My five years worth of research having uncovered enough exploits and information about the four heroes of Wooden Ships - Iron Men to fill up 300 pages, I assumed I had found every historical record in existence concerning them. I have learned in the twelve years since the book's publication that I assumed wrong. Several historical records, some startling and some that  further enhance their reputations as Iron Men have been brought to my attention. So that you will know as much about our illustrious mariners ancestors as I do, the information from these records is presented below in chronological order:

David was born in Southold, Long Island, the oldest English town in New York state, having been founded in 1640 by Puritans from New Haven colony in Connecticut. For a history of Southold, click here: SOUTHOLD HISTORY Braddock descendant Dorothy Preslar, who directs the animal and zoonotic disease surveillance project and its operational program known as ILIAD (International Lookout for Infectious Animal Disease), sent me a photo of the site on which David's family lived and an old  plat of the town which shows the house. It is located at  600 Tuckers Lane. There is indication that at the time of the Braddicks, a tavern or inn stood on the site. Dorothy, who visited the site and took the picture, says, "The house is, of course, not the original tavern, but there are in the cellar some portions of the original."

A plaque to the right of the door (visible over the top of the bush) indicates the Braddicks resided there:

Here is another view of the house:

Two entries, one on page 121 and the other on 129, in Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts, 1718 – 1720, which can be seen at  JOURNALS,  establishes beyond a shadow of a doubt a connection between Doctor John Cutler and Captain John Braddick.  

The first entry, dated June 2, 1719:

The second entry, dated June 6, 1719:

According to the newspaper items, the brigantine Recovery, with Captain John Braddick in command, sailed from Boston in late 1733 for the Island of Madera near Portugal. Later, while returning to the Western Hemisphere, several crewmen, Ziggey John Witness, John Smith, master caulker John Main, and Thomas Parker, mutinied as the Recovery neared Salt Island in what is now the British Virgin Islands. In the mutiny, Captain Braddick and his son, Peter, were murdered.. The mutineers were tried at Barbados. Based on the testimony of second mate Henry Peck, who took no part in the mutiny, the mutineers were found guilty. Two of them, Witness and Parker, were hung February 23, 1733. Their dying confessions exonerated Smith and Main of taking part in the murders, sparing them the gallows.

The articles provided the added information that Witness was an Indian from Long Island and Parker was a 16 year old youth from England who had previously served on two British men-of-war and had come aboard the Recovery at Madera, having arrived there on a merchant ship from London by way of Lisbon.

Another account--a gruesome one--of the incident, provided by Ellen West, appeared  on page 4 of The American Weekly Mercury issue  of Feb. 5 - Feb 12, 1734:

I recently found in a catalog on the Internet advertising old newspapers for sale, a picture of a small portion of the July 24, 1734 issue of the Daily Post-Boy, a newspaper once published in London. Accompanying the picture, under the heading, "DYING SPEECHES OF TWO SEAMEN!," are excerpts from the article and the sellers comments. As the selling price was $320, I contacted the seller in hopes of getting a photocopy of the newspaper for a few bucks. It had already been sold. The following is a screen-print copy I made of the advertisement. It is interesting to note that although most historical records spell hi name "Braddick," the confessions refer to him  refers to him as "Captain Braddock."

One of his soldiers, Edward Kimber, kept a journal of the expedition. The journal was published in 1744 under the title, "A Relation or Journal of a late Expedition to the Gates of St. Augustine, on Florida." Florida State University published a digital versions of the book on a web site containing several other interesting old books pertaining to Florida:  

The March 6, 1743 entry on pages 58-59 of Wooden Ships - Iron Men indicates that the HMS Rye, commanded by Captain Hardy, accompanied William Lyford Sr. and the Charles Town galley on a prisoner swapping mission to St. Augustine. Page 29  and 31 of the journal relate that on March 6th the two ships were spotted off the St. Augustine Bar and a boat was sent out to request the vessels' help in landing troops. The request was refused, The writer referred to Lyford as "Capt. Lightfoot."

