Capt. John Fillmore

A Reluctant Pirate and Great Grandfather to Millard Fillmore 13th president of the USA

https://historicipswich.org/2014/12/02/reluctant-pirate/?fbclid=IwA...

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29085643/john-fillmore

Captain John Fillmore, son of John Fillmore, "Mariner" of Ipswich, Mass., was born March 18, 1702. At an early age he was apprenticed to a ships carpenter in Boston, where, constantly meeting with seafaring men, he soon imbibed a longing for their mode of life. After several years of pleading he at length wrung from his mother a reluctant consent, and shipped in the spring of 1723 for a fishing voyage upon the sloop "Dolphin," of Cape Ann.

The following August the "Dolphin" was surprised and captured off Newfoundland by the notorious pirate, Capt. John Phillips. One of the pirate's crew, happening to be an old acquaintence of Fillmore, represented to the Captain that he would prove a valuable acquisition to the crew if he could be induced to join them. Accordingly, young Fillmore was taken off, but promised his liberty after two months of faithful service. At the expiration of the appointed time, he demanded his liberty, which was denied him for some frivolous reason. The Captain, however, promised upon his honor to liberate him at the end of three additional months. But at the expiration of these months, Phillips positively refused to release him, and Fillmore determined to effect his own escape at the earliest opportunity.

One night, about nine months after his capture, the pirates had a grand carousal and retired at a late hour. This seemed a favorable opportunity, and Fillmore determined to secure possession of the ship with the assistance of three fellow prisoners, one of whom, however, was overcome with fear at the decisive moment, so that but three individuals were left to cope with the entire crew. They knew that the pirates after their drinking would not rise till late in the morning, and made their arrangements to attack them when they should first come upon deck, making use of the carpenter's tools for weapons. About noon the Captain, Master, Boatswain and Quartermaster came up on deck. Soon the Master proceeded to take an observation, the Captain and Boatswain engaged in conversation and the Quartermaster returned to the cabin. Now was the moment. The three officers upon deck are felled by unexpected blows, and the quartermaster rushing from the cabin meets a similar fate. They killed and threw overboard the Captain and a number of his crew, disabled the rest and took over the rest of the crew who are still below.

The vessel was taken direct to Boston by this little band of heroes, where they arrived May 3, 1724. The crew were convicted of piracy by a court of admiralty. Three of them were executed in Boston, and three sent to England, where they suffered at Execution Dock. The court of admiralty presented Mr. Fillmore with a gun, silver hilted sword and a curious tobacco box which belonged to Captain Phillips, and also with the silver shoe and knee buckles, and two gold rings which he used to wear. These trophies of a worthy ancestor are still preserved among his descendants.

Mr. Fillmore never returned to the sea. He was subsequently known as Capt. John Fillmore of Norwich West Farms, a man of probity, and a useful citizen, a member of the church, and captain of a military company. He was three times married, and his will mentions fourteen surviving children. He died at Norwich West Farms.

Sources:

History of Norwich, Connecticut, from its possession by the Indians

Geneaologies of Connecticut Families: From the New England Historical

Vital Records of Norwich, 1659-1848

• ************************************************************************************* More on John from History of New LondonFILLMORE. John, son of John FILLMORE, was born at Ipswich, March 18, 1702. His father was a mariner, and died at sea about the year 1711. His mother's maiden name was Abigail TILTON. She married for her second husband, Robert BELL, and removed with him to Norwich West Farms. Her son, John FILLMORE, returning from sea, was united Nov. 9, 1724, to Mary SPILLER, of Ipswich, and on the 28th of the same month made a purchase of lands in Norwich, where he planted his hearth-stone and spent the remainder of his days.

Some extraordinary incidents are connected with his previous history. While out on a fishing voyage he had been captured by a noted pirate of the name of PHILLIPS, and compelled to perform duty as the helmsman of the freebooting craft; but after nine months of this odious service, he combined with several other prisoners that had been subsequently taken, and at a concerted signal, making a desperate attack upon their captors, they killed and threw overboard the captain and a number of his crew, disabled the rest, took possession of the vessel, and navigated her to Boston, where they arrived May 3, 1724, and gave their prisoners up to justice. Three of them were executed in Boston, and three sent to England, where they suffered at Execution Dock. The gun, sword, tobacco-box, buckles, and rings of the captain of the corsair were awarded by the Court of Admiralty to young FILLMORE, as spoils won by his valor and decision. A part of these articles are still preserved as relics by his descendants.

He was subsequently known as Capt. John FILLMORE, of Norwich West Farms, a man of probity, and a useful citizen, a member of the church, and captain of a military company. He was three times married, and his will mentions fourteen surviving children. He died Feb. 22, 1777, aged seventy-five years.

The descendants of Capt. John FILLMORE emigrated not only to Vermont, but to Nova Scotia and other provinces, and have been widely scattered; yet representatives of the name and family were left in Norwich and Franklin, where the lineage is still to be found, comprising descendants of the brave Capt. John and also of his brother Ebenezer, who married Thankful CARRIER in 1733.

