Titus; Not exactly a brave sailor, but an interesting person. Hundreds of black seamen served on Patriot privateers. Titus, of Salem, Massachusetts, served as a business agent for the privateers, and did well at it according to the entry of August 13, 1781, in the diary of William Pynchon.
“Fair and cool. News that Mrs. Fairfield’s son died in the prison ship at New York. Three more privateers are taken…. Mrs. Cabot makes her will; it gives Titus her negro, £40 and his freedom in case he shall continue in her service henceforth till her death. Titus cares not, as he gets money apace, being one of the agents for some of the agents for some of the privateersmen, and wears cloth shoes, ruffle shirts, silk breeches and stockings, and dances minuets at Commencement; it is said that he has more profits as agent than Mr. Ansil Alcock….” - Sidney Kaplan’s The Black Presence in the American Revolution 1770-1800.
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