Page:
1 /
2 /
3 /
4

The Crew

During the days and weeks before October 28, the Roman's crew was assembled. They included Captain Jared Jernegan, First Mate Frances Dougherty, 2nd Mate William Wilbur and 3rd Mate Charles Bailey. One additional boatheader, Manuel Silva, joined four boatsteerers, seven ordinary seamen, two ordinary hands and ten green hands. Charles Oman was the cooper, Edward Rollins the cook and John Jones the carpenter. Luiz Antonio de Valle was the steward and thirteen year old Charles Frazer was the cabin and steerage boy. They came from Europe, South America, the Caribbean and North America. The average crew member's age was twenty four.

Men came to New Bedford from near and far in search of jobs, so the agent didn't have to look hard to find willing workers. The Roman's agent, William Watkins, was responsible for signing on the officers and a crew who would eventually be paid a share of the profits from the voyage called a lay. Watkins' co-owners, Edward C. Jones, Caleb Anthony, George H. Dunbar and Edmund Gardner each shared in the profits as well.

next page >

image of steward

Illustration by Juliet Jacobson