Introduction
This transcribed letter and employee roll below from, Captain John Cassin of the Washington Navy Yard to Secretary of the Navy Robert Smith dated 23 May 1806 are important historical and genealogical records. Cassin’s letter to Secretary Smith was sent with, a muster role of 148 civilian employees of the Navy Yard Washington. The 1806 roll is one of the earliest surviving of these documents. This roll also contains approximate dates of hire and on whose authority civilian employees names were entered on WNY rolls. Today these lists provide valuable insights as to the early WNY workforce composition, social structure and wage rates.
This information requested by the Smith allowed him to gain a better idea of the number of civilian employees then working for the new Navy. For instance there are seventeen apprentices listed which reflects the prevailing method of passing on trade knowledge but also the financial benefits acceding to master mechanics who collected a percentage of each apprentices wage. Another trend that Robert Smith began to note was the increased use of enslaved labor in 1808 he would unsuccessfully attempt to curtail the practice. Most of the employees listed were per diem labor paid only for days actually worked and subject to dismissal or discharge due to changes in naval appropriations or work available.
Enslaved labor was an integral component of the WNY workforce since its inception. Leasing enslaved labor was lucrative practice and by 1808 many WNY officers and civilians were leasing their own slaves to the Navy. This 1806 roll only enumerates the four enslaved workers of Thomas Washington, though the status of four other enslaved individuals can be confirmed by reference to later pay and muster rolls which I have identified in the end notes. Among sixty laborers listed on this roll, I am confident, further research will recover the names of other enslaved workers. Today, these 1806 documents provide a valuable record for historians and genealogists seeking to understand the history of federal employment and the important role of labor and African Americans in the early naval yard.
Transcription
This transcription of Captain Cassin’s letter and the listing signed by his superior Commandant Thomas Tingey are both dated 23 May 1806 and were addressed to Secretary of the Navy Robert Smith. In transcribing this letter and enclosures, I have striven to adhere as closely as possible to the original in spelling, capitalization, punctuation and abbreviation (e.g. “d” "Do" or "do" for ditto or same as above) including the retention of dashes, ampersands and overstrikes. I have retained the original roll’s variant spellings for employee first and surnames which prevail even on the same page in addition I have noted original clerical oversights which resulted in omissions in the employee listing sequence at 84-87. Where I was unable to print a clear image or where it was not possible to determine what was written, I have so noted in brackets. Where achievable, I have attempted to arrange the transcribed material in a similar manner to that found in the letters and enclosure. The notations in italics contained in the “Numeral References” are those of Captain Thomas Cassin and Commodore Thomas Tingey.
Source
The transcription was made from the National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 45, microfilm M125a, Roll 7, /Volume 7, Letters Received by the Secretary of the Navy, Captains Letters.
John G. Sharp
April 9, 2009
|
