Historic Nantucket
Orange Street, at the rise of the hill, in 1875 The old Furniture Warehouse was removed over three decades ago, but the houses still remain, although the third house (former Sherburne House) was moved back from the street line in this century. JANUARY, 1975
Published Quarterly by NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS
NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President, Leroy H. True. Vice-Presidents, Albert G. Brock, George W. Jones, Alcon Chadwick, Albert
F. Egan, Jr., Walter Beinecke, Jr., Mrs. Charles Clark Coffin.
Honorary Vice-Presidents, W. Ripley Nelson, Henry B. Coleman Secretary, Richard C. Austin Treasurer, John N. Welch Councillors, Leroy H. True, Chairman, Robert Metters, George A. Snell,
terms expire 1975; (Mrs. H. Crowell Freeman, Miss Mary Gardner, terms expire 1976, Benjamin Richmond, Francis W. Pease, terms expire 1977; Mrs. R. A. Orleans, H. Mitchell Havemeyer, terms expire 1978. Curator, Miss Dorothy Gardner Historian, Edouard A. Stackpole Editor, "Historic Nantucket", Edouard A. Stackpole; Assistant Editor, Mrs. Merle Turner Orleans.
STAFF Oldest House: Chairman, Mrs. Kenneth S. Baird
Receptionists: Mrs. Margaret Crowell, Miss Adeline Cravott Hadwen House-Satler Memorial: Chairman, Mrs. Phoebe P. Swain Receptionists: Mrs. Irving A. Soverino, Miss Marjorie Burgess, Miss Maud Jackson, Mrs. Lucille P. Bell, Mrs. Helen Galagher 1800 House: Chairman, Mrs. H. Crowell Freeman Receptionist: Mrs. John Kittila, Sr. Old Gaol: Chairman, Albert G. Brock Whaling Museum: Chairman, Hugh R. Chace Receptionists: Mr. Clarence H. Swift, Mrs. Harold Killen, Mrs. Her bert Sandsbury, Abram Niles, James A. Watts, Jesse Dunham. Peter Foulger Museum: Chairman and Director, Edouard A. Stackpole Receptionists: Mrs. Elizabeth B. Worth, Mrs. Clara Block, Mr. Joseph Sylvia librarian: Mrs. Louise Hussey Nathaniel Macy House: Chairman, Mrs. John A. Baldwin Receptionists: Mrs. Sarah Morris, Miss Dorothy Hiller Archaeology Department: Chairman, Paul C. Morris, Jr. Field Supervisor, Miss Barbara Kranichfeld Old Town Office: Chairman, Hugh R. Chace Old Mill: Chairman, Richard F. Swain Folger-Franklin Seat & Memorial Boulder: Chairman, Francis Sylvia. Friends Meeting House-Fair Street Museum: Chairman, Mrs. Harding U. Greene, Co-chairman, Mrs. Alfred M. P. Amey Monaghan House: Chairman: Mrs. Henry Koch
HISTORIC NANTUCKET Published quarterly and devoted to the preservation of Nantucket's antiquity, its famed heritage and its illustrious past as a xvhaling port. Volume 23
January, 1975
No. 3
CONTENTS Nantucket Historical Association Staff and Officers
2
Editorial — "A Maritime Community"
5
Report of the Administrator
6
The Nantucket Macys, by E. A. Stackpole
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" 'Twas the Folger in Him," by E. A. Stackpole
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"To a Gallant Ship," by Theodore C. Wyman
14
The Weymouth Logbook
17
The Old Town Building, by E. A. Stackpole
18
Captain Coffin and His Interesting Career, by E. A. Stackpole 21 "Shadowy Reflections," by Henry Hagny
24
An Appeal for Abolition of Slavery on Nantucket By The Late Clarence King
27
"Whales and Destiny," a Book Review
30
Legacies and Bequests
32
Historic Nantucket is published quarterly at Nantucket, Massachusetts, by the Nantucket Historical Association. It is sent to Association Members. Extra copies $.50 each. Membership dues are — Annual-Active $5.00: Sustaining $25.00; Life — one payment $100.00. Second-class postage paid at Nantucket, Massachusetts. Copyright, 1975, Nantucket Historical Association Communications pertaining to the Publication 3hould be addressed to the Editor, Historic Nantucket, Nantucket Hstorical Association, Nantucket, Massachusetts 02554.
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A Maritime Community An Editorial THROUGH VARIOUS mediums — books, radio, motion picture, and television — Nantucket has received remarkable coverage during recent times. As an underlying attraction for the writers, artists and producers the town and island has its basic history — that of a maritime community. None of its singular or collective attributes — its summer clime, recreational facilities, cultural activities — has the appeal of its seafaring past, those combined elements which created an historic seaport. It is a spirit of a people who built this town. While we have fortunately the physical evidences of this past to serve as a striking picture of those times when Nantucket led the world as a whaling port, it is the spirit of the creators that remains strongest in its appeal and its chal lenge. In these days of economic stress the story of Nantucket as a maritime community is doubly important as an inspirational force. True, the spirit of our past is as elusive as history's yester days but it is present in our streets and lanes, our humble homes and proud mansions, our rolling heath and sandy beaches. The seeker will find the spirit and be refreshed. The visible evidences of our seafaring past convey the intangible; traditions are recov ered through a study of the written word; a living force is re created, and the character of the men and women of three centur ies of Nantucket life becomes once again an important influence of the modern world. Not only do we have visitors from other parts of the country who enjoy our maritime community but we have people from other nations arriving on our shores. In p re-Revolutionary War periods we had commercial relations with London, Amsterdam, Lisbon, and Paris; a century and a quarter ago a Nantucket whaling master discovered the Japanese Bonin Islands; in an other century an American consul at Paita, Peru, was a Nan tucket scientist, Dr. Charles F. Winslow. Today, visitors from countries and continents find their way to Nantucket "out-ofseason." Our island town finds its maritime history coming full cycle. To preserve the maritime community is to keep alive the traditions which created Nantucket and have given it a true spirit of a stirring and valuable past.
