Hello, l was seeking information about my 4th great grandfather Cato Boston & this site & your inquiry popped up.
Here is some of what I know about Cato Boston. My ancestor Cato Boston was taken as a young child from Africa’s Gold Coast. He may have been born about 1758/60. He was enslaved in Middleboro Massachusetts to Dr. Stephen Powers when he was about 8 years old. In 1774 Dr Powers moved his family with Cato to Woodstock, Vermont. Dr. Powers’ father had a farm in western Massachusetts where I believe Cato may have been put to work. Cato Boston enlisted as a soldier in the Revolutionary War & won his freedom for his service at 22 years old. He moved around Vermont, Massachusetts & New Hampshire. About 1804 he married my 4th great grandmother Diadama Simons, a Wampanoag Native American. I know they had at least one child, a daughter named Susan Boston, it’s possible that your Francis Boston Susan are siblings. But how & when did Francis find his way to the UK? A guess would be on a whaling ship. There were a large number of Wampanoag, African & mixed race men signing on to whale ships out of New Bedford, the largest whaling port from about 1800-1870. Francis could have joined a crew from the age of 15.
I’m still trying to gather more info as to what became of Cato Boston. There is very little information available regarding enslaved people unless they broke the law or were sold. Also, slaves names are often biblical or classical. There are many Catos, & many Bostons, & there are multiple Cato Bostons. I’m going to search Francis Boston. I have a vague memory of Diadama (Simons) Boston living with a male child in the 1830s. I will try to find that source again.
I took a DNA test years ago & was shocked to see my percentage of African DNA is in me. Consider a DNA test if that would benefit your search.
I keep remembering things as I’m texting you. There are some famous mixed African whalers from Nantucket MA. Absolon Boston was a successful sea captain of color with a large family on Nantucket Island.
I’ll send you any information I find. Regarding Cato Boston. We may or may not be long lost cousins!
