The Treasure of the Falkland Islands

[Crow]

The family are listed in the 1851 census as:
John JOHNSON, age 36, labourer and Dane
Jane JOHNSON, age 31, wife from Wales
Margaret HERKES, age 12, servant from England
Jane HERKES, age 9 from England
Eliza HERKES, age 6
William HERKES, age 4

Crow

 

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[Crow]

John Johnston died 10 August 1849, age 39, from natural causes (debility) and was buried 13 August 1849 in Grave D296

John JOHNSON was recorded in the 1842 census as being age 23, from Copenhagen, a seaman on board the Montgomery, previously in the Merchant Service, arriving 4 May 1841,
and a protestant.

He was recorded in the 1843 census as being from Elsinoer, a labourer, previously in the merchant service and as arriving in the Falkland Islands 4 May 1841, a protestant, who owned 2 goats and 1 dog and lived with the Herkes family.

Source:

HERKES FAMILY
VERSION: 16 November 2011
Page 1 of 2 HERKES FAMILY

NB: The following is prepared from Falkland Islands Registers and files – there may be other family born
outside the Falklands. Unless stated otherwise, all dated births, deaths and marriages occurred in the
Falklands and all numbered graves are in Stanley Cemetery. Various spellings of names are recorded
as written at the time

Crow

 

[Crow]

Checking the Lloyd's record for the Montgomery in 1841 was not recorded for 184I in their ships register. no Montgomery in 1840 either?

Crow

 

[Crow]

Jane Davis HERKES, widow, was married to John JOHNSON 30 January 1850 in the Parish of the Holy Trinity by Banns by James Leith Moody, Colonial Chaplain. The witnesses were
James Biggs, Dettleff and Edward McMurray. Jane signed with a X. Neither Jane or John’s fathers were recorded.

John, a Danish seaman died 30 October 1853, age 42, from effects of drink and was buried in Grave D295-D2991. Jane, a native of North Wales, died 9 September 1873, age 50, from
bronchitis and was buried as Jane HERKES in Grave D295-D299¹

There appears to be two John Johnson one dying in 1849 and another dying in 1853?

Source:

HERKES FAMILY
VERSION: 16 November 2011
Page 1 of 2 HERKES FAMILY

NB: The following is prepared from Falkland Islands Registers and files – there may be other family born
outside the Falklands. Unless stated otherwise, all dated births, deaths and marriages occurred in the
Falklands and all numbered graves are in Stanley Cemetery. Various spellings of names are recorded
as written at the time

Crow

 

[M. A. Nazario]

Jane Davis HERKES, widow, was married to John JOHNSON 30 January 1850 in the Parish of the Holy Trinity by Banns by James Leith Moody, Colonial Chaplain. The witnesses were
James Biggs, Dettleff and Edward McMurray. Jane signed with a X. Neither Jane or John’s fathers were recorded.

John, a Danish seaman died 30 October 1853, age 42, from effects of drink and was buried in Grave D295-D2991. Jane, a native of North Wales, died 9 September 1873, age 50, from
bronchitis and was buried as Jane HERKES in Grave D295-D299¹

There appears to be two John Johnson one dying in 1849 and another dying in 1853?

Source:

HERKES FAMILY
VERSION: 16 November 2011
Page 1 of 2 HERKES FAMILY

NB: The following is prepared from Falkland Islands Registers and files – there may be other family born
outside the Falklands. Unless stated otherwise, all dated births, deaths and marriages occurred in the
Falklands and all numbered graves are in Stanley Cemetery. Various spellings of names are recorded
as written at the time

Crow

Hi Crow,

What record shows a John Johnson dying in 1849?

According to the censuses I read, there was only one, who was the only Dane on the islands during his time.

There’s info on Johnson but Wagener remains elusive.

Edit: apologies, I reread your posts and I see where it’s recorded that Johnson died in 1849, in the Herkes record.

 

[metalman2024]

Some more background on the story. Note the spelling of "Frances" - the newspapers of the day used both "Francis" and "Frances." The newspaper sailing cards use "Francis," so I'm inclined to believe that is correct.

It's an important lesson for those conducting newspaper research - a good example is the several spellings of "Tayopa."

