| Notes |
- May have married the wife of Edward Buckmaster.
1699 July 27. Deed. John BUDD of Philadelphia, brewer, to Adam BALDRIDGE
of N. Y. City, merchant, for the preceding 500 acres, called Melcum Island.
Deposition of Adam Baldridge. May 5, 1699.[1]
1. July the 17th 1690. I, Adam Baldridge, arrived at the Island of St. Maries in the ship fortune, Richard Conyers Commander, and on the 7th of January 1690/1 I left the ship, being minded to settle among the Negros at St. Maries with two men more, but the ship went to Port Dolphin[2] and was Cast away, April the 15th 1691, and181 halfe the men drownded and halfe saved their lives and got a shore, but I continued with the Negros at St. Maries and went to War with them. before my goeing to War one of the men dyed that went a shore with me, and the other being discouraged went on board againe and none continued with me but my Prentice John King. March the 9th they sailed for Bonnovolo on Madagascar, 16 Leagues from St. Maries, where they stopt to take in Rice. after I went to war six men more left the Ship, whereof two of them dyed about three weeks after they went ashore and the rest dyed since. In May 91 I returned from War and brought 70 head of Cattel and some slaves. then I had a house built and settled upon St. Maries, where great store of Negros resorted to me from the Island Madagascar and settled the Island St. Maries, where I lived quietly with them, helping them to redeem their Wives and Children that were taken before my coming to St. Maries by other Negros to the northward of us about 60 Leagues.
2. October 13, 1691. Arrived the Batchelors delight, Captain Georg Raynor[3] Commander, Burden 180 Tons or there abouts, 14 Guns, 70 or 80 men, that had made a voyage into the Red Seas and taken a ship belonging to the Moors, as the men did report, where they took as much money as made the whole share run about 1100 l. a man. they Careened at St. Maries, and while they Careened I supplyed them with Cattel for their present spending and they gave me for my Cattel a quantity of Beads, five great Guns for a fortification, some powder and shott, and six Barrells of flower, about 70 barrs of Iron. the ship belonged to Jamaica and set saile from St. Maries November the 4th 1691, bound for Port Dolphin on Madagascar to take in their provision, and December 91 they set saile from Port Dolphin bound for America, where I have heard since they arrived at Carolina and Complyed with the owners, giveing them for Ruin of the Ship three thousand pounds, as I have heard since.182
3. October 14th 1692. Arrived the Nassaw, Captain Edward Coats Commander, Burden 170 Ton or there about, 16 Guns, 70 men, whereof about 30 of the men stayed at Madagascar, being most of them concerned in taking the Hack boat at the Isle of May Colonel Shrymton over [owner?], the said Hack boat was lost at St. Augustin. Captain Coats Careened at St. Maries, and whilst careening I supplyed them with Cattel for their present spending, and the Negros with fowls, Rice and Yams, and for the Cattel I had two Chists and one Jarr of powder, six great guns and a Quantity of great Shott, some spicks[4] and nails, five Bolts of Duck and some Twine, a hogshead of flower. the ship most of her belonged to the Company, as they said. Captain Coats set saile from St. Maries in November 92, bound for Port Dolphin on Madagascar, and victualed there and in December set saile for New-York. Captain Coats made about 500 l. a man in the red Seas.[5]
4. August 7th 1693. Arrived the Ship Charles, John Churcher master, from New York, Mr. Fred. Phillips, owner,[6] sent to bring me severall sorts of goods. She had two Cargos in her, one Consigned to said Master to dispose of, and one to me, containing as followeth: 44 paire of shooes and pumps, 6 Dozen of worsted and threed stockens, 3 dozen of speckled shirts and Breaches, 12 hatts, some Carpenters Tools, 5 Barrells of Rum, four Quarter Caskes of Madera Wine, ten Cases of Spirits, Two old Stills full183 of hols, one worme, Two Grindstones, Two Cross Sawes and one Whip saw, three Jarrs of oyle, two small Iron Potts, three Barrells of Cannon powder, some books, Catechisms, primers and horne books, two Bibles, and some garden Seeds, three Dozen of howes,[7] and I returned for the said goods 1100 pieces 8/8 and Dollers, 34 Slaves, 15 head of Cattel, 57 barrs of Iron. October the 5th he set sail from St. Maries, after having sold parte of his Cargo to the White men upon Madagascar, to Mauratan to take in Slaves.
