Company of the Bounty & Their Various Fates

William Bligh (1791)

John Fryer (1807)

Peter Heywood (c. 1793)

John Adams (1829)
NAME
AGE*
JOB ON BOUNTY
MUTINEER OR
LOYALIST?
FATE, IF KNOWN
Adams, John (aka Alexander Smith)
20
Able Seaman
Mutineer
Lived on Pitcairn Island, as the last surviving mutineer, until his death in 1829.
Bligh, William
33
Commander
Loyalist,
of course
Survived ordeals at sea to return to England and continue his career in the British navy.  Died in 1817.
Brown, William
27
Asst. Gardener
Mutineer
Charges against him found to be proved and sentenced to death in 1792.  Executed on the Brunswick with Milward and Ellison on 29 October, and left to hang for two hours.
Burkett, Thomas
25
Able Seaman
Mutineer
Charges of mutiny found to be proved and sentenced to death in 1792.  Executed on the Brunswick on 29 October, and left to hang for two hours.
Byrn, Michael
28
Able Seaman
Detained Loyalist
Acquitted of mutiny in 1792.  Served with Bligh’s nephew on the Prompte.  Became a pensioner of Greenwich Hospital and vanished into obscurity.
Christian, Fletcher
23
Master's Mate
Chief Mutineer
After instigating and leading the mutiny, eventually took the Bounty to Pitcairn Island, where he remained until his death several years later.  Died, along with others, after being massacred by Tahitian servants.
Churchill, Charles
28
Master-at-Arms
Died after mutiny
Murdered while in Tahiti by Matthew Thompson, his mess mate.
Cole, William

Boatswain
Loyalist
Died in 1833 after a long retirement.
Coleman, Joseph
36
Armorer
Detained Loyalist
Acquitted of mutiny in 1792.  Frequently admitted to the hospital after the court-martial.  Subsequently served with Bligh on two other ships.  
Ellison, Thomas
17
Able Seaman
Mutineer
Charges against him found to be proved and sentenced to death in 1792.  Executed on the Brunswick 29 October, and left to hang for two hours.
Elphinstone, William
36
Master's Mate
Loyalist

Fryer, John
33
Master
Loyalist
Served on eleven ships until his retirement.  After retirement, lived in relative wealth and comfort until about age 60.
Hall, Thomas
38
Cook
Loyalist

Hallett, John
15
Midshipman
Loyalist
Died at age 22 in Bedford in 1794.
Hayward, Thomas
20
Midshipman
Loyalist
Returned to the South Pacific on the Pandora, and helped to track down mutineers. Testified for prosecution at the court-martial of the mutineers.
Heywood, Peter
15
Midshipman
Mutineer
Found guilty of mutiny and sentenced to death in 1792.  Received His Majesty the King’s unconditional pardon.  Served as a successful and distinguished naval officer until his retirement in 1816. Died on February 10, 1831, at age 58.
Hilbrandt, Henry
24
Cooper
Mutineer
Died in the Pandora shipwreck in 1791 while still in his irons.  He never escaped Pandora’s box.
Huggan, John

Surgeon
Died before mutiny
Died in Tahiti of failed health.
Lamb, Robert
21
Butcher
Loyalist

LeBogue, Lawrence
39
Sailmaker
Loyalist
Died on board the Jason at age 48.
Ledward, Thomas

Surgeon's Ass't
Loyalist
Died in England.
Linklater, Peter
30
Quartermaster
Loyalist

Martin, Isaac
30
Able Seaman
Mutineer
Died on Pitcairn Island.
McCoy, William
25
Able Seaman
Mutineer
Died after falling off a cliff in 1798.
McIntosh, Thomas
28
Carpenter's Mate
Detained Loyalist
Acquitted of mutiny in 1792.  Subsequently entered merchant service. 
Mills, John
38
Gunner's Mate
Mutineer
Killed in a slaughter on Pitcairn.
Millward, John
21
Able Seaman
Mutineer
Found guilty of mutiny and sentenced to death in 1792.  Executed on the Brunswick with Burkett and Ellison on 29 October, and left to hang for two hours.
Morrison, James
27
Boatswain's Mate
Mutineer

