Notes on Tuckernuck

N o t e s o n T u c k e rn uck

by Diana Walker

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IN TELLING THE story of Tuckernuck, we begin with a quotation from Early Nantucket and its Whale Houses, by Forman, describing the 17th century town of Nantucket then known as Sherburne. "In literal sense the colony had no town. It possessed no streets, no houses, no shops. It was a spread out country village arranged in helter skelter fashion. The average dwelling lot comprised of about 20 acres and the roads, nothing but sand ruts, and paths through the grassy hummock and woods. With due grains of allowance, todays settlement on Tuckernuck resembles in several respects the layout of Sherburne." Tuckernuck remains unique because there has been little change in plan or development in the past two hundred years.

In 1829, Eliza Gardner, a young Nantucket school girl, drew a map of the island (Nantucket Historical Association). According to her map, and others of that period, there were 11 houses on Tuckernuck. Today there are twenty-six. Only five houses, a few outbuildings, and additions have been constructed in the 20th century. The greatest development took place between 1829 and 1900. There were probably as many as thirty houses during the peak of Tuckernuck's population. We know that the houses no longer standing were either swept out to sea, victims of abandonment, or destroyed by flames. The latter element has always been a serious problem on this little island which has had its share of devastating fires. Nothing can be done about the sea with its ever changing tides, eating away so much of the "backside" of Tuckernuck, and sometimes unexpectedly, depositing sand in some other place on the island's shoreline. After the protection of Smith Point arm disappeared in a series of storms in the 19th century, Tuckernuck had to fend for itself. Since then the south side of the island has been constantly battered, moved and changed. As a result approximately a third of the island has been lost to sea.

Although Tuckernuck is only a pin point in the history of the formation of the Northeastern United States, the result of the massive upheaval caused by the Ice Ages can be clearly seen. Consequently, this island is a source for geological studies in this area. We live in a period of interglacial retreat. The Ice has come four times, and after each advance, it has withdrawn. The second and third Ice Ages brought most of Martha's Vineyard, Chappaquiddick, Tuckernuck, and Nantucket. The fourth Ice Age brought most of Cape Cod, and the Elizabeth Islands.

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NOTES ON TUCKERNUCK 19

Cape Cod and the Islands consist of three basic kinds of land: the moraines, the outwash plains, and the seaborne drift sand. The moraines are high land "knobs and kettle country". The rocks were carried down by the glaciers, and, not, not being native to the area where found, are called "glacial erratics" (This Broken Archipelago, Lazell). Geologists assert that Nantucket has the "most remarkable terminal moraine anywhere in the world". "The buried backbones of the cape and island," says geologist Barbara Chamberlin, "are the old coastal plain hills." "The top of these hills loop across the center of Nantucket, reappear on Tuckernuck and again on Chappaquiddick next to the Vineyard" (Nantucket, Plowden and Coffin). "The outwash plains were composed of fine grained material, mud and a little gravel. On this grew the forests of beech, white pine, bayberry, and eventually beech climax. Today the b e e c h c l i ma x i s l a rge l y g o n e a n d t h e w h i te p i n e v i rt u a l ly e x t i n c t " ( T h i s Broken Archipelago, Lazell). The seaborne drift sands pile up against the glacial moraines. For this reason, the currents are continually shifting the s an d s a n d o ft en d i g d e e p ly i n t o t h e s an d s a n d o u t w a sh p l a i n s ( T h i s Broken Archipelago, Lazell).

Tuckernuck and Nantucket have some obvious "kettles" and pot holes sunk into the islands. "The scattered blocks of ice sunk in the moraines, melted and left the holes called kettles. Many of them contain fresh water today, and whether temporary (some dry up each summer) these kettles are the basis of freshwater biology of the Cape and Islands" (This Broken Archipelago, Lazell). In addition to the kettles, there is also a slough on Tuckernuck. Lazell refers to this, writing "Tuckernuck has one of the prettiest fossil rivers I know of slicing right down its middle."

Since the last Ice Age, the seas have continually risen, and are continuing to rise. In the last two centuries, the water has probably risen a foot or two (This Broken Archipelago, Lazell). When we were young, there were a few Nantucketers who still remembered the Gravelly Islands. In 1771, a small pox hospital was established there, by Dr. Samuel Galston, and was abolished in 1778. The buildings were bought by the town of Nantucket. (Nantucket Argument Settlers) The Gravelly Islands were used for sheep grazing until they disappeared into the sound at the end of the 19th century.

