Pirates of the Delaware Estuary
by Priscilla Cole
Seafarers beware!
The following account is a collection of myths and legends surrounding pirates of the Delaware Estuary, peppered here and there with verified facts. People love these stories of lawless times and power struggles before the birth of our nation, and the Delaware Estuary played center stage. We hope that you’ll be inspired to share your own stories around a warm fire with a sip of rum and a good view of the bay!
Blackbeard Captain
Blackbeard is the most famous pirate to have used the Delaware Estuary. He kept his favorite mistress at the Plank House in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, which today is a preserved historical site and tourist destination. In homage to Mr. Blackbeard’s activities, the Marcus Hook Preservation Society holds an annual Pirate Festival every September. Several other points on our map indicate Blackbeard attacks throughout the estuary.
Islands of Outlaws
The tidal Delaware River and Bay boasts more than 30 islands covering 12,000 acres (map on page 9). Because of their strategic locations and disputed territory, many of these islands became hotbeds of pirate activity. Pirates used the islands for hideouts, rum running, suspected treasure burying, and outlawed recreation. In Pennsylvania, William Penn cracked down on vice of all sorts, which concentrated crime and black markets at the fringes on nearby islands. Petty’s Island became a destination spot for gambling and dueling, and is said to be where Captain Blackbeard docked his ship for Philadelphia business.
New Jersey Legends
The dodgiest pirate facts surround two areas of the New Jersey bayshore. Money Island and Peak of the Moon are both reputed to have inherited their names from pirate activity. Pirates are said to have used the light of the full moon (a.k.a. Peak of the Moon) to conduct rum running under the cover of night. In a different tale, Captain Kidd begged for his life in exchange for returning stolen treasure. Kidd asked for a ship to retrieve the buried goods, but his request was denied and he was executed before revealing the location. Many spots around the area are rumored to contain Captain Kidd’s loot.
Delaware Ransacks
1747 was a grizzly year for pirate attacks in Delaware. About 15 pirates of either French or Spanish origin targeted vulnerable estates near Bombay Hook on July 12. They first ransacked the property of Edmund Liston, carrying off clothes, bedding, furniture, and even slaves. At gunpoint, the pirates forced Liston to walk them half a mile to his neighbor’s house, belonging to James Hart. They shot Hart’s wife and plundered their possessions as well, right down to the gold buttons on their clothes.
End to the Golden Age of Piracy
The British fought off pirates while they held America under Colonial rule, but pirates were still a problem for the new nation after declaring independence. It took another decade to bring down the swashbucklers. The trial of the last convicted pirate, James McAlpine, took place at Independence Hall in Philadelphia in 1788.