George Washington Signed Ship’s Passport For a Vessel Owned by the Family of the First Chaplain in the Continental Navy
The document bears both Federal and New York City seals and is also signed by Secretary of State Edmund Randolph, New York Mayor Richard Varick, and Collector of the Port of New York and War Hero John Lamb
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In the early days of the American republic, ships leaving U.S. ports for foreign shores were required to have passports, and both the president and secretary of state signed these documents. Between 1794-1795, passports were signed by Washington as President were also signed by Edmund Randolph as Secretary of State.
Benjamin...
In the early days of the American republic, ships leaving U.S. ports for foreign shores were required to have passports, and both the president and secretary of state signed these documents. Between 1794-1795, passports were signed by Washington as President were also signed by Edmund Randolph as Secretary of State.
Benjamin Balch, Jr. was a ship’s master and son of Benjamin Balch, Sr., the first chaplain in the Continental Navy. The family came from Barrington, NH. The junior Balch was master of the Ship Barrington out of the port of Portsmouth. He died at sea in 1809 at age 41.
A Ship’s passport in English, French and Dutch, signed by President Washington and Secretary of State Randolph, Philadelphia, February 9, 1795, approximately 16 by 14 inches, authorizing Benjamin Balch (misspelled Balsh), master or commander of the Ship Barrington, of a burthen of 204 47/95 tons, “lying at present in the port of New York, bound for Londonderry and laden with flaxseed…& staves, to depart and proceed with his said Ship on his said voyage…The said Benjamin Balch having made oath that…the said Ship Barrington belongs to one or more of the citizens of the United States of America, and to him or them only.” The great seal of the U.S. is still present.
The passport is countersigned by New York Mayor Richard Varick and by the New York Port Collector, the legendary Continental Army artillery commander John Lamb. This is a fine combination of signatures of Washington, Randolph, Varick and Lamb on one document. The New York mayoralty dangling seal is present as well. Thus there are two official seals on this document, which one rarely sees.
Interestingly, some vessels involved in the flaxseed trade with Ireland were also slave ships. Whether that was true of the Barrington is not known.
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