The Whydah's Crew
Captain Samuel Bellamy
Gregory Manchess
National Geographic
Samuel Bellamy - Nicknamed "Black Sam" because he refused to wear a powdered wig, choosing instead to tie back his long black hair, was well known for the mercy and generosity he showed towards the crews of the ships he captured. Because of this, he was also known as the "Prince of Pirates," and his crew took to calling themselves "Robin Hood's Men."
Bellamy originally took to the seas to recover sunken treasure off of the coast of Florida reportedly to support his girlfriend, Maria Hallet. When his treasure seeking turned out to be a bust, he took up pirating. Despite the fact that his career as a captain of a pirate ship lasted just over a year, Black Sam and his motley crew attacked and looted more than 50 ships before he met his fate at the age of 28. The highlight of Bellamy's career came in the Spring of 1717 when he chased down and took possession of the Whydah.
The Whydah's Crew
Hendrick Quintor
Gregory Manchess
National Geographic
Hendrick Quintor Was more than likely the son of a sailor and spent most of his life at sea. Quintor, a Dutch-African, was on a Spanish brigantine when he was captured by a pirate crew which included a young Samuel Bellamy. Here he turned pirate and had a reputation as being one of the toughest men in the crew. He supported Bellamy in his efforts to become the new leader of the pirates.
Quintor was not on the Whydah when she shipwrecked in 1717. Instead, he was on a the Mary Anne, another ship in Bellamy's fleet. He was eventually captured, tried and found guilty of piracy. He was sentenced to death by hanging.
The Whydah's Crew
John Julian
Gregory Manchess
National Geographic
John Julian John Julian was a 16 year old half-blood Miskito Indian who was probably one of the first pirates recruited by Bellamy. He became a pilot for the Whydah, an important assignment that would require him to use his vast navigational skills to guide the Whydah into narrow coves to hide from navy ships.
Julian was one of two pirates who survived the wreck of the Whydah. He was jailed in Boston but was never indicted. It is believed he was sold into slavery as "Julian, the Indian". Julian was labeled an "unruly slave" for his many attempts to escape. During one of his escape attempts it is reported that he killed the bounty hunter tracking him and was executed in 1733 for this crime.
The Whydah's Crew
John King
Gregory Manchess
National Geographic
John King John King, somewhere between eight and eleven years old, voluntarily joined Bellamy's crew and is the youngest documented pirate on record.
On November 9, 1716, Bellamy and his crew, sailing the Mary Anne, attacked and captured the passenger ship Bonetta, which was en route to Jamaica. John King and his mother were passengers on the Bonetta. According to a deposition from Abijah Savage, the commander of the Bonetta, King demanded to join Bellamy's crew and threatened to kill himself or harm his mother if he were not allowed to join. Possibly moved by the boy's spirit, Bellamy relented and allowed him to join their crew.
A small femur, stocking and shoe were recovered from the Whydah shipwreck and were ultimately examined by researchers at the Center for Historical Archaeology in Florida and Smithsonian Institution. The remains were determined to belong to a young boy of King's age.
~~ Weaponry ~~
