Pyrrhus Concer
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Pyrrhus Concer (March 17, 1814 – August 23, 1897) was a formerly enslaved sailor from
Southampton, New York Southampton, officially the Town of Southampton, is a town in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, partly on the South Fork of Long Island. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the town had a population of 69,036. Southampton is included in the stre ...
who was aboard the whaling ship ''Manhattan'', the first American ship to visit
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
in 1845. Concer was enslaved by the Pyrrhus family and worked as a farmhand until 1832 (slavery in New York formally ended in 1827) when he worked on whale ships out of
Sag Harbor, New York Sag Harbor is an Administrative divisions of New York#Village, incorporated village in Suffolk County, New York, United States, in the Administrative divisions of New York#Town, towns of Southampton, New York, Southampton and East Hampton (town) ...
. In 1845, he was aboard the ship captained by Mercator Cooper that picked up 22 shipwrecked Japanese sailors in the
Bonin Islands The Bonin Islands, also known as the , is a list of islands of Japan, Japanese archipelago of over 30 subtropical and Island#Tropical islands, tropical islands located around SSE of Tokyo and northwest of Guam. The group as a whole has a total ...
. The American vessel was allowed to enter
Edo Bay is a bay located in the southern Kantō region of Japan spanning the coasts of Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Chiba Prefecture, on the southern coast of the island of Honshu. Tokyo Bay is connected to the Pacific Ocean by the Uraga Channel. T ...
under escort to return the sailors. Concer became an object of curiosity and is depicted in Japanese drawings of the event. In 1849, he joined many of the people from the East End in the
California Gold Rush The California gold rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the U ...
. Afterward, he returned to Southampton, where he operated a small boat on Lake Agawam. Pyrrhus Concer's financial portfolio was impressive for his time, and his diverse investments and savings demonstrate his savvy money management skills. His shares in the Southampton Water Works and Southampton Bank indicate his confidence in the local economy and his willingness to take risks to earn a return on his investment. Concer's four savings accounts, which amounted to almost $2000, suggest that he was a disciplined saver who accumulated significant wealth over time. It is noteworthy that he could lend money to others, which speaks to his financial stability and the trust that others had in him. Concer's ownership of a house, lot, and small boats was likely a significant source of his wealth, and it is possible that he was able to generate income by renting out his property or using his boats for fishing or transportation. His ownership of a ferry boat business on Lake Agawam, catering to summer visitors, further demonstrates his business acumen. Overall, Pyrrhus Concer's financial success was undoubtedly impressive, particularly given the historical context in which he lived. His ability to accumulate wealth and act as a creditor to others is a testament to his business acumen and financial acuity.Navigating Difference: The Archaeology of Identities in an American Whaling Port By Emily Button, A.M. https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:419477/EXTRACTED_TEXT/ pp. 181, 183 A monument to him was erected near the lake on the northwest corner by Pond Lane. He is buried in the North End Cemetery in Southampton with his wife.


Legacy

Attempts to rebuild his house, which was demolished in 2014 (the wood was salvaged and stored) has raised controversy in Southampton His gravestone, engraved with an epitaph written by
Elihu Root Elihu Root (; February 15, 1845February 7, 1937) was an American lawyer, Republican Party (United States), Republican politician, and statesman who served as the 41st United States Secretary of War under presidents William McKinley and Theodor ...
, is in Southampton's North End Graveyard: "Though born a slave, he possessed those virtues, without which kings are but slaves."


References


External links


Legacy: Pyrrhus Concer By Bill Bleyer - Newsday Our Story Series


Teardown pics of Pyrrhus Concer Homestead {{DEFAULTSORT:Concer, Pyrrhus 1814 births 1897 deaths 19th-century American slaves American people in whaling People from Southampton (town), New York People from Sag Harbor, New York 19th-century African-American people 19th-century American sailors African-American sailors People enslaved in New York (state)