What class / type of ship was the "Dragon" from Rotterdam c. 1732?

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in the historical records one anthony crow deserted from the Ship Dragon after 1775. I found several years ago in the ETSU library, the Dragon with the name of my ancestor from Palatine Germany. He and his wife Anna came on the Dragon to Philidelphia in 1732. His name was Peter Schlosser. I do not have that research information written down or remember the book that I found the Dragon. This historical record is, Virginians in the Revolution 1775-1781, page195.

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My 5th Great Grandfather arrived on the Dragon in 1732. I wrote in my book "The Cobler Family Story; From Palatinate Germany to 20th century America" that it was most likely a 3-Mast Barque, which was typically used for poor Travelers

Upvote:1

I could find no records of the ship, but almost certainly it was an English frigate or a smaller 3-masted barque. Frigates were the desirable mode of transoceanic passage in the 1730s. In many cases the British admiralty would rent out old navy ships for use as passenger vessels. One possibility for the exact type would be what was called a "fifth rate" or "sixth rate" two-decker". Unfortunately, a list of Royal Navy frigates does not show any named Dragon. Sometimes ships were renamed when they entered civilian service so it is possible one of the 5th or 6th-rate ships on this list is actually the ship wanted.

Another possibility was that it was a smaller, commercial barque. Barks were relatively small ships that were used for the poorer emigrants. They were stuffed in and suffered high mortality rates. The passage was very dangerous because the ships were barely seaworthy for such a long voyage (6-8 weeks). Barks had a lot of different sizes and configuration. A typical bark looked like this:

18th century barque

I realize that you are hoping for some kind of exact record of the ship, but the higher probability is that none exists. There were thousands of small barques in those days and if you even know the name of them, it is an exception. Also, those ships frequently changed names so a ship might be one thing, and the next year something else.

Upvote:2

I did find a reference to HMS Dragon 13 Dec 1709. Perhaps that's a different ship. Because I found below pretty conclusive evidence Charles Hargrave was a merchantman in 1747.

I found Charles Hargrave page 180 in 1744/47 as master of a different ship "Mercury" at the port of Annapolis Maryland.

Charles had a pretty interesting life.... Found this about Charles Hargrave also 1747.

cell 1013

Captured ship: the Mercury: master Charles Hargrave (as a French prize, Reneau (Renneaux) ).

Nationality: British merchant ship retaken from France.

Documents: claim; examinations of re-captors; papers of French captors 1747

Cell 65

Captured ship: L'Aventurier: master Mathieu Vincent.

Nationality: French privateer, formerly the English merchant ship Mercury (master Charles Bell).

Documents: allegation, claim, with attestation, examinations, ship's papers 1747

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