James (ship)

The ship James made several trips during the early 1600's Great Migration out of England, to the new world. It is unclear as to how man ships were named James during the Great Migration as the name James was very popular in England during the rein of James I of England (1567-1625).

1621-1622 voyage

From England to Virginia

It appears the James landed right around the New Year, because some of the passengers reported as landing in 1621, and others in 1622, most likely due to winter conditions. The first few off the ship were servants of Edward Bennett the wealthy London Merchant that had paid for over 800 servants to travel to the New World to work his plantations, and who had already established his plantation, so they had a place to stay..

Passengers: 1621:

• William Bradford (Plymouth governor).
• Wassell Webling, servant to Edward Bennett.
• Antonio a Negro, servant to Edward Bennett.

1622: Isack Chaplaine arrived in Virginia in 1610 aboard the Starr and then sent for his family ten years later, as they arrived on the James;

• Mary Chaplaine, wife of Isack Chaplaine.
• John Chaplaine, age 15, son of Isack Chaplaine.
• John Duffhill, age 14, servant for Isack Chaplaine.
• Robert Hudson, age 30, servant for Isack Chaplaine.
• Henry Thorne age 18, servant for Isack Chaplaine.
• Ivy Banton, maid for Isack Chaplaine.

The other passengers include;

• Grivell Pooley Minister.
• John Bamford, age 23, servant for Abraham Peirsey.
• Richard English servant for Thomas Palmer who arrived months earlier on the Tyger.
• Richard Appleton, age 19, one of William Tucker's men.
• Lawrence Evans, age 15, servant for Nathaniel Cawsey who arrived on the Phoenix in 1607.
• William Popleton, servant forJohn Davies who arrived on the George in 1617.
• Nicholas Sutton, dead at Chaplans Choise, slain by Indians 1624.
• Anthony West (1606-1654), hired for Treasurers Plantation.

1624 voyage

James left Bermuda with master Toby Ffolgate at the helm, and arrived in Virginia.

1633 voyage

James left Gravesend England with master Captain Thomas Wiggin at the helm, and arrived in Salem, Massachusetts on October 10, 1633. The James was described as a relatively small but sturdy ship, carrying 100 Pilgrims along with horses, cattle, goats and provisions landed at Salem, Massachusetts on October 10, 1633. After disembarking, Captain Wiggin and 30 others sailed further up the coast to Hilton Point, what is now known as Dover, New Hampshire, and started a new settlement. Wiggin, a strict Puritan, commanded one of the early explorations to New Hampshire during this period and was appointed by English entrepreneurs to make land acquisitions and organize potential settlers.

1635 voyage

• note: the ship James of London sailed from London on April 6, 1635 and arrived in Massachusetts Bay on June 12, 1635 with master William Cooper at the helm.

The ship James left King's Road in Bristol on May 23, 1635 with master John Taylor at the helm. From England to Massachusetts in a fleet of five ships, the Angel Gabriel, the Elizabeth (Bess), the Mary and the Diligence.

On June 3, 1635, the James joined four other ships, and set sail for the new world with just over 100 passengers as part of a fleet of five ships, including the families of Richard Mather, Captain John Evered and John Ayer. As they approached New England, a hurricane struck and they were forced to ride it out just off the coast of modern day Hampton, New Hampshire. According to the ships log and the journal of Increase Mather who's father Richard Mather and family was on, the following was recorded;

"At this moment,... their lives were given up for lost; but then, in an instant of time, God turned the wind about, which carried them from the rocks of death before their eyes. ...her sails rent in sunder, and split in pieces, as if they had been rotten ragges..."

They tried to stand down during the storm just outside the Isles of Shoals, but lost all three anchors, as no canvas or rope would hold, but on Aug 13, 1635, torn to pieces, and not one death, all one hundred plus passengers the James manages to make it to Boston Harbor two days later.

The Angel Gabriel was wrecked off the coast of Maine, but the smaller, faster ships, the Mary, the Bess, and the Diligence outran the storm, and landed in Newfoundland on August 15, 1635.

1662 voyage

The James left Bermuda on August 5, 1662 with Captain William Sayle and James Sayle under the command of Matthew Normal in search of Eleutheria.

1733 voyage

File:Ship James Unloading at Savannah 1733.jpg

The unloading of the James, 1733

According to Georgian History, the James is the first ship to be unloaded at Savannah.

1787-1789 voyage

File:MusterRollJames 1788.jpg

the Ship James Muster Roll Dec. 25, 1788

On December 22, 1787, James under Captain John Canton from Liverpool to Jamaica as a cargo ship, arriving February 9, 1788. They unloaded the beef, and loaded up with the sugar cargo bound for Charleston, North Carolina. They arrived in Charleston unloaded, then reloaded with cotton bound back to Liverpool on September 7, 1788.

Just three months later, on December 16, 1788, under Captain Thomas Wilks embarked on the same cargo trip, Arriving back in Liverpool on July 24, 1789.

Other ship James

• Ship James Goodwill, 1727 from Rotterdam via Portsmouth to Philadelphia
• Ship James Wright, 1851 from Liverpool, England to New York.
• Ship James Baines (clipper), 1854 British Navy.
• Ship James Fernie, 1854 from Liverpool to Port Adelaide.
• Ship James Jardine, 1859 from Plymouth to Port Adelaide.
• Ship James Foster Jr., 1868 from Liverpool, England to New York.