Historic Nantucket, October 1971, Vol. 19 No. 2

Historic Nantucket

The Wharves — a century ago.

OCTOBER, 1971

Published Quarterly by

NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS

NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President, Henry B. Coleman Vice-Presidents, W. Ripley Nelson, George W. Jones, Alcon Chadwick, Albert F. Egan, Jr., Mrs. Edith C. Andrews, Walter Beinecke, Jr. Honorary Vice Presidents, Miss Grace Brown Gardner, Mrs. William L. Mather Secretary, Albert G. Brock Treasurer, John N. Welch Councillors, Henry B. Coleman, Chairman; Mrs. H- Crowell Freeman, Mrs. Charles Clark Coffin, terms expire 1972: Henry Mitchell Havemeyer, David Worth, terms expire 1973; Mrs. Richard Swain, Bernard Grossman, terms expire 1974; Robert Metters, George A. Snell, terms expire 1975.

Administrator, Leroy H. True Executive Finance Committee, Henry B. Coleman, Chairman; W. Ripley Nelson, Alcon Chadwick, Albert F. Egan, Jr., George W. Jones, Mrs. Edith C. Andrews, Mrs. Charles Clark Coffin.

Curator, Miss Dorothy Gardner Historian, Edouard A. Stackpole Honorary Curator, Mrs. William L. Mather Editor, "Historic Nantucket'', Edouard A. Stackpole; Assistant Editor, Mrs. Merle Turner Orleans.

STAFF

Oldest House Chairman Receptionist

Mrs. J. Clinton Andrews Mrs- Lawrence F. Mooney Hadwen House - Satler Memorial Alcon Chadwick Ohairman Mrs. Irving Soverino Chairman, Reception Committee Miss Rosamond Duffy Receptionists Mrs. Ethel L. Small Miss Maud Jackson The 1800 House Mrs. Roy H. Gilpatrick Chairman Mrs. John Kittila Receptionist The Old Jail Albert G. Brock Chairman Charles West Jailer The Old Mill Richard F. Swain Ohairman Miss Andrea Laire Miller The Whaling Museum W. Ripley Nelson Chairman Walter W. Lindquist Manager Mrs. Elizabeth Lindquist Receptionists Clarence H. Swift Mrs. Elizabeth Yerxa Jesse Dunham Miss Diane Ropitsky Robert Metters Mrs. Reginald F. Hussey Librarian Miss Helen E. Winslow Research The Peter Foulger Museum Edouard A. Stackpole Chairman and Director Mrs. Elizabeth B. Worth Receptionist and Librarian Mrs- Clara Block Receptionist Everett Finlay Assistant The Hose Cart House Irving T. Bartlett Chairman

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

VOLUME 19

JrScm 1659

No. 2

CONTENTS

\^4TED

Editorial

5

Administrator's Report

7

Report of Annual Meeting

9

Plaque Marking Wireless Station Erected

by E. A. Stackpole

13

A Short History of the Summer Friends Meeting

by Katherine Seeler

16

Dedication of Peter Foulger Museum

by Merle T. Orleans

19

Live Oak Whaleships

by Elizabeth A. Little

24

Legacies and Bequests

39

Historic Nantucket is published quarterly at Nantucket, Massachusetts, by the Nantucket Historical Association. It is sent to Association Members. Extra copies $.50 each.

Membership dues are — Annual-Active $3.00; Sustaining: $10.00 ; Life—one payment $50.00.

Second-class postage paid at Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Copyright 1971, Nantucket Historical Association.

Communications pertaining to the Publication should be addressed to the Editor, Historic Nantucket, Nantucket Hstorical Association, Nantucket, Massachusetts 02554.

5

Editorial Our Association's placement of the little plaque on the road side at the entrance to the little village of 'Sconset in midAugust was a reminder to many Islanders that the role played by the Siasconset Wireless Station has never been properly evaluated. When the New York Herald and Guglielmo Marconi selected this place for the first commercial wireless station in America it was basically a matter of geography. History was made almost immediately.

Not only was the first message from a ship at sea recorded, but when the first use of wireless in saving lives of those aboard ships occurred it brought about the famous Congressional act of 1910 — the compulsory ship wireless bill. This unprecedented maritime legislation provided that all vessels carrying more than fifty passengers and crew, plying on routes more than 200 miles long must be equipped with a wireless telegraph.

There were two wireless stations in the area of 'Sconset — the earlier one's location being selected for the plaque. The neigh­ borhood of that first station was striking in its lonely beauty.

Screened from the ocean bluff by the little village itself the place was nearly half a mile from the beach. To the northeast the lighthouse at Sankaty sent out its shafts of brilliant light. To the west sloped the pasture land towards Plainfield, with Bloomingdale Farm and the Old 'Sconset Golf Course in view, with Levi Coffin's farm just beyond.

The station itself was a place of mystery. Glimpses of an operator seated at his key, with earphones clamped to his head, was something of a symbol of this magical world of communi­ cation. The very pattern of this linking of people over vast distances was mystery itself.

