The Roll of Men Entered on Board Ship Trumbull was transcribed by Joseph Ross in 2016. This list of 23 men is included in a bound group of ledger sheets for the ships Alfred and Trumbull which was sold as Lot 181 at Northeast Auctions on 20 August 2016. One of approximately 34 pages of various documents compiled together as a string-bound journal and marked on the cover John Cotton, Esq. Cotton was the builder of the ship Trumbull and the bound journal is believed to have belonged to Dudley Saltonstall, captain of the Continental Navy ships Alfred, Trumbull and Warren. An Alphabetical List of the Roll of Men Entered on Board Ship Trumbull derived from this document follows the transcript to assist in internet browsing.
Roll of Men Entered on Board Ship Trumbull
Time of Entry Names Quality Wag[es] p[er] Mo[nth]
Dec’r 14, 1776 John Brown
” 16 ” John Brice A.Seam L 2.8 Certificate given 17 Feb’r
” 16 ” Hez’h Shaylor ” 2.8 Certif given 17 March
” 16 ” Ezra Shalyor ” 2.8 Certificate given 22 Mar
” 18 ” Lemuel Smith ” 2.8 Certificate given 15 ”
” 18 Eleazor Tredwell ” 2.8 ” 15 ”
” 24 Richard Cockran ” 2.8 Run
” 24 Robert Saunders ” 2.8 Certificate given
” Jacob White 1st Mate 4.10
” Jonath Gaylord Carpenter 4.10
” 29 Robert Sloan Blacks 9
Jan 1, 1777 Thomas Cattlin do
Dec 18, 177[6] John Diver 2.8 Certificate given 17 Mar
” 2 ” Perez Chapman A. Seam 8 dollars Ent for ye Cruize, Run
” 16 ” Elisha Bennett 2nd Mate 15 dollars Came on board ye 16 Jan. 1777
‘ Samuel Stow Midship
Feb. 26, 1777 Isaac Knaps Seam
” ” James Knaps do
” ” Thomas Johnson do
” ” Aron White do
” ” Gad a Negro do Daniel Peterson
‘ Aurther Robertson Miship’n
Feb. 27, 1777 Noah Brooks Seam
Alphabetical List of the Roll of Men Entered on Board Ship Trumbull
Elisha Bennett, 2nd Mate
John Brice, Able Seaman
Noah Brooks, Seaman
John Brown
Thomas Cattlin, Blacksmith
Perez Chapman, Able Seaman
Richard Cockran, Able Seaman
John Diver
Jonathan Gaylord, Carpenter
Thomas Johnson, Seaman
Isaac Knaps, Seaman
James Knaps, Seaman
Daniel Peterson (relationship unknown to) Gad a Negro, Seaman
Arther Robertson, Midshipman
Robert Saunders, Able Seaman
Ezra Shalyor, Able Seaman
Hezekiah Shaylor, Able Seaman
Robert Sloan, Blacksmith
Lemuel Smith, Able Seaman
Samuel Stow, Midshipman
Eleazor Tredwell, Able Seaman
Aaron White, Seaman
Jacob White, 1st Mate
A question regarding Gad: Was he Daniel Peterson’s bondsman or was Daniel Peterson his chosen name under which he signed the pay book?
Many thanks, Charles Foy
Charles,
You pose an interesting question. I had initially assumed that Gad was also known as Daniel Peterson who apparently signed for him in the Trumbull’s muster. This assumption was also made by Dennis Denmark Nelson in “The Integration of the Negro into the United States Navy” (1948). Upon further reflection on your question, I suspect that Gad was likely Peterson’s slave or indentured servant who sailed either as a substitute or with his contractual consent. Of course, Gad may have simply been a shipmate acquaintance of Peterson who certified on his behalf. Peterson was entered on the Trumbull’s roll as a Landsman on 10 February 1777 but afterwards “Dismiss’d due to previously entering the Army.” Beginning in May of 1777, the enlistment of slaves manumitted by their owner to serve as substitutes for them was permitted under Connecticut law. Thanks for your thought provoking question. Best, Joe