Monday, August 1, 2011

The Ship “John and Sara” Prisoners of War, 1651

In 1650 the Scots sided with the monarchy in the English Civil War, and fought against the Puritans in the Battle of Worcester.  Thousands were captured as prisoners of war, and forced to march to London.  Oliver Cromwell sent these undesirables to the New World to be sold into forced servitude.  They died at a rate of about 30 a day until the ships left London, when the first ship “Unity” left with 150 prisoners.  The second ship was the “John and Sara” and it carried 272 men to Boston.

Some of the men of the “John and Sara” were sold to work at hard labor at the Saugus Ironworks, and others to sawmills in New Hampshire and Maine.  The average length of servitude was 6 to 8 years.  They were sold by Thomas Kemble of Charlestown to the highest bidders.  This statement of goods recorded on 8 November 1651 gives us the passenger list for the “John and Sara”.  The Gaelic names of some of the prisoners were written phonetically by the British, for example Saint Clair became Sinkler, Forbes became Furbush, etc. which are surnames still found in New England.

My ancestor, William Munroe, is the Monrow listed below with the torn first name.  He arrived with at least one brother and was sold into servitude in Menotony, now Arlington, Massachusetts, to millwright John Adams.   He first appears on the records in Cambridge in 1657 as receiving a fine for not having a ring in the nose of his pig.  By 1660 he had settled in Cambridge Farms, which is now known as Lexington.  He was a freeman in 1690.  His grandsons and great grandsons fought in the Battle of Lexington Green.

London this 11th : of November 1651:
Capt. Jn'o GREENE
Wee whose names are vnder written freighters of your shipe the John & Sarah doe Order yow forthwith as winde & weather shall permitt to sett sajle for Boston in New England & there deliver our Orders & Servants to Tho : KEMBLE of charles Toune to be disposed of by him according to the orders wee have sent him in that behafe & wee desire yow to Advise with the sajd KEMBLE about all that may concerne that whole Intended vojage using your Indeavors with the sajd KEMBLE for the speediest lading your shipp from N.E. fit for the West Indies where yow are to deliver them to Mr. Charles RICH to be disposed of by him for the Joinet accout of the freighters & so to be retourned home in a stocke undevided thus desiring your Care & industrje in Dispatch & speed of the vojage wishing you a happy & safe Retourne wee remajne your loving freinds

Jo : BEEX
Robt RICH
Willjam GREEN

Signatum & Recognitum in pnica -- Jo : NOTTOCK notar Publ:

Entred & Recorded at the Instant Request of the said Mr. Tho : KEMBLE. Edw: RAWSON Recorder, 13 May 1652

A list of the passengers abord the John & Sarah of London John GREENE mr bound for New England:--