5. October 19, 1693. Arrived the ship Amity, Captain Thomas Tew Commander,[8] Burden 70 Tons, 8 Guns, 60 men, haveing taken a Ship in the Red Seas that did belong to the Moors, as the men did report, they took as much money in her as made the whole share run 1200 l. a man. they Careened at St. Maries and had some cattel from me, but for their victualing and Sea Store they bought from the Negros. I sold Captain Tew and his Company some of the goods brought in the Charles from New York. the Sloop belonged most of her to Bermudas. Captain Tew set saile from St. Maries December the 23d 1693, bound for America.
6. August, 1695. Arrived the Charming Mary from Barbados, Captain Richard Glover Commander,[9] Mr. John Beckford marchant and part owner. the most of the ship belonged to Barbados, the Owners Colonel Russel, Judge Coats, and the Nisames [?]. She was burden about 200 Tons, 16 Guns, 80 men. she had severall sort of goods on board. I bought the most of them. She careened at St. Maries and in October she set saile from St. Maries for Madagascar to take in Rice and Slaves.
7. August 1695. Arrived the ship Katherine from New York, Captain Tho. Mostyn Commander and Super Cargo,[10] Mr. Fred. Phillips Owner, the Ship Burden about 160 Tons, noe Guns, near 20 men. She had severall sorts184 of goods in her. she sold the most to the White men upon Madagascar, where he had Careened. he set saile from St. Maries for Mauratan on Madagascar to take in his Rice and Slaves.
8. December 7th 1695. Arrived the Ship Susanna, Captain Thomas Weak[11] Commander, burden about 100 Tons, 10 Guns, 70 men. they fitted out from Boston and Rhoad Island and had been in the Red seas but made noe voyage by reason they mist the moors fleet. they Careened at St. Maries and I sold them part of the goods bought of Mr. John Beckford out of the Charming Mary and spaired them some Cattel, but for the most part they were supplyed by the Negros. they stayed at St. Maries till the middle of April, where the Captain and Master and most of his men dyed. the rest of the men that were left alive after the Sickness Carried the Ship to St. Augustin, where they left her and went In Captain Hore for the Red Sea.
9. December 11th 1695. Arrived the Sloop Amity, haveing no Captain, her former Captain Thomas Tew being killed by a great Shott from a Moors ship,[12] John Yarland master, Burden seventy Ton, 8 Guns, as before described, and about 60 men. They stayed but five dayes at St. Maries and set saile to seek the Charming Mary and they met her at Mauratan on Madagascar and took her, giveing Captain Glover the Sloop to carry him and his men home and all that he had, keeping nothing but the ship. they made a new Commander after they had taken the ship, one Captain Bobbington. after they had taken the ship they went into St. Augustine Bay and there fitted the ship and went into the Indies to make a voyage and I have heard since that they were trapaned and taken by the Moors.
10. December 29 1695. Arrived a Moors Ship, taken by the Resolution and given to Captain Robert Glover and 24 of his men that was not willing to goe a privateering upon the Coasts of Indies, to carrie them away. the Company turned Captain Glover and these 24 men out of the Ship, Captain Glover being parte Owner and Commander185 of the same and Confined prisoner by his Company upon the Coast of Guinea by reason he would not consent to goe about the Cape of good hope into the Red Sea. the ship was old and would hardly swim with them to St. Maries. when they arrived there they applyed themselves to me. I maintained them in my house with provision till June, that shiping arrived for to carry them home.