Recently, I received an inquiry from Florida Keys historian Gail Swanson, Gail's web page author of Documentation of the Indians of the Florida Keys & Miami (1513-1765) and numerous articles on the Keys, asking if William Lyford were aboard the Loo when she ran aground. I replied that he wasn't. She replied that there must have been two William Lyfords. I replied there was, father and son. She replied that in a book written in 1955, The Last Cruise of the H.M.S. "Loo,"   by Mendel L. Peterson, a William Lyford was listed as a crew member of the Loo and that he had made a deposition to be used in the court martial of Captain Ashby Utting, commander of the Loo, for the loss. She sent me photocopies of the book's pages along with photocopies of numerous other items relating to the Loo's demise, including minutes of Utting's court martial .

In addition to James Oglethorpe, who recognized David Cutler Braddock's skills as a mariner after his escape from the Spanish in St. Augustine and placed him in command of one of Georgia's fighting vessels, Ashby Utting should be a hero to all descendants of David Cutler Braddock. Had  Utting not written a letter in 1745 that helped exonerate David of a charge of trading with the Spanish, David  may have been sent back to England, changing the course of history that led to his descendants being who we are and where we are.

When I first heard of The Last Cruise of the H.M.S. "Loo," I set about trying to find a copy. Immediately, I found one advertised on the Internet for $65. However, when I inquired about it, it had already been sold. Shortly afterward, I received the photocopied one from Gail Swanson and was delighted to get it. Several days later, at Christmas, I was shocked and delighted to open a present and find it to be a copy of the book. One of my sons had found it on the Internet for $25.

The story The Last Cruise of the H.M.S. "Loo" relates of the man-of-war's demise, briefly, is as follows:

She sailed from Port Royal, SC December 30, 1743 on a southward cruise against Spanish shipping. On February 4th, 1744, while in the Florida Straits off the coast of Cuba, she encountered the Betty, a bilander type English vessel the Spanish had earlier captured. She seized the Betty and began escorting her northward. Shortly after 1 AM the morning of February 5th, the Loo ran aground on what is now known as Looe Key, damaging her beyond use. The Betty was also lost in the same manner.

After setting fire to and blowing up the shattered Loo on February 8th, 274 men, the entire crews of both vessels—none was lost—set out for the Bahamas, 60 in a longboat, 10 in a yawl—a double-ended rowboat—20 in the captain's barge, and 184 in a small, less than 30 ton Spanish sloop captured two days before by men in the longboat and yawl.

During that night, the overloaded sloop, on which were Utting and Lyford, became separated from the other boats. The sloop being too top-heavy with men to raise sails, Utting decided the safest course would be northward along the coast for "...any port of Carolina even for St. Augustine (If I could fetch nowhere else) rather than all be drowned..."

Aided by the Gulf Stream, the schooner arrived in Port Royal the night of February 13th, five days after setting out. The book says:

I have enclosed the deposition of Mr. Wm. Lyford, one of my pilots who has sailed the Gulph of Florida for many years and beg there Lordships will be pleased to to let somebody enquire of General Oglethorpe for his corretor.*
                                                              

Thanks to Ann Higham in England, I have a copy of William Sr.'s deposition, which reads as follows:

Beaufort S^o. Carolina, to wit,

Since we know that  Braddock Point on the southern tip of Hilton Head Island in South Carolina and  Lyford Cay on the western tip of New Providence Island in the Bahamas, two of the most popular resort islands in Southeastern waters, bear the names of brothers-in-law David Cutler Braddock and William Lyford Jr., it is nice to learn that their father-in-law and father, respectively, played a role in the naming the most popular diving spot in the Florida Keys.

Below is a picture of Keys historian and author, Gail Swanson, and the HMS Loo's anchor ring.

Pictured below are several metal fragments from the Loo's anchor Ms. Swanson was kind enough to send me. 

