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Historical research based on documents from the Archivo General de Indias. Sevilla, Spain Victoria Stapells Johnson
September 2006
In our archival search to identify the name of the “Jupiter wreck”, the starting point in the Spanish archives was the section Contratación (issues related to trade with the Indies) and specifically: the Libros de Registros for the time period of the mid 17th century. In these bound volumes are the names of many (but not all) of the ships which plied back and forth across the Atlantic during the years of the Carrera de Indias. In most cases, there is a note in the margin beside a ship which wrecked in the course of a journey. As regards the ship at Jupiter Inlet, silver and gold coins and particularly a silver bar marked no. 820 found at the site, indicate a point of departure from Tierra Firme. Hence, the ports of Cartagena and Portobelo were checked most carefully. In this initial stage of research, there is no evidence to suggest this wreck being of a ship returning to Spain from Mexico.
Of the ships which meet the profile for the “Jupiter Wreck” based on the document search at the Archivo General de Indias, six are “aviso” ships. By decree of the crown in 1525, avisos were the ships designated to carry official correspondence back and forth between Spain and her over seas colonies. Two courier or aviso ships were despatched each year from Spain to Nueva España (Mexico) and Tierra Firme (north coast of South America). Small ships which generally did not exceed 100 toneladas, these vessels were capable of sailing quickly and efficiently. Aboard, they carried all manner of crown documents to the colonies. On the way back to Spain they carried a variety of papers: correspondence from the colonial treasury accounts, court cases, reports from the Viceroys, court cases, religious correspondence and so on. Another very important part of an aviso’s job was to inform the authorities of the presence of lurking enemy ships ready to attack the treasure laden fleets returning from the Indies. Passengers were not allowed on board officially although there were plenty of exceptions. Of course avisos also carried some cargo: on the way out from Spain, this would include items needed in the colonies such as wine, oil, wax, textiles and funds for garrison payrolls. Iron work or tools were taken as ballast. On the return trip, one can imagine that a certain amount of contraband was loaded on these ships in the form of silver or gold. This was common practice on all ships during the colonial time period.
In the time frame of the Jupiter wreck, there were FOUR ships which sailed as avisos and appear to have wrecked on their return trip to Spain from Tierra Firme ports.
SAN FRANCISCO Y SAN ANTONIO
In 1657 Bernardo Somoza requested that his ship, the San Francisco y San Antonio of 60 toneladas cargo capacity and built in Seville (Spain) be granted a license to sail to Tierra Firme as an aviso (courier ship). The outgoing manifest for this ship is in the section Contratación of the Archivo General de Indias. In it, there is information on the ship, artillery, ship fittings and a complete crew list as you will read in the transcription and translation included further on in this report. This aviso left Seville in February 1658 for the ports of Cartagena and Portobelo. There is no evidence that it returned.
Note: there is another San Francisco Y San Antonio which sailed to Caracas with the Tierra Firme galleons under the marqués de Villarubia in 1658. This was a Dutch ship, 267 toneladas, her owner was Manuel Bozardo. It returned to Spain safely.
Source: Archivo de Indias (A.G.I.) - Contratación 1005, 1202, 1617
SAN FRANCISCO Y SAN DIEGO
In the fall of 1659, this aviso sailed to Tierra Firme. The owner of the San Francisco y San Diego was Francisco Velazquez del Campo. This ship had been built in Jamaica and at 235 toneladas, was quite a bit bigger than Bernardo Somoza´s ship. It was considered to be a good strong ship for the trip but we know nothing about her return journey.
Source: A.G.I. – Contratación 1005
SAN MIGUEL ARCANGEL
Dispatched by the Viceroy of Peru, the San Miguel Archangel sailed as primer aviso under Juan Ramirez de Miranda, pilot Diego García and Captain Juan de Ostalaca from Portobelo for Spain on September 18, 1659. Six and half months later, the ship had not arrived in Spain and was feared to have wrecked. It was decided to send duplicates of all the correspondence on the next aviso to Spain in April 1660. On the backside of the letter there is a scribbled note “ The aviso ship under Juan Ramirez de Miranda wrecked on the coast of Florida” Included with this document is another longer report (23 pages) entitled “Testimonio sobre el despacho del navío San Miguel Arcangel que se despachó de aviso a los reinos de España por el Virrey del Perú a cargo de Juan Ramirez de Miranda” This deals with the financing and preparation of the ship to sail to Spain and there is no reference to what happened to it after leaving Portobelo. A list of the boxes of correspondence loaded on the ship is included. Nevertheless, it should be read through carefully in case there is any information on the ship itself. Juan Ramirez appears to have been a notable in Portobelo. In 1661, he was named notary of the city of Portobelo. It is suggested that further research on this man might shed some light on the aviso because he undoubtedly had cargo on board.
