Early History of Nantucket

woman, well read in Scriptures....in great reputation throughout the island for her knowledge in matters of religion, and an oracle among them on that account, in so much that they would not do any thing without her advice and consent therein." He then asked her to form a local meeting of the Society of Friends. Husband Nathaniel, as ever centered in his own decisions, supported wife Mary's and son Nathaniel Jr.'s espousal of the Quaker, faith but did not join until 1709. Roland L. Warren has carefully researched his subject. He writes from a rich background as sociologist, Guggenheim Fellow, author and, more recently, playwright of the delightful Theatre Workshop production of "An Old Feud and a New House," in celebration (1986) of the 300th anniversary of the Oldest House on Nantucket. He makes excellent use of solid secondary sources and the limited primary sources available, and skillfully threads his way through a confusion of myths, oral tradition, and inaccurate interpretations of previous historians, genealogists and authors. Much can be learned about the detective work of historical research by examining Warren's Post Script: Fact, Fiction and Conjecture." His bibliography is an invitation to good reading about Nantucket, its settlers and families; about New England history, genealogy, and towns; about Quakers; and about writing biographies. His wife, Mary Hodges Warren, violin maker, is responsible for the book's exceptionally clear maps and attractive cover design. Those interested in Nantucket and Nantucketers will certainly want to read this warm, sensitively-written biographical portrait of the Island's earliest known woman of distinction and the times in which she lived. Mary Coffin Starbuck was, indeed, a great woman." (Helen Winslow Chase, a member of the Nantucket Historical Association Council, is Historian for the First Congregational Church of Nantucket and author ofjethro Coffin House Chronology 1686-1986.)

THE EVOLUTION OF THE WHALE OIL LAMP By

Laura Evans

Whale oil lamps are fascinating phenomena of early 19th Century America. They were immediately embraced by the public and immensely popular for nearly fifty years. Really a sub-category of fluid burning lamps, they provided incredible improvement over messy tallow candles and other primitive lamps with open fonts, which were used for artificial light.

In the 1820's with the increasing demand for better lighting and the scientific and technical ability to produce it, came the whale oil lamp. In addition to a more industrialized society, the spread of education to more people, and the introduction of newspapers, hooks and popular magazines, there emerged a desire for more efficient, better lighting. Most lamps then burned lard, various vegetable oils or fish oils. Whale oil became a popular burning fluid in the very late 1820's. In the 1850's camphene was introduced. Soon afterward, other volatile fuels were developed until, in the 1860's, kerosene was discovered. It was later replaced by gas.

Whale oil was especially popular as an illuminant in New England where whaling was a major industry. Some scholars believe that as early as the 1770's Richard Wistar, friend of Benjamin Franklin's in Philadelphia, was producing glass lamps with closed fonts to hold whale oil. This progress was stopped in 1776 by the Revolutionary War, and Wistar died in 1781. Others report this major development took place in 1787 with the Englishman, John Miles' invention of the "agitable lamp which featured a closed font to prevent spilling. This invention, along with a series of burner modifications led to the usage of precious whale oil aboard ship, in carriage lanterns, and finally, in the domestic interior.

America was a thrifty and enterprising new nation, and in response to these developments the peg lamp was introduced. Peg lamps were first mentioned in a New England Glass Co. advertisement of May 1, 1822. Since the peg lamps were not mentioned as a new or novel idea, they predate 1822, certainly. After the peg, wineglass lamps were introduced. These were made by using established wineglass-blowing techniques, were small, low and used as chamber lamps primarily. These predate table lamps or work lights. However, in 1825, Deming Jarves of the Boston and Sand-