This paper contains what is known of John Maitland and his probable father,
Richard Maitland.
JOHN MAITLAND
AM08/01
Will: Dated 25 October 1786, proved 24 January 1787,
Inventory: entered 20 May 1787.
At the moment (3/09), there is no proven evidence of his parents. In his will
of October 1786, he named his mother as Sarah, but his father is not mentioned,
presumably dead by then. The names of his sons can give a clue: Francis and
Richard. It is probable that his parents were Richard & Sarah Maitland of
Shadwell, Middlesex; see under Richard Maitland for the reasons.
An extensive search of the IGI & Scottish OPR’s do not reveal any obvious
certainties. From Richard Maitland’s letters and activities, it would seem that
he came from a rather higher social background than an ordinary sailor or farm
worker. None of the main family trees have a suitable combination of Richard
& John and timing.
Scottish OPR’s:
This is a christening that would have fitted John & Richard’s death dates:
1. Banff Nov 7 (1735):
John lawful son of Richard Maitland Excise Officer was baptized Nov 9th
Wit: John Ogilvie, Colln John Maitland, Ogilvie Sheriff John Ru??, John Gordon,
John Nobb?, John Cruikshank, John Monro and John Duffus Mort?
The witness Colonel John Maitland was probably a son of the 5th earl
of Lauderdale, and brother of Charles, 6th Earl. This leads to the
question of who this Richard was – he must have been closely connected to the
Colonel’s family. According to Scots Peerage, this John, a Colonel in the
Guards, had 2 uncles, Thomas & Alexander, both of whose succession is
unclear in SP – could Richard Maitland have been one of these?? Maybe Richard
was an illegitimate son of one of the sons of the 3rd Earl; they
seemed to have married rather late in life!
No sign of Richard Maitland 1690-1717 in the Scottish OPR’s.
This church seems to have been of some social consequence at the time – the
entry above had Lord Bracco as a witness – he became Earl of Fife.
This second alternative looks unlikely as our Richard Maitland was in Shadwell
by 1740, and does looks too humble for the sort of man Richard Maitland seems
to have been.
2. Jan 8th (1740) Richard Maitland in Cowbridgdale had a child
baptized named John before witnesses Robert Maitland and FFr Sinclair both in
Cowbridge
On same page:
Decr 18 (1739) John Maitland in Oyne had a daughter baptized Beatrix before
witnesses John Harper and Jas Anderson both in Kirktown
Apr 1st (1740) The said day Francis Sinclair in Cowbridge had a
child baptized named Hugh witnesses Robert Maitland and Wm Milne in Cowbridgdale
Oyne to the North East of Aberdeen.
Also Agnes Maitland of Richard at Oyne, 10/2/1738. Richard Maitland of Parkbras
Also Robert Maitland in Milne of Woothace?? had Helen 10/9/1738
Excise Men
National Archives:
The Excise Board Minute Books in CUST 47, covering 1695 to 1867, can be used to
find appointments and postings of Excise men. There are also Excise Entry
Papers in CUST 116, covering 1820 to 1870; these have an alphabetical card
index in the Open Reading Room. The Entry Papers contain pairs of letters
folded together. One letter is a recommendation for appointment, giving details
of name, age, place of birth, marital status and a character reference. The
other letter is from the excise officer responsible for training of the new
recruit, giving details of their abilities. Irish Excise records can be found
in CUST 110 and CUST 119.
Pay lists for Excise men in England and Wales can be found in T 44, covering
1705 to 1835. Lists for Scotland are in T 45, covering 1708 to 1832.
Cust 47 Index between 9/1/1721 (vol 100) and 16/4/1739 (vol 170), contained no
references to any Richard Maitland – judging from the number of officers, this
probably covers England rather than Scotland. Some names reoccurred a number of
times, showing that the individuals were moved around not infrequently.
T45/1:
North Britain. Ann Account of the Officers and Employments under the
Commissioners of Excise in Scotland existing on 24 June 1708, being the
Termination of the first year of their management with the Number of Officers
employed at that time and their respective salaries as ordered by the Votes of
the Honble House of Commons of 15th February 1779.
Officers within the Office (inter alia):
John Maitland, examiner of the Country Officers Excise Books (one of 4)
Original Salary £40 pa, Present salary £40, joined 25 March 1709.
Richard Maitland does not appear in the lists at £35 pa, but they appear to be
as at 1708, probably before his time.
The original establishment had 260 gaugers.
T45/3, “establishment of officers for North Britain for salt duty” had no
relevance.
T45/4: 1733 piece 9B
Richard Maitland, gauger, 335, Aberdeen collection, 24 February 1732-3
A John Maitland appears as surgeon on a ship, the Hungerford, which was granted
Letter of Marque in London in May 1761. Richard Maitland was the master of the
Phillipa which was also granted Letters of Marque in April of the same year.
This is likely to have been early in John’s career.
As Richard’s will of 1740 does not mention any children. It is probable that
any children of Richard & Sarah born before that date would have been young.
John is unlikely to have been born after 1755 to be a Captain by 1775. If the
John shipping as surgeon in 1761 is ours, he is thus unlikely to have been born
after 1741.
When John died in Jamaica his will described him as a planter and merchant of
St Elizabeth with a mother Sarah; he was described as "Captain" in
his inventory. This confirmed that he was a mariner sailing to or around
Jamaica. He is known to have been the Captain of the "Atlantic" in
1775 when one of his seamen was buried in Black River. Between then and his
death, he bought various plots of land in St Elizabeth. The Atlantic was
subject of correspondence following the death of a sailor in a brawl on board
in the Tagus River in 1776. John Maitland was not then master (see full PRO
extracts later in this paper).
A likely scenario is that John sailed into Black River, settled there and
bought several plots of land, including a piece on the shore to the west of
Black River town centre (there are a number of early houses along the road, one
of which might have been the site of John’s first house). He seemed to have
been a banker, lending money to various people in the area. He had 2 children
by Rebecca Wright, a woman of colour whose mother seemed to have been a woman
of substance in her own right. His brother-in-law (“common law”!), Hyem Cohen,
was in the same business, but in a very much bigger way – most of the local
families seemed to owe him money! Hyem’s personal estate was about £4.5M in
2008.
John’s will left his estate to Rebecca Wright, her sons Francis & Richard
and to his mother Sarah. Dated 25 October 1786, proved in Jamaica January 1787.
Humphrey Colquhoun and Hyem Cohen Executors; He is described as a merchant and
planter of St Elizabeth.
Note: Rebecca made bequests to nephews and nieces Alexander, Henry, Catherine
and Caroline Cohen.
London Gazette
9 June 1787:
The Creditors of Captain John Maitland, formerly of London, but late of
Blackriver, Jamaica, deceased, are desired to send a particular account of
their respective Demands to Mr. Robert Steel, Token-houe-yard, Lothbury, or to
Mr James Sutherland, Notary Public, Birchin lane, Cornhill, in order that the
same ay be properly authenticated and transmitted to Captain Maitland’s
Executors, agreeable to their Request.
15 January 1788, The Creditors of Capt. John Maitland, late of Black River in
Jamaica, deceased, are desired to send their accounts against his Estate,
proved under the City Seal, to his Executors, Mess Hyem Cohen and Humphrey
Colquoun, of Blackriver aforesaid, or to Mr Robert Steell of Tokenhouseyard
London, to be forwarded to them, as such of the said Credotors who do not so
prove their Accounts, will be excluded from the Dividend of the said Deceased’s
Effects intended shortly to be made amongst such of the Creditors as have
already proved, or who shall forthwith prove and transmit their Accounts as
above directed.
John’s personal property inventory totalled £6135 (about £680,000 in 2008), of
which £1880 was in slaves, £1693 in debts supposed to be good, £617 in debts
“supposed to be dubious” and £788 in debts “supposed to be bad”.
His inventory includes a Priestley's machine (see later section for full
description) an early electrostatic generator, which would have made long
sparks, and 123 books. These items might indicate him as being a man of an
enquiring mind.
Rebecca Wright was in some way related to the Wrights
of South Jamaica, a prominent family in of St Elizabeth, and became a woman of
some substance, leaving significant property in her will. Her tombstone is
still visible in Black River Churchyard. She was the daughter of Patty Penford,
a mulatto freed slave. It is possible that Rebecca came from the line of
Francis Wright of Vere.
Partner: Rebecca Wright.
Issue:
1/1. Francis Maitland (ch 25/2/1784),
1/2. Richard Maitland (ch 4/8/1786) (StE PR)
Presumed died between 1789 and
1806 – mentioned in grandmother Patty Penford’s will but not in mother’s
Also in Kingston PR:
William Maitland bapt 25/8/1794, son of Milborough Merchant by John Maitland,
mulatto.
IGI has nothing for this line.
only John in right period:
John Maitland, Born 25 FEB 1733.
Christening: 01 MAR 1733 Saint Dunstan In The East, London.
Parents: Thomas & Elizabeth.
IGI etc:
John M s of John & Sarah Maitland, Birth: 26 MAR 1786 Christening: 21 APR
1786 Saint Leonards, Shoreditch, London
Thomas M s of John & Sarah Maitland, Birth: 17 DEC 1788
Christening: 28 JAN 1789 Saint Leonards, Shoreditch, London
John M m. SARAH MOUNTGOMERY 06 MAR 1734 Glasgow, Lanark,
20/4/06: Jamaica PR's searched for John M bth & bur & Rebecca's burial:
St E, Kingston, Hannover, Vere, Clarendon, Westmoreland.
Deeds in Jamaica, LOS 340/113, entered 26 January 1786:
John Maitland to Samuel Manley or Meanley (??? spelling)
Indenture made 26 June 1783 between John Maitland of St Elizabeth, mariner, and
Samuel M. of St Elizabeth, Planter. From JM to SM In consideration of £81,
parcel of land containing by estimate 54 1/2 acres lying in the Valle de Vache
Savanna, Easterly & southerly on Waldish, northerly on the river called
Bridge River and westerly on unsurveyed morass.
Maybe Valle de Vache Savannah was what became Bull Savannah, near the Milk River.
(Thought to be in what is now Westmoreland, may be near Negril and the Carabita
River).
Samuel Manley owed Hyem Cohen £18/10/- at HC's death.
Bruce, William, Buried 26/1/1775, St. Elizabeth, church yard; sailor belonging
to the "Atlantic," John Maitland Master. PR checked AM.
Directories, John Maitland:
1783/4, Lowndes London Directory, Merchant Commerce, 79 Basinghall St. Probably
not ours.
Privateer Letter of Marque
HCA 26/12/101
Indexed at /99
These records were on prewritten/printed forms with the relevant details
inserted by hand. They are bound in books relating to the nation against whom
the letters were granted.
26 May 1761 101
Appeared personally Captain John Barford of Cheapside,
London mariner
and produced a warrant from the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners
for Executing the Offices of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain and Ireland for the granting of a Commission or Letter of Marque to him the said John Barford
and in pursuance of his Majesty’s Instruction to Privateer
made the following Declaration to with that this the said Richard Maitland
his ship is Called the Hungerford
That she is a Square Sterned with three masts
and is of the burthen of about Two Hundred and Seventy Six
tons
That the said John Barford goeth Commander of her That she
Carrys Sixteen Carriage Guns
Each Carrying shot of Six and Four & three pounds weight
and
Swivel Guns and belonging to the port of London
Thirty Men Thirty small arms Thirty Cutlasses Twenty Barrels
of Powder Fifty Rounds of great Shot and about Six hundred weight of small shot
That the said Ship is victualled for Ten months
hath two suits of sails Five Anchors Four Cables and about
Ten hundred weight of spare cordage
That John Castello goes Lieutenant John James Gunner William
Green Boatswain Joseph Hickman Carpenter Arthur Morris Cook John Maitland
Surgeon of the said Ship and that
Mr Joseph Robertson & Lawrence Boyd of London Merchants
are the Principal Owners and Setters out of the said Ship
Jno Barford
(His signature)
This declaration was made before me
And: Arth. Collier
Surrogate
1024
Hungerford
The like Commission is entered on Irof:2 was granted to John
Barford to set forth the Hungerford of the Burthen of about Two hundred &
Seventy Six Tons and belonging to the Port of London whereof he the said John
Barford goeth Commander Dated the Twenty Sixth Day of May 1761 and in the first
year of his Majesty’s Reign.
RICHARD MAITLAND
AM09/01
It is highly probable that this is the father of John Maitland because:
1. John’s mother was Sarah (John’s will).
2. John’s sons were Francis and Richard (Richard & Sarah had a son
Francis).
3. Both Richard and John were mariners.
4. There is a probable connection with sugar bakers in King James Stairs and
Shakespeare Walk in the period, and hence with the New World.
6. A John Maitland shipped as a surgeon on a privateer a few weeks after
Richard Maitland was granted Letters of Marque as a privateer in 1761.
At 3/09, there is no indication of the origins of this Richard Maitland. He
could have been a Scot (a few Sinclairs were seen in the PR’s). It is quite
likely that he was a member of the Dundrennan branch who were in London at the
same time as Richard, and were trading in the West Indies. There is “space” for
a brother a year or two younger than Robert Maitland of King’s Arms Yard. An
unidentified Richard Maitland was on the West India Committee in 1769; could
this have been him?
Was the Charles Maitland whose will Richard witnessed a relative such as
brother or cousin?
IGI: Richard Maitland son of Richard Maitland, ch 30/3/1706 Fyvie, Aberdeen.
Also: Peter 11/3/1700, George 13/4/1702, Jean 20/5/1704, Mary 5/6/1708, Agnes
14/10/1716. Probably not relevant.
Richard Maitland was a mariner of Shadwell in London who made a will in 1740
naming his wife Sarah, but it was not proved until 27/2/1779, with
administration going to Sarah. In the preamble, he mentions the “...fortunes
and dangers of the seas...”, so it is probable that he made this will early in
his seagoing career and soon after his marriage as there is no mention of any
children.
As the will was proved at Canterbury, Richard must have owned property in more
than one diocese, quite possibly abroad. He may therefore have left significant
property.
The parish records on film at the London Metropolitan Archives have been
searched for any children in the period 1732-1760 in St Paul’s, Shadwell and in
St John, Wapping and St Anne, Limehouse for intervals in that period, all 3 of
which parishes are not on the IGI. Marriages were searched for 1736-40 for St
George in the East, Shadwell and Limehouse with no success. Marriages for the
relevant period do not appear for Wapping. Shadwell & Wapping burials were
also checked for Richard’s death with no success. See below for Shadwell and
Waterman’s Stairs. Burials for St George in the East & St Dunstan in the
East checked, nothing found.
There are several children baptised in Shadwell to Richard & Sarah,
including a son Francis an unusual but not unknown name at the time. There is
no John listed. However there are some long gaps with no children appearing.
None were found in Wapping or Limehouse for the periods of the gaps. It would
appear that Richard was settled in Shadwell as the addresses in Shadwell on the
baptismal entries were all close to one another, firstly at King James Stairs
and latterly at Shakespeare Walk. As stated above, it is highly likely that our
John was the son of this couple; he does not seem to be recorded in the
parishes round the Thames docks and so it is possible that he was born on ship
or out of England.
Richard Maitland’s abode in St James Stairs is interesting as there was a sugar
baker’s at there at least between 1749-62, and slightly later in Shakespeare
Walk. As Richard was a mariner (as opposed to a (Thames) Waterman), he may well
have been a deep sea seaman in the West Indian Sugar trade, with his son John
following. This would explain how John M appeared in Jamaica as a man of
substance.
There are several mentions of Richard Maitland, which are probably ours, in the
National Archives.
The Duke, Master Rich’d Maitland, Ship, London, 20 men, 10 guns, 360 tons, from
London, to Virginia, Ballast, ordered 7th March 1757.
Richard Maitland was involved in an incident at the start of the American War
of Independence when his ship carrying munitions was taken by a rebel armed
schooner off Savannah, Georgia in June 1775, following which Ebeneezer Smith
Platt was arraigned for High Treason. See full description later in this paper.
The collection of papers held at the National Archives have been copied and
make interesting reading.
There are several letters written by Richard Maitland, showing him to be an
educated man, and one who held strong opinions.
A Richard Maitland was also involved in an incident with tea in Charles Town (SC)
in 1774.
A Charles Maitland, a mariner with the Navy, left a will dated 22 June, 1759
and proved in 1775. Like Richard’s he mentions the perils of the sea.
He made his wife, Rebecca, his heir & executor.
He was a mariner of Shadwell in 1759, and still of Shadwell and master of His
Majesty’s Ship Aurora in 1772.
Witnesses were Richard Maitland & John Smith.
No sign of him in the London directories of the 1770’s.
1712-1715:
John son of Richard & Ann Madland, ch St Paul Shadwell, 30/5/1714 &
8/3/1715 of Spring St, Mariner.
Issue of Richard and Sarah, mariner, ch at St Paul, Shadwell
(PR XO24/128, 1738-1762):
1/1. Richard Mateland, 13/5/1744, of King James Stairs.
1/2. Francis Maitland, 16/10/1745, of King James Stairs.
1/3. Mary Elizabeth Maitland, 28/6/1747, of King James Stairs.
1/4. Sarah Maitland, 26/12/1751, of Shakespeare Walk.
1/5. Sarah Maitland, 24/1/1757, of Shakespeare Walk.
1/6. Charles Maitland, 19/6/1758, of Shakespeare Walk.
1/7. John Maitland.
Other sites suggest the following sibling of John Maitland:
Sarah Maitland, born abt 10/1746, bapt 23/1/1748 – see below under Parchments.
A Sarah Maitland is recorded as owning a negro Creole slave, Fibba aged 65 in
1817 in St Elizabeth. Sarah signed with her mark.
