Historic Nantucket, Winter 1998, Vol. 47, No. 1

THE NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION Dorothy Slover Prnulenl David H. Wood First lltce Prc\ulenl

PcterW. Na h Second \'w· Prnulmt

Alan F. Atwood Treasurer

Virginia . lleard

Clt'r/..: Jean M. Weber Lxemln•e Dm·ctor B ARD f TRU. TE William A. I lance Arie L. Kopelman June Lamb Carolyn MacKctl7ic Albert L. Manning, Jr. Bruce D. Miller

amh B:1ker Lauric hampion Pwdence . Crozier John H. Davis Alice F. Emerson Georgia P. osncll Barbara llajim

Mr. Walter Beinccke, .Jr. Mrs. Richard L. Brecker M . Patricia A. Butler Mr . .James F. hasc Mr. Michael deLco Mrs. No1·man E. Dupuis lll Ms. Ma11:ha roetzinger Mrs. I lc•·bcrt L. utter on

Aileen M. Newquist reven M. Rules Arthur I. Rende, Jr. Alfred anford Richard F. Tucker Mm·eiu Welch Robert A. Youn~

ADVISORY B ARO M•·s. Robert •. llellman Mrs. John . W. I lusted, Jr. Mr . Arthur Jacob en Mr. franci~ 0. Lethbridge Mr. Reginald Levine M•·s. John A. Lodge Mrs. Francisco Loremo Mrs. Th mas B. Loring

Mr. William B. MHcomlll·r Mr. Paul Mnddcn Mr. Robert r. Moone~ Mrs. frederick A. Richmond Mrs. Willium A. :e\l'ens Mr. Scott Stcums, Jr. Mr. JohnS. Wint~r Mrs. Brnccl>l'idge Y oun~

R ·SEAHCII FELL W ' Or. •Iizabeth Little

Nathaniel Philbrick · DITORIAL

Mary I I. Beman u an f. Beegel Richard L. Brecker

MMITTEE

Thomas B. Congdon, J•-.

Charlotte L. Maison Robert F. Mooney Elizabeth Oldham PROPERTI

Oldest House lladwen House Macy-Christian I louse Robert Wyer House Thoma M:1cy I louse 1800 llouse Greater Light Old Mill Old Gaol

Renny A. Stuck,lole

Nuthanicl Philbrick Sally Seidmnn David II. Wood

OF Til • NI lA

lei Town Building Thomas Macy \XIarehouse Fire 1 IOS(.'-Cart !louse Quaker Meeting !louse Nnntucket \XIhnling Museum Fair Street Museum Peter Foulger Museum Museum Shop

Cecil Banon Jensen

Bortholomew Gosnold Center Folger·Frunklin Memorial Fountain, Boulder, and Bench ettlers Burial Ground Tristrum Coffin Homestead Monument Little Gullet)' leunor llum Pony Field Millllill

Elizabeth Oldham

EDITOR

COI''I !:!)!TOR

Helen Winslow Chase

Oait·e O'Keeffe

I IISTORii\N

ART DIHJ:CTOR

Histot·ic Nantucket welcomes articles on any aspect of Nantucket history. Original re. earch, first hand accounts, reminiscence of island experiences, historic logs, letters, and photographs are examples of material of interest to our readers. © 1998 by Nantucket I listorical Association 0-139-2248) is published quarterly by the Nantucket Historical Association, 2 Whaler's Lane, antucker, MA 0255-1.

Histol"ic Nantucket (I ' Second-class po rage paid at outh Yarmouth, MA and additional entry offices.

Postma ter: end address change to Histot·ic Nantucket Box 1016 • amucket, 1A 0255-1-1016 • (508) 228-189-1; FAX:(50 ) 228-5618 · infonha@capecod.net For a map of our walking tour and historic site : http://www.pointinfinity.com/mapanJlegend

NANTUCKET VOLUME 47,

W I TI: R 1998

4

5 8 10

From the Executive Directot· hv )l:an \X'dKT

"A Walking Genealogical Tree" Hcllftlllllil I l"t/1/Nm Fol1f,cr \ 'tillfllckds First Ctm•tdo?,/1/

1)\

1

<II hanid

l)hilhrick

The Eliza Starbuck Barney Genealogical Record hy.Jo<ll1 !'Irick ( lukL·

Who Was Eliza tarbuck Barney? h,

13 15

K .I! L· St o ut

Elll·eka! Nantucket Blood! h\ Dwtght

BL'Il1 <111

A Modern N antuckct Sleight·ide: f'm111 \ tillflld·ctto \ m.folk i llillld and PMck

h,

18 20

0. 1

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lltlls 1\lu nnx·

"Wh at 's .m a N ame.1" hv Ui;.th ·th ( )ldh,tm

Book Section Cod h\ 1\ Lt rk Klll-l.111skv 1\L' \ i L'\\

b\ I

,t\

id ( ~ mxlman

21

NIIA News

23

Nl IA Volunteers

On the covel': I 1mufr RtHm of \\'',llit·r r;,/!1.,.,. and /;/Jz,Jhcib \tarhuck \\'',1/crmlor .m.! mk mr f'd{'cr ( ,tff o(.\lr11 }.uu•l. 1-o!f,t.,.

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by Jean M. Weber

EXECUTIVE

T H E

T

!{IS I"R:\\1 COlli , 1110.\1,\S ,\1 ·\1 \, I D\\'AKI>

Starbuck, Peter rolger, John (,ardner, John wain, John Coleman, Ri ·h,tt·d Gardner, Chri topher llussey. and \X'illi<tn1 Bunker. A quick glance through 1he antucket phon~: b ok a sures us that the first settl1:rs' names ct n1inu1.· today. ln the Edouard A. :rackpolc Library and Resear h Center we regular!) meet dt•st:cndants of these families. 'l11ey are searching fot thetr nx,rs, rrymg to put more than a name 10 an :mct'Sior. ne of the great s< urccs wc havc to ofkr re earchers is tht: Barney ~cnealogical Rt·cord. For manv years wc han: rclil:d on the six leg•d sttcd, he;tvily bound books p~.:nnc.:d c

l~ liza

by

Bari1L'Y and hcr

DIRECTOR

t~r•tnddaughtn.

l:Iiz.t B.nn~.·y Hurgc-.s. Th~.· Barney Re1:ord off;_-rs gt·nt·;tlogish an .Kunml of 1 'antucketers st.trtln~ \Uth the first sL·ttkrs to tht· h~.·gmning of the 1900s. \\'i1h mor1.· 1h.u1 Jllsl hinh and d~.-.11h dates, 1he rL·wrds 1dl of h;thtL·s lm1 at hirth. )·oung men lost :11 Sl:il, ;llld many 111iiiTI;tgL'S, SllLTI.~SlliS, and SUCCeSSeS. As of 1his .I anu<ll"), dw rn·ords .trt• l.~'l.'n mort' accessible - ,j,, romputn t\hn thrn• y~.-;u-.. of almml daily entt:ring, dlL' rct:nrds l'<lll nm\ lw s~.·.trch ·d in a \'ariety of mntlL·s '' i1h .m ;tlph.tht·t ind~.·x. \\ 1id1 thc \\ illiL'l' issm· nl I 111/urtc 1\tillluckct, we iturndut·t· our rt·alkrs lo 1his ,·, tluahl~: Ill'\\ tcchnologi <..tl rt·sourcc: ;md 1dl dw slorws of l\\'O of anlltcker's gtl':tl gl·nt·alogisls -E ii;.t :utrhuc~ B;trncy and lknj;tmin Fr;tnklin l'olgLT. lhtlll')', 1he it lSI igawr and prim;lr\ author of dw tllL'tinrlousl) ·otn pikd Barney l{l>tord, ros~.· from Olll' of dll' rsbnd 's mosl inlertosting Lunrllt's ,md livl·d a lull and Ltscin.Hing lik. l'olger, who m.t~ h,t\ 1.: IK·l·n n·sponsihk lor Barlll'\ 's tnterest in g~.·nL-.tlog~. ".ts .tlso from .1 largL· and llntnhk antucket l.tmily. hu1 IK· liwd thL· lit~. of ,t lwrmi1 111 'Sconsc t, kt·l·ping tlK· hislor) ol '\,mturkt·t ami tis people in hrs ht:ad . t\lso Ill tl11s \\ tl11LT lSSlll.' Wl' gt\'l' Olll I'L';tdt:rS an 0\.L'IYi '\\ ()f d1l' ,tlllltl-kl'l gL'l1L'illogictl S()lii'CL'S UVUil;thk l11 l'l'Sl'ilfdll'rs. Olll' \\Olll,t11's tall' of ;l MtCCl.'SSful s1.•ar ·h for lwr f<tmil) 's hislory. ,md a whtmsrml look at grvt·n nanws found inthL· BanlL')' ( ;<.'tK'aii'Ail.tl Rt:cord. \X'c innlL' vou to 'isit nm 1!11r~try .md L'Xpnil'nc ·the Barnt:\' Hl'cord ;tnd rl·k,·anl L11nily histories firsthand.

You mm want to k<trn m<'rl· .tholll thl' rsland's first families or 111<~yhL· rnorL' ahoul your own.

"A I·iumly Group" A collccltrm ofporlmt/I ll'llh /111m/r 4 H I STORIC

Nr\NTUCKCT

flt/111<'.1

mcludm!J. llunkcr ,wd llm1cY. c I '\80-<JO. \\' 1 N T

t: R 1 9 9 8

"A Walking Genealogical Tree" BenJamin Franklin Folger: Nantucket S First Genealogist 1

1. 1,\!< )( .\ ( )\, N \\J li iU\1 1 l\1 (.1'-JS J'\01 '' i1h 1he ma~sive record compiled hy rliza Starbuck Barney, bu1 with a quirky codl1~hnman ;tnd hnmit named B~· nJamJn Franklin Folger ( 1777 1859). l'or it was I 'ol g~:r, \\'ho lin·d in <I cottag~: n;tm~:d onanwm on the 'Sconsct hluf{ '' ho prov1ded Barney with much of the ra\\ d<ll <l th,H \\'ould hl'com~: th~: ha~is of what is now known ;ts thl' B.unL"\' CL'nl·alogical Rl"Cord. t\lt hough rTcogniz~·d in tlw ninl'tt:L'11Ih c~:ntury as the island's pre mier genealogist <lnd historian, Folger is virtually unkno\\'n l(l(Lt\ , primarilv IK'UtliSL' he left it to others to rL·cmd thL· infonn<ttion he had colleued. It is time WL' Ctlnl' to ,tppreci,ttl' the man who. in the words or l=liza B<trney. " rescul'd from oblivion ... the llistnry and ( ;L.nL·alogy of thl' Island."

I k \\';ts thl' onlv son of Barzillai and Miriam Cardnl'l' Folger ,md \\'as fifth in descent from first set tkr f>L'tL'I' Folger, grand fat hn of t hl' laml'd BL·njamin I 'r,mklin. for ''hom. of coursL', I 'niger \\'Us n<tnH.:d.

Accordmg to lttrney. it \\'as his parents' "doting fond nL·ss" th.tt g<l\L' Folger "a peculiar bias to his character."

1 ~\'l· n <ts <I child he took an tll1USUal interest in the island's historv. wnstnntlv pressing his mother and an assortment of L·lderly Nantuck.l'tl'rs for anything they could tdl h1111 ahout the past. l]iza Barney reported that "this knowlc.:dge rl'ndl'rl'd his con\'ersation wry intc.:resting, as he had a happ\ faculty in the prime or his life, of relating piquant <lnd humorous anecdotes, illus trntive of the characters nnd hnbits of the preceding generations."

Folger was also something of an intellectual snob, refusing to read any literature that was not at least a cen tury old and taking particular delight in the Greek classics. Although both of his parents were Quakers and Polger maintained a life. long respect for the society's principles, he refused to dress and speak like a Quaker.

G

II I ~ l (l R I l.

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Instead, Folger dedicated himself to the past with an almost religious fervor, ultimately choosing to live ;Jone in 'Sconset where he had , according ro Barney. "abun dant opporrunit) ro indulge that dreamy indolence which was a marked feature or his lire." Added Barney. "lt is not enough to say that he was peculiar; the term original will more just!~ apply; and we shall kxlk in vain to find another on whom his mamk rests."

Folger seems to have had the manner of an ab emminded professor, never paying much attention to his appearance and surroundings nnd, on occasion. misplacing things. Afrer a trip to Middleborough, Massachusetts, in !806, Folger received a packet containing seven dollars and a note from one Esther Bennet: "After you [left.] some school boys round some money [that] appeared to be your ."

Thanks to yet another child, this one from antucket, we know something of how Folger communicated his knowledge to others. \'«hether or not it was because he recognized that the only way to do justice to the stories he had collected was to tell rather than write them, he refused to commit any of his knowledge to paper. Polger's bdid in tbe sanctity of the om! tradi tion was such that visitors to his cottage were not allowed to write anything down in his presence. In !895, Eliza Mitchell recounted how when she was a twc.:lve -ycar -old girl, she used to sit and listen to Folger's "very interesting" stories: "But he never seemed willing to give me an opportunity to write any down. But simply said, 'Your memory is good enough, and you 'II remember, benlU e you cannot forget.' And so he would, when all was just right, tell me stories of the past."

But if Folger (in the word of Eliza Barney) "eschewed the usc of the pen himself," he apparently received his share of letters as his reputation for learn ing spread well beyond antucket. In the HA 's

by Nathaniel Philbrick

\X' INTFR

1998

5

manuscript collection an.: several letters to I'olgn from the descenJ,tnts of <lntuckc.:ters who h.td moved south to Cuilford County, orth Carolin<t.