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Report of the Administrator JANUARY 6, 1975 THE OPEN HOUSE at the Hadwen-Satler Memorial was a great success due to the work of Chairman Phoebe Swain and her committee. Even Mr. Hadwen's portrait sparkled as he must have at similar Christmas parties held there during his lifetime. Over 350 people attended. Lectures at the Peter Foulger Museum by Mr. Stackpole and one by Mrs. Barbara Johnson have also been a tremendous success. One in August was so well attended that we had to turn away over 100 people. Mr. Stackpole has also done an excel lent job with walking tours and lectures to delegations from the Bermuda Bureau of Tourism, the Japanese Broadcasting Co., the Schenectady Historical Society, Moses Brown, Wheeler, and other schools, as well as assisting a sizable number of people doing research in the Peter Foulger Museum Research Library, plus answering no end of written and telephone inquiries for infor mation on Nantucket history and genealogy. Mrs. Hussey has been of great assistance in this during the summer months. We again ground corn, whenever a favorable wind, at the Old Mill and were able to turn the top to a new angle. We are work ing on a plan to solve the difficulties of turning this top but miss the availability of oxen and horses. One of the vanes broke during the summer but, fortunately, it was quickly repaired. The sidewalls have been reshingled with fire-resisting wooden shingles. Hopefully, they will quickly weather to a better color. The International Marine Manuscript Archives has offered to re-microfilm our log books and valuable marine records with a better and more usable filming. Because of the size of our collection it may take some time to get this done but it will be a great convenience and security. In conjunction with the Bicentennial Committee we are working on an audio-visual documentary of Nantucket, past and present. This has considerable merit but the details have not as yet been finalized. Last summer, the Island Tours operated a "shuttle trip" between our buildings pointing out many historic buildings and sites as well as allowing our patrons to spend a short or longer time at each of our exhibits. From our standpoint this was very succssful and we hope they can continue it next year. The Oldest House, under Mrs. Baird's chairmanship, has had the front roof reshingled with fire resisting wooden shingles and the displays have been cleaned up and improved. The Nantucket
REPORT OF THE ADMINSTRATOR
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•Garden Club has assured us they will make further plantings around the yard and are interested in restoring the old well. We have had a number of people asking us to take a stand against the proposed Coffin Park which will adjoin this property. Many of us do not like the idea of a park here but also there are a number of our members who believe this is needed and feel that its value to the community will exceed the harm it will do to the area. Mr. Chace has made a great improvement in the exhibits at the Whaling Museum and his staff, with Mr. Swift doing the "talks," have assisted in interpreting whaling to the tour groups, schools and day to day visitors. It became necessary for one of our friends to recall a few of the exhibits we have had on loan for some time but we have found replacements. We are tremendously pleased that Mr. and Mrs. Robert Waggaman have given us the very valuable col lection of scrimshaw, paintings and various articles which they have loaned us for many years. This is one of the most appre ciated gifts in our possession. On December 29th Vice President Jones presented our re cently retired President, Henry B. Coleman, with a memorial plaque in behalf of the Association as an expression of our appre ciation for the time and talent Mr. Coleman has served in our behalf while we were under his leadership. Attendance at all of our buildings started slow this summer but increased to the best ever by the end of the season. This was especially noticeable at the Nathaniel Macy House where Mrs. Baldwin is the chairman. We hope this will continue because it is one of our best exhibits, charming and truly portraying a Nantucket home in the 1700's. Mrs. Greene, chairman of the Fair Street Museum, was able to have this opened for most of the summer and is busily prepar ing for a real exhibit here for the Bicentennial. We are looking forward to this with great expectation. Mrs. Freeman, chairman of the 1800 House, has been able to obtain two mannikins to bring to life the "borning room" and is working on plans to better exhibit the dresses, hats, etc., in the Quaker room display. A few of these are on display at the Old Town Building where Peter MacGlashan has done such a fine job decorating the windows. We have received back a number of portraits and prints sent away for restoration and with the result that deterioration has been halted. Even though expensive, we must find ways to continue this preservation work. Leroy H. True
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The Nantucket Macys AT SOME TIME between the years 1635 and 1639, Thomas Macy (1612-1682) left his home in Wiltshire, one of the southern coun ties of England, to come to New England with his wife and settled at Newbury in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He joined a group establishing a new settlement at Salisbury in 1639, and soon be came a Freeman and later oine of the elected selectmen. He was a merchant and dealt in textiles, as well as being a planter. All of his children were born in Salisbury, and the Nantucket Macys stem from his son John, who was four years old when the family moved to Nantucket. Thomas held a number of positions of trust in Salisbury and in 1654 he was elected to the General Court. The government of the Puritans in Massachusetts made strict allegiance to the Protestant church mandatory, and among the rigid rules was a regulation against the new sect of the Society of Friends called Quakers. Thomas Macy, who had allowed some traveling Quakers to come into his home during a rain storm, was fined for breaking this discriminatory order. Recog nizing the threat to the lives of free men through living in a colony which sanctioned such bigotry, Thomas Macy joined with some of his neighbors and acquaintances to purchase land on the Island of Nantucket.Ten men, who later took ten partners, formed the first company, and one of the original group was Thomas Mayhew, a merchant of Watertown, Mass., who had obtained grants for the settlement of both Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket following negotiations with agents of the Crown. Thomas Macy was a friend and relative of Mayhew and it is probable that he first learned of Nantucket as an available place of settlement from Mayhew. It took men of courage to remove themselves from the com parative safety of Salisbury to a remote island, inhabited only by Indians, and a good deal of the character of Thomas Macy may be gleaned from this fact as well as from his spending the first winter on the island with his wife and family, together with Edward Starbuck and a 12-year-old boy, Isaac Coleman. That first winter was spent in a rude habitation on the shores of Madaket harbor, and it was no doubt an exploratory period for Macy, who kept the record. The first agreement that concluded with the deed to the first ten purchasers of Nantucket was recorded for "Mr. [Tristram] Coffin and Mr. Macy," and dated at Salisbury on July 2, 1659. The island was then under the Colony of New York. Macy was a man of education as his letters show, especially the one he wrote to the General Court explaining his reasons for "harboring" the Quaker wayfarers. He had married Sarah Hopcot in England before coming to America, and as already stated, all his children were
THE NANTUCKET MACYS