St Andrew Parish: (film 1291698) Mary Maitland, bapt 28/6/1740, a quadroon
child of Richard Maitland born of the mulatto slave of Mrs Laws.
PRO ADM 1/235, Admiral's despatches, Jamaica 1713-1789,
1757-1760 Lists and Indexes, Admiralty XVIII p3.
Admiral Coates to the Secretary of the Admiralty.
HMS Marlborough, Spithead, 7 March 1757. Sends list of ships under his Convoy,
with the promise of a more exact account of them at the first opportunity.
Enclosure mentions the Loe and the Duke, masters, John Johnson and Richard
Maitland, bound for Virginia laden with merchandize. 11 ff.
The Duke, Richard Maitland, Ship, (Belonging) London, 20 men, 10 guns 360 tons,
From London, to Virginia, Ballast. Convoy 91 ships.
A fuller copy extract from Admiral Coates’s reports is in “Maitland Extracts”
File.
ref Louis Currie: There is an admiralty record of the Duke just having left Jamaica.
A Richard Maitland & others petitioned in 24/1/1765 the provincial Council
of West Florida for confirmation of the validity of his purchase of Estate
Santiago el Grande from the Spanish. This may be ours, but also could have been
one of the known Dundrennan (King’s Arms yard) Maitlands.
A Richard Maitland wrote to Thomas Bradshaw in 1767, but this may one of the
King’s Arms Yard:
T 1/461/257-258
Dr Sir,
by the best Information I can get from Grenada, I am pretty certain that
neither the Generall, Chief Judge or any other officers, have lately received
any of their Salaries, on Account of the Capitation tax not being paid. And
what confirms me in this opinion is my having received Letters, with Directions
to apply to the Treasury on this Subject.
A have the Honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obd Servt
Richd Maitland
Mark lane,
11 Nov 1767.
Obituary of Richard Maitland of Mark Lane, 12/5/1775, GM 255.
Privateer Letter of Marque
HCA 26/12/87
17 April 1761 89
Appeared personally Captain Richard Maitland of the Parish of St Pauls Shadwell
in the County of Middlesex mariner
and produced a warrant from the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners for
Executing the Offices of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain and Ireland for
the granting of a Commission or Letter of Marque to him the said Richard
Maitland
and in pursuance of his Majesty’s Instruction to Privateer made the following
Declaration to with that this the said Richard Maitland
his ship is Called the Phillippa
That she is a Square Sterned Ship Painted Black and Yellow, a Syon Head Painted
all Yellow
and is of the burthen of about Three Hundred tons
That the said Richard Maitland goeth Commander of her That she Carrys Sixteen
Carriage Guns
Each Carrying shot of Six and Four pounds weight and
Swivel Guns and belonging to the port of London
Forty Men Thirty Six small arms Twenty four Cutlasses Twelve Barrels of Powder
Twelve Rounds of great Shot and about Three hundred weight of small shot
That the said Ship is victualled for Six months
hath two suits of sails Five Anchors Five Cables and about Thirty hundred
weight of spare cordage
That John Dudley goes Lieutenant John Thomas Gunner William Jones Boatswain
Thomas Lee Carpenter Henry Atkins Cook James Long Surgeon of the said Ship and
that
Mr Henry Loubert and his Partners Mesrs Leavie and Schweighauzen together with
Mr James Bouverieu of London Merchants
are the Principal Owners and Setters out of the said Ship
Richd Maitland
(His signature)
This declaration was made before me
And: Colbeee Ducarel
Surrogate Farrant?
1022
Phillippa
The like Commission is entered on Irof:2 was granted to Richard Maitland to set
forth the Phillippa of the Burthen of about three hundred tons and belonging to
the Port of London whereof he the said Richard Maitland goeth Commander Dated
the Seventeenth Day of April 1761 and in the first year of his Majesty’s Reign.
There is no obvious connection between our Maitlands and the Maitlands of
King's Arms Yard and Coleman Street, but it is possible that they were
connected: both lines were connected with the West Indies. One possibility is
that Richard was a close relative of Robert Maitland of King’s Arms Yard in
London, who was born in Dumfries in about 1709.
A pedigree of Richard Maitland, died 1775 in “The Pedigree Register vol 1”
Society of Genealogists. See his will in Maitwills.
Richard Maitland, will 1763:
Inventory Richard Maitland, Sept 1765. PROB 31/504/703
A will of Richard Maitland of Brompton, Kensington, described as a planter of Jamaica, no firm evidence, but looks possible to be the father of Sarah. His will makes no
mention of Sarah, but was proved London, 23 August, 1763.
The executors being Robert & Alexander Maitland indicate that he was
probably related to them: they were the sons of Robert & Ursula Maitland of
Tongland & Bunhill Fields in Essex.
The supposition from his will is that he came back to England later in life and
married Widow Cunningham then and had no children by her.
He leaves a legacy to his wife, the widow of Dr Cunningham, but no mention of
children. The remainder of his estate is left to his cousins, the Whyte family,
mostly local London tradesmen, but also to "...my cousin Mrs Joan Whyte
late wife of Mr Archibald Napier Minister of the Gospel at Manchester (?)
deceased now residing in Aberdeen.." and "...my cousin Alexr Whyte
late of Ard_hill now of the city of London Teacher of Belles Lettres and
mathematics..."
"...to her daughters Mary and Joan Napier..."
Ardhill a village on Loch Duich, West Highlands Scotland.
Was this Richard Maitland the father of Mary Maitland, bapt 28/6/1740, a
quadroon child of Richard Maitland born of the mulatto slave of Mrs Laws of St
Andrew Parish.
AF:
Mary Napier (AFN: 1DM1-C28), ch abt 1732 of Archibald Napier & Jean White
at Maryculter, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Married James Smith 6/7/1732 at
Maryculter.
James Smith Birth: Est 1702 Maryculter, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Death: 6 Nov 1780 Garvnock, Kincardineshire, Scotland
IGI: Marriage of Richard Maitland & Elizabeth Cunningham, St Martin in the
Fields, London, 13 May 1759.
Issue of Richard & Elizabeth Maitland, ch:
Richard Maitland, 27 Sept 1738, St Martin in the Fields.
Elizabeth Maitland, Saint Olave Hart St, London, 1/7/1748
Thomas Maitland, Saint Martin in the Fields, 10/10/1740
Mary Maitland, Saint Olave, Hart St, ch 2/6/1746, d. 6/2/1746
Margaret Maitland, Saint Olave, 9/11/1750.
Marriage: Richard Maitland, 20 Aug 1738, St James, Westminster to Mary Mitchel.
CO142/** Return of Shipping, Jamaica - lists ships masters and owners &
cargo etc, to Jamaica. /22 1784.
1783, March 26. Indenture between John Hyde of St. Geo., Han. Sq., Esq., only
son and heir and residuary legatee of John Hyde, late of Cornhill, Merchant,
and George Healy of the one part, and Ebeneezer Maitland of London, Merchant,
of the other, Lease for a year of the Constant Spring plantation by Hyde to
Maitland. (Coleman’s Deeds.)
(2 found in 1811: St Andrew's and St George's. Constant Spring in St Andrew
owned by Hon Geo Cuthbert, 417 slaves and 206 stock)
Constant Spring is now in St Andrew, in hills north of Kingston.
Edmund Hyde Privy Councillor Jamaica 1751 (Jam Gaz).
Letters of Marque: HCA 26/9/33
Commander: William Cromertie.
Ship: King of Prussia.
Burden: 330 tons.
Crew: 30.
Owners: Messrs. Maitland and Boddington, Messrs.
James and John Tobin of London, merchants.
Lieutenant: John Pinkham.
Gunner: Cornelius Barg.
Boatswain: John Millington.
Carpenter: George Carruthers.
Surgeon: John Jackson.
Cook: Timothy Daub.
Armament: 14 carriage guns.
Folio: 33
Covering dates 1758 February 21
HCA 26/10/166:
Commander: George Lindsey.
Ship: Ajax.
Burden: 499 tons.
Crew: 99.
Owners: Charles Raymond, Sherman Godfrey, William Briant,
Robert Scott, Charles Boehm, John ?Pexsax, earl of Lauderdale, Lawrence
Dundass, Andrew Moffett, George Freeman, William Belchier and John Croucher of
London, merchants.
Lieutenant: Patrick Maitland.
Gunner: David Kinnier.
Boatswain: John Denison.
Carpenter: Thomas Cole.
Surgeon: Charles Greenhill.
Cook: John Carpenter.
Armament: 26 carriage guns.
Folio: 166
Covering dates 1759 February 10
T 1/500/95-98 Treasury: papers
Record Summary
Scope and content WEST INDIES: Islands: Antigua: Abstract of
the deed of trust from Governor William Young and Messrs Maitland and
Boddington to the Crown, regarding estates in Antigua
Covering dates 1774 June
A Richard Maitland wrote to Thomas Bradshaw in 1767, but this may:
T 1/461/257-258
Dr Sir,
by the best Information I can get from Grenada, I am pretty certain that
neither the Generall, Chief Judge or any other officers, have lately received
any of their Salaries, on Account of the Capitation tax not being paid. And
what confirms me in this opinion is my having received Letters, with Directions
to apply to the Treasury on this Subject.
A have the Honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obd Servt
Richd Maitland
Mark lane,
11 Nov 1767.
West India Committee:
Minutes looked at on microfilm (MIC915, 16 reels) at the Institute of
Commonwealth Studies, Russell Square. There were many appearances of Maitlands
in the early years. Many entries simply refer to "Mr Maitland".
Forenames entered were Richard, Robert & Alexander. It appears that Richard
was probably the senior, and was chairman occasionally when the regular
incumbent, Beeston Long, was absent. Also appearing was Stephen Fuller (the
London merchants became Fuller-Maitlands), who was later described as
"agent for Jamaica".
The minutes start an April 1769. They were read, but not exhaustively after
about 1780. There is little mention of individuals, except as members of the
standing committees, and occasionally as members of sub-committees.
1769 members Richard, Robert & Alexander Maitland, not all together. Mr
Maitland jnr appears in April 1776, and again June 1779. A cursory inspection
gives the impression that the Maitlands disappeared from the committee from
1781 to 1797, when there was an entry.
The minutes of the West India Planters was also briefly examined. There was an
E Maitland and Mr Maitland recorded at a general meeting of 9 Feb 1787. Mr
Maitland appeared several times in 1805.
In the 1769 list, Robert & Alexander were probably brothers (Robert could
possibly be Robert’s son b 1744) and sons of John Maitland of Tongland. E
Maitland in 1787 would have been Ebeneezer Maitland, who became Fuller
Maitland.
London Directories
1772 London Directory: Richard M (dated July 1771) Dir Royal Exchange Assurance
Maitland & Boddington 17, Mark Lane
1774-5: Mullard Pet. Sailmaker Union Stairs, Wapping
1775: Maitland & Boddington present, but not Richard M.
1776: M & B not there.
Kent's Directory of London, 1794.
Maitland Robert, Ebeneezer & John, Merchts., 13, King's-arms-yard, Colemans St.
These are probably the children of Robert Maitland and Ursula, Ebeneezer became
Fuller-Maitland and John Whitaker-Maitland. According to Michael Sandford, this
is the case: this Robert was 1744-1810.
CARIBBEANA, Volume II, DEEDS RELATING TO THE WEST INDIES JAMAICA
1783, March 26. Indenture between John Hyde of St. Geo.,
Han. Sq., Esq., only son and heir and residuary legatee of John H., late of
Cornhill, Merchant, and George Healy of the one part, and Ebenezer Maitland of
London, Merchant, of the other, Lease for a year of the Constant Spring
plantation by Hyde to Maitland. (Coleman’s Deeds.)
Hyde Connection:
http://www.danbyrnes.com.au/merchants/merchants8.htm
1710+: James Russell 1710 or so, the greatest Maryland
merchants in London are Captain John Hyde, plus his sons, John and Herbert
Hyde. See Jacob M. Price, 'One Family's Empire: The Russell-Lee-Clerk
Connection in Maryland, Britain and India, 1707-1857'., Maryland Historical
Magazine, Vol. 72, 1977. See also: Jacob M. Price, 'The Last Phase of the
Virginia-London Consignment Trade: James Buchanan and Co, 1758-1768', William
and Mary Quarterly, Series 3, Vol. XLIII, No. 1, Jan. 1968., pp. 64ff.; Jacob
M. Price, 'Buchanan and Simson, 1759-1763: A Different Kind of Glasgow Firm
Trading to the Chesapeake', William and Mary Quarterly, Series 3, Vol. XL, No.
1. Jan. 1983., pp. 3ff.; Jacob M. Price, 'The Rise of Glasgow in the Chesapeake
Tobacco Trade, 1707-1775', William and Mary Quarterly, Series 3, Vol. XI, April
1954., pp. 179ff.; Jacob M. Price, (Ed.), 'Joshua Johnson's Letterbook,
1771-1774: Letters from a Merchant in London to His Partners in Maryland'. London, 1979. Jacob M. Price, 'Capital And Credit In The British-Chesapeake Trade, 1750-1775',
in Virginia B. Platt and David Curtis Skaggs, (Eds.), Of Mother Country And
Plantations: Proceedings of the Twenty-Seventh Conference In Early American
History. Bowling Green, Ohio, 1971. Jacob M. Price, essay, 'Joshua Johnson In
London, 1771-1775', in Anne Whiteman et al, (Eds.), Statesmen, Scholars and
Merchants, Essays ... presented to Dame Lucy Sutherland. Oxford, 1973.
Later in this site were entries of Hydes going bankrupt in about 1745.
Other Maitlands:
Alexander Maitland, Mate, St Andrews Regt, Ensign, 1784.
Vere Oliver's Carribinaea, Richard Maitland figures with wife Elizabeth in St
Kitts, also up til 1780's.
Directories for Richard Maitland Probably the one whose will proved 24/5/1775:
1)
Dates: 1726-1750 Location: Crutched Fryars
Occupation: merchant commerce(s)
Source Date: 1750 Subscribed to The posthumous Works of Jeremiah Seed
(Vol. 1), 1750, HALL, Joseph. London, Subject: religion
2)
Dates: 1751-1775 Title: Esq.
Source Date: 1756: Subscribed to The Civil and Natural History of Jamaica,
1756, BROWNE, Patrick. London, Subject: history
3)
Dates: 1776-1800 Title: Esq.
Source Date: 1789 Source Info: Subscribed to The Civil and Natural History of Jamaica. Containing I. An accurate Description of that Island... II. An History of the
Natural Productions... illustrated with Forty-nine copper plates... By George
Dionysius Ehret. There are now added complete Linnean indexes and a large and
accurate map of the island, 1789, BROWNE, Patrick. London, Subject: history
4)
Dates: 1751-1775 Address: Address(es): 17 Mark-lane, London
company: Director(s): Royal Exchange Assurance Director
Source Date: 1763 Listed in Kent's Directory for the Year 1763. 30th edn.,
1763, KENT, Henry. London. Printed and sold by Henry Kent at the Printing office
in Finch Lane. Also 1765, 1767, 1768, 1772, 1774
5)
Dates: 1751-1775 Occupation: merchant commerce(s)
Address: Mark lane, London
Source Date: 1765 Listed in A Compleat Guide to All Persons Who Have Any
Trade or Concerns Within the City of London, and Parts Adjacent. 10th edn.,
1765, OSBORN, J.. London
Printed for J. Rivington, R. Baldwin, L. Hawes, W. Clarke, R. Collins, S.
Crowder, T. Longman, R. Horsfield, J. Walter
http://www.danbyrnes.com.au/blackheath/ships3.htm
Convict and other ships 1800-1810 to Australia
1804: John Prinsep in London by 1804 laid plans - interesting but premature -
to import wool from eastern Australia. The plans involved John Maitland, John
Macarthur, Mr. Coles, Mr. Wilson at Monument Yard, Capt. Waterhouse and Mr. Stewart.
John Maitland, of Basinghall Street, was an influential wool merchant
who had links with Sir Joseph Banks and Macarthur. (See Harold B. Carter, His
Majesty's Spanish Flock: Sir Joseph Banks and the Merinoes of George III of
England. Sydney, Angus And Robertson, 1964. Harold B. Carter, Sir Joseph Banks,
1743-1820. London, British Museum (Natural History), 1988.) At an 1804 auction
of the King's sheep, Maitland was interested in Macarthur's proposal for a
company to produce wool in New South Wales and supported it in company with
Hulletts, who'd dummy-bought two ewes for Macarthur, and owned the Argo. At the
sale, Banks warned Macarthur of the Obstructive Act of 1788 preventing export
of sheep. Later, Macarthur suggested to Lord Camden a Treasury warrant be drawn
for the export. A company with a capital of £10,000 was proposed, but the plan
went awry. By July 1804, John Prinsep was examined in Council Chamber at
Whitehall. (See Sibella Macarthur-Onslow, Some Early Records of the Macarthurs
of Camden, pp. 92-95.)
1804: 11 July 1804, wool gentlemen meet inc. Hunter and Waterhouse, both RN,
Capts Prentice and Townson of New South Wales Corps, William Wilson of Monument
Yard, agent for Rbt Campbell and Marsden, and William Stewart Master Mariner of
Lambert, Prinsep and Saunders, shipping and East India agents of 147 Leadenhall
St, owners of Anne to NSW in 1800. (See also, Sibella Macarthur-Onslow, Some
Early Records of the Macarthurs of Camden. [Orig. 1914] Sydney, Rigby, 1973.
Pemberton, London Connection, p. 121).