And how many of those of half a century ago could have envisioned that one of those young, mysterious operators would one day become head of the most powerful communications or­ ganizations in the world — R. C. A. ? Surely, there is a moral to the story of that hard-working young operator at his key. Con­ tained in those lonely hours of his night vigils was an American

6

HISTORIC NANTUCKET

dream. Then he was the solitary link in a chain connecting an ocean liner far at sea with the metropolitan centers of a conti­ nent. He went on to participate in other adventures, eventually to become a key figure in the creation of a communications em­ pire.

Other young operators became Island residents, their ca­ reers a part of family life on Nantucket. Thus, the story of wireless on Nantucket left its impress not only in scientific achievement but in the equally important quality of the human­ ities.

7

Administrator's Report to the Members Third Quarter -- 1971 Completion of the Peter Foulger Museum is, of course, the biggest event of this quarter. It was so well written up in the newspapers that there seems little to add so I'll confine my report on this to a few simple statements: The building was completed well within the estimate and a sizable fund set aside for its maintenance.

It will feature Nantucket history, progressing from the beginning to the present day.

Its library and vault has a sizable collection of books, manuscripts, documents, and papers of Nan­ tucket and Maritime history and these will be increased as more are obtainable.

Mr. Stackpole, our Historian, has his office there and he will be available and the library open the year round for people doing study or research.

Reports for summer activities in the various museums are incomplete but all indications point to the largest number of visitors ever. The season tickets and our arrangement with Executive Airlines for the Historic Tour was very successful.

People from 48 states and 10 foreign countries, possibly more, were logged at the Oldest House.

Plans are being formulated to make a study and present a long range program for the Association. Members having inter­ est or ideas on future development are urged to communicate with me. Money raised in the Capital Fund Drive was not suffidient to proceed with plans for a Whale Ship. Should this be dropped or gone ahead with, and if so, how and when? Should we establish an archeology department? In what way should our educational program be expanded, etc.?

The upkeep of the grounds around our several buildings leaves much to be desired and we already have plans for doing a better job next year.

Over 300 new members have been added through the special appeal. Please pass on to us the name of anyone you think migh be persuaded to become a member, especially anyone oft-island, or whose name we do not have because it is not in the loca telephone book.

8

HISTORIC NANTUCKET

Placing our tablet marking the site of the first wireless station was well covered by The Inquirer and Mirror and we are grateful to Mr. Harding Greene for the research he did on this. It is too bad the name under his picture in the paper was incorrect. We have a number of other research projects for which we need volunteers. All take a little time and considerable persistence but I think anyone would enjoy the task and be making a real contribution to the work of our Association.

The Friends Meeting House has again been used by their Society for summer services. It is planned to leave this open for at least a few hours daily again next year, along with the FailStreet Museum which still has a sizeable collection of interesting items in spite of all that was moved to the Peter Foulger Museum.

The Whaling Museum, Peter Foulger Museum, Hadwen House, Oldest House, Old Mill, Old Gaol, and 1800 House now have direct alarm connection with the Police or Fire Departments.

In some cases, with both. Fortunately, so far, all calls have been false alarms.

The Whaling Museum, Hadwen House, and Peter Foulger Museum will be open for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, as in the past.

Our invested funds previously held in the First National Bank of Boston have been transferred to the Trust Department of the Pacific National Bank. This will be a more convenient arrangement for us and added satisfaction from patronizing home industry.

Treatment of the narwhal skeleton has been finished and a display case is being built to house it. It will be in the new Whale Skeleton House before we open for the holidays.

I started this report by bragging about our success this season and will end it by admitting a few failures. Memorial plaques selected during the Capital Funds Drive were ordered a long time ago but have not arrived in spite of three letters and two telephone calls. Exactly the same is true with the "Coffin Family." I have been assured both have been shipped. Efforts to arrange for transportation between our several exhibits was a complete failure but will be tried again next year. The stick to make a new "tail" for the Old Mill has been "coming" for some time and is still on the way. Hopefully, all will be taken care of before my next report.

Leroy H. True

9

Annual Meeting The 77th annual meeting of the Nantucket Historical As­ sociation held at the Friends Meeting House, Fair Street, on Tuesday, July 20, 1971, was called to order at 2:30 p.m. by President Henry Coleman with approximately 75 persons attend­ ing. Inasmuch as all committee reports were printed in the July issue of Historic Nantucket, the President waived reading them.

There Were no questions concerning the reports.

The report of the 1970 meeting was presented by the Secre­ tary, Elizabeth Tyrer, which was accepted.

In his opening remarks Mr. Coleman said that everyone knew he was not Edouard Stackpole, the former President, who is now the Historian for the Association and in charge of the new Peter Foulger Museum which opened the next day, Wednesday.

Mr. Coleman said that he had been elected to the position while he was on the high seas but that if it were not for the able as­ sistance of the Association's Administrator, Leroy H. True, he would not have been able to carry on this position.

