Capt. Thomas Sparrow

“In the late summer of 1705 five men outlawed in Maryland on charges of high treason seized the West River sloop Little Hannah and were ‘suspected to be going on a Pyratical design’ The villains included one Thomas Sparrow; a Philadelphia mariner named John Stapes; John Taylor, described as a tall, thin brown man; a flaxen-haired youth of middle stature and clean complexion called Sterritt. The leader of the band was a notorious desperado named Richard Clark from the South River region of Anne Arundel County.”

Maryland archival records to follow indicate that after his escape from Maryland in 1705, Richard Clarke was said to have made his way to the Neuse River area in North Carolina.[1] Donald G. Shomatte in Pirates on the Chesapeake, states that “In the late summer of 1705 five men outlawed in Maryland on charges of high treason seized the West River sloop ‘Little Hannah’ and were ‘suspected to be going on a Pyratical design’ The villains included one Thomas Sparrow; a Philadelphia mariner named John Stapes; John Taylor, described as a tall, thin brown man; a flaxen-haired youth of middle stature and clean complexion called Sterritt. The leader of the band was a notorious desperado named Richard Clark from the South River region of Anne Arundel County.”

Thomas Sparrow2 died in Anne Arundel County, Maryland in 1717. He left two wills, one in Anne Arundel County, Maryland and one in Bath County, North Carolina. The former was made 10 Jun 1713 and proved 12 May 1719. The latter was made 20 May 1717 and proved 29 May 1717. These wills mentioned sons Solomon, John, Thomas and Kinsey and daughters Elizabeth and Matilda and devised his children his property including tracts of land both in Anne Arundel County and in Bath County. His North Carolina property included holdings on Dereham's Creek and on Dividing Creek as well as a lot in the town of Bath itself. Sparrow noted in his will that the lot in Bath Town fronted on land belonging to a Simon Alderson. .

From Mike Marshall, GenForum, June 26, 1998.

Sources:

• http://thecityobserver.org/scarborough/b27512.htm
• https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I3995...