The Story of The Green China

T h e S t o r y o f T h e G r e e n C h i n a

ONE OF THE Nantucket stories which has been often told, but rarely substantiated, is of the Island shipmaster who was about to embark on a voyage to China. In response to an offer to his wife to bring back some Chinese item that she might prize, the lady of the house announced that she would like some of the famous Chinese tableware - "blue china", she announced. The shipmaster made the voyage, and when he returned to Nantucket he brought with him some carefully packed barrels of china. But the sequel to the story at this point had a different ending. One of Nantucket's delightful story-tellers was the Rev. William E. Gardner. His devotion to this Island, and his ready acceptance of many requests on his time, brought about many episodes which demonstrated his dedication to Nantucket. Quite aside from his several books, such as Three Bricks and Three Brothers and The Coffin Saga, in which he gave excellent accounts of two Island families and their descendants, Dr. Gardner delved into many folk lore stories, in which some pertinent details were missing. One of these was the account of the "Blue" china that became "Green". Among the different versions was a statement that Judge Coffin, of Poughkeepsie, who had purchased the Coffin House ("Oldest House") in 1881, had learned of the whereabouts of the china on the Island, had bought it from the owners, and put it in the Jethro Coffin House. But "Will" Gardner was not satisfied and, finally, learned that Mrs. Emerson Tuttle, a summer resident, could provide him with some further details. Mrs. Tuttle, a grand-daughter of Mrs. William Barnes - Emily Weed Barnes, daughter of Thurlow Weed - wrote to him that while Mrs. Barnes was visiting her son, Thurlow Barnes, at "Driftwood", on Brant Point, they attended one of the Main Street auctions. Among the articles for sale was the quantity of green China, with the story duly attached. According to the accepted version given to the crowd at the auction, the shipmaster had brought home the china, opened one barrel in the front hallway and produced the first piece. To his consternation, his wife looked at it in dismay, and remarked: "But John, it's green!" Whereupon the captain put the head back on the barrel and put the whole shipment down in the cellar, where it remained during the rest of their lives. As the auction dragged on, Mrs. Barnes had to leave for a previously arranged meeting, but she deposited 83 with the auctioneer. After her few days on the Island, she returned to her home in Albany, thinking her bid had failed, and, having left her address with the auctioneer, expected to hear from him. The story still intrigued her. Some time passed, and she had nearly forgotten the incident, when one day a notice came from the freight office that two barrels of "goods" were

Dr. "Will" Gardner Telling The Story of The Green China.

THEGREEN CHINA 15 awaiting her orders for delivery. She had them taken to her home and, upon opening the barrels, found the green china, still in the original Chinese packing.

"My grandmother was quite a story-teller", wrote Mrs. Tuttle, "and she enjoyed telling the story to her friends. Eventually, she gave the china away to her family and interested listeners. Mother and Aunt Harriett had quite a number of pieces, and Uncle William, too. I have a lovely fruit basket and plate, and a few plates. My sister, Elizabeth Frost Blair, had some at Sherborn. Breck Long had some at Sea Crest, but I imagine my Mother and Aunt Harriett would have taken it before that house was sold. What was there came to Orange Street (the Barnes house), and it is possible that what is at the Oldest House came from them. Judge Thayer had nothing to do with it in particular. Whether the Captain's wife (and I have always heard her referred to as a Coffin), secretly yearned for the china in spite of its color, or whether she was in fact crushed by the fact that it was not blue, no one will remember or care. But what was said was said, and she was never allowed to have a piece of it, and he headed up the barrels." As this was the only version of the story that could be bolstered by facts, "Will" Gardner felt it should be preserved. And he presented the letter to the Nantucket Historical Association under the title - duly written on the file - of "Green China".

CORRECTION In the October, 1981 issue of Historic Nantucket, an excellent article, titled "Nantucket's Busy Days" appeared, written by George W. Jones. Unfortunately, in reference to the author the dates of his years as President of The Nantucket Historical Association were wrong. Mr. Jones served as President from October 1956 to 1967, an eleven year period. He is now a Vice President of the Association. A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mr. Jones was the Proprietor of the South Beach Boat Yard for a number of years. A veteran of the U.S. Navy in World War II, he served as an Assessor for many years, as well as being Chairman of the Finance Committee, and a member of the Historic District Commission. Although retired from public office, he continues as an active member of the Council of the Historical Association.