Muspratt, William
27
Cook's Assistant
Mutineer
Found guilty of mutiny and sentenced to death in 1792.  Received pardon nearly 5 months later.  Was rumored never to have spoken a word since witnessing the executions of Burkett, Millward and Ellison.
Nelson, David

Botanist
Loyalist

Norman, Charles
26
Carpenter's Mate
Detained Loyalist
Released after his acquittal in the court-martial.  Died in December 1793.
Norton, John
34
Quartermaster
Loyalist
Died on the island of Tofua in 1790, stoned and beaten to death by islanders while the launch of the Bounty was trying to make its escape.
Peckover, William
40
Gunner
Loyalist
Served a long naval career after returning to England.
Purcell, William

Carpenter
Loyalist
Served on fourteen more ships until his retirement.  Died in 1834, as the last surviving officer of the Bounty.
Quintal, Matthew
21
Able Seaman
Mutineer
Hatcheted to death in 1799 by fellow mutineers Adams in Young, who feared for their own safety.
Samuel, John
26
Captain's Clerk
Loyalist
Fate unreported.
Simpson, George
27
Q'termaster's Mate
Loyalist
Died in 1801 of unknown causes.
Skinner, Richard
22
Able Seaman
Mutineer
Died in his irons in the Pandora shipwreck in 1791.
Smith, John
36
Captain's Servant
Loyalist
After returning to England, stayed with the Blighs until 1801.  
Stewart, George
21
Midshipman
Mutineer
Struck and killed by a falling gangway during the Pandora shipwreck in 1791.
Sumner, John
22
Able Seaman
Mutineer
Struck and killed by a falling gangway during the Pandora shipwreck in 1791.
Thompson, Matthew
37
Able Seaman
Mutineer
Murdered by Tahitians in revenge for Churchill’s death.  Was subsequently offered as a sacrifice to their gods.
Tinkler, Robert
15
Midshipman
Loyalist
Served as a naval commander after returning to England.  Died in 1820, in Norwich.
Valentine, James
28
Able Seaman
Died before mutiny.
Died on the voyage to Tahiti of an infection while being treated for another ailment..
Williams, John
26
Able Seaman
Mutineer
Killed by Tahitians on Pitcairn.
Edward, Young
21
Midshipman
Mutineer
Died of asthma in 1800.
* Age at time Bounty left England

Description of the Pirates remaining on Board his Majesty's armed Vessel, Bounty, on the 28th April, 1789. Drawn up at Timor. Copies of this List were forwarded from Batavia to Lord Cornwallis, then Governor-General of India, at Calcutta; to Governor Philips, at New South Wales; and one was left at Batavia, with the Governor-General of the Dutch Possessions in India:

Fletcher Christian, master's mate, aged 24 years, five feet nine inches high, blackish, or very dark brown complexion, dark brown hair, strong made; a star tatowed on his left breast, tatowed on his backside; his knees stand a little out, and he may be called rather bow legged. He is subject to violent perspirations, and particularly in his hands, so that he soils any thing he handles.

George Stewart, midshipman, aged 23 years, five feet seven inches high, good complexion, dark hair, slender made, narrow chested, and long neck, small face, and black eyes; tatowed on the left breast with a star, and on the left arm with a heart and darts, is also tatowed on the backside.

Peter Heywood, midshipman, aged 17 years, five feet seven inches high, fair complexion, light brown hair, well proportioned; very much tatowed; and on the right leg is tatowed the three legs of Man, as it is upon that coin. At this time he has not done growing; and speaks with the Manks, or Isle of Man accent.

Edward Young, midshipman, aged 22 years, five feet eight inches high, dark complexion, and rather a bad look; dark brown hair, strong made, has lost several of his fore teeth, and those that remain are all rotten; a small mole on the left side of the throat, and on the right arm is tatowed a heart and dart through it, with E. Y. underneath, and the date of the year 1788 or 1789.

Charles Churchill, ship's corporal, aged 30 years, five feet ten inches high, fair complexion, short light brown hair, top of the head bald, strong made; the fore-finger of his left hand crooked, and his hand shews the marks of a severe scald; tatowed in several places of his body, legs, and arms.

