The Privateer ship The Rover was built in Brooklyn at the site of the present day Brooklyn Marina during the winter of 1799 and spring of 1800. She was a brig built for a Liverpool merchant, Parker Snow by Ichabod Darrow. who operated a shipyard and sawmill in Brooklyn ( then Herring Cove ).

The Rover , when completed, carried 14 - 4 pound cannon and a crew of 50 including boys and officers. The crew were mostly fishermen from the area. During her career as a privateer, she sailed under the command of Captain Alexander Godfrey. He was a very capable and powerful gentleman who had the respect of his crew.

The Brig Rover during its short career was one of the most successful privateers to ever sail the seas. She did battle with many ships that were better equipped and had bigger crews. However, during her battles, she came out ahead capturing Spanish and American ships who were enemies of Britain at the time.

As a reward for his services, Captain Godfrey was offered a commission in the Royal Navy and the command of one on Her Majesty's ships. (Today we would refer to this as patronage). The gentleman that he was, he refused. The Rover was disarmed and put into the fish and lumber trade. Captain Godfrey died in 1803 of yellow fever and was buried near Kingston, Jamaica with nothing to mark his final resting place.