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born in Salisbury, Mass., two sons and three daughters. As his partner in the Nantucket venture Thomas Macy chose Edward Starbuck. While Tristram Coffin, Sr., played a leading role in the settle ment of Nantucket, with his sons and daughters, Thomas Macy was the second leader. Both men became Chief Magistrates of the island community, and held dominant roles. When the famous "Revolt of the Half Share Men" occurred, Thomas Macy showed more understanding of the situation than did Tristram Coffin. The strong personalities of both men were factors in that important part of Nantucket history. Macy died in 1682, and his son John (1635-1691) was his worthy successor. John mar ried Deborah Gardner, daughter of Richard and Sarah, and their descendants carried the name of Macy from Nantucket all over the world. John's sister, Bethiah, married Joseph Gardner, brother of Deborah, and another sister, Mary, married William Worth, thus combining families of first settlers. During the next four generations the sons, grandsons and great-grandsons of John Worth inter-married with others of the first families — John the second marrying Judith Worth; Jabez, son of John the second, marrying Sarah Starbuck; Thomas (great-grandson of Thomas) marrying Deborah Coffin; and Rich ard, son of Thomas, marrying Deborah Pinkham. The Macy girls carried on this interwoven relationship of the first settler fam ilies by becoming the wives of the Russell, Coleman, Clasby, Jenkins, Barney, Gorham, Swain, Barnard, Cartwright and Rotch men. With the adoption of the Society of Friends as the dominant religious force on the Island these family ties were even more strongly forged. It would take a volume of considerable size to describe the lives of the various generations of Macy. However, mention of several who had outstanding careers and who contributed much to island history will be in keeping with this short account. The first John Macy was a house carpenter and it is entirely possible that the present Nathaniel Macy house on Liberty Street may have been his original homestead. The second John Macy (16751751) and his wife Judith Worth were the first of that genera tion of Macys to join the Society of Friends, the date being 1711. Jabez Macy (1683-1776) followed in the footsteps of his father and was a house carpenter. Thomas Macy, great-grandson of Thomas, was in the whal ing trade, and in 1720 shipped some whalebone to London and with the proceeds in part bought a copy of Sewell's History, a bolt of Irish linen, and a clock. The latter was taken to North Carolina where his grandson Paul Macy migrated in 1773; thence to Ohio, where his son migrated, and so far as is known it is still in that State.
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HISTORIC NANTUCKET
In the third Nantucket generation Richard Macy (1689-1779) was only two years old when his father John died. He became an apprentice to a carpenter and at maturity had progressed to become one of the leading craftsmen on the island. He was prob ably the strongest man in the history of Nantucket, and one story relates that he once lifted a cannon on Martha's Vineyard that weighed 1,800 pounds. But his historical record is best repre sented by the fact that he was the builder of Straight Wharf in 1723, the first substantial wharf on the "Great Harbor." He also constructed one of the first windmills here. The grandmother of Edwin Stanton, the famous Secretary of War in/ the Civil War cabinet of Abraham Lincoln, was Abigail Macy, who was born at Nantucket in 1753, daughter of David and Dinah (Gardner) Macy. She moved with her family to New Garden, N. C., where she married Henry Stanton in 1774. John Macy, her uncle, had also joined the Nantucket migration to North Carolina in 1771, and settled at Guilford. One of the pro visions of his will was a gift of 160 acres in Guilford to his daugh ter Bethiah, who had married Paul Macy, a second cousin. Other members of the Macy clan moving to North Carolina were Joseph and Matthew Macy, and some of them later removed to the Ohio country, where many of their descendants still reside. Among the gifted members of the family was Zaccheus Macy (1713-1797) known in his time as the "Bone-setter." Possessed of a natural ability as a physician he performed many operations in resetting of broken and fractured limbs, and true to his Quaker principals never asked for payment. By trade he was a boatbuilder, constructing whaleboats, employing several men. He in vested in the whaling business and owned shares in a number of successful sloops. He was a contributor to the Massachusetts His torical Society's collections, and his papers on the early settlement of the island, the Indians, and the progress of the whale fishery. Zaccheus may well be called the first Nantucket historian, and could well have been the inspiration for the first formal history of Nantucket by Obed Macy, his nephew, the son of his younger brother Caleb. Caleb Macy (1719-1798) had married Judith Gardner, widow of James Gardner, and the daughter of Daniel Folger, who was lost at sea with one of his sons in 1744. Judith was a sister of Kezia Folger Coffin, the famous woman of the Revolutionary War period, who was a skilled business woman and trader. Thus, Obed Macy and his brothers Barzillai and Silvanus, were descended from strong-minded and enterprising islanders. All three sons of Caleb Macy followed his example of making voyages on whaleships while still young, and also entering the coasting trade. Knowledge gained first hand in this way enabled them to launch their partnership, embarking on several enter-
THE NANTUCKET MACYS
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prises, including cod-fishing, shoemaking and the manufacture of sperm candles. Barzillai Macy died at the comparatively young age of 29, and Silvanus and Obed carried on their partnership for a period of forty-seven years — probably the most extraordin ary record in Nantucket's history. The two brothers married two of the Pinkham sisters, Silvanus taking Anna Pinkham as his bride, and Obed marrying Abigail Pinkham, both daughters of Daniel Pinkham and Eunice Jenkins. Birthright members of the Society of Friends the Macy brothers were sincere followers of the philosophy of the Quakers. Becoming agents of as well as part owners of whaleships the Macy firm prospered and despite heavy losses incurred by the captulre of several vessels during the Quasi War with France and during the 1812 war with Great Britain they maintained a successful partnership, ended only by the death of Silvanus in 1833. The harmony which prevailed in the family business was continued by the association of Obed's sons, Thomas and Peter Macy. Upon the death of Peter Macy in 1849, the sons of Thomas. Isaac and Philip Macy, carried on the firm until the decline of Nantucket's whaling brought to a close a most unusual business activity. Obed Macy (1762-1844) wrote the first full history of Nan tucket, which was published in 1835 and republished a half cen tury later. A new edition was printed only a few years ago. The "Worthy Obed," as Melville called him, was always interested in the history of his native place, and kept a diary of local hap penings from 1799 until a few years before the loss of his eye sight curtailed his activities. His home on Pleasant Street is still a sturdy structure, and symbolizes the durable character of the man. During the mid-19th century it was the home of Obed's son, Dr. Reuben Macy. Next door, at 17 Pleasant, was the home of Peter Macy, another son of Obed. Silvanus Macy (1756-1833) lived at 89 Main Street during his active business career. A man of similar disposition as his brother Obed he had one experience that caused him much soul-searching, and that was his investigation into the background of the rob bery of the Nantucket Bank in 1795. Silvanus conducted a num ber of private meetings at his home, which were construed as secret meetings for the purpose of implicating certain prominent members of the community. This was vigorously denied by Cap tain Macy, but the emotions of the time ran high in the town and he and his friends were criticized. E. A. S. (To Be Continued)