He said the Association is no longer a "peanuts operation" and that this past year has been a great year of growth and expansion. He mentioned particularly the new whale house and whale exhibit, the generous gift of the Nantucket Historic Trust, and the opening of the new Peter Foulger Museum which now houses many items formerly at the Fair Street Museum.

Mr. Coleman then called on the former president, George W. Jones, to present the report of the nominating committee as follows: The Nominating Committee hereby submit nominations for officers to serve until the Annual Meeting in July, 1972: President, Henry B. Coleman; Vice Presidents, W. Rip­ ley Nelson, George W. Jones, Alcon Chadwick, Albert F. Egan, Jr., Edith C. Andrews, Walter Beinecke, Jr.; Honorary Vice Presidents, Miss Grace Brown Gardner, Mrs. William L. Mather; Secretary, Albert G. Brock; Treasurer, John N. Welch; Councillors, Mrs. H. Crowell Freeman, 1972; Mrs. Charles Clark Coffin, 1972; George A. Snell, 1975; Robert G. Metters, 1975.

Albert F. Egan, Chairman George W. Jones John N. Welch July 10, 1971

10

HISTORIC NANTUCKET

Mr. Jones assumed the chair for the election of the Presi­ dent and the secretary cast one vote for the election of officers as presented. They were all unanimously elected.

President Coleman then called upon many people respon­ sible for maintaining our exhibits and assisting in many ways in the work of the Association. He especially mentioned Henry M. Havemeyer, a member of the Council, who has been responsible for raising money for the Association through a National Geo­ graphic magazine article by giving copies of same to people in exchange for a donation to the Association. This makes a total to date of $2577.38 which has been raised in this way for the Asso­ ciation and just before the meeting, Mr. Havemeyer had added another check for $96.20. Mr. Havemeyer now has stock certifi­ cates of the Nantucket railroad and shares of the Nantucket Marine Camel Co. to be given to people in the same way in ex­ change for a donation to the Association. This was loudly ap­ plauded.

The President then presented a resolution to be spread upon the minutes of the meeting which read as follows: Nantucket Historical Association Nantucket, Mass.

WHEREAS, Past President George W. Jones took over supervising the completion of the Peter Foulger Museum upon the untimely death of the architect, H. Errol Coffin WHEREAS, He gave freely of his time, engineering knowledge, and good judgment to expedite the work with commendable results WHEREAS, He declined compensation for the task and generously did it as a public service; RESOLVED, that this Association express to him its grateful appreciation for this and past services to it and the community, and that this resolution be spread upon its records as a testimonial of its gratitude.

Henry B. Coleman President Adopted by unanimous vote this 20th day of July, 1971 Elizabeth Tyrer Secretary A framed copy of the resolution was presented to Mr. Jones.

Mr. Jones said he was honored to accept this gift and said he was very pleased to be connected with this project.

Mr. Coleman formally adjourned the business meeting at 2:55 p.m. and then introduced the guest speaker Professor F.

ANNUAL MEETING

11 Blair Reeves, supervisory architect for the Historic American Buildings Survey. Mr. Reeves also introduced Miss Connie Rameros who edits all the HABS records, Mr. James Massey who is in charge of the Project, and Mr. James Biddle, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Mr. Reeves then showed slides during his talk and spoke of the work of the students who worked with him during the sum­ mers here. He pointed out the main reasons behind the activ­ ities of the HABS, and his work in this connection. He stated there are various methods of preservation and illustrated his points in relation to various homes and buildings on the Island.

He also stated that the preservation of old and historic buildings such as the ones here on the island provides a very necessary stability in a period of rapid change. He said there is a lack of funds and educational background which hampers the work of those interested in this type of work.

Mr. Reeves was asked what was done with the records of all the surveys and he said they are sent to the Library of Congress in Washington and prints are made available to the public for a nominal fee. He stated he is now working on an editing project so that the records can be compactly compiled.

Respectfully submitted, Elizabeth Tyrer

12

Henry B. Coleman unveils the plaque while Harding Greene shovels in the earth around the standard.

13

Plaque Erected Marking 'Sconset Site of First Wireless Station On Monday, August 16, at 10 o'clock in the morning, a wooden plaque was erected at the crest of the hill at the road side at the entrance to the village of 'Sconset, marking the site of the first commercial wireless station in America. The little station building is now a part of the dwelling of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cahoon, who graciously gave permission for the place­ ment of the plaque.

The date marked the occasion when the first message was received at the station from a ship at sea, having been relayed by a transmitter on board the Nantucket Shoals Lightship, some 43 miles southeast of Nantucket. It was an event of special significance in the history of communications, important not only to this country but to the entire world.

The installation of the plaque was attended by a group of members of the Association both from Nantucket Town and 'Sconset. President Henry B. Coleman presided, and Harding Greene, who did the research for the occasion and the wording for the plaque, shoveled in the sand that set the post into position.