Florida Maitlands
Florida Historical Society Florida Center for Library Automation Gainesville,
Florida October, 1943 SN00154113_0022_002
Florida Historical Quarterly, October 1943.
Alleged Spanish Grants in British West Florida
From the description of Pensacola on the arrival of the British in 1763 as but
a stockade and village of thatched huts, it is apparent that these estates were
little more than a medium for acquiring land for speculation. Ed. petitioned
for an estate called St. Joseph. George Rogers, Esquire, of London, and John
Peddar, Esquire, of Lancaster, England, petitioned for an estate called Chicasa
de St. Martin. Sir John Lindsay of England petitioned for an estate called El
Paso de Arroyo Ingles. William Lance, Esquire, and James Noble of Sandwich in
Kent, England, petitioned for an estate called El Estero de la Vighia. Barnard
Noble petitioned for an estate called Sta. Clara. George Stothart of Stockton,
in the county of Durham, England, together with two other merchants, Richard
Maitland and John Elliot, of London, petitioned for an estate called
Santiago el Grande. Messrs. Bolton and Horslar (or Horselor) petitioned for an
estate called Pensacola le Vieja. Colonel Augustine Prevost petitioned for an
estate, which was unnamed in the record of the Council, and also in company
with some others, he petitioned for a second estate, which was likewise unnamed
in the records of the Council.
Maitlands (London based merchants trading with WI)
9 Dec 2005 From: Michael Sandford, Abingdon.
Dear Antony,
I came across your website in a search for information on the trading
activities of my great great great great grandfather Robert Maitland
(1744-1810) who was first located at the Kings Arms yard, Coleman Street, London and later at The Blue Style Greenwich.
I found reference on your site to the West India Committee records At Archives
of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies. I was interested to note that the
names you mentioned here appear to be those of my ancestor and his relations. I
had better follow up your reference to see if I can find out something about
their trading interests!
My Robert Maitland (1744-1810) appears in the Maitland gedcom on your website,
so you will be able to see where our lines diverged: our common ancestors are
Sir Robert Maitland (d 1434) and Marion Aternethy.
You can see my descent from daughter Mary of my Robert Maitland
(1744-1810) at http://sandfordfamily.org.uk
I was also interested in your site for what it says about Jamaican history,
especially since I have just returned from a month's holiday spent mainly in
Mandeville. I have often wondered exactly what the trading was that my Robert
Maitland did with the WI. Have you ever come across any dealings between his firm
and your own Maitlands in Jamaica?
My Robert Maitland (1744-1810) married Elizabeth Ridge who was the daughter of John Ridge, another West Indies merchant in London. So that is another trading connection.
Michael Sandford
10 Dec 2005
Thank you for your reply. It gets yet more interesting as I delve a bit
further into your large website. What a lot of research you have done!
In comparison my Maitland research looks pretty thin. But I am now motivated to
some more.
Here are a two points answering your email:
1. I cannot at the moment see how your John Maitland ( - 1786), might fit into
the known families of the Kings Arms Yard merchants.
2. I see from your pages that a Pakenhams married a Sandford from Castlereagh.
Castlereagh is not far from Tuam and my grandfather and his cousin speculated
about the tradition that there was a connection but nothing definitive has been
discovered so far. Unfortunately all the early Church of Ireland records in
Tuam were destroyed around 1800.
Finally I note from your auto biographical notes that you are a Christ's
man. I matriculated at Christ's in 1960. I read maths then physics.
However I ended up running a division of engineers working on space research
instrumentation at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near here. I retired 2
years ago - and so now have time to research family history and to try and
write up interesting stories for the younger family members. I am planning to
send them a couple of essays at Christmas. The one I finished before my holiday
relates how 12 greats uncle was wrongly beheaded by Henry VIII when he was
getting rid of Anne Boleyn.
Did you go to the old member's dinner at Christ's in September? The 1960 and
1965 matriculation years were invited. I don't have the seating plan to hand to
check if you were there.
Best wishes, Michael
This family is included because of the supposed connection with the Maitland
family via a Sarah Maitland who married Richard Parchment (b 1747).
St Elizabeth parish, Jamaica, West Indies, and the American-born Loyalist
ANDREW BROMFIELD....
The following is a composite of several sources:
Outline from Parchment family notice board
A tree from Louise Currie (LC)
Extra information from Denny Swaby (DS).
RICHARD PARCHMENT,
the original immigrant, was granted land in Jamaica eleven years after the
island was taken from the Spanish and made a British possession. Between
January 1666 and July 1685, 1070 acres of land was deeded to him. (Plat Book
1B/11/2/15) There is also a Richard Parchment who owned land in York County,
Virginia, and who had been a resident there from 1654. (N. Nugent,
"Cavaliers and Pioneers, vol I, 497; also... Fleet, "Virginia
Colonial Abstracts, vol 25, 323) It is not unreasonable to assume that both
were the same man, since this particular section of the island was settled by
"sundry mariners, vagabonds and settlers" (Calendar of Colonial
Papers, 1670) according to one Governor of the island, who also described
Virginia as "the bolthole of Jamaican debtors." In his will, dated
"ye 27th day of December, in the Year of Our Lord 1686,"
Richard Parchment describes himself as being "in perfect sense and memory,
but very weak and ill." He named his beloved wife Jane as executrix of his
entire estate, which he charged her to administer on behalf of his children.
From the records, he appears to have had at least two children:
1/1. Richard, who by 1700 had inherited the land granted his father,
1/2. Rebecca, who married William Legister, 17 Mar 1708/9 (Register No 1B/11/8/6
vol:1)
in 1984 who sent me some pages about Parchments taken from typed work called “Whose
Child Are You” by Carolee Elliott Mitchell, in which she discusses the
Parchments from Jamaica. Here is a transcript of the pages:
RICHARD PARCHMENT
married MARY, and they were the parents of
1/1. John, bapt 28 Nov 1708/9
1/2. Jane, bapt 8 Feb 1705 (Register No. 1B/11/8/6 vol 1)
JOHN PARCHMENT
LC: Baptism: November 28, 1708, St. Elizabeth, by Josiah Tookerman, rector
(Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish Register I & II, 1707-1825, I, p.
2.)
married RUTH,
The name Parchment appears in the St Elizabeth Indices several times. In 1802,
this family owned land SE of Black River.
1/1. Richard, bapt 27 May 1749, at age 1 year and 6 months
LC: Baptism: May 27, 1749, St.
Elizabeth (Source: B0037 St.
Elizabeth Parish Register I & II, 1707-1825, I, p. 7.)
Appears to have worked as overseer of his sea-captain father's estate of
Southfield Penn (penn = ranch). There is no record of his marriage, and his
children are listed in the section of the register headed "Baptisms of
Persons Not White." Some sources suggest that the mother of his children,
SARAH MAITLAND, was of the family of John Maitland. With Richard Parchment as
the "reputed father", Sarah had a family listed as 'mulatto' and as
'quadroon'. Antony Maitland’s research makes this look very unlikely, even if
she really was named Maitland.
Ref DS:
was "set" to inherit his parents estate on the condition (stated in
his father's will) that he should marry only a "white" woman.
Richard Parchment had children with 'Sarah Maitland' who according to one
'researcher' was 'non-white'. Consequently the 'Parchment' estate passed
to his sister "Mary Parchment" who married my ancestor "Andrew
Bromfield - Lt. Colonel St. Elizabeth parish Militia, Jamaica".
Sarah Maitland
In the beginning pages of this register the minister was sometimes recording
only the name of the fathers. At other times he listed the wife's name.
Occasionally he noted "and his wife".
Here there is no mention of the mother, or of the father's marital status.
Actual record in LDS Microfilm has Richard MILLAND as father. Index has Melland
(original in Jamaica).
Age: January 23, 1748, 15 months, thus born abt October 1746.
Baptism: January 23, 1748, St. Elizabeth (Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish
Register I & II, 1707-1825, I, p. 7.)
Richard Maitland of Shadwell, the probable ancestor of the Maitlands of Giddy
Hall, had daughters ch in Shadwell 10/1745 and 6/1747 making it unlikely for
him to have been this Sarah’s father by his wife, even if the PR transcript was
wrong. It is also probable that Richard & Sarah Maitland of Shadwell were
pure white, and Sarah, Richard Parchment’s partner was supposedly non-white.
One source (Carolle Mitchell) says she was a Yamasee Indian. (Yamasee were an
Indian tribe assimilated into the Seminole and Creek tribes in Florida in the
first half of the 18thC.)
Later information (1/2003) is that this Sarah was bapt St E 23/1/1748, aged 15
months, father Richard Maitland. He could have been a sea Captain, will dated
1763 in Virginia. (Louise Currie, Australia).
Later from Louise Currie (22/3/2003) Sarah Maitland’s father Richard could have
been the one who died of Kensington, planter of Jamaica. His will makes no
mention of Sarah, but was proved London, 23 August, 1763. This looks the most
likely, as he did not marry until later in England.
A Sarah Maitland owned one elderly female slave, Fibba (65, Creole) in the
returns of 1817. Was this her or possibly a daughter of our Richard Maitland of
Shadwell??
Issue of Richard & Sarah Parchment:
2/1. Elizabeth, born 19 Aug 1772, bapt 1 Aug 1773
LC for this line:
Baptism: August 01, 1773, St. Elizabeth (Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish
Register I & II, 1707-1825, I, p. 35.)
Burial: June 07, 1833, New Burial Ground, Spanish Town, St. Catherine aged 55
of Spanish Town, by the Revd. William Broadley (Source: B0024 Jamaica Parish
Register Burials I & II, 1826-1844, I, p. 125 #39.)
Race/nationality/color: Free quadroon.
Partner: Mr McKenzie: Race/nationality/color: White (by calc.)
3/1. Marianne5 McKenzie, born Bef. June 03, 1797.
Baptism: June 03, 1797, St.
Catherine (Source: B0080 St. Catherine Parish Register BMB I & II,
1669-1825, II, p. 107.). Race/nationality/color: Free mustee
She met Alexander Grant Bef. 1812, son of David Grant and Ann Hitchman.
He was born March 31, 1790.
Addressed as: 1816, Esquire
Baptism: January 07, 1791, Kingston (Source: B0061 Kingston Parish Register
Baptisms I & II, Marriages I, 1721-1825, Bap. I, p. 424.)
Occupation: 1836, Gentleman. Residence: 1836, Kingston
Both Single: Bef. 1812
4/1. James Grant, born July 13, 1812.
Baptism: November 01, 1813,
Kingston (Source: B0061 Kingston Parish Register Baptisms I & II, Marriages
I, 1721-1825, II, p. 264.)
4/2. Alexander Green Grant, born
October 18, 1815.
Baptism: July 06, 1816, Kingston
(Source: B0061 Kingston Parish Register Baptisms I & II, Marriages I,
1721-1825, II, p. 301.)
In Jamaica in the early 19th century the child of a white and a mustee would have
been deemed "white by law," with "the same rights and privileges
as British subjects, born of white parents, with certain
restrictions." (They did not have the right to vote).
3/2. Elizabeth Anna McKenzie,
born September 14, 1798.
Baptism: December 21, 1799, St.
Catherine (Source: B0080 St. Catherine Parish Register BMB I & II,
1669-1825, II, p. 119.)
2/2. William, born 28 Aug 1775,
LC: Baptism: 1785, St. Elizabeth
(Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish Register I & II, 1707-1825, I, p.
51.)
2/3. Richard, born 14 Dec 1779,
(mulatto/quadroon)
Baptism: 1785, St. Elizabeth
(Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish Register I & II, 1707-1825, I, p.
51.)
Race/nationality/color: 1824, Free person of color
Residence: 1824, St. Elizabeth
Marriage Notes for Richard Parchment and Mary Bromfield: It is not certain the
Richard Parchment who married Mary Bromfield was the same Richard who had
several children by Camilla Parchment.
M. (1) Camilla Parchment.
Baptism: August 20, 1807, Mrs. Bromfield's, St. Elizabeth (Source: B0037 St.
Elizabeth Parish Register I & II, 1707-1825, I, p. 130.).
Race/nationality/color: Black
Issue of Richard Parchment and Camilla Parchment:
3/1. Arabella Parchment, born Bef. August 20, 1807.
Baptism: August 20, 1807, Mrs.
Bromfield's, St. Elizabeth (Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish Register I
& II, 1707-1825, p. 130.)
3/2. Priscilla Parchment, born
Bef. August 20, 1807.
Baptism: August 20, 1807, Mrs.
Bromfield's, St. Elizabeth (Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish Register I
& II, 1707-1825, I, p. 130.)
3/3. John Maitland Parchment,
born Bef. August 20, 1807.
Baptism: August 20, 1807, Mrs.
Bromfield's, St. Elizabeth (Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish Register I
& II, 1707-1825, I, p. 130.)
3/4. Benjamin Brady? Parchment,
born Bef. August 20, 1807.
Baptism: August 20, 1807, Mrs.
Bromfield's, St. Elizabeth (Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish Register I
& II, 1707-1825, I, p. 130.)
Married (2) daughter of Andrew
Bromfield and Rose Reynolds MARY BROMFIELD, by banns 29 Jan 1824. (Register No.
1B/11/8/6 vol 1)
Race/nationality/color: Free person of color
Residence: 1824, St. Elizabeth
Sterling Binns has these 2 and several others as children of Richard & Mary
Parchment, but not the children listed above, on his web site:
http://www.myheritage.com/site-53652081/binns-extended-family-website
3/2009.
3/1. Richard Elmers Parchment, bapt 31 Dec 1818 D 1893.
(Register No. 1B/11/8/6 vol 1)
M. Mary Ann Falconer.
4/1. Simeon Kieth Parchment, 1851-1953, M. Jane Elizabeth Nicholson
5/1. Adelaide Eugene Parchment,
1880-1947, M. Richard DeSouza Binns
3/2. Evalina Maitland Parchment,
born 6 Jan 1825, bapt 2 Oct 1831
(Register No. 1B/11/8/6 vol 5)
2/4. John born 12 Feb 1782,
LC: Baptism: 1785, St. Elizabeth
(Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish Register I & II, 1707-1825, p.
51.)
2/5. Nicholas, born 2 Sept 1785,
all four bapt 19 Oct 1785
LC: Baptism: 1785, St. Elizabeth
(Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish Register I & II, 1707-1825, I, p.
51.)
Ref DS:
3/1. Henry Gale Parchment,
The following from Mark Bishton[v]
baptized 30 Dec 1818 in St. Elizabeth Parish married Sarah Amelia Gordon
(Baptized 5th Dec. 1830, Mustee, Sarah aged 3 1/2 years, parents Larchin and
Ann Frances Gordon, married, Abode: Happy Retreat, by Rev. J Waters.) 01 Nov
1844 at St. Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica:
4/1. Mary Maitland Parchment, G grandmother of Denny Swaby.
ch 22/2/1846, b 7/12/1845 of Providence, Settler.
4/2. Joseph Alexander Parchment
born 30 Apr 1847,
4/3. Cecilia Clementina Parchment born 20 Apr 1849,
4/4. Henry Elmore Parchment born 20 Aug 1851.
Henry Gale died about 1859 &
Sarah remarried to Joseph David Yates a widower who already had 5 children.
They had 4 children together including my great grandmother:
4/1. Benjamina Yates, who married William Atkin Jackson (Jacksonville, Isle of
Pines, Cayman was named for Atkin).
2/6. Sarah, born 15 jan 1780,
bapt 3 Mar 1780
(Register No. 1B/11/8/6 vol 1)
1/2. Elizabeth, bapt 12 Aug 1753
LC: Baptism: August 12, 1753, St.
Elizabeth (Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish Register I & II,
1707-1825, p. 9.)
1/3. John, bapt 28 July 1759, at 14 months
LC: Baptism: July 28, 1759, St.
Elizabeth (Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish Register I & II,
1707-1825, I, p. 19.)
1/4. Jean, about 4 yrs old,
LC: Age: November 1765, About 4
years
Baptism: November 1765, St. Elizabeth (Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish
Register I & II, 1707-1825, I, p. 27.)
1/5. Mary, about 1 yr old, both bapt in Nov 1765
LC: Baptism: November 1765, St.
Elizabeth (Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish Register I & II,
1707-1825, I, p. 27.)
Married Andrew Parchment, as 2nd wf after Rose Reynolds.
1/6. Nancy, born 28 Aug 1769, bapt in July 1770
(Register No. 1B/11/8/6 vol
1)
LC: Baptism: July 1770, St. Elizabeth (Source: B0037 St. Elizabeth Parish
Register I & II, 1707-1825, p. 31.)
Andrew Bromfield & Rose Reynolds Issue (from David
Bromfield web site:
1/1. John Frederick Bromfield b 1777 M. Mary Mullings
2/2. William Mullings B m. Ellen
Caroline Hutchinson
3/1. David Hutchinson Bromfield
M. Margaret Elizabeth Clacken,
4/1. Vida Ella Orbel Bromfield
2/1. John Mullins Bromfield &
Lucy Facey Seaton
3/1. Mary Ann Bromfield &
Christopher Bromfield
4/1. David Christopher Bromfield
& Vida Ella Orbel Bromfield,
5/1. Albert Winston Bromfield
& Sigrid Hazel Agatha Gray
6/1. David Michael Hurlstone
Bromfield
Descendants of Nicholas Maitland Parchment
Generation No. 1
1. Nicholas Maitland Parchment was born Abt. 1811.
Married Sarah Yuil (Parchment).
She was born Abt. 1811.
Occupation: 1836, Planter of Comfort
Issue (many more listed on PR):
2/1. Margaret Parchment, born June 14, 1836.
Baptism: December 30, 1836, St.
