Jamestown Series: Finding your Jamestown ancestors.
In June of 1626, during the reign of James I, the Sparrow Hawk, a small pinnace, sailed from London for Jamestown, Virginia. The Jamestown Colony was the first permanent English settlement in North America, founded in May 1607 on a peninsula in the James River of Virginia. The Sparrow Hawk was wrecked by storms off Cape Cod and driven into the isolated Nauset Beach. All of the passengers survived and were removed to the Plymouth Colony. The pinnace was buried deep into the sands of Cape Cod, where it remained until the storms of May 1863 uncovered “the hull.” Fortunately, the wreck of the Sparrow Hawk was discovered in 1863. Its remains are treasured and represent the existence of one of the earliest ships headed to the New World!
Many ships sank on the high seas, whether it be the attack of pirates on Spanish fleets, the London Company bearing immigrants, or merchant ships trading in the West Indies. Sinking ships was a danger to passengers and sailors alike. As a professional genealogist, I am satisfied that few passenger lists survived.
The Fate of the Sparrow Hawk
Unfortunately, the Sparrow Hawk was wrecked by storms off Cape Code (Massachusetts) and driven into the isolated Nauset Beach. All of the passengers survived and were removed to the Plymouth Colony. The pinnace was buried deep into the sands of Cape Cod, where it remained until the storms of May 1863 uncovered “the hull.”
Cape Cod Discovery
Fortunately, the wreck of the Sparrow Hawk was discovered in 1863. Its remains are treasured and represent the existence of one of the earliest ships headed to the New World!
A salvage operation found that the keel, planks, rudder, and other hull elements were in good condition. By removing them to the beach, the ship was carefully reconstructed.
For more details of the settlements around Cape Cod, researchers can read the histories of the Cape, the posthumous edition of Thoreau’s work, and a critical note from Professor Agassiz.
Genealogy Tips _ _ It is possible to search the National Archives for reports from flag officers and captains on the loss of ships under their command from about 1698 onward. No subject index exists to these records before 1793, so you need to know the writer’s name and where he was stationed to locate a report. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1710
Source: Ye Antient Wrecke. — 1626. LOSS OF THE SPARROW-HAWK IN 1626. REMARKABLE PRESERVATION AND RECENT DISCOVERY OF THE WRECK (1865). This book is available to read on
Another great source to search for Jamestown ancestors is https://virginiapioneers.net