View attachment 2185852
View attachment 2185853​

Stockton Daily Independent [Stockton, Calif.]​

Volume V, Number 98, 24 November 1863​

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

the English is almost like today's, I found the words, that he was on the eve of "pegging out" quite funny, 19th century language for sure but I got the jist, today it would be, he had a feeling he was going to croak, so, about the nineteen millions with an s!, was no treasure found?

 

[Crow]

Here is picture of cemetery in Port Stanley when both John Johnson's are buried in 1849 and 1853?

Crow

 

[metalman2024]

Here is picture of cemetery in Port Stanley when both John Johnson's are buried in 1849 and 1853?

View attachment 2185926

Crow

Random, I read the gravestones in the GTA, Ontario and they're almost all readable from the 19th century anywhere you check, their lives almost never went past 60 something, the average I found was about 22.

 

[Crow]

Random, I read the gravestones in the GTA, Ontario and they're almost all readable from the 19th century anywhere you check, their lives almost never went past 60 something, the average I found was about 22.

We forget these days the medical advancements making us live much older. Many died young.

Here is Johnson Harbour settlement named after John Johnson.

Crow

 

[Crow]

Here is Berkley sound where Johnson had treasure buried in an alleged cave.

Crow

 

[Crow]

Here is part of 1834 map that might help determine this location of this alleged cave.

The north eastern section that might reveal presence of caves?

Crow

 

[Crow]

Buenos Aires still functioned. Commerce was still conducted in its markets and ports. There was still money to be made. Conflict could be profitable. So, many merchants,
resident and foreign, invested in the privateering business. Some, in 1819, bankrolled a venture by one Patricio Lynch, who acquired a French frigate, Braque.

He refitted the vessel to take 30 guns; renaming her Heroina. Command, with the rank of Colonel in the National Marine Service, went to David Jewett. As did the all-important corsair licence, issued by the Ministry of War and Marina

This document survives. Some wording is faint, but it seems clear that the signature of the Supreme Director, Jose Rondeau, was appended separately. Probably before completion of the rest of the document. Presented as a signed blank and completed by the armadore.

Buenos Airean licences permitted the pursuit and capture of Spanish ships only, while those issued in the Banda Oriental allowed pursuit of Portuguese ships. Regulations in Buenos Aires did not permit the possession of more than one licence, although this was often ignored.

Before Heroina sailed, Lynch requested any specific orders that the government may have had. There is no evidence that there were any. So, on sailing from the Rio de la Plata on March 21st, 1820, Jewett headed north-east towards Spain.
Meanwhile, in the archipelago, ships still stopped for rest and repair. Ever the haunt of whalers and sealers.

Crow

 

[Crow]

Out in the Atlantic, was the Buenos Airean corsair Heroina which, on July 27th, 1820, chased down a Portuguese merchantman, Carlota. An act of piracy outside the scope of the licence

Jewett carried. With a prize crew on board Carlota, both ships turned for the Cape Verde islands. From there towards Brazil, off whose coast Jewett discovered a conspiracy to
mutiny. The grievances are not known, but the Colonel was vicious in putting the insurrection down. Four or six men shot.

Accounts vary, but in doing so he created genuine
grievances. Particularly among the officers. Seven months and one prize was not a great return. So, Jewett headed both ships towards the Falklands.

Off the archipelago, on October 23rd, 1820, they ran into a storm. Only Heroina emerged; sailing into Berkeley
Sound on the 27th.

here is a late map dated 1829 with key locations of where these events took place below.

It was were he discovered the wreck of the Uranie. With
little to show for his voyage, Jewett was not slow to recognise an opportunity for profit. the Colonel raised the colours of Buenos Aires, read a declaration and fired 21 guns in salute. Immediately followed by the Colonel laying an 'official' claim to the French wreck.

After seven months lying on a beach unattended, it is
surprising that there was anything left worth salvaging.
Another act of piracy took place in December 1820, when Jewett seized a US ship, Rampart. Bound for Europe with a Spanish cargo. Quite sufficient, in the Colonel's view, to
qualify the vessel for confiscation.

As we can see David Jewett had capture a Portuguese ship and American Ship other than Spanish ships that he was licensed for. With possibility of a looted french shipwreck.

Was this alleged treasure an accumulation of loot from these ships? That John Johnson could have of alluded to. But we have to remember he would of been nine years old when these events happened? Was he cabin boy on one of these ships or privateer the Heroina?

