| Notes |
- 20260511GHLn-
Thomas Hamilton letter
Contributed By
J
JoshLanzara
https://www.nativenortheastportal.com/digital-heritage/letter-captain-thomas-hamilton-admiralty-board
Link to missive from Thomas Hamilton to naval authorities regarding the taking of Indian slaves from New England
Request to the Admiralty from the commander of an English royal galley ship discussing Native captives recently taken from New England and proposing an annual capture of said Indians
May itt please yor Hono:rs Tanger 16:o Decemb:rs 1675
167
This is onely to advise yow yt M:r Mathews of Cadiz sent to this place a Ship (wch came from New England & was Consignd to him) that had on board Some 30 Indians, hee ordred that as many of them as should bee serviceable for his Ma:ts Galley s[ ] bee delivered to mee and that hee would adjust the price of the[ ] w:th Yo:r Hono:rs I have therefore taken them, but 9 of them proveing w:th bad usage on boord are since dead Soe that 21 onely remayne whoe will prove very good men and in my opinion as good if not better then the Moorish Slaves, Soe that if there were every yeare a Recruit from those parts (after the Galley were once mand) itt might bee very advantagious for his Ma:ts service: I have sent yo:r hono:rs a f[ ] Acco:tt by the Mary Rose of the Galleys wants, I onely desire now that yo:r hono:rs would bee pleased to send over money for ye paying off the Gallyes Arreares cleare, And alsoe money or Creditt for the makeing of Bonavolios and ye buying of Slaves: And I think that itt were very requisett that there should always bee here a Fond for Extraordinary uses for the Galley: Att this prsent wee have neither money nor Creditt, and itt is necessary for ye Galley to bee Carreen’d for feare of ye Worms, I was forced to send ~ upon my owne acco:tt for Spaine to gett Stuffe for to burne her & am now forced to send for Tallow for her, In the Kings of ffrance & Spaines Galleys there is alwayes a sume of money allowed for extraordinary uses, as for makeing of Bonavolios in all Ports that they come, as alsoe buying of Slaves if need require as well as Provision for sick and wounded men, and for the Galley in case of want. Wee have here noe manner of Medicines for our sick men, and noe allowance for ye Chirugeon for the buying of them: The w:ch I hope yo:r hono:rs will take into yo:r Considerac?n & give us a Remedy to itt: I hope yo:r Hono:rs will not take itt amisse that I inform yo:w of every thing that I take in my weake Judgem:t fitt for his Ma:ts Service: I have nothing more to trouble yo:r hono:rs w:th but desire yo:r hono:rs would bee pleased to lett mee have an answeare as soone as possible: Most of the people belonging to the Galley (especially Officers) have a great deale of Provisions due to them & are still demanding that they might bee victualled in kinde as all other Galleys are: Wee have a great want of Beds, Ruggs, and Sheetes for to lay our sick men in for att the prsent in the Hospitall they have noe such thing:
I remayne
recd & read
14: Febr: Yo:r honors most humble Srvant
I had almost forgott to recomend to yo:r hono:rs Tho. Hamilton Care & Consideration the provision for mens Quart:rs whilst in Harbour, and how the Quart:rs they have already had shall bee xxxxxxx satisfied this being a matter that requires as speedy redresse as any of the others An allowance is likewise ~ requi?ite for lights and fire for the Officers ~ Marriners & Soldiers in theire Quarters,
Copyright © 2014 Yale Indian Papers, Yale University
For his Ma:ts service ~
To the Right hono:ble the Principall ~
Officers and Com:rs of his Ma:ts Navy
att. the Navy Office in ~
London
[reversed text: 2:5.57
Tanger 16 xber 1676
Captn Hamilton – hath recd 30 Indians from Mr Matthews at Cadix – 9 of them since Dead – likes them well – hath sent by ye Maryrose ye Gallys wants. – want Mony to cleare ye Arreare of ye Gally & Buying Slaves – hath neither Money nor Creditt to buy burning Stuff & Tallow – or to Secure Buonavoghios – wants Medecins for Sick men – prays excuse for his giveing a plaine Accot, & askes an answer – Officers &c much in Arreare for Victualls, they pray to bee Victualled in kinde – wants Bedds ruggs &c for Sickmen – prays Satisfaccons for Quarters -- & for Fireing &c:
All contents copyright © 2014 The Yale Indian Papers Project. All rights reserved.
