Articles of Agreement, Crew List, August 4, 1874, Ship Frank N.Thayer

The Articles of Agreement is a contract between the ship and the crew, outlining appropriate behavior, wages, length of voyage, and food provided to the crew. This contract is for a voyage from Hong Kong to San Francisco or Portland on the Kennebunkport owned ship Frank N. Thayer in 1874.

The original is about 21" wide and 24" long, so it is a big piece of paper!

This crew list shows the typical range of ages and national origins of crew members on American sailing ships in the late nineteenth century. Note how many foreign crew there are, and that half are not able to sign their own name. Also note that the person who filled out the form was a little careless, as we are sure that not every crew member was dark-complexioned and had black hair. The oldest crew member was 37, and the typical seaman's wages were only $15 per month!