The archives in Argentina will answer that question because there could be surviving names of the crew list of Heroina?

And the question remained what happened David Jewett?

Sources:

1: Account of Louis de Freycinet quoted in The Uranie site(s): Report of an inspection and the context of
the survivor's camp, wreck and wreckage emanating from the loss of La Corvette du Roi L'Uranie at the
Falkland Islands in 1820 Dr. M. McCarthy 2002

2: na Tierra Argentinas: Las Islas Malvinas R. R. Cailet-Bois 1982 (6th ed.)

3: Protest of Schofield’s widow – December, 1832 in FO 6/499

4: Jewett to Supreme Director of the United Provinces of South America February 1st, 1821 AGN Sala X5 1-2

Crow

 

[Crow]

Here where it gets interesting.

The Rampart was involved around the time of Callao incident.

Callao Affair

Or some times known as Macedonian incident. What you find interesting is comments below.

At the same time that the Macedonian sailors were attacked, American and British merchantmen were being looted in the port and two days later, on November 8, the American schooner Rampart was attacked by the fort and heavily damaged while trying to offload her cargo, forcing her crew to abandon ship.
Source: Glenn, Myra C. (2010). Jack Tar's Story: The Autobiographies and Memoirs of Sailors in Antebellum America. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-19368-9.

The rampant schooner was there around 5th and 6th of November. in December 1820, when Jewett seized a US ship, Rampart. Bound for Europe with a Spanish cargo.

What was on the Rampant schooner going to Spain. Was it treasure?

Crow

 

[Crow]

More questions amigos.

David Jewett. born 17 Jun 1772 New London, New London County, Connecticut, United States of America. DIed 26 Jul 1842 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

hIS bio American Military Figure -
Admiral David Jewett - A notable figure in the history of the sovereignty dispute between Great Britain and Argentina. He received his commission with the United States Navy at the age of 19. During the French War of 1798 he was Captain of the 24 gunner Trumbull. He took possession of the Falkland Islands in 1820. He enlisted in the service of the Buenos Ayrean government serving until its independence was established and was the first to raise the flag of independence. He became Admiral Commander-in-Chief about 1827.

He ended up becoming admiral in the Brazilian navy.

After reading through his will made in 1838 . he was wealthy man with land in USA and gave hundreds of dollars each to his children.

but nothing to prove conclusively that he benefited from looted treasure. He had two very important role in Argentina then Brazil.

Crow

 

[Crow]

What is interesting than when David Jewett died in 1842. John Johnston the Dane allegedly arrived in the Falklands in 1842 on a ship Montgomery?

Crow

 

[M. A. Nazario]

Out in the Atlantic, was the Buenos Airean corsair Heroina which, on July 27th, 1820, chased down a Portuguese merchantman, Carlota. An act of piracy outside the scope of the licence

Jewett carried. With a prize crew on board Carlota, both ships turned for the Cape Verde islands. From there towards Brazil, off whose coast Jewett discovered a conspiracy to
mutiny. The grievances are not known, but the Colonel was vicious in putting the insurrection down. Four or six men shot.

Accounts vary, but in doing so he created genuine
grievances. Particularly among the officers. Seven months and one prize was not a great return. So, Jewett headed both ships towards the Falklands.

Off the archipelago, on October 23rd, 1820, they ran into a storm. Only Heroina emerged; sailing into Berkeley
Sound on the 27th.

here is a late map dated 1829 with key locations of where these events took place below.

View attachment 2185950

It was were he discovered the wreck of the Uranie. With
little to show for his voyage, Jewett was not slow to recognise an opportunity for profit. the Colonel raised the colours of Buenos Aires, read a declaration and fired 21 guns in salute. Immediately followed by the Colonel laying an 'official' claim to the French wreck.

After seven months lying on a beach unattended, it is
surprising that there was anything left worth salvaging.
Another act of piracy took place in December 1820, when Jewett seized a US ship, Rampart. Bound for Europe with a Spanish cargo. Quite sufficient, in the Colonel's view, to
qualify the vessel for confiscation.

As we can see David Jewett had capture a Portuguese ship and American Ship other than Spanish ships that he was licensed for. With possibility of a looted french shipwreck.

Was this alleged treasure an accumulation of loot from these ships? That John Johnson could have of alluded to. But we have to remember he would of been nine years old when these events happened? Was he cabin boy on one of these ships or privateer the Heroina?