Letter from Captain Thomas Hamilton to the Admiralty Board
May It Please Your Honours,
This is only to advise you that Mr. Mathews of Cadiz sent to this place a ship[1] (which came from New England and was consigned to him) that had on board some thirty Indians, he ordered that as many of them as should be serviceable for His Majesty’s galley [should?] be delivered to me and that he would adjust the price of them with Your Honors. I have, therefore, taken them, but nine of them proving with bad usage on board are since dead, so that twenty-one only remain, who will prove very good men, and in my opinion as good if not better than the Moorish slaves, so that if there were every year a recruit from those parts (after the galley were once manned), it might be very advantageous for His Majesty’s service.[2] I have sent your Honours a f[ull] account by the Mary Rose[3] of the galley’s[4] wants. I only desire now that Your Honours would be pleased to send over money for the paying off the galley’s arrears clear, and also money or credit for the making of bonavolios[5] and the buying of slaves. And I think that it were very requisite that there should always be here a fund for extraordinary uses for the galley. At this present we have neither money nor credit, and it is necessary for the galley to be careened for fear of the worms. I was forced to send upon my own account for Spain to get stuff for to burn her and am now forced to send for tallow for her. In the kings of France and Spain’s galleys there is always a sum of money allowed for extraordinary uses, as for making of bonavolios in all ports that they come, as also buying of slaves, if need require, as well as provision for sick and wounded men, and for the galley in case of want. We have here no manner of medicines for our sick men, and no allowance for the surgeon for the buying of them, the which I hope your Honours will take into your consideration and give us a remedy to it. I hope Your Honours will not take it amiss that I inform you of everything that I take in my weak judgment fit for His Majesty’s service. I have nothing more to trouble Your Honours with but desire Your Honours would be pleased to let me have an answer as soon as possible. Most of the people belonging to the galley (especially officers) have a great deal of provisions due to them and are still demanding that they might be victualled in kind as all other galleys are. We have a great want of beds, rugs, and sheets for to lay our sick men in, for at the present in the hospital they have no such thing.
I remain Your Honours’ most humble servant,
Thomas Hamilton
Tangiers, December 16, 1675
Endorsement:
Received and read, February 14, 1676
Postscript:
I had almost forgot to recommend to Our Honour’s care and consideration the provision for mens’ quarters whilst in harbour, and how the quarters they have already had shall be satisfied, this being a matter that requires as speedy redress as any of the others. An allowance is likewise requisite for lights and fire for the officers, mariners, and soldiers in their quarters.
Address:
For His Majesty’s service. To the Right Honourable the Principal Officers and Commanders of His Majesty’s Navy at the Navy Office in London
Notation:
Tangier, December 16, 1676 Captain Hamilton hath received thirty Indians from Mr. Matthews at Cadiz – Nine of them since dead, likes them well, hath sent by the Mary Rose – the galley’s wants, want money to clear the arrear of the galley and buying slaves, hath neither money nor credit to buy burning stuff and tallow or to secure buonavolios, wants medicines for sick men, prays excuse for his giving a plain account and asks an answer– Officers, etc., much in arrears for victuals, they pray to be victualled in kind, wants beds, rugs, etc., for sick men, prays satisfactions for quarters and for firing etc.