Elizabeth.
Married Herbert Gordon May 19, 1858, St. E by banns
born April 08, 1838, Baptism: July 13, 1838, St. Elizabeth
2/2. Isabella Bonniella b.
15/11/1845, ch 2/1846
of Nicholas Maitland Parchment
& Sarah Ewell his wife of Comfort, Settler.
2/3. Thomas Ewell - b 4/10/1847
ch 30/1/1848
of Nicholas Maitland Parchment
& Sarah Ewell
2/4. Ezekiel b 28/4/1850 ch.
1/2/1850
of Nicholas Maitland Parchment
& Sarah Ewell his wife/ Comfort/ Settler/ W. Forbes/
Information from David Bromfield, (5/2001):
I am descended from 'Andrew Bromfield & Rose
Reynolds'. Andrew Bromfield had later married "Mary Parchment"
daughter of John & Ruth Parchment. John & Ruth had a son
"Richard Parchment" who was "set" to inherit his parents
estate on the condition (stated in his father's will) that he should marry only
a "white" woman. Richard Parchment had children with 'Sarah
Maitland' who according to one 'researcher' was 'non-white'. Consequently
the 'Parchment' estate passed to his sister "Mary Parchment" who
married my ancestor "Andrew Bromfield - Lt. Colonel St. Elizabeth parish
Militia, Jamaica".
Mary Bromfield, born 1785, St E, dau of Andrew & Rose (Reynolds) Bromfield,
married 29/1/1824, Richard Parchment son of Sarah Parchment
(above).
DENNY SWABY Correspondence:
9/12/2003:
Denny Swaby[iv]
I know the names of my paternal grandfather as well as great grand father and
mother. I have passed this information to the Registrar General Department in
Jamaica to see what they can find. I remember hearing various family stories
when I was a child about the Swaby that started the lineage in Jamaica. One of
the things that I remember was this original Swaby was a military officer. He
was either German or English. The Jamaican records if they exist will verify
lineage. I’m not sure of the extent of your research on Joseph Swaby, but
thought it best to ask a few questions. Do you know if there were generations
of Swaby’s in Jamaica prior to Joseph James Swaby? If Joseph Swaby was the
first Swaby in Jamaica, are you also aware of his place of birth?
Sat, 21 Feb 2004 16:48:47 -0500
Thank you for responding to my e-mail. I have a good understanding of my
Swaby ancestry at this point. Since I live in the Cayman Islands I was able to
visit the Registrar Generals Department in Jamaica.
I wanted to let you know that I found a Maitland connection
through my paternal grandmother. My great grandmother was Mary Maitland
Parchment. Mary’s father was Henry Gale Parchment. Henry was
baptized in 1819 in St. Elizabeth Jamaica. His parents are not listed and
he is baptized with numerous other Parchment children. I did not have
enough time to complete my research on Henry, but he appears to be descended
from Richard Parchment and Sarah Maitland.
Denny
dcswaby wrote: 6/2005.
Hi Antony,
It’s been some time since we’ve communicated.... I was in
Jamaica earlier this week and came across a will for John Maitland....
The will I found for John Maitland stated that is mother was
Sarah Maitland. John left his estate to Rebecca Wright and two children Frances
and Richard. This appears to be part of the Maitland family identified in on
your site. Are they descended from Francis Maitland and who was Sarah
Maitland?
Best Regards Denny Swaby
From: Antony Maitland [mailto:antony@antonymaitland.com]
Sent: Friday, June 24, 2005 5:06 PM
To: dcswaby
Good to hear from you, even is your information throws my earlier
ancestry in grave doubt!
Did you by any chance take any details of John Maitland's will? (even a
reference number so I can get hold of it either when I next go to Jamaica or via and agent): It sounds very much as though he is my GGGG grandfather -
Francis and Richard were his sons and Rebecca their mother.
On the subject of your family, I had a couple of emails from a Swaby from St
Elizabeth recently, which might interest you:
The sender is:
Jean Prytyskacz[vi]
Hi Antony- I'm writing you to find out more information on the history of the
Swaby family in Jamaica. My maternal grandmother was Anice Swaby from Santa
Cruz, St. Elizabeth Parish. She was married to Wilfred Charles Hendricks (from England) my grandfather who was a planter in Greenvale, Mandeville during the
20's,30's and 40's. He was also the postmaster of the Mandeville Post Office.
Anyway, I would like to know who was the earliest Swaby on the island? I
know there were several Joseph James Swabys. There was a Horatio Swaby
that my grandmother was related to, but I don't know if there were more
than one. Or if Horatio was a son or grandson of one of the Joseph James
(Swaby). Did the Swaby's own any farms or estates in Yorkshire where they
are originally from, besides having Jamaican property? I hope you
could answer my questions. I enjoy reading your web site very much.
Thanks, Jean
7 Nov 2005
Good to hear from you. Interestingly enough I
was scheduled to go to Jamaica on business tomorrow, but had to cancel as my
wife caught a virus. On business trips to Jamaica I try to schedule some time
at the Registrar General’s as well. I was looking forward to this trip as
NCR had offered to show me around St. Elizabeth. I’m hoping I can go again in a
week or two. If I find anything else I’ll let you know. The Jamaican deeds and
wills seem to be the best key for connecting families.
I was able to connect my maternal grandmother (Mary Maitland
Parchment) to Richard P and Sarah M. It appears that Mary was descended
from Sarah Maitland’s son Nicholas. I have a copy of Richard Parchment’s will
as well as the will of his father John Parchment.
Thanks for
keeping in touch. It will be interesting to see what you find on your
visit to the West India Committee.
Posted by: Stephanie Binns
Date: May 15, 2001 at 19:36:26 In Reply to: Re:
Southfield Plantation, Saint Elizabeth by Robert Hodgson
Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
I want to start by making things a bit more confusing. John Parchment had two
sons, Richard and John, but he also had several daughters, Elizabeth, Jean,
Mary, and Nancy. I failed to mention the daughters because I incorrectly
assumed that the land was being passed from father to son.
Mary Parchment married Andrew Bromfield. He also had relations with Rose
Reynolds and Amy Bradford. I descend from his relation with Rose Reynolds. I
hate to say he wasn't original but they also had a child Mary Bromfield. His
child with Mary Parchment was Mary Pringle Bromfield.
John Parchment's son Richard had several children with Sarah Maitland (of whom
I have found almost no information) and they had a child names Richard. Richard
married Mary Bromfield (daughter of Andrew and Rose Reynolds). So, Andrew
Bromfield was not only Richard's father-in-law but the husband of his aunt.
Confused?
A bit of clarification, please? Who lived at Berry Hill Andrew Bromfield and
Rose Reynolds or Andrew Bromfield and Mary Parchment?
Okay, you asked if all of the information I have is from my aunt. I have
researched here in the United States and have looked only at parish registers.
I have not seen anything with properties actually mentioned unless they were on
a baptism as a place of residence. I will call her and see if she as copies she
could send me of her research. I will also send you a copy of the information
she gave me. There maybe information you get out of it that I may not yet. I
have only been researching about a year and a half and will not have the
opportunity to travel to Jamaica for these types of documents for at least
another year. She has documents sited but I don't have the hard copies, nor
have I seen them.
You asked about the Mayfield school. I am guessing that this may be the school
at Berry Hill. My grandmother, granddaughter of Richard E. Parchment, the
"school master" went to the Mayfield school. She said it was a one
room school house. Note that she went to school in the early 1900s. Sadly she
died before I was old enough to really start asking her questions. I will ask
my aunt who grew up there.
Lastly, the Binns/Parchment family you mentioned. I would really like to find
out more. There are two Binns/Parchment families I know of. One of them is my
grandparents, both were born in 1901. The other family is Richard Binns and
Adelaide Eugene Parchment. I don't have dates but she is the daughter of "old
man Simeon" so I am guessing she was born earlier.
I will be in touch soon. Please keep me posted with your research.
Thanks,
Stephanie
http://www.southfieldhodgsons.com/andrewbromfield.html
1/2009:
Andrew Bromfield
(1741-1807)
Andrew Bromfield was a great, great grandfather of Mass Teddy. One of six
children, he came from a rich Scottish family that owned Estate's in
Berwickshire and Roxburghshire. He was born in 1741 and baptised 1744 at Eccles
Parish Church, Berwickshire, Scotland.
The Bromfield siblings consisted of three boys and three girls. All six of them
eventually resided at their own properties in the town of Kelso which was just
over the border in Roxburghshire.
Andrew Bromfield and his two brothers all joined the British Army and later
became Officer's of their Regiment. His eldest brother, Stephen became a
Colonel. He and his brother John were Captain's in the same unit, the 40th
Regiment of Foot. Great Britain had owned Jamaica now for just over 100 years
and many English and Scots had become extremely rich after moving there. Andrew
must have had thoughts of owning a Plantation in Jamaica too. Sometime between
the years of 1770-1773 he decided to go to Jamaica. Still a member of the Army
he borrowed money from his eldest brother Stephen who had become the wealthiest
of the brother's. I have heard that there is apparently a Stephen Bromfield
document which states something like this about Andrew "My brother is
wasting away and desperate to seek his fortune in Jamaica!"
In 1772 a Newspaper article appeared in the Scottish, Kelso Chronicle showing
Andrew had purchased an African Slave. He and his brother John sailed to
Jamaica. Andrew or both of them owned land in the parish of Clarendon which was
then adjoined to Saint Elizabeth. Incidentally, Mass Teddy's son Leslie once
said to my father that two brother's had come over from Scotland and that one of them went to Clarendon, the other one moved to Saint Elizabeth. He also
said nobody knows what happened to the other brother. It is almost certain that
these were those Bromfield brother's, not the Hodgson's
Around 1784 he was named as a signed witness to the will of a man named John
Parchment who was the owner of the land of 'Southfield Penn' in Saint
Elizabeth. Just one year after John Parchment's death, Andrew married his
daughter Mary Parchment in 1785. She had inherited from her father and was now
the owner of the land and slaves of Southfield Penn. Andrew and Mary's marriage
appeared in the Saint Elizabeth church register under the heading
"Marriages of White Persons in 1785"
Prior to his marriage, Andrew had children from "relationships"
with two of his slaves, one was a Quadroon and the other a "Person of colour"
On the day of his wedding, they were all baptised and given their freedom. A
descendant of one of them, David Bromfield once kept in touch and gave me much
information concerning the Bromfield's.
Twelve years after his Marriage and with a growing family including our 3 year
old Amelia Bromfield, he and his brother John both went AWOL, "Absent
Without Leave" from their British Regiment, their positions being replaced
by other soldiers. It was 1797 and was probably the time that Andrew officially
left Britain. He became a Lieutenant Colonel in the Saint Elizabeth Militia
Army instead whilst also owning Southfield Plantation and 80 slaves.
His brother moved back to Scotland where he married and raised a legitimate
family of three daughters there. When the brother died at Kelso in 1821, his
occupation was listed as a Coffee Planter/Merchant "sometime of
Jamaica" It appears that he was probably involved in Andrew and Mary's
Coffee Plantation Business at Southfield. There is evidence that John and a
sister once sailed to Southfield, became ill and had the Doctor's bill paid by
their wealthier brother Colonel Stephen Bromfield of Kelso.
The future would not prove to be as fruititus as the Bromfield's and other
Planters thought because in England the "Abolition of Slavery"
movement had been operating slowly in the background since 1788 and was
gathering momentum at Parliament. It would ultimately play a part in the death
of Andrew Bromfield.
Southfield Plantation was now an established business and is shown on a
Jamaican property map of 1804 showing the Bromfield and Parchment Properties at
Southfield and Yardley Chase. The map also shows their neighbours, the Bent's
of Top Hill, Johnson's of Belle Vue and the Ebanks of Flagaman.
In 1807 the abolition Bill was to be passed on the outlawing of the Slave
Trade. It was something that all Colonial's including the Jamaican Planters
were all strongly opposed to because it would mean the demise of their once
highly profitable business. Many Jamaican Planters would be ruined so they
petitioned and sailed to London from their Jamaican Estates to try to overturn
the ruling which was to be chaired at the House of Commons, London. Andrew
Bromfield was in Central London during that Month and died on the 11th March
1807 aged 66. His death occurred just two weeks before the Bill was passed on
the 25th March 1807. Although there is no certain proof as to why he was in
London, it does seem very obvious that it was connected to the Abolition. He
was not buried in the Bromfield Monument at Eccles Parish Church, due to his
death occurring outside of Scotland, therefore his place of burial must be in
London, but has yet to be found. Because he was a British Gentleman, his death
was announced in several English and Scottish Newspapers and publications;
This chapter is very interesting and relevant to an event that was celebrated
and noted in England this year 2007, the Bi-Centenary (200 years) of the
Abolition of the Slave Trade which occurred on the 25th March 1807. It is also
200 years since the death of Andrew Bromfield.
JFS:
William Maitland was born Abt. 1799, and died February 1834, aged abt
35. Partner: Susan Gladstone.
Burial: February 01, 1834, Carawina Estate, Westmoreland, by Thomas Stewart,
rector. Occupation: February 1834, Planter, Residence: Bet. 1829 - 1834,
Carawina Estate
Children of William Maitland and Susan Gladstone are:
Three children were baptized on the same day by Thomas Stewart, rector. Their
residence was Carawina, Baptism: September 04, 1829, Westmoreland:
2 i. James Gladstone Maitland, born December 09, 1824.
3 ii. William Russell Maitland, born December 17, 1826.
4 iii. Margaret Maitland, born September 25, 1828.
MILITIA OF JAMAICA
MILITIA OF FOOT 1874
ST. ANDREW’S REGIMENT
Mate, Alexander Maitland
PRO ADM 1/235, Admiral's despatches, Jamaica 1713-1789,
1757-1760 Lists and Indexes, Admiralty XVIII p3.
Marlborough at Spithead, 7th March 1757.
Sir,
I received their Lordships orders of the 5th Instant this morning,
too late to answer by the Post. The two Assistant Surgeons I have ordered on
board the Lynn.
Mr Jones Agent for the Hospital at Haslar applied to me this afternoon to take
on board the Medicines and Stores for the Hospital at Jamaica and at the same
time acquainted me they filled four wagons, it being impossible for me to
receive such a Quantity either in my own Ship or Lynn with the Provisions
ordered by their Lordships. I advised him to ship them on board some Merchant
Ship bound to Jamaica. The Wind is now Eastward of the N and the Convoy from
the Downs all at an anchor, though few of the Masters have yet been on board to
take orders. I propose sailing tomorrow morning, and give them orders at Sea
rather than lose an Opportunity of this Wind.
Inclosed is a List of the Ships under my Convoy, a more exact account of them
will be sent you by the first Opportunity.
I am Sir
Your most Obedient Servant
Thos Cotes
Ships listed with:
Ships Name, Master’s Name, What Built, Were Belonging, Number of Men, Guns,
Tons, From Whence, Whither Bound, lading, When Received Order.
An example:
Duke, Rich’d Maitland, Ship, London, 20, 10, 360, London, Virginia, Ballast, 7th
March 1757.
Marlborough at Spithead 10th March 1757.
Sir,
The 8th Instant in the morning I made the Signall to unmoor, and
intended sailing but before I could get my Best Bower Anchor up, the Wind
veered to the Southward and from thence to the Westward, which obliged to moor
again in the Evening, it has since been variable with Calms, but I hope is now
fixed Easterly. I made the Signal to unmoor this morning by break of day and I
hope to get the Convoy out to Sea before Night.
Inclosed is a List of Ships who have taken my orders since my Letter of the 7th
Instant.
I am, Sir,
Your most Obdt Servant,
Thos Cotes
The Wind at NNE with Snow.
Marlborough in Torbay 15th March 1757.
Since my Letter of the 12th Instant from this Place His Majesty’s
Ships Newcastle, Lynn and Hornett have joined me and brought in with them the
merchant ships that were in the rear of the Fleet. The 13th in the
Evening the Wind came to the Northward and I was in hopes of its coming to the
Eastward, I immediately made the Signal for getting ready to sail but before we
could get a Peak on our anchor, it backed to the Westward and began to blow,
and all yesterday it blew very hard at NW and WNW. Last night it was moderate
Weather, and this morning it blows very hard at West.
I have wrote to Rear Admiral Harrison at Plymouth to desire a Supply of Beer
only to be sent here, if the Wind should continue Westerly and keep us here.
I shall sail as soon as the Wind shifts so that I can get down Channell.
Inclosed is the State of His Majesty’s Ships under my Command.
I am Sir,
Your most Obedient Servant,
Thos Cotes.
Marlborough in Torbay 16th March 1757 at 1,0’clock pm
Sir,
The hard gale from the West to NNW that has blown for two days past, ceased
this morning, and at 8 the Wind shifted to No when I made the Signal to prepare
to sail, that the merchant ships might get up their Yards and Topmasts, and
take up one anchor, most of them being obliged to let go two anchors, when it
blew so hard; the Wind now appears to me settled at NNE and I am getting under
sail, that the Fleet may have time to get one before Night,
I am, Sir,
etc.
Marlborough at Sea 8th April 1757.
Latt in 41d 05m N Long 13:35 Wt
Start (Point?) No 38:45 E Dist 230Lg
Finister N54.15E Dist 73 Lgs.