  • Donald ROYE
  • James MOORE
  • Walter JACKSON
  • Michaell FFOSSEM
  • Daniell SIMSON
  • John ROSSE
  • Sander MILLESON
  • Daniell MONLOW
  • Henry BROUNELL
  • James FARSASON
  • Alester LOWE
  • Daniell HOGG
  • Hugh MACKEY
  • Daniel MACKANNELL
  • John CROOME
  • John MACKLUDE
  • Dan : MACKWELL
  • ----- MACKUNNELL
  • John HUDSON
  • John MACKHOLME
  • John BEME
  • ----- MORE
  • John GRAG
  • Robert MONROW
  • Hill MACKIE
  • John MACKDONELL
  • Allester MACKNESTER
  • John EDMINSTEIRE
  • Wm. BANES
  • Patrick JONES
  • Andrew WILSON
  • Baniell MONWILLIAM
  • John MACKENTHOW
  • John JAMNELL
  • David MACKHOME
  • Mortel MACKJLUDE
  • Salamon SINCLARE
  • John GURDEN
  • Wm. MACKEN
  • John CRAGON
  • John GRAUNT
  • Alestre MACKRORE
  • Daniel MACKENDOCKE
  • Gellust MACKWILLIAM
  • James MILWARD
  • Wm. DELL
  • James MICKNAB
  • Glester MACKTOMAS
  • Almister MACKALINSTEN
  • John COEHON
  • Robert JENLER
  • Edward DULEN
  • John HOGG
  • James MICKELL
  • John MACKALESTER
  • Daniell MACKNELL
  • Patrick JIMSON
  • John HANOMAN
  • Andrew JERRIS
  • James JACKSON
  • Patricke TOWER
  • Wm. MACKANNELL
  • Dani-- MACKAJNE
  • Senly MACKONNE
  • James ENGLISH
  • Dan--- MACKENNELL
  • John MACKEY
  • Danniell GUNN
  • James ROSS
  • John WILSON
  • David JELLER
  • George QUENNE
  • John JENLER
  • John WOODELL
  • George PERRY
  • John MONROW
  • Wm. CLEWSTON
  • Daniell MACKHAN
  • Alester MACKHENE
  • Alester SIMSON
  • Richard JACKSON
  • James CARNELL
  • Dan : MARTJN
  • John HOGG
  • John ROBINSON
  • John ROSSE
  • John ROSSE
  • Hugh MONROW
  • Thomas BEREERE
  • Simon RUSSELL
  • John MORRE
  • Edward PUNN
  • Sannder MORROT
  • Wm. FFRESSELL
  • John BOYE
  • John BUCKANEN
  • Patricke MORTON
  • Dan(i)ell MAKALESTER
  • James MICHELL
  • Sander MACKDO(N)ELL
  • James GURNER
  • Wm. TELLER
  • Origlais MACKFARSON
  • Nicholas WALLIS
  • John MURROW
  • Robert HIGBEN
  • John MACKHELLIN
  • Allester -----
  • Dan : MACKHELLIN
  • ----- --------
  • Charles LESTEN
  • Wm. STEWART
  • John MORRE
  • Edward FFRESSELL
  • David HINNE (?)
  • Daniell BLACKE
  • Daniell SESSOR
  • Patricke MACKHATHERNE
  • Alexander TOMPSON
  • Danell KEMPER
  • Daniell HOW
  • John BROW
  • ---- -------
  • Henry MACK----
  • John ROBINSON
  • Daniell ------
  • Patricke ------
  • Patricke ------
  • ----- -------
  • ----- (MAC)KFARSON
  • ----- MACKLYNE
  • ----- MONROW
  • ---ster MACKNELL
  • Daniell ROBINSON
  • (J)ames SHONE
  • John ANDERSON
  • James GRAUNT
  • Patricke CROSSHONE
  • John GRANT
  • John SCOTT
  • Dan : GORDON
  • Dan : ROSS
  • John HOGG
  • Partick MANN
  • Ansell SHERRON
  • James ROSS
  • David HAMILTON
  • Patricke MACKNEILE
  • David ROSSE
  • Amos QUERNE
  • Alestre HUME
  • Neile JOHNSON
  • Alester RALLENDRA
  • Rory HAMILTON
  • James ROBINSON
  • David BUKANON
  • David STERLING
  • Daniell MACKNITH
  • Rob't MACKFARSON
  • Mw. MUNCKRELL
  • Neile CAMELL
  • Semell MACKNETH
  • John MACKANE
  • Dan SHURON
  • Rory MACHY
  • Patrick GRAUNT
  • Particke HARRON
  • James ROWE
  • Sander SIMSON
  • James GORDEN
  • Charles ROBINSON
  • Alester ROBINSON
  • Patricke ROBERSON
  • Alester GRAUNT
  • Neile MACKETH
  • Patricke MACKNITH
  • Daniell MACKNITH
  • James HEDERICKE
  • James MACKHELL
  • John CURMICKHELL
  • Havid HUME
  • Patrick MACKTRETH
  • David ANDERSON
  • Wm. BEAMES
  • David MONWILLJAM
  • John STERLING
  • John MANN
  • Wm. DENGELL
  • Daniell MANN
  • Sander MACKCUNNELL
  • Cana MACKURNALL
  • Patricke MACKANE
  • Ansel SOTHERLAND
  • Sander MILLER
  • James PATTISON
  • Alexander GRAUNT
  • Thomas GRAUNT
  • Neile CARTER
  • Dan : MACKUEILE
  • John SHENNE
  • Robt. MACKAJNE
  • Dan : HUDSON
  • Neile MURROW
  • Jahn CANNELL
  • Evan TILER
  • Jonas MURROW
  • Alester MACKHELE
  • Edward DENGLE
  • James KALLENDER
  • Jonas ROSS
  • Neile MACKHONE
  • James GRAUNT
  • David TENLER
  • James MACKALLY
  • Wm. MACKAJNE
  • Alester TOOTH
  • Austin STEWART
  • Laughlell MONTROSSE
  • Wm. MACKONTOSS
  • Neile MACKAJNE
  • James MACKREITH
  • John MACKREITH
  • John MACKFORSEN
  • James HAMILTON
  • John GRAUNT
  • James MURROW
  • Wm. CARMACKHELL
  • James MACKNEILE
  • Samuell MACKAJNE
  • Dan : GRAUNT
  • Cha : STEWART
  • Neile STEWART
  • David MARKETH
  • David JAMESON
  • Dan SIMSON
  • George HUME
  • James CROCKFORD
  • David KALLENDER
  • David PATTERSON
  • Alester ANDERSON
  • Patricke SMISON
  • Rob't BOY
  • John WILSON
  • Patricke JACAON
  • Wm. MACKAJNE
  • Dan : MACKHOE
  • Dan : MACKAJNE
  • Alester ROSS
  • Neile MUCKSTORE
  • Wm. MACKANDRA
  • John BOYE
  • Wm. GRAUNT
  • James GRAUNT
  • Henry SMITH
  • Wm. HIDRECKE
  • Cana MACKTENTHA
  • Niele HOGG
  • Rob't MACKHANE
  • Rob't STEWART
  • David SIMSON
  • Laughteth GORDON
  • Neile JAMESON
  • Patrick ENGLISH
  • James BENNE
  • David MILWARD
  • Wm. ANDERSON
  • Sander MACKEY
  • Patrick SOTHERLAND
  • Daniel ONEALE
  • John WOODALL
  • Christopher WILSON
  • John MURROW
The persons afore named passed from hence in the ship afore mentioned and are according to order Registed heare.
Dat. Search office, Gravesend, 8th November, 1651
Giles BARROW
Edw : PELLING
John MORRIS - Searchers 


