LIST OF PERSONS composing the crew of the ship Frances of New Bedford, whereof John Briggs is master bound for the South Atlantic Ocean and 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
William H. Topham [over George W. Lewis, who was crossed out]
Ezra T. Howland	New Bedford	New Bedford	U States	21	5	2 3/4	light	brown
Thomas Place	New Bedford	New Bedford	U States	21	5	9 3/4	dark	brown
Otis Webb
Charles Manchester	Tiverton	Tiverton	U States	20	5	8 1/2	dark	black
David Mott	New London	New London	U States	25	5	8 1/2	light	brown
John Girven			U States
William Bartlett	Plymouth	Plymouth	U States	32	6	6	light	brown
Joseph Telley	Portigues?
Thomas Wanton	Tiverton	Tiverton	U States	25	5	3/4	black	woolly
William Gifford [crossed out]	Westport	Westport	U States	19	5	3 1/2	light	brown
Gilbert H. Phillips	Dartmouth	Dartmouth	U States	22	5	2 1/2	dark	brown
Ervin Fisher	Falmouth	Falmouth	U States	21	6		light	brown
John F. Daley	Boston	Boston	U States	19	5	10 3/4	light	sandy
Thomas Barry	Boston	Boston	U States	19	5	5 3/4	light	dark
Archelius Baker 3rd	Dartmouth	Dartmouth	U States	17	5	6	light	brown
Zena K. Wood	Barnstable	New Bedford	U States	26	5	10 1/4	light	brown
Fosteen Joseph	Western Islands	New Bedford {Capt Boy}			17
George Trurora	Portigues
Isaac K. Taylor	Dartmouth	Dartmouth	U States	16	5	7 3/4	dark	black
Clark Willcox	Tiverton	Tiverton	U States	16	5	2	light	brown
Charles Nelson	Boston	New Bedford	U States	22	5	4 3/4	black	woolly
Edwin Ellis	New Bedford	New Bedford	U States	17	5	4 1/4	dark	dark
James Francis	Chilmark	Chilmark	U States	37	5	8 1/4	indian	black
George Francis	Western Islands	New Bedford {Capt Boy}
Robert Luscomb [crossed out]
Thomas Weston	Fairhaven	Fairhaven	U States	22	5	6 3/4	light	brown
[signed] John Briggs

I John Briggs do solemnly, sincerely, and truly swear that the above List contains the names of the crew of the ship Frances together with the Places of their Birth and Residence as far as I can ascertain the same so help me God sworn this 5 day of June 1833 [signed]John Briggs Before me, Lemuel Williams, Collector

William H. Topham, b. (supp. 30 Aug) 1806, supp. Newport, RI, d. 27 July 1859, New Bedford, m. Abby Ingraham Peck, 3 February 1828, Newport, RI. He was first on record as a brass founder in New Bedford and returned to that later in life, or added seafaring to it. He left Francis according to the crew list for unstated reasons toward the end of the trip. He was master of the whalers Vermont out of Poughkeepsie, NY, America out of Hudson, NY, and Canada out of New Bedford.

Ezra Thomas Howland, b. 23 Jan 1813, Dartmouth, MA, son of Jonathan and Desire (Tabor), 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.

Otis Webb b. 27 Oct 1813, Lynn, MA?, son of Daniel & Betsy (Williams), m. Deborah A. Corey, 31 May 1838 by Rev. Mr. Crandall, New Bedford, (NBM 6/1/1838, p2), d. 1899, San Lorenzo, CA (Matthew H. Jeffers, Ancestry World Tree, ancestry.com)surely in 1850 US census, N Bed. (p. 234A), 36, b. MA, master mariner, w/ wife and children. "California life illustrated. Chapter one, page 34 Captain Otis Webb, son of old Father Daniel Webb of the Providence Conference, though nothing himself but a high-minded outsider, (the Lord bless the outsiders! I have found among them some of the best friends I ever had in my life,) hearing of our situation, sent us word that he was building a house near our chapel, which would be finished in a week, and that we were welcome to the use of it, rent free, for a month. So after remaining a fortnight in port aboard ship, enjoying the hospitality of Captain Wilson, we moved into the new house of Captain Webb, a one-and-a-half story house, containing five rooms, and would have rented for about four hundred dollars a month." (Compiled by Jonathan Webb Deiss, �2003, 2004). "WEBB--In San Lorenzo, March 12 Deborah A. WEBB, widow of the late Captain Otis WEBB, and mother of Mrs. John S. ENGS of Oakland, Mrs. Harry W. MEEK and Edward O. WEBB of San Lorenzo, a native of New Bedford, Mass., aged 79 years, 5 months and 16 days. Funeral private." Source: San Francisco Chronicle, 13 March 1899, p.9. Transcribed by Susan Cherry-Boyer.

Zena K. Wood prob. Zeno K(elly?) Wood b. 13 Feb 1807, Yarmouth, MA, son of Tilson & Jemima (Kelly), d. June 1837(IGI), m. Harriet, who died 9 Aug 1837 (NBM 8/11/1837, p2). The notice says she was 27, funeral at Mr. Morgridge's church (First Christian, NB), family to meet at their house at 100 So. Second St. "Zeno K. Wood, mariner, house 100 South Second" (Henry Crapo, The New Bedford Directory, etc., (New Bedford:1836) p. 91). Also Tillson, houswright. Death notice, NBM 8/25/1837, p2, "On board ship Nahant, of Lynn, in July, Mr. Zeno K. Wood, of this town."

Clark Wilcox prob. b. 2 Feb 1817, Tiverton, RI, son of John & Ann (Wilcox), d. 13 July 1866 (IGI). Prob. in the 1850 US census, Tiverton (p. 98A), 32, farmer, in household of John Wilcox. Same in 1860 (p. 395)

Edwin Ellis perhaps b. 14 June 1816, New Bedford, son of Watson & Avis (Howland)IGI). MA State Health deaths (138:102): d. , 44-3-27, consumption at N Bed Hospital, son of Watson (b. Sandwich) & Avis (b. S. Dartmouth), mariner, single.

Archelius Baker 3rd perhaps son of Archillus Baker in 1850 US census, Dartmouth (p. 429B), sailor, 53. Archilocos Baker, Jr., also in Dartmouth, was a year older, also a sailor. Archelius 3rd was prob. 3rd oldest in town. He appears in the 1870 US census for Dartmouth (p. 151B) as Archelus, Jr., master mariner, 54, w/ wife & dau. "Whaleship HIBERNIA of NB, Capt Archelaus Baker, put in at Pohnpei on Nov 7. Left Dec 1. [Baker 1852; Ward 1967: VI, 161; The Friend, IX (Dec 1852), 88]" (http://www.micsem.org/pubs/articles/historical/forships/pohnpei.htm) MA State Health Dept. deaths, d. 1868?

Raper Smith, likely in the 1850 US Census, Burlington, NJ, (p. 1A) 32, bricklayer, b. PA, in household of Susan J. Smith.

John B. Jones prob. b. 15 July 1814, Mt. Vernon, Hillsborough Co., NH, m. Nancy Hood, 18 Mar 1843, Milford, Hillb. Co., NH, d. 7 Dec 1867 (IGI).

Charles Nelson "mariner, boards 6 Spring." This address was a boarding house for a number of other African American mariners. Thomas Place "mariner, house 121 South Second" (Henry Crapo, The New Bedford Directory, etc., (New Bedford:1836) p. 73)

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!