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Lewis Monto's Seaman's Certificate,
June 2, 1823.

(transcription follows)

Plate 1

Lewis Monto's Seaman's Certificate.

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Transcription
Lewis Monto's Seamans's Certificate,
June 2, 1823.


No 387

UNITED  

  STATES

OF AMERICA

      I , Martin T. Morton       Collector of the District of

      Nantucket             Do hereby Certify, That

                          Lewis Monto

      an American Seaman, aged Seventeen        years, or

      thereabouts, of the height of       five       feet four 1/2       inches,

      brown complexion, brown hair & gray eyes,

      born in Boston in the State of Mass

      -achusetts





      has this day produced to me proof in the manner directed in

      the Act, entitled, "An Act for the relief and protection of

      American Seamen;" -- and, Pursuant to the said Act, I       DO HEREBY

      CERTIFY,       That the said        Lewis Monto

      is a CITIZEN of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

        In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my Hand and

        Seal of Office, this         Second       day of June

        in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred

        and                 Twenty Three



M. T. Morton

Col:r

NOTES:

      Lewis Monto's manuscript document of his Seaman's Certificate was originally found in his manuscript journal of the 1828-1830 whaling cruise of the Nantucket whale ship, Plough Boy, Nathan Chase, commander. Monto was an officer on this voyage.

      On June 23, 1823, Monto sailed on a whaling cruise to the coast of Brazil on the ship Indus: "Monday – Sailed Ship Indus, Joy, Coast of Brazil, whaling." (Nantucket Inquirer, 06-24-1823).

      This would prove to be final voyage of the Indus. The master of Indus was Samuel Joy. Joy had been the first mate on the Essex prior to the voyage when it was destroyed by a whale. His brother, Matthew, was the second mate on the Essex on its final voyage and died in one of the boats in January 1821.

      On Friday, May 21, 1824, the Indus returned from its whaling cruise: "Nantucket 21st. inst. ship Indus, Joy, from Brazil Bank with a full cargo of oil" (New Bedford Mercury, 05-28-1824). The Indus returned with 1,500 bbls. whale oil.

      On September 17, 1824, it is assumed that Lewis Monto sailed on a sperm whaling cruise to the Pacific ocean in the ship Plough Boy, William Chadwick, master. Nathan Chase was First Mate on this voyage.

      In 1828 and 1830 (and possibly 1834) Monto sailed on cruises in the Plough Boy. The first two were commanded by Nathan Chase. The last, in 1834, was commanded by Moses Brown.

      The document is now in the collections of the Nantucket Historical Association on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Last updated by Tom Tyler, Denver, CO, USA, Dec 3 2021.


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