John Evans | |
|---|---|
 John Evans, Careening, from the Pirates of the Spanish Main series (N19) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes MET DP835003 | |
| Born | |
| Died | 1723 Grand Cayman Islands |
| Cause of death | Shot |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Occupation | Pirate |
| Known for | Short but successful career |
| Piratical career | |
| Base of operations | Caribbean |
| Commands | Scowerer |
John Evans (died 1723) was a Welsh pirate who had a short but successful career in the Caribbean.
Evans worked as a ship's mate for vessels operating out of Jamaica after losing his position aboard a Nevis-based sloop. With little work to be had, he and a few others from Port Royal conspired in September 1722 to row around the island in a canoe, robbing houses at night. [1] Tiring of simple robbery, they located a Bermudan sloop, rowed out to it, and Evans announced “that he was Captain of the Vessel, which was a Piece of News they knew not before.” [2] The pirates celebrated at a local tavern and spent so liberally they were invited back; instead the pirates returned at night and looted the tavern before returning to sea. [3]
Sailing their four-gun sloop (now renamed “Scowerer”) to Hispaniola, they soon captured a Spanish sloop. Because their crew was so small, Evans and his men shared out loot of £150 per man. [3] They captured another vessel near the Windward Islands, forcing several sailors to join their crew before releasing the ship. [4] Taking yet another prize called Lucretia and Catherine in January 1723, they kept it and left to careen the Scowerer. The slow Lucretia kept them from chasing other ships, so after capturing a faster Dutch sloop, they kept it instead and released the Lucretia. [2]
They soon left for the Cayman Islands to careen, looting another vessel along the way. When then they arrived their argumentative boatswain challenged Evans to a duel. Evans accepted; when the boatswain backed out of the duel, Evans beat him with a cane. The boatswain then drew a pistol and shot Evans in the head. The other crewmembers in turn killed the boatswain. [2] They had earlier forced the Lucretia’s navigator to join them; when he refused to pilot their ship any further, the crew broke up. The pirates went ashore on the Caymans, dividing their collected treasure of £9000 between 30 men. [5] They left the Scowerer with the Lucretia's mate, who sailed it back to Port Royal. [2]
Bartholomew Roberts, born John Roberts, was a Welsh pirate and the most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy, taking over 400 prizes in his career. Roberts raided ships off the Americas and the West African coast between 1719 and 1722; he is also noted for creating his own Pirate Code, and adopting an early variant of the Skull and Crossbones flag.
Stede Bonnet was an early 18th-century English/Barbadian pirate, also known as the Gentleman Pirate for the reason that he was a moderately wealthy landowner before turning to a life of crime. Bonnet was born into a wealthy English family on the island of Barbados, and inherited the family estate after his father's death in 1694. Despite his lack of sailing experience, Bonnet decided he should turn to piracy in the winter of 1716 or spring of 1717. He bought a sailing vessel, the Revenge, and travelled with his paid crew along the Eastern Seaboard of what is now the United States, capturing other vessels and burning other Barbadian ships.
Edward "Ned" Low was a notorious pirate of English origin during the latter days of the Golden Age of Piracy, in the early 18th century. Low was born into poverty in Westminster, London, and was a thief from an early age. He moved to Boston, Massachusetts, as a young man. His wife died in childbirth in late 1719. Two years later, he became a pirate, operating off the coasts of New England and the Azores, and in the Caribbean.
George Lowther was an English pirate who, although little is known of his life, was reportedly active in the Caribbean and Atlantic during the early 18th century. His First Mate was Edward Low.
Thomas Anstis was an early 18th-century pirate, who served under Captain Howell Davis and Captain Bartholomew Roberts, before setting up on his own account, raiding shipping on the eastern coast of the American colonies and in the Caribbean during what is often referred to as the "Golden Age of Piracy".
John Fenn was an early 18th-century English pirate who sailed with Captain Bartholomew Roberts and later had a brief partnership with Thomas Anstis.
See also 1717 in piracy, 1719 in piracy, and Timeline of piracy.
Charles Harris (1698-1723) was an English pirate active in the 1720s. He is best known for his association with George Lowther and Edward Low.
The Battle of Cape Fear River, or the Battle of the Sandbars, was fought in September 1718 between a British naval expedition from the Province of South Carolina against the pirate ships of Stede Bonnet. British forces defeated the pirates in the Cape Fear River estuary which led to Bonnet's eventual death by hanging in Charleston.
John Martel was a French pirate active in the Caribbean.
David Herriot was a ship’s master and pirate best known for serving under Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet.
Richard Shipton was a pirate active in the Caribbean, best known for sailing alongside Edward Low and Francis Spriggs. In 1723 Shipton was elected captain of Merry Christmas, and he subsequently captained ships such as Royal Fortune, York, and John and Mary. Forced to beach his vessel on western Cuba by pirate hunters, in early 1726, he was found ashore in his bed and presumed to have died shortly afterwards.
Brigstock Weaver was an English pirate active in the Caribbean. He is best known for his association with fellow pirates Thomas Anstis and Bartholomew Roberts.
Thomas White was an English pirate active in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean. He was only briefly a captain on his own, but served under several more prominent captains such as George Booth, John Bowen, Thomas Howard, John Halsey, and Nathaniel North.
Robert Sample was a pirate active off the coast of Africa and in the Caribbean. He is best known for sailing with Edward England.
Robert Deal was a pirate active in the Caribbean. He is best known for his association with Charles Vane.
Joseph Thompson was a pirate from Trinidad, Cuba, and was active in the Caribbean. He is primarily known for a single incident involving grenades.
William Lewis was a pirate supposedly active in the Caribbean, off the American east coast, and off the west coast of Africa in the 18th century. He was known for sparing his victims and for being killed after announcing he had made a pact with the Devil. He is likely the fictional creation of "Captain Charles Johnson" who presented his story among those of real historical pirates.
David Williams was a Welsh sailor who turned pirate after being abandoned on Madagascar. He was only briefly a captain, and is best known for sailing under a number of more prominent pirate captains.