The 17th of March we sailed from Torbay the Wind then blowing fresh
at NNE; by night all the Fleet were got clear; and at 8 we took our Departure
from the Start, the Wind continued Easterly till the 18th, when it
veered to the Westward, and the 20th it blew so hard we could carry
no Sail, and were obliged to bring too under a Mainsail; the Merchant Ships who
did not take care to bear down lost Company, as we drove much faster than them;
The 24th in the Lattitude of 48˚22’ Longitude 5˚ 4’ from
the Start. A Merchant Ship acquainted me, that His Majesty’s Sloop Stork had in
the late bad Weather in the Night carried away all her Masts, but had got up
Jury Masts and was bore away for the Channell, and as the Wind was then at WSW
I hope she soon got into some port. We had very bad weather for fifteen Days
together in the Bay of Biscay, but have now a good Prospect of making our
Passage soon. Very few of the Convoy have lost Company there being now 97 sail
in sight.
Inclosed is the State of His Majesty’s Ship Marlborough, the Lynn and Hornett
bring up the Rear of the Convoy, which prevents my getting their accounts.
I shall this morning part Company with Commodore Stevend and the India Ships as
they must Steer more to the Southward than our Convoy lays.
etc, Thos Cotes.
Marlborough in Passage
8th May 1757.
In my last letter of the 8th of April by way of Madeira I acquainted
you of my parting Company with Commodore Stevens and the East India Ships. The
10th of April I made the Signal for all Masters of Merchant Ships,
and finding only six light Ships bound to Barbados, and sixty to the other
Islands, I ordered the Lynn to see them safe to Barbados, and with the
remaining Sixty steered for Antigua, where I arrived the 5th
Instant, with all the Convoy. The Store ships went into English harbour and the
Merchant Ships to their different Ports. I delivered Rear Admiral Frankland his
Commission after he had taken the Oaths, and Subscribed the Test, a Certificate
of which is Inclosed, I also told him he must direct his agent in London to pay the Fees of the Office.
The 6th I ran? The Ships bound to Montserrat, Nevis and St
Christopher to their several Ports, and anchored in this Road to get a Supply
of Water and Rum for the Ship’s Company, all the Wine we brought out of England
being expended by the Length of our Passage, I have been obliged to hire a
Sloop to fetch my Water, as old Road is by no means a proper Place for so large
a Ship to lay and there is no Water here, the Moment she returns I shall
proceed with the Trade bound to Jamaica. The Storeships that stopped at Antigua
have some of His Majesty’s Stores on board for Jamaica. I have ordered Capt
Kirke to call at Antigua to convoy them to Jamaica, and I have desired Adml
Frankland to assist in unloading them that the Lynnn may not be detained there.
The Recruits of Colonel Ross’s Regiment I sent to the Head Quarters in a
Schooner W Frankland lent me, four of them dyed in the Passage of Fevers. The
Packetts for Barbados I sent by Capt Kirke, and those for Antigua I delivered
to Admiral Frankland.
Inclosed is an Affidavit, that was yesterday made before the Lieutenant
Governor of this Island, the Person who made it seemed to me to be very
positive as to the facts. I therefore thought it my duty to get an Original to
lay before their Lordships.
Inclosed it the State of His Majesty’s Ship the Marlborough and Hornett Sloop.
I am etc.
Edinburgh Port Royal Jamaica
7 May 1757 659
Recd 22 June,
Read ditto
Sir,
Since my last to you of the 24th March, by his Majesty's Ship the
Biddeford, I beg leave to Acquaint you, for the Information of the Rt
Honourable the Lords, Commissioners of the Admiralty, that his Majesty's Ships
Augusta, Princess Mary and Humber, Arrived here on the 7th of last
month, from the North sides of Hispaniola, Captain Craven Acquaints me in his
Letter of the same day, of his looking into Cape Francois, a Copy of which
Letter I have hereby enclosed. His Majesty's Dreadnought, and Shoreham are
likewise Arrived, from the South sides of Hispaniola.
I have here inclosed you a Deposition of one Joseph Thurston, Master of the
Snow Defiance, giving an Account of his falling in with a Fleet of Ships, Off
the Island of Mona, and one of the Ships carrying a White Flagg at the
Foretopmast head. As in my former Letter to you, Sir, of the 24th of
March, I acquainted you, the French Prisoners, that were taken by one of our
Privateers, gave an account of fourteen Sail of French Men of War, Sailing from
Brest, And as this Master says he saw these ships off St. Domingo, I
immediately dispatched a small schooner up to Port Louis, to look into that
harbour, for if they were the French Squadron, they might have put in there,
but upon her return, the Officer I sent in the Schooner, Informed me, he saw
nothing in the Harbour, bu two small Vessells; I therefore Imagine the Fleet
was the Spanish Flota, which is expected every day but as I shall endeavour to
gain the best intelligence I can. I have ordered his Majesty's Ship Lively, who
arrived here woth the Roebuck and Assistance, with the Trade from ?? on the 25th
of last month to prepare for the Seas, and propose as she goes well, to send
her up to look into Cape Francois, that I may know if there are any other
French Squadron there, except that of Monsieur Beaufremond, and especially as
there is some reason to think that the French Squadron that was upon the Coast
of Guinea is Arrived there as their Lordships will please to Observe by Captains
Wyatts letter to me of this 25th April.
I have ordered his Majesty's Shop Assistance to Carreen, without loss of time,
and I am ordering to put the Squadron in the best condition I can, having
Stores of any kind, and hope to have some further ?? with the Trade from England, by the time the Squadron is ready for the Sea.
The several Rumours We have had, both from the Dutch and Spaniards, of the
French intending an attack on this Island, has occasioned the Lieutenant
Governor to declare Martial Law, and they are now putting the Fortifications of
this Island into the best postures of Defence they can; I have given them all
the Assistance in my power, by mounting their Cannon and repairing such of
their Carriages as were gone to decay, and shall continue my Assistances to
them, to this Utmost, and hope in a little time to see their Forts in a
suitable situation to repulse any Attack that may be made on this Island.
I would further Acquaint you; for their Lordships Information, that Monsieur
Bart, the new Governor of Hispaniola, has sent a Flagg of Truce, which Arrived
here the 30th of March, to Mr Moore, the Lieutenant Governor, to
prepare an Exchange of Prisoners, by which Opportunity I received a Letter from
Captain Roddan, with an Account of the taking of His Majesty's Ship Greenwich,
a Copy of which I herewith Inclose.
His Majesty's Ship the Wager* is likewise returned to this Port, but am very
sorry to Acquaint you of the Death of Captain Preston, and the Surgeon and
Purser of that Ship, I have appointed Mr Shurmer, first Lieutenant of the
Edinburgh, Captain of the Wager, and Mr Burnett, Midshipman on board His
Majesty's Ship Dreadnought, to be third Lieutenant of the Humber, having moved
Mr Dumaresque, first Lieutenant of that Ship, to be fourth Lieutenant of the
Edinburgh, Whom I hope their Lordships will favour me so far as to Confirm.
I have Inclosed you, Sir, a certain Account of the eight ?? ships that are
Arrived at Cape Francois, under the Command of Monsieur Beaufremond, And
likewise Captain Moore's Account of the Spanish Ships now laying at the
Havanna.
I beg leave to Acknowledge this Receipt of their Lordships Orders of the 3rd
January 1757, relating to ?? the time of the Departure of the first and second
Convoy, for proceeding to England with the Trade if this Island, which I shall
punctually Confirm to, and give the proper Notice thereof.
Captain Weller having Acquainting me, he had appointed Mr John Henry third
Lieutenant of His Majesty's Ship Assistance on the Coast of Guinea, in the room
of one of the Lieutenants who dyed there, And Mr Henry not having passed for a
Lieutenant, Applies to me for an Order of that purpose, which I Granted, and I
Inclose you a Copy of the Certificate of his having passed, together with the
State and Condition of his Majesty's Squadron under my Command.
I am Sir, Your Most Humble Servant,
Geo Townshend
PS
Sir, since writing the above, Captain Wickham of His Majesty's Ship Augusta,
& Captain Forest of His Majesty's Ship Rye having acquainted me they are
desirous of Exchanging their Commissions, I have consented to it.
* Wager was later commanded by Frederick Lewis Maitland, who took over from
Shurmer.
ADM 106/1150/184
Miscellaneous in-letters to the Navy Board from W correspondents, described at
item level
Record Summary
Scope and content Woolwich Officers. The Earl of Bute,
Captain Maitland, from Bengal came alongside the Conquestadore here for want of
a tide
Covering dates 3 Mar 1766
ADM 106/1192/205 R. S.
Record Summary
Scope and content Sheerness Officers. Account of the several
species of stores issued from HM Yard here, expended on the Bute East India
ship, Honble. Patrick Maitland, Commander
Covering dates 1770 Feb 24
Folio 204 similar
RICHARD MAITLAND IN GEORGIA 1775
This is a possibility of being our Richard Maitland. His will was proved 1779,
so he was probably active by then. The fact that later affidavits about the
loss were given by his crew in 1777 makes one think that perhaps he was dead or
infirm by then, or was he in Jamaica?
http://esr.lib.ttu.edu/bitstream/handle/2346/511/fulltext.pdf?sequence=1
University Libraries Faculty Research Texas Tech University Year 2007
Enough Gunpowder
to Start a Revolution
Jon R. Huord
Texas Tech University, jon.hu_ord@ttu.edu
This paper is posted at eScholarship Repository.
http://esr.lib.ttu.edu/lib
fac research/34
ENOUGH GUNPOWDER TO START A REVOLUTION
Jon R Hufford
Middle Georgia College
On June 27, 1775, Governor Sir James Wright, expecting interference with British
shipping at the entrance to the Savannah River, wrote to Admiral Sir Thomas Graves,
commander of British naval forces in North America, entreating him to send a
sloop-of-war to defend the approaches to the river.1 His immediate
concern was to assure the safe arrival of the merchant ship Phillipa, which had
left London on the second of May with thirteen thousand pounds of gunpowder,
small arms, and casks of musket balls, a cargo intended for the Indian trade
and for British troops and loyalists in Georgia and eastern Florida, the
Phillipa was due to arrive in Savannah shortly, so the tone of the governor's
letter was urgent. It would have been frantic had the governor been able to
foresee events of the next few weeks. The Phillipa's cargo, intercepted by
rebels, was destined to play an important role in the initial campaigns of the
American Revolution.
Fulfillment of the governor's desire to keep Georgia loyal to England during the rapidly expanding confrontation between mother country and colonies depended to an
important extent on continuing the alliance with the Creek and Cherokee Indian nations.2
Captain John Stuart, British agent to the Indians, possessed great influence over
them. Wright speculated that, once Stuart's Indian charges had received their share
of the gunpowder and shot. Stuart would be in a position to ensure their support
of His Majesty's colonial government. Thus far, Georgians had been quiet, if
not completely loyal, and Wright had not needed troops and ships-of-war to
bring this about. However, Charleston, a hot-bed of rebellion in the southern provinces,
was exerting significant influence on the small but growing number of colonial
patriots in Savannah. Wright knew that some Georgia citizens were already preparing
secretly to overthrow the colonial government and establish a committee of safety
and provincial congress in its place.3 He was aware of the serious consequences
for England if the cargo should fall into patriot hands and was determined to
do all in his power to see that this could not happen.
One week earlier, on June 20th. Wright had written to his administrative superior,
William Legge, Earl of Dartmouth, who was Secretary of State for the Colonies,
expressing his suspicion that Charleston patriots had plans to seize the Phillipa's
shipment. He explained that some South Carolinians feared that when the munitions
had been distributed Captain Stuart would incite the Cherokees to attack settlements.4
A few Charlestonians were using this fear to persuade men to enlist in the
"Liberty Boys" and assist in an effort to seize the Phillipa. As the governor
saw it, everything depended on Admiral Graves' cooperation. The Admiral might
very well have sent a sloop-of-war as requested if Wright's letter of June 27th
had reached him. However, agents of the Charleston Committee of Safety had
intercepted that letter and substituted a forged one explaining that Georgia
was peaceful and needed no military assistance.5 A few days earlier
a party of about forty Beaufort "Liberty Boys" commanded by Captains John
Barnwell and John Joyner had set out in two small barges for Bloody Point and
Tybee Island, the landfall for all ships entering the Savannah River.6
Their purpose was to take the Phillipa.
Over Governor Wright's protests, the Georgia Provincial Congress met on the 4th
of July at Tondee's Long Room in Savannah. One of its final acts was to offer
assistance to Barnwell and Joyner in taking the Phillipa.7 It
informed the South Carolinians that a small British armed schooner had
unexpectedly arrived at Tybee from Saint Augustine, Florida, and it offered to
help take that vessel also. This offer was accepted, and the Georgia Congress
dispatched to Tybee its newly commissioned schooner, the Liberty, commanded by
Oliver Bowen and Joseph Habersham.8 Thus began a cooperative venture
which was to develop into one of the earliest naval operations of the
Revolution. No fighting took place and consequently there were no casualties,
but the result of this operation was acquisition of a much-needed supply of
gunpowder and small arms for the Georgia and South Carolina militias and the
fledgling American army then encamped outside Boston.
As soon as the Liberty was discovered approaching Tybee, the British schooner put
to sea. Its captain had decided that a fight with this newly arrived opponent, assisted
by the smaller vessels which he knew were present at nearby Bloody Point, would
be too one-sided.9 Consequently, when on July seventh the Phillipa anchored
off Tybee Bar to await its pilot, there was no British naval presence to afford
protection. The Liberty was waiting out of sight not far from Tybee and on the
morning of July eighth approached to within three or four miles before anchoring
in a location the Phillipa would have to pass as it moved upriver.10
That move began in the early afternoon of the same day. Too late the Phillipa's
captain, Richard Maitland, spotted the Liberty waiting, full of armed men and
mounting ten six-pound cannon ready for action. Before he realized fully what
was happening, two warning shots were fired at the Phillipa. After a futile
attempt to escape, Maitland hove to and responded to the Liberty Boy's demand
to identify his ship.
During a short discourse in which Maitland declined Bowen's offer to act as pilot,
a flag with the words "American Liberty" stamped on it was hoisted to
the schooner's masthead. There was no longer room for doubt; the rebels had revealed
their identity.
Before anything could be resolved, sudden contrary winds followed by an ebb tide
forced both vessels to anchor. They remained at anchor until the following morning.
Then Maitland had little choice but to obey Bowen's order to accompany the Liberty up the Savannah to Cockspur Island, where there was an encampment of about three
hundred armed men.11 Shortly after both vessels anchored there, they
were joined by the South Carolina barges. Bowen, Joyner, and Seth Cuthbert of
Savannah led a boarding party which forced Maitland to hand over his ship's papers,
including the cargo manifest. Then Joseph Habersham came aboard with a written
order from the Georgia Provincial Congress which authorized him to seize all
the arms, gunpowder, and whatever else was included in the cargo.12
When the unloading had begun, Maitland was allowed to depart for Savannah in
order to inform Governor Wright of what had happened. The rebels recognized
that there was little else he could do.
An account of events following Maitland's departure can be constructed from the
affidavits of Samuel Burnett, the Phillipa's chief mate, and Richard Scriven,
her steward, who gave their stories to William Addington. Justice of the Peace
for Middlesex, England, almost two years later. All the gunpowder, along with a
few kegs of musket balls, was transferred to the Liberty. But there was no room
aboard the Liberty for most of the kegs and the small arms, so the Phillipa's
crew was instructed to keep her at anchor near Cockspur Island until further
notice. A guard was left on board to make sure these instructions were carried
out. On July twelfth the Phillipa received instructions from the Georgia
Committee of Safety to proceed to Savannah.13 There a second
boarding party, led by William Platt, a Savannah merchant, and under the
overall direction of the Committee, unloaded the rest of the cargo into boats
and transported it to the city magazine for storage. Both the mate and the steward
took pains to explain that the entire crew was under duress and obliged to carry
out the "Liberty Boys" demands.
Maitland had returned to his ship before July twelfth, aware that British civil
and military power was no longer effective in Georgia.14 The
Committee of Safety now governed the province. Governor Wright had urged
Maitland to leave a deposition with Anthony Stokes, the King's Chief Justice,
but he knew that any warrants Stokes might issue were unenforceable. For his
part, Maitland prudently put off taking this action until September for fear of
reprisal. The necessity of having the cargo's bonds cancelled finally forced
him to follow the governor's advice.
Eventually the Phillipa's, cargo was divided. Georgia's share was substantial —
nine thousand pounds of gunpowder and most of the small arms. The "Liberty
Boys" of Beaufort got the rest. Following the urgent request of the
Continental Congress sitting at Philadelphia, five thousand pounds of Georgia's
share of the powder was sent to that city. The troops of Richard Montgomery and
Benedict Arnold used some of it during their invasion of Canada in November.
Much of the rest enabled George Washington's army to drive the British forces
under General William Howe out of Boston in March of the following year.15
The Georgia militia found its portion useful later on, when fighting began in
the southern provinces. One week after July fourth, 1775, Georgia had shed its
loyalist stance and was moving toward active and significant participation in
the rebellion.
Notes to Above:
1. In this letter the Governor mentioned another letter sent to him by the Earl
of Dartmouth some time earlier which explained that an order had been sent from
the Admiralty to the admiral directing him to send an armed ship to Georgia. John Drayton.
Memoirs of the American Revolution, 2 vols. (Charleston, 1821; repr. New York, 1969), 1: 348-50; and Ronald G. Killion and Charles T. Waller, Georgia and the Revolution (Atlanta, 1975), 140, 141.
2. The Indians of Georgia outnumbered white settlers in 1775. Allen D. Candler,
comp., The Revolutionary Records of the State of Georgia, 3 vols. (Atlanta, 1908), 1: 300-1.
3. William Harden, A History of Savannah and South Georgia, 2 vols. (Chicago, 1913; repr. Atlanta, 1969), 1: 178, 1.
4. Allen D. Candler and Lucian Lamar Knight, comps., The Colonial Records of
the State of Georgia, 26 vols. (Atlanta. 1904-1937), vols. 27-39 manuscripts at
Georgia's Department of Archives and History, 38, pi. I: 475-77.