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Twas the Folger in Him WITH THE ADVENT of the Bicentennial observance of our na tional birthday there is a resurgence of interest in those men who formulated the structure of the idea of independence. One of them had a direct connection with Nantucket. If he was not the greatest of the founding fathers he was certainly the busiest, and there are many who feel he was both. He liked to refer to himself as "Benjamin Franklin, Printer," and this would indi cate a career of hard work. It was always a practical application that this outstanding American liked to utilize in relation to his work, and "Poor Richard" symbolized the many facets of his career. His birthday in January comes at a time of year when the rigors of New England's winters are close at hand. It is a time to remind us that Franklin's early life was one of struggle and privation, when he began his career as a printer, combining the skills of a compositor, pressman and journalist, and mixing inks and preparing rag paper. He was still serving his apprenticeship when he published his first writings, and this phase of his life brought him to London, where he learned many things that were to stand him in good stead during his long life. One side of this fascinating American's life which has in trigued many students of history was his "scientific bent." In this respect the old Nantucketers often remarked " 'twas the Folger in him," the inference being that the inheritance from his mother, Abiah Folger, and the "godly Englishman" Peter Folger, his grandfather, were the guiding forces. Certainly it is an ac knowledged fact that the predilection of the Folgers of Nantucket for scientific and mathematical accomplishments has been a fam ily trait. But the Folgers have also been inclined to the literary as well. One of them, Henry Clay Folger, gave the world as well as this nation that magnificent Shakespeare Library in Washington. The list of college professors bearing the name is most impressive. It can be said that the Folger in Franklin was also the Nan tucket part of him. Some of his island cousins were somewhat critical of him, and there is always that delightful story of the time two shipmasters from Nantucket visited Philadelphia and, being Folger cousins, called on Benjamin at his office. He invited them to dinner, and they replied they would accept "depending on whether they had something better to do." As they did not appear, Franklin wrote that they must have been "miffed." Despite this incident the islanders were proud of their remarkably versatile relative.
" 'TWAS THE FOLGER IN HIM"
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With all his achievements as a writer, inventor, diplomat, and printer, Franklin never forgot the success he enjoyed as an outstanding representative of the "art preservative." He played on the several roles associated with his trade as an experienced organist played an organ — pulling out the proper stops to accent uate a phrase or to soft-pedal it. The fascination of the printed word, abstracted from the original script; the enjoyment of a well-turned expression; the appeal of a broadside; the compo sition of a newspaper — all were leading features of his full life. He carried on this identification to the last, as he directed the words to be placed on his tombstone: ". . . the body of Benjamin Franklin, Printer, like the covering of an old book, its contents torn out. . . . " Edouard A. Stackpole
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To a Gallant Ship BY THEODORE C. WYMAN
ALTHOUGH I NEVER sailed on her, I think of the Alice S. Wentworth as one of the vessels in my life because of the interest I have in her. She became a part of my life as I was a shareholder in her and knew her well during the years I lived on Nantucket. Her skipper was old Zeb Tilton, a cross-eyed giant of an ancient mariner, and he sailed her for thirty-five years in the coasting trade. He sailed her many times with one man, or with his daughter for crew, between the mainland, the Vineyard and Nantucket and at times for longer voyages along the coast. Zeb's address now is "Fiddler's Green," and he went there in 1952 at the age of eighty-five. As always, old records vary to some extent, but the official records according to research show that the Alice Wentworth was built during the Civil War in 1863 at South Norwalk, Conn., and christened the Lizzie A. Tolles. She was completely rebuilt at Wells, Maine, in 1905 or 1907, and was the oldest documented vessel flying the American flag. She had the traditional lines of an old New England two-masted schooner with a length of 73.2 feet, beam 22 feet and she carried four sails with a sail area of 4300 square feet. Her draught was six feet (twelve feet with a centerboard which was off center to port of the mainmast). The time came in 1939 when Capt. Zeb ran into financial difficulties and the Alice Wentworth was put up for auction. It did not seem right that the ancient mariner should lose his ship and, through the efforts of Captain Ralph M. Packer, the Schooner Alice S. Wentworth Associates, Inc., was formed and shares were sold to help purchase the ship and liquidate her debts. There was no idea in the minds of those who purchased the shares that they were making a financial investment. It was just a chance to help someone whom they admired and to keep alive a chapter in a seafaring tradition that would be a sad loss if it could not continue. And yet the rewards to the shareholders were all out of proportion to the small investment each one made. They had a chance to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors and become ship owners and the few annual meetings aboard the schooner were treasures beyond price. They did receive one dividend of a dollar a share in 1939, but their certificates of cap ital stock will represent a legacy of priceless sentimental value. Ceptain Zeb was forced by natural circumstances to end his association with the ship he had sailed for so many years and in 1944 the Alice Wentworth was sold to a Captain Parker Hall who took her to Maine, and there she finally ended up on Maine schooner cruises. Then in 1961 a Mrs. Ann White of Squantum
To A GALLANT SHIP
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bought her and sailed her on vacation cruises from Woods Hole, where she lay half on the beach for a time. She finally was sold at auction to Mr. Anthony Athanas who owns Pier 4 restaurant in Boston. He did have her put in fair shape and she provided a seagoing atmosphere to his restaurant until he acquired a Hud son River steamboat for the main attraction there, and the Alice Wentworth had to step back from center stage. It was not long before the old schooner began to feel her age and for a while she rested her old bones on the harbor bottom until she was finally raised again. She was a proud ship and had a right to be proud of a lifetime of sailing along the New England coast, and she was not ready to cross the bar and fold her sails for the last time. The old schooner was given to the National Maritime His torical Society in February of 1974 by Anthony Athanas and she had been named to the National Register of Historic Places. Plans were made and a fund was started by private subscription to have her rebuilt in Rockland, Maine, and she had been designated part of the National Bicentennial Fleet. It was hoped that she could be restored by 1976 and take her rightful place in our na tion's heritage, but severe winter storms and a final April gale were too much for her aging timbers and she simply came to pieces. All through her long life the Alice Wentworth had done the work for which she was built and now, although she has gone, perhaps there is one more thing that can be added to her credit. A National Ship Trust bill has been introduced into Congress that, if passed, will provide help in saving and preserving some of the old ships that are a part of our national heritage. It is too late to save the Alice Wentworth, but because it is too late perhaps that will help in making us conscious of the need to save some of our old ships before they, too, sail for the Far Shore. Now she is with those old friends who once owned shares in her, and who made the last voyage before she did. And I am sure they were waiting to welcome her and that they were glad to see her again. 0
HUSSEY DESCENDANTS Are you interested in Christopher Hussey's ancestry? The Dorking Parish Registers, listing his baptism of 18 February 1599, go back to 1538 and. it is understood, are available for addi tional research. A fee is charged for the service.
