In the summer of 1718 William Howard, one time quartermaster on Blackbeard's flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, was arrested in Virginia as a "vagrant seaman."
Reflecting his (and Blackbeard's) cozy relationship with North Carolina Governor Charles Eden, Eden's "very dear friend" John Holloway, "one of the chief lawyers" of Virginia, was retained to defend William Howard.
Accused of "not having the Fear of God before his Eyes nor Regarding the Allegiancy due to his Majesty nor the Just Obedience he Ow'd to the Laws of the Land," and associating himself "with one Edward Tach and other Wicked and desolute Persons" Howard was found guilty of "Pyracy and Robbery committed by him on the High Seas" and sentenced to be hanged by the neck.
Fortunately for William Howard (and his Ocracoke descendants!) the King's "Act of Grace" arrived in the Virginia Governor's office the night before Howard's scheduled execution, and he was released.
Whew!
Our current Ocracoke Newsletter is an account of Infant & Childhood Mortality on Ocracoke. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072113.htm.
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Wicked and desolute? I resemble that remark.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about his innocence. There is someone on this island who looks just like Whitey Bolger.
ReplyDeleteAnd he knows someone named "Bubbles" Gambino.
DeleteAct of Grace now what does that mean? How and why the change of heart?? That is the Headline. How easy way it to say I am so and so-- there were no drivers licenses photo identification-- how did someone prove they were who they say they were?? Who is to say identity existed or did not. If that college in Georgia can't follow a paper trail or something set in stone...... DD
ReplyDeleteThe "Act of Grace" was a pardon issued by the monarch for pirates (who were often formerly legal privateers) who agreed to forgo the life of a seagoing brigand, and had not committed any acts of piracy after a certain date. It was in the king's best interests to pardon these pirates who, in peacetime, had expanded their "business" from attacking enemy vessels to preying on British ships also.
DeleteCan you delineate the various William Howards that were associated with William Howard the Quartermaster or is there something published with this information?
ReplyDeleteWilliam Howard was Blackbeard's quartermaster. This is well documented.
DeleteWilliam Howard purchased Ocracoke Island in 1759. This is well documented.
Were they the same person? Family lore suggests that they were...but not everyone in the family agrees! A connection has never been proved...but it makes for a good story, don't you think?
William Howard of Ocracoke (William Howard, Sr.) had a son, William Howard, Jr., He, in turn, had a son, William Howard, III. I am a direct descendant, as are many other people from Ocracoke, though they might not carry the Howard surname.
I too am a direct descendant. ..nannie howard is my ggrandmother
DeleteSheri, would you mind sharing more about your lineage?
DeleteNone of this is anything to be proud of....you should keep this in the family only....not a very upstanding family history. Shush.
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe you wrote that.
ReplyDeleteDid you know Philip also has kin who were with the life saving service?
Of course he shares no credit for their bravery, just as he deserves no shame for the other's misdeeds.
Apparently you've never traced your ancestry...you should. Please let us know how many saints you come up with.
Don't be so serious.......that person has as much right to put his thoughts down just like you do....let it die down.....
ReplyDeleteHave peace let your mind be one with the cosmos....eat some seafood...it's not that important over to get angry over.
Calm down....go shuck some oysters
ReplyDeleteI believe the comment from Anon 8:13 was tongue in cheek.
ReplyDeleteYou are right. I was just kidding.I would like to be a Howard. Sorry Philip. I enjoy your blog everyday. I apologize.
ReplyDeleteSorry if I took the comment too seriously. I was neither upset nor angry. There are many people who do judge you by the actions of your relatives, so
ReplyDeleteI don't know about Philip , but I was offended. Your apology to him was most gracious.
No harm done. I was pretty sure the comment was tongue in cheek.
ReplyDeleteI heve a question for Philip regarding William Howard Sr. In your book, "Digging up Uncle Evans" Appendix IV list your geneology. Dates for William Sr. are ca. 1686 - ca. 1794. This would have made him @ 108 years old. True? That would be incredible in that day & age!
ReplyDeleteThese are the dates given by Earl O'Neal who has done the most research on William Howard. I too am skeptical, however Ann Howard (buried on Ocracoke near the British Cemetery) was 117 years old (at least that is what is carved into her tombstone). We will probably never know for sure.
DeleteI would not be surprised if William Howard lived to be 108 years old. My grandmother Aletha Pearl Angle (Howard) descendant of William Howard passed away at the age of 98, and I truly feel it was because she just was tired of living.
DeleteHello when I was a child My father told me to never research all the Howard family secrets. He said to me that it could end my life? The Howard family tree is all over the world and has many unknown history. It also has many different spellings do to grammar of one's language of that time and country. This might be hot water or just steam of posable real fact's? with the family line are of word of mouth. It could be the royal family of both !! (Britain and Howard) may have requested an family member to keep tie's with black beard? Reading most of the place's online and here how law was changed. Howard family are very overly intelligent people. So If your family last name is Howard be very proud. The Howard family changed many things in the world. Even when it was a ugly event.
ReplyDeleteI think and therefore I know, that Anonymous and Mr. Howard are both correct! Always be best of friends, Ocracoke+Island+Journal is a great blog!
ReplyDeleteDid this William descend from Matthew Howard of VA/MD?
ReplyDeleteThere may be a connection between the Howards of St. Mary's County, MD, and Ocracoke...but I have never been able to verify it.
DeleteA male of my grandmother's line had the Y-DNA test, proving that we descend from Matthew Howard of Virginia/Maryland. It would be interesting to compare a Y-DNA test from a William descendant!
Delete