Docketing:
167, 2:5.57
[1] This most likely was Captain Thomas Spragg’s ship, The Sampson. In late September or early October 1675, Captain Thomas Spragg (or Sprague) transported 178 condemned Indians out of Plymouth Colony to Cadiz as slaves. While all of his human cargo might not be able to be identified, some of his prisoners included eight praying Indians captured by Capt. Mosely in August of that year, forty-five others who surrendered to Uncas and his Mohegans, and eighty others, identified as “the Women and Children left by Philip when he and the Men with him made their Escape out of the great Swamp, August 1st.” It is also possible that some of the Indian prisoners were carried off to Spain in other convict transports. N. S., Present State of New-England with respect to the Indian War (London, 1676), 6, 9, 12. As the present document indicates, thirty of these captives were transferred to the English galley ship Margaret, but by spring of the following year, Spragg had requested that the slaved be returned to him. See document 1676.02.29.00 and its annotation.
[2] Despite Hamilton’s enthusiastic endorsement, the use of captive New England Indians in galley ships did not become a regular practice of the English Navy. However, it was considered by the French ministers of marine as a way to “exterminate” what they saw as a number of troublesome Iroquois in New France. In 1684, Louis XIV ordered the governor of New France, the Marquis de Denonville, “to do everything possible” to capture as many Iroquois as he could and to ship them to Marseilles for galley service “at every opportunity.” To that end, Canadian authorities kidnapped around forty Natives and chiefs the following year and transported them abroad. Echoing Hamilton’s letter of 1675, the French minister wrote “It is [now] certain...that these men, vigorous and accustomed to hardship as they are, can be of service on his Majesty’s galleys.” But the kidnappings and forced labor had dire consequences. Revenge attacks by associates of the captives across New France’s settlements made the French ministry rethink their position on enslaving Iroquois, and by 1689, anywhere from three to thirteen Iroquois galley rowers left New Rochelle for Canada. Paul W. Bamford, Fighting Ships and Prisons: The Mediterranean Galleys of France in the Age of Louis XIV (Minneapolis, 1973), 163-66; 310-11.
[3] The Mary Rose was a 40-ton English ship, originally named Maidstone, built in 1654, renamed Mary Rose in 1660. It was later captured by the French 1691. J. J. Colledge and Ben Warlow, Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal navy from the 15th Century to the Present (London, 2006), 213, 219.
[4] A galley ship denotes a type of vessel of war that is equipped with a mast for sails but is propelled primarily by oars or sweeps, often pulled by slave, captured, or convict laborers. Having a long history in ancient Rome and Greece, it was adapted for military use in the middle ages and survived as part of the Eighteenth-Century European navies in the Mediterranean. Charles III’s Tangier galley force used prisoners taken from pirate ships, slaves from Malta. The galley ships supported the king’s frigates that policed the Mediterranean.
The specific ship that Hamilton is writing about is the Margaret Galley, which was built in Leghorn, or Livorno, Italy in 1671 for Charles II as part of a grand design to reintroduce galley ships into the English Navy. Named for the Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Marguerite Louis d’Orleans, it made its trial run in September 1672 with a crew of 324 galley slaves, filling twenty-seven benches, six men to each, and was delivered to Tangier about two years later under the oversight of its contractor, a Frenchman named Sir Jean Baptiste Duteil. On June 18, 1675, Charles II assigned its command to Thomas Hamilton, an English frigate captain. Because of the high cost to maintain her, the Margaret was discharged in 1676 and sold to Henry Shere, the chief engineer of Tangier. Captain Richard Bolland next purchased the galley and used it as a makeshift bridge or wharf in the city’s harbor. In 1697, Isaac Royal of Boston sold the hull of a Margaret Galley to William Foster of Barbados, but it is unclear if this is the same ship. G.E. Aylmer, “Slavery Under Charles II: The Mediterranean and Tangier,” The English Historical Review, vol. 114 (April. 1999), 378-388; J. R. Tanner, ed., A Descriptive Catalogue of the Naval Manuscripts in the Pepysian Library at Magdalene College, Cambridge (London, 1903), 227-228; Julian Stafford Corbett, England in the Mediterranean: A Study of the Rise and Influence of British Power within the Straits, 1603-1713, vol. 2 (London, 1904) , 77; E. M. Routh, Tangier, England’s Lost Atlantic Outpost (London, 1912), 154; John Charnock, Biographia Navalis; or, Impartial Memoirs of the Lives and Characters of Officers of the Navy of Great Britain, from the Year 1660 to the Present Time, vol. 1, (London: 1794), 310; Suffolk Deeds, Liber XIV (Boston, 1906), 401-402.
