The Plough Boy Journals

The Journals and Associated Documents

The Plough Boy Anthology

19th Century American Whaling

Bonin Islands

Pitcairn's Island

Dictionaries & Glossaries

Ashley's Glossary of
Whaling Terms

Dana's Dictionary of
Sea Terms

THE

ASIATIC JOURNAL

FOR

NOVEMBER, 1825.

INHABITANTS OF PITCAIRN'S ISLAND.

      The following is a list of the families and names of individuals composing the singular community inhabiting Pitcairn's Island, on the 24th April 1823. The interesting account published in England a few years back (see our Journal, vol. ix. p. 36) of their past history and existing condition, cannot have been forgotten.

      It hence appears that the population had been increased by nine persons since 1819, when it consisted of forty-five men, women and children. At the period of Sir Thomas Staines's visit, in the Briton frigate, the number of inhabitants was forty-three.

      John Adams (the only survivor of the mutineers of the Bounty) is described as a venerable personage, whose rule is submitted to without repugnance by the rest of the community. He is about sixty-three years of age.

NOTES:

      While the information in this list of names is specific to day, month, and year, it is not clear who is responsible for the list. There appears to be no current information identifying vessels visiting Pitcairn's Island on this date.

      Among the family names, those listed as "Yong" should be "Young" and those listed as "McCany" should be "M'Koy" or "McKoy".

      This list of families and names in not entirely accurate when compared with currently available geneological informaton on the Pitcairn's islanders.

      The "6th Family" – showing only "George Martin, son" – properly should be included with the "5th Family" of "George Yong" and "Hannah Yong, his wife". George Martin Frederick Young was their son.

      Martha Quintal, the daughter of Edward Quntal and Dinah Adams Quintal, born in 1822, is omitted from the list.

      Mayhew Young, born and died in 1823 after living for nine months, is also not included. Mayhew was the son of William Young and Elizabeth Mills Young – the "8th Family" to which "No children" was noted in the list.

      Mary Ann Cristian, the daughter of Fletcher Christian who was born in 1793 is not included.

      Of the surviving Tahitian women who came to Pitcairn's Island in the Bounty, two are not listed: (1) Mauatua or Maimiti, "old Mrs. Christian" – the widow of Fletcher Christian – unless she is represented by "Johanna Yong, an old woman" in family four headed by Robert Young; and (2) Vahineatua or Prudence, the consort of both John Mills and John Adams, who is also omitted.

      Two names in the "11th Family" headed by Edward Yong – "Polly Young, wife" and "Mary Yong, daughter – cannot be matched or identified with residents of Pitcairn's Island in 1823.

SOURCE:

This transcription is from the following:

      "Inhabitants of Pitcairn's Island", Asiatic Journal, Vol. 20, No. 119 (November 1825), p. 518.