The archives in Argentina will answer that question because there could be surviving names of the crew list of Heroina?

And the question remained what happened David Jewett?

Sources:

1: Account of Louis de Freycinet quoted in The Uranie site(s): Report of an inspection and the context of
the survivor's camp, wreck and wreckage emanating from the loss of La Corvette du Roi L'Uranie at the
Falkland Islands in 1820 Dr. M. McCarthy 2002

2: na Tierra Argentinas: Las Islas Malvinas R. R. Cailet-Bois 1982 (6th ed.)

3: Protest of Schofield’s widow – December, 1832 in FO 6/499

4: Jewett to Supreme Director of the United Provinces of South America February 1st, 1821 AGN Sala X5 1-2

Crow

From the letter of the Consulate we know that Johnson claimed he was a boy when aboard the pirate ship. The census records are shoddy regarding age. The 1842 census gives his birth year as 1819 while the 1853 census suggests his birth year as 1815. So he could’ve been a teenager when these events occurred; though, at sea, a 9 year old cabin boy is not uncommon.

Thank you, Crow, for the deep research as always. The Jewett connection was not at all one that I had conceived. Perhaps the treasure is from the Carlotta or some treasure from the Rampart?

However, if Johnson sailed as a cabin boy on the Heroina under Jewett, it wouldn’t make sense that he was the last man to know the secret. There seems to be multiple iterations of the calamity, but either he claimed that a Spanish warship had sunken his pirate vessel, and killed all aboard; or that his vessel was wrecked. Either way, neither happened under Jewett.

In 1822 the Heroina was given to Guillermo Roberto Mason (who was governor of the Falklands for a few months in 1821) who seized some Spanish and Portuguese ships before being shot by a Spanish warship and the crew imprisoned in Spain. Mason was later set free and died in 1860.

 

[M. A. Nazario]

Out in the Atlantic, was the Buenos Airean corsair Heroina which, on July 27th, 1820, chased down a Portuguese merchantman, Carlota. An act of piracy outside the scope of the licence

Jewett carried. With a prize crew on board Carlota, both ships turned for the Cape Verde islands. From there towards Brazil, off whose coast Jewett discovered a conspiracy to
mutiny. The grievances are not known, but the Colonel was vicious in putting the insurrection down. Four or six men shot.

Accounts vary, but in doing so he created genuine
grievances. Particularly among the officers. Seven months and one prize was not a great return. So, Jewett headed both ships towards the Falklands.

Off the archipelago, on October 23rd, 1820, they ran into a storm. Only Heroina emerged; sailing into Berkeley
Sound on the 27th.

here is a late map dated 1829 with key locations of where these events took place below.

View attachment 2185950

It was were he discovered the wreck of the Uranie. With
little to show for his voyage, Jewett was not slow to recognise an opportunity for profit. the Colonel raised the colours of Buenos Aires, read a declaration and fired 21 guns in salute. Immediately followed by the Colonel laying an 'official' claim to the French wreck.

After seven months lying on a beach unattended, it is
surprising that there was anything left worth salvaging.
Another act of piracy took place in December 1820, when Jewett seized a US ship, Rampart. Bound for Europe with a Spanish cargo. Quite sufficient, in the Colonel's view, to
qualify the vessel for confiscation.

As we can see David Jewett had capture a Portuguese ship and American Ship other than Spanish ships that he was licensed for. With possibility of a looted french shipwreck.

Was this alleged treasure an accumulation of loot from these ships? That John Johnson could have of alluded to. But we have to remember he would of been nine years old when these events happened? Was he cabin boy on one of these ships or privateer the Heroina?

The archives in Argentina will answer that question because there could be surviving names of the crew list of Heroina?

And the question remained what happened David Jewett?

Sources:

1: Account of Louis de Freycinet quoted in The Uranie site(s): Report of an inspection and the context of
the survivor's camp, wreck and wreckage emanating from the loss of La Corvette du Roi L'Uranie at the
Falkland Islands in 1820 Dr. M. McCarthy 2002

2: na Tierra Argentinas: Las Islas Malvinas R. R. Cailet-Bois 1982 (6th ed.)