[5] Bonavolios, or bonnevoglies, an English variation of the Portuguese bonavolha, Spanish buenabouya, French bonnevoglie, or Italian buonavolia, meaning a “free rower,” or volunteer rower on a galley ship, in contrast to the galérien or forçat “convict rower” or class of condemned rowers that the New England Indians would have been in. Alan H. Hartley, “Historical Sketches of the Mediterranean Nautical Lexicon,” Romance Philology, 59 (2006), 320-321.
Tagged People
Thomas Hamilton
Male
1645-1687
• L4HW-6DV
Contributed By
J
JoshLanzara
29 December 2025
Upload File Name
story.txt
________________________________
20260511GHLn-
Thomas Hamilton
Male
1645 – 9 May 1687
• L4HW-6DV
Sources (11)
Collaborate (6)
Memories (14)
Notes
Unknown if, or when Thomas & Lydia were actually married. Although, likely Newport.
Sandwich vital records mentions Thomas Hambleton (Hamilton) “and his wife Lidia” in the birth record for their son Thomas Hamilton Jr., born in Rhode Island. But there is no known record for Thomas and Lydia’s marriage, specifically in either Newport or Sandwich. 1669 is a rough estimate calculated on the basis of firstborn son Daniel’s age as recorded on his gravestone.
Last Changed: March 20, 2026
D
Despi
Granary Burying ground, not King’s Chapel
According to their profile of Thomas Hamilton, Nativenortheastportal.com states:
“On May 9, 1687, Hamilton died. After funeral services at King's Chapel eight days later…” Every other reference I’ve checked, but one, assumes Thomas’ funeral was held at King’s Chapel church, but at the time of Thomas’ death, the chapel building had not yet been completed. The original King's Chapel was a wooden church built in 1688.
A careful reading of the Annals of King’s Chapel, pg 70, makes it evident that it was the “South church”/“South meeting-house” where the funeral service was held. The context of Samuel Sewall quoted here in the Annals, is to explain the friction that arose between the Puritans and Sir Edmund Andros when he used their Meetinghouse for his Anglican services—of which Captain Hamilton’s funeral was. Sewall noted that his body was escorted by Capt. Francis Nicholson's redcoats and several companies of the (Boston's train band) for burial, but Sewall in his diary does not actually say Capt. Hamilton was buried at the King’s Chapel burying ground, or the Granary burying ground. Wikipedia states that before 1737 the Granary BG was known as the “South burying ground.” Thomas is, in fact, buried there at the South/Granary burying ground on Tremont St. in Boston. https://www.cityofboston.gov/Parks/HBGI/search.asp Screen shot of the reference in the CityofBoston.gov database in Memories.
Less
Last Changed: August 13, 2024
D
Despi
Clarifying confusion of Thomas and James in Biographia Navalis.
From Anthony: His Life and Works and Family
by Ruth Clark
pg 49
[…] in the summer of
1673 the Anglo-French fleet was again defeated. While George, Anthony and very likely also Richard Hamilton were fighting or waiting to fight for France, Thomas Hamilton, the sailor, was serving in the English navy, along with the eldest brother James, who acted as one of the Lords Commissioners for Prizes, and latterly as colonel of a regiment of foot which was carried on board the Royal Charles.