5. This forged letter also commented on the earlier letter from Dartmouth but
explained that there was no longer a need for an armed vessel. John Draylon.
Memoirs of the American Revolution, 2 vols., supra.
6. William Bacon Stevens, A History of Georgia, 2 vols. (Philadelphia,
1847-1859), 2: 103.
7. Ibid.
8. The Liberty, formerly the Elizabeth, was owned by Samuel Price and Richard
Wright of Savannah. Price cooperated with the Congress acting as ship's pilot
following its commissioning. Allen D. Candler and Lucian Lamar Knight, comps..
The Colonial Records of the State of Georgia, 26 vols., vols. 27-39
manuscripts, 38, pt. I: 614, 615.
9. Ibid.
10. Affidavit of Richard Maitland, 21 September 1775. Allen D. Candler and
Lucian La-mar Knight, comps., The Colonial Records of the State of Georgia. 26
vols., vol. 2 manuscript, 38, pt. 1; 606-614
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. Affidavits of Richard Scriven and Samuel Burnett, 10 January 1777. Old Bailey
Sessions Papers, Greater London Record Office, Middlesex Records. London,
England. (Reference Number: o17770219-1, re Ebenezer Smith Platt, charged with
High Treason on affidavits by RS & SB, AM 11/08).
14. Allen D. Candler and Lucian Lamar Knight, comps.. The Colonial Records of
the Stale of Georgia. 26 Vols., Vols. 27-39 manuscripts. 38. pt. 1: 613, 614.
15. Hugh McCall, the History of Georgia, 2 vols. (Savannah: 1811-1816; repr. Atlanta, 1909). 291; and William Bacon Stevens, A History of Georgia, 2 Vols. 2: 104.
July 9, 1775 at Bloody Point, South Carolina - The South
Carolina Council of Safety learned that a gunpowder shipment was on the way to
Savannah. The gunpowder would be used to supply the Indians. The council sent 2
barges to Bloody Point to intercept the gunpowder shipment. Capts. John Joyner
and John Barnwell, of the 1st South Carolina Regiment, commanded the barges.
When they arrived at Bloody Point, they got a schooner, the Liberty, outfitted
with 10 carriage guns, commanded by Capt. Oliver Bowen, to join the barges. The
British shipment was escorted by the armed schooner, HMS Phillippa, which was
commanded by Capt. Richard Maitland.
Note: no record in PRO of HMS Phillipa, probably not naval.
Robert S. Davis of Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, AL, has sent me
an advance copy of an article he has written, to be published in the Georgia
Historical Quarterly some time next year. It is about Ebenezer Smith Platt
(#132-111, p. 93 in the 1963 Richard Platt Genealogy), b. Smithtown, NY 1753,
no death info, m. Elizabeth Lovell Wright. A note in the Genealogy says,
"Taken prisoner in Revolution and conveyed to London. His release obtained
from George III through intercession of Mrs. Wright, well-known wax-works
modeler, whose daughter he later married."
From Rootsweb:
Ebenezer Smith Platt:
The article gives a lot more detail about Ebenezer's exciting life. He was sent
to Savannah by his father, Jonas, with a cargo of merchandise and instructions
to purchase a plantation. His father joined him and they prepared to enter the
slave trade, which enterprise was interrupted by the Revolutionary War. Jonas
died soon after. His mother then joined him in 1775, but also died suddenly.
Ebenezer then became involved in trade and privateering on behalf of the
Georgia rebels. After various adventures, he was captured and taken to London
in chains.
The above quote summarizes what happened next. The article seems to be
well-documented, and raises some difficulties for us. No death date is given for Jonas5 in the Genealogy,
but it has him dying in Smithtown. The article has his death in Savannah about 1774.
The death of Ebenezer's mother, Temperance Smith is given in the Genealogy as
21 March 1813, but, as mentioned above, the article tells of her sudden death
in Savannah in November 1775. The Genealgy gives the death date of Ebenezer's
wife, Elizabeth Lovell Wright, as 23 February 1786, but the article has her
death occurring in Bordentown, NJ in 1792. The article also mentions that he
had a second wife, name unknown. Also, his date and place of death are unknown,
but the article traces him to Baltimore, where he was living in poverty in 1804.
Richard Maitland’s Tea Party
The American Revolution in the Southern Colonies By David Lee Russell Page 46:
When tea arrived in Charles Town harbour aboard the British ship “Magna Carta”
in late June (1774?), Captain Richard Maitland told local officials that
he would return the tea to England. But on rumours that Maitland planned to
sell the tea anyway, angry and unemployed men in the port boarded the ship as
Captain Maitland quickly exited to take refuge aboard the British man-of-war
Britannia. In November the Britannia, which carried consigned tea, landed. The
Charles Town General Committee ordered the merchants to dump the tea in the
Cooper River to avoid mob violence, which they accomplished. Henry Laurens of
Charles Town said these new acts were simply the first of perhaps many laws to
“mandate which Ministers Shall think proper for keeping us in Subjection to the
task master who Shall be put over is.”
Laboratory for Liberty: The South Carolina Legislative Committee System,
1719-1776
Book by George Edward Frakes; University Press of Kentucky, 1970. 201 pgs.
http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=98510546
CHAPTER VIII
Revolutionary Committee Activity, 1774-1776
Extract from p118 (119 not available)
In December, 1773, South Carolinians' concern over British policy shifted from
New England to Charles Town Harbor. The problem was the arrival of the ship London
carrying a load of East Indian tea. The tea ship docked at Charles Town at a
time when South Carolinians and their fellow colonists were protesting against
the Tea Act taxes.4 The radicals in South Carolina politics, led by Christopher
Gadsden, took advantage of the hostile climate of public opinion toward royal
officials. Four days after the London arrived, the South Carolina radical
leaders called a general meeting of all citizens at the Great Hall of the
Exchange Building to discuss the constitutional issues
A meeting at the Exchange Building was called on December 3 because 257 chests
of East India Company tea had arrived in Charles Town two days before in
Captain Alexander Curling’s ship, the London. George Gabriel Powell was elected
chairman of the meeting, and it became apparent in the ensuing debate that most
of the citizens present favored absolute non-importation of teas subject to tax.
The East India Company consignees, who were present at the meeting, received
the thanks and applause of the assembly when they promised not to accept the
tea.
Various sites show:
HMS Britannia was a 100-gun first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. She
was ordered on 25 April 1751 from Portsmouth Dockyard to the draught specified
in the 1745 Establishment. Her keel was laid down on 1 July 1751 and she was
launched on 19 October 1762. The cost of building and fitting totalled
£45,844/2s/8d. Her main gundeck armament of twenty-eight 42-pounder guns was
later replaced by 32-pounders. In the 1790s ten of her quarterdeck guns and two
of her forecastle guns were replaced by the same number of 32-pounder
carronades.
Britannia was first commissioned in September 1778 (probably not correct – AM),
and saw service during the War of American Independence. From 1793–1795 she was
the flagship of Vice-Admiral Hotham. She fought at the Battle of Cape St
Vincent and at the Battle of Trafalgar, where she carried the flag of
Rear-Admiral of the White William Carnegie, Earl of Northesk. She lost 10 men
killed and 42 wounded at Trafalgar, and following that battle she was laid up
in Ordinary in the Hamoaze at Plymouth in 1806.
The ship was renamed on 6 January 1810 as HMS Princess Royal, then on 18
January 1812 as HMS St George and once more on 2 June 1819 as HMS Barfleur.[1]
She was third of seven ships to bear the name Britannia, and was broken up at Plymouth in February 1825.
She was known as 'Old Ironsides' long before USS Constitution.
http://www.awiatsea.com/incidents/10%20July%201775%20Capture%20of%20the%20Philippa.html
Capture of the Philippa
10 July 1775
In early June 1775 the South Carolina Council of Safety
learned of a shipment of gunpowder due to arrive in Savannah, Georgia. The
information was that this was the annual present of gunpowder for the Indians.
Since gunpowder and ammunition were in critically short supply in all the
colonies, the Council of Safety determined to intercept the shipment.1
Two barges were sent from South Carolina, commanded by Captains John Joyner and
John Barnwell of the 1st South Carolina regiment,2
with a total of about forty men each. These proceeded to Bloody Point to
intercept the powder.3
Bloody Point, on Daufaskie Island, was the landfall for all vessels entering
the Savannah River. From Bloody Point new arrivals were visible, as was the
town of Savannah.4
Georgia Royal Governor Sir James Wright had anticipated trouble with the
shipping in the river. Governor Wright had no military forces available in the
colony and had written to General Gage and Admiral Graves for help.5
Help was coming, although not in response to Wright’s letter. On 27 June HM
Schooner St. John (Lieutenant William Grant) sailed from St. Augustine,
East Florida with dispatches for Wright, from Governor Patrick Tonyn.6
St. John arrived off Tybee Island lighthouse on 29 June. At 1400 she was
nine to twelve miles south southeast of the lighthouse. Here she stopped a
sloop from New Providence and searched her, and apparently kept her for the
time being. At 1730 she anchored off the lighthouse, observing a tent on the
beach and many men ashore and in boats, and the “liberty flag” flying from the
top of the lighthouse. Grant sent a letter to Sir James Wright in the sloop,
and went to quarters, where the crew stayed all night. 7
The men ashore were the South Carolinians and, probably, some assorted Georgia
“Liberty Boys.”
The next day Grant observed boats passing and re-passing to Tybee Island.
He sent his master and a boat to find a conveyance for a letter to Sir James
Wright at St. Augustine. In the afternoon St. John fired a few shots at
a Carolina pilot boat, which refused to stop. St. John stopped another
schooner from South Carolina and searched her, but she only had passengers for
Georgia aboard. Grant’s men then boarded and searched a schooner from St.
Vincent. Finally, Grant sent a boat and officer to town with a letter for the
governor.8
On 4 July 1775 the Second Georgia Provincial Congress convened, and joined the
Continental Association on 6 July. This brought the colony squarely into the
rebellion.9
The Georgians had been aware of the presence of the South Carolinians and now
blessed the enterprise by co-operating. The Georgians informed Barnwell and
Joyner of the presence of the St. John. The schooner Elizabeth,
owned by Samuel Price and Richard Wright of Savannah, was taken up and
commissioned as the Liberty. Price cooperated with the Provincial
Congress acting as schooner’s pilot.10
The Provincial Congress authorized Captain Oliver Bowen and Captain Joseph
Habersham as commanders of the newly outfitted ten gun schooner. They were
ordered to assist Captains Joyner and Barnwell of South Carolina (whose troops
were on Tybee Island) in the capture of the incoming powder vessel. A secondary
purpose was to nullify the St. John.11
Other reports list this vessel as having eight to ten guns, swivels, and a
fifty-man crew.12
The cannon were 6-pounders. [cite]
The merchant ship in question was the 270-ton Phillipa [Philipa,
Philippa, formerly the Magna Carta] (Richard Maitland),13
which had sailed from London, England on 2 May 1775 with a cargo of 13000
pounds of gunpowder, as well as small arms, and casks of musket balls. The
cargo was intended for the Indian trade and for British troops and loyalists in
Georgia and eastern Florida.14
Grant was making every effort to find the powder vessel first. On 3 July he ran
down a ship outside the bar, but she was from Barbados in ballast and was
released.15
The presence of the Liberty and the two barges may have influenced
Grant, and he moved further out to sea. On 9 July two more ships were stopped
and searched for powder, but were released.16
Unknown to Grant, he had already missed his chance.
On 7 July17
the Phillipa anchored nine miles from Tybee Point, to await a pilot to
take her up to Savannah. The Liberty was anchored out of sight from
Tybee, but Bowen and Habersham were no doubt informed of the arrival of a large
ship. On 8 July Liberty moved up and anchored in the ship channel about
three or four miles from the Phillipa. If the powder ship moved up river
it would have to pass the schooner.18
At 1400 a pilot went aboard the Phillippa and she got underway.19
Map of the entrance to the Savannah River. The action
seems to be usually known as “Bloody Point” for no good reason.
As Phillippa moved upriver, Maitland got a closer look at the
schooner. “The schooner was full of armed men and had ten carriage-guns
mounted.” Below her deck several boards had been removed “which were for small
arms in close quarters.”20
At 1600 the Liberty fired two muskets at the Phillippa as a
signal to heave to, and ordered Maitland to identify himself.21
Maitland was suspicious, having had a previous experience in South Carolina,
when he had violated the Continental Association and been exposed for it.
[cite] Maitland made a futile effort to escape before he hove to.22
Maitland demanded to know who the schooner was.23
Bowen offered to serve as a pilot for the ship, which Maitland declined.24
Bowen then “hauled down their pendant and hoisted at the masthead a white
flag with a red border, on the field of which flag was stamped or imprinted in
large red letters the word ‘American Liberty’, and the people on board the
schooner said the schooner’s name was the Liberty.”25
Modern interpretation of the Georgia "Liberty" flag flown
by the Georgia Navy Schooner Liberty.
A change in the wind and an ebb tide forced both vessels to anchor. They
remained at anchor until the following morning. Then Maitland was ordered to
sail up the Savannah to Cockspur Island, with Liberty following. About
three hundred men were camped there. Maitland was ordered to anchor, and the
two South Carolina barges came out and joined the schooner. Bowen, Joyner, and
Seth Cuthbert of Savannah led a boarding party to the Phillipa. Maitland
was forced to hand over his papers. Next Captain Joseph Habersham came aboard.
He had a written order from the Provincial Congress which authorized him to
seize the arms, gunpowder, and whatever else was included in the cargo.26
Maitland was informed that the Americans would “take all the gunpowder, shot,
lead, and Indian trading arms.”27
When the unloading had begun, Maitland was allowed to depart for Savannah in
order to inform Governor Wright of what had happened.28
The Americans were able to take off 16,000 pounds of powder and “seven
hundredweight of leaden bullets.” They also “took away all the bar-lead,
sheet-lead, Indian trading arms, and shot, that were on board.” The Carolinians
and the Georgians divided the cargo between them.29
All the gunpowder, along with a few kegs of musket balls, was transferred to
the Liberty. There was no room aboard the Liberty for many of the
kegs of powder and the small arms, so the Phillipa’s crew was instructed
to keep her at anchor near Cockspur Island. A “prize crew” was put aboard to
insure that she stayed put. On 12 July the Phillipa received
instructions from the Georgia Committee of Safety to proceed to Savannah.30
There a second boarding party, led by William Platt, a Savannah merchant,
and under the overall direction of the Committee, unloaded the rest of the
cargo into boats and transported it to the city magazine for storage.31
Maitland met his ship at Savannah and was aboard by 12 July. Governor Wright
urged Maitland to file a protest or affidavit with Anthony Stokes, the chief
justice of the province. This would have had no effect but to draw more
attention to Maitland. The necessity of having the cargo’s bonds cancelled
finally forced Maitland to file an affidavit on 21 September 1775.32
The very real risk these early rebels ran was exemplified by the case of
Ebenezer Smith Platt. Platt moved to Savannah from New York in March 1775. At
Savannah, Platt was in the mercantile business.33
Platt became a member of the committee of Savannah, and was among those that
boarded the Philippa at Savannah.34
In January 1776 Platt was en route to Saint-Domingue to purchase arms for the
Provincial Congress. The prize was taken in to Jamaica. Because the vessel was
registered as English, Platt was ordered to sell his cargo, but escaped prison.
On his return voyage, in another vessel, Platt was again captured.35
This time he was recognized as a leader in the Philippa affair. Platt
was confined aboard a ship of war from March 1776 to January 1777. He was then
taken to England, where he was heavily ironed and imprisoned in Newgate,
charged with high treason.36
An unofficial British committee working for relief of American prisoners
petitioned, in mid-March 1778,37
that he be tried or admitted to bail.38
Platt was released by 3 April 1778 and planned to go to France to return to
America.39
__________
1
Patrick O’Kelley, “Nothing but Blood and Slaughter:” Military Operations and
Order of Battle of the Revolutionary War in the Carolinas, Volume One
1771-1779, Booklocker.com: 2004, p. 32
2
O’Kelley, NBBAS, 1:32
3
O’Kelley, NBBAS, 1:32
4
Hufford, Jon R., “Enough Gunpowder to Start a Revolution,” paper. Texas Tech University. 2007, 315.
http://esr.lib.ttu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1033&context=lib_fac_research
Accessed 1/28/08
5
Hufford, 315
6
NDAR, “Journal of His Majesty’s Schooner St. John, Lieut. William Grant,
Commanding,” I, 766-767
7
NDAR, “Journal of His Majesty’s Schooner St. John, Lieutenant William
Grant, Commanding,” I, 783
8
NDAR, “Journal of His Majesty’s Schooner St. John, Lieut. William Grant,
Commanding,” I, 794
9
http://ourgeorgiahistory.com/wars/Revolution/revolution06.html. 1/24/08
10
Hufford, 316n8. This is from Allen D. Candler and Lucian Lamar Knight,
comps.. The Colonial Records of the State of Georgia, 26 vols., vols. 27-39
anuscripts, 38, pt. I: 614, 615.