http://www.usgennet.org/usa/topic/colonial/main/john&sara.html   Passenger List for the “John and Sara” , source Historical and Genealogical Registers, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, 1847 Vol - 1 - 50 - (Oct 1847 pg 378-379)
http://files.usgwarchives.net/ma/essex/towns/lynn/scotsprisoners.txt  from the Massachusetts Historical Society Proceedings – Oct 1927, p. 5 – 28.  A list of prisoners and to whom they were sold.  This list is incomplete, but very useful.

http://www.todrobbins.com/robbins/sources/list-of-scots.html  A similar type of list as the one immediately above, with men from the Unity and John and Sara

The Original Scots Colonists of Early America, Supplement: 1607-1707 by David Dobson Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997 (available at ancestry.com)  

Emigrants in Chains by Peter Wilson Coldham, Genealogical Publishing Company, 1994

-----------------
Copyright 2011, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

12 comments:

  1. Wow, I could have three on this list but I have no clue if it is same families. Time may tell. Thanks Susi

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have one such ancestors Henry Merrow who isn't on the list (per se) who married Jane Lindes, the widow of Nicholas Wallis who is on the list. Merrow could be Murrow or some other equivalent.

    My problem with lists such as this is my common sense. There are an awful lot of names on that list. How many? What was the capacity of the average ship in 1651? If the Mayflower held 102 people, is 150 possible (for prisoners of war?).

    Possibly there were several ships and this is a list of prisoners put on more than one ship.

    I know we still disagree about the Angel Gabriel.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Martin, I agree and disagree with you. That is a lot of people, but they were cargo. Were they packed in like people were in slave ships? Were they in chains? Who knows? The document states "John and Sara" but was in implicit that this was the name of a fleet and not one ship? That's a good question. And how do you know Henry Merrow was on this ship and not the Unity or some other ship that arrived later in 1651 or 1652?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I guess he could be. I am the genealogist who could give a rat's ass about which ship his ancestors were on. I've never understood the mystique. Naturally, NEHGS asked me to write the definitive guides on passenger ship records for the 17th, 18th and 19th century which are still on their website. Go figure. I meant that Henry Merrow was a Scottish prisoner.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi! Very nicely done! My direct ancestor was on the Unity. Are you aware of the Yahoo group for the descendants of the Scottish Prisoners of War? We now have a blog/website just started this week! www.scottishprisonersofwar.com
    I would like to have you join our group. My personal email address is read2befree@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. My direct ancestors, John and Sarah Cragin, were on the ship and supposedly met on it and were married after arrival in Saugus. He is listed as "John Crag." Quite the coincidence that the ship bore their names. The line that led to me ended up in Maine. The info came from the geneaologic work, "Embden, Town of Yore," which describes the history of the Maine towns of Embden and Anson. Thanks so much for the work and for posting this. I visited the Saugus Historic Site a few years back and it was quite an experience. Here's the website--http://www.nps.gov/sair/index.htm

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  7. I am a McFarland and I am trying to connect my line back to Scotland. I really believe that I could be a descendant of Purdie MacFarland (so many variant spellings of course) on the Unity ship. I'm not sure what other way to contact you than this. Any info you have would be great! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Stephie,

      You could try the website Scottish Prisoners of War at this link:
      http://scottishprisonersofwar.com/
      This group is very active with a surname project. I'm sure you aren't the only McFarland!

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    2. I specialize in McFarlands in New England contact me crzypopmac@aol.com

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  8. Very interesting. I have several that were shipped over by Cromwell. Our Munroe connection and then I'm also connected with the Furbish who came and ended in Maine. I'm wondering about the Thompson you mentioned. I have a Miles who I think (?) may have been the son of David. Was your David connected with Thompson island in Boston Harbor? Miles also ended up in York area of Maine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Polly, I'm descended of David Thomson (the original settler at Odiorne Point, and from his son Miles, too. And I'm also descended of the Alexander Thompson on the list of Scots Prisoners. Two different Thompson lines.

      Delete
    2. I have Miles a couple of times in my tree but have been told it is only an assumption that he was David Thompson's son. He appears as a land holder in 1656, about the same time as the SPOWs got their grants OR when an actual map was made of the town layout.

      Delete