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Size | 2 items. |
Abstract | William Augustus Heermance (fl. 1846-1847) of New York was supercargo on the Montgomery, an American cargo ship that traded along the coast of West Africa. The Montgomery, commanded by a Captain Hooper, carried goods assigned to George R. Sheldon. The African travel journal (original, 44 p.; transcription 34 p.), 21 August 1846-11 April 1847, kept by William Augustus Heermance while supercargo on the Montgomery, best documents the Montgomery's sea voyage from New York to Liberia and its trading activities along the coasts of Liberia, Ghana, and Gabon, and on the islands of Principe and Sao Tome in the Gulf of Guinea. Only one entry pertains to the return sea voyage. Journal entries vary from daily to weekly. They are brief, but detailed, and offer considerable information on locations visited, including descriptions of local buildings and internal improvements; means of transport by land and sea; local merchants, trade officials, tribal leaders, missionaries, and colonists; and inhabitants' social customs, religious practices, and modes of dress and adornment. There is limited information on the ship's crew (African American sailors and temporary workers hired along the coast); Captain Hooper and occasional passengers; the diet aboard ship; and the sale and purchase of cargo. |
Creator | Heermance, William Augustus, fl. 1846-1847. |
Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
Language | English. |
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William Augustus Heermance (fl. 1846-1847) of New York was supercargo in 1846-1847 on the Montgomery, an American cargo ship that traded along the coast of West Africa. The Montgomery, commanded by Captain Hooper, carried goods assigned to George R. Sheldon. Heermance was the son of William P. Heermance and Rachel Hardee Heermance, who are buried in Nassau County, New York. He had one brother, Thomas Henry Heermance, and eight sisters, Caroline Heermance (married Robert H. Stewart); Margaret Heermance (married Dr. R. C. Reynolds); Mary Ann Heermance (married Mr. Branch); Christine Heermance; Amelia R. Heermance (married William Clark); Jane Heermance; Eliza Heermance (married Peletiah Ward); and Maria Heermance.
Back to TopAfrican travel journal, 21 August 1846-11 April 1847, kept by William Augustus Heermance while supercargo on the Montgomery, an American vessel that traded along the coast of West Africa. The journal (original, 44 p.; transcription 34 p.) best documents the Montgomery's sea voyage from New York to Liberia and its trading activities along the coasts of Liberia, Ghana, and Gabon, and on the islands of Principe and Sao Tome in the Gulf of Guinea. Only one entry pertains to the return sea voyage. Journal entries vary from daily to weekly. They are brief, but detailed, and offer considerable information on locations visited, including descriptions of local buildings and internal improvements; means of transport by land and sea; local merchants, trade officials, tribal leaders, missionaries, and colonists; and inhabitants' social customs, religious practices, and modes of dress and adornment. There is limited information on the ship's crew (African American sailors and temporary workers hired along the coast); Captain Hooper and occasional passengers; the diet aboard ship; and the sale and purchase of cargo.
Back to TopTravel journal (original, 44 p; transcription, 34 p.), 21 August 1846-11 April 1847, kept by William Augustus Heermance while supercargo on the Montgomery, an American vessel that traded along the coast of West Africa. The Montgomery was commanded by a Captain Hooper and carried goods assigned to George R. Sheldon. The journal documents the Montgomery's sea voyage from New York to Liberia between 21 August and 6 October 1846, and the ship's trading activities between 7 October 1846 and 31 March 1847 along the coasts of Liberia, Ghana, and Gabon, and on the islands of Principe and Sao Tome in the Gulf of Guinea. Only one entry, 11 April, pertains to the return voyage.
Journal entries vary from daily to weekly. They are brief, but detailed, and offer considerable information on localities visited, describing buildings and internal improvements; local means of transportation; local merchants, military officials, tribal leaders, missionaries, and colonists; and inhabitants' social customs, religious practices, and modes of dress and adornment. Heermance also comments on the ship's crew (African American sailors and temporary workers hired along the coast); Captain Hooper and occasional passengers; the diet aboard ship; and the sale and purchase of cargo (tobacco, rum, and palm oil).
Localities visited include Cape Mount, Liberia; Cape Measurado, Liberia; Monrovia, Liberia; Cape Town, Liberia; Cape Palmas, Liberia; Crew Town, Liberia; Cape Three Points, Ghana; Dixcove, Ghana; Elmina, Ghana; Cape Coast, Ghana; Anamaboe, Ghana; Tanlamquary, Ghana; Lantam, Ghana; Winneba, Ghana; Accra, Ghana; Principe Island, Sao Tome, and Gabon.
Folder 1 |
African travel journal, 1846-1847 |
Folder 2 |
African travel journal: Transcription |