The earliest influx of Indians to our coast probably occurred about 9,000 years ago. These individuals were called "Paleo people". (Paleolithic Culture in America). The sea level at this time was as much as 400 or 500 feet lower. Nantucket was not an island, only a high place where the glacier had stopped. Inconclusive evidence of this culture is

found on Nantucket. A few, however, indicate possible presence of the P a l eo p e o p l e ( N a n t u c k e t I n d i a n s , L e g e n d s a n d A c c o u n t s B e f o r e 1 6 5 9 , Brenizer).

Much evidence has been found on Tuckernuck of the three groups of Indians that followed. The Archaic people came about 5,000 B.C. and were separated into the Archaic and late Archaic groups. The former hunted with the spear and throwing stick whereas the latter used bows and arrows, smoked pipes and introduced soapstone pottery. The Woodland people were the last group, the Algonquin speaking group being prevalent in this section of the East. They learned to cultivate corn, squash and beans. They lived in various types of wigwams, later houses, a n d a l s o a d a p te d c a v e s for t h e i r a b o d e s ( T h e N a n t u c k e t I n d i a n s , Brenizer). "Toockernook", one of the early spellings for Tuckernuck, found on maps, meant a "loaf of bread" in their Indian language.

As children, we were always told that the soft round spots of tall grass, scattered in various sections of the island, mainly above the North and East ponds, were once topped by wigwams. This has been somewhat c o rro b or ated b y F o rma n i n E a r l y N a n t u c k e t a n d i t s W h a l e H o u s e s . "Excavations at Squam from 1938-1941, by the Massachusetts Archeological Society, revealed grassy deposits, which may have represented wigwam floors." He goes on to describe what the 17th century settlers found on Nantucket. No pictures have ever been found of their shelters, but by early descriptions, they were probably circular huts and arbor houses in the general shape of a quonset hut.

In the middle of these was a place for a fire, the smoke being let out by a hole in the roof. Because of the bitter winds which lashed Nantucket, some of the Indian shelters were probably constructed over dug out caves. In his book Mr. Forman shows a drawing of "Uncle Black's" cave taken from Eliza Gardner's map of 1829. "It was probably built by an Indian in imitation of English work." Dugout shelters, in a more primitive form, were familiar to the Indians long before the White man came, and provided some natural protection against the bitter cold winds.

Interesting archeological finds have been discovered on Tuckernuck. One of the most interesting was found by Story Clark and her young friends in 1964. Exploring the South Shore, they suddenly came upon something white and oval sticking out of the bank. They were Indian graves. The first one contained the skeleton of at least three disarticulated persons in what is described as a bundle burial. One of the skeletons was that of a young child six to eight years old. Another was of a tall woman,

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HISTORIC NANTUCKET

about 5 feet 7 inches and with a nearly perfect set of teeth. Other graves were discovered with mature persons in flexed positions with knees drawn up to the chest. The bodies all faced the East. This was the first time that several Indian graves had been found in a concentrated area in this section of the Atlantic coast. A carbon sample was sent to Isotope, Inc., and they estimated the remains to be from 400 to 600 years before the present (i.e. 1964). No "bundle burials" had been found before this on Nantucket, and it was of particular interest to the Massachusetts Historical Society. Every summer, fine specimens of Indian craftsmanship continue to turn up along the paths or beaches. Some have belonged to the earlier Archaic cultures; some to the later Woodland period.

There were warring tribes of Indians, the Madaket group, and the Tuckernucks. A legend found in an unpublished manuscript by Obed Macy is condensed in Brenizer's book on the Nantucket Indian. It relates the story of an Indian youth in Madaket, captured by the Tuckernuck Indians while fishing with his grandfather, who was slain by them. Adopted by the Tuckernuck Indians, he plans his day of revenge. This comes when he is able to warn his former tribe of a Tuckernuck plan to surround his village and destroy it. The Madaket Indians lie in ambush, and the Tuckernuck Indians are slaughtered in the battle which follows. The youth takes a place of high honor in his tribe.

