| YEAR |
ORIGIN |
EXPLANATION |
DESTINATION |
| 1773 |
Massachusetts |
On whaling vessel as a greenhand. |
WEST INDIES |
| 1775 |
Massachusetts |
On whaling vessel. |
CARIBBEAN |
| 1776 |
Massachusetts |
On whaling vessel; captured; released. |
UNKNOWN |
| 1778-79 |
Westport |
Built boat with brother David; several attempts to get to Nantucket and finally succeeded. |
NANTUCKET/MARTHA’S VINEYARD UNKNOWN |
| 1783 |
Massachusetts |
“Paul Negro came in from whaling with G. Clark, 140 bbl, gone 12-13 weeks from Nantucket.” This may be someone else. |
UNKNOWN |
| 1784 |
Westport |
Trading on 12 ton schooner bought with brother-in-law Michael Wainer. |
CONNECTICUT COAST |
| 1784-1787 |
Westport |
Paul Cuffe and Michael Wainer crewed on 16-18 ton schooner. |
GRAND BANKS OFF NEWFOUNDLAND ON “CODDING” RUNS |
| 1784-1787 |
Westport |
Paul Cuffe sailed as mate, but was master on return trip. |
NORTH CAROLINA |
| 1787-1795 |
Westport |
On Sunfish, 25 ton schooner; Cuffe and Wainer, masters. |
CODFISHING AND TRADING WITH NEWPORT WHALING OFF NEWFOUNDLAND |
| 1792-1793 |
Westport |
On Mary, 42 ton schooner, Cuffe and Wainer, masters; take seven whales. |
WHALING OFF NEWFOUNDLAND VIENNA, MD |
| 1796 |
Westport |
On schooner Ranger through Norfolk, sailed up Nanticoke River, Weston. Allowed to unload and load Indian corn. |
VIENNA, MD |
| 1798 |
Westport |
Thomas Wainer, nephew, as mate, up Brandywine River to Wilmington, to Passaquamoddy on Ranger. |
PASSAMAQUODDY, MAINE |
| 1800 |
Westport |
Thomas Wainer, son of Michael, is master of Ranger. Three coastal runs by August 1800. Owners Cuffe and Thomas Wainer. |
WILMINGTON, DEL |
| 1800 |
Westport |
Thomas Wainer, registered master. |
NEW BRUNSWICK |
| 1800 |
Maine |
Jeremiah Wainer, son of Michael, is master of Ranger. |
PHILADELPHIA |
| 1800 |
New Brunswick |
Jeremiah Wainer, son of Michael, is master of Ranger. |
WILMINGTON, DEL |
| Fall 1802 |
Westport |
Hero Master Paul Cuffe and Ranger Master Jeremiah Wainer tandem entry of the Brandywine River that fall. Registered master is Isaac Cory. The ship Hero is listed with Paul Cuffe as an owner in the registry in 1802, 1804 and 1806. |
NEW BRUNSWICK |
| 1803 |
Westport |
Thomas Wainer is master of Hero. |
PHILADELPHIA |
| 1803 |
Philadelphia |
Thomas Wainer is master of Hero. |
OPORTO, PORGUAL |
| Sept 1803 |
Westport |
Thomas Wainer is master of Hero. |
S. ANDERO PORT, SANTANDER, SPAIN |
| 1803 |
New Brunswick |
Four trips; Jeremiah Wainer is master of Ranger. |
WILMINGTON, DEL |
| 1804 |
Philadelphia |
Thomas Wainer is master of Hero. |
LEHAVRE, FRANCE |
| December 1804 |
Westport |
Master Samuel Tobey (white), Hero, owned by Cuffe. |
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE FOR WHALING AND ON TO PHILADELPHIA UNSUCCESSFUL TRIP TO FRENCH GUADALOUPE |
| February 18, 1805 |
Westport |
Captain Jeremiah Wainer dies at sea with two other crewmen of Ranger. Ranger limps home. Owners are Paul Cuffe and Michael Wainter. |
UNSUCCESSFUL TRIP TO FRENCH GUADALOUPE |
| June 9, 1806 |
Westport |
Hero rerigged as a bark; Cuffe nephew Paul Wainer as mate and keeper of log. Owned by Cuffe. Cuffe (3/4) and Lemuel Milk (1/4) built the 258 ton vessel Alpha in Westport. |
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE AND ON TO PHILADELPHIA |
| 1806 |
Westport |
Cuffe as master. Thomas Wainer mate. Paul Cuffe Jr. on his maiden voyage (14 yrs old). Proceeded on trip. Boarded two young Swedes, Abraham Rodin and Charles Freiberg, as apprentice |
PASSAMAQUODDY, ME, THEN TO WILMINGTON, DEL, THEN TO CAROLINA COAST, TO SAVANNAH ARRIVING DEC 13, 1806, REMAINING 3 MOS. MARCH 1807 (BOUND FOR ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA), STOPPED AT GOTEBORG, SWEDEN, TO ELSINORE, DENMARK, BUT DUE TO NAPOLEONIC WARS COULD GO NO FURTHER. TOOK ON PHILADELPHIA-BOUND PASSENGERS AND SAILED TO GOTEBORG TO PICK UP SWEDISH GLASS AND IRON. |
| 1806 |
Goteborg, Sweden |
|
ALPHA ESCAPED BOMBING IN COPENHAGEN, FACED HORRENDOUS STORM OFF GREENLAND, LOST MUCH OF THE IRON AND SHIP HEAVILY DAMAGED. THEY FOUND OUT THE BRITISH WERE SEIZING CREWS, SO THEY CREPT SOUTHWARD PAST NANTUCKET, TURNED UP THE DELA-WARE RIVER TOWARD PHILADELPHIA AND ARRIVED SEPTEMBER 21, 1807.
