John Williams (sailor)

John Williams (1761 – 20 September 1793) was a Able seaman who joined the Mutineers in the mutiny on the bounty. In 1788 he became the second man on that ship to be flogged; Commander William Bligh sentenced him to six lashes with a cat-o'-nine tails for "neglect of duty". He took an active part in the mutiny on April 28, 1789, and later voted to sail with Fletcher Christian in search of an island refuge. On the Bounty Williams had served as unofficial Armorer's Mate to Joseph Coleman, so when Coleman foiled Christian's attempt to kidnap him in Tahiti, Williams inherited his duties (and his status). When Christian's party arrived on Pitcairn Island in January 1790, he brought with him 12 Tahitian women: one each for himself and the eight other mutineers, and three to be shared among the six Tahitian men who had also come along. This arrangement worked for about three years, until Williams' "wife" died in an accidental fall. He demanded a replacement and after months of wrangling he was given one of the Tahitian mens' consorts. This proved to be the last straw for the natives on Pitcairn. They had already endured much cruel treatment at the hands of the white men, and they decided to revolt. On "Massacre Day", September 20, 1793, Williams was the first of five mutineers to be murdered.

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Category:HMS Bounty mutineers
Category:1761 births
Category:1793 deaths
Category:18th-century pirates
Category:English pirates