According to tradition, there were two tribes on Nantucket, those of the East and West. The western tribe was said to have migrated from Martha's Vineyard, and the eastern end of the island was occupied by a tribe from Cape Cod. Both were subtribes of the Wampanougs (originally called Pokanokets), member of the great Algonquin family. "...As rivals for the bounty of land and sea, these two factions waged frequent wars. In 1630, an intertribal marriage is said to have created a permanent truce between the Eastern and Western tribes" (Nantucket Indians, Brenizer.)

In October 1659, Tuckernuck was conveyed by Thomas Mayhew to Tristram Coffin, Peter Coffin, Tristram Jr., and James Coffin for six pounds [Nantucket Lands and Landowners, Worth], Before this event, an agreement was made in 1660 to divide the island in half between Tristram Coffin Senior and Pottachannett. Below is a copy of the original document from the Genealogical Register in Boston which was given to the Registry in 1857 by a descendant of Joshua Coffin:

The Twentye first day of June 1660

Thes presents the wittnes of J. Peter Foger of Martaines vinyard did upon the request of Tristram Coffyn Senior And

NOTES ON TUCKE RNUCK

with the consent of Pattacohannet, Sachein of Tuckanuck devid The Island of Tuckanuck as followeth: the line is to run from a littel round hill yt lyeth a littel above the head of the pond yet is att the East Sid of the Island and so goe By the East northeast poynt of the Compass to The West South west End of The Island, And the Aforesaid Tristram Coffyn Senior is to have the South Sid of the Island according to This line and Pattachannett is to have the North Sid.

Witness Edward Starbuck Witness Thomey Trappe Witness my hand, Peter Folger

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At that time according to early maps and accounts, Tuckernuck, was also known as Tuckanug, Tuckannuck and Pentockunock. It was densely wooded. These first settlers must have found a number of Indians on the island. In 1678, Tristram Coffin conveyed to each of his grandsons (70 in number) ten acres of Tuckernuck, but "it was not until 1861 that the Indian Sachem POTTACOHANNETT finally deeded their domain to the Coffins. Although Governor Lovelace had conformed the original transfer in his patent issued from Albany in 1671 (Nantucket being controlled by the New York colony), the White man n o w f el t s ec u re b y t h e I nd i a n a g re e me n t. " ( T h e S t o r y o f O l d N a n t u c k e t , William H. Macy). In Nantucket Lands and Landowners, Worth stated that the Sachem had three sons. Their interests were procured in this deed by swapping land in Nantucket and by the paymeny of five pounds.

We do not know where and when the first house was built on Tuckernuck by a white man, but there is no reason not to believe that there was a small settlement built by the Coffins at the end of the 17th century or early part of the 18th century. Some of the old houses on the island today certainly have remains that go well back into the 18th century, but to date them precisely is an almost impossible task. In her diary Kezia Fanning refers to a trip to Tuckernuck in 1781:

August 30, 1781: In a trip to Tuckernuck after visiting Peter Coffin's and Jacob Alley's (the latter not considered very neat). (Dr. Fanning's notes on her diary). Mrs. F. goes on to say, "We walked into the woods over the North of the island and back to Peter's (he lives on the East side of the Isle).

This shows that people were living on the island at least as far back as the 18th century.

NOTES ON TUCKERNUCK 25

According to some early 17th century records, Nantucket abounded with trees. This, however, has been disputed, and although ancient oak tree stumps have been found in Nantucket peat bogs, there is no definite proof of their existence. It is, therefore, only safe to say that there were some indigenous trees on both islands. Consequently, with the exception perhaps, of the very first settlers, most of the wood had to be imported from the mainland. On the island are fine examples of virgin pine wood from the North. There are some wooden boards as wide as 2% feet at the Walker House (Peter Norton House) and the LaFarges (Brooks House) also have similar examples of flooring. Beams from wrecks were also used for the foundations and beams of these earlier houses.

Houses on both Nantucket and Tuckernuck were often moved from one location to another, and what remains of an old house today may be very different from the plan of the original builder. They were relatively easy to move as the foundations were, from the earliest days, only piles of boulders found on the shore.

