Lewis, James A. Neptune's Militia: The Frigate South Carolina during the American Revolution, (Kent, OH: The Kent State University Press, 1999.)
Moss, Bobby Gilmer. Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution, (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983.)
Revill, Janie, copier. Copy of the Original Index Book: Showing the Revolutionary Claims Filed in South Carolina Between August 20, 1783 and August 31, 1786, (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969.)
South Carolina Audited Accounts relating to John Hopes SC1848
The readership of this blog has probably already observed that the 18th century official documents of the past few posts have all been drawn from the South Carolina Audited Accounts. It is the same with the individual under scrutiny in this post - Midshipman John Hopes of the frigate South Carolina. As with the previous subject - Midshipman John Baker of the frigate South Carolina - we possess little concrete information concerning John Hopes. But, the individual will be addressed as far as we can and all information gathered will be recorded in this post and the sources of that information duly noted, all in an attempt to make Midshipman John Hopes of the frigate South Carolina "...a bit more real..." to us today.
(Note: It is of interest to the writer of this blog that so little information exists concerning these two midshipmen of the frigate South Carolina. These men were both officers, albeit the lowest rating of the shipboard officer class, but more than likely came from upstanding, reputable families within South Carolinian society. There should be more information concerning them that was recorded and saved for posterity. But, as stated in the introduction of the Audited Accounts of Revolutionary Claims Against South Carolina, Vol. I, page 3-4, much of the carefully recorded and preserved documentation of South Carolina was "...carried off or destroyed by the British..." after the fall of Charleston, South Carolina in May 1780. Also, almost four score and seven years later, it would be the destructiveness of the Federal armies rampaging through South Carolina during the American Civil War that would destroy further sets (whole courthouses full, in fact) of documents. So, at the outset of any research efforts, modern day historians and genealogists are operating at a disadvantage due to the vagaries of war, two wars, to be precise.)
According to Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, section entitled "Appendix: Crew and Marines of the South Carolina", pages 135-170, on page 151, the following entry appears:
Name: Position:
John Hopes Midshipman
In Moss's work, Roster of South Carolina Patriots, the following entry is found on page 461:
"John Hopes - he served as a midshipman aboard the ship Carolina. A.A.1801.".
(Note; It is interesting that the frigate South Carolina is referenced as the Carolina in Moss's work as well as in the former Midshipman John Hopes' request as found in the South Carolina Audited Accounts No.1801. The full text of this request made to the auditing commissioners of the state of South Carolina is provided below. This is almost certainly a clear omission of the first word in the correct name of the ship-of-war which would have indicated that it was indeed the namesake of a specific state/colony of North America rather than simply Carolina.)
The text of the South Carolina Audited Account No. 1801 for Midshipman John Hopes is very brief and is in two parts and is as follows:
"[page 57]
Be pleased to Deliver the Bearer All the Indents due me from the State of South Carolina for services done on Board the Ship Carolina [South Carolina], as Midshipman and you will Oblige Gentlemen your Humble Servant
S/ John Hopes
Done in Savannah Town in
the County of Chatham
in presence of
S/ Joseph Welscher, Notary Public
(Note: the first document of the South Carolina Audited Accounts No, 1801 ends here. The second equally brief document is cited immediately below. Being that there is only a single page citation - page 57 - one must assume that these two brief statements appeared together on the same document. The first statement was a request for all indents due Midshipman John Hopes to be turned over to "...the Bearer..." and the second statement indicating that John Hopes had already sold these indents to the unnamed person for whatever use he might see fit.)
State of Georgia
Savannah Town
This day I acknowledge to have sold ___ all the Indents due me from the State of South Carolina and do hereby Authorize him to Assign over said Indents in my name to any person Whatsoever for their own use.
Given under my hand this
24th day of January 1791
S/ John Hopes
Signed in Presence of
S/ Joseph Welscher, Notary Public"
With so many of the men who had their accounts audited by the State of South Carolina, this would be just about the sum total of the information we have concerning their lives - these brief statements of indents received or desired to be received by them for their sustainment in their later years after the conclusion of the American Revolution. But, with Midshipman John Hopes of the frigate South Carolina, we have a bit of additional information. In Revill's work, Copy of the Original Index Book, page 386, the following information appears concerning Midshipman John Hopes:
As a result of Midshipman John Hopes' claim and audited account being handed over to the legislative council on June 10, 1785 as a part of Return 61, he received the amount of 114p/6s/9.25d for his services aboard the frigate South Carolina.