3: Protest of Schofield’s widow – December, 1832 in FO 6/499

4: Jewett to Supreme Director of the United Provinces of South America February 1st, 1821 AGN Sala X5 1-2

Crow

Interesting as well to see that Johnson’s name was attached to the Berkeley Sound as early as 1829. Perhaps, then, the name has nothing to do with John Johnson, who would’ve only been a boy at that time.

 

[Crow]

Interesting as well to see that Johnson’s name was attached to the Berkeley Sound as early as 1829. Perhaps, then, the name has nothing to do with John Johnson, who would’ve only been a boy at that time.

There appears to be two John Johnson's buried in Port Stanley perhaps the name place was mixed up. and was named after this other Johnson?

Crow

 

[Crow]

From the letter of the Consulate we know that Johnson claimed he was a boy when aboard the pirate ship. The census records are shoddy regarding age. The 1842 census gives his birth year as 1819 while the 1853 census suggests his birth year as 1815. So he could’ve been a teenager when these events occurred; though, at sea, a 9 year old cabin boy is not uncommon.

Thank you, Crow, for the deep research as always. The Jewett connection was not at all one that I had conceived. Perhaps the treasure is from the Carlotta or some treasure from the Rampart?

However, if Johnson sailed as a cabin boy on the Heroina under Jewett, it wouldn’t make sense that he was the last man to know the secret. There seems to be multiple iterations of the calamity, but either he claimed that a Spanish warship had sunken his pirate vessel, and killed all aboard; or that his vessel was wrecked. Either way, neither happened under Jewett.

In 1822 the Heroina was given to Guillermo Roberto Mason (who was governor of the Falklands for a few months in 1821) who seized some Spanish and Portuguese ships before being shot by a Spanish warship and the crew imprisoned in Spain. Mason was later set free and died in 1860.

There is more about Guillermo Roberto Mason.

William Robert Mason

Both could of been independantly involved in hiding treasure? Both strayed into piracy. Both if they had been involved at at all could never recover what was hidden? once it became a British territory?

They both have points for and against of possibly being involved? Jewett or Mason.? Maybe both of them are connected in the story of John Johnson and not connected to treasure part at all.?

I have a theory that both was not directly involved.

Please understand this is hypothesis it is only speculation based on what we know? We find parts of story is garbled because what we know it has been retold in third person in the retelling of story. First have John Johnson telling the story to Wagner who tells the stories to reporterS who write their newspaper version of the details?

As I state this is what I suspect was the actual version of events connected to this treasure story?

John Johnson was cabin boy at the time he was most likely on Heroina which, on July 27th, 1820, chased down a Portuguese merchantman, Carlota.

John Johnson most likely transferred with the prize crew onto the Carlota that returned to Falklands. It is possible the crew discovered treasure onboard the Carlota? Already rebellious managed to steal the treasure and bury it in cave in Berkley sound and scuttle the ship. Before the Heroina arrived?

Unfortunately mutinous crew in their long boat was swamped and only John Johnson survived. Jewett discovered him thinking he was a survivor of the Carlota sinking in storm he ridden through?

John Johnson returned to being part of the crew of the Heroina. Then they engaged in capture of the Rampant which may or not have had treasure onboard from Peru?

Returning to Argentina as a crew member of Heroina he fell under the command of Roberto mason. John then survived those encounters being captured by the Portuguese? So in effect John Johnson could experience the whole lot what was claimed by Wagener as in the retelling of john Johnson's life story.

It is possible he returned to Falklands in 1842. The soul possessor of knowlege of treasure looted from the Carlota? Returning to retrieve small portions of treasure when his gambling and need for money suited him. Realising he could not remove treasure out of the falklands with out being busted for piracy? So he stayed in the falklands for rest of his life drinking and gambling.

I did not find at ship Montgomery listed in Lloyd's records for 1842. But there was ship going from Scotland to Australia in 1851 returned via cape horn to England that usually stopped at Falklands. How long was this ship doing the Australian run and return?

But it might be possible that ship Mongomery operated 10 years earlier. So it might match events. Wager met a bitter burnt out drunk who dank himself to death gambling bits of treasure and to buy booze. Terrified of being outed as pirate.

Of couse we really still need to confirm or disprove many things. But it is maybe a posible version of events?

Jewett wrote a 13 page acount of his time as commander of the Heroina. Perhaps there is a more detailed account of the loss for Carlota? For example how did Jewett know the Carlota was sunk rather than just the crew running off with the prize?

Crow