LOWTHER, Captain George
Sailed as second mate from the Thames in the Gambia Castle, a ship belonging to the African Company, sixteen guns and a crew of thirty men. On board as passengers were Captain Massey and a number of soldiers. Arriving at their destination, Massey quarrelled with the merchants on shore, and, a few days later, with Lowther, seized the ship, which he renamed the Delivery. They now went a-pirating, their first prize being a Boston ship, and cruising about off the Island of Hispaniola, several more were taken, but nothing very rich. Lowther quarrelled with Captain Massey, who, being a soldier, wished to land on some island to plunder the French settlements, but this was not agreed to, and Massey and his followers were sent away in a sloop. Life for Lowther now became a series of successes, prizes being taken, and visits to land being occasionally made for the crew to enjoy a drunken revel.
Having met with Captain Low, for a while the two sailed together, and took the Greyhound, a merchantman, and several more rich prizes. Lowther now commanded a small pirate fleet, and styled himself Admiral, his flagship being the Happy Delivery. While careening their ships in the Gulf of Matigue, they were suddenly attacked by the natives, and the pirates barely escaped in a sloop with their lives. Lowther soon improved himself by seizing a brigantine, and in her shaped his course to the coast of South Carolina, a favourite resort for the pirates. Here he attacked an English ship, but was so roughly handled that he was glad to run his ship ashore and escape.
In 1723 he steered for Newfoundland, taking many small vessels there, and returning to the West Indies. While cleaning his ship at the Isle of Blanco, he was suddenly attacked by a South Sea Company's ship, the Eagle, and the pirates were compelled to surrender. Lowther and a dozen of his crew escaped by climbing out of the cabin window, and, reaching the island, hid themselves in the woods. All were caught except Lowther and three men and a boy. He was shortly afterwards found lying dead with a pistol by his side, and was supposed to have shot himself. Three of his crew who were caught were carried to St. Christopher's, and there tried for piracy and hanged.
Crew
CHURCHILL, John
One of Captain George Lowther's crew. Captured by the Eagle sloop at the Island of Blanco, not far from Tortuga.
Hanged on March 11th, 1722, at St. Kitts.
DELVE, Jonathan
One of Captain Lowther's crew in the Happy Delivery. Was hanged at St. Kitts in 1722.
FREEBARN, Matthew
One of Captain Lowther's crew. Hanged at St. Kitts on March 11th, 1722.
HUNTER, Andrew
One of Captain Lowther's crew. Hanged at St. Kitts on March 11th, 1722.
LEVERCOTT, Sam
Hanged in 1722 at the Island of St. Kitts, with the rest of Captain Lowther's crew.
LEWIS, Nicholas
One of Captain George Lowther's crew. Hanged at St. Kitts on March 11th, 1722.
MACKDONALD, Edward
One of Captain George Lowther's crew in the Happy Delivery. Hanged at St. Kitts on March 11th, 1722.
SHAW, John
One of Captain Lowther's crew. Hanged at St. Kitts on March 11th, 1722.
WATSON, Henry
One of Captain Lowther's crew in the Happy Delivery. Hanged at St. Kitts on March 11th, 1722.
WEST, Richard
One of Captain Lowther's crew. Hanged at St. Kitts in March, 1722.
WHITE, Robert
One of Captain George Lowther's crew. Hanged on March 22nd, 1722, at St. Kitts.
Crew members who escaped hanging
CANDOR, Ralph
Tried for piracy with the rest of Captain Lowther's crew at St. Kitts in March, 1723, and acquitted.
GRANGE, Roger
One of Captain Lowther's crew of the Happy Delivery. Tried for piracy at St. Kitts in 1722, but acquitted.
WILLIS, Robert
One of Captain George Lowther's crew. Tried for piracy at St. Kitts in March, 1722, and acquitted.