Mr. and Mrs. Cahoon were also present as the plaque was un­ veiled.

It was in the summer of 1901 that the 'Sconset station was established as a joint enterprise of Guglielmo Marconi, the inven­ tor of the new method of communications called "wireless teleg­ raphy," and the New York Herald. A high wooden mast, with topmast, some 185 feet high, made the location a conspicuous one, with the one-story station nestled at its base. Within the cottage was the operating room, with its mysterious instruments, an office, and an engine room, where the kerosene motor turned the generator for the electricity.

The Neio York Herald had obtained permission, also, to install wireless receiving and transmitting apparatus on board the Nantucket Shoals Lightship. On August 12, 1901, communi­ cation was established between the lightship and the 'Sconset headquarters.

On Friday, August 16, 1901, the Cunard liner Lucania, about fifty miles east of the Nantucket Lightship, sent out the historic message from Captain McKay of the steamer: "All well on board. We are 237 miles from Sandy Hook . . . expect to reach New York Harbor Saturday."

14

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PLAQUE ERECTED AT WIRELESS STATION

15

At the Nantucket Lightship the Marconi operator, Harry Lockyer, immediately transmitted the message (in Morse code) through the air to the 'Sconset station. In the tiny room of the cottage on Bunker Hill the Marconi representative, W. W. Bradfield, and Commander J. D. Jerrold Kelley, the Herald's agent, listened breathlessly as Operators Thomas Tierney and E. Mitch­ ell wrote out the famous words of that first message.

The next step was the telephone, with Mr. Bradfield repeat­ ing the message to the operator of the telegraph station at the Folger Block in Town. Quickly, the message went out over the cable and in 30 minutes the Neiv York Herald's office had the story.

Thus, was not only recorded the launching of a new era in the history of communications but the registering of the fact that Nantucket had played an important role in an historic event. The first permanent station for wireless telegraphy in America had been safely established, and the little 'Sconset station became a great part in that history.

It will be of interest to note that after the first official mes­ sage had been received from the Lucania, the first private dis­ patch was a greeting from Carroll Payne on board the steamer to Clark Howell, of the Atlanta Constitution, which read: "Home­ ward bound. Passage rough. Though far from home, message sent, thanks to the Herald's enterprise."

— E. A. Stackpole

16

A Short History of the Summer Friends Meeting

BY KATHERINE SEELER

On July 25, 1942 an announcement appeared under General Information in The Inquirer and Mirror stating that a Friends Meeting would be held at the old Friends Meeting House on Fair Street. Thomas and Constance Drake, Dorothy Richmond, Hanna and Gertrude Monaghan provided the inspiration for this meeting, the beginning of regular Sunday gatherings during the summer. There had been a few meetings previous to this. But now the announcement in the paper brought visiting Friends and other interested people.

Coming together spontaneously each Sunday with no organ­ ization or business to attend to generated a feeling to some extent similar to the informal meetings of the very early Friends before they felt it necessary to organize. The Drakes with their large family of well-behaved children and Mary M. H. LaBoiteaux, Constance Drake's mother, filled at least one bench. Katherine and Edgar Seeler and Margaret Price were also part of this early group.

J. Gibbs opened the door every Sunday; and a contribution was paid to the Nantucket Historical Association for the upkeep of their building which we were so kindly allowed to use. This money was volunteered by the regular attenders and usually no public announcement was made.

After the war attendance increased and sometimes forty or fifty people were there. By this time the group included Clar­ ence and Alice King, Benjamin and Chili Richmond, Caroline and Chanlee Forman, Mrs. Brooks and her daughter, Mrs. Kayan, Florence and George Selleck and others.

For some years Passmore and Anna Elkington, Friends from Philadelphia took an active part. From time to time other Friends visited the meeting from Philadelphia, California, and Nebraska and other places. Two elderly ladies came from their Indiana farms because they had heard so much about Nantucket from their Quaker grandmother who was born here. They were Quakers, also, and were surprised and pleased to find a Friends Meeting on the island.

Once a very deaf visitor continued to say to her friend, "When is something going to happen?" a remark which seemed to silence everyone. Finally she arose and discreetly asked us

THE SUMMER FRIENDS MEETING

17

what it was alt about. After a short and rather stunned silence, a member arose and explained. Well-planned pamphlets were always at the door but visitors frequently did not see them.

A cat also attended Meeting. It sat seriously on the facing benches and then went from window to window testing the pulls on the shades until one flew up with a bang.

We assembled just as the sweet voice of the old bell in the clock tower on Orange Street called the Unitarians to church, pausing to receive the answer from the Congregational bell across town, then ringing again and waiting for that distant echo. The same bell rang the hour at eleven o'clock and since it was less than a block from us, anyone speaking had to pause and wait.

The smell of honeysuckle came in the open windows with the sounds of robins singing, little boys playing in the alley, and passing automobiles. Distant hymns from the Episcopal Church across the streeet one old Friend found "very disturb­ ing" but most of us enjoyed it and we imagined we heard the voices of friends and neighbors.