11Paullin,
Charles Oscar, The Navy of the American Revolution, The Burrows Brothers
Company: Cleveland, 1906, 459; NDAR, “Sir James Wright, Governor of Georgia, to
Lord Dartmouth,” I, 845
12Paullin,
Navy of the American Revolution, 459; NDAR, “Sir James Wright, Governor
of Georgia, to Lord Dartmouth,” I, 845
13Coleman,
Georgia, 53; Paullin, Navy of the American Revolution, 460; NDAR,
“Sir James Wright, Governor of Georgia, to Lord Dartmouth,” I, 856; “Henry
Laurens to John Laurens, London,” I, 885
14
Hufford, 315
15NDAR,
“Journal of His Majesty’s Schooner St. John, Leut. William Grant,
Commanding,” I, 812
16NDAR,
“Journal of His Majesty’s Schooner St. John, Leut. William Grant,
Commanding,” I, 848
17
Hufford, 317
18
Hufford, 317. Hufford cites the Affidavit of Richard Maitland, 21 September
1775, from Allen D. Candler and Lucian Lamar Knight, comps., The Colonial
Records of the Stale of Georgia. 26 vols., vol. 2 manuscript, 38, pt. 1;
606-614
19
O’Kelley, NBBAS, 1:33. Not on 9 July, as stated, however.
20
O’Kelley, NBBAS, 1:33. Quotations from Maitland’s affidavit.
21
O’Kelley, NBBAS, 1:33
22
Hufford, 317. Affidavit of Richard Maitland, 21 September 1775.
23
O’Kelley, NBBAS, 1:33
24
Hufford, 317. Affidavit of Richard Maitland, 21 September 1775.
25
O’Kelley, NBBAS, 1:33. Quotations from Maitland’s affidavit.
26
Hufford, 317. Affidavit of Richard Maitland, 21 September 1775.
27
O’Kelley, NBBAS, 1:33. Quotations from Maitland’s affidavit.
28
Hufford, 317. Affidavit of Richard Maitland, 21 September 1775.
29
O’Kelley, NBBAS, 1:33. Quotations from Maitland’s affidavit.
30
Hufford, 318 and 318n13. Citing the Affidavits of First Mate Samuel Burnett and
Steward Richard Scriven, on 10 January 1777. Old Baily
Sessions Papers, Greater London Record Office, Middlesex Records. London,
England.
31
Ibid.
32
Hufford, 318
33
Laurens, Henry. The Papers of Henry Laurens. University of South
Carolina Press: Columbia, 1999, 413n18
34
Andrews, Charles MacLean. Guide to the Materials for American History to
1783 in the Public Record Office of Great Britain, Volume II: Departmental
and Miscellaneous Papers . Carnegie Institute of Washington: Washington. 1914,
268
35
Laurens, Henry. The Papers of Henry Laurens. University of South
Carolina Press: Columbia, 1999, 413n18
36
Andrews, Charles MacLean. Guide to the Materials for American History to
1783 in the Public Record Office of Great Britain, Volume II: Departmental
and Miscellaneous Papers . Carnegie Institute of Washington: Washington. 1914,
268
37
Laurens, Henry. The Papers of Henry Laurens. University of South
Carolina Press: Columbia, 1999, 413n18
38
Andrews, Charles MacLean. Guide to the Materials for American History to
1783 in the Public Record Office of Great Britain, Volume II: Departmental
and Miscellaneous Papers . Carnegie Institute of Washington: Washington. 1914,
268
39
The Record of the Celebration of the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Birth
of Benjamin Franklin Under the Auspices of the American Philosophical Society
Held at Philadelphia for Promoting Useful Knowledge April the Seventeenth to
April the Twentieth A.D. Nineteen Hundred and Six. The American
Philosophical Society: Philadelphia, 1908. Vol II, 388.
SHADWELL
Wikipedia:
Etymology
In the 13th century, the area was known as Scadflet and Shatfliet[1] –
derived from the Anglo-Saxon fleot, meaning a shallow creek or bay – the land
was a low lying marsh, until drained (by order of Act of Parliament, after
1587) by Cornelius Vanderdelf.[2] A spring, issuing from near the south wall of
the churchyard was dedicated to St Chad, and filled a nearby well.[3] The
origin of the name is therefore confused, being associated with both the
earlier use and the later well.
Origins
In the 17th century, Thomas Neale became a local landowner, and built a
mill and established a waterworks on large ponds, left by the draining of the
marsh. The area had been virtually uninhabited and he developed the waterfront,
with houses behind as a speculation. Shadwell became a maritime hamlet with
roperies, tan yards, breweries, wharves, smiths and numerous taverns, which
built up around the chapel of St Paul's. Seventy-five sea captains are buried
in its churchyard, while Captain James Cook had his son baptised there.
By the mid-18th century Shadwell Spa was established, producing sulphurous
waters, in Sun Tavern fields. As well as medicinal purposes, salts were
extracted from the waters; and used by local calicoprinters to fix their dyes.
The modern area is dominated by the enclosed former dock, Shadwell Basin, whose
construction destroyed much of the earlier settlement – by this time
degenerated into slums.[2] The basin once formed the eastern entrance to the
then London Docks, with a channel leading west to St Katharine Docks. It is
actually two dock basins - the south basin was constructed in 1828-32 and the
north basin in 1854-8.
Unlike nearby Limehouse Basin, few craft larger than canoes can be seen on
Shadwell Basin, which is largely used for fishing and watersports - and as a
scenic backdrop to the modern residential developments that line it. The basin,
however, is still connected to the Thames and the channel is spanned by a
bascule bridge.
Parish church
St. Paul's Shadwell with St. James Ratcliffe, is traditionally known as the
Church of Sea Captains. In 1656 the church was established as a Chapel of
Ease, from St Dunstan's, at Stepney. In 1669, it was rebuilt as the Parish
Church of Shadwell, and it was the last of five parish churches rebuilt after
the Restoration. In 1820, it was again rebuilt as a 'Waterloo church'.
Captain James Cook was an active parishioner and John Wesley preached in the
church from time to time. Isham Randolph, one of Thomas Jefferson's
grandfathers and son of William Randolph, was married in St. Paul's church.
Jefferson's boyhood home was named Shadwell after the parish.
Wikipedia:
Watermen's Stairs were semi permanent structures that formed part of a complex
transport network of public stairs, causeways and alleys in use from the 1300s
onwards to access the waters of the tidal River Thames in Great Britain. They were used by Watermen, who taxied passengers across and along the river in
London.
Stairs were used at high tide and causeways were used at low tide, built down
to the littoral water level from street level, their location was memorized
during a Watermen's apprenticeship. Stairs were recognized by custom and
practice, as safe plying places to pick up and put down passengers and were a
valuable aid to rescue should anyone be unfortunate enough to fall in to the
river as they were often built adjacent to a public house
King James Stairs & Sugar:
There is evidence of a sugar baker’s in King James Stairs between 1749 &
1762 (Sun Insurance records via Mawer).
Shadwell - St. Paul's Church - board records baptism of Cook's son, James,
there.
Shadwell - 340 The Highway - plaques marks site of Cook's house at 126 Upper
Shadwell from 1762 to 1763.
A detailed history of St Paul's Shadwell
Internet: http://www.stpaulsshadwell.org/Group/Group.aspx?id=47149
10/2009.
By Alan Baxter and Associates
1 The beginnings
The remains of a guard tower suggest that The Highway, on the higher ground
above the flood-prone area to the south, formed a main approach to Roman London
from the east, but it seems unlikely that there was any significant settlement
in the area up until the 16th century. The name ‘Shadewell’ was recorded as
early as 1223, and could have derived from Shady (or Poisoned) Well, Shallow
Well, or perhaps a corruption of St Chad’s Well. Despite such early records,
the area was sparsely inhabited, and in Tudor times it was covered with ditches
feeding a tidal mill.
Shadwell developed as a notable settlement from around 1600. It was in this
year that it was first mentioned in the baptism registers of St Dunstan’s,
Stepney, and its rapid growth is shown by its frequent recurrence in the
registers thereafter. Its position was ideal for further growth, as Ratcliff
immediately to the east was the nearest landfall downriver of London with a
good road to the capital, and was a place of embarkation and disembarkation for
travellers and sailors alike.
The majority of the land in Shadwell, from the site of the present Church in
the west to the borders of Ratcliff in the east, and from the line later marked
by Cable Street to the river, was owned by the Deans of St Paul’s, who were
inactive landlords. Nevertheless, in the early 17th century there was a
considerable growth in marine industries and trades in the area, which caused a
great increase in population and led to a house building boom. Over 60 fines
were levied on Shadwell houses built illegally in the 1620s and 1630s along The
Highway and the riverfront, and beside Fox’s Lane which ran between them just
east of where the present Church now stands.
By the time the Commonwealth government surveyed the Dean’s lands in 1650 there
were 703 houses in Shadwell, excluding the area west of Fox’s Lane not owned by
the Dean. Around 60% of the householders made their living on the river, as
mariners or watermen etc, while another 20% were in trades reliant directly on
shipping, such as shipbuilding or supporting crafts. 32 wharves lined the 400
yards of riverfront, while roperies, timber yards and smithies filled much of
the land behind.
In a few decades Shadwell had developed piecemeal into a considerable
settlement through speculative building, which had created a sprawl of houses
and industries with no defined centre and little social organisation. At around
3% of the population, the ‘middle class’ in Shadwell was extremely small in
comparison to the other Stepney hamlets. As late as 1640, the parish of Stepney
had 41 officers, but there were none responsible for Shadwell. The area
desperately needed social leadership and physical improvement.
2 Thomas Neal and urban development
Thomas Neal (or Neale) was a speculative builder, responsible for Neal Street
and the Seven Dials area of the West End. In 1656 he built a chapel in Shadwell
(described in 3 below), fulfilling the wishes of many local residents who felt
that, with a population of around 6,000 people, the area needed a focal point
for the community. His activity in Shadwell brought him into close friendship
with William Sancroft, the Dean of St Paul’s who had recovered the land after
the Restoration, and who later became Archbishop of Canterbury. This close
relationship allowed Neal to obtain the lease of Shadwell on extremely
favourable terms in 1669, and he set about improving the area in the hope of
increasing its value.
One of Neal’s first successes was in 1670, when his influential friends allowed
him to overcome numerous objections to splitting up the huge parish of Stepney.
In spite of other previous and much more practical proposals for four equal
parishes to be created, he gained separate parish status for the Shadwell
Chapel. The new parish church, serving an area only 910 by 760 yards, was
rededicated to St Paul in honour of the Dean of St Paul’s who had been so
favourable toward him. This victory gave Shadwell its own social structure
centred around the parish church, with its own organisation of churchwardens to
look after the community, ensure law and order, and levy rates to fund local
improvements.
Neal’s commitment to the area continued until his death at the end of the
century. In 1673 he rebuilt over 100 homes after they were destroyed by fire,
replanning the area with wider streets and building a new quay along the river.
In 1682 he rehoused over 1500 families after a massive fire in Wapping and
Shadwell, laying out Dean Street as a new thoroughfare. Neal also obtained a
charter to hold a market, which he built in 1681-82, so that his tenants did
not have to travel to the City to buy and sell, the nearer Ratcliff market
having foundered. In 1684, he opened a water works that pumped water from the
river to houses from East Smithfield to Stepney, and lasted until it was bought
up by the London Dock Company in the early 19th century.
Thomas Neal’s achievement was to turn the ramshackle, amorphous grouping of
houses into a real community with a religious and social centre in its parish
church, and a commercial heart surrounding its market. He greatly improved the
attractiveness of the area, paving the way for it to become famous as a
residence of sea captains during the 18th century.
3 The first church
The Chapel was built between 1656 and 1658 on land just outside the Dean of St
Paul’s estate, along The Highway on the high ground that never flooded. It was
a relatively simple building, still owing much to the medieval past in its
triple-gabled nave and aisles layout, though the individual features such as
the round-headed windows were classical.
Some important elements of this original Church still survive in the present
building, most notably the font. The pulpit was thought to be original by some
historians, but a different type is shown on illustrations of the old interior.
There also remain considerable items of furniture and plate from the old
Church.
4 The eighteenth century
Shadwell continued to grow in the early part of the 18th century as most of the
spare land was developed. A survey in 1732 noted over 1800 houses in the
parish, many of which had degenerated into slums. Unskilled people flocked to
the parish from as far afield as north east England and Ireland, looking for
casual labour on the docks and wharves. The continuing increase in seaborne
trade and naval expansion contributed to a growth in marine industries,
including the roperies with their typical long, narrow sheds and walks, so
evident on early maps.
Shadwell was famous for its many master mariners; over 175 were registered as
living in the parish at one time or another. By the end of the century, St
Paul’s was known as ‘the Church of the Sea Captains’, and 75 were said to be
buried in its vaults. Captain Cook was perhaps the most famous parishioner,
though Thomas Jefferson’s mother was also a regular worshipper before
emigrating to America. The Church was the centre of community life in Shadwell,
and attracted considerable bequests for its charitable works. Although not one
of the more missionary churches in the area, it was nonetheless the scene for
five of John Wesley’s sermons between 1770 and 1790, including his very last.
Shadwell’s maritime connections opened it up to the successive waves of
immigrants that came to Britain from the later 17th century. Huguenots were
among the first to arrive, and planted the ancient mulberry tree which still
survives in the Rectory garden for their silkworms. Spanish and Portuguese Jews
arrived later, and were known for their skills in metal working and casting.
Germans and Scandinavians were also a strong presence in Shadwell, being mainly
concerned with the timber trade and related businesses. The area was also
notorious for its many taverns and brothels, which did extremely well out of
the sailors passing almost continuously through the area.
The industrialisation of the area slowly led to a decline in the social status
of the inhabitants, and in their living conditions. J P Malcolm described
Shadwell in the following terms in 1803:
Thousands of useful tradesmen, artisans and mechanics, and numerous watermen
inhabit Shadwell, but their homes and workshops will not bear description; nor
are the streets, courts, lanes and alleys by any means inviting. …[the Church]
is a most disgraceful building of brick totally unworthy of description.
The fabric of the Church suffered from the inability of the parishioners to pay
adequately for its upkeep. The unstable south wall was rebuilt in 1735, but by
the end of the century the local people could not raise enough money to perform
vital repairs. When part of the ceiling fell down in 1811, the Church was
declared unfit for use, and was closed for all services except christenings and
burials.
Reference article continues on the present day.
PRO 17/11/08:
TS 11/1057 – Trial papers of Ebenezer Smith Platt – all
copied
T 1/509 ff174-177 - Letter from East India Company re tea losses in Georgia. Copies, but N/A.
HCA 26/12/87 – Registers of Declarations for Letters of Marque against France for Richard Maitland
HCA 26/12/101 – John Maitland surgeon on privateer.
PRO 30/29/3/5 – 17 copy letters, background only.
Priestley Machine
In the mid-eighteenth century, an interest in electrostatics was very
fashionable. The well-off would not only attend lectures but buy the books and
equipment to copy the demonstrations they had seen in the lectures.
Take a good look at this engraving, from a book by William Watson (1748). A
simple hand-driven machine provides the electrical charge.
A very popular demonstration was to hang small boys by silk ropes and charge
them electrically. Their hair would stand on end and sparks might fly to anyone
who stood near. In the background are two bells that would ring under the
influence of electricity. The young girl also receives electrical charge.
Another popular demonstration was to let charge build up in a young girl and
invite members of the audience to experience and 'electrical kiss'.
The whole thing became 'the latest trend', and good money could be gained by
electrifying people in fair grounds. People thought that being electrified was
good for their health.
In the picture above, a man turns the handle on the machine which turns a glass
globe. The woman assistant holds her hand against the spinning globe to
'produce' static by the action of friction. The boy's feel also appear to rub
against the globe.
What happens when the boy and girl touch hands? Why is the girl standing on a
barrel? What is the girl looking at?
Study the picture then try our matching exercise.
the machine shown below was designed and built a little later than the scene
above and for a much more serious study of electricity.
The need for an assistant has been dispensed with. Instead a pad is used to rub
against the glass. We now know that electrons would have been rubbed from the
glass onto the pad, making the glass positively charged and the pad negatively
charged. Of course this was a long time before electrons were known about, but
the words positive and negative were used.
However what makes the machine so very special is not so much its construction
but that it was almost certainly designed, commissioned and used by a most
remarkable scientist: Joseph Priestley. A man who made huge contributions to
science.
The machine would have been made at about the time that Priestley wrote
'History and Present State of Electricity'. In this book he describes a
timeline of discoveries in the area of electrostatics and suggests a few ideas
of his own. To find out more, read about Static history or Priestley's story.
The Atlantic
PRO:
Item details SP 89/81: Sir John Hort to Viscount Weymouth. Manslaughter of a
sailor by the mate of the British ship Atlantic in the Tagus, and steps he has
taken in this case. The complaints against the Portuguese brokers, and British
seamen imprisoned for seven years without trial, are still unresolved. Spanish
naval and military preparations at Cadiz; Ferrol, and elsewhere.
dates 1776 Mar. 9 Lisbon
St James 2 April 1776
Sir John Hort
Sir,
Your letter to No 1 of this year have been received and laid before the King.
Proper attention shall be paid to the account you have given of the unfortunate
Scuffle on board the British Ship Atlantic, Thoms Borg, Master, between Alex
Kidd, the Chief Mate, and Robert Jackson, one of the sailors, in which Jackson,
by a Blow, or a Jostle of the other was thrown into the Tagus, and was drowned.
Notice will be given at the different Ports, that, on the arrival of the Vessel
the person of Kidd may be secured, that he may be tried for this offence.
You will please to acquaint me, for his Majesty's Information, what
circumstances prevent the Affair of this British Seaman, who has been seven
years in Prison, from being concluded in order that such steps may be taken as
may procure their trial or their release.
PRO:
Item details SP 89/82: Affidavit of Thos. Boog and others of the British ship Atlantic, relative to death of Robert Jackson after a scuffle with the mate, Alexander
Kidd. 1776 Mar. 2 Lisbon.