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Source:personal records of William Brown Oulton The source of the following was from James R. Wood-It was taken fro m a publication however the name is not indicated however it seems t o be associated with a 150 anniversary near Norwick Connecticut. Th e following exerpt was taken from Note D."Breif notices of principl e original settlers of West Farms, now Franklin"--I assume Franklin i s in Connecticut. From Page 53 --"At a early age (John Fillmore) he w as apprenticed to a ship carpentar in Boston, where, constantly meeti ng with seafaring men, he soon imbibed a longing for their mode of li fe. After several years of pleading be at length wrung from his mothe r a reluctant consent, and shipped in the spring of 1723 for a fishin g voyage upon the sloop Dolphin of Cape Anne. The following August the Dolphin was surprised and captured off Newfo undland by the nortorious pirate, Capt. John Phillips. One of the pir ates crew happening to be a old acquaintance of Fillmore, represente d to the Captain that he would prove a valuable acquistion to the cre w if he could be induced to join them. Accordingly, young Fillmore wa s taken off, but promised his liberty after two months of faithfull s ervice. At the expiration of the appointed time, he demanded his libe rty, which was denied him for some frivolous reason. The captain, how ever,promised upon his honor to liberate him at the end of three addi tional months. But at the expiration of these months, Phiiips positiv ely refused to release him, and Fillmore determined to effect his ow n escape at the earliest opportunity. One night, about nine months after his capture, the pirates had a gra nd carousal and retired at a late hour. This seemed a favorable oppor tunity and Fillmore determined to secure possession of the ship wit h the assistance of four fellow prisoners, one of whom however, was o vercome with fear at the decisive moment, so that but three individua ls were left to cope with the entire crew. They new that the pirate s after their drinking would not rise till late in the morning and ma de their arrangements to attack them when they should first come on d eck, making use of the carpentars tools for weapons. About noon the C aptain,Master,Boatswain and Quartermaster came upon deck. Soon the Ma ster proceeded to take an observation, the Captain and Boatsman engag ed in conversation and the Quartermaster returned to the cabin. Now w as the moment. The three officers upon deck were felled by unexpecte d blows, and the quartermaster rushing from the cabin meets a simila r fate. The officers being thus disposed of it is a easy matter to co mpell the surrender of the crew who are still all below. The vessel is taken directly to Boston by this little band of heroes , where they arrived May 3, 1724. The crew was convicted of piracy b y a court of admiralty. This court presented Mr.Fillmore with a gun , silver hilted sword and curious tobacco box which belonged to Capta in Phillips, and also with the silver shoe and knee buckles, and tw o golden rings which he used to wear. These trophies of a worthy anc estor are still preserved among his descendants. Mr. Fillmore never returned to sea. He married November 24, 1724, Mar y Spiller, of Ipswich, and removed to Norwich West Farms. Here he con tinued to reside through a long life, strong in the confidence of hi s townsmen. He died feb.22, 1777."

John was Commissioned a Capt. of the 7th Military Company in Norwich, May 1750. He was discharged at his own request, 29 April 1754.(Military papers in the State Department at Hartford,Conn., Vol. IV, p. 253; and Vol. V, p. 176.

John was known for his experience on board the pirate ship of the notorious Captain Phillips in 1723. (See details in C.L.Fillmore's book.) He was pressed into service on the pirate ship, killed the captain, and sailed into Boston Harbor. One of his sons, Nathaniel, became the grandfather of President MIllard Fillmore.He was awarded by the Admiralty Court, a gun, a silver-hilted sword, a curious tobac- co box, silver shoe & knee buckles and two gold rings, formerly belonging to the pirate captain. His homestead was located on Plain Hill, in the part of Norwich known as West Farms. In 1786, this area was incorporated as Franklin. REF: So Soon Forgotten-3000 Fillmores- C.L.Fillmore- 1984- pp 9,12-26 NEH&GR- Vol XI, pp 61-66, 141-147.-

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29085643/john-fillmore

Son of John Fillmore (died at sea c1711) and Abigail Tilton Fillmore Bell. He was sometimes called "Captain", the name given him after his sole sea voyage, and was also recorded in some town records as John, Sr. There is no prefix nor suffix on his gravestone.

At a young age he was apprenticed to a ship carpenter in Boston and in 1723 was among the men who boarded the sloop "Dolphin" for an extended fishing voyage. The boat was seized by the pirate John Phillips and Fillmore, with others, was held prisoner for several months with the promise of eventual release which did not come. After about nine months he planned and executed his escape by helping overpower the officers aboard the Dolphin, and reclaimed possession of it. They immediately went to Boston. This was the first and last time John went to sea.

He married first, Mary Spiller of Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1724, and removed to Norwich West Farms (present town of Franklin, Connecticut) where his mother had earlier settled with her second husband Robert Bell. Mary's burial is unknown.

John married second, Dorcas Day of Pomfret, Connecticut.

Children with first wife included: ~ John ~ Abigail, born March 25, 1728 ~ Mary, born August 17, 1731 ~ Henry, born June 28, 1733

Children with second wife included: ~ Dorcas, born February 13, 1735/6 ~ Jemima, April 1, 1737 - December 1, 1741 ~ Miriam, born November 22, 1738 ~ Nathaniel ~ Comfort ~ Amaziah, born November 23, 1743 ~ Mimee, born January 3, 1745/6 ~ Lydia ~ Luther ~ Calvin, February 24, 1752 - March 14, 1753 ~ Deborah, born June 21, 1755 ~ Dille AKA Deliverance, born January 22, 1757

He was the great grandfather of Millard Fillmore.