The sea called to many a young boy to the Adventures and dangers of the sea. These boys were just children of the average ages of thirteen to twenty-one, but there were exception and boys of eight and twelve years would service on navy ships. The boy that left home because he didn’t like hard work or school, would soon find out they may have been better off at home. The boys soon found it was hard work on a ship and something else they hadn’t thought of school. The boys would learn writing, arithmetic and navigation. The chaplain other duty was that of the school-master, but by the 1830‘s, there was a full time school-master, but it was up to the Chaplain to over look the school-master and to see that he was performing his duty and to report to the Captain if he was not, and to report any youth that was not learning.
The boy had many duty’s on ship and had their duty stations and would performed what ever the officer ask of them. On their enlistment they would receive and outfit which would consist of one pea-jacket or monkey-jacket, two flannel over-shirts, two woolen undershirts, two pairs woolen drawers, two pairs woolen socks, one pair satin trousers, one pair cloth trousers, one seamless cap, two pairs canvass-duck trousers, one pair calf-skin shoes, two linen frocks, one pair blankets, one mattress, and one black silk handkerchief. Over the year the outfits would change the foresaid outfits was of the 1870’s, however their pay would stay about the same, six and eight dollars per month.
On any given ship you would find any where between eight and thirty boys depending on how many guns the ship carried. The boys worked on and below deck depending on their work stations, there was a rotations of duty stations as each boy was to learn all workings of the ships. There would be times when all boys would be ordered below decks, in a storms there was little time to worry about a boy being washed overboard by a wave, let alone themselves and in the time of battle the boys were needed below to run power from the powered magazine to the guns, these boys would be known as “ Powered Monkeys.” At these times the boys would stay below decks unless otherwise ordered by the Captain.
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As a surname researcher it is my job to give you as many names as I can with a little history so you may understand your ancestor better. The following information will not be in any kind order, but is given to help you find and understand your ancestor better. After listing all the information I will give a list of “ Boys.” and just maybe you will find that ancestor you have been looking for.
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Boys, required for vessels of the description mentioned underneath.
1806-1807.
1. Frigate’s, 44 guns-30, boys.
2. Frigate’s, 36 guns-30, boys.
3. Frigate’s, 32 guns-25, boys
4. Vessels of 16 guns-8, boys
However the recommendations of the navy didn’t always meet with the approval of the captains of the ships. In the case of the Hornet, which was rated 16 guns, it was said by the captain they would need double that amount 20 boys.
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A Bill.
FEBRUARY 19,1872.
Providing for an outfit and yearly allowance of clothing to enlisted men and boys in the Navy.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United Stales of America in Congress assembled, That the enlisted men and boys in the Navy shall be allowed an outfit and yearly allowance of clothing, free of charge to them, as follows: That their outfit on enlistment shall consist of one pea-jacket or monkey-jacket, two flannel over shirts, two woolen undershirts, two pairs woolen drawers, two pairs woolen socks, one pair satin trousers, one pair cloth trousers, one seamless cap, two pairs canvass-duck trousers, one pair calf-skin shoes, two linen frocks, one pair blankets, one mattress, and one black silk handkerchief; and that yearly there after, during their term of service, they shall have an allowance of clothing equivalent, as nearly as possi1ble, to that now or hereafter allowed to the non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates in the Army.
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A Bill.
DECEMBER 20, 187O.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America In Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Navy be authorized and directed to enlist, as far as may be for the interest of the service, as ordinary seamen, boys of proper physical strength, who shall have served for twelve consecutive months on board of a school-ship, and who, on examination, shall be deemed to have acquired the requisite knowledge and skill to discharge the duties of ordinary seamen.
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1868.
That the number of persons authorized to be enlisted into the navy of the United States, including seamen, ordinary seamen, landsmen, and mechanics, and excluding apprentices and boys, is hereby fixed and established at seven thousand five hundred, and no more;
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1824.
American seaman in foreign countries, and as such entitled to relief under the act or acts of Congress, who shall not have enrolled himself to serve in the navy as aforesaid. That authority be given to Government to take apprentices, native boys, not less than twelve, nor more than fourteen years old, to serve in the navy seven years, the number, annually, to be one to every two guns mounted on board ships in commission; the United States to provide a school-master for every national vessel of not less than twelve guns, to teach the apprentices reading, writing, and cyphering, and such other branches of learning, as their capacities may indicate; to find them food and clothes, and, after the expiration of the fifth year, to allow them two dollars per month; at the expiration of the seventh year, to give them a full suit of clothes, and, if meritorious, a certificate of good behaviour, and a sum of money not exceeding 20 dollars; the most promising may be selected during their apprenticeship and promoted to midshipmen, master's mates, or any other inferior grade of office; if promoted to midshipmen or master's mates, then their indentures to cease from the day of their promotion; a roll to be kept in the office of the Secretary of the Navy, of all apprentices, shewing their age, nativity, and date of their indentures; apprentices transferable from ship to ship, as the good of the service may require, which will give them a knowledge of all classes of ships; that merchant vessels shall take apprentices, vessels of 100 tons, one; 200 to 300 tons, two; of 400 to 600 tons, three; of 700 tons, four; &c. &c.
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1858.
SEC. 3. That it shall be lawful to enlist boys for service in the United States marine corps, with the consent of their parents or guardians, not being under eleven nor over seventeen years of age, to serve until they shall arrive at the are of twenty-one years; the
boys so enlisted to receive the same pay, rations, clothing, and so forth, now received by boys enlisted in said corps, under the authority of the Secretary of the Navy.
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Boys Through the years.
1804.
1. John Baptiste, New York.
2. William Pitman, Maryland.
1826.
1. William Hinds, New York.
2. Samuel Mc’Isaacs, New York.
3. John Gregory, Maryland.
4. Horatio Salter, Maryland.
5. Silas Durham, Virginia.
1827.
1. Thomas Engles, Virginia.
2. John Ratler or Salter, Maryland.
3. Edward Ross, New York.
Privateer-1814.
1. George Albree, Cabin boy.
1812.
1. William Murray, Boston.
1814.
1.Thomas Gill.
2. Aaron Fitzgerald.
3. Collisters Glynn, boy 2d. Class.
4. Samuel Probert, boy 2d. Class.
5. Patrick Sharkey, boy 2d. Class.
1792.
1. George Morrison.
2. Elijah Middleton.
3. John Harvey.
4. Samuel Thayer.
5. Thomas Orrell.
6. Thomas Dolbear.
7. Elisha Caesar.
8. John Peck.
9. John Dawson.
10. William Hill.
11. Jacob Wamsley.
12. Abraham Northgate.
13. William Blunt.
14. Alexander Jenkins.
15. John Mc Vay.
16. James Richardson.
17. John Adlington.
18. William Hamilton.
1793.
1. James Head.
2. Thomas Dupee.
3. Stephen Parsons.
4. James Robinson.
5. Jacob Crawford.
6. Edward Jarvis.
7. Thomas Rea.
8. Increase Blake.
9. Joseph Moncrief.
10. Potter White.
11. William Warner.
12. John King.
13. William Jones.
14. Abel Holton.
15. John Clever.
16. Joseph Raggo.
17. Jonas Page.
1794.
1. William Keith.
2. Joseph Stephens.
3. William Hamilton.
4. John Brown.
5. William Rogers.
6. Boice C. Jemeson.
7. David Miller.
8. Walter Miller.
9. Richard Pritchard.
10. John Weir.
11. John Burdin.
12. David Wesley.
13. James McGhaw.
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