The account book of Captain Charles Byes (1700-1782 covers the second half of the 18th century. Prior to 1763, Gloucester enjoyed continuous prosperity for its merchants. This was due in part to an unofficial British policy of "Salutary Neglect." Ignoring the Trade and Navigation Acts, Gloucester ship owners traded with whomever and wherever they desired. Following the French and Indian War (1763), British policy was to enforce the acts and collect the duties. It remained a relatively prosperous period, but the purchase of sugar and molasses was limited by the Molasses Act of 1733, which put a high tariff on imports from the non-British West Indies. However, Gloucester merchants remained adept at smuggling as well as intimidating certain agents such as Samuel Fellows (1768), Jesse Saville (1770), and Richard Silvester (1772), all of whom were roughly encouraged to leave. Still, the price of rum increased because of the shortages, and local sales became scarce. The account book of Captain Byles clearly reflects this trend. It is interesting that the names of vessels and their destinations are rarely mentioned in the account book.

With the start of the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) all trade ended, and Gloucester went through a period of economic disaster.

Captain Byles' account book (1751-1783) showed the usual pattern of a Gloucester merchant, with one exception: his wife Hannah Eveleth was an accomplished seamstress whose work greatly contributed to the success of their enterprise. Captain Byles' family home and warehouse were located in West Gloucester by the Little River. For the most part, his customers were West Gloucester people - Samuel and Moses Bray, Jacob Davis, the Woodburys, Eveleths, and Haskells. The goods supplied were typical for fishermen, consisting of rum, food, lines, hooks, canvas, and salt. The coastal trade was also represented by sales of stocks of rum, marinated fish, refuse fish for slaves, and wood products from the Eveleth sawmill - also conveniently located at Little River. Extensive trade to the West Indies was limited, and most ships capable of the trade were operating out of the harbor by 1750. Byles was also hampered by the Cut being closed. Any ship that he provisioned would have to go up the Annisquam River, out to Ipswich Bay, and then around the Cape.

Due to a close family relationship with Joseph Eveleth, and the proximity of his sawmill, Captain Byles was quite successful in partnership with Eveleth selling wood products.

Leading into the 1770s and the war, Captain Byles' income came more from local sources than supplying vessels. His wife continued to work as a seamstress while he did odd jobs hauling wood, plowing fields, and renting out his bull, horse, and slave Robin, who added to the income by purchasing his freedom from the Captain in 1768 for 85 pounds.

Capt. Charles Byles commanded a company of 41 men at the siege of Louisburg in 1745, from Feb to Sept.

William Shirley, Governor of Massachusetts, in an effort to stop seamen going awol appended a warning note to his orders in early 1745, advising that some of the fleet en route from Boston to lay siege to Louisburg, had left the convoy and put in to Cape Ann. He complained that they ran the enormous risk of losing sailors by “permitting their Men to go on shoar.” Two of the offending officers, Capt. Charles Byles and Lt. Col. Edward Eveleth, had local connections and Shirley noted that they were “most to blame. pray acquaint the General with it, some notice shd be taken of ‘em.”

[S. Buck, Brief History of a Place, Chpt 7. Correspondence of William Shirley, Vol. 1, p.202.]

Most of the earlier entries are for fishing supplies and records of fish caught in payment. Later entries are for more general merchandize: “barils cydre,” “bushall of Barley,” “felt hat for your father,” “needles for your wife,” and services “killing and dressing a calf,” “plowing and planting your yard,” “jorney to Wenham for a mason.”

Accounting, including silk handkerchiefs, care when sick & care during child’s illness, shoes for his wife, milking for him.

Must pay house rent from March 1, 1769 at 24L pr. year.

“All the cash I recd of Robing towards his freedom is 85.  What due to Robing of his lottery money 18 and there is due to me and then he is free 47”

Charles Byles (12/20/1700-3/9/1782) s/o Richard & Mary (Davis) Biles

M: 1/17/1727

Hannah Eveleth (1/4/1710-3/9/1785) d/o Isaac & Sarah  () Eveleth

Children:

Hannah Byles (4/13/1729-3/1/1753) m: 9/14/1749 Job Stanwood

                        who lost his arm on the Louisburg Expedition in 1745.  He received a pension of £15 per annum.

Abigal Boils (8/24/1730-) m: 2/1/1753 Jonathan Trask

Charles Biles (1/21/1732 –AFT1781) listed as s/o Charles & Mary

Susanna Boils (2/12/1738-11/-/1830) m1: 1/5/1758 Caleb Lincoln, mariner d. before probate 5/3/1768;

                                                   m2: 10/25/1774 Levi Roberts

Nathaniell Byles (2/7/1742-12/-/1777) m: 3/27/1766 Sarah Procter of Ipswich

                                                           He died of smallpox in Halifax, NS [Babson p.66]

Sarah Boyles (6/9/1743-9/27/1822) m1: 12/3/1768 Henry Edgar, lost at sea between 1768-1771

                                             m2: 5/30/1774 Richard Littlehale, Capt.

Will of Charles Byles 1/13/1781 Essex Probate #4417

Everything to his wife Hannah for her lifetime.

All clothing to son Charles Byles & grandson Charles Lincoln.

¼ of the sawmill to grandson Zebulon Stanwood.

After wife’s death: 4/5 to children – son Charles, duas. Abigail Trask, Susanna Roberts, Sarah Littlhale.

1/5 to grandchildren: Zebulon Stanwood & the 2 sons by my son Nathaniel deceased: Charles & Joseph Procter.

To Robin former negro servant 40s.

Levi Roberts & Richard Littlehale (sons-in-law) to be executors.

Charles Biles(sic) b. Glos. res. Glos. Aged 23, volunteer in the Edward Expedition to Louisburg, 1755-56, in Stephen Whipple’s Co. Plaisted Reg. as a clerk.

[Colonial Soldiers & Officers in New England, 1620-1775]

Nathaniel Byles, Glos. Capt. Gideon Parker’s Co., Col. Moses Little’s Reg., order for bounty coat 11/28/1775

[Mass. Soldiers & Sailors in the Revolutionary War, Vol. 2]