For those.: antucket t nmsplants, who wert· st;ll\'t•d for the.: kind of sophistication and intdk·cru.tl ,·italit) found on the remarkably cosmopolit;tn isLtnd of antuckc.:t, Folger was the ideal cot-rt·spondent. In 1807 the.: onh Carolinian Thom;ts (;ardnn sc.:lf-dc.:prc.:catingly addrc.:ssed his "respelled wusm": "I have often thought ol coming to anttKket to Sl'l' you, but the distance, my situation in lik, ;tnd diffidence of presenting mvsdf ;tmong <I more polislll'd and popular people.: hm•e kept me hack. \Y!t· art· backwoods people.: herL', \\'e li\'L' ;ts we C<tn, and colll municate our ideas as we.:! I as we know hm\." ( )nt· can only hope that Folger did e\·entualh put pL·n w paper and write his landlo ·ked kinsman a ktt ·r.

U Thomas ,ardner from orth C.troltna had summoned the courage to visit Folger in 'S ·onset. 11 is highly likely that he woukl have been aghast at till· chaotic squalor in which his supposedly "polished" cousin livc.:d. In 183-1, a C.:\\' Yorker b, the tume of .Joseph Coleman l httt published a historical nm·d st·t on Nantucket entitled Miriam Cofji11, or tbc \\"hale

Fourth ch1imwy 011

11

the left

Nonantum.

Bt'IIJcl/11/f/

Franklm Folger\ milage on the 'Smmct hlu//

II I S T 0 R I(.

N A

I lis l.trl· \\ •Is nn1rh \H'.tllwr hl'oliC:t•. •Ill< I h1 hl·;td, llitld 1n s<ll11l' spot-, \1',1' hl'll' .111d then: ul\Cred wid1 long ;tnd thin 1ult- ol whlll'\ gJil\Jsh l<,lks, '!.tndtng up .111d sll\~tming out 111 ;tdmu,thle lOilhJsltlll, I)n·p honls. l"l'Sl'lllhling llll' hulk<·!,, Ill •c:th r \lith dr.th sm.dl dotlws. l'!ll,tsnl lm kgs: \\lui · his llJlJll'l g;tlllll'llls \\'l'l'l' l'P\'l'll'd !l\l'l \1 II h ,1 h~tgl' ,h,tggy \\'l'<lJlJll'l. wh1rh sailPrs <',tll.t llHHlkl'\' •.trkc:t. t\lthough Ill' tk·pl'llds 1111 fishing lP support hunself. tht· Folgl.'r 11!' ,\lmt/111 Co(/in is .1 man who li\'l'S tn the p;tst llart dcsnihcs him .ts "a ".tlktng gL·m·aloglt.tl t rt·c.:. whost• k<t\ L'S <tnd hr;tnciK·s. so to spt'<tk. would unfold the h1rth. p;tn:ntagl' and l'ducatit'n of l.'\'l'l) rc!'tdl'nt of the island. fn1m the days of till' fir!'l s ·ttkrs dowm\ <trds ll1 thl· timl' prt•st·nt." 'l'tl\\'<trd the l.'nd of th · 11(1\' ·l's introdtKtion, llart has F(1lgLT dl'liwr a bnd but rl'markahlv tk·tailc.:d historv olthL· Island. ;I\L'I1 th.tt Affl'tt/111 Co/(111 <tppL·arl'd <I yt•;tr hdnre ( )b ·d bcv's I In/orr o/ 1'-'ltllllllck<·l. II art'!' rt·ntknng tll' I:olgl'r's .Kcount might lx: rl'g•trdc.:d as dw lirst published histof) of the island.

I htrt '' .ts not tht· only onl' to <ICt as l'olgc.:r' chronicler. !Iiston ·,tl <lrticles ;tppearc.:d on a fairly regular basis in rhe antuckcr Inquirer based on information provided by Folgt:r (who is referred to in one article as "T' at 'Sconscr").

But it would not be until rc.:lati\'dy late in his Lfe that Folger's immense kno\\'lcdgc would be conscientiously and methoJic<lll} recorded.

..

6

lt\hcrmm, which hq.!ins \\'ith a tnp out to '"'ulllset to \'isit ;t Folper likt· Lharaelt'r t\lthou.•h hction, ,\Imam C.ofji111s hased, ml.u·ge pan, 011 I ian's p~t.on,tl intLT· ,·ic.:\\'s \\ nh lll•tll) '.mttKh·tns in the t•.trh ll:i)Os, and his 11m·t·l can ht· trustc.:d \\'lll'n It UllJWs toll dLl'rtp lion of I olgl'l· and lm ~ti!Tilllmllll •s.

In till' 11md's introduction, dw lttmttor, in st·;trch of lustmkal information ahnttl till' isl.md, walks out to ·~wnst·t on a hrisk wintl'l" d:t\. 'I he\ ill.tgt' .tppl'<trs to ht· dest·nnl. t·xcq)( l(lr ol1l' nllt,tgl' wtth smoh· curling out of its rhimnvy and .t can lttllof still flopping codhsh p;trked outsidl· till' dom. lnsHI ·, th hotiSl' is nm\•tbl \\'llh furnitttll' and lishing •c.tr, with sL'\'t•r;tl 11l'ts dr.ttwd O\'l'l' tiw chan to d1\. lolg ·r, ho\\'l'\'lT, is IH1\\'ht'l'l' to ht· st'l't1 wllilht·l'llll'l~l'S Irom tht• skt·ping loft upstairs:

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TUCK L T

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\X1hen he turned SL'\L'nty, l'olger dis cm·cred that th1.· inherttanLc he had hoped \\'ould sttppon him in his dedin ing Yl'<tr"li \\'aS "lost to him." It \\'<IS then that l·olgn's friends. kd h, I :li:~.a and atll;tnid B:mJL·y, hegan th1.· process 1hat \\'ould prL~l'I\'L' much of \\'h,u l'olger had JHL·viou,]y kt'JH only in hts menHH\.

Interesting~\, it is from tHHlL' othet than I knry D,t\'id Thnr~.·;nt, \\ho 'isitnlthe island in 18'54. that \\'L' bm1 sonK· of ti1L' dL•t,tils of Folger's lik ;II tht· 111111.'. t\ftL·r SJK';tking at the Nantttt·h·t t\thl'I1L'lll11, ThmC':tll spent a day tnunng the isl.tnd. which 111 ludnlH ,·isit to 'Swnst·t. In l11s iottrn:tl Tlwn.:.tu commt.:ntnl on th1.· i\;mtuckctcr who m.tdL· Ills own stint of solitutk· in the \'\'akkn \X'omls look like a ctke\\'alk: !1\] sin~ular old lwnnit .111d l!<'lll.';dogtst, t>\'lT Sl"\'t'llt\' Yt'Ms t'ld. who. for thtrt\ w;trs It ka ·t, h.~s ltwd ;dPtll' and dt:\'OI·l.;l his tlwugllls to ~l'lll'.dng\'. I k kno\\'s tlw gcllL':IIogy ni th<· whnll' tsl.tnd .. md ;1 r<·lattn· suppnrls hun lw m.tkmg g<'Ill';tit'!~il'.d <h;ll'ls from lw. dttt.lltl>ll fnr thnt' wla' ''til p.t\· lnr tht·m.

Swswnset

.January 3 IR56

Hcnrnmm

I giw th..:m heraus<' the\ hil\'l' hL'I.'n '' st;l\· tollll.' in my 1>ld agl'

J'r,mNm i'ol)!,cr 11'1'111<'

ThorL'att adlbl th.ll l'olger "livL·s in a verv filth\ manll\:r, and ( ;, helpnl cblll hts house when he was abs1.'1l! about t\\'o ye:trs ;tgo. The\ took up thr~.·e barrels of dirt in his room " Alnn~ wuh the din. I \1lger collected <I sheaf of price less dontllll.'llts rel.lling to the island, including scventl ktters rl'\1111 the f.tthl'r of hi~ 11<1111l'Sakc. Benjamin Franklin. Although his fin.ll1l'lal wo1.·s would have casi ly justifinl the sal· of ~oml' of these treasures (which indmhl a 1715 lel!LT writtL'Il b, 1arv Coflin Starbuck the fountk·r of Quakerism (~11 th~ island). Folget: rdusL·d to part with them until. according to Eliza B<lt'111.'\. the "fin.d di:-.po~it ion of his papers." t\t the lit\, on a small sl11.· ·t of p;lpcr. ;trl' recorded l'olgcr's fin,tl wishes concerning his collection:

Today. these documents an: the basis of the Eunict: Swain Collection at the HA l:ven more than these documents. it is the vast arrav of in format ion contained in the Barnev. Cencalcwiet;l ...

R ·cord that is Folger's most enduring and important legacy. If in the near or distant future you lind yourself staring at a computer scrL'CI1 full of genealogical information at the H t\ 's Edouard A. , tack pole Librarv <111d Research Center. just remember that it all stnrteJ more than !50 years ago in 'Sconset with an unkempt hermit named Benjamin Fnmklin Folger, who kept it all in his head.

I \\".lnt Natlhlllld & Eltl<l B.tmc\, or l'ither of thl'm, to ha,·c all my old and \';tlu,tbk· papers. Books. c •c. \\·hm I h:l\'L' done with rhem.

Nathaniel Pbilbnck i1 ,I!rector o/tbc Egan lnsl!lu/c o/A1cmlllm' Stud!l'S and em 1 HA Research Fc!loll'.

The author of Away Off Shore: an tucker Island and lrs People, L602-l890. be has ltl'O books forthcoming 1i1 I 998: Abram's Eyes: The arive American Legacy of Nan rucker Island, and. econd Wind: A antucket Sailor's Odyssey.

Benjamin Fmnklin Folger

ll l S T

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Collectum

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1998

7

The Eliza Starbuck Barney Genealogical Record by

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DO '<ll

I'IU'>F:\'1' Till.

labors of a ninetL'L'Ilth ·cenwry Joan Elrick Clarke woman to thl: twenty first centur) researclH:r? \\1 ith a computer program called The Master Cenealogist. For the past three years 'Ltn)a Bresinsky. Patti I lanle). and I hm·L· entered data from the hand written pages of IJiza Barney's record into a computl:r so that researchers visiting the Edouard A. Stackpole Librar) and Research Center \\ill han: the island's genealog) at their fingertips. The work was funded by several generous gr<tnts from the T upancy llarris Foundation and <l smaller grant from the MasS<lchusctts Societ v of the Cincinnati for the purchase of a priniL:r for the database and the creation of a user\ guide.

"Elisa" (her spelling) Starbuck Barney's life spanned almost the whok of the nineteenth century. and among her passionate interests was the recording of the island's genealogical history-starting with the first settlers to the first decade of the 1900s. With th · help of her granddaughter. Eliza Barney Burgess. Barn ·y entered information about antucketers onto L,702 ledger pages. These pages arc contained in six legal-sized, heavily bound books contain ing approximately 275 pages per book, plus an addendum book that contains input written by Burgess. The data are arranged alphabetically by family names. Each family is in order of descent.

Barney scrupulou ly furnished u. with a "human ized" genealogy, recording not only births, marriages, and deaths, but a! o telling us who moved away, who Eliza Starbuck 13amey was descended from which branch of the family, and po.1ed/or wh died at sea. We assume that Benjamin f'ranklin t!JIJ portmrl Folger's record provided a firm base for her data. In addition, it seems that newspapers and input from 111 ber filter rears.

8

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friends and famih helped ,tlong her efforts. The result is <I valuable gc.:nc.:,tlogical rL'SC.:<tn:h tool th,H is more accurate and infornLtti\ L' 1h;tn tht.• \'tttl! l~cmrd1 of the Tou'/1 of \ allfflckt't, which is rhe published secondary rL'Sourcc.: through thl' \'L'<lr I H50.