Up to this point in this overall blog, not that many men whose claims were audited by the state of South Carolina are also referenced in Revill's work, Copy of the Original Index Book. But, Midshipman John Hopes is referenced in this work and a few others will be also referenced but have yet to be written on by the writer of this blog.
The above citations are the sum total concerning the life and Revolutionary War services of Midshipman John Hopes of the frigate South Carolina. The writer of this blog has not been able to locate any further information on John Hopes. Whenever the writer has been referencing indices of pension applications, bounty land warrants, brief biographies of naval and land officers, etc., he has never run across any reference to a "John Hopes". Frequently, the name "Hopes" is not even encountered and, if it is encountered, the first name does not match the first name of this midshipman. Yet, the name affixed to these two brief documents contained within the South Carolina Audited Accounts No. 1801 is clearly signed as "John Hopes". The writer of this blog has encountered the last names of "Hope" and "Hoopes" but, again never "Hopes". In fact, the document associated with this South Carolina Audited Accounts No. 1801 document is land plat for a "John Hoopes" and, thus, not for the individual in question here. Thus, in essence, we know less concerning Midshipman John Hopes of the frigate South Carolina than we know of Midshipman John Baker of the same naval frigate and covered in the immediately preceding post.
But, we do know at least some items concerning the life of Midshipman John Hopes of the frigate South Carolina. Both of the brief statements contained within the South Carolina Audited Accounts No. 1801 document were not signed in a city in South Carolina. Rather, they were "...done in Savannah Town in the County of Chatham in the presence of Joseph Welscher, Notary Public.". This is a direct reference to Savannah, Georgia, the main town in the colony of Georgia and right across the Savannah River from South Carolina, the river forming the boundary between the two colonies. If John Hopes was a originally a native of another colony, he must have removed to Georgia at some point prior to January 24, 1791. This is the date associated with the second statement, also signed in Savannah Town and witnessed by the same Notary Public, Joseph Welscher. The first statement does not carry a date associated with it at all.
Also, there is the issue of his having used the services of a notary public instead of an attorney at law. Most of the pension applications encountered by the writer of this blog have had the name of an attorney at law referenced within the document, if there is anyone mentioned at all except for the petitioner himself. But, in both the brief statements the name of "Joseph Welscher, Notary Public" appears. It is possible that former Midshipman John Hopes did not want to incur the extra expenses of hiring an attorney at law but, still wanted to document to be official. Thus, he utilized the services of a notary public. This is complete conjecture, though.
We do know that he did receive a certificate from the state of South Carolina amounting to 114p/6s/9.25d. This was the result of Return 61 being sent to the legislative council on June 10, 1785, well after the cessation of hostilities with Great Britain. But, it was not as a result of the South Carolina Audited Accounts No. 1801 document being moved upon by whatever financial committee to which it was sent. There is no other evidence that he received any additional monetary recompense from the state of South Carolina for his services on board the frigate South Carolina during the American Revolution.
Finally, it appears from the wording of the two brief statements contained within the South Carolina Audited Accounts No. 1801 document that former Midshipman John Hopes did not carry these written statements to South Carolina himself, but, rather sent a representative whom he refers to as "...the Bearer...". He politely asks for any indents due him to be given to this individual in the first statement and then acknowledges that he has sold "...all the Indents due me from the State of South Carolina..." to this individual and given him power to use these indents as he saw fit to do so. We do not know the identity of this bearer but, must assume that it was not Joseph Welscher, Notary Public who only witnessed the signing of the statement of request for any indents still due John Hopes. It would appear that former Midshipman John Hopes of the frigate South Carolina owed money to unnamed persons after the end of the war and was keen to have these debts eliminated.
Thus, we have the sum total of facts and conjecture concerning the life of Midshipman John Hopes of the frigate South Carolina. He only is seen briefly in his appeal for indents due him and, within the same document, he sells these indents to an unnamed person to dispose of however he sees fit. It would appear that John Hopes, like so many others who fought, suffered and bled during the American Revolution, fell on hard times after the end of the war and sought out assistance in "making ends meet". How quickly with the return of peace a nation forgets the heroic deeds of the men who helped create that same country. Finis.