Thomas Pound

Every statement above that rests on a checked claim carries a small number; the numbers lead here. Each entry gives what is claimed, how far the record supports it, and where it comes from.

1. A real man named Thomas Pound (rendered 'Pounds' in the contemporary documents) turned pirate off the Massachusetts coast in August 1689, was captured after a fight at Tarpaulin Cove in October 1689, was tried and condemned at Boston in January 1689/90 and was reprieved; his existence and this arc are attested first-hand by Samuel Sewall (read directly) and by Massachusetts court and council records reproduced in Dow and Edmonds Confirmed Directly supported by the record. Period narrative; Modern scholarship: Diary of Samuel Sewall, 1674-1729, Volume I, pages 309 to 310 (entries of January 1689/90); The Pirates of the New England Coast, 1630-1730, Chapter IV (Thomas Pound, Pilot of the King's Frigate, who became a Pirate and Died a Gentleman)
2. Before turning pirate Pound was pilot and sailing master of the Royal Navy frigate Rose, then at the Boston station; the frigate had been disabled by the townspeople during the 1689 revolt against Governor Andros Likely More likely than not on the evidence we have. Modern scholarship; Period narrative: The Pirates of the New England Coast, 1630-1730, Chapter IV (Thomas Pound, Pilot of the King's Frigate, who became a Pirate and Died a Gentleman); Diary of Samuel Sewall, 1674-1729, Volume I, pages 309 to 310 (entries of January 1689/90)
3. The surname is spelled 'Pounds' in the contemporary sources read this session (Sewall writes 'pray'd with Pounds' and 'reprieving Pounds and Buck'; the reproduced deposition reads 'Captain Pounds standing on the quarter deck'), while Dow and modern usage give 'Pound' Confirmed Directly supported by the record. Period narrative; Modern scholarship: Diary of Samuel Sewall, 1674-1729, Volume I, pages 309 to 310 (entries of January 1689/90); The Pirates of the New England Coast, 1630-1730, Chapter IV (Thomas Pound, Pilot of the King's Frigate, who became a Pirate and Died a Gentleman)
4. Attested name forms this session are 'Thomas Pound' and 'Captain Thomas Pound' (Dow and Edmonds), 'Pounds' and 'Captain Pounds' (Sewall and the reproduced Boston court deposition); no false personal alias is attested, though Pound repeatedly used disguise, posing as an English privateer or man of war Confirmed Directly supported by the record. Modern scholarship; Period narrative: The Pirates of the New England Coast, 1630-1730, Chapter IV (Thomas Pound, Pilot of the King's Frigate, who became a Pirate and Died a Gentleman); Diary of Samuel Sewall, 1674-1729, Volume I, pages 309 to 310 (entries of January 1689/90)
5. Sewall dates the trial and reprieve entries under the year 1689 in Old Style reckoning (the year then beginning on 25 March), so the events fall in January 1690 by modern reckoning; the Archive renders such dates as 1689/90 Confirmed Directly supported by the record. Period narrative: Diary of Samuel Sewall, 1674-1729, Volume I, pages 309 to 310 (entries of January 1689/90)
6. Conspiring to seize a vessel and go pirating: taking command of Hawkins' Bermudas boat, throwing the fish casks overboard, and agreeing to take the first vessel met and sail to the West Indies to prey on the French, 9 August 1689; Thomas Hawkins' Bermudas boat (the pirates' own first vessel); alleged by Boston court examinations reproduced by Dow Likely More likely than not on the evidence we have. Modern scholarship: The Pirates of the New England Coast, 1630-1730, Chapter IV (Thomas Pound, Pilot of the King's Frigate, who became a Pirate and Died a Gentleman)
7. Capture by show of arms of the fishing ketch Mary, homeward bound with a full fare of fish; her master and two men set free, a French speaking boy forced along as interpreter, 9 August 1689; Fishing ketch Mary, Helling (Allen) Chard master, owned by Philip English of Salem; alleged by Chard's report reproduced by Dow (Suffolk Court Files No. 2539:1) Likely More likely than not on the evidence we have. Modern scholarship: The Pirates of the New England Coast, 1630-1730, Chapter IV (Thomas Pound, Pilot of the King's Frigate, who became a Pirate and Died a Gentleman)
8. Procuring and abetting the desertion of the Fort Loyal garrison with stolen arms, ammunition and a brass gun, and refusing to return the men or arms on demand, about 12 August 1689; The garrison and stores of Fort Loyal, Falmouth, Maine (Commander Silvanus Davis); alleged by Dow narrative from the Massachusetts records Likely More likely than not on the evidence we have. Modern scholarship: The Pirates of the New England Coast, 1630-1730, Chapter IV (Thomas Pound, Pilot of the King's Frigate, who became a Pirate and Died a Gentleman)
9. Seizure of the sloop Good Speed, taken over as the pirates' vessel because larger than the ketch, her master and men set free; a defiant message sent to Boston that the pirates would die before being taken, 16 August 1689; Sloop Good Speed, John Smart master, owned by David Larkin of Piscataqua; alleged by Smart's report reproduced by Dow Likely More likely than not on the evidence we have. Modern scholarship: The Pirates of the New England Coast, 1630-1730, Chapter IV (Thomas Pound, Pilot of the King's Frigate, who became a Pirate and Died a Gentleman)