Account of Sale of Slaves on the Two Friends, Beverly 1791

This document shows a sale of enslaved people who were purchased in Haiti and sold in Cuba. It indicates the price paid and the quantity of goods which were purchased using that money. These purchased goods were mostly sugar and molasses, probably for use in the U.S. for making rum.

The first and second image show the left and right side of the account book, and the third brings shows both halves together (albeit in a lower resolution image).

The Two Friends and Slavery

A deposition connected with a customs violation case revealed that the ship’s captain was instructed to buy only as much sugar as the worth of the human chattel he sold in Havana. A quick query to the Beverly Historical Society gave light to Captain’s orders and an “account of slaves” bought and sold between the island of Haiti and Cuba. While the ship brought back to the US only sugar and molasses at the end of its journey, it held enslaved people through the Caribbean. Read the documents linked below to learn more about this relationship between maritime trade in Essex County and slavery. Although slavery had been abolished in Massachusetts by 1791, local merchants continued to operate slave ships outside of the United States.

Related Documents:

Captain’s Orders for the Two Friends, 1791
Outward Manifest of the Two Friends, Beverly 1791
Deposition of the Two Friends first mate Osmon Gage, 1793
Drawing of the Schooner Two Friends, Beverly

Click here for the Two Friends Worksheet Download

Some resources about reading 18th and 19th-century account books: Financial Records Guide and Glossary by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and “Understanding and Using Early Nineteenth Century Account Books” by Christopher Densmore.

“

Dr Mes^srs Brown & Thorndike and their Acc^tCurrent with Nicholas Thorndke Cⁿ
[Sales] of Ten Slaves Purchased at Cape Francois By Nicholas Thorndike on Acc^t of Mes^srs Brown and Thorndike
and Sold on their Acct at the Havanah……………

So..20..Boxes of [Sugars] Containing [?robes] 283…3?? Neat…………..a 22 Ro^ls A^??

So..20 Boxes that Contains the [Sugar] 18 R^ls Each …23

So….[Duties] on the [Sugars] 6 ?? C^t

So….Portarage of the [Sugars]…. 2 R^ls ?os?

So..281.. Barrels of Molasses..a…12 R^ls [Barrel]…

So..127…Barrels Ditto….a….10……….

So..113..Barrels Ditto….a…11………..

So..151..Barrels Ditto….a…11………..

So..152..Barrels Ditto….a….10 ?/q………..

So..239…Barrels Ditto….a….11………..

So…59..Barrels Ditto……a….11………..

So..195..Barrels Ditto…..a…………

So…….Duties on the Molasses………..

So..20..Jars of honey…a…? Jar…

So….Duties on the honey…? Roy^ls……….

So..1 [Ton] of Log wood a………..

So..50 [Dried] hides…..a 13 R^ls Each

So…Duties on the hides……….

So….Merchants [Commission] on the Sale of Slaves…

So….the [Visit] of the Doctor……….

So…. Port [Charges] and [disbursement] As per account………..

So….My [Commissions] a 5 p^?? ? on the Sale of the Slaves Deducting the [Doctor’s charges]

……….33 Tierces and 3 Barrels….Mentioned

	[Dollars]	Roy^ls
By..10…Slaves………..a 236 [Dollars] Each	2..360
By..2..000…Spanish Milld Dollars Brought from Home with Me….	2..000
By……1…Barrel of Beef……a…..10 [Dollars]……
By…3/4…..of hundred of Bread a…..5 ?^ught…	.. ..13	6
By….100…Feet of Boards….a…20 [Dollars] ??…
By….a Leather [F?]loafe…..a…8…….	.. .. 10
By……a [Gauging?] Rod………6 Roy^ls..
By………the peoples poportionable……….part of Duties on the Molasses…	.. .. .. 4	4
By….3..hogsheads Sold the people 9 [Dollars]…	.. .. .. 9
	4..397	2

Errors Excepted in the Schooner two Friends [the] 27 of April 1792

Nicholas Thorndike

Citation

“Account of Sale of Slaves, Two Friends” (1791). Beverly Historical Society, Beverly, MA. *

*now Historic Beverly

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