James Morrison, boatswain's mate, aged 28 years, five feet eight inches high, sallow complexion, long black hair, slender made; has lost the use of the upper joint of the fore-finger of the right hand; tatowed with a star under his left breast, and a garter round his left leg, with the motto of Honi soit qui mal y pense; and has been wounded in one of his arms with a musket ball.

John Mills, gunner's mate, aged 40 years, five feet ten inches high, fair complexion, light brown hair, strong made, and raw boned; a scar in his right arm-pit, occasioned by an abscess.

John Millward, seaman, aged 22 years, five feet five inches high, brown complexion, dark hair, strong made; very much tatowed in different parts of the body, and under the pit of the stomach, with a taoomy of Otaheite.

Matthew Thompson, seaman, aged 40 years, five feet eight inches high, very dark complexion, short black hair, slender made, and has lost the joint of the great toe of his right foot; and is tatowed in several places of his body.

William Mickoy, seaman, aged 25 years, five feet six inches high, fair complexion, light brown hair, strong made; a scar where he has been stabbed in the belly, and a small scar under his chin; is tatowed in different parts of his body.

Matthew Quintal, seaman, aged 21 years, five feet five inches high, fair complexion, light brown hair, strong made; very much tatowed on the backside, and several other places.

John Sumner, seaman, aged 24 years, five feet eight inches high, fair complexion, brown hair; a scar on the left cheek, and tatowed in several places.

Thomas Burket, seaman, aged 26 years, five feet nine inches high, fair complexion, very much pitted with the small-pox, brown hair, slender made, and very much tatowed.

Isaac Martin, seaman, aged 30 years, five feet eleven inches high, sallow complexion, short brown hair, raw boned; tatowed with a star on his left breast.

William Musprat, seaman, aged 30 years, five feet six inches high, dark complexion, brown hair, slender made, a very strong black beard, with scars under his chin; is tatowed in several places of his body.

Henry Hilbrant, seaman, aged 25 years, five feet seven inches high, fair complexion, sandy hair, strong made; his left arm shorter than the other, having been broke; is an Hanoverian born, and speaks bad English; tatowed in several places.

Alexander Smith, seaman, aged 22 years, five feet five inches high, brown complexion, brown hair, strong made; very much pitted with the small-pox, and very much tatowed on his body, legs, arms, and feet. He has a scar on his right foot, where it has been cut with a wood axe.

John Williams, seaman, aged 25 years, five feet five inches high, dark complexion, black hair, slender made; has a scar on the back part of his head; is tatowed, and a native of Guernsey; speaks French. Richard Skinner, seaman, aged 22 years, five feet eight inches high, fair complexion, very well made, and has scars on both ankles, and on his right shin; is very much tatowed.

Thomas Ellison, seaman, aged 17 years, five feet three inches high, fair complexion, dark hair, strong made; has got his name tatowed on his right arm, and dated October 25th, 1788.

William Brown, assistant botanist, aged 27 years, five feet eight inches high, fair complexion, dark brown hair, slender made; a remarkable scar on one of his cheeks, which contracts the eye-lid, and runs down to his throat, occasioned by the king's evil; is tatowed.

Michael Byrne, seaman, aged 28 years, five feet six inches high, fair complexion, short fair hair, slender made: is almost blind, and has the mark of an issue on the back of his neck; plays the violin.

Joseph Coleman, armourer, aged 40 years, five feet six inches high, fair complexion, grey hair, strong made; a heart tatowed on one of his arms.

Charles Norman, carpenter's mate, aged 26 years, five feet nine inches high, fair complexion, light brown hair, slender made, is pitted with the small-pox; and has a remarkable motion with his head and eyes.

Thomas McIntosh, carpenter's crew, aged 28 years, five feet six inches high, fair complexion, light brown hair, slender made; is pitted with the small-pox, and is tatowed.

The four last are deserving of mercy, being detained against their inclinations.

WM. BLIGH.
Note. This description was made out from the recollection of the persons with me, who were best acquainted with their private marks.

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