Nantucket Historical Association Officers and Staff

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. Merle T. Orleans Secretary, Richard C. Austin Treasurer, John N. Welch Councillors, H. Flint Ranney, Miss Barbara Melendy, terms expire 1980;

Donald Terry, Mrs. H. Crowell Freeman, terms expire 1981; Miss

Dorothy Gardner, David D. Worth, terms expire 1982; Nancy Ayotte, Mrs.

Bernard D. Grossman , terms expire 1983. Historian, Edouard A. Stackpole Editor: "Historic Nantucket", Edouard A. Stackpole

Assistant Editor, Mrs. Merle T. Orleans

STAFF

Oldest House: Curator, Elizabeth Baird

Receptionists: Margaret Crowell, Elsie Niles Hadwen House-Satler Memorial: Curator, Phoebe Swain

Receptionists: Dorothy Strong, Laurel Stackpole, Rosalena Johnsen.Mary

Elizabeth Young 1800 House: Curator, Clare Macgregor

Receptionists: Florence MacGlashan, Helen Soverino Old Gaol: Curator, Albert G. Brock Whaling Museum: Curator, Renny Stackpole

Receptionists: Frank Pattison, James A. Watts, Patricia Searle, Rose

Stanshigh, Alice Collins, Mary Lou Campbell, Alfred N. Orpin Peter Foulger Museum: Curator and Director, Edouard A. Stackpole

Asst. Director: Peter MacGlashan

Receptionists: Everett Finlay, Mary J. Barrett, Ann Warren, Helen

Levins, Marjorie Burgess Librarian: Louise Hussey Macy-Christian House: Curator, Laura Baldwin

Receptionists: Dorothy Hiller, Andrea Dunlap Archaeology Department: Curator, Cynthia Young, Asst. Betty Little Old Mill: Curator, John Gilbert

Millers: John Stackpole, Edward Dougan, Anita Dougan Folger-Franklin Seat and Mem'l Boulder: Curator, Francis Sylvia Friends Meeting House-Fair Street Museum: Curator, Albert F. Egan, Jr. Lightship "Nantucket": Curator, John Austin

Shipkeeper: Richard Swain

Receptionists: Carlos Grangrade, III, Dirk Roggeveen, Ben Curran Greater Light-Receptionist: Dr. Selina T. Johnson Building Survey Committee: Chairman, Robert G. Metters Hose Cart House: Curator, Francis W. Pease

HISTORIC NANTUCKET

Published quarterly and devoted to the preservation of Nantucket's antiquity, its famed heritage and its illustrious past as a whaling port.

Volume 28 July 1980 No. 1

CONTENTS

a<vrtT:

Nantucket Historical Association Officers and Staff 2

Editorial: A Substantial Heritage

The Whaling Museum by Renny Stackpole

5

6

William F. Macy—The Man Whose Dream of a Whaling Museum Came

True by Edouard A. Stackpole 10

Whaler Luck 15

George A. Grant—Whaleman—First Curator of the Whaling Museum 16

The Development of the Museum Over Half a Century 22

Family Reunions (The Meader Family) 30

Nantucket's Last Whaleship 32

Bequests and Address Changes 33

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 $7.50; Sustaining $25.00; Life—one payment $100.00 Second-class postage paid at Nantucket, Massachusetts Communications pertaining to the Publication should be addressed to the Editor, Historic Nantucket, Nantucket Historical Association, Nantucket, Massachusetts 02554.