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| 1806 |
Westport |
Cuffe registered his newest brig Traveller and sent to NY under Captain Asa Bly (white). Owners were Paul Cuffe and Lemuel Milk. After 1810, it was owned by Cuffe alone. |
NEW YORK |
| 1809 |
Nova Scoita |
Both Ranger (Master Thomas Wainer) and Traveller (Master Alvan Phelps, Paul Cuffe’s son-in-law) entered Wilmington harbor in tandem. |
WILMINGTON |
| 1809 |
PORTUGAL |
Thomas Wainer, master. |
ALPHA RUNS BETWEEN PORTUGAL, LONDON AND PARTS OF SPAIN |
| 1809 |
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE |
Paul Cuffe as owner of Alpha. |
WESTPORT |
| 1810 |
Westport |
Traveller returned to Westport in September; Master Sylvester Gifford (white). |
PORTUGAL TO WESTPORT |
| 1810 |
WESTPORT |
Isaac Cory and Cuffe hired Nantucketer Master William Barnes for Hero. |
“SOUTH AMERICA TO PACIFIC WHALING GROUNDS” |
| November 25, 1810 |
Westport |
Brig Traveller, 69 ton, crew all people of color: Cuffe, owner; Thomas Wainer, master; John Wainer, mate; Michael Wainer, Jr. and Wainer’s brother-in-law John Ma |
THROUGH PHILADELPHIA, THEN ON DECEMBER 27 TO SIERRA LEONE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC TO THE NORTH AFRICAN SHIPPING LANES AROUND THE CAPE, AND ON MARCH 1 “SIERRA LEONE ROAD” NEW ORLEANS |
| 1810 |
Westport |
Alpha registered under Master Sylvester Gifford (white). |
NEW ORLEANS ARRIVED IN LIVERPOOL JULY 11, 1811 |
| May 10, 1811 |
Sierra Leone |
Paul Cuffe, master, Traveller. Aaron Richards, a young Sierra Leone apprentice to Cuffe and two crew were taken captive. Cuffe gets them freed. |
ARRIVED IN LIVERPOOL JULY 11, 1811 |
| 1811 |
New Orleans |
Alpha with Master Thaddeus Coffin (white) of Nantucket arrives. Ship co-owned by John James at this time. |
ARRIVED IN LIVERPOOL JULLY 12, 1811 |
| Sept. 20, 1811 |
LIVERPOOL |
Brig Traveller to Sierra Leone; Cuffe, master. |
SIERRA LEONE |
| Feb 19, 1812 |
SIERRA LEONE |
Brig Traveller to Sierra Leone; Thomas Wainer, master. |
DESTINATION WAS PHILADELPHIA BUT AFTER BERMUDA HE CONTINUED NORTHWARD. HIRED A CRAFT OFF BLOCK ISLAND WENT HOME ON APRIL 19. SHIP SEIZED IN NEWPORT, RI. CUFFE OBTAINED RELEASE FROM PRESIDENT MADISON IN DC, RETURNED, RELEASED SHIP WHICH WENT TO NEW BEDFORD, MAY 15, 1812. |
| Dec 8, 1815 |
WESTPORT |
Brig Traveller Paul Cuffe, master, with settlers. |
SIERRA LEONE |
| April 4, 1816 |
SIERRA LEONE |
Brig Traveller Paul Cuffe, master. |
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| Oct 4, 1816 |
IN WESTPORT |
This 45 ton vessel was put up for sale October 4, 1816. |
CUFFE AND JOB GIFFORD BUILT A 45 TON VESSEL |
| 1816 |
IN WESTPORT |
Brig Traveller put up for sale, but not sold. |
SIERRA LEONE |
| early 1817 |
WESTPORT |
Brig Traveller, master probably Captain Alvin Phelps, Cuffe’s son-in-law. |
NORTH CAROLINA AND ON TO SANTO DOMINGO |
| September 7, 1817 |
IN WESTPORT |
Paul Cuffe dies in Westport. Ownership of Traveller is divided among his children. |
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