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The Weymouth Logbook WHILE WORKING at the old Nantucket house at 59 Centre Street last summer (Aug. 5) Douglass Lawrence, Nantucket con tractor, found between the floor boards of a small room on the south side a number of pages from a ship's logbook. He imme diately notified Leroy H. True, President of the Nantucket His torical Association, of the discovery, and the material was soon after transferred to the vault of the Peter Foulger Museum. An examination of the manuscript pages revealed that they were from the logbook of the Whaleship Weymouth, of Nantucket, commanded by Captain Moses Harris, and covered months be tween March, 1830, and June, 1831, Despite some holes made by nails, and breaks in the paper where cracks in the floor exposed the material, the pages are legible and the courses of the ship easily followed. The Weymouth was built early in the 19th century and made her first whaling voyage from Nantucket in 1815, sailing under Captain David Harris on November 22, and returning on April 17, 1813, with nearly 2,000 barrels of sperm. On her next voyage — 1818 to 1820 — she was under the command of Captain William Chadwick, returning with another "full ship." Captain Moses Harris, nephew of Captain David Harris, then became her captain, and the voyage from June 3, 1821 to March 23, 1824, was the first of four successful consecutive voyages he made in the Weymouth. The pages from his log of the 1828-1831 voyage are from the logbook for that particular cruise to the Pacific Ocean and return. Captain Moses Harris made his last voyage in the Weymouth from September 1831, to February 1835. Upon returning home he retired from the sea and bought a farm in Polpis, where he spent many years. He moved to town in later years and lived at 59 Centre Street until his death at the age of 84. How the logbook pages became laid in between the floor boards of the one-room ell will probably never be fully known. However, the fact that these whaling documents were saved is the important sequel to the original story — thanks to the discovery and thoughtfulness of "Doug" Lawrence.
® o M
Tlie Old Town Building NANTUCKET'S VENERABLE brick structure on Union and Washington Streets, which for nearly a century and a half housed the offices of the town's officials, and which passed into the posses sion of the Nantucket Historical Association in 1968, when the new municipal Town Building on Broad Street had been already activated, has been duly recognized by the U. S. Department of the Interior as an historic landmark. A citation to this effect has been received by President Leroy H. True of our Association from the Secretary of the Department. Soon after the Historical Association accepted the old brick building it found the cost of renovation was beyond its resources, and at this point the Nantucket Historical Trust entered the pic ture and provided the funds necessary to accomplish the work. Today, the structure is the "home office" of the Association, pro viding a headquarters for Administrator and President, Leroy H. True, as well as secretarial offices and wholesale storage areas. To help carry out the historical significance of the Old Town Building the office of the Tax Collector, on the southeast corner of the lower floor, was fitted out, and visitors admitted through the old doorway that leads into the vestibule, where a glassed in partition permits a complete survey of this most attractive exhibit. Contrary to what is a natural assumption, this brick struc ture was not erected by the town for its officers. It was originally two brick stores, joined architecturally but separately owned. Erected in 1832, at a time when new brick structures were being built in the town, the south section was owned by Thomas Coffin and the north portion by James Athearn. The old Town Hall, a wooden structure on Main Street, bordering what is now Monu ment Square, had become so badly in need of repair that the town decided to buy the brick stores of Coffin and Athearn as they were centrally located within the town. George Cobb, the Town Treasurer, was authorized to pay Coffin $2,500 for his store, and the transaction was concluded in 1836. Athearn had sold his store to Captain Isaiah Ray for $1,750, and Ray had sold it, in turn, to Captain Frederick Chase for $2,150, and Chase's heirs sold the north section to the Town of Nantucket, in 1884. Soon after this date the two sections of the building were merged to become the Town Building housing all the municipal offices. It was during July, 1836, that the first of the town officers were installed in their new office building, the south store being available. On the ground floor at the west side (Union Street), the Register of Deeds and the Register of Probate opened offices, and on the ground floor east, the Washington Street side, the
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HISTORIC NANTUCKET
Overseer of the Poor had his office. On the second floor of the building, west side, were the Clerk of Courts and the Town Treas urer, and on the second floor, east side, the Selectmen had their "Board room." The Great Fire of 1846 destroyed all the structures in the immediate area and gutted the town building. Fortunately, the concerted efforts of the town officials and citizens enabled the rescue operations in saving all the manuscript records of the town which were housed in the building. Upon the reconstruction, safety vaults with iron doors were installed in all the several offices. In 1884, when the north section of the attached stores was purchased by the town, the Town Clerk's office was placed in the newly acquired part. Three years later the incumbent was found guilty of misuse of town funds, and there was a special election which was won by Arthur H. Gardner, then editor of The Nan tucket Journal. Due to the exigencies of the times, Mr. Gardner was permitted to use his own office at the newspaper to carry on the affairs of that office. At this time (188,8), Lauriston Bunker was appointed Clerk of Courts, a position he held for many years before becoming Town Clerk. A major renovation for the Old Town Building was accom plished in 1889, when the stairway to the second floor was re located, being placed in the north side, making the space it for merly occupied on the southwest usable for the Register of Deeds office. At this same time, the Police Station was partitioned, with a door leading from Washington Street providing entrance to the Station and to a "Lock-up" area with two cells. Among the changes, also taking place at this time, was placing the Assessors' office in with the Clerk of Courts, at the request of Mr. Bunker, the new Clerk. When the 20th century rolled around, the familiar pattern of the Town Building's offices was well established. On the Wash ington Street side, the Police Station, the Overseer of the Poor, and the Town Treasurer were positioned, with the Tax Collector having the corner office. On the Union Street side, the Town Clerk's office was to the left as one entered the doorway, and the Registry of Deeds had its office to the right. Upstairs, to the left was the Selectmen's Room, with the Assessors across the narrow hall. At the head of the staircase was the office of the Probate Court, with the Register, while the Clerk of Courts was in the office on the southwest corner. — E. A. S.
