Maine Maritime Museum

Portage Bill

Date: Nov. 26, 1870
Voyage: Alice M. Minott (d. Baltimore May 21, 1870 - a. Philadelphia Nov. 26, 1870)
Citation: MS-90 b42f15

Notes

None

Financial records

Mariner Rank Entry Date Entry Port Discharge Date Discharge Port Served P WPM WPR A S CA AA H SF F&F BD Notes
Baker, Moses Seaman July 26, 1870 Charleston, SC - USA Sept. 28, 1870 Liverpool, England 30.00 30.00 72.48 It's not clear from the document whether this mariner deserted (it isn't indicated that he did) or couldn't continue with the ship for some other non-desertion reason. The document has no entries for Duration of Service, Whole Wages, and Balance Due. The amount in the column for Wages per Month is "20/30" written as "20" on top of a horizontal line with "30" below. The amount for Hospital Money is 0.60 but it is crossed out. At the right of the entry is the notation "Paid to Consul at Liverpool" but not an indication of how much, and for what. Amount written for Advance at Liverpool written in is shown on document as [pounds] 14-9-11, which converts to $72.48; the standard exchange rate of $5.00/pound since no exchange rate was given.
Banks, Frank. O Boy July 25, 1870 Charleston, SC - USA Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 4 (days) 41.33 10.00 27.60 1.65 12.08
Bowden, Wm. Ordinary Seaman Sept. 27, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 0 (days) 20.00 10.00 10.00 0.80 9.20
Brown, Lawrence Boy May 21, 1870 Baltimore, MD - USA Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 9 (days) 75.60 12.00 8.00 34.50 2.67 30.43
Brownlow, Fred. Seaman July 26, 1870 Charleston, SC - USA Sept. 12, 1870 Liverpool, England 16 (days) 46.00 30.00 30.00 0.60 Deserted.
Burgess, Jas. R. Seaman July 22, 1870 Charleston, SC - USA Aug. 30, 1870 Liverpool, England 8 (days) 38.00 30.00 30.00 1.50 0.53 Deserted. Amount charged to slops account was for tobacco etc., and only noted on the Portage Bill for those that deserted.
Classon, Chas. Seaman Oct. 1, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 26 (days) 23.50 12.50 12.50 0.80 10.20
Cole, Francis Seaman July 26, 1870 Charleston, SC - USA Sept. 12, 1870 Liverpool, England 12 (days) 42.00 30.00 30.00 1.50 0.55 Deserted. Amount charged to slops account was for tobacco etc., and only noted on the Portage Bill for those that deserted.
Courage, Abel Second Mate July 20, 1870 Charleston, SC - USA Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 9 (days) 172.00 40.00 20.00 48.00 1.73 102.27
Diamond, John. Seaman Oct. 1, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 26 (days) 23.50 12.50 12.50 0.80 10.20
Dunham, Geo. Seaman July 26, 1870 Charleston, SC - USA Sept. 26, 1870 Liverpool, England 0 (days) 60.00 30.00 30.00 3.00 3.60 0.80 Deserted. Amount charged to slops account was for tobacco etc., and only noted on the Portage Bill for those that deserted.
Fergesson, Jno. Cook May 21, 1870 Baltimore, MD - USA Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 9 (days) 220.50 35.00 40.50 53.70 2.53 123.87
Fore, Richard Seaman Oct. 1, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 26 (days) 23.50 12.50 12.50 0.80 10.20
Graham, Geo. R. Steward May 19, 1870 Baltimore, MD - USA Dec. 5, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 20 (days) 266.67 40.00 47.75 51.00 2.67 165.25
Hatsfon, John Seaman Oct. 1, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 26 (days) 23.50 12.50 12.50 0.80 10.20
Kerey, David Seaman July 26, 1870 Charleston, SC - USA Sept. 12, 1870 Liverpool, England 12 (days) 42.00 30.00 30.00 0.75 0.55 Deserted. Amount charged to slops account was for tobacco etc., and only noted on the Portage Bill for those that deserted.
Kurleson, Jens. Seaman Oct. 1, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 26 (days) 23.50 12.50 12.50 0.80 10.20
Lakeman, Frank Seaman Oct. 1, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 26 (days) 23.50 12.50 12.50 0.80 10.20
Lee, Henry Seaman Oct. 1, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 26 (days) 23.50 12.50 12.50 0.80 10.20
Lynch, Edward Carpenter Sept. 28, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 29 (days) 39.33 20.00 20.00 0.80 18.53
Mack, Wm. Seaman July 26, 1870 Charleston, SC - USA Sept. 19, 1870 Liverpool, England 23 (days) 53.00 30.00 30.00 0.75 0.80 Deserted. Amount charged to slops account was for tobacco etc., and only noted on the Portage Bill for those that deserted.
Montague, Jno. Ordinary Seaman May 18, 1870 Baltimore, MD - USA July 28, 1870 Charleston, SC - USA 11 (days) 47.33 20.00 32.03 12.00 1.00 Deserted. Amount charged to slops account was for tobacco etc., and only noted on the Portage Bill for those that deserted.
Mountfort, James H. Mate May 21, 1870 Baltimore, MD - USA Nov. 27, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 10 (days) 316.67 50.00 25.00 226.20 2.53 62.94
Mullings, Wm. H. Boy July 27, 1870 Charleston, SC - USA Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 2 (days) 48.80 12.00 10.00 21.90 1.60 15.30
Murray, James Seaman Oct. 1, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 26 (days) 23.50 12.50 12.50 0.80 10.20
Shirley, Maurice Seaman Oct. 1, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 26 (days) 23.50 12.50 12.50 0.80 10.20
Smith, Wm. Seaman Oct. 1, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 26 (days) 23.50 12.50 12.50 0.80 10.20
Stevenson, Jno. Seaman Oct. 1, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 26 (days) 23.50 12.50 12.50 0.80 10.20
Thompson, Geo. Seaman July 26, 1870 Charleston, SC - USA Sept. 17, 1870 Liverpool, England 21 (days) 51.00 30.00 30.00 0.75 0.66 Deserted. Amount charged to slops account was for tobacco etc., and only noted on the Portage Bill for those that deserted.
Vanderpove, Geo. Seaman July 26, 1870 Charleston, SC - USA Aug. 30, 1870 Liverpool, England 4 (days) 34.00 30.00 30.00 0.50 Deserted.
Watson, Jno. Seaman Oct. 1, 1870 Liverpool, England Nov. 26, 1870 Philadelphia, PA - USA 26 (days) 23.50 12.50 12.50 0.80 10.20

Abbreviations: P – Payment, the total amount due the mariner for the voyage; WPM – Wages per month, the usual way seamen were paid; WPR – Wages per run: occasionally, mariners took a set amount for a run between two places; A – Advance, the amount the mariner received in advance of the voyage, for signing on; S – Slops, amount for goods purchased from the vessel’s store; CA – Creditor allotment, amount paid to creditors if so listed; AA – Advanced abroad, cash advances the mariner received while in foreign ports; H – Hospital money, a small monthly amount deducted to support the marine hospital service; SF – Shipping fees, paid to shipping agents for their services; F&F – Fines and forfeitures, if so listed, including prison fees; BD – Balance due, after all of the above

The information given in this database is entered here as it is on the document or documents in the Maine Maritime Museum collections. The spelling of the mariner’s name may be wrong, the arithmetic may be wrong, and some descriptions may be thoughtless or not politically correct, but they are shown as found. We have attempted to standardize the names and descriptions of vessels and the spelling of place names. We have tried to include in notes fields important information that does not fit in the standard fields.