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- FL- !Source:personal records of William Brown Oulton
The source of the following was from James R. Wood-It was taken fro m a publication however the name is not indicated however it seems t o be associated with a 150 anniversary near Norwick Connecticut. Th e following exerpt was taken from Note D."Breif notices of principl e original settlers of West Farms, now Franklin"--I assume Franklin i s in Connecticut. From Page 53 --"At a early age (John Fillmore) he w as apprenticed to a ship carpentar in Boston, where, constantly meeti ng with seafaring men, he soon imbibed a longing for their mode of li fe. After several years of pleading be at length wrung from his mothe r a reluctant consent, and shipped in the spring of 1723 for a fishin g voyage upon the sloop Dolphin of Cape Anne.
The following August the Dolphin was surprised and captured off Newfo undland by the nortorious pirate, Capt. John Phillips. One of the pir ates crew happening to be a old acquaintance of Fillmore, represente d to the Captain that he would prove a valuable acquistion to the cre w if he could be induced to join them. Accordingly, young Fillmore wa s taken off, but promised his liberty after two months of faithfull s ervice. At the expiration of the appointed time, he demanded his libe rty, which was denied him for some frivolous reason. The captain, how ever,promised upon his honor to liberate him at the end of three addi tional months. But at the expiration of these months, Phiiips positiv ely refused to release him, and Fillmore determined to effect his ow n escape at the earliest opportunity.
One night, about nine months after his capture, the pirates had a gra nd carousal and retired at a late hour. This seemed a favorable oppor tunity and Fillmore determined to secure possession of the ship wit h the assistance of four fellow prisoners, one of whom however, was o vercome with fear at the decisive moment, so that but three individua ls were left to cope with the entire crew. They new that the pirate s after their drinking would not rise till late in the morning and ma de their arrangements to attack them when they should first come on d eck, making use of the carpentars tools for weapons. About noon the C aptain,Master,Boatswain and Quartermaster came upon deck. Soon the Ma ster proceeded to take an observation, the Captain and Boatsman engag ed in conversation and the Quartermaster returned to the cabin. Now w as the moment. The three officers upon deck were felled by unexpecte d blows, and the quartermaster rushing from the cabin meets a simila r fate. The officers being thus disposed of it is a easy matter to co mpell the surrender of the crew who are still all below.
The vessel is taken directly to Boston by this little band of heroes , where they arrived May 3, 1724. The crew was convicted of piracy b y a court of admiralty. This court presented Mr.Fillmore with a gun , silver hilted sword and curious tobacco box which belonged to Capta in Phillips, and also with the silver shoe and knee buckles, and tw o golden rings which he used to wear. These trophies of a worthy anc estor are still preserved among his descendants.
Mr. Fillmore never returned to sea. He married November 24, 1724, Mar y Spiller, of Ipswich, and removed to Norwich West Farms. Here he con tinued to reside through a long life, strong in the confidence of hi s townsmen. He died feb.22, 1777."
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