11. January 17th 1696/7. Arrived the Brigantine Amity, that was Captain Tew's Sloop from Barbadoes and fitted into a Brigantine by the Owners of the Charming Mary at Barbados, Captain Richard Glover Commander and Super Cargo. the Brigantine discribed when a Sloop. She was laden with severall sorts of goods, part whereof I bought and part sold to the White men upon Madagascar, and parte to Captain Hore and his Company. the Brigantine taken afterwards by the Resolution at St. Maries.
12. February the 13th 1696/7. Arrived Captain John Hor's Prize from the Gulph of Persia and three or four dayes after arrived Captain Hore[13] in the John and Rebeckah, Burden about 180 Tons, 20 Guns, 100 men in ship and prize. The Prize about 300 Ton Laden with Callicoes. I sold some of the goods bought of Glover to Captain Hore and his Company as likewise the white men that lived upon Madagascar and Captain Richard Glover.
13. June the —— 1697. Arrived the Resolution, Captain Shivers Commander, Burden near 200 Tons, 90 men, 20 Guns, formerly the ship belonged to Captain Robert Glover but the Company took her from him and turned him and 24 more of his men out of her by reason they were not willing to goe a privateering into the East Indies.[14] they met with a Mosoune[15] at sea and lost all their masts and put into Madagascar about 10 Leagues to the Northward off St. Maries and there masted and fitted their ship, and while they lay there they took the Brigantine Amity for her watter Casks, Sailes and Rigeing and Masts, and turned the Hull a drift upon a Rife.[16] Captain Glover promised to forgive186 them what was past if they would Let him have his ship again and goe home to America, but they would not except he would goe into the East Indies with them. September the 25th 97 they set saile to the Indies.
14. June 1697. Arrived the ship Fortune from New York, Captain Thomas Mostyn Commander, and Robert Allison Super Cargo, the Ship Burden 150 Tons or there abouts, 8 Guns, near 20 men, haveing severall sorts of goods aboard, and sold to Captain Hore and Company and to the White men upon Madagascar.
15. June —— 1697. Arrived a Ship from New York, Captain Cornelius Jacobs Comander and Super Cargo, Mr. Fred. Phillips owner, Burden about 150 Ton, 2 Guns, near 20 men, haveing severall sorts of goods a board, and sold to Captain Hore and his Company and to the White men on Madagascar, and four Barrells of Tar to me.[17]
16. July the 1st 1697. Arrived the Brigantine Swift from Boston, Mr. Andrew Knott Master[18] and John Johnson Marchant and parte owner, Burden about 40 Tons, 2 Guns, 10 men, haveing severall goods aboard. Some sold to Captain Hore and Company the rest put a shore at St. Maries and left there. A small time after her arrivall I bought three Quarters of her and careened and went out to seek a Trade and to settle a forraign Commers and Trade in severall places on Madagascar. About 8 or 10 dayes after I went from St. Maries the Negros killed about 30 White men upon Madagascar and St. Maries, and took all that they or I had, Captain Mostyn and Captain Jacobs and Captain Hor's Ship and Company being all there at the same time and set saile from St. Maries October 1697 for Madagascar to take in their Slaves and Rice. having made a firm Commerse with the Negros on Madagascar, at my return I met with Captain Mostyn at sea, 60 Leagues of St. Maries. he acquainted me with the Negros riseing187 and killing the White men. he perswaded me to return back with him and not proceed any further, for there was noe safe goeing to St. Maries. all my men being sick, after good consideracion we agreed to return and goe for America.
The above mentioned men that were killed by the Natives were most of them privateers that had been in the Red Seas and took severall ships there, they were cheifly the occasion of the natives Riseing, by their abuseing of the Natives and takeing their Cattel from them, and were most of them to the best of my knowledge men that came in severall Ships, as Captain Rainor, Captain Coats, Captain Tew, Captain Hore, and the Resolution and Captain Stevens.[19]
Adam Baldridge.
Sworne before me in New York
5th of May 1699
A.D. Peyster[20]
A true copy
Bellomont.
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1670 - Yes, date unknown