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Captain Coffin and His Interesting Career GEORGE WILLIAM COFFIN was born at Nantucket, Mass., De cember 23, 1845, son of Francis C. and Emeline (Wyer) Coffin. Tristram Coffin, his first paternal American ancestor, was one of the first settlers of Nantucket. The descent from him and his wife Dionis Stevens being through James and Mary (Severance) Cof fin; John and Hope (Gardner) Coffin; Richard and Ruth (Bunker) Coffin, the grandparents of George William Coffin. Entering the U. S. Naval Academy in 1860 he was graduated and commissioned an ensign in 1863 and assigned to the steam sloop Ticonderoga of the North Atlantic blockading squadron in which he served until the end of the Civil War, participating in all actions in which that vessel took part. He was severely wounded in the land assault on Fort Fisher, North Carolina, but continued in command of his men until the blue-jackets were withdrawn. For conspicuous bravery on this occasion he was especially commended in dispatches, and by a special act of Con gress, was advanced 30 numbers in grade. He was promoted to master and lieutenant in 1866, to lieutenant commander in 1868, to Commander in 1878, and to captain in 1893. After the Civil War he served in the Shawmut on the Brazil ian station 1866-67, in the Franklin, Admiral Farragut's flagship on the Mediterranean station 1867-68, and at the U. S. Naval Academy 1868-69. In 1870 he was made Chief of Staff of the North Atlantic Fleet. He commanded several ships both on the east and west coasts and in foreign waters. In 1884 he answered the request of the Navy Department to volunteer for the relief expedition under Admiral Winfield Scott Schley to go to the Arctic in search of Lieutenant Adolphus W. Greely and his party. He was placed in command of the Alert, lent to the U. S. Government by Queen Victoria, one of the three vessels to make up the expedition. The exigencies of this com mand required him at one period to spend twenty-two hours in the crow's nest look-out and the leg which had sustained the wound during the Civil War became frost-bitten. This was a source of continued trouble to him and was a partial reason for his eventual retirement. In 1886 he was again on duty in the Mediterranean and upon his return was made Chief of the Lighthouse Division which was then under the Navy. Upon the death of his wife he requested a return to sea duty. In 1895 he took the cruiser Charleston, to the Pacific, making official records of the waters of Manila Bay. These were filed with the Navy Department and given to Ad miral Dewey and used by him (together with a personal letter
Captain George William Coffin, U. S. N. Photo taken at Naga saki, Japan, when Captain Coffin was in command of the U. S. S. Charleston.
CAPTAIN COFFIN AND HIS INTERESTING CAREER
23
from Captain Coffin who had been a classmate and close friend) in navigation at the battle of Manila. Due to ill health Captain Coffin was placed on the retired list in 1897, but on the outbreak of the Spanish-American War he applied, against advice, for active duty and was placed in charge of the 12th Lighthouse District. Captain Coffin designed and patented a novel safety keel made of wood and steel for use on navy and other vessels to protect them from damage in the event of running aground. It was first used on the lighthouse service cutter Columbine. He was a companion of the California Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, and a member of the Army and Navy Club of Washington, D. C., Bo hemian Club of San Francisco, and the Yokohama (Japan) Club, where he resided after his retirement from the Navy, and where his son-in-law, Medical Inspector Frank Anderson, U. S. Navy, was in charge of the Naval Hospital. Captain Coffin was a brave and efficient officer, devoted to the service of his country, able in the performance of duty and highly esteemed by his fellow officers and superiors. He was a man of cheerful good nature and deep feeling, and had many warm friends. He was married at Nantucket, Mass., December 1,8, 1866, to Mary Starbuck Cartwright, daughter of John Cartwright of Boston, Mass., and had a daughter, Eleanor Calder Coffin, wife of Dr. Frank Anderson, U. S. Navy, and two granddaughters, Dorothy Morgan and Eleanor Anderson. He died in Yokohama, Japan, June 15, 1899. He requested that his ashes be placed beside his wife in Oak Hill Cemetery, Georgetown, D. C., instead of at Arlington National Cemetery, and this was done.