The principal land industry on Nantucket and its surrounding islands, from the earliest colonizers, was "sheeping." Most of the moors became sheep pastures. Here are some excerpts from what is left of the Diary of Kezia Fanning.

June 9, 1775: Dadda gone to Tuckernuck to wash sheep. June 12, 1775: Father went to Tuckernuck shearing. June 10, 1776: Folks gone to Tuckernuck to wash sheep. June 12, 1776: People gone to Tuckernuck to shear sheep.

In 1713, the county of Nantucket was given jurisdiction over Tuckernuck, "and taken from Dukes County. It was then called Tuckanug. Forman's descriptions of early whaling houses that existed in 'Sconset fit some of the smaller "fishing houses" found on the island today. He states: "Offshore whaling and retrieving dead whales flung up on Nantucket beaches had been the custom of Indians and Whites for hundreds of Years".

The Indians were the first whalers in America and had an appreciation of the value of blubber and oil. It can be concluded that it was also done on Tuckernuck, from the beginning of its settlement. George Black Coffin's boat house contained all the implements necessary for harpooning and "trying" the whale, and he was the last Tuckernucker to have successfully retrieved a whale from its shore.

26 HISTORIC NANTUCKET

In 1780, the owners were ascertained for the purposes of partition. It was then estimated to be an island of 1,257 acres. Two years later J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur visited Tuckernuck and in his Letters from an American Farmer 1782 wrote: "To the west of the island (Nantucket) is that of Tuckernuck, where in the spring their young cattle are driven to feed; it has a few oak bushes, and two freshwater ponds, abounding with teals, brandts, and many other sea fowls, brought to this island by the proximity of their sand banks, and shallows; where thousands are seen feeding at low water. Here they have neither wolves nor foxes; those inhabitants therefore, who live out of town, raise with all security as much poultry as they want; their turkeys are very large and excellent. In summer this climate is extremely pleasant! They are not exposed to the scorching sun of the continent, the heats being tempered by the sea breeze, with which they are perpetually refreshed. In winter, however, they pay severely for these advantages; it is extremely cold; the northwest wind, the tyrant of this country, after having escaped from our mountains and forests, free from all impediments in its short passage, blows with redoubled force and renders this island bleak and uncomfortable. On the other hand, the goodness of their houses, the social hospitality of their firesides, and their good cheer, make them ample ammends for the severity of the season, combined with vegetative rest of nature, force mankind to suspend their toils; often as this season more than half the inhabitants of the island are at sea, fishing in milder latitudes."

During the revolution, when Nantucket remained uncommitted, with sympathies strongly divided, Tuckernuck was used on at least one occasion to hide Continental Privateers under the command of Captain Lot Barlow (Nantucket in the American Revolution, E.A. Stackpole). On June 14, 1782, Kezia Fanning wrote: "It is said that some of Barlow's men hid under houses, some in swamps and some got onto Tuckernuck." In Forman's Early Nantucket and its Whale Houses he recounts that "during the American Revolution ... the father of a family in Tuckernuck, one day hid his beautiful and luscious daughter under a heap of flax in his garret because an English warship loitered in nearby waters."

In his History of Nantucket, Obed Macy states that in 1835 "Tuckernuck is an island of about 1,000 acres inhabited by a few families." The map drawn by Eliza Gardner in 1829 showed 11 houses. On the North Pond were Daniel Dunham, James Alley, Anthony Chadwick, Ebenez Dunham. At the East Pond were the houses of William Brooks, Abel Coffin, Andrew Brooks, plus Uncle Black's Cave. Near the center were the houses of Peter Norton, Robert King, and Peter

HISTORIC NANTUCKET

Coffin. As stated in the beginning, the bulk of existing houses were built from then until 1900. Tuckernuck was at its peak for farming and fishing. Oxen were used for plowing, and cattle were raised on the moors of the island. An old saying passed down to us: "He (or she) is as wild as a Tuckernuck steer." Chicken, pigs and sheep were kept on the island, and horses gradually replaced oxen.

