THE WEST INDIES TRADE
In 1649, merchants from Wethersfield and Hartford invested in the
building of a small vessel, the Tryall, to make a “trial” of trading with
the English island of Barbados, which had been settled in 1627. The
Tryall sailed out of the Connecticut River loaded with fresh farm
produce, lumber, and barrel staves. From this small beginning, a
prosperous trade developed between Connecticut and the islands of
the West Indies. Customs records indicate that the trade relationships
between Colonial Connecticut and the populous English islands of
Barbados and St. Kitts were particularly strong.
West Indies map, Boston Pubic Library
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