From the penm;tnship which starts out strong and handsome and dererior.nt.•s ;ls the scribe ages it appears as if Barney stopped recording in the early \\' I :-..; T I~ R

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IS70s The handwnt ing lor thl' latn l'lll riL·s ;tppl'<trs to lw th.tt ollwr gr:tnddattghtvr. BmgL"ss's rl·cortlings end arPtttHI PJI2. prPhahly lwraliSl' hy th;tt tillll' offici;tl llTPnl kc<:ping ~ltth .ts Lit\' and town \ita! rn·ortls. hos pita!, ,111d chmdt rn'Pnls h.td vlinlln:ttnl thv tll'nl for pri,·:ttc cittzctts to trm k lamilivs. \\'hat 1s 11 like to spt•ttd p;trt of l':tch tl;ty \\ ith "l.l1s.t 's .. nx·, •rds; First. \'Ott h:t\'l' 1o /-!l'l usn Ito spd Iing l: ltt.aheth and I l1t.1 wuh s's (tnsll'<ld of z'sl as l:lit;t dot•s! Then \Ott ht'Ulllll' :tl'l'ttstomnlto coping with \';lri,ll iono; 111 n.uta·s sttch as ''!'ish .. and "l'ishl'r" or "lbilt·y" and "lb,ky" In B<tl'llL'y\ rn·ord. \\'Oilll'll hl·anng then mothl'r's ltrst llilllll' <trv also dvsign;ttl'll as "Jtllllor." Thert· .trt· .tlso thl' ocrasiott;tl disu'l·p;nKil's in d;ttt•s .ts \\hen ,1 pnsott has Sl'\'l'r:tl sl·p;trall' L'tllries. For lllsl;llll'L', Olll' in1Jt\ ldtt:tl nlttid h;t\'l' ;t hirth L'llll'\ ;IS \\'L'II :ts ;til t'llll'\ with .1 spotlst•. ltn;t••ine if th;tt pnson mar rinlli\ e lllllL'S tlwre \\'Ill tid hL· si \ SL'P<IIiliL' L'lll riL'S. B;lrtK'\ ·~ trealtlll'lll ol tllq.!llllllX\' is ;lltothn intL'I'· L'Sting lll:tllt'r to dl'ctphn SomvtimL·s tlw word "tlk-giti· m.uc" .1ppcnrs in a pnson's L'lllry. 1\11 L'llll'\ rL·ads: .. , 1~2-1 i\lmtnt. s.llh 's d. Ill. Rl·tthl'll ..... In this L'llll'\' \\'l' b1rn t\lnmn s lmth ,LIIL', that slw \\;IS Salk's tLHtgh tl'l'. 1111d th.tt l{t'lthl'n \\;Is lwr hush;llltl. Thl· L'llll'\ fol lnws .1 lt~llllg ol ls:l.tl' B.1rkn's and S,1lh i\ntlrl'\\·s's rhtltln·n. hut it 1s dt';lr th.ll r\lmira is not ls;lar ltuh·r's tLtu~·htl·r. In tlw d;ll:th.lsl'. J\lm1r:1 "ill lK· t'l·rnrdcd ;Is 1\lmtr:t t\nd1'l'\\ s with a hl,mk rdl'I'L'I1l'L' l11r lwr LtthL'I' :tnd With S;1Jh .1ppt';IJ'illl! ;IS hn 1110thl'f. \\'e ;tiso han· tndttdl'll .1 llllll' qltlltin•• Barnl·y's L'llll'\ <IS she \\T\lll' it.

In other wonk tlw compltll'llll'd dat.l \\ill dttplirak' l'\'l'l'\thing as B.lllll'\ rn·nnbl it in hlT hooks.

Snnwtillll'sll is lt'trihh s:1d Ill Sl'l' tn·ordnlthe IHtm hlT of mf,mt deaths ami dL':IIhs 111 childhirth. as \\'l'll as vpidl'mirs th.ll wipL' \ltll ,til tlw l·hildrl'll in ;I Lunih.

It also hrings whaling h1st\lry ,tliw <ts \'Oll Sl'l' \'Ottng. inL'XIKTiL'Ill'l'd s;lilors fall frnm 1hl· rigging or IllS I owr hoard. You r:m :tlso find 1hl· rerord ol tiHlSl' \1 h11 dil'd on thl· /.11c'\. Btn ,Is 111 all \lf lik. thl'l'l' :ll'l' thl' h.1ppv tinws wlK·n \'Oil SL'l' tl1l· htrth diltes of tnpkts to three tsLmd Ltmilil's. i\nd let's not lorgl'l the sets 111 twins horn to l·N oltk 1700 isLmd l;lmilil's. ,\hstery :tlso lurks in lhmn's I'L'l'Ords. Petl'l' B<ll'll<lrd marril'd "the cdehratl'd I Ltnn:lh Jenkins." llowL'\'l'r, no one ;tl the ll r\ has hel'll ;tbll' to find our wl1\ llannah \\'as cekhrated. II vou kn0\1·, contact us imml'di:ttd\'!

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BanK'\ 's record is L'4ually intriguing for what it doL'S not tell us. 1\hsalom Boston's life is not recorded hnc. nor is an~ other person of color. sm·l· "PaticnCL' ( .oopL'r kolornl)." 1he accusnl m urdcrl'ss. In the L'l1t 1'\ lor ( ;I plain ( ;l'OI'gL' Pollard no rderL'nCl' is 111<tde to the l11n. r\nd whik \\'L' re;tdih SL'l' th:tt \·oung llll'n SL't'\'nl in tl1l· ( .ivil \X'ar. it 1s not apparent that their ford at hers gan· Rl·,·olution<lr~ \\\u- SL'f\ icL·.

Thl· L'<IS~ to use program. 111 a \\'indo\\'s <1pplicttion. \\'as ;1\·ail.thk <II tiK· end of Jamwv lor 1he use ol :\II.\ llll'llli)L•rs, rl'SL';IrChl'I'S, and an\'Onc \\'ith an iniLTl'SI 01' hohhy in gL"nealogy. It will provitk :ll'l'L'SS to the d<tt<t of ;Ill indi, tdu.tl 'i,l tlw ;tlph:thet intkx. which l'Otll;tlns lmth .md de;tth datl's, whl·n giwn. oll'<ll'h IK'rson. This will s:t\'L' ,·alttahk rcsl·arch tinw by diminating a pagl' hy-pagl', linl' by linL' Sl'arch in the origin:d handwrittl'll \ oluml's. ThL· program ofk·rs thrcl' 1\Pl'S of data ,·ie\\'ing: a pl'rson:tl \il'\\', <I Lunily \'ll'\\, and :l family tl'l'l' that L'<lll hl' printl'd. t\noti1LT hdplul k:tturl' is thl' rel.t tionship cakul.ttor. which permits t!K- idl'ntification of two individtl<lis by ntunhl'rs with thl· complltl'l' deci phning thl' rl'Lttionship IK't\\'l'l'n tlll·m . \\'e who h;l\'l' hl'l·n priv1kgnl 10 li\'e isl:1nd life along with Barnl'\. bringing hlT l'l'Cords into thl' t\\'l'l11\'·first CL'ntun \-i.t 50.000,000 h, tL'S of hard driw. arl· s;td 10 havl' our d.1ih l'\lni;ICI "·ith hn l'IHI. llowl'\'L'J', \\'L' <li'L' pk:1sed th.u hn rl'cord of :--..:antuckl'ters will he ;tvailabk to all bro\\'sers and rL·searchl'rs at thl· I ~dou;lrd t\. St;tckpolc Lib ran .md l~esl'arch ( :cntl'L /;"/nd· C/,u·J..·,·. 11 \'ctllltltkl'f rcvd,·IIIIIIIC!' /')'J..J. b, ·, ·11 tl'nrl·mJ!. n11 t/>,·lltmt<T ( ;1'1/l'ct!n,r:,mt! /{cam/

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Who Was Eliza Starbuck Barney? by

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with a nl'at hand and assiduous accttr<IC)'.

Kate Stout documenting the: f<~mil~ trc.:es of isLtndns from thc.: first Proprietors through thl·ir global offspring late into the 1800s. But who \\':Is she:' Was she: a londy Quaker spinster with nothing ds<.' to occupy hc:r days? Or the town "rl'gistrar":' Or someone: who was fulfilling sonwom· c:lsc:'s mandate::' ( )r was sht: a widm\ with intdlc:crual vigor and time on her hands? ln fact. l]iza Barnc:\ was a wife:. a mother. an ardent Ouakc:r with foresighted beliefs in women's rights, tc:mpc:rancc:, and aboli tion. She: was a sdf taught botanist and entomologist, so respected in those: fields that hc:r obituary savs she: was "justlv to bc: considc:rnl an authority lor the rising generation." And this interest would also crc:c:p into hc:r genealogical record. as in the: notation that an island man dic:d "from a spider." I kr lo\'l' of natural his tot}. including <Ill aspects of agriculture:, was matched only by hc:r love: of history. She was, for hc:r day. a proper "bull." enjoying research. an inclination that made: hc:r perfectly suited to become the: island's foremost gc:nc:alogist.

Born April 9, 1802. [liza Starbuck was thc: third of ten children born to .Joseph and Sally Cardnc:r Starbuck, three of whom "dic:d young." .Joseph first met Sally Gardner while: running an errand to her home when they were: both fiftec:n. They wc:rc: married on January 26, 1797. whc:n both were t\\'l'nt\ three year old.

I;'/r::.a Starhud: Jlamey.

Eliza's father would distinguish himsc:lf by becomLotbrop 11lhu111 ing the island's most successful businessman, a tycoon of the whaling era, making a fortune: in whale oil.

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Starbuck h,td no intnt·st in goittg to sl'.t hut \l'<ts brilliant at m.tkmg motK·y. I:.trl~ on, he dt·monst r:ttl·d ,,n :lt'uit\' for husll1l')'.S in his Lulwr's cottlltlllg IHHtsc. !lis mtnd for tkt<til .md kt'l'IWlg honb dC'urlv \\'lTl' gtfrs p;tssL·d on to hts tLtughtl'r i>< l\\'t'rf ullv rich for his d<t\', h<: \\';ts lond of at knowkdging Ius m.tl<: progt•ny in .

Ltirl~ tl.tsh\ \\;tys. I k nanwd <lilt' of Ius ''haleships I hrn llmthc'l'\ at tt•r lu::; tlm'l' sons, (;L·orgl', t\l.tttht·\\ .. 111d \\'illiam .. md in IX~) .•ll till· ,t<'t' nl SIXI\' Olll',lll' 0\'l' r)'.:t\\' thl' l'OilS!l"Ul'llOtl ol wh,tt \\'l' no\\' tall the: "ThrL'l' one lor ( ;t·nrgc.

Bncks.. <llll' lor \Lutht'\\ .. md one for \\ tllt,un !lis tLtu~·httTs would h,,, t' to dqwnd on tht·ir hush:tnds tl thn \\'tTl' t'\ l'r to han· such !'tnt· lwnH's But fm his sons. only thl' lwst .. md till' hl'sl mt·ant l':•qwnsi\l', imponnl hrkk . \s ll tttrnnl out. thl· girls did not Lm· tO<l h.tdly. t·llhn in chott't' ol hush,md or t•n·ntu ;tl domitik. l.ltz<t, for her part, l11<11Ttt·d 1 :tt h<tllld Ball1l'\' Ill \ Ll\ of IX20. just ,tfln slw h.td tunwd l'tghtel'll.

I k \\as It'll wars oldt'l and \\'ould. in IX69. preden·ast·illT h l\\'t'llt\ \t'<trs. t\t thl'ir \\'l·dding, .1 dtst.llll cnttslll .md Rh(ltk island siknsmit h namt·d \\'tllt.mt I l.tthwn '' ,,s ,unong t hl' gul'sts. Thne. l Ltd\\ t'n first t•ncountt·rl·d Eunice Starbuck, l".liza 's ststl'l'. Two \l'ili"S i.ltl'r, l lad wen ,,wtld matT\ l :unice and l'l'tnt·nt ,, hond betwl'l'l1 tlw two cou pk:s that would be litdong. So dost· '' .1s this friendship that the foursome slured <I "double" house •ll 100 t-.lain Srrc:c:t and the two men \\'l'nt inro business rogc:ther in 1829 as purn·vors ;lnd m:muL1cturc:rs of oil and candlc:s. Amazingly. they h.1d :1 trvworks in their backyard thc:t-c:, where: the:\ probabl~ rendered blubber or fat to l''\tmcr oil. In 18-19 they mmnl the: business to \\ I '\

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Bro;td Sttn:l IIIIo an oil rdinvr~ and candle t'.tnory. now thl· \\'h. t!tng \lttSl'tllll. The business thri\'l'd.

II ad wen h;td two ( 'rl'l'k l{n 1\·al mansions huilt <II 1)-l and \)(, \l.un :-,lrn·t, till' latll'r lor himsdf ;lltd his wik and sllll<lll'd dirl'tti\' .tl'nlss till' strl't'l !rom l.unil·t·'s tiun· hrotltns l ~lllll ll' and \\'dltam \\'l'l'l' rhildkss.

Josl·ph lbntc). l'lit;t's ltrsl hom. ht'l<lllll' ;t surmg;lll' son n•cntu.t!lv inltnit lllg hot it W> ,\Ltin '>ttn·t and lladwt•n\ sutnntt'l nlll.ll-'t' 111 ''>umst·t. \!.tth.tnid lhl'llt'\' \\'as hrott •Itt up as .t -.I I'll I httl lthn.d ( )tJ;tkt-r. lit• h;td .tcqtured a good l:nnltsh nluc.tlton. thv loun dation lor hi, t';trly work ;ts a lt';tchn. \\'hvn hl' nt;trried Fli1.,1 \\Ito \\';ts h.mlh ntorl' th;lll .t ~>trl. lw h.td lound Ius itllt·lkcttt;d matdt hut prohahh ~el'\cd 111 Jll;Hl\ l't''-lll'Ch as .t lt':tl her to her. too po-.sihly sh.tring with hl'r hl'r Ills! t:tslt'S ol lt'lll IWrann· ,and ;tho lit iotll'-1 dwtorit lbmt'\ 's C)u.akni-.nt would .tl~o lt,l\'l' pro\'idl'\1 tht• hedrot·k lor l:ltl;t's p;ts sionatt' in,·okl'nlt'nl in \\'llllll'Il·:- sufl ragl' t\ s a m.tlllll' wonLtlt, l ~ liza Barttt'\ m.llk hl'l honw a huh ol soll;tl. poltl icd. and llllt'lkrtu;tl Ihough!. as \\'t'll as \\ hert· sht· r;ust·d thttr thtn· chi! drl·n. loseph '>.tr.ah .. and .kthro. Ill'! lnrsh.tnd's dt'l'P lll\·okt'lllt'nl \I'll h Ihc· ;lllltsl.l\ t'l~' lltO\'l'l11t'l11 hrought to hc·r lt\'ing ('(10111 somc· ol thc· 11111\ l'llll'lll 's htighte:->1 lights: \\'i!li,tm I lonl ( ;,,rrison.