Other faces appear as belonging to these early days, Mrs. Powell Crichton, and later her son Robert, Alice Shurrocks, Grace Brown Gardner, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Clothier of Philadel­ phia. The Clothiers' little dog responded to the sound of his master's voice by happily thumping his tail on the floor. The dog, quietly hidden under a bench sometimes fell asleep and snored, causing more than one Friend to suspect it was a person.

Sometimes visiting Friends made an attempt to organize our Meeting but since we all belonged to regular meetings on the mainland, and since we treasured the informality of the summer meeting, nothing happened.

Henry and Lydia Cadbury, Mary and Spencer Cox, and Ger­ trude and Chester Smith, all of the Cambridge Friends Meeting, added to the life of the meeting one summer. Marjorie and Jan de Hartog were here several summers. There were many others who increased our fellowship for shorter or longer times. Many faithful attenders were not Friends but found something they valued in the quiet, simple room so bound up with the past of Nantucket. Charles Shaw, the artist, was always in his seat in the back by the window.

It is almost thirty years since the beginning of this meet­ ing, and now with the initiative of George and Florence Selleck, who are permanent residents, a weekly winter meeting is held in the library of the Maria Mitchell Association. It will be a source of satisfaction to think of Friends being once more estab­ lished on the island for the entire year, but it is hoped that the spontaneous pleasure of meeting without worldly details in the summer can still continue.

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19

Foulger Museum Dedicated in Impressive Ceremony

BY MERLE T. ORLEANS

Promptly at two o'clock Sunday afternoon, September 12, 1971, Henry B. Coleman, president of the Nantucket Historical Association, welcomed approximately 200 members and friends of the Association to the dedication ceremony of the Peter Foulger Museum at the corner of North Water and Broad Streets. Mr. Coleman asked for a showing of the Folger family members in attendance, and there were about twenty members present. Rever­ end Father Babbitt, of St. Mary's Church, gave the invocation in memory of the late H. Errol Coffin, the Nantucket architect who had designed the building.

Mr. Coleman said it was a "truly momentous occasion," one in which tribute should be paid to architect Coffin, who, in de­ signing the Foulger Museum, had added one more memorial to his name.

He also congratulated the contractor, Howard Jelleme, for the excellent work he had done in fulfilling the plans of the late Mr. Coffin.

He then called upon George W. Jones, past president of the Nantucket Historical Association, who had taken over the respon­ sibility upon the death of Mr. Coffin, to tell the "how and why" of the Foulger Museum. Mr. Jones gave a most concise and factual talk, telling the gathering the background of the memorial, in part, as follows: "In the proceedings of the annual meeting held in 1929 the secretary, Mr. Josiah Coleman Kent, reported as follows: " 'One day, late last summer, the postman brought to your Secretary, a big, fat letter from a lawyer in New Hampshire.

Imagine his surprise when, upon opening it, he found a copy of the last will and testament of Admiral William Mayhew Foulger, who had died in Cornish, New Hampshire, the previous June. " 'Naturally, your Secretary wondered why the will was sent to him. But he did not remain in ignorance very long; for under sections nine and ten of the will he found that certain rare pictures and other articles were bequested to the Nantucket Historical Association. Later sections decreed that all his prop­ erty should be converted into money, a trust fund established, and the income given to a daughter and a sister.

20

HISTORIC NANTUCKET

" 'This was all very interesting. But section 18 caused your Secretary's spine to stiffen and his eyes to open wide as saucers.

It read: " 'Upon the death of the two beneficiaries of the above created trust, Margaret H. Folger and Elizabeth L. Folger, the participation of the Windsor County Trust Co. shall cease, and the entire Trust Fund, capital and in­ terest, I give to the Nantucket Historical Association of Nantucket, of Nantucket, Mass.: provided, however, that the following conditions are accepted by the Nantucket Historical Association, vizThe Bequest to be admin­ istered as a "fund" to be known as the "Peter Foulger Fund" in order to perpetuate the name of Peter Foul­ ger. Said fund is to be under the control of the Presi­ dent, Vice-Presidents and Board of Councillors of the Association. The property to be invested, the interest re-invested as capital until such time as a building simi­ lar to that known in Nantucket as the Coffin School, may be built in the town of Nantucket and adequately en­ dowed as a Historical Association.' " 'This bequest came out of a clear sky. Although the Ad­ miral was known to have been on the island two or three times, no one had an inkling that he had any special interest in it, and least of all, in the Nantucket Historical Association. It is needless to say that the good news was received with unfeigned enthusiasm.' " Mr. Jones continued to trace the history of the present un­ dertaking thus: "These funds remained in the trust until the death of Mar­ garet H. Folger (daughter of Admiral Folger and last living of the two beneficiaries under the trust, his sister and daughter) which occurred in 1968.

