 
Willey,Benjamin,  267. 

Lydia,  267. 
Williams, ,  5,215. 

Henry,  281. 

Henry  L.,    181,  198. 

Israel,  198. 

James  S.,   205,  207, 
211,  213,  361,  362. 

Jane,  281. 

John,  281. 

Joseph,  104,  287. 

Lidia,  281. 

Nath.,  27. 

Thos.,  200. 
Williams  and  Daland, 

5. 
Williamsburg,  346. 
Williamson,  Thomas, 

170,  171. 
Willis,  Benjamin,   30. 

Willey, ,  90. 

Wilmington,      Mass., 

166,  268,  272. 
Wilmington,     N.    C, 
174. 


Wilson,  Wlllson, , 

102,  222,  223. 
Edward  A.,   12. 
John,  276. 
Mehitabel,  167. 
Wilton,  N.H.,  84,168, 

266. 
Winder,  J.  H.,  99. 
Windham,  Conn.,  155, 
156,  162,  163,  275, 
280,  388-390. 
Windham,     Vt.,    160, 

396,  398. 
Winn,  Benjamin,  395. 
Francis  H.,  24,  169. 
Joseph,    8,    11,    12, 
201. 
Winchester,  399. 
Winslow,Bradley,342. 
Winsly,  Ephraim,  283. 
Winter  Island,  113. 
Winthrop,      William, 

271. 
Wiscasset,  Me.,  262. 
Wisconsin,  398. 
Withington,  William, 

154. 
Woburn,  83,  159,  166, 
268. 

Wood, ,  99. 

Aaron,  270. 
Bethia  (Thier),  270. 
Dinah,  389. 
Enoch,  11,  12,  205. 
Jno.,  91. 
Russell,  385,  366. 
Sally,  386. 
Samuel,  91. 
William  C,  212. 
Woodbridge,     Benja- 
min, 85,  268. 
John,    90,    91,    93, 

285,  288. 
Martha,  268. 
Mary,  285. 
Sarah,  85. 
Tho.,  288. 
Woodbury,  Woodber- 

ry, ,  306. 

Freeborn,  200. 
H.,  200. 
Stephen,  22. 


Woodman,  Abigail, 86. 

Benjamin,  87. 

Jonathan,  85. 
Woodward,  Abel,  269. 

Abigail,  391. 

Abraham,  391. 

Tabitha,  269. 
Woodwell,  John,  83. 

Lydia,  83. 
Woolson,Hannah,154, 

Jonas,  154. 
Worcester,    Wooster, 
Worster, ,  90. 

Abigail,  82. 

Benjamin,  82. 

Daniel,  86. 

Francis,  82. 

John,  86,  89. 

Mary,  83.  88. 

Moses,  Jr.,  83. 

William,  82. 
Worcester,  Mass.,  19, 

20,  391,  399. 
Wright,  Irene,  162. 

Jemima,  163. 

Rebekah,  270. 

John,  397. 

Joseph,  270. 
Wyman,  Asa,  160,393- 

Mary,  159. 
Wyoming,  163, 


Yarmouth,  263. 

Yeaton,  ,  336. 

Yorke,  Benjamin, 282. 
Yorktown,   100. 
Young,  Ebenezer,165. 
Thomas,    120,    122, 
150. 
Yucatan,  56. 
Yucatan,  Mexico,   37. 


Zanzibar,  191,  205- 
209,  212,  213,  215, 
216,  361,  363,  364, 
366,  368,  379,  380, 
382,  384. 


#162