LIST OF PERSONS composing the crew of the ship Frances of New Bedford, whereof John Briggs is master bound for the South Atlantic Ocean & elsewhere on a whaling voyage

NAMES	PLACES OF BIRTH	PLACES OF RESIDENCE	OF WHAT COUNTRY CITIZENS OR SUBJECTS	DESCRIPTION OF THESE PERSONS
				AGES	HEIGHT		COMPLEXION	HAIR
					FEET	INCHES
James F. Hollis	Plimouth	New Bedford	U States of America	28	5	7 1/2	dark	dark
Ezra T. Howland	New Bedford	New Bedford		19	5	2 3/4	light	brown
Benja Baker	North Kingston	New Bedford		23?	5	4 1/2	light	light brown
James Francis	(deserted before sailing)
Moses Russell	Dartmouth	New Bedford		32	5	6 1/2	black	wooley
George P. Baldwin	Bradford [VT?]	New Bedford		24	5	7 1/2	light	brown
Dennis Stephens
William M Stewart	Boston	New Bedford		20	5	5 3/4	light	red
Thomas Jailt?	Wareham	New Bedford		19	5	9 1/4	light	brown
Thomas Boldings	Tiverton	New Bedford		30
Alfred Williams	Lynn	New Bedford		21	5	6 1/4	dark	black
John Dixson	Baltimore	New Bedford		25	5	8 1/4	black	wooley
Henry Boyier?	New York	New Bedford		37	5	7 1/2	black	wooley
Charles H. Hosmer	Plattsburgh	New Bedford		25	5	11	light	brown
George N or W Thomson	Hinesburgh	New Bedford		27	5	5	light	brown
Wm Bartlett	Plimouth	New Bedford		31	5	6	light	brown
Martin B Packard	Easton	New Bedford		20	5	8 1/4	light	brown
Thomas Joy	(deserted before sailing)
Joseph Cracklin	New York	New Bedford		16	5	3	light	brown
Martin Bumpus
Orsamin S Metcalf	Stonington	New Bedford		23	5	5	dark	brown
William Francisco
John Williams
[signed]John Briggs

James Frances and Thomas Joy sailed the following 13 July on the ship Norfolk, Capt. John H. Pease. The Norfolk crewlist says Francis was 37, b. Chilmark, 5' 8", Indian and had black hair. Joy was 22, b. Maui, 6', Black and had black hair. No obvious reason is apparent for why they abandoned the Frances voyage, but they may have regretted it. Norfolk brought back 1400 barrels compared to Frances' 2000. (NBM 5/17/1833). Francis was a crewmember on the previous trip of Frances.

George P. Baldwin may have been the same as the one on Bradford, VT, 1850 census, lumber dealer, age 42, with a wife and 4 children. Next to him is Benjamin, 83 and Mehitable, 76. IGI has their son George b. 22 Jan 1808, Bradford.

Alfred Williams was liklely the son of Benjamin and Ruth (Brown) Williams, b. 23 Dec 1811, Lynn, MA (IGI).

Charles Bliss Hosmer is in the 1850 census (Charles H.) of New Bedford, sailor, 37, b. MA, with a wife and child. He is in Springfield, MA, in the 1860 census, sea captain, 46, b. MA. He d. 5 Oct 1888, Springfield, age 74 7 27, heart failure, retired, b. Springfield, son of Luther and Abiah, father b. Philpston, mother b. Springfield. (MA State Health Dept 391:443)IGI has his birth, Charles Bliss Hosmer, b. 8 Feb 1814, Springfield, son of Luther and Abiah (Bliss). Marr. Caroline Elizabeth Jones, 19 June 1845, New Bedford, MA State Health Dept record (18:52) says he was a mariner, b. Springfield, she in NB, son of Luther and Abiah, dau of John and Ruth Jones. His rise through the marine ranks was slow. He was third mate in 1841 and captain by 1848.

Martin Bumpus prob. d. 6 Feb 1861, Wareham, age 61, mariner, single, b. Wareham, laborer/pauper (MA State Health Dept 148:328). He was prob. the man of that name in Bowdoinham, ME, 1850, laborer, b. MA, 41.

Ezra Thomas Howland, son of Jonathan and Desire (Tabor), b. 23 Jan 1813, New Bedford, d. Jan 1883, m. Prudence Hix Allyn, 6 June 1839, New Bedford (IGI). He was later a captain of whalers, including Joseph Maxfield, and Midas.

John Briggs shipping record John Briggs biography page Doug Sinclair's Archives site index Doug Sinclair's Archives home all text and photographs © 1998-2008 by Doug Sinclair unless where otherwise noted Research for crewlists conducted by Doug Sinclair at the National Archives and Record Administration, Northeast Region (Boston, MA). Given the work involved, a credit would be appreciated if this transcribed material is used elsewhere. Thank you!