Fn·dnick Dottgbss. C:h.arles Sunlnl'r .. and llnntCl' hum \\'t'l'l' .Ill guests at 100 l.ain . In l.tct. B;trnev hdd stnck in the l'\\ Bl'dfnrd ltulrll;td .md for :->t'\'t'ral yc-.trs rdusc·d Ius sharl' 111 tiw dl\ tlknd:-; lwcHtsc· till· railro.td wnuld not earn hbck p;tsst·ngers. l'wnltt<tlly. hl· g<t\'L' ,,11 his dl\ tdends to ( ;,11-rtson for the mm el11l'l11.

Anot her clllse fm·nd ;tnd wusin \\'as Lucrc·t i;t C:llffin. \\'ho had ldt 0Ltnt ucket in I R0-1 and married .laml's 1\.lotl bdorl' bl'coming ont· of t\mnict 's IK·st known <tlkoclll'S fm \\'Omen's suffrage. !'or \'l'<trs. 1he Motts and tht• Barnc\'s carried on a long, thoughtful correspondence ;tddressing ;til rhe pressing issues of their lla).

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For her part. l]int 's rok \\ <.:nt \\Til beyond simph l'illertaining distinguished guests in her home.

She came to he known as an "agitator" for tc.:mperance. equal rights. ;tnd \\'Omen's sullrag<.:. In I i->39-10. she SlT\ ed as secrerar~ 10 i\;tnwcket 's t\nti Slm·er\' Society. t\nd, in the sui11111L'I of I H51. shL'. her husband. and her daughter. ~arah. alll·nded 1\ htss;tchusetrs' first \\'Omen's suffrage com·L'tllion in \X'orceslt'r. In ''cuing\ \\Tilll'll not long aftt·r I ~Ji,,t's death in IHH9. Anna (;ardner.

1ht·n president of 1hL· ~ufl mge League ol 1 ant ucket. rememlwrl·d hn for the practical and courageous l'\<1111pk she set: In thinking ol 1hl' loss 1h<ll 1hl' '>uflr,tgl' ( .<lli'-L' h," stiSI;IItlL'd in tht· de,llh ol l.ltl';t lhnwy.

Ill\' lll!lld llils gotll' h;ttk 111 tht· tillll' \1 ltl·ll \\'l' \\'t'l'l' liN ;ti!O\\'l'd Ill \OIL' lor \chool CommiiiL'l', .tnd ho\1' '-OlllL' ol liS . d ll'itdl'd I0 go 10 tilL' polls 10 dl'J'I"II our I'Oit' 1111 <tlTOunt 1>l tlw ndicuk ,md tht• s;t!'C;lSIIC ll'l11ill'ks tl1<11 \\'L' thought \\'l'I'L' sltl't' to ht· L'S JHl'SSL'd b~ S0111l' Ill thost' \\'h11 kit ,,·oml'll \\·t·n: llllt 11! theu splll:l'l' 111 so doutg \\'e h;td for our k,tdt-rs I .lil'a Barm·1. Elizalwth C. ,\Lttl .and I Lurlt'l Pit'I'CL' . \\'t' took n>urage. and tlwught ll'llh thest' three \\'Olllt'll to bad us. ll'l' could do amthmg.

Just \\'hen Uiza Bnrnl'\ begnn keeping 1he genealogical record that ts no\\ a 'alu.tbk resource of the ant ucket II istortctl r\ssociatton 's rL'SL'<trch lihran is not kJl()\\ n. In 1856. she inhl'rited all of Benjamin l'ranklin l'olger's pnpers. including his own genea logical work. But did she go right to work:' Perhaps she did get started right away. but there is also the possibilit~ that the project waited lor her to lead a quieter life.

Onlv a war before, in 1855, \'\'illiam lladwen hnd retirl'll <llllj athanid Barney brought his son Joseph and son in l.l\1 Alanson Swain into the lirm in his place. t\lrhough there is e\'idence that Barney \\'as still on ;tntucker in 1857. the manufacturing of whale oil and candles must have been, by then. a losing proposirion. t\t some point, just when is not kno\\'n, Alanson S\\'ain packed up his family and mm ed to

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Poughkeepsie. i\athanid. who would haw been sixt1· fl\e 111 IX57, ;tnd Lliza elected to jom them, so the\' could IK· closer to their only daughter- again the exact tbte ol their departure Is not known. ThLTL' is also some evidence that both men sh.1red •I grL"<ll intn est in r;lilroads (Swain 1\otdd help lln<lnce till' Pl'J1nsd\'ania and I:astLTn Railroad in tlw IKiOs <lnd lhnK'} 11 ;Is an inn·stor in 1he Ne11 Bnllord lt1ilro;1d l. which ma1· h;l\'l' hL·en wh;ll temptnl ~~~ ,1111 to k<ll'l' the tsbnd and lhrnc1 to lollo11 hm1.

ThLTL', at thL· \11 ;tills· clq.:ant homL· ol'l'rlooking dw I [udson, ;Ill fom L'nJoyl'd the intdkrt u.tl com pan! ol m;ll1\' \'ass<~r prol~·ssors, including their isl.md conlp;t tnot ,\Lm<l ,\lnchdl. dK· wlll'gc's lirst fcm,tk prokssor of ;lstronon1\. In 11'\(,<J, i'\adwniL·I Bmlll'! diL·tl. l:i11a I'L'tllrlled (() i\;llltlllkL·t for good \\ hL'll shL' <lt'C0111p;1 n ied his body homl' lor bu nal.

I kr son Josl'ph, who W;ls h1 no11 li1·ing .11 96 1\l,un St reL·t, h,ld <I hustling household of his own, so 11L' ensconced his griL'I ing mother with l\L1n S11 ;1111 \\'right's t,umly at lJ..j t\lain but immediatd\ \\'L'nt to work to build her a honw ol her 011 n. Known en·n to this d.1v as the I '.ltza Barne~ house, 1\Ltin Street is a moiHtmL·nt to Second rmpire •lrchitectul'l', "ith •I dominating cupola. parapet along the ridge line, .md ,1, much gingerbre;ld and hric a brae as the \'inorian ;tge in\'ited. She mm'L'd in upon its complet inn in I P-.71.

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( )ne intenor detail ol this hotiSL' was thL·Iiuk·lihran

w the- lett ol thL· Iron! hall. It was lwrL' l·.hza did hl'r ).!L'nL';tlogtcal work. It is poss1hk-. thL·n. th.ll thL· gl'lll';tlo gy \\';Is ,1 projl'tl slw undntook ,Is a 111dow, whL·n the

dl't.ul and timL· consllllllng natlii'L' ol du.: 1\'Prk would not h.ll'l' llllnfnnl with thl' bus! ;lllliL'Ilgagnlltk slw had led wlwn adl;lniL"I w;~> altw. ~o. l .liza L'llhn startnl kLTping tratk Pll.muh histo IlL's hdclll' 11101 mg ,1\\ a! a11tl 1o11k it up again \\'hen slw rcturnnl ;I 111do\l, or sill' Ill:tdl' it hL·r L'lld ol lilt-'s work. dotng dw htdk ol it 111 thL· L'<Irlv 111 mid IS70s. ~~~ Oill' Sl't'Ills 111 know lor slti'L' ,\!though her ~·ra11tl d.HtghtL·r, l:liz;t lhllll'\ BmgL·ss, 1\otdd UIIT) 11n thl' prowct lor <I 11 hilL·, thnl' ts no I'L't'lll'd 11! \\ lw11 slw hl'ctlllL' im·olwd. Dtd 1hL· 1\\'o wonwn wnrk ~ide hi' sitk as l'liza gt'L'II oldLT:' ( )r did lwr gr.mdd.tughtn nlllllllltL' thL· work onh .thn l ~liz;I gt\'11 too wcak to lll,tkl' thl' l'll( l'il'S:' t\s age l<lltght up 11 ith ill'r, hn hody. tholtgh not hL·r mind, lwctlllL' incrl';lsmgly L'llkL-hicd. ThroughPut hn lik·titllL' shL· h.td ltllnl spL·nding stlllllller d.1vs at thl' I Ltdii'L'Ils' l'lllt.lgt· 111 '\wnsL·t. In thL· L·arl) ISXOs it 11 as 11 hnL' l 'liz.t BarnL'\ l'Oill .dL'sL·ed. "( ltw sutnllll't"."

11 ntes '' rl'LIIil"l' 111 '' kttn kl'pt .unnng tlw. 'II,\ 's <trchiY.tl p.IJK'I's, ",\ lodwt B;trt1L'\ [.ts sill' \\'as known to hn lamih .11 this st.1ge ol hL·r likl kll and hrnkl' hl'r hip ilnd spl'nt most ol thL· stlllli11L'r sllt111g on thl' porch. l'wrvonL' 111 thL· 1 ill.tg~.· lon·d hn and 1hL· <Ktors ;tnd ;tct I'L'SSL'S used to l'OI1ll' on·t eal'h d.ty Ill elllL'I't.tin her .... " I '.liz;t St.trhuck B;ll'l1l'Y dtnl on ,\l,m h II'\, I Sl'ilJ, JUst sh\ of hl'r eight\ SL'IL'tllh htrthd.l\. In hL'I bng ltk she made genuinL' contrthutions Ill m.tn) arL·as of island lik. some th;tt ch.mgL·d t hL· stat us quo 111 prL'P<II ;II ion lor tlK· future. But hl'r grL\IIl'st Ie-gan was as ,, simple scrihl' copying tlw p;tst liws nl ant uL"kc·t 's f,tmous. infamous, and ordin.tn ntitL'nt'\ into thL· I'L'Cord hooks for ,,11 timl'.

1\,ife Stott! is puh!r1hcr o( the Map & Legend tlllll /requentlv a.1111II N//;liiiii\CIIIIt\ dtrcctortmd mrator ,'dicbacl ]eblc 011 re\carcb f>rtJ}Cdl.

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Eureka! Nantucket Blood!

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alllllckvt i~ ~orncthing that c\L'I"\' trtrL' gt'Ol'.rlngrst \\'u1rld rTiish. l'or onl'L' Olll' .tppl'ars, tllhns <lrt.· surv to folio\\' :1nd. sonK· tinw~. in great q1r:utlll\ 'l'hv i'mt\ lllllLT striking gold in ( .alilomi.1 or tht: ( >kl.1homa \\ dtk.IIILT hringin~ in ;I gushl'r .trl' .tpl Ct>lllpansons lor thv suddL'Il \\l'alth JIISl lymg :thout, rt.·.td\' to ht.· su>opnlup and cartnlto rn<tr kt·t. But lllStl':td nl worldlv ltrnt.·, till' gl'lll'alogist h:ts fotrnd somt:tlung lwt lt'r - .1 dn·p. \\'It it- \'l'ill ot' l.unil~ trl';htll"l' dut, whill' it L.lll hv .1dnurnl. or L'\'l'll hoardl'd. is hl'st ~<l\OI'l'd hy sh;lrirlg \\'ith othLTs. It is. tiKTdorl', mor"l· .tkrn to •I grc:11 arth;lvologicd discm'l'l'\. 1\ gl'lll'al ogrst drgs 1111o thl' p;tst to lind thosL· who calllL' ht..forl' him, sot1lt'tlt11l'!' lt·:1111ing rHllhing. oltt·n lt.. uning littil.' ht·yond .t ll:lllll' and .1 kw kt.·y L'\L'Ilts ol an indi,idu;tl's lilt· .. tnd t>ccasion;llly so rnuch infoml;llron ahout .111 ;UlLL'Sior as to hring hrm .dmost to lik.

Till' lrtll' \;tittL' ot' nnt.·'s dtsl'll\'LTIL's, \\·hL·thl'r .ICIII<d gold or ol till' gl'nL·;dogical '.lril't\. is mll kno\\ n until it is ass;tyt·d lor its p111ll\. For ).!L'nl';d<>glsts. till' llll'<ISllrl' IS in tht• qu;tlll\ <llt·;irh sotrrn· olmlomut1on. Tlw purl'sl gl'nt'<tlngic.ll gold can hl' lound only 111 prrrn;tl'\ snLIITL''>, thosl' wh1ch sl.ltl' LILtS ;Is truth and ;II"L', ;II k;lst roughly. l'llllll'lllPnranL·nus with thl' l'\'L'nts thl'\ dl'snihl'. l:xampks rangL· lrom ortgin.d town l'l'l·ords of births. dl'aths. and m.uti:t!.!l'S to an old kttn lrnm your gn.:at aunt Hl'rtit•, 111 Nantuckl't in JKN. "ho s;tid hl'r cousin I:till'I from Rak·1gh \\as' rsrtmg li1r till· \\'L'l'k. I \;1111pks of pnm.1ry sotr1n·s found on thL· rsl.md Includl' the origm.tl til\\ n rt'lords. 1hl· origin;tl rt·cords ol town chmchl's- most p;ll'licu l.lrlv thosl' of thl' 1\l'ligious Socil't\ of I:rit·nds. who kt·pt ntrl'ml'iy good rl'cords ;tnd tlw \\'l'alth ol prrrnan tl.ttn in thl· wlkctions of isl.md institutions such ;Is thl' r II ,\ , thl' 1\lari;l i\litchdl t\ssoci.u ion. ;md thl· :lllllll'kl't r\tiwnl'l 1111. lkl\lng sokly on pnrn;ll"\ souiTl'S in rl.'cording gl'nc;tlog\ 111;1kes for tlw ;lhsolutc pmn;lck in genl':tlogi cal achil'\'l'l11l'nl, hut, on thl.' "hok, it also m.tkl's for ,.l.'r\ slow going. This is why ncarlv L'\'l'l'}' rcsl'archer rcliL'S on Sl'condarv sources, at least initiallv, with the intent of l'\L'ntually recording primary sources.

