John Howel
Born around 1753, Howel was an Englishman who had been ordained as an Episcopal minister (Scofield 299).
Apparently clerical life of that sort did not suit him and he came to the colonies where he became a newspaper
editor of "Herald of Freedom".
Again dissatisfied with his job, he went to Macao where he was picked up as a clerk to the Lady Washington.
Howel's original plan was to settle in the paradise of Hawaii, but the unrest when they reached it changed his
mind. He effectively took control of the Lady after Kendrick was killed.
He was rumoured to have been supercargo on the voyage, and as all the officers were killed, it was easy for
him to assume command.
In early 1795, he took the brig to Macao where he sold her to himself (Scofield 314). He then attempted to
pay off Kendrick's debts by selling the cargo but to no avail. He called upon Joseph Barrell to help, "it is
absolutely necessary some steps should be taken to retrieve the character of the Americans here" (Howay 490).
Nothing came of it, but Howel decided he was tired of captaining and set himself up in Canton where he began
making a tidy profit in the spice trade.
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