Famous New England Pirates 

Massachusetts has a rich maritime history, from fishing and whaling to shipbuilding and global trade. The region’s maritime legacy is shaped by these businesses as well as the resourcefulness and ingenuity of the earliest seafarers. Another component that impacted New England, particularly Massachusetts’ maritime history, was that of the many pirates who sailed these coastal waters. 

In the past, Real Pirates has examined some of the biggest names in piracy during the Golden Age of Piracy in our area, including three New England pirates: Samuel “Black Sam” Bellamy, Edward Teach or Blackbeard, and William Kidd, also known as Captain Kidd. For more information on these pirates, visit our 2024 blog on New England’s Most Infamous Pirates. 

Today’s blog examines lesser-known but equally important pirates who roamed the waters off the New England Coast: Rachel Wall, William Fly, and Joe Brodish. Join us as we look at more pirates who helped shape our maritime history during this era. 

Rachel Wall – Runaway Turned Pirate 

At the young age of 16, Rachel Schmidt ran away from her home in Pennsylvania. She met and married fisherman George Wall and they made their way to New York City and then later Boston, Massachusetts. Their turbulent on-again, off-again relationship took a turn in 1781 when he asked Rachel to join him as a pirate. 

The duo stole a ship called the Essex and began robbing vessels off the New England coast. They often used Rachel as bait, as she would call out to passing ships, claiming their ship was in distress. As passing vessels would come to her rescue, George and the crew would attack and rob them. In all, it is believed that Rachel and George robbed a total of 12 ships and killed 24 sailors.

When Rachel was abandoned again by George, she returned to Boston Harbor, where she would rob ships docked in the port to survive. Eventually, she was arrested and hanged for her crimes on Boston Common on October 8, 1789. 

William Fly – A Short But Impactful Career

William Fly was a boatswain on a British slave ship called The Elizabeth under Captain John Green when his temper got the best of him. In 1726, he led a violent and successful mutiny with the crew of The Elizabeth as they threw Captain Green overboard. 

The crew went on to sail along the coast of Colonial America near North Carolina, where they began conducting pirate raids against other vessels. They renamed their ship Fame’s Revenge and captured five ships en route from North Carolina to New England. They were eventually caught and turned over to the authorities in Boston when a group of men they had forced to join their crew from a captured ship rose up and captured Fly.

During his public execution in Boston, he showed no remorse and only warned other captains that if they also mistreated their crews, they would meet the same fate as Captain Green. In the end, his pirate career had lasted only a few months.  

Jack Quelch – Privateer Turned Pirate 

British-born Lieutenant John (Jack) Quelch worked as a privateer on The Charles along the American Colonial coast. He and his vessel were authorized to capture enemy ships of the British crown, specifically ships under the flags of France and Spain. 

When his ship’s captain fell ill and was buried at sea, he was chosen as the new captain. Historians question whether the captain was sick or whether mutiny on board led to his demise. It was then that Quelch began attacking enemies of the British Navy and allies, such as a Portuguese ship. He shifted his vessel and crew from privateering to piracy as they embarked upon a year-long campaign against Portuguese ships in the Caribbean and off the coast of South America. 

After attacking nine Portuguese ships, Quelch and his crew returned to Boston, where his employers searched the boat when they questioned his illegal activities while away. He was arrested along with the crew and imprisoned in Boston, where he was later hanged. 

Want to learn more about local pirates or how their booty is recovered from shipwrecks? Visit Real Pirates Salem for more information and a tour.