John Julian

For the clergyman and editor of A Dictionary of Hymnology, see John Julian (priest).

John Julian
Born	c.1701 (1701) likely Nicaragua
Died	March 22, 1733 (1733-03-23) (aged 31) Boston, Massachusetts
Piratical career
Type	Pirate
Allegiance	"Black Sam" Bellamy
Years active	1716 – April 26, 1717
Rank	pilot of the Whydah Gally

John Julian (c. 1701—March 26, 1733) was a pirate of multi-racial descent^[1] who operated in Americans, as the pilot of the ship Whydah.

Julian joined pirate Samuel Bellamy, and became the pilot of Bellamy's Whydah when he was probably only 16 years of age.^[2]

In 1717, the Whydah shipwrecked, with Julian and a carpenter called Thomas Davis being the only known survivors.^[3] He was captured, but not indicted, so he was probably sold as a slave.^{[citation needed]} He may have been the "Julian the Indian" bought by John Quincy, great grandfather of president John Quincy Adams.^[1]

"Julian the Indian" reportedly made multiple attempts to flee and once killed a bounty hunter who was after him.^[1] He was executed in March 1733.^[3]

Newspaper item about execution of "Julian the Indian" (The Weekly Rehearsal, Boston, March 1733)

Further reading

• W. Jeffrey Bolster - Black Jacks: African American Seamen in the Age of Sail.
• Kuhn, Gabriel (2010). Life Under the Jolly Roger: Reflections on Golden Age Piracy. PM Press. ISBN 9781604860528.

References

1. "Only free at sea". Pirates of the Wydah. National Geographic. Archived from the original on 3 June 2004.
2. "Life aboard the Whydah: A Motley Crew". "Real Pirates" museum exhibit website. Chicago, Illinois: The Field Museum. 2009. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
3. Nelson, Laura. "John Julian - The Teenage Pirate" at Pirates and Privateers