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Shadowy Reflections Owen Chase ivriting the "Wreck of the Essex" THE PURE GOLDEN glow of the candle flame spread a halo of light. It confined itself to the small area at which he was writ ing. The rest of the room submitted to a velvety darkness. Ah! — there gathered shades of the departed. Did they grimace in mock derision? No! — he felt no malice in their presence. There was Matthew P. Joy; only a sad, melancholy smile seemed to emanate from the reflected image in the mirror before him. If only the mate could step out of the vespertine glass and grasp his hand again! How many times had these apparitions appeared to him? Uncounted numbers, and usually at eve, in the soft twilight, when the tenseness of daytime activity gave way to the cool, relaxed tranquility of the evening, and so it was now. He felt as if the specters in the gloom were directing his pen, compelling him to put down in human writing the saga of their tortuous voyage. They commanded that this mortal must record the courage, intrepidity and unselfishness of their united endeavor in the face of certain death — how they, with stubborn boldness, came to direct this, their wooden shell, toward an unattainable goal. This delicate boat, made for quick maneuver and ease of handling: solely to facilitate the short and final dash to the whale, there to provide the quietus of the huge mammal; this done, to return to the mother ship. It was many sea-weary days, added as if step by step to their doom, that they spent aboard her: the horrible slants to wind ward, frustrating inch long reaches. Conversely, favorable wind tides smashed at the frail craft, seeping through hastily repaired ribs and planking. The continual bailing was attended to with uncomplaining faithfulness. At eve their vittles were meted out: they were reduced now to a mug of water and a large sea-biscuit. It was merely a teaser for a stomach rumbling its displeasure. It was torture to even open their sun-baked, salt-encrusted lips, and then hardly enough moisture to get the food past swollen tongus. This accentuated the extreme hazard of their position. The nerve now breaks; they turn their bony faces to the planking — thus their mates will not see the tears engendered by their anguish. To ease the terrible heat of the tropic sun they bare their anatomy for a brief immersion in the cool ocean. Their body bones stick out, they look like skeletons. It is then that some, eyeing the emaciated forms, may have recourse to remember old dog "Trey" back home. How they had brutally kicked the old hound
SHADOWY REFLECTIONS
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dog waiting at the door for his rations — he is now too old and of no more use in trailing game; so they wish only to be rid of him. There he cowers, poor rib-bones sticking out. The rheumatic hind legs shaking, quivering tail between legs he yelps and tot ters away. He has that squatting, uncertain gait, the legs seem ingly barely able to support the body. These poor humans are suffering the same fate: now they know, guilty or not guilty, how it feels. To add to it all, the culpable ones know that there will be no homecoming for them to atone. These poor thoughts engender others of a like nature, of past misdeeds. Thus is their misery augmented. They search their hearts and minds for something good they may have done; some are hard put. Finally these dismal ruminations give way to general lassitude, a merci ful numbness sets in. Eventually their minds refuse to mull over anything. Simple, rough and uncouth men though they were, they could still show each other how to die. They went to their deaths in a manly, uncomplaining fashion. Witness the sublime abnegation of the young cabin boy, Owen Coffin. Their visages show no craven cowardice — the taut faces are chiseled into lines of rigid cour age and resolution. What a masterpiece would evolve if caught on canvas! So some of them perished — like a dying seabird earthbound (as they were seabound) gasping his last breath, his eyes unblinking, sharp, staring bright lights. He does not compromise one whit of soul spirit. Until that spirit is gone, the light gleams forth, steadily dauntless. Then after one last lustrous, brilliant flash from the unwinking eye, the soul fire is gone — the spirit has indeed departed. That is how these men had gone — did he not bear witness? How could a poor mortal such as he put pen to paper, and sketch the palpable elements in their true perspective? He knew the prosaic words he indited were a poor replica of their titanic struggle. Even the erudite pen of the well-known author who was to edit his words, would fail! His intuition told him so. Still the shadowy apparitions in the darkness spurred him on — a draft flickered the light, but the spermaceti candle held to its duty — as if it too was un daunted by any stray zephyr. . . . I
A shift of wood, partly converted to ash, in the fireplace made a soft sigh. He roused to half-startled consciousness. He had dozed and awakened to find the pen fallen from his hand. The soft, golden candle flame still burned steadily — was it he who had penned the phrases before him? Harry Hagny
Captain Joseph N. Plaskett — 1810-1845 One of the fine portraits in the Nantucket Whaling Museum painted by William Swain and recently restored.
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An Appeal for Abolition of Slavery On Nantucket by Elihu Coleman BY THE LATE CLARENCE KING
Introduction The following is a fictional account of a most inter esting chapter in Nantucket history. Clarence King, the author, has also written The Half-Share Man, a biog raphy of Peter Foulger, the grandfather of Benjamin Franklin, which is on sale at the Museum named for that remarkable founder of the Folger clan in Nantucket. Mr. King was a close friend of Dr. William E. Gardner and was an advocate of "Dr. Will's" policy of making our island ancestors live again by following historical facts in their lives as revitalized in fiction. ON A SEPTEMBER day in 1716, a house-raising was in prog ress on the hill above the main harbor. As usual, every ablebodied man was helping and the women were arranging a com munity picnic at noon. Elihu Coleman's partner in the work that morning was a dark-complexioned man called "Mark." He spoke with a peculiar accent and Elihu had never met him be fore. There is no better nor quicker way for two men to learn to like and respect each other than for them to work together on a task in which they are both interested and equally skilled. Elihu, at this time, was only in his sixteenth year but he was already a skilled carpenter, quite as competent as many an older man. When the signal was given to stop work at noon, Elihu no ticed the Coleman and Starbuck families gathered about a snowy cloth spread on grass for the noon meal. Impulsively, he turned to Mark and invited him to join them. Mark seemed pleased but embarrassed. He turned his head but said nothing. Just then Sylvanus Hussey rushed up and gave Mark a curt order which sent him off on a run. Sylvanus turned to Elihu: "What were thee saying to Mark just now?" "I was inviting him to lunch with us. What did thee say to him which sent him off in such a hurry?"' "I ordered him to do something." "What right had thee to give orders to Mark?" "I guess thee didn't know that he is my slave.'" "Your slave!" said Elihu in astonishment.