Sccondal) snurcl's are those that rl'pnrt seeing primal)' 1

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e\ idl'nl'l', \\'hl'thl'l' or not they report thl' L'X<Ict location oiL'<Ich piL'l'l' of th:ll l'\ idl'ncc. Secondar\ sourcl's, till'refort', em \<II'\ widd~ in thl'ir rdiahilil\. 1\mong thl' most rdi,thlc arL' puhlishl.'d tO\\ n and gml'rnmcnt rl'tords or church rl'cords which ,trl.', ,It \\'Orst, only suh]l'ct to transniJ)[ion errors. ll ighh rdi;lhil.' inlornhtt ion em also hl· ohtainl'd from articll.'s in scholarh jour nals. In our rl'glon. prl.'mierl.' among thl'se is ll>e \nl' l.n.,J,utd If lilt meal tilld Ct·nc,do.f!./Ctd f<t ,~:,Iller of the '\L'\\ England l listoric Cl.'nl':tlogical ~ocil'ty. T\\·o L'X;Impks of t.'\Cl.'lit•nt unpuhlishl.'d N:tntuckl't Sl.'C ontlan sources arc thl.' Uiza Barnl') Ccncalogical Rt·cortl anti the \X'illiam C. l'olgn CL"nealogical Rt.·wrd. both <11 tiw 1\'l lt\. ( >tlwr ',titl<lhle sources arc 1he numl'rous publishl.'d .md unpuhlislwd f.tmih gl'nl'alogies. '' ritiL'n mosth s1nce the mid nlllL'tl'L'Illh centur). Thl' hulk ol thl'sc \\'l'rt.· untlouhtl'dh honl'sth rt.~L·archl'd. hut most prior to till' h11c Jl)30s onh rder to thl'ir sou1n·s in gl'nl'ral. ( 'nnsl'qul'nth. the hl'tiL'l' l.'ach his ton is sourcl.'d. or nthnwisl.' .1ppl':lrs to haH' been rl'scarchl.'d, raises its rdiahilit\. .\n l'\l'll grl'atl·r r;mgl' of rdiahk inform:ltion is now <1\'ailahk· hv communiclling on line "ith ldltm rL'Sl':lrchns. t\n\onl' c.1n rl'cl'i\'c inlormat1on downlo<ltkd into thl'ir computl'rs lrom thl· lntnnl't.

Thl· histories mm he full of accuratl' rcsl.'arch. compktc Lmt:IS\. or, most likcl\', soml'thing in hl'tWL'l.'ll. Sincl' it is mosth unsourcl'd it is \'aluabk onh :Is ;I m;lp to follow to morl' rdi,thll' snurcl's.

Th;tt antuckct gl'nca logical gold is casil~· minl'd is a result o l thl' many l''\tant sl.'condary sources rcpn: Sl'llting coun ticss thousands of hours of work donl' by ot hl.'rs, 1he lull fruits of whosl' labors arc oftl'n rl'adily m·ailahlc for today\ gl'nl'alogists, if thl'~ know whL·rc to look. The sourcl's naml.'d at the end of this articll.' arc likeh to be m·ailahlc .It a librar). and some .lrl' l'\'Cn currently in print and antilable for purchase.

Oncl' a bit of trcasurl' has been rctric\'cd and assayed it must be storl'd in an organized mannl'r. Th is can be done with anything from slips of paper to one of the better genealogy programs for computers. I began m~ gl'ncalogical rl'cording with uniquely numbered

by Dwight Beman

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/he i lncntml

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ti/ 11/<lrml/!,t' ccrll/ioll<'l and gt•m•,dogwd cht1r/1

Photograph hy ,\1/(bacl Gah·m

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Nantucket Secondary Sources

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Coffin, Louis. IZ'£' Co(lin Ftwnlr. Nallltllkd: antucket II istorical t\ssoci.uton, llJ62 This hook is jam pach·d with lmths, nurri;tgL'S, and deal hs of (:oHms ,md thL·ir spous~:s. l stng its own idios\ncratic numhLTtng system, it is a boon to all ( :off Ills .

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llinchm;tll, Lydi;t S. /.,ir/r \cttlrn u/ \',mtucl.•t•t I h£'1r tl IIOC/tltt 'l '"'" Dt'\Ctlltf,,n/1 O..,Lullld and t:nlarg~:d edit ion. PhiLttk·lphi,t: ll'tTts L·. LL·ach, 190 I . t\ surprisingh \\'L'II stllttn·d tom~: lor lis tht\. Lnlia i\1itchdlllinchman's wmk 111 its t:arh SL'Ctions has mme ht·yond stmply births, mnrriages, and deaths than most l'hts l'Xll':l information is sonll'tinws tk-snthl'll as "nK·;H" lor the "drv hones" of gerll·;dog~ .

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index cards; after about 350 cards and the prospect what one two-year old could do to such a filing system, it became patently obvious that there must be a better way. The ultimate solution was acquiring a computer almost e-;pressly the purpose of recording the fami ly genealogy and its sources. Once ;1 collection of ances tors has grown significantly, you arc struck by what a gigantic effort it must have been lor precomputcr·era genealogists to keep track of their data. sing a good genealogical program , such as The Master Cenealogist for Windows (TM C / Winl, would doubtkss seem effortless to researchers of yore.

A computer can also greatly increase avenues of inquiry available beyond the U.S. Postal Service, partie· ularly by way of the many genealogy related addresses on the [ntcrnet and through one of the genealogy forums/bulletin boards on the major information services. My personal favorites arc the genealogy forms on CompuServe, where many a Nantucket cousin-bymarriage has been "met."

ror

Dwight Beman is a memher o/Tbe NeiL' England I It:rtoric Genealogical Society and a/ami~v genealogt~rtwbo bas hcen scrious~v purs111i1g the cmcestors of bt:r children /or more than eleven yean·. Tbougb more than one-eighth of b/r children's ancestral lines pass through tbe island, they all come through his wife Mimi. Ht~r one /eroent genctJlogical hope is to find one small dollop of antuckel hlood to call Mr own.

14

IIISTORIC

i':r\:>.TUCKL:T

fVIacy, Silvanus J 1bt· ,\ 1ttC\' h wnlr /m111 1()35. /8(,8. t\lhan\ :)oL·I ,\lunsL·II , IS(,:S. t\s was thl' standard ol Its tLI\, thts hook is not \\'ell SOUI'Cl'tl bl'\'Olld the \lT\ l'<lrl) d;t~s. It is valuable though nnd even has solllL' "mL'<It ." ()f' COUrse, it i~ a 11111St for ;Ill) 1\Jac~.

Starbuck, t\lc-;andcr. fZ,c I lt1torr o/ \, Jttud·t I. C:ou ntv. I dane/ and /(m 'I/ Indudlll.f!. (I( 'I/< ,tlo.r:,tt'l o( First Scttlcn. Rutland , \'T: Charb I . Tuttk ( :n, 192-l. reprintt:d l %9. The rdatin·l\' k\1· bttl ~ignifican t l'amilie~ chnsL·n arL· cm·nnl quill' \\'l'll in terms or thl' information. undouhtl·dh nmling from the best sources then m'<til,thk.

Starbuck, .I ames Cu·lton. Stt~rlmc/..: 1 t1!1 1(i ~ S I<JS5

11 J3iogmpbtiltl (,'£'1/l'tllo,f!.mt/ /)!('111111<1!1'. Ros\\'l'll , CA 198-l. Though a compantl ivch l'l'l'l'llt work. this ntnb \\'ith the other unsoutu·d fa mil~ gL'Ill'<dogies.

Swain, Robert II. Su't/111\ o/Sa!ltuc/..:cl /;do o/ l"rad1 .

Charlotte, C: 1990. Ddinitch morl' "mL'<Il\" th;m the Starbuck book above, but again not wdl sourced.

Vital Rccort/.1 of £11/tucket, AltilltiCbllll'lt\, to the ) 'ctlr 1850. Five volumes. Boston: Ne\\ I:ngland I lisroric Genealogical Societ~, 1925 1928, reprinrl'd b\ l Iigginson Book Co., Salem, MA Thl' ne-;t to last word in authority is av,tilnblc to the public, though at a price that would probably bt,·e you prl'fcrring a visit to the libraty. \\' l '\ T I R

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A Modern Nantucket Sleighride: Fro1n Nantucket to Norfolk Island and Back

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1\lonllll) \ 'ctll. .t~ slw \\'<ts alkction.tlt·h c.1lk:d. w.ts hum in the South Pacific. prohahlv on , 'orlPik I~Ltml. proh,thh in I X71, and proba blv .tnnmd ll .tllP\\'l't'll. ,\!It hi~ had !wen a pan of our lamd\' IHston.

Bom ( Ltra lbrilt·tt t\lkn. Ill\ gramlmotht·r was the youngnt tltdd nl C,tpt<ttn ( .harks L. t\lkn and ll.umah \Lu i,t l'.tmiLtlll \Ikon. hoth of i'Ltntuch·r.

Cbr.t \ f.tther \\ ,1s ,t '' h,tling t apt<tll1 .md ~pent mo~t of his l<ttt't'r 111 the ~<,uth 1\tlilic on \,trious ship~ owned h\ I I I. Ban k·tt ,llld '-,ons. The stm\ is 1h.u l l.tnnah lari;t \\'iiS gnc\'ill)! SO ll\'lT ! hl· dl'<ll h of her bah\' h<l\' that il11.· t\llcll I <11111 h dn·idnl .1 Sl'a \ 'O\ <tgl' would be good for hn ~pirits. ~o shl·. hn hush.tnd. <tnd iiK·ir youn~ soil I{PIIIll ldt on tlw shtp \, .,, Klll.!.!t'l' in I X69 lor thl· South J>adllt, k-<1\ing t\\Ochildren. Emm<t .md Lilli.m. Oil :'\.mtttl-ket '' tth rl'i.tttn·s. \\'hu1 I \\'.ts in Ill) ll'l'ns ( ltra ctml· to li\'l' with Ill\ famih <..,hl h;td spl'tll n111st nl lwr ltk tn ( .• tlilorni<t m.tr rinl to _l.ttk < )'0:t·t!l. '' ho l.ll11l' to Nantuckt·t with 1\ L1rumt's lirst lt'<tlll. Shl· h,td ldt hn hush.md. b<t<K ll ills.,lr., and thl·ir son, 111\ l.t!lll't. ls.t.te (Hohs\) II ills. to m.ur: ,l<ll'k. I supposl' 111 th.tt d.t\ .t di,·orcnl '' om;m would not haw hl'l'll .tpprowd ol on thl· isLmd. S<l thl'\ kft. \\'htlc li,·inl' \\ tth us. ~hl· told IlK' tll;tt shL· \\as born on orlolk lsbnd hut hn hinh hitd not lwl'll recorded.

Shl· on I\' kanll'd th.tt !'.tel wlwn she was .tpplving for a passpnrt to go to luropl· <In hl·r IIrst honL'\IllOOn . She couldn't rl'tllt'l11ht'! hm\ shl· pron·d her htrth ,tt th;tt time and \\';Is not intL'restL·d in prming it in hL'l' nmetiL·s.

But the 111\·stl'l\ ol her lmth ''.Is something I could nm forgl'L So ahout fi\'L' \l'<ll'S .1go \\'hen I was \'isiting Nantucket, I stoppt·d oil ;It the <llllucket ll istorical Association to look up 111\ L1111il\' historv. I found a few n.:ferenl'L's to 111) great grandfather and his ships.

I also discon:rL·d that there were three logs kept for a \'Oyage on thL· Sec/ l~ang,cr that co\'ered thl: time of 111) gr;mdmother's birth. Two logs \\'ere in the \'\'haling II 1 \ l <l R I<

:"\A;-... 1 l' C 1.: I. 1

,\lusl·um in Ne\\ Bedford and one \\'as in the l>rm idencl: Libr<ll'\.

J\s I was planning to dri\'e through e\\' Bl:dford .

I decided to stop at the museum and askl:d to see the first logbook: "The Sea Ranger of New Bedford on a whaling \'O\'agl' in the Pacific Ocl:an and elsewhere.

C.1pt. Ch.1s. L. t\llen." \\'ith the first entt'), "l\teslht) October I 9 I X69 7: 15 am left \\'harf under sail," I \\'as hooked! I poured through the dail) entries be<lring I1<lmL·s like I log lsl;md. Possession lsLmd. Itt: of lsl.tnds .•md. final!\. Norfolk Island. I had proH:d that the ship and her captain were on orfolk Island, but there \\':IS no mention of i\ l rs . Allen or little l{ollin.

There were whales. \\'Cather, \\'ind, ''<Ill'!', and \\'ay\\'ard men. but no \\omen! The librarian brought me the book l't •If tmtt I \\"bt~lcn. by .Joan [ ruett. \\'ith a mention of 1\lrs .

C. L. r\llen ol the .\c11 Rctll ,(!c'r arri\'ing at the Bay of Islands .

The rekrence in this book confirmed 111\ bel id: she must IHI\e heL'n there.

The second log \\'as kept bv BL·njamin Cartwright. l ie mentioned many of the same happenings and added his O\\'n personal touches by including drawings or sketches of each ~ t '

by Mary Hills Munroe

t 1{;umh por/IW/ of

Cl.m1 ,l/1,·11 ( J'\ci/1.

