Captain Abraham Blauvelt

Abraham Blauvelt was a Dutchman, instrumental in establishing several settlements and many places which still bear his name.

Blauvelt explored the coasts of Honduras and Nicaragua in the early 1630's. Afterwards, he went to England and with a proposal for a settlement a site in Nicaragua, which is near the town and river of Bluefields, Nicaragua. Blauvelt enlisted as a naval officer for the Swedish East India Company and by 1644 was in command of his own ship. He preyed upon Spanish shipping from Dutch New Amsterdam (New York ) and a harbor in southwest Jamaica which is still named Blewfields Bay.

After peace came once more between the Dutch and Spain in 1648, Blauvelt was no longer welcome in New Amsterdam. Blauvelt sailed to Newport, Rhode Island in 1649 to divy up his loot. The governor of Newport declared one prize illegal and Blauvelt's crew argued over the booty. Blauvelt was treated poorly at Newport. The local towns people were afraid that Blauvelt's piratical activities had permanently ruined the reputation of Rhode Island.

In 1650 Blauvelt was in command of another ship, the La Garse, a French ship. Later on along the border of Honduras and Nicaragua living among the Indians at Cape Gracias ΰ Dios. It was here that he heard of Sir Christopher Myng's plans to organize a raid on Campeche Bay in Mexico. In 1663 he joined with Myng and was an active participant in the raids. Nothing is known of him after this time.

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