No5 Lisbon the 23 May 1776
My Lord,
I acknowledged by the last packet the honour of your Lordships letters of
the 23 & 26th past.
We since learn by the Clementine Cat Brown from Philadelphia, that they
left in Delaware bay two French armed ships frigate built and three merchant
ships of the same nation, all laden with military stores: As this vessel has
had a long passage and is several days arrived here, the news she brings will
probably have been received in London before this reaches your Lordship; I
mention it however, because the armed ships are talked of here as frigates,
but thought they are indeed said to be very stout vessels, I am assured they
are absolutely private property: I know not with what propriety I signify to
your Lordship, that having
Lord Viscount Weymouth
P2:
in private conversation on this news, with the French ambassador at this court,
hinted my wonder at the impolicy of his masters furnishing succours to the
Americas, he assured me very solemnly, that though he would not answer for the
boldness of private adventurers, tempted by most advantageous offers of barter,
yet he was perfectly persuaded that the present French administration were
honestly and thoroughly sensible, that France was interested against the
success of the Rebels, and would neither directly nor indirectly give them any
assistance.
Within these two days I have seen two English gentlemen just arrived after
a short passage from Philadelphia. They ventured to assert, that the Southern colonies
as far as New York inclusively, are generally disposed to return to their duty,
on what the stile reasonable terms: that the Northern settlements are generally
enough understood to mean independence: but would assuredly be abandoned by the
others, if equitable conditions were held out by Great Britain; Entering into
particulars, these gentlemen said they had been over the greater part of
Pennsylvania and discoursed repeatedly and freely with eight of ten particular
members of the congress, whose uniform capital article was redress in the
matter of taxation, but on my inquiry whether these particular member had
annexed any explicit sense to their idea of redress, on that head: the answer
was, what your Lordship has doubtless heard a thousand times, that they agreed
on the fitness of their contributions to the supplies of the state, but tat
unless each colony were permitted to ascertain its own quota, they were not
constitutionally Englishmen: In the mean time they say that hardly a boy of
sixteen years old is unarmed, through all that province.
Having signified to Mr Walpole your Lordships mention to one of the
dispositions in the affair of Alexander Kidd; he has put into my hands and I
have the honour of forwarding them to your Lordship with this letter.
I also enclose and affidavit made before the British vice consul in this
city, by William Darby and George Jay, two gentlemen on board the merchant ship
Turkey frigate, George Jenkins master: these men, not as I understand any
others of the crew, were ever upon by their captain to sign their contract for
wages; this neglect has been the occasion of many vexatious contests both in
the present occasion and in many other cases, I have therefore thought it
necessary to lay before your Lordship, in order to prosecution for the panelaty
of £5 per seaman; which by the Statute 2: George 2, C 36; is forfeited to the
use of Greenwich hospital.
I have the honour to be
My Lord
your Lordships most humble
& obedient servant,
John Nort.
http://www.cas.sc.edu/SCIAA/mrd/documents/sc_shipbuilding.pdf
Occasional Maritime Research Papers
Maritime Research Division, South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and
Anthropology, USC
Extract:-
......Ships and Schooners
This Port Royal may have been Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
For evidence of ship design meeting environmental conditions and customer’s
needs, we turn again to the available ship registers. They show that the
Carolina-built, shiprigged vessel was, in general, of moderate size, yet larger
than ships being built in the
other shipbuilding colonies. South Carolina shipwrights were
certainly able to build large ocean-going ships. The 280-ton ship Queen
Charlotte, built in 1764 by John Emrie, and Occasional Maritime Research Papers
Maritime Research Division, South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and
Anthropology, USC the 260-ton ship Atlantic, built at Port Royal in 1773, are
two examples. However, shiprigged vessels built in South Carolina during this
time averaged 180 tons.....
Also Reference to a store ship Atlantic at Calcutta 1793.
Search Our Georgia History
http://ourgeorgiahistory.com/search?id=3131
September 10, 1775 Captain Oliver Bowen and Major Joseph Habersham are ordered
to Tybee Island to watch for a ship bringing powder for the Royalists
September 17, 1775 Capt. Bowen, Capt. Barnwell, (SC) Capt. Joyner (SC) and Major Joseph Habersham seize an armed British schooner off Tybee Island under the command of Captain Maitland.
Richard Maitland in Florida
Extract from Internet Site (unknown, 2008)
One of the most interesting records of the former Spanish occupation appears in the Minutes of the provincial Council of West Florida under the date January 24th, 1765. On that day 16 petitions were presented to the Council asking confirmation of title in purchases made from departing Spaniards. An elaboration of detail in this matter is well worth the labor. John Kinnion, Esquire, of London, petitioned for an estate called Sanado Mayor which was said to be at the mouth of the river Escambe.
The estate was described as being one league square, and the house and outhouses and possibly the entire estate, were said to be in the present possession of Messrs. Bruce and Mease. 10 Zachary Bayly, a merchant of Jamaica, petitioned for an estate called Punta de Silio or, alternatively, Arroyo de La Garzona. William Bond, a merchant of London, petitioned for an estate called Jamas Vicjos. Thomas Hossfall (Thomas Horsefall) petitioned for an estate called Punta del Ingles. The Honorable Augustus Keppel (later Viscount Keppel) of England petitioned for an estate called Nostra Senora de La Luz. Marriott Arbuthnot, Esquire, of Weymouth, England, petitioned for an estate called St. Antonio. Samuel Touchet, a merchant of London, petitioned for an estate called El Estero de La Luz.
William Michie of Charleston, South Carolina,
10. From the description of Pensacola on the arrival of the British in 1763 as but a stockade and village of thatched huts, it is apparent that these estates were little more than a medium for acquiring land for speculation. Ed.
82 FLORIDA HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
petitioned for an estate called St. Joseph. George Rogers, Esquire, of London, and John Peddar, Esquire, of Lancaster, England, petitioned for an estate called Chicasa de St. Martin. Sir John Lindsay of England petitioned for an estate called El Paso de Arroyo Ingles. William Lance, Esquire, and James Noble of Sandwich in Kent, England, petitioned for an estate called El Estero de la Vighia. Barnard Noble petitioned for an estate called Sta. Clara. George Stothart of Stockton, in the county of Durham, England, together with two other merchants, Richard Maitland and John Elliot, of London, petitioned for an estate called Santiago el Grande. Messrs. Bolton and Horslar (or Horselor) petitioned for an estate called Pensacola le Vieja. Colonel Augustine Prevost petitioned for an estate, which was unnamed in the record of the Council, and also in company with some others, he petitioned for a second estate, which was likewise unnamed in the records of the Council.
All of these petitions were refused by the governor and Council. The Council was, however, not as arbitrary in its actions as it may appear to have been at a first glance. The undoubted object of the Council was to prevent the buying up of huge tracts of land from the departing Spaniards, for purposes of speculation. To have allowed large tracts of land in the province to fall into the hands of speculators would, perhaps, have been to deter settlement in the province. One of the aims most consistently followed by the provincial government and the imperial government seems to have been the settlement of small farmers and artisans in the province as speedily as possible. For this and other reasons the Council on instructions from the home government held that titles granted under Spanish or French jurisdiction did not automatically become
83 ALLEGED GRANTS IN WEST FLORIDA 83
valid under British dominion. At Mobile, Major Farmar, commandant of the occupying forces, issued a proclamation requiring that all sales or transfers of land be registered with him. 11 One of the principle objections of the Council to these sales of Spanish land, aside from the fact that they clearly regarded all of the transactions as an altogether unjustified speculative venture, was that these sales had taken place before the arrival of the British troops of occupation. After the establishment of the civil government in November of 1764 the governor and Council clearly tried to make what adjustments they could for the convenience of individuals. They insisted, however, on the crown ownership of the land on the policy that grants of land made under Spanish and French jurisdictions were not ipso facto valid under British dominion, that new British titles must be granted, and that any adjustment that might be made was made by the grace of the Council and not by the right of the individual.
Maitlands of Pittrichie:
The Maitlands of Pittrichie have very similar arms to those of the Eccles
branch.
Stirnet:
This section first uploaded on 17.05.08.
Descended from Robert Maitland was ...
Patrick Maitland of (Auchincrieff and) Pitrichie in Udney,
Aberdeenshire
m. Katharine Burnett (dau of Alexander Burnett of Leys)
1/1. Sir Richard Maitland, 1st Bart of Pitrichie (d
22.02.1677,
Senator of the College of
Justice, 'Lord Pitrichie')
m. Margaret or Mary Gordon (dau of Robert Gordon of Straloch & Pitlurg)
2/1. Sir Richard Maitland, 2nd Bart of Pitrichie (dsp c08.1679)
2/2. Sir Charles Maitland, 3rd Bart of Pitrichie (d 1700)
m1. Jean Forbes (dau of Sir John
Forbes, Bart of Monymusk, by Margaret Arbuthnott)
3/1. Sir Charles Maitland, 4th Bart of Pitrichie (dsp by 1704)
m. (before 23.06.1703) Margaret
Burnett (step-sister)
3/2. Jean Maitland (d
22.10.1746)
m. Alexander Arbuthnott, later
Maitland of Pitrichie (d 06.1721)
3/3. Mary Maitland
m. (1707) Thomas Forbes of Echt
(d 1738)
3/4. Catherine Maitland
apparently of this generation d. 1743.
m. Theodore Morison of Bognie
3/5. Margaret Maitland probably
of this generation
m. (1714) Sir Patrick Bannerman,
Provost of Aberdeen (d 1733)
3/6. 2 daughters
m2. (1696) Nichola Young (dau of
Peter Young of Auldbar, widow of Sir Alexander Burnett of Craigmyle)
2/3. Jean Maitland probably of
this generation
m1. Robert Gordon, 7th of
Pitlurg (b 1641, d 22.08.1682)
m2. John Gordon, 2nd of Fechil
2/4. Elizabeth Maitland (d 1719)
probably of this generation
m. (mcrt 18.05.1669) Robert Ross
of Auchlossin (d c1703)
Thomas Forbes of Knockwane, later of Echt (d 1696)
m. _ Forbes (d 1698, dau of Patrick Forbes of Westerecht)
1/1. Arthur Forbes of Echt (d 1728)
m1. Elizabeth (Janet) Innes (d
1695, dau of Sir Robert Innes, 2nd Bart)
2/1. Jean Forbes (d 21.01.1761)
m. (mcrt 28.04.1704) John Ross,
1st of Arnage (b 04.1665, d 09.1714)
2/2. Thomas Forbes of Echt (d
1738, sold Echt)
m1. (1707) Mary Maitland of
Pittrichie or Pittritchie
3/1. Arthur Forbes Maitland of Pittrichie (b 1708, d 1786)
m. Judith Minoch
4/1. Thomas Maitland (dvp)
5/1. Richard Arthur Maitland of
Pittrichie (d 1833)
m2. (1719) Margaret Forbes (d
1752, dau of Sir John Forbes, 2nd Bart of Craigievar)
Arthur Forbes m2. (1696)
Katharine Melville ('Lady Gray')
Ratification in favour of Richard Maitland of Pittrichie and protest
Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of his highness's estates of
parliament, has ratified, approved and confirmed and, by this act, with advice
and consent foresaid, ratifies, approves and confirms a charter and infeftment
granted by his majesty, under the great seal, of the date 6 July 1672, to and
in favour of Richard Maitland, younger of Pittrichie, eldest lawful son and
apparent heir to Sir Richard Maitland of Pittrichie, one of the senators of the
college of justice, his heirs, successors and assignees whatsoever, heritably
and irredeemably, without any reversion, redemption or regress whatsoever, of
all and whole the lands and barony of Geicht, alias Schivas, with tower,
fortalice, manor place, houses, biggings, yards, orchards and teind sheaves of
the same, comprehending the towns, lands, mills and others underwritten,
namely, the Mains of Gight, the lands of Millbrex, Blackhillock and Swanford,
Faddonhill, Little Gight, Meikle Ardo, Mill of Ardo, mill-lands, multures and
sequels thereof, Little Ardo, Auchencrieve, Monlettie, Newton of Schivas,
Chapelton of Schivas, mill, mill-lands, multures and sequels thereof, Skelmonae,
Belnagoak, Balquhindachy, mill, mill-lands, multures and sequels thereof,
Middlemuir, Touxtoun, Cairnorrie, Monteith, Newseat, mill of Gight, mill-lands,
multures and sequels thereof, Stanehouse of Gight and cot-town thereof, the
lands of Fetterletter,† Monkshill, Lethenty, Bruckleseat, the mains and manor
place of Schivas, Newseat, Burnside, with the old and new mills, mill-lands,
multures and sequels thereof, the town and lands of Old Townleys, Broadward,
Quilquox and Killmachillie,† with all and sundry the teind sheaves thereof,
houses, biggings, yards, orchards, mosses, meadows, marshes, commonty, common
pasturage, tofts, crofts, outsets, insets, annexes, connexes, dependancies,
tenants, tenantries and service of free tenants, parts, pendicles and whole
pertinents thereof, all lying within the parishes of Fyvie and Tarves and
sheriffdom of Aberdeen; proceeding upon his own resignation, together with the
clause of novodamus, and union and new erection of the said whole lands and
barony, to be called the barony of Gight; as also, the dispensation anent the
sasine to be taken at the manor place thereof, to be sufficient for the said
whole lands in all time coming, to be held of his majesty and his highness's
successors in taxed ward, for payment of the yearly tax duties underwritten,
namely, for the ward and non-entry, the sum of £200 Scots money, at two terms
in the year Whitsunday [May/June] and Martinmas [11 November] in winter by
equal portions, and the sum of £200 money foresaid for the relief, when the
same shall happen, and the sum of £400 money foresaid for the marriage of the
heir or heirs, when the same shall fall, for payment of the which sums the
foresaid ward, relief, non-entry and marriage are conveyed, notwithstanding
that the same lands were held formerly of his majesty for service of ward and
relief, together with the precept under the quarter seal with the infeftments
following thereon, with the instrument of sasine or sasines taken upon the
same. And likewise, with advice and consent foresaid, ratifies, approves and
confirms another charter granted by his majesty, under the great seal, of the
date 2 May 1678, to and in favour of the said Sir Richard Maitland, and his
male heirs and assignees whatsoever, heritably and irredeemably, without any
reversion, redemption or regress whatsoever, all and whole the lands of
Auchencrieve and Skelmonae, with houses, biggings, yards, orchards, parts,
pendicles and whole pertinents thereof, with the teinds thereof, lying within
the parish of Tarves and sheriffdom of Aberdeen, and of the salmon fishing
thereto belonging in manner therein mentioned, together with the clause of
novodamus, union and new erection of the said lands and salmon fishing, to be
called the barony of Auchencrieve, and the dispensation anent the sasine to be
taken at the manor place of Auchencrieve, to be sufficient for the said lands
and salmon fishing in all time coming; to be held of his majesty and his
highness's successors in taxed ward, for payment of the yearly taxed ward duties
underwritten, namely, for the ward and non-entry, the sum of 10 merks Scots, at
the said two terms in the year Whitsunday and Martinmas by equal portions, and
the sum of 10 merks for the relief, when the same shall happen, and 20 merks
for the marriage of the heir or heirs, when the same shall fall, for payment of
which sums the foresaid ward, relief, non-entry and marriage are conveyed,
notwithstanding that the same lands and salmon fishing were held formerly of
his majesty for service of ward and relief; with the precept of sasine
contained in the said charter and instrument of sasine and infeftment following
thereon, in all and sundry the heads, articles, clauses and conditions
mentioned in the said two charters, precepts and instruments of sasine following
thereon; and willing and declaring this present ratification to be as valid and
sufficient as if the said two charters, precepts and instruments of sasine were
at length herein inserted and engrossed; with the which his majesty, with
advice and consent foresaid, have dispensed and, by this act, dispenses for
ever.
Protestation the town of Aberdeen against the before-written ratification
Sir George Skene of Fintry, commissioner for the burgh of Aberdeen, protested
that the ratification passed this day, in favour of Sir Charles Maitland of
Pittrichie, of the barony of Auchencrieve and fishings thereto belonging,
should be without prejudice to the said town of Aberdeen of their rights,
liberty and privilege in the sands between the two rivers of Dee and Don and
salmon and other fishings pertaining to the said burgh, between the said two
rivers and about and within the mouths thereof, and upon both sides of the same
pertaining and belonging to the said town, and that the foresaid ratification
in favour of the said Sir Charles shall not be prejudicial to the said town of
any right they have to the said lands and others contained in the ratification.
The Maitlands of Kirkton of Oyne (Aberdeenshire) and some of
Their Descendants - Richardson Dougall. Traces blood descendants, through male
or female lines and through lines both legitimate and illegitimate, of John
Maitland and his wife Margaret Gregor, who were married in Oyne Parish,
Aberdeenshire, in1733. In addition to blood descendants, includes (when information
was readily available) adopted children and stepshildren and their descendants.
Includes the following when appicable: full name, nickname, place and date of
birth or baptism, occupation, military service, university attendance,
information on emigration and naturalization, present address or place and date
of death and burial, place and date of each marriage and divorce, and source or
sources for such information. John Maitland, born in or before 1709, was a
tenant farmer living in the tiny hamlet of Kirkton (or Kirktown) of Oyne. 1999,
8½x11, paper, indices, xvi+424 pp. $40.00 D3638 ISBN: 0788436384"
14/3/2008: edited and Jamaica visit results.
21/6/2008: added Admiralty dispatches, intro.
17/10/2008: Richard Maitland issue etc.
3/12/2008: More on Richard Maitland
19/1/2010: small changes