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The Association Acquires the Portrait of a Whaling Master's Wife ONE OF THE MOST unusual portraits of a Nantucket woman has been recently acquired by the Nantucket Historical Association. It is the only one of its kind in the Association's collections, being painted in reverse on glass, and in a Chinese frame, and in excellent condition. It is the portrait of Mary Cof fin Nichols, the wife of Captain James Nichols, of Nantucket, and for more than a century it was in the family homes in Odell and Pontiac, Illinois. Cap tain Nichols, upon retiring from the sea in 1854, moved with his family to Odell, where he died on March 29, 1884. Mary Coffin Nichols survived her husband for another decade and a half, her death coming on February 5, 1899. The story of Mary Coffin Nichols begins another chapter in the full story of those intrepid women who went to sea on whaleships with their husbands. She was the daughter of Paul and Priscilla (Gardner) Coffin, who were mar ried in Nantucket on May 29, 1806, both members of the Nantucket Society of Friends. At the age of twenty-one Mary Coffin became the bride of James Nichols, also of Nantucket, who was the son of Charles and Sally (Folger) Nichols. The wedding took place on July 16, 1837. James Nichols had served his apprenticeship on Island whaleships, and in ships from Sag Harbor. In 1845 he was given command of the ship Nep tune, owned by S. & B. Huntting & Co., of Sag Harbor. This was a sturdy vessel, making thirteen voyages from 1827 to 1849. Captain Nichols sailed on July 23, 1845, and returned four years later with a full ship. But this was in the beginnings of the California Gold Rush period, and the owners sold the ship for that trade. During his first voyage as mate of the Neptune the first child was born to Mrs. Nichols, named James, on March 31, 1838. He enlisted in the first year of the Civil War and was killed at the battle of Salem Heights, Virginia, May 3, 1863. A second child, Josephine, was born to Captain and Mrs. Nichols on January 3, 1842. It was on his voyage in command of the Neptune that a third child, Sarah F., was born on August 10, 1846. Upon his return from his long voyage in 1949, Captain Nichols accepted the command of the ship Lion, of Providence, R.I., sailing September 15, 1849, for the Indian Ocean. It was at this time that Mary Coffin Nichols decid ed to join her husband for the voyage, rather than spend another long period of separation. The Lion sailed from Providence on September 15, 1849, less than two months after he had arrived home on the Neptune.The Lion was owned by Lloyd Bowers of Providence, and returned three and one half years later with 1500 bbls. of sperm oil. She was soon after sold. In September, 1850, a year after the Lion sailed for the Pacific, and while the ship was on cruising ground off the coast of Chili, South America, Mrs.