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don· a/ tlw \or(olt• I ,J,wtf ,\111\t'l/11/

l'boill!!,l"llf'b f,y

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island rhcy saw. But still there was no mention of Irs. Allen. l had the third log sent to the library ncar my home.

This was the journal of Benjamin Nickerson from the ickolson Collection at the Providence Public Library.

And there it was! "Outward Bound Monday Nov. 29th ( 1869) ... a flying !'ish new on board which was immediately secured for Mrs. 1\llen 's breakfast." \'>Uhat followed were pages and p<tges of sketches of whales and ships encountered, taks of heavy winds, whales lost, and food taken on hoard from islands. Then again in 1871, Thursday .Jul) 20th ... "t\t 7 am saw Norlolk Island and at 12 am Capt. and 1\lrs. t\llen went on shore at the Cascades." So now I knew that my great grandmother was on nrfolk Island around the time ol

my grandmother's birth. [n four years of almost daily recording, I found five mentions of Mrs. Allen and most of those were "the Capt. and his lady" or "the Capt. and Mrs. Allen" with no mention of children.

After several communications, starting in 1992. with the curator at the Whaling Museum on orfolk Island.

T decided it would be interesting to sec what I could find there and I made plans to head for the South Pacific. So in the spring of 1996, I flew thirteen hours to Auckland, New Zealand. I remembered that the same trip took from October of 1869 to May of 1870 for my great-grandparents. The trip also took my father

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thirty days in I he 19-iOs as a ski ppl'r of the L s.~. an ammunition transport. during tht· 1 Second \X orld War. From Auckland I \VL'Ilt to thl' Bay of lsl,rnds. otKt' considered a whak:r's paradisL'. ThL· Lttr:ttor at tlw Whaling Museum in Rttssdl \\'t'nt to lll'r record honk. which was kept by thl' consulatl' (and not often), .md found thl' "Bark \'t'tl I<tiiiJ!,c r of '\c\1 Bnllonl. arriwd 31 i\1arch IH72 ... C:has 1:. t\lkn disrlwrgnl tlm·e men," and it would appL'<tr th;tt sonw n;ltin·s Wl'rL' .dso discharged at this time.

1\1) ne\t stop was orfolk lsLtnd. whl'IL' I brrnnl tl1<1t whaling history takL·s a hack Sl'at to the t;tk of rlw mutiny on the 13ol!lll)'. /\ftL·r rill' mrttilll'l'l'' (ltllgrcw rlw tiny isl;md of Pitcairn , Britain g.rn· thl'lll land on orlolk Island. Thl' island is still Lrrgl'lv populatl'd by dl'scl'ndants of thl' mut inL'LTS ;md thl'ir T;thit i,m foremothers. In fact. it is almost 1111possthk· lor <111)' one l'lse to own land on the island ( )n , 'urfnlk, I pourl'd through thl' rL·wrds of hirths on thl' tsLtnd but found that the\ on!, rl·cnrded the hirths nf thl· descendams ol the mutinl'l'I'S so tlw hook was fillnl with Christians, ohbs .•md ()umr.tls .• md onl' pro lific family of t\lkns. hut thl'y \\'l'l'l' thl· \\Tong Aliens.

One evening while on Norfolk lsl .md, I w.ts asked to give a talk to the local histom.tl sociL·ty. 1\t the end of mv prl'Sl'ntation one \\'(llll<lll stood up and annotmced that she had 11LT gr.mdLtthL·r's dt.rry with her. She L'\plainL·d that it \\<IS not suppnsL·d tu leaw the house hut she decided th<ll this \\';ts a spl' ciale\'l'ning. From thl· dian shl' rl'<td "shippl·d aboard the \'ctl I<angp· with C.rpt. ('has E. 1\llcn on Pitcairn bound for orldk Island." It \\ ;ts am;tzing to come half way around the world and !war ;thutll my own ancestor.

Despite this jovfultll'\\'S, I told the gmup that I still had no trace of grl'at grandnmt her or ol ,1 b.t!n. \\'hen I ;rsked the members of the hiswrictl soctL't\ where my grandmother might hm'L' been horn. I \\'.IS surprised to learn that l was giving nw talk in the \'l'l~ room where she was most likeh to haw been horn. \'\1e \\'l'rL' st;md ing in a beautiful old building built h the British. TilL· house was used for guL'Sts to the island at. the time ol my grc;tt gmndmothcr's ,·isit.

So T went home believing th;tt my slcighridc was over - without finding m~ whale. Bur "hat I didn 'r know was that l still had one more trip to antucket to

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makc. La~t Sqllt'tlliK·r I was 111 Nantucket lor a quick visll ;tnd Sl<lppt·d once .tga111 <II tht· Ldou;trd t\.

Stackpolt· Lthrary and l{csl';lrc.:h Ct·nttT. To p;tss timc, whik· \\'a it ing to nlt'l'l '' fnt·ntl. I askl'd 1hc lihr,trian about tilt' Allt·n inlimnation .. md L'\jK'ttl'll to SL'L' ''hat I had prm tdcd plus thv s;lllll' tnlorrnation that I had sccn last lllllt'. Th:11's \1 hen I IHlllct·d ;t rdnt·nc.:e lO SOllll' lcttl'I'S. Iht· lt•llt'P; wert' hrought out, and Bl. '( ;( )! Tlwrt· \\';Is .1 l.1irh large collel!ion ol It-t tns I rom both ( :apt.llll and ,\ lrs. 1\lkn to tht·tr t\\'o daughtt·rs on ;tlltlllkt·t' 'I ht• ll'tll'IS rvln to I Rollm who "is h Willing quitt· a I young IlLII I," ,md ru how tlwy low \ and miss tht•tr datlghtns. Emma and I illt;lll. The~ ,tlso \\'l"lllt' of tlw short<lgt' ol whalt-s 011 thl' tnp and htn\ tllt'y wnuld not h,,, L' nlllt h mont'\' for the luturt· Tht.·n nn .Janll<ll) I0. 1 i 1, 011 ndolk lsl.md.

I Lmnah ,\Iuria ,\llvn "rilL'"· "\h D1.\tr ( :hildr('n: lhntllt'r ;md ltttk sts tcr art· skt•ptng Ml I will \\'l'ltL' \Oil .t kw llllL"' to st·nd \llU pknt\ of low and mltnm ynu nf Ill\ good h~.-.dth and wtshing that With ynur tlL'<II liuk sistn ytlU art• contt•ntt·d ;tnd happ\. i\lrs. Fullt'r is gning htllllL' to SL'L' hn dear t•hildrl'n hut mnthtT must \\';tit awh1k• IPI1gL'I .. \ht• WnllllUL'S, " I \1 tll hnng you anotlll.'r sthol.ll \Ill' 1s \l'l"\ c.:unning this littk ststLT ol \Otlrs .111d bright ;md pl.tylul ,ts em lw. ( >h how I wish \'Oll wuld SL'I.' her. I shall Sl.'lld ht'l pic.:turt· ;ts sonn :ts \\'t.' gn <111\\\ hl.'l'l' 1hat it l'<ll1 b1.· lilkt·n. ( )nt.· nf tht: ( ~<ljl!.tins ht:rc \\';tntt·d mt.' to namt· hl'r Dnl'it Oi,tmond \\'hich do you likt· lwst th.tt or Clara Bartktt:>" Tht: sktghmk "•Is owr. But 11 \1 <Is so muc.:h fun rh.u l nor~.·d th.ll Ill) grt'<ll grand fat ht:r \\'<IS c.1pL1in of the Ctwtw1 Pack!'/ when it \\,Is in a typhoon ol(lapan.

Fi\'t: 1111.'11 \\'l'rt: lost ''hen the ship struck Capt: Syra and brokt: in half in tt:n minutes.

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I wonder if th<.: log sur\'ivcd the shipwrt:ck, wht:rc Capt: Syra is, and "·hat I might find there.

One of Rol/m ,11/m \ lcllcrl to bn mien, u·rillt·n durmJI. a

.\tan·/ h//1 ,\lunmt'll'tll hom m

,\,mtucf.~t·l

hut ;IIIII' ln't'\ int1n:onull'bae 1be 1.1 the t•dJtor oj'i'h<.: Patagonia Press.

___

l'O\'li!(<'OIIthc

'>ca ltlngcr ....__..

.... -

__ ,

\\1'\TER

199817

''What's in a name!'' l.II ~T T<) R< l\11 :<)

"With a name like yours, you might be any shape, almost." ll lf,\WIY

by Elizabeth Oldham

F

OR

S0~\1 ·

\I \RS '\0\\, 1'1 II . Bl.(,l'\\;1'\(, 01

\

nt:w yt:ar has produced in the media an account of what has bet:n dt:tcrmincd to be the most popular names given newborns during the preceding year. The namt:s follow fads: for boys, Michael has been up ncar tht: top for a long time; Om·id, Peter .•md.fohn, however, don't show up so Ire quentlv now as, for instance, the trendy .Ja ·on, .Jared, and .Jareb. !'or girls, .Jennifer has been around for a while. Ashlt:)' is a comer. and of course there have been lots of little girls named Chelsea of late. t\ stud) of the Barney Ccnealogical Record (her-e inafter referred to as BCR) reveals that faddish namt:s for newborns is not an entircl; new phmomenon. Our forebears. however, displayed an un<:<1nrw range of educated sophistication in the naming of their babies. As a newly fledged onomastician (onomastics is the science or study of the origins and forms of proper names of per sons or places). I hm·e elected to classify the naming of anrucket babies in the seventeenth, eigh teenth, and nineteenth centuries thus: BIBLI CAL, CLA. SICAL/ ROMA

TIC-POETIC,

QUAK ER, YANKEE VICTORIAN, IMAGI ATIVE, NOV ELISTIC, AND ZOOLOGICAL. BIBLI CAL The obvious biblical names occur in almost every family recorded in the BGR- arah, Jesse, Ruth, Rebecca, Ezra, Jacob, Reuben,

18

IIISTORI<

0:A'\Tl <.KIT

Dl

.\WIY T<) i\1.1<'1 :

1 ,lth;tnid, Llihu, Uwih.'Zl'l', B,!lhslwb.t, .\khitabcl.

Obed, ZL·n;ts, t'l a! hut tlw peopk 111 those famrlres reallv rt'tld their B1bks. llmw\'L'r dsL· would they han· come up\\ ith these n,tlllL'S lor their hoys: B~·tHtni , Shub<tl.!l. Zebulon. t\chs:th. H;tz;tll'L I. B,tntdll,th , /\senath, ( .ephas (Jesus' naml' for Pl'tl'r, ccpbm hcmg thl.! t\r;tlll;tic word for "rock"; Petl·r lrom the Creek pt'lrw), Barzillai (meaning "made of 1nm "l And tlw girls' names: 1\pphia, Tam.rr. ~krah. P~·rcis (:t mis pdling of Persisrl. \\'c ftnd 111<111\ lntk· girls named after poor old Job's lirst two daughters .. kmim.t and Kezia, but none after the third tbughtn. Knenhappuch .

Why? \X'e wonder if I:.!dad Tuppn was rl·ally supposed to be named for .Job's good lricml Bild,td. Thom;ts and Dinah St.rrbuck had si\ sons ;lnd 11<1111L'd thL·m ;tftcr thL· twcke tribes of Israel: ReuhL·n. SllllL'on. l.c\'1. Judah (leaving out Zcbulun, lssachar. D.m. ( ;,,d, J\slK·r. .md aphtalil and picking up ag.1in with .lnsL·ph and Benjamin. Triplets born to ~lr. ,md 1rs. John Barker 111 IH39 \\'erL· named Shadntch, ~ksh<Kh . •md Ahnlnq~o; unh<tppih, thL'\ did not SIIIYI\'l' I'm,, smgk dav.

/be Co!llflt!CI H1hlc" f),ctlolltlrl ' (Zondcn an Publishing I louse, '' l)i, is ion uf llarperCollins) tells us that in Patri,trdul tinll-s (t.e., bdore the time ol losL'S) nmm:s were seL'n as "indicators of ch.tr;Kter, functton, or destin\." 1\·rhaps the l'ril'llds S<l\\ n;tmes in the same light when the; called their little bab\ boys and girls Provided, Wealthy, Content, Prudence, [ndowed, Love, Temperance, Pleas,tnt, and Desire. Abiah rolger's two older sisters \\ere J>,Hience <tnd Experience. In 1778 z,,ccheus Coffin married Thankful Joy of Martha's Vineyard. t\nd what did life hold for the young man named Pardon Tinkham?

Q uAKE R

\\' 1 ,' \TIR

199

LA!'>!->1( '\r./H0;\1A '\ I'IC- POETIC

\YJe knm\ rh.tt pre TV 1\;ullrrckL'll'rs wne l'XI l'l'llH:ly well l'l'.td and 1hat Cr~·ck and Larin texts \\'l'rl· read .rs mlll h lor plcusurc .r~ lor n lttl'< lllon,tl •Khic\~·ml t The Ront;llltll.' povh Kl.·;lts, \lrl'llt>v, Byron, \\'nnlswortlr.

Colcndgl \\'l.'rc IH>liSl·hnld rullls. (\'{\· ;m: propcrh gratd11l toD;l\id .lo) and hr. ~.:hums for C'>t.rhlr lung 111 I H20 till' t 1:rntuckct ,\kl'hanics Soual Lihrat} t\sst ><.'lallnrl, .rnd suh Sl'ljlll:lltl)' thl' t\thl'lll'lllll ) l..,p ll i IHll surprisin • th.u d.rsstl,rl .rnd lunar\' names sud1 as llomlln, Tdem;ldHis, ( )rLmdo.

