James Storer, Carpenter

James Storer. James Storer was born 14 April 1742 in Charlestown, MA to John Storer and Mary Griffin Bassett. He was the older brother of Ebenezer Storer (1753-1810) who also served as a carpenter on the Confederacy. He first married Electra Bradley in the North Congregational Church in New Haven on 15 November 1764. They had a son William Storer born on 11 May 1765 who also served in the Revolution and died in New Haven in 1842. Electra died at age 26 on 16 November 1768. He later married Karen Allen and fathered a second son named George Washington Storer of Norwich Landing. James Storer of New London was instrumental in the cutting of timber for the ship’s construction as noted in his letter to Captain Joshua Huntington dated 8 April 1777 transcribed on page 104 of Ships of the American Revolution and Their Models by Harold M. Hahn (1988). Folder 8 of the Frigate Confederacy Papers include a letter written by James Storer to Major Joshua Huntington dated 2 April 1779 demanding seven dollars per day wages plus one bushel of corn versus the six previously paid writing, “You will not expect me to work for smaller wages than those men that cannot dow more work in a day than I and as there is very much wanted as many as six good carpenters…” On 5 October 1792, the Treasury Department settled the claim of the crew member of the Confederacy James Storer, Carpenter dated 19 August 1779 for $94.78.