Capt. John and His 28 Muskrat Skins

My indexing work has reached the daybook that begins in 1840. On May 25 of that year, a mysterious figure who went by the moniker "Capt. John" appeared in the general store in Liverpool (or wherever it was) and deposited 28 muskrat skins as payment for 3 yards of lining (cloth, I assume) and credit toward future purchases.


(Click on images to enlarge)
Images courtesy of the Hobart Historical Society.


Early in June, Capt. John shows up to make more purchases on his muskrat-skin credit, and this entry suggests he actually has a last name, though I can't read it.



I indexed that name as "Clooky?" — but it's written so small, after that sprawling "Capt. John," that I'm not entirely sure it's a name. Anyway, searching on that name doesn't get me anybody local in the 1840 Census.

About ten days later, Capt. John comes in and buys some lead.

Finally, on June 22 and 23, he makes his last muskrat-skin purchases:



"… being balance due him on musk rat skins," says the June 23 entry. We shall have to wait and see if he gets more muskrat skins.

Letting my imagination go to work on these few hints about Capt. John … I get the impression of one of those eccentric characters who lived by themselves in the wilderness. Oh, that cloth he bought? — he's going to have one of the local farmers' wives sew that up for him in exchange for the fish he'll catch with those hooks he bought. His title of Captain suggests a military background — maybe a veteran of the War of 1812, or the Revolution?