The Famous Ship "Elizabeth", Never made it to present day Liberia.

The Famous Ship "Elizabeth",
Never made it to present day Liberia.

The First African-Americans came to Cape Mesurado on the Gun-Boat "Alligator".

In his message of December 20, Pres. Monroe informed Congress that he had appointed Rev. Samuel Bacon, of the American Colonization Society, with John Bankson as assistant, to charter a vessel and take the first group of emigrants to Africa, the understanding being that he was to go to the place fixed upon by Mills and Burgess.
Thus the National Government and the Colonization Society, while technically separate, began to work in practical coöperation.
The ship _Elizabeth_was made ready for the voyage; the Government informed the Society that it would "receive on board such free blacks recommended by the Society as might be required for the purpose of the agency".
Rev. Samuel A. Crozer was appointed as the Society's official representative; 88 emigrants were brought together (33 men and 18 women, the rest being children); and on February 5, 1820, convoyed by the war-sloop _Cyane_, the expedition set forth.

On March 3, however, the ship sighted the Cape Verde Islands and six days afterwards was anchored at Sierra Leone; and Coker rejoiced that at last he had seen Africa. John Kizell, however, whom the agents had counted on seeing, was found to be away at Sherbro; accordingly, six days after their arrival they too were making efforts to go on to Sherbro, for they were allowed at anchor only fifteen days and time was passing rapidly.

Meanwhile Bankson went to find Kizell. Captain Sebor was at first decidedly unwilling to go further; but his reluctance was at length overcome. 

On March 17 Bacon sailed for Sherbro. The next day they met Bankson, who informed them that he had seen Kizell. 

This man, although he had not heard from America since the departure of Mills and Burgess, had already erected some temporary houses against the rainy season. He permitted the newcomers to stay in his little town until land could be obtained; sent them twelve fowls and a bushel of rice; but he also, with both dignity and pathos, warned Bankson that if he and his companions came with Christ in their hearts, it was well that they had come; if not, it would have been better if they had stayed in America.

Now followed much fruitless bargaining with the native chiefs, in all of which Coker regretted that the slave-traders had so ruined the people that it seemed impossible to make any progress in a "palaver" without
the offering of rum. Meanwhile a report was circulated through the country that a number of Americans had come and turned Kizell out of his own town and put some of his people in the hold of their ship. Disaster
followed disaster. 

The marsh, the bad water, and the malaria played havoc with the colonists, and all three of the responsible agents died. The few persons who remained alive made their way back to Sierra Leone. Thus the first expedition failed.

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One year later, in March, 1821, a new company of twenty-one emigrants, in charge of J.B. Winn and Ephraim Bacon, arrived at Freetown in the brig _Nautilus_. 

It had been the understanding that in return for their passage the members of the first expedition would clear the way for others; but when the agents of the new company saw the plight of those who remained alive, they brought all of the colonists together at Fourah Bay, and Bacon went farther down the
coast to seek a more favorable site.
A few persons who did not wish to go to Fourah Bay remained in Sierra Leone and became British subjects.
Bacon found a promising tract about two hundred and fifty miles down the coast at Cape Montserado; but the natives were not especially eager to sell, as they did not wish to break up the slave traffic. 

Meanwhile J.B. Winn and several more of the colonists died; and Bacon now returned to the United States.
The second expedition had thus proved to be little more successful than the first; but the future site of Monrovia had at least been suggested.

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In November came Dr. Eli Ayres as agent of the Society, and in December Captain Robert F. Stockton of the _ Gun Ship Alligator_ with instructions to coöperate.

These two men explored the coast of the Pepper Coast and on December 11 arrived at Mesurado Bay. Through the jungle they made their way to a village and engaged in a palaver with King Peter and five of his associates.
The negotiations were conducted in the presence of an excited crowd and with imminent danger; but Stockton had great tact and at length, for an alleged quantity of bartered goods, he and Ayres acquired the mouth of the Mesurado River, Cape Montserado, and the land for some distance in the interior.

Dr. Ayers then returned to Sierra Leone to effect the removal of the colonists from Fourah Bay.

When  Ayres returned with the remaining African-Americans on January 7, 1822- he found that the Deys wished to annul the agreement previously made and to give back the articles paid.

"Journal of Daniel Coker, a descendant of Africa"

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VESSEL DEPARTURES:

1820-1833
New York
Maryland
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Virginia
North Carolina
District of Columbia
Tennessee
Georgia
Alabama
Mississippi
South Carolina
Port au Prince, Haiti, West Indies

1._Elizabeth, passengers departed from New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, District of Columbia, and arrived in Sierra Leone, Western Africa, 9 March 1820.

2._ Brig Nautilus, passengers departed from Virginia and Maryland and arrived in Sierra Leone, Western Africa, 8 March 1821.

3._ Brig Strong, passengers departed from Maryland and Pennsylvania, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, Western Africa, 8 August 1822.

4._Oswego, passengers departed from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, Western Africa, 24 May 1823.

5._Schooner Fidelity's Company, departed from Maryland and Pennsylvania, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, Western Africa, 24 July 1823.

6._Ship Cyrus' Company, departed from Virginia and Port au Prince, Haiti, West Indies, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 13 February 1824.

7._Brig Hunter's company, departed from Virginia and North Carolina, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 13 March 1825.

8._Brig Vine's Company, departed from Rhode Island, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 6 February 1826.

9._Ship Indian Chief's company, departed from North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 26 March 1826.

10._Brig Doris' Company, departed from North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 11 August 1827.

11._Ship Norfolk's Company, departed from an unknown port and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 10 July 1827.

12._Brig Doris's Company, departed from Maryland, Delaware, New York and Virginia, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 15 January 1828.

13._Ontario, departed from an unknown port and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, December 1828.

14._Schooner Randolph, departed from Georgia, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 17 July 1828.

15._Brig Nautilus' company, departed from North Carolina and Maryland, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 19 February 1828.

16._Harriet's company, departed from Virginia, North Carolina, District of Columbia, Maryland and Tennessee, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 24 March 1829.

17._Brig Liberia's company, departed from Virginia, Tennessee and Pennsylvania, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 17 February 1830.

18._Brig Montgomery's company, departed from Georgia, Virginia, District of Columbia and Maryland, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, June 1830.

19._Brig Heroine's company, departed from an unknown port and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 4 March 1830.

20._Carolinian's company, departed from New York, Virginia, Maryland, Mississippi and North Carolina, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 4 December 1830.

21._Brig Valador's company, departed from New York, Virginia, North Carolina and Alabama, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 12 January 1831.

22._Schooner Reapers's company, departed from Maryland, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 18 February 1831.

23._Brig Criterion's company, departed from Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 30 October 1831.

24._Schooner Orion's company, departed from Maryland, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 10 December 1831.

25._James Perkins's company, departed from Virginia and North Carolina, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 14 January 1832.

26._Brig American's company, departed from North Carolina, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 16 September 1832.

27._Hercules's company, departed from South Carolina and Georgia, and arrived in Monrovia, Western Africa, 16 January 1833.

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