Being at sea he also found it very difficult to recruit his regiment,[2] but he served his country cheerfully until he received a
fatal wound on May 28th at the naval fight of Schonvelt, his leg being shot off. He was struck down so near Prince Rupert that those who saw him fall called out that the Prince was slain. After two or three days he was sent on land by a yacht, but he died on the 6th of June and was buried on the day following in Westminster Abbey.[3]
This clarifies the confusion of James and Thomas in Biographia Navalis Vol.1 pg 311
Less
Last Changed: December 31, 2023
D
Despi
!Stephen Hopkins-Mayflower Families Thru Five Gene. pg. 56-Daniel Hamilton of Monomoit , d. 69th yr. Undoubtly the son of Thomas HAMILTON/Lydia WING. Daniel md/1 Mary Smith, b. Eastham d/o Samuel Smith/Mary Hopkins and a desc. of Stephen Hopkins. Daniel m/3 Desire (Gorham) Springer, wid. of Edward Springer, prob the man of that name aof Newport, RI who d. abt 1711/12. Desire d/o James GORHAM/Hannah HUCKINS and a des. of Pilgrim John Howland, Daniel m/4 Elizabeth ?Taylor who survived him.
Less
Last Changed: August 26, 2013
U
UnknownMMMC-F8L7
Discussions
MtDNA regarding Butler and Hamilton family lines
February 26, 2023
Thanks for posting the information regarding the Hamilton DNA above. I have not yet been able to conduct mtDNA testing through family tree, DNA company but I have uploaded at various sites, such as wiki tree, GEDmatch, familytreedna , thus far and the Autismal DNA via Ancestry.
I have a considerable amount of research and cross, checking data to verify all information that I found. Thus far however it does appear that I have multiple connections to persons with the last name of Butler & other spelling, such a Boteler or Boutilier . I also have have connections to Hamilton , Brewster, Hopkins, KILLHAM, MORTON, MCGRAY, Anderson, Rogers, Allen, Fisher, and numerous other maternal and paternal family names.
If anyone wishes to share Kit ID numbers from ged match.com I would be most appreciative. On wiki trade my GED match.com. Kit ID and ancestry ID are connected to my profile. As soon as I am able to obtain a test for the mtDNA, I will be sure to post that for anyone seeking subjects for comparison. Thanks!!
Less
R
Rhonda.K.Morton
Christen?
March 23, 2018
How could he be christen 7 years before he was born across the Atlantic
B
BarryCumming
26 FEBRUARY 2023
R
Rhonda.K.Morton 10:41 PM
It’s my understanding that there are more than one Thomas Hamilton, and people inputting data under the profiles are likely getting the individuals confused. I have not yet been able to review data to validate sources for each of the Hamilton lines that I’m connected to get, but that’s my common sense based guess regarding the timeline confusion.
20260511GHLn-
Did Thomas die of injuries from a fist-fight? Sewall does not say this anywhere in his diary, but the apparent nearness of the altercation to his death is interesting. Apparently this was enough for Gov. Andros to summon Mr. Phipps to appear before him.
- 20260511GHLn-
Thomas Hamilton
Male
1645 – 9 May 1687
• L4HW-6DV
Sources (11)
Collaborate (6)
Memories (14)
Notes
Unknown if, or when Thomas & Lydia were actually married. Although, likely Newport.
Sandwich vital records mentions Thomas Hambleton (Hamilton) “and his wife Lidia” in the birth record for their son Thomas Hamilton Jr., born in Rhode Island. But there is no known record for Thomas and Lydia’s marriage, specifically in either Newport or Sandwich. 1669 is a rough estimate calculated on the basis of firstborn son Daniel’s age as recorded on his gravestone.
Last Changed: March 20, 2026
D
Despi
Granary Burying ground, not King’s Chapel
According to their profile of Thomas Hamilton, Nativenortheastportal.com states:
“On May 9, 1687, Hamilton died. After funeral services at King's Chapel eight days later…” Every other reference I’ve checked, but one, assumes Thomas’ funeral was held at King’s Chapel church, but at the time of Thomas’ death, the chapel building had not yet been completed. The original King's Chapel was a wooden church built in 1688.