"In the period from 1928 to 1968 thought had been given by the Council members relative to the construction of a new building and on two occasions a committee had been appointed to formulate ideas and bring in suggestions relative to con­ struction and use of a new Museum. Our present administrator had been a member of those committees.

"In the July issue of Historic Nantucket for the year 1953 we find under the heading Museum Space mention of these plans: "Under this will a trust fund was created which termi­ nates upon the decease of two named beneficiaries. At that time the Nantucket Historical Association becomes the beneficiary of the trust fund. But in accepting the bequest the Association will be obligated to establish a 'Peter Foulger Fund, in order to perpetuate the name of Peter Foulger'; and to build a building

DEDICATION OF THE PETEK FOULGER MUSEUM

21

'similar to that known in Nantucket as the Coffin School — ade­ quately endowed as a Historical Association.'

"The Association now owns sufficient land on Broad Street directly west of the Whaling Museum to erect such a building should the Association decide upon this location.

"The problem of exhibition space therefore resolves itself to making the best of what we have, even to the point of storing some exhibits until the future takes care of itself.

"At that time we did not own the property at the corner of North Water Street and Whaler's Lane and, when Dr. Veo who owned this property, placed it on the market a few years later we had insufficient funds to purchase it.

"Mr. Malcolm R. Parle bought and occupied the property until 1962 when he decided to sell.

"The Nantucket Historical Trust came to our aid, pur­ chased the property and presented it to the Association. This made available sufficient land to erect the present commodious building.

"In 1968 we received word that Admiral Folger's daughter had passed away. This was mentioned in the President's An­ nual Report for 1968: "The past year has marked two of the most impor­ tant events in the history of our Association. First, was acquisition of the trust fund willed to the Nantucket Historical Association by the late Admiral William Mayhew Folger. In February of this year, Miss Margaret H. Folger, the daughter and last beneficiary under the will of Admiral Folger, passed away in Portland, Maine, at the advanced age of 92, and with her death the trust estate became the property of the Association.

"Admiral Folger stipulated that, with the accept­ ance of the trust fund, the Association shall invest the considerable sum involved 'until such time as a building similar to that known in Nantucket as the Coffin School . . . may be built in Nantucket and adequately endowed as an Historical Association.' The trust is known as the 'Peter Foulger Fund,' and is to be administered and controlled by the Officers and Council of our Association.

"For many years the Association has had the Folger bequest in its future planning, and the erection of the building provided for under the terms of the will is contemplated for the lot next to our Whaling Museum, at the corner of Broad and North Water Streets. The Council has appointed a Committee for the building and

22

HISTORIC NANTUCKET

also a Committee for the planning and displaying of the exhibits to be contained therein.

"On January 22, 1969, a contract was signed with Mr. H. Errol Coffin, architect, to design a suitable building, following the architecture of the Coffin School, as had been specified in the Admiral's will.

"Mr. Coffin furnished the drawings and specifications for this fine building. We are appreciative of his most satisfactory work.

"On July 30, 1969, the bids were opened and the contract awarded to Mr. Howard Jelleme, the lowest bidder. In addition to submitting the lowest bid for this work, Mr. Jelleme proved to be a most cooperative person and has built a structure of which we may well be proud.

"I might add that all the sub-contractors — Lydle Rickard, plumbing work; Maxwell Ryder, electrical work; Mr. Claire But­ ler painting work, and Mr. Walter Glowacki, who performed the excavation work and the pouring of the foundation, — all performed their work in commendable fashion and have shown a keen desire to do so.

"The Council had in March, 1968, appointed a building and exhibits committee composed of Mr. Richard Swain, chairman, Mr. Tell Berna, secretary, Mr. Paul Hoadley, Mrs. Charles C. Coffin, Mrs. Robert Congdon, Mrs. Albert Egan, Jr., and myself.

"After several meetings and investigations of several con­ cerns who have done exhibition work, Dyna-Graphics Display was hired to plan and set up the exhibits which you see here.

We are indebted to our Historian, Mr. Edouard A. Stackpole, whose ideas on setting up this exhibit were primarily responsible for the present orderly layout.

"The building was opened to the public on July 21st with Mrs. Elizabeth Worth, Mrs. Clara Block and Mr. Everett Finlay in attendance. We have been pleased to have received many com­ plimentary remarks on our new acquisition and we hope you will be equally pleased and impressed by the Peter Foulger Museum."

President Coleman thanked Mr. Jones for his very informa­ tive talk, and then introduced the Association's past president and present Historian, Edouard A. Stackpole, "who, I am sure, needs no introduction to any of you."

Mr. Stackpole said how proud he was — and how proud every member of the Association was — in the culmination of the nearly half-century of dreaming and planning. He mentioned that a Museum such as this one, and all the others, are in compe-

DEDICATION OF THE PETER FOULGER MUSEUM

23

tition now-a-days with many other forms of entertainment, such as TV, concerts, art exhibits, etc. But, he said, our Museum requires no examinations for entrance, it provides a dramatic reminder of the past, of the history of those islanders who strived so hard to build and maintain the Nantucket we have today. The Association is in business to entertain the public, to show both summer visitors and islanders the influence of the past upon the present, and to give them all a chance to identify with the past, simply and directly. The Museum is no longer a mere repository, it is a living example of what those who came before us have turned over to us for safekeeping.

