Disappearance of Schooner Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 3: A Duel, Conspiracy Then a Disappearance

From the February 9, 2012, North Carolina Shipwrecks blog  "Schooner Patriot and  the Mystery of Theodosia Burr Alston by Judi Heit.

Wife of South Carolina governor John Alston and daughter of former U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr, but the 1804 duel between her father and former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton that led to the latter's death, complicated her life. During Burr's murder trial, Theodosia traveled several times to New York to support her father.

He was acquitted, but still politically intriguing and next got in trouble when he tried to get several western states/territories to secede and make him leader.  In 1807, he defended himself against conspiracy allegations.  He was acquitted, but went into exile in Europe.  Theodosia defended him in this as well.

After return to South Carolina from the conspiracy trial, Theodosia's health became worse and then she lost her ten-year-old son.  In the meantime, Aaron Burr had returned from Europe and in 1812, was living in New York and convinced his daughter to come see him there during the holidays.  At this time, Great Britain and the United States were at war, so her husband couldn't come with her because he was governor of S.C..

--Brock-Perry

The Disappearance of the Schooner Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston in 1813-- Part 1

From the August 5. 2016, Mental Floss "7 ships that disappeared without a trace" by Claire  Cock-Starkey.

While looking up the HMS Theodosia after the last several posts, I came across this article.  It wasn't about the HMS Theodosia but definitely had a War of 1812 connection.

Theodosia Burr Alston (1783-1813) was the daughter of the third U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr.  She had a privileged upbringing and was well-educated.  In 1801, she married wealthy landowner  Joseph Alston who went on to become South Carolina's governor (1812-1814, so, the war years).

Sadly in 1812, she lost her only son and, stricken with grief, boarded the schooner Patriot in South Carolina to visit her father in New York.

After it sailed, it was lost to history.

What Happened to the Patriot and Theodosia?  --Brock-Perry

And, All This Started With Ann Stokes, Black Nurse in the Civil War

I had never heard of Richard M. Johnson before, but he has a very interesting story as you have been reading over the last two weeks.

Ann Stokes was the reason I found him.  She was one of the first women ever to be in the U.S. Navy, noteworthy in itself.  But, she also was "contraband," a runaway slave.  So, not only was she one of the first women in the Navy, she was also one of the first black women.  She was also the first woman to receive a Navy pension for her service, not her husband's.

I wrote about her in several posts in my Running the Blockade Civil War Navy blog if you want to find out more.

She spent her latter years in the really small town of Belknap, Illinois, and died there.  I can't find out where she was buried.

Population of Belknap in 2000 was 133.  It is in Johnson County, pop. 2010 12,382.  But what got me was that it was named after Richard M. Johnson in 1812, who was then a Kentucky Congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives and commanded a Kentucky regiment in the War of 1812 and at the Battle of the Thames and claimed to have killed Indian leader Tecumseh in hand-to-hand combat.  He later became U.S. vice president.

Well, I just had to find out more about this interesting fellow.

And, So It Was.  --Brock-Perry

Richard M. Johnson-- Part 1: Kentucky Politician, Vice President and Killed Tecumseh

From Wikipedia.

I have been writing about Ann Bradford Stokes in my Running the Blockade Civil War Naval Blog.  She served on the hospital ship USS Red Rover during the Civil War, one of the first women to serve on a U.S. naval ship.  She also became the first woman to receive a pension based on her wartime service.  She was also a black woman and former slave.

She died in the town of Belknap, Illinois, in 1903, which is in Johnson County, named for this man.

I wrote about that today and am looking to see where her grave is and whether or not it is marked (but have been unsuccessful so far).

Richard Mintor Johnson was born October 17, 1788, apparently in Virginia, and died November 19, 1850.  He was a War of 1812 leader and the 9th vice president of the United States, serving under Martin Van Buren (1837-1841).

I'd never heard of Him.  --Brock-Perry