Lt'illllk·r. l:kct..t nn.t liP l.icL·tra; loll r.tl. \ :'), Lys<llltb, LucrL•tia. CHW\1,1, ,\lrlll'l"\<1. '\1ohl·.

Lydia. and ( .lari s,r pnppnl up 111 tlw h.rp Iisnlill rcgist t't

tlw ahnw llll'lltiont·d Bihk dltll!ln;ll\ , tht· (),·/urd C:/ti\1/Ctd Dici/OII<IIl'. illld the ( h/rm/ ( 'ulllf'tiii/IJ/1 ( ,wtft to lllglllb Lr!t ruture didn't lwlp to idl'lltlh' Desdami,t, Llthllhl, I klphin.1. Zukm.t. :..tusid1'r:t.

Ah<ll"l'tta. or \'erlrnd,r Lrlll•irlsl: I sh.rllcnntillltt' ((1 SL'arch. hut I prckr to hdtt'\l' the f'<ll'l'lll~ \ILTl' simply lx·mg lTl'<llin' (and pnl·tic <llld rnm:tlllll) l~<~rziiLri .md Mill'\ C.rrdnt'r's firsthorn daughtn was DL·Iphm;t, hut thL·tr stTond d.ulghtt·r nn1st h<t\l' ht•t·n .r rt.d Iwaul\. bcc.utsL' tht:) nanK·d IK·r Flnr.1 I )uklhdLt . l MA<.I A II\ I' ( :onsultlllg

lf-l' 111/tlf,<"' WI

d>t I(' /1/'0 {ltlf!.t"\ tlrC lromibt•

.\'1/tl\ w//c,tum of pbnlngrtl{lbl lr'c tire• /orltmatc

Y A N KU Vu tOIH \ I ht· H( ,I{ hegins tn thin out tO\\ ard thl· Lrst qu,trtt'l" of tht· JllllL'tl'l'llth n·nttll"\. and the namL-s rct"ordt·~l. s;IY •• rfter tlw ( :i,il \\',rr. tt·nd w he bl.tnd, 't .mkn· tsh. lluld.lh, \\Is, llarrwt. c;ntrude.

Clar;t, r\tklinL', l:tt.r. llnm.1n. l'mt·llnt·. t\rthur.

Ccorge, h.mk. Thns · up fnmt t\nll'rrC;tns 1\lilo and M.m.t ~t<tnton. ho\\t'\l.'l, ll<lllll'd the1r lhildren Californ1,1, i'L·. as, Car~on. l·lnid;t J\.1.1\. and t\.lmnl.·sot.t.

In bai'Ctl m!lcdlllll

o((.umfr HTtl{ll"lfKJI.:I lti< ("\ fn Jill tl•t {It/If. t/1/d \01!/t"l /Ill <"I /It/ Ill< "I

ZOOLOG ICAL

Novrusn c Bcc.HISL' it's hard to hd1c\'l' thL·st· IJ<tmL·s could hl' found L'\\.'L'Pl in ,, h.td now!: Bdndert· Plane, Wickliffe ( h,td\\ ick. Powh.ut,tn lhgnell, and Marmaduke Coffm. \lso. not found in the BCR. but applying for membership in the c;nmd t\rnl\ of the Republic,l891 92, \\'Cre Orestes Augustus Bronson Tracy and Dusenburg Rancour, neither of them born on antuckct, but resident here ;tfter the Ci,il \Var. It I 'i T

(l

R t (.

'\ :\ :-.; I l ( 1\ I . I

-<.YJII/i' .t/11'<'

The thought of a

1\lnrv Pigeon is e\·oolli,·c. t\nd it 1s to be hoped that sometime around 1800 lr. Thomas t\.lackercl ma~ h,l\·e strolled down to the \\'harf to greet a newcomer lrom Rhode Island with the most remarkable name of all: Prcscl'\·ed Fish. \\ I '\ T I R

I 9 98

19

Historic Nantucket Book Section Review by David Goodman

Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World, by Mark Kurian ky.

Walker and Company,

W

IlL

ew York; hardcover, 21.00.

PI:CWLL Ol\ NANTUCKI I 1"1 11'\K 01

codfi h, old pictures of fi hcrmcn drag ging dori:s across the I fau lover to jig up fish off ankary immediately come to mind. Others may remember coufish cake· for awrday breakfast. And there arc folks who recall growing up with fi h sti ks for Friday dinner.

Cod, by Mark Kurlansky, reveals the vcrwhclming role this once ubiquitous pecics played in cuisim:, world politic , and exploration of the cw W )rid.

That thi simple fish meant so much to so manv become · obvious when do umen1cd us thoroughly a.s Mr. Kurlansky has done. B) the timc l was a couple chapters into the book, it looked as if therc were lew cpisodes in human history in which cod had not played u pivotal role. This thought is further rein Ctl.\ "<.t 11 forced tn thc rcmaining pagcs. lilt \\'llRIIl A gild ·d cod hung from the c ·iling of thc Boston Town llall and burned up with the building in 17-17. Arter the American Revolution a carved wooden cod was hung in the Old rare House and was

or

mark kur l a'nsky

20 It

IS T 0 RIC

NAN TUCK F T

moved twice when the k·gisLll ur · moved; no\\ the "sacred cod" hangs in 1he llousl· of Rl·prl·sentatives chamber at 1he Slate I louse on lkaull1 llill. Ltrlv 1\mcrican coins had cod on thl·m ,ts did ,, \Ltss;; chusetts tax stamp in 1755 . Also. in Europl"<tn cou11 tries, then.: were numl'I'Otts stamps ,111d coms with the cod adorning them. \XIh} all the adulation I(H· a lo\\ h bottom roaming lin fish:' Perhaps it's lK"l'iiUsl· rod .trl' l'a~il) caught, the} 're ourstan ling C<tting, and Uor l"l'nlttrils) prolific throughout the orth Atlantic \notlwr rl<tson cod became a stapk- for man\ cult lll"l's \\'as th.tt it kept inddinitcly when drk·d and s.tltnl. Cod is the r,1rc fish 1ha1 is ddcctahle even aftl'r lK"inp salt cmL·d and stored for mon1 hs. Bdorc rd rigl"t<ll ion tltl'Sl' at t rihutes made cc d the king among fish .

In African, C:arihhL·an, and ,\kdit ctT<IIll'a n coun tril's most consumers of codfish would not tl"l'Ognize a fresh lilkt. I:uropeans tl'nd to prdL·r salt cod as wdl.

Britain is onl' of the fL.,, pl.tcl·s (othL·r 1han orth America) whL'rL' a fresh pil'Cl" of cod is des11 ,tble. They use it wmakl· fish and chips. one ol tlwir mnst popular national dishes.

The rok of salt cod in thl· sbw tralk l'l·oh-ed due to its l<mgevit~· in a ship's hold. Cod \\:ts one part of a vicious journey. The salt drk·d ltsh wcrl' traded in Afric.t for sla\·cs. Tlwn ilK· hum;m cargo \\ •Is bartered in the Caribbean f<1r molassl~. \\ hich was t nmsponl'd to Boston to lx· distilled inw rum. fvlark Kurl,msk\ ,tlso do ·uml'l1ts tl1L· manv wavs cod influencL·d world politics. \\',tt-s h<t\"l' hel'n .wag~d over th ·fishing grounds thl'\ ro,HlK'll. Thl' 200 mi le limit an l its prnl ·cl'ssors wne 111 grl'<ll p;trt brought al out bv man's insatiahk· desirl' to own the Sl'H bottom so as to take more und mor · cod. It was believed l y most that the ·od stocks \\' ·rl' so \';1st they would nen:-r run our. Sadh, through CL'tlluries of over 11shing, we have virtually brought this fish to commercia l extinction. i\nd there the story and rhe book Cod come to an end. .

Dm•icl C:fxJclman rcgu/,nh ll'rtlcx a !i.1bmg column and "/I ere and Thcrc"/or tbc Inquirer ,;nd 1irror 1/e 1.1 t1 a'r<II!Jic-ltlc .lc/lcr hy /rei de t111d t1 ji.1bcrman hy bcihli. \\' I :0.: T 1· R

199 8

N H A

Recent Gift of the Friends of the NIIA Barbara Johnson l'rL'<ItL·d an 1111portant collection of bcxlks ~tnd m.muscripts on wh.1k-~. \\'h.1ling. and rdat ed subjects. TilL' <llKtion ol this colk·uion '' .1s held in tWO parts at S\\;l!lll c•. tlk-rit·,, tn l'\\ York P;llt one oc urred on ( ktolwr 2 \ .1nd 2lJ 111 19l)() l';llt two of th<: auction \\ ,1s hdd on \l'ptt·mher 25. 1997. I ht· I riends of tht· ' lit\ purd11 t:d dmlllllL'Ilts at hoth auctions. Tht: m.lt t: ri.tl .u:qllirt·d .It Jl<lrt two of tht· auction emcnmp;l ship),' doulmt·nts, photog1 a phs. and personal papers and 1ndt1tk- ma11y v:tlll•thk- and wonderful llL'Ills.

The most appealin • itt'lll' PI tht ).'rotlp .m· two k·t ters written h ', 'antu kctn' . In I ~'50, los1ah ,\L1cy wrote to Chark-s P \X'illi,llns in 1 L'\\ ~ ork . i11quinng abc ut the ch;ll~ILtl'l .md lustnn ol Ius dau1•htl'r\ suiwr: .. r hn\'l' to kno\\' hi-. ( .h.ll'illtL'I and Ius \tolnding Ill Society .tnd wlll'tht r h · i .1 ( ;L'IHk·nt;llt " { ll ).'IL.ll liveliness and htlllHlt is,, lcttl'l' Jll'lllll'd h\ Nu,th \''""'· who mignHL·d lrnm 1 1,mturkt·t to Btllton. llllllllls In 1843 he \\'rott' to Ill'' LPII,Ill <:harks ,\lmphy in antuch·t. tk-snihm • Ius p1t'st·nt condition : '\w h;l\'l' had a sc.:\'crt· wint r md h.1t-k\\'.ml spri11g .md I h.1\'L' had thc hardt·st lit of stt·knt·..,s tl1.1t t'\'t·r I h.1d before .... " I k al o r I. lit"i his rt·ason . . lor wming to Burton:" h moti\ · for ullllillg lll'rt·liN \\':ts till' .lltr:tt'· tion of <I kmalt· \\'o111 .1n \\'hirh r.llllL' p.ls . . t·ngn on the Bo;lt I \\'as 111.1tc of. I s(ltln It-It till' Bo.lt .111d followed tlw SLL'Ilt frPill l'itt,hurgh to lllinoi-. . . hut shL· bilketlnll' .md 111<111Wd motlwr .. .. ..

Also of t rulll·ndou-. llllt'IL''t is a ll'ttL't tbtin•• from 1766 which dt·st nhL''- Josl'ph t\1-.ton. Jr.'s impll·s-.iPns ol

N E W S

Nantucket. This lettcr, written sixteen years before ( rc\'ccocur's Lei/en /rom an Amcncan f-armer, contains .1 \'cry good description of the antucket sand hill- one of thc island's "lnconveniences"-and the wh,tling industry. lksidt'S pcrsonal p;tpcrs. the manuscripts purcha ed hy the I nends include numerous ships' documents.

Tills gwup of documents mcorporatcs sc.:vcral crew lists, \\'lllch arc ;tn irnport<lnt tool for genealogists and rL'~L'<IrchL'rs ;Is thl'y rc.:\·t:,tl thc mm·cmcnts of indi\iduals within thL· wh;1ling lkct. 1\n cxtrcmcly valuable crew list is that fm the ship 'rlloJIItl\ dating from 1809. This crew li-.t includes the sign;lture of Absalom Boston, an \lm.1n t\mL'tican \\'ho rose to captain the only all black "h;tling ,·c-.-.~·1 from 1 1antutkt·t. Ci\'en the rising imerest 111 thL· historY ol1\fnnm t\mcricans at sea and the rarity ol docllllK'I;ts pcrt<llning to Absalom Boston, this i a disunlt i,·dy important acquisition. In addition to crew ltsts. tht· ships' p;1pers contain insur;HKL' documents, induding a line L'xamplc of <I l.ttc cightcenth-centur) m.1ritinw 111surance polic\ for the brig 1\epltlll£' , which ,,.," proh;Ihl~ s;ltlmg to l unkirk, .1 french\\ haling port L'stahlishcd h\ 1 .mtuckett•rs. A particular!} beautilul ,[up's p;lssport for thL· Pa11, signed b} President James K. Polk. is anothcr \\'clcomt: addition to the library's 111<11lllSLTipt L·ollcctiOns. !"he .lrchi\ ,,, matcrds purch;tsed b\ the r riend of tiK· II \ ,IlL' important for 'ariou re;l ons. They pro , ltk- .1ddiuonal documcntatton for <111tuckct \'e , cls .md pL·rsons .•md thc information thcy contain increases tht.· usd'ulncss .md n1luc oft h • library and n:scarch cen tl'l'. rL-sulting in grL·atel use ol thl' library collections.

A Wish List from the Curatorial DeP.=.::art::.::::m:.=. :.=:.:en:..;;,;;t;,____ _ The 1!t1U m t1 tflillon'cd lq1c1rlm ntl. ,11 put togl tber a fhortli I o( bookf cmd otber items/or a ~l'i~·~J _l!.rt. (>[pI I'll ulcir nccJ i1 a IIIla II tru -k. or ar '0 L'(l/1/or mot•mg IJIU\'Cltlll artr/acts as our mrrcnl t·an '' atlmg,.