January 27, 1747
After falsely being accused of conspiring to trade with the Spanish, David moved from  South Carolina to  Georgia and received a 500 acre grant on the Little Ogeechee River on   Savannah ’s outskirts January 27, 1747. He later bought an adjoining 400 acres. To settle a debt with business partners Francis Harris and James Habersham, he sold the two tracts to Harris in 1757. While I was researching Wooden Ships – Iron Men, my cousin, Oswald Braddock, sent me several old newspaper articles about Wild Heron (referred to in some of them as Wild Horn and in others as Wild Hern), the oldest standing house in  Georgia, along with a note saying David Cutler Braddock had built the house before selling the property to Harris. My research showed that in addition to land acquired from David, Harris already owned adjoining tracts. The articles mentioned that the original grant to Harris for the land on which the house stands hangs on the wall of the house. I had interpreted this to mean that the house was built on the tract granted to Harris, precluding it being built by David. Consequently, I glossed over the origin of the house in my book. Recently, I reread the old articles. One of them, which was published in a 1969   Savannah  newspaper, had been printed from microfilm in reverse image (white for black, and black for white) and otherwise was an extremely poor copy. I based my conclusion in the book on the parts I could make out. These parts seemed to substantiate the house being built on Harris’ grant. I recently obtained a legible copy of the article. Although it erroneously had David’s middle initial as A, a paragraph that had been for the most part illegible in the first copy left no doubt that David Cutler Braddock built Wild Heron:

The Wild Heron Plantation home, said to be the oldest standing house in Georgia , is on the “Settlement Tract” granted to David A. Braddock in 1747. The date assigned to it [1756], Judge Myrick [owner when article was written] said, was erroneously taken from the grant to Francis Harris hanging on the wall, which in actuality refers to Muir Hall. He believes that in all probability it was built between 1752-56 when Harris loaned Braddock a considerable sum of money, because it is most incredible to suppose this  New England sea captain lived there for nine years with no suitable dwelling. Several other points lend credence to this view: the house bears a “New England influence;” [Richard] Cooper [a noted millwright who had a tract adjoining David’s] was there to supply wood; [John] Milledge had already built a home adjoining Braddock on the northwest; and most persuasive of all, Harris paid Braddock 1,168 pounds for the property, indicating a fine home.

In a genealogical sidelight, one of the articles from Cousin Oswald, which was dated 1933, mentions that the resident at that time, Minnie Anna McLeod, a descendant of Francis Harris, was married to Robert Maxey Hull, who was once mayor of Savannah. The names Maxey and Hull sounded familiar. A quick check of my genealogy database revealed he was grandson of the half-brother of William Berrie, who was the husband of Ann Berrie.

WILD HERON

Colonial Records of Georgia ("Journal of the Upper House," petition):

At a Council held in the Council Chamber at Savannah on Tuesday the sixth Day of November 1764-
                                                    Present
                          His Excellency James Wright Esquire
                          The Honble James Habersham Esqrs
                                               Noble Jones
                                               Francis Harris
                                               William Clifton
                                               John Graham

Read a Petition of David Cutler Braddock setting forth that during the Administration of the late Trustees he had five hundred Acres of Land in Right of Eight white Indented Servants and two Children That he was possessed of Nine Negroes and also a Wife and Child for whom he thitherto obtained no Lands Therefore praying for Six hundred and fifty Acres on the North Side Ogechee near or adjoining Land there granted David Murray

Resolved That on Condition only that the Petitioner doth take out a Grant for the said Land within Six Months from the Date thereof that his Majesty may not be defrauded of his quit Rents the Prayer of the said Petition is granted—

Yolanda Rotondo is also the one who sent me the information that leads me to believe John Cutler Braddock had a third son, Alexander:  John Cutler Braddock's Third Son.

October 7, 1778
This item, an image of a receipt John Cutler Braddock signed for beef he had purchased from "Mr. Myers" for the Lee galley, was found, in all places, on ebay on the Internet. In addition to the receipt's image, the web page gives the following description:

1778, Manuscript Document Signed, “John Braddock - Capt. Lee Galley,” Very Fine.
October 7, 1778, manuscript document, measuring 4” x 6,” signed by Captain John Cutler Braddock of the American Galley “Lee.” In this document, Captain John Braddock acknowledges the receipt of beef purchased from a Mr. Myers on Healherrins Island , for the use of the sailing galley Lee, under Braddock’s command. Early American Colonial documents relating to Naval matters are rare, and this one, which names the vessel and the captain, is much rarer. Aside from being a bit faded, this rare and important document is in great condition.

