Times of the Islands Fall 2022

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
Captain Edward must have decided at this point to
move with his family to Turks Island to get away from
the “Hezekiah Frith problem.” There is a June 1810 letter
from William Astwood to Captain John Lightbourn Sr saying
Edward Lightbourn was expected to leave imminently,
followed by a December 29, 1810 letter saying:
“Our relation and friend, Captain Edward
Lightbourn is about leaving this for Turks Islands,
with his Family, after meeting with many difficulty’s,
and ill treatment through Capt. Frith, but I flatter
myself that he is about to fix himself and Family
more comfortable than he has been for a long time
past.”
Further information about the family comes from
“Manuscript Letterbook of Correspondance to and from
William Astwood 1809–1811.” Writing from Turks Islands
on April 21, 1811, Captain Edward Lightbourn wrote to
William Astwood:
“We arrived here on the 10th January after an
agreeable passage of five days and all very hearty
and have continued ever since.”
It appears that Edward was joined by his brother
Samuel in the Islands because in December 1813 there is
a letter written by him while there to William Astwood in
Bermuda:
“Mrs. Lightbourn desires me to express her thankfulness
for your friendship in sending then a supply
of provisions & her respects to you and me Astwood
& family. She is very unhappy at present for the
safety of my Brother. He left us two months since
for Jamaica with a handsome little cargo of Pickled
fish, Tobacco, Salt & with prospects of success in his
voyage, but his evil star still accompanying him he
was taken to Cape Francois, by one of Christophes
Vessels on what pretense we are still ignorant tho we
have since learned that his vessel was confiscated &
sold & a desperate report accompanying this that he
and his Crew were in confinement, this however we
flatter ourselves, is incorrect as we have heard of his
being at liberty eight days after his arrival.”
Edward’s own account of the event comes in an April
9, 1814 letter to Astwood:
“Dear Sir;
I now have the pleasure of acknowledging the
receipt of your respectful favors of April 17th and
November 25th with three blls flour a half blls Sugar
a half Tierce rice which came very timely and respectable
which adds to the many former obligations we
find ourselves indebted for I know of Nothing what
would make me happy then to have it in my Power to
reimburse you therefore but ill fortune yet follows up
so closely that God knows when I shall have it in my
Power which those unhappy times continues but hope
they are nearly at an end at the moment when I begin
to be incouraged and thought I was again getting on
my legs only figure to yourself what my feeling must
have been on my arrival home from Pot Rico after the
Hurrycan when I found the Greater part of the town
gone my House one of the number near the half of
our Salt which we had collected since our arrival here
and every soal destitute of the most coarse necessary
of life But not withstanding after a few days Found it
necessary that I should exert myself and get to work
and get a covering for a part of my House which has
been a temporary shelter for my Family since and
for the want of lumber and other necessarys it yet
remain in that ruined state and I fear that it is so
shattered and damaged that it is not worth repairing
when I might have it in my power. In addition there to
I sailed from hence to Jamaica with a cargo of tobacco
Cod and Pickled fish some dry goods suitable to that
market and Salt and should have made an Excellent
voyage but for once the interference of Christophes
Cruisers which took possession of me and carried
me into Cape Francois where I was taken with all my
Crew immently to prison without anything being said
to us but abuse and there kept in close confinement
fifty two days and allowed me but one Rusk per 24
hours and a part of that time in a dungin without pen
and Ink or the least communication with any Buddy
without and there is no doubt on their intention to
put all to death but fortunately for us some unknown
friend gave information to our Capture and situation
to the Admiral of Jamaica who dispatched a man of
War to demand us but they denied of them Having
Times of the Islands Fall 2022 73