A careful reading of the Annals of King’s Chapel, pg 70, makes it evident that it was the “South church”/“South meeting-house” where the funeral service was held. The context of Samuel Sewall quoted here in the Annals, is to explain the friction that arose between the Puritans and Sir Edmund Andros when he used their Meetinghouse for his Anglican services—of which Captain Hamilton’s funeral was. Sewall noted that his body was escorted by Capt. Francis Nicholson's redcoats and several companies of the (Boston's train band) for burial, but Sewall in his diary does not actually say Capt. Hamilton was buried at the King’s Chapel burying ground, or the Granary burying ground. Wikipedia states that before 1737 the Granary BG was known as the “South burying ground.” Thomas is, in fact, buried there at the South/Granary burying ground on Tremont St. in Boston. https://www.cityofboston.gov/Parks/HBGI/search.asp Screen shot of the reference in the CityofBoston.gov database in Memories.
Less
Last Changed: August 13, 2024
D
Despi
Clarifying confusion of Thomas and James in Biographia Navalis.
From Anthony: His Life and Works and Family
by Ruth Clark
pg 49
[…] in the summer of
1673 the Anglo-French fleet was again defeated. While George, Anthony and very likely also Richard Hamilton were fighting or waiting to fight for France, Thomas Hamilton, the sailor, was serving in the English navy, along with the eldest brother James, who acted as one of the Lords Commissioners for Prizes, and latterly as colonel of a regiment of foot which was carried on board the Royal Charles.
Being at sea he also found it very difficult to recruit his regiment,[2] but he served his country cheerfully until he received a
fatal wound on May 28th at the naval fight of Schonvelt, his leg being shot off. He was struck down so near Prince Rupert that those who saw him fall called out that the Prince was slain. After two or three days he was sent on land by a yacht, but he died on the 6th of June and was buried on the day following in Westminster Abbey.[3]
This clarifies the confusion of James and Thomas in Biographia Navalis Vol.1 pg 311
Less
Last Changed: December 31, 2023
D
Despi
!Stephen Hopkins-Mayflower Families Thru Five Gene. pg. 56-Daniel Hamilton of Monomoit , d. 69th yr. Undoubtly the son of Thomas HAMILTON/Lydia WING. Daniel md/1 Mary Smith, b. Eastham d/o Samuel Smith/Mary Hopkins and a desc. of Stephen Hopkins. Daniel m/3 Desire (Gorham) Springer, wid. of Edward Springer, prob the man of that name aof Newport, RI who d. abt 1711/12. Desire d/o James GORHAM/Hannah HUCKINS and a des. of Pilgrim John Howland, Daniel m/4 Elizabeth ?Taylor who survived him.
Less
Last Changed: August 26, 2013
U
UnknownMMMC-F8L7
Discussions
MtDNA regarding Butler and Hamilton family lines
February 26, 2023
Thanks for posting the information regarding the Hamilton DNA above. I have not yet been able to conduct mtDNA testing through family tree, DNA company but I have uploaded at various sites, such as wiki tree, GEDmatch, familytreedna , thus far and the Autismal DNA via Ancestry.
I have a considerable amount of research and cross, checking data to verify all information that I found. Thus far however it does appear that I have multiple connections to persons with the last name of Butler & other spelling, such a Boteler or Boutilier . I also have have connections to Hamilton , Brewster, Hopkins, KILLHAM, MORTON, MCGRAY, Anderson, Rogers, Allen, Fisher, and numerous other maternal and paternal family names.
If anyone wishes to share Kit ID numbers from ged match.com I would be most appreciative. On wiki trade my GED match.com. Kit ID and ancestry ID are connected to my profile. As soon as I am able to obtain a test for the mtDNA, I will be sure to post that for anyone seeking subjects for comparison. Thanks!!
Less
R
Rhonda.K.Morton
Christen?
March 23, 2018
How could he be christen 7 years before he was born across the Atlantic
B
BarryCumming
26 FEBRUARY 2023
R
Rhonda.K.Morton 10:41 PM
It’s my understanding that there are more than one Thomas Hamilton, and people inputting data under the profiles are likely getting the individuals confused. I have not yet been able to review data to validate sources for each of the Hamilton lines that I’m connected to get, but that’s my common sense based guess regarding the timeline confusion.
|
1645 - 1687 (42 years)