In 1829, there was the "Salem" School house. It was replaced at the end of the century by a fire engine house, moved from Milk Street (Tuckernuck, Stark). In a report of the School Committee for the Town of Nantucket, 1881, there were nine pupils under the tutelage of Susan A. Barrett. She received $204 for her 34 week salary (Most teachers in the area worked 40 weeks.) and an extra $4.00 for her janitorial duties. The report goes on to say: "Village schools: all in good condition, pupils have entered from the High and Grammar schools well prepared." Children had to leave the village school after the 5th grade and continue their education in Nantucket.

According to N a n t u c k e t A r g u m e n t S e t t l e r s, Nantucket and Tuckernuck were joined for the last time in 1869. "Isaac Folger drove over to Tuckernuck, the last person to drive a horse and wagon between the two islands before 'the opening.' " In 1840, "a system of telegraphing by visual signals between Nantucket and Woods Hole via the islands of Martha's Vineyard, Muskeget and Tuckernuck was inaugurated and m a i n ta i n ed s uc c e ss f u lly for s ev e ra l m o nth s. " [ N a n t u c k e t A r g u m e n t S e t t l e r s ]

In 1831, the Massachusetts Humane Society, a private organization, placed 14 Humane houses around the islands. "They were built that a s hi pw re ck ed p e rso n m i g h t fin d foo d a n d s he l te r n e a r a t h a n d . " (S h i p wrecks Around Nantucket) Within the houses were fully equipped dories, or "whale boats," basic sustenance for survival, and dry clothes. The Tuckernuck Humane house was constructed on the south side of the island. In 1887, the large lagoon, on whose shores it was built, became a closed pond. As the banks of that shore have seen much change, and much destruction by the sea, it has been moved back several times, as the pond disappeared, to its present position. Five years ago, a smaller lagoon appeared in front of the Humane house in its present locale. It is already tilled in with sand.

In January 1889, the ship Antoinette went ashore on the southwest side of Tuckernuck. Her masts were cut off to prevent her from rolling over. The Muskeget life-saving crew pulled three miles in two dories to

30 HISTORIC NANTUCKET

their assistance. They found the sea so high it was impossible to board the vessel. After landing at Tuckernuck, they proceeded to the Humane Society's boat which was hauled overland a mile and a half and launched. Still impossible to land, they pulled back to Muskeget, loaded the b re e c h es b u o y o n b o a rd , a n d s afe l y l a n d e d t h e c re w. (S h i p w r e c k s A r o u n d Nantucket) The conclusion, therefore, is that the large lagoon which had become the South pond, hindered a quick launch of the Humane house's boat into the sea.

No life saving station was originally planned for Tuckernuck, and the one closest to our island was established on Muskeget in 1883. This was completely destroyed by fire in 1889, and its headquarters was moved to North Head on Tuckernuck Island. Isaac P. Dunham leased the dwelling to the U.S. Life Saving District from February 1890 until 1896, by which time the one at Muskeget had been rebuilt.

A book could be written about Tuckernuck heroes and their daring sea rescues around the treacherous shoals and water of the islands. Shoals are dreaded around the islands to this day, and upon nearly every major one, there has been a wreck. As of 1915, the list of wrecks had compiled more than 500 vessels. Here are just a few of the many references to the b ra v e m e n , fou n d i n W r e c k s A r o u n d N a n t u c k e t :

1871: Cash awards to the following men from the Massachusetts Humane Society for rescuing the schooner Mary H. Brooks wrecked near Smith's Point, October 29, 1871; Thomas Sandsbury, Joseph Fisher, Henry C. Coffin, John Appleton, John Coffin, James G. Smith, Isaac P. Dunham, Valentine Small, Warren Ramsdell. 1874: Cash awards to the following men from the Massachusetts Humane Society for boarding in a dense fog, a man of war in Muskeget Channel, firing guns for assistance: Thomas Sandsbury, Isaac Dunham, George Huxford, James Smith, Andrew Brooks, Charles Brooks, John Smith, Marcus Dunham, Zimri Cathcart.

1874: Cash awards to the following men from the Massachusetts Humane Society for rescuing the crew of the schooner "John Farmer", wrecked on Tuckernuck, March 29, 1878; Thomas Sandsbury, James G. Smith, James C. Sandsbury, George B. Coffin, Andrew B. Brooks, John B. Dunham, Edwin R. Smith, a Silver Medal each, for rescue of shipwrecked seamen in the vicinity of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, March 31, 1879.

(To be continued in the July issue)