Source: A.G.I. – Santa Fe 43, ramo 3, n.10. Also: Panamá 58, n.1 Confirmación de oficio: Juan Ramírez de Miranda. 14 enero, 1662
JESÚS MARÍA
This aviso under Juan Bautista de Echevarría, sailed from Portobelo and was last seen in the Bahama Channel (Straits of Florida). The ship was leaking and was feared to have been lost in a storm. On its return trip to Spain, first it had sailed from Portobelo to Havana and then set off from the Cuban port on March 3, 1661
Source: A.G.I. – Indiferente 1182
In the different Audiencias (colonial government papers) of the archives, there is mention of two or three avisos which sank in this time period but for which we have no name:
- 33 men survived the wreck of this courier ship off the coast of Gega, Florida in 1659
Source: A.G.I. - Santo Domingo 233
- An aviso sailed from Portobelo on July 25, 1660 and wrecked “off the coast of Florida”. It is possible that this is the same ship as the one at Gega
Source: A.G.I. – Panama 22
- Mention of an aviso “which was lost” in a letter dated Panama, May 27 1659.
Source: A.G.I. – Panama 36
There is also a “ situado “ ship for which we have no name either.
- In a letter to the crown from the Governor of Havana dated April 26, 1659 there is mention of a frigate which wrecked while carrying supplies “and some silver” to Florida. This was a “situado ship”, used for carrying crown subsidies for soldiers and garrisons. It is not however clear if the ship sank on leaving Havana en route to Florida or if it wrecked closer to the coast of Florida.
Finally, we also have the names of other ships which were granted permission to sail to the Indies as avisos during the time period 1658 – 1659.
San Francisco de Paula, 130 toneladas. Diego García de la Parra
San Mateo, 200 toneladas, 10 cannons. Captain Gerardo Rodríguez
Santiago, 240 toneladas, 9 cannons. Dutch owned
San Nicolás, 200 toneladas. Dutch owned
La Ciudad de Lisboa, 280 toneladas, 12 cannons
Source: A.G.I. – Contratación 114
SUMMARY OF DOCUMENT SEARCH WITH REFERENCE TO THE LIMA AND POTOTSI MINTS
One of the most important finds at the wreck site is a magnificent silver bar with the clearly discernible serial number 820 marked on it. Consequently, a brief search was made in the sections Contaduría (accounts section) of the Seville archives in an attempt to identify the mint where the bar was struck and, if possible, the ship on which it was loaded to return to Spain. Whenever possible, archival research attempts to link serial numbers on bars or cannons to the cargo manifests. If a match is made, this information is extremely valuable for ship identification. In the case of the “Jupiter wreck”, much more time must be spent on this aspect of the historical background. The documents seen to date include this information for the study:
- There are a series of documents for the years 1658 -1661 which list the silver bars, coins and gold sent on various armadas and fleets from the Indies back to Spain. The value of the silver and coins is given but no serial numbers have been found. In many cases, the origin of the treasure is given: Potosi or Lima.
- An agreement between the Viceroy of Peru and the Treasury in 1652 (with a copy in 1664) regarding reforms to the mint and the mines at Cayoma. We assume that the orders in this document extended throughout Peru. The document describes how the coinage is to be changed in its weight and value (See A.G.I. Lima 115)
- There are many documents relating to the inspection of the mine at Potosí. As of 1634, there were various attempts to inspect and revise the mint at Potosí. Don Juna de Palacios who was the official in charge states (in an undated document) that “ the disorder of the coins minted at Potosi continued to such an extent that the foreign nations complained to H.M.
( See A.G.I. Contaduría 1818A)
A letter from the government at Quito dated July 3, 1653 describes the value of the coins being minted, the legislation implemented by Viceroy Salvatierra ot Peru and how these are to be marked. It is probable that these orders in the treasury relayed by the Viceroy were implemented throughout the kingdom. (See A.G. I. Contaduria)
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The JupiterShipwreck 
