Captain Kidd Walked the Shores of Ocean City, NJ
Not only that, he buried treasures all along the coast.
Illustration of pirates burying Captain Kidd's treasure, from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates.
When people think of pirates they are an abstraction. They frequented books, movies & television. They are beyond reality. But, in fact, infamous pirates frequented the waters Cape May and around Sandy Hook, drawn by its proximity to New York City and its rich pickings. Among the most notorious was Captain William Kidd, considered one of the most dangerous pirates of his time.
Originally commissioned by colonial authorities to hunt pirates in the Indian Ocean, Kidd himself turned to piracy after being accused of illegal plundering. He returned to the American colonies and was eventually captured in Boston in 1699. His sensational trial and execution in London in 1701 marked the dramatic end of his career.
Born around 1645 in Dundee, Scotland, the son of a Presbyterian minister, Kidd moved to New York City, where he became a respected member of the community. He married well and acquired property in the city, cementing his social standing.
According to Lee Ireland in America’s Pirates & Their Hidden Treasures, In New York, Kidd lived in a grand house at Pearl and Hanover Streets. It was located in the southeast portion of the city, not far from the East River. During this period he had taverns, docks and whaling vessels all along the New Jersey Coast. His interests ranged as far as Cape May, NJ. Some pirate right?
Ironically, Kidd was an elite member of colonial society. He was a man who called New York Colony’s Governor Benjamin Fletcher a friend. Kidd was also authorized by the governors of Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey to protect their shores from pirates.
Kidd first appeared in history in 1689 as a buccaneer in the Caribbean. A tough fighter and an excellent seaman, he chose to seek his fortune through privateering in British service. He was sent to pillage French settlements in the West Indies.
In 1695, the English government commissioned Kidd to hunt down pirates in the Indian Ocean. With a privateering license in hand, he set sail on his ship, Adventure Galley, a 287-ton vessel with 34 guns—a hybrid between a sailing ship and an oared galley.
Kidd's mission began in February 1696, departing from London, England. However, as his voyage progressed, his actions blurred the line between privateering and piracy. He captured several ships, some of which were neutral or friendly, raising doubts about his loyalty to his commission. Along the line he turned to full blown piracy.
Eventually, the law caught up with him in Boston. He was sent back to England, tried, convicted and hung. Twice actually. During his execution in 1701, the first attempt to hang him failed when the rope broke, causing him to fall to the ground. This was seen by some as a sign of his innocence or divine intervention, but the authorities ignored it. and proceeded to hang him a second time. That attempt was successful, and his body was left hanging in a gibbet over the River Thames as a warning to other pirates.
This is just a touch of pirate lore you will find in my new non-fiction book, Scoundrels and Seafarers. The Kindle edition is available now, the paperback and hardcover on November 15th
.The book also covers quite a bit of info about historical New Jersey, the people the places and Revolutionary War battles. I’ll send you another reminder on the 15th.