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HISTORIC NANTUCKET
"Yes, I recently inherited him under my father's will." Sylvanus turned and rushed off, leaving Elihu standing in amazement. Mark, that fine man, a slave to be inherited like a piece of property, to be bought or sold like livestock, to have to work for Sylvanus without being paid. That noon he hardly knew what he was eating because he was so indignant over what he had just learned. That afternoon he and Mark worked together in silence until a brief rest was called at four o'clock. "Mark," asked Elihu, "what is thy other name?" "I haven't any other." "But thy father?" "I don't know who my father was. I guess you didn't know I was a slave." "No, I didn't. How did thee become a slave?" "My mother was a slave in Barbados." "And how did thee happen to come to Nantucket?" "My master sold me to Stephen Hussey. I was young and strong and had learned to be a carpenter. Hussey had to pay 50 pounds for me. When he moved here from Barbados he brought me with him." "Mark, are there many slaves on Nantucket?" "Oh yes, let's see, in the Hussey family Mistress Hussey in herited Sarah; Theodate Hussey inherited Dorothy. John Swain owns Prince Boston. James Coffin owns Hager. Shubael Coffin owns Bristol. Thomas Brock has a negro woman he paid 30 pounds for. Samuel Barber of Falmouth has four slaves working here on Nantucket for whose services their employer pays Barker. Daniel Hussey owns the boy James. I think he is an Indian. Daniel Folger . . ." At this point they were interrupted by the signal to start work again. Elihu slept little that night, his mind was filled with indignation at what he had learned about slavery on Nantucket. The next day was First Day (Sunday). He sat with other mem bers of his family on the facing benches in the new meeting house. Among those on the high seats above him he saw his grand mother, Mary Starbuck. She was now 74 and beginning to look frail, and streaks of white showed in her hair. As the meeting quieted down, all sat with bowed heads for nearly half an hour. Then his grandmother was moved to speak. Elihu noticed that she remained seated although generally when speaking she stood very straight. Her message was brief but, as usual, it was
AN APPEAL FOR THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY
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sincere and eloquent. There was further silence while Elihu med itated about Mark and the sin of slavery. He was almost moved to speak. He felt strongly, but he had never spoken in meeting before. Occasionally someone from the facing benches did speak in meeting but no one as young as he, and most of the messages came from those on the high seats. While he temporized, quaking with emotion, the man sitting next to his grandmother reached over and shook hands with her. This was the signal that the meeting was over, and Elihu found himself shaking hands with those about him. The next day he went up to Parliament House to seek his grandmother's advice as to what, if anything, he should do following his talk with Mark. But Mary Starbuck was feeling ill and was confined to her bed. The monthly business meeting of the Nantucket Society of Friends was to meet that day as it was always held on the last Second Day (Monday) in each month. Proceedings at the monthly meeting for business were much less formal than meetings for worship. After about five minutes of silence, the clerk introduced several routine matters of business which were quickly disposed of by common consent. When an important matter came up and was discussed, the clerk wrote out a proposed minute as to what he thought was the sense of the meeting. If anyone objected to the minute as read, it was defeated as Friends do not vote by majority rule. There must be "consensus." At last the clerk said: "Friends, is there any new business which should come before this meeting?" Elihu could contain himself no longer. He rose and said: "Friends, I have a deep concern." The clerk nodded encouragingly: "Let us hear of thy concern, Friend Coleman." In a voice trembling with emotion, Elihu told how he had come to know and respect Mark and his astonishment on hearing that he was a slave. "Can a sincere Friend hold such a man in bondage?" he asked, "and require him to work without wages and perhaps be sold like an ox or horse?" i
He could not trust himself to speak further and sat down. There was an ominous silence throughout the room, not the silence of meditation. Looks of astonishment and perhaps anger were directed toward him. (To Be Continued)
Whales and Destiny THE ENGLISH publication "Mariner's Mirror" in a recent issue printed a favorable review of the volume Whales and Des tiny, by Edouard A. Stackpole, Historian of the Nantucket His torical Association. The review reads as follows: A brilliant study of mercantile negotiations and maritime policies fought out in London, Boston, Paris and the Southern Hemisphere during and after the Rev olutionary and Napoleonic Wars. And also a heartening exposition of how, when the big fellows fell out, a tiny little island community counted its ha'pence and serenely went on turning them into pounds in spite of them all. England by blockading the rebellious Americans found she had cut off most of her sperm oil supplies, London streets darkened and crime increased, and we had a Fuel Crisis on our hands. Little Nantucket had the oil and saw itself being cut off from its customers. If that was what Boston Tea Parties were all about, it just wasn't funny. They pleaded for neutral status but the London import ers countered by asking them to emigrate to London, ships and all, and promised them jobs. Meantime some of them had set up in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and hoped to dodge the blockade from that British Colony. To make sure that more captains and crews came to London the merchants there made sure the Dartmouth scheme failed. Meantime an offer of the port of Dunkirk had come from France. Doubtfully, the Nantucket Quakers turned up at Versailles to make terms "in our usual way, with our heads covered, which being explained, directed their apparent full approbation" (a delightful expression). And so right opposite the mouth of the Thames from which other of their ships operated, the Nantucketers set up their European base. Dunkirk based whalers like William Rotch, by trans-shipping to Dunkirk, oil from ships actually sailing out of Nantucket (to augment that brought in by their Dunkirk whalers) were able to sup ply not only France but, through the back door, the Neth erlands, Germany, and anyone who had the cash. Meantime another scheme was launched by English developer Charles Greville, best known to some of us as Emma Hamilton's best friend. He was opening up Milford Haven and worked hard to get the Nantucketers there. It is remarkable how, while nibbling at all these baits, those cold-eyed islanders stuck devotedly to their much loved home and, as the sky cleared, all drifted back. It is admirable how Mr. Stackpole never loses the
"WHALES AND DESTINY"
31
thread in this puzzling maze of initiatives. We then move on towards the southern waters. This is no "thar she blows!" book, but here we do get away from the counting houses and down to the sea in whalers and and sport among the cetaceans. We also solve the eternal problem of the whaler. We get outward cargoes to Aus tralia, convicts ("only 21 died this trip"). We watch the captains trying to talk Spanish as the whole of South America revolts. A notable book which while pursuing one line of trade broadens our whole picture of the per iod in which all the advantages and troubles of today began. J. Le Pelle# 0 Paintings by Sally Gardner
Among the paintings by Nantucket artists which hang in the Peter Foulger Museum are two by Sally Gardner. One depicts a baby girl in a pink dress and was once descriped as appearing to have the child "floating into position on a cloud," and the other
Sarah Macy By Sally Gardner
of a young boy in long trousers, "with an over-sized head and a serious expression." Both paintings are of interest in that they show the work of a local artist who, although untrained, shows an inherent talent that was best expressed in two charm ing miniatures, also on display at the museum.
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