After reading my book, Lyford family researcher Ann Higham in England sent me numerous documents relating to both Lyfords, William senior and junior, she had copied at the British Public Records Office. One is a petition William Jr. wrote June 4, 1787 while in England pursuing his claim. A sentence in the petition reveals William Jr.'s indirect role in one of the more significant events in America during the Revolution, the capture of Savannah in December 1778 after a British fleet landed an invading force of 3,000 Redcoats at Tybee. Note the last sentence of the the following image of the paragraph from his petition. The sentence reads: "And one of the Petitioners Negro Pilots, was the person who conducted into Savannah River the Fleet that carried Colonel Campbell there in 1778, when he reduced Georgia to the kings obedience."

Pages 248-249 of Wooden Ships - Iron Men contain an Indian depredation claim filed by John Cutler Braddock July 15, 1788. I recently discovered a letter he had written on the subject two and a half months earlier. The letter is in the Telamon Cuyler Collection at the University of Georgia's Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library. At the time he wrote the letter, John was commander of the Glynn County militia protecting the area from Indian attacks. The letter was to General James Jackson, commander of Georgia's militia in the 1st District. Jackson included John's letter and one from Israel Bird of Effingham County in a letter he wrote to Georgia Governor George Handley seeking more resources for the militia units.

                                            St. Simons] April 1 1788
Dr [Dear] General
On the first or second of last month one Mcafee and three Negroes were taken by the Indians within two or three miles of Williams fort[illegible] a few days after the fort was Evacuated & Captn. Williams & the most of those that were in the fort are at Darian. On the 18 they came down to Captn Tompkins fort and kild [killed] two men Slaves and [illegible] and carried off a Girl about fourteen years old. In two or three days after they shot one [unclear: Pelcher] through the Thigh & [unclear: scalpt him. He is still alive. At the same time took a man of the name Sears. This was done near the remains of Williams fort the fort being burnt in a few days after they left it. The day before yesterday Barnet was shot through the Hips But got of [off] he being on Horseback -- Captn. [Captain] Tompkins and those that were with him are on this Island. About [unclear: seven] days ago Mr Palmer saw a party of Indians on Blyth Island. They have Burnt Coll [Colonel] Hillerys houses his Negroes & Provisions Being moved sometime before they took all the Horses of the Island

I am informed that some of the Inhabitants of Camden County have had a treaty with the Indians on the South side of St Marys river & that the Indians have promist [promised] not do anything any mischief to those Below Great Satilla & St Marys and that some of the People have moved of [off] Cumberland to their places on the Main. I wish to hear from you by the first opportunity as our situation at this time wants your advice from it.

                                                              Yr Hble St [Your Humble Servant]
Copy letter                                             John Braddock
to Genl J [General James] Jackson

The plat indicates the grant is 100 acres of marshland between Jekyll and Jointer Islands and the three islets encompassed within it  Each islet has "humk," the abbreviation for hummock--a tract of forested land that rises above an adjacent marsh--written in it. The plat shows a creek by the middle islet, making it accessible by water. The grant can be generally located using modern maps. As seen on the map below, Jointer Island, consisting mostly of marsh, is off to the right of the road to Jekyll Island after turning onto it from US17. There's no way of telling which islets John Cutler Braddock owned. 

Who knows, his descendants may be driving over his grave on our way to an outing on Jekyll.

Grants and other records found while researching Wooden Ships - Iron Men indicated that John Cutler Braddock had resided at three places, St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, and on the Great Satilla River, at one time or another. However, this was the first indication I have seen that he lived along the Altamaha River. He did not attain the rank of colonel until 1790, so the spot marked on the map is probably the place where he was residing when he died. He may even be buried there.
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The approximate location of his house is shown below as a yellow dot on a recent aerial view of part of Little Saint Simons Island.