1f Jm.11 !I tire mtc n 1/l d 111 clonalmJ!. amtbing 011 tbe lr11, please mll us at (50[')) 228-1 ''9..f.

B00 k

· our L'P11 l' ·tiPll · o 1·1 11~tom· · · cot I I·1111g. tI1c· s·t '' ,.,. I1t:L'u. ···\the reference books' listed bdo\\'. : ln on I r to propnly ·1d ·nt ·dy

• lhc ( :.: l!f,\1 1'!1\ Clotbn J{,IJI)-/'){)(}, h\ l Pt.lh \\ .lltgh. $-19.95 • Victorian /·~1,bio111 am/ oltlllllt'l/mlll ll.trpn's B.v•l•tr /Sol IS%'. L·ditcd b) ."rclh1 Blum. 14.95 • CmwlliiCI tlllcl Crimping, /rom: \'/c tnl'f~l/1 Clothe'· lw ( 'hristill;l w.,lklcv .md v.mdn roster. 2' • l.n~!t\b \\'lmnm', Oothm intbc /'Jib Ctnt/11'\', h\ C. \X'ilktt Cunnmgham. 24.95

Other Item : • Old shL'L'ts ;md bl.mkcts fnr p;tcking ;md mm ing musl'um ;trtii;Kts

II I S T 0 R I C

.

,\ :-..; I I I < 1-: I. I'

• f·iling cabinets and bookshelves for office u e

\\ t N T E R

N H A

N E W S

Staff News

IIII'I'!JIIIId, ,/

br

lm 1/'IJr/.:. c I J.'\-1

Libr,lrian Betsy Lowenstein attemkJ a three·day program in f\e\\ York Cit\ entitkJ ""ichool for Scanning: Issues of Presen <ttl on and Access for PaperBased Collt:cttons." The s<.:minar. which was hdd 'm·embcr 3 5 <It the \Je\\' \ ork t\ctdenl\ of \kdicine and spons<nl·d h\ the Northeast Document Conservation C:L·f1ler ( J [)( Cl, focused on the techniques of scmning ;tnd dl!'ltiz;ttion. DigttiZ<ltiOn , the pr<ll'l"ss by which <111 im;tge or tl"\t 1s connTted into a digital format, mhatKes a collection's \ isibility and usl·, and em sen·e, 111 p;trt, <IS .1 ml'<ll1S of presen·ing p;tper· bas<.:d colkcuons. \'anous Issues pnt;lining to digital technology \\'l're disn1ssl·d •It tlK· seminar, from under st;tnding fik loml<lls and l"lJUlpment to sdectinl-' content for digit,d out reach and considning kgaltssues when creating digit,d wlkttions. \lost helpful werl· thosL· sessions that discussed digitization prnjL-cts recently completed or in oper;ltlon. "'Jh: program \\'as f,tsuiLtting 1f not m L·rwhl·lmmg," I 0\\l·nstein sa1d "t\s the experts wncuiTl'd, digitization is harder than it looks l11e semll1<11 did <Ill L"xcdknt joh of prm idmg me \\'ith a gencral knowledge of this wmpkx process."

Lo\\'cnstein also ilttended <I conkrencl' org;tniznl hy tl1l' Ne\\ rngLmd <:haptcr of thl· ,\ssociation of ( :ollegl· <lnd Rese;trch l.ibr;ll'les (J\CRLl in Boston on '\o\'l'mber 7. Thc conll'I'Cncc \\<IS l'ntitkd "\\'irnl .md \\'ary: Legallssucs ((lr I ihrarians 111 the Digit<tl \\'orld " ;md discussed thc issUl'S of copynght 111 <111 elcttronil l'l1\'ironn1l'nt. The applll<ltion or wpyright l.t\\'S to the Internet is a contrO\'l'rsial <tnd perplexing issue, and one that 1he conkrence t.1ckhl 111 a ,·ery bro;td \\<I). ( )f grl'iltl'l' interest, ho\\'<.:Wr. \\'as tlw Sl'ssion that atkisl'll

on the U'L'<Ition of licensing agreenll'nts l)t't\\'l'Cn dat<l· bast: pl'<l\ iders ami users.

RL'!.>.istr<tr Aimee Newell <llll'lltblthe <1111111<11 wnll'r ence of the i\e\\' I ngl.tnd ,\lttst·um 1\ ssociation ( I.J\11\) m·emht:r 5-7 111 ll.trtford, ( :ontlt'Uicut. The theme of this )'l'<tr's nmlcrt·ncl· \\ .ts .. Busirw~s as ( J td?

Stren~·thl'nlllg Cml' \'alue~ in tlw Ch.mging ~lttscum " Appro-.;inl<ltl'ly HOO nlltSL'lllll prokssiotds <lltvndvd tlw conkrt•nn· pro\'idin~· llhlll\ opponunit1vs to slur\' ideas ;md soltuions to Ulllllllnn prohk-tns. :'\t'\\t'll .tllt'ndcd se,·eral sl·ssions \\'ith d1wrsv topit·:-.. including " t>itlnlls of t\grtTing to Borro\\' <tnd Ll'nd: 'f'ht• Lo.tn \l-'rL'l'llll'l1t" and tlw 1 'F.,\1,\ Ethks Fontnt "\\'h.ll the Prnkssinn Can Ll•arn front tlw Slwlhttlllt' r\luscttlll I )e<ll'cessioning." l.XlTUliw dirl'tl<lr Jeun \X'eber ;tlso sp ·nt a d.ty as a gul'st spl'akn .1! tlw L,\L\ conkr"t·nct· ( >n • 111\"l'lllhcr 7 hn prest·nt.l!ion \\as 011 "E,·oking St.tnd,ud., in .\lusl'Uills ( :olkctlons l'oltut·s."

Fa•·cwell to MacGlashan \ftu !\\Till\ thrt't' yt·.tr~ at tht· ~lit\. Peter MncGlashan rt·tirl·d in f)l'l'Cillhl'l' I '>'>7 In Ills c.trly ye<trs 111 the <tdmmistrati\t' offin·. ~l.tL( ;l,tsh,ur under took a \\'idv rangl· ol rt·sponslhtlu ivs 111duding llll'lllhcr ship. <ll kert ising .• md huying lor t hl' lllllSl'lllll sltnp. In fl)7l) 11l' \\"<IS named thl· rt·gisnar and in jl)i{ I hl· addL·d audio visual librarian In his dutit·s. By l9lJ2. ht• had lnctlSl'd his L'nlTgies wmpktdy on tlw .tudin \'isu.tlwl kctron. Through tht· \'l'<lrs lw catalogttL·d tlw 1 'I lA's phntngr;tph colll'ction .md wordin<lll'll much nf tlw .llldto <tnd 'ltll'll l<tping I k ,dsn annll<tll\' produced popular slidv sho\\'s or our nrdll\ ,tl pltn tngraphs for rht· II\ 's kcturl' :-ol'I'IL'S ;md, l'l'l'l'ntly. for thL· ·~wtN'l Ct,·ir Lt•aguc.

I lis !'amilrarity \\'ith tlw phntngr.tphs .md his kno\\'lnlgt• ol tlw isLmd wrlllw snn:ly misst·d \Y./ l' all wish him luck 111 hrs Ill'\\' hnmt· 111 f'loritl.t - hm·ing sut'\ twd rht L.tr trip \\'ith hrs '' ik ( .,llhLTtllt' <llltl thl·ir lnm Swrtit·s!

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II\ 1s pk"<tSl'd In annntllll't' th<ll Mnry

Woodt·uff h.1s agrn·d to lw 0111 llt'\\ photn <lrchi\'ist. ( ),·er thl· P<ISI si-.; )'L'<trs \\'<lndnrll h;ls ,·oluntL·erL·d <ll1d \\'orh·d for tht· II \ in such cap;tcities ;Is docl'nt, assistant lthran,m. <111d library \'OlUntl'LT. \V'ith a dL'grL'L' 111 htsllln <111tl cduc.lllon from Elms College in Chicopc:c:, MA, \\'ondrun h,ts just complc:tc:d hn master's dcgrc:c 111 LibLtry and Information Science from Simmons Collcgc: in

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Boston. SomL· of her past work and imernship experi L'nc<: h.ts been at the Plymouth Antiqwtrian Society, the Boston State I louse, the U.S.S. Constitutio11 Museum, and th<: N.mtuckt:t Arhent:um. Last summer sht: sctvcd as prnJL'Ct ;trLhivist for the nion Lodge.

Quilt Documentation at the Fair Street Museum ( )n Scptt:mher 13 and l-1, 1997, the IIA hosted a team of documentcrs from Mass()uilts. A volunteer nonprofit organization cn.:ated in 199-1, MassQuilts doc umL·nts pre 1950 i\tlassachuserrs quilts. Evety quilt they doutment is included in a computer database that is <l\ ailabk to researchers. Mass()uilts is also dedicated to increasing public awareness the significance or quilts.

The team included Anne and .John Callo, .Jan and l L'L' Kimmons, Vivian Syre, .Jennifer Cilberr. Joanne 1\trtsi, and Susan \X'dlnitz. On Saturday, September 13, island residents brought twenty-seven quilts 10 the 1\tir Street Museum. Each person received a copy of the documcmation report including an approximate d<llL', Lkscription of the fabrics, construction and pat terns, <l Pohtroid photograph, and a special label to attach to 1he quilt, signifying its inclusion in the document<ttion project. Volumeers from the Nllt\ helped to measure the quilts, sign in participants, photocopy r ·ports, and photograph quilts. Many thanks to the followmg ,-olunteers: Susan Boardman, Nancy O'Connor, Laura Mosher, Sharon llubbard, Stephie I lubbard, l Iildeg;trd Van Lieu, Bnrbma Cokman White, Rupert !'arb. C.11hnine Bod1m. and Lvnne Marie Folger. ( )n Stmdnv, September 1-1, the team, with NIIA registr;tr AimL'L' Newell. documented twenty se\'Cn quilts !rom thL· ll t\'s collection. Documentation rq1nrts <111d photos will now he: part ol the objects C<lla log fib and the 'llt\'s cnlkction ,,iiiiK· representL·d in the \lass( )llllts LbubasL'.

Tlw lit\ would ;tlsn likL· to .tdd a speci.tl th;mks to l'r;mces I :\der t\fter h<t\ ing them documented b~ rhe 1ass()uilrs te;llll, l:ldn donated two or her famil~ 's quilts ro tilL· ;tssoci.nion.

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Sampler Database

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Although the exhibition "Care/nlfv f!llL'mlll!,bt": tllllnck£'1 \t't'd!t'u·ork I l<Jl J<J<Jl closed on Ocrobc:r 13, rcsL:arch on the samplers anJ needlework in the IIA 's collection continues. \X'c would still like to hear from anvone who owns or knows of a anrucket sam pier. Ai~ll'L' ewdl is compiling a rderL:nce database of extant antuckcr samplers in order to learn more about the needlework schools that exisrc:d on the island. [very sampler that can be documented adJs to the historical record and allows us a fuller understanding of the samplers in rhe I l r\ 's collection. Please call t\imee at 50~ 325 7~g5_

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Volunteer News On October 12 the [ !1\ hosted a volunteer gathering at the Cosnold Support Center. About t\\"L'nt\ live pen pic arrived to tour the decornri,·e arts collection stored at the Support Ccntc:r and to learn about volunteer opportunities at the llA As a result of the meeting, a new, active. and dedicated group of year round volunteers has been assembled and has alrc:ad\ pnwed its worth. It is never too late ro become a \olunreer.

Please contact either the librarian, Bets\ Lowenstein (22R U\9-1), or the registrar, Aimee ewell (325 78 5). if interested in working with one of the li t\ 's man} collections of historical artifacts and documents.

Remembering Virginia Sharp Newhouse lit\ trustL'es and staff extend their condolences ro the family of Virginia Slurp t ewhouse. who Jied in <tntucket on Thanksgi\'ing D.ty, 1997.

Ginn\ '' ;ts one of our most loyal ,-oluntl'L't'S, spending hours in the libt\ll) hdpi;1g to identify .md cat;tlogue photographs. 1-l.undreds of the images in the photocopy <tlbums bear her handwritten notes, and Peter J\.bcGbshan was L'S[K'cially grateful for her de,·otion to the task.

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Give a gift of

membership ... and give members of your family and your friends a gift that reflects your love for Nantucket.

BENEFIT OF MEMBER HIP Cvery memlx:r enjoys 1he following benefits: free admission to all museums ,md historic houses; free use of the Research (:enter; free admission to lecture series; im·iwtions to e\·enrs and openings; subscription to the quarrerh magazine I lr1tonc '\an111c/..:el; I 0'\, luseum Shop discount; voting privileges at the annual meeting, and a listing in the annual report.

Join the NHA

Volunteer Guild The I [t\ encourages year round members (and nonmembers) with an interest in history and historica l artifacts to give their time, talent, and e:-;pertise to the org;tnization. Volunteers n111 work with scrimshaw, baskets, siker, and ship models, ,tnd mam other artifacts withi n the cumtorial collect ions. In the libra rv, whaling logs and ships' papers can be e:-;amined. whi le family Bibles and Q uaker tmcts, maps, and old photo albums are in need of organization.

If anyone is interested in

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volunteering in the library, please caU Bet y Lowenstein at 22 -1894.

Fot· those who would like to wOI'k with the curatorial collections at the Gosnold Support Center on Bardett Road, please call Aimee NeweU at 325-7885.