He spoke of the many people whose work had combined to provide the facilities of the new Peter Foulger Museum, the planning which had gone into arranging the displays, the trans­ fer of complete cases from the Fair Street Museum, the expert lighting arrangements, etc. — all with the idea of providing the most modern concept of an historical exhibit. He stated that he was certain that the new Museum is the newest to have been opened anywhere in New England, and, probably, the very best.

The aim of those involved in the planning — and, here again, tribute was paid by Mr. Stackpole to the late H. Errol Coffin — was to present in logical order the story of Nantucket, its inhabitants, its work-a-day world, together with the relation­ ships of one to the other. There is still much to be done, but the present Peter Foulger Museum represents a major step in the goal of the Nantucket Historical Association and is certainly one in which every Nantucketer may take pride.

In closing his informal talk, Mr. Stackpole said that it had been a great privilege for him to welcome those present to the dedication and to invite them to "come — and come — and come again."

The Reverend Robert Metters, who is a member of the Association's Council, gave the dedication Prayer. In his Prayer, Mr. Metters also paid tribute to the late Mr. Coffin, and to all those who had worked in the planning, construction, and final arrange­ ments, dedicating the Museum in brief, and heartfelt thanks for our having learned from the past to create the present.

In bringing the dedication ceremony to a close, Mr. Cole­ man thanked Leroy H. True, the Association's Administrator and former Council member, for his efforts in setting up the arrange­ ments for the afternoon's activities. He echoed Mr. Stackpole's invitation to everyone to "come, and come, and come again," thus ending the dedication of the Peter Foulger Museum on Broad Street, the culmination of many years' planning and efforts .of many, many people all concerned with the preservation and display of the best of our island's past for the benefit of its future.

24

Live Oak Whaleships

BY ELIZABETH A. LITTLE

A NEWS ITEM in the Nantucket Inquirer in 1836 described a whaleship as "built of live oak" (1). In looking up the history of that ship, the Nantucket, I have had to ask, "What does that mean?" The answer usually given is, "That is the way whaleships were built." Then, I wondered, why was it newsworthy? The search for answers to these questions uncovered a period of ele­ gant whaleship building which is often mentioned but never described in published histories of whaling or ship building. Im­ mediately preceding the clipper ship era with its emphasis on speed, the live oak whaleship era comprised ships which were the epitome of strength and durability. With a surprisingly small number of once world-renowned ships built from the Amer­ ican version of English oak, the live oak story deserves to be better known than it is today. Secure in our steel ships and aluminum or fiberglass boats, very few modern northerners even know what live oak is. It was a different story a hundred and forty years ago in seaport towns like Nantucket, Falmouth, New Bedford and Mattapoisett, where live oak was being used to build some of the finest and most durable ships then afloat.

Shining in the memory of participants many years later, this golden age of whaleship building is especially well preserved for us in the notes and scrapbooks of Frederic C. Sanford (1809-1890) of Nantucket (2). With guidance from his notes, my primary source was the Nantucket Inquirer, 1821-1842, with excursions into the New Bedford Mercury of the same period. It would be well to recall that Nantucket Island, the vantage point for this view of American maritime history, had a single great industry: whaling. Not the demand for tea, nor a need for fast, dependable passenger service, but the market for oil regulates the tempo of our story.

Live Oak Ships Live oak, Quercus Virginiana is a unique American tree which grows near the southern seacoast from Virginia to Texas.

It gets its name because it is an evergreen, i.e., new leaves appear before the old leaves die and drop off. The wood is light brown or yellow, close-grained, lustrous, and very heavy (3). Not a tall tree, the live oak has large low-spreading branches. Its unusual shape is apparent in Photograph 1. Considering the weight of the branches, the strength of the wood is impressive. From a cor­ respondent in South Carolina (4) who has personally worked with live oak I learned that, after an appropriate tree is found,

LIVE OAK WHALESHIPS

27

timbers of the desired shape and size were cut from the limbs and trunk and then sunk in salt water until ready to be used.

Although he suggests that the soaking was to keep the wood workable, I wonder, for reasons apparent later, if it was not also to help prevent dry rot.

As a strong, durable wood for ships, American live oak was discovered as early as 1750 (5) and used, according to tradition, thereafter in the frames of wooden ships. Sketch 2 shows a variety of pieces of wood which constituted a ship's frame. Near the bow and stern the frame consisted of complex shaped timbers with specific names, such as apron, transom, counters, etc. The reader is referred to Hegarty's The Birth of a Whaleship (7) for details. To complete the hull, the frame was covered on the inside and outside with planking.

While live oak was often used in parts of the frames of whaleships, we will find that a few whalers are described and remembered as "live oak ships." If the specifications of any of these ships could be found, we could know with some certainty what the people of the 19th century meant by a live oak ship. The best description I've found is the following for the Oneida, a live oak ship of 1832.

She was built of live-oak, stanchions locust, ceiling and deck frames of yellow pine, outboard planking white oak. She was salted thoroughly and copper fastened (8).

Stanchions are additional timbers in the bulwarks, ceiling is the inside planking, and deck frames would include deck beams.

Although the knees, keel and keelson are not specified, it is clearly implied that all the timbers were live oak.

As for what these ships looked like, one can see today in the old whaleship Charles W. Morgan at Mystic, built in 1841, that the knees, timbers and beams are massively shaped pieces of wood (not originally live oak, however). One is awed at the size of them. In 1831 the English, too, were awed by the then new American packet ship Samson. The Inquirer quoted an Eng­ lish paper as saying: The strength of her beams and timbers is truly astonishing. The knees, which are large, are of one piece. . . . Their size gives one a fine idea of the magnitude of the American forest trees (9).

Live Oak for the Navy

Because of the interest in live oak among whaling mer­ chants during the 1830s, the Mercury and Inquirer printed a number of items on the history of live oak, primarily as used by the navy. Barely touched upon in any history book I've found, the naval live oak story will be summarized briefly.

28

Photograph 3. Elijah Swift, 1774-1852, courtesy of the Falmouth Historical Society, Falmouth, Mass. One of the most prominent early citizens of Falmouth, he is said to have laid the foundations of his fortune on contracts to supply live oak to the United States Navy.

LIVE OAK WHALESHIPS

29

The director of the Charleston Museum reports the tradi­ tion that before the Revolutionary War, British Men of War had live oak knees, for it was said that live oak "could turn a cannon shot" (10). For the young United States Navy, it was proposed in 1793 that frigates be built with deck beams of Caro­ lina pine and "lower futtocks and knees, if possible, of Live Oak" (11). From this suggestion in 1797 came the Frigate Consti­ tution, famous as "Old Ironsides," with live oak timbers (fut­ tocks) as much as 15 inches thick near the keel. Her live oak is said to have been obtained from St. Catherine's Island, Georgia (12), and, according to Sanford, her builder was Colonel George Claghorn, a New Bedford whaleship builder of whom we shall hear more. From the Inquirer in 1830, we learn that both naval ships and whalers used heavier timbers than did most merchant ships (13). We are also told that the navy, for extra strength (but rapid dry rot), allowed little or no space between adjacent timbers (14). Such a solid live oak frame should certainly turn most cannon shot!

In 1799, the Government started U.S. forestry by buying large tracts of live oak in the south and doing research into its cultivation (15). Live oak was hereafter much used for the wooden navy. For example, in 1,831, the navy bought 321,714 cubic feet of live oak at $398,300 for the frames of 15 vessels (16).

Some interesting details given in the Mercury (17) are that a "74" required about 2000 100-year-old live oaks, which grew about 50 to the acre, and such a ship could be expected to last only 14 years. Another detail, which will turn out to be a clue to the whole live oak whaleship story, is that a certain Elijah Swift of Falmouth is said to have made his fortune by contracts to supply live oak to the navy from 1816 to 1836 (18). He appears to have commuted between Charleston, S. C., and Falmouth (see Photograph 3).

As a result of all this naval shipbuilding, American ships became the envy of the world. So the Mercury told its readers in 1832 (19). The Inquirer noted in 1831, that Mr. Eckford of New York built on his own account and sailed to Europe to sell to a naval power "a ship of our unrivalled live oak" (20). The best evidence, however, for the value of live oak is that in 1831, the navy purchased two armed schooners to guard its live oak preserves against illegal timber cutting (21). Apparently live oak had proved itself worthy, if expensive, for naval ship building.

Live Oak for Merchants and Whalers Before 1812 In private enterprise, confidence of gain is required before a merchant will invest in expensive new techniques. Obviously the cannon shot were not relevant. Then what was? In order to build a bigger ship, you must build a stronger ship, and you might get a faster ship. Also, durability has always been

HISTORIC NANTUCKET 30 a characteristic of live oak, properly used. Strength, durability, size, and speed would all interest a ship owner.

Since almost nothing is known about early merchant use of live oak in New England, a collection of letters of William Rotch, Jr., of Nantucket provides interesting reading (22). One letter to Zachariah Hillman (Sr.) in 1791 asks him to proceed with Capt. Robert Macy to such parts of Georgia ... or other parts of the Southern States . . . and there proceed to the procuring in the best manner by cutting, Sawing, Hewing or otherwise such parts of the frames for two ships as will be hereafter described agreeable to dimentions & moulds deld thee, all of the best Live Oak and red ceder."

Another letter of 1792 says: It will cost us more than thrice the common timber.

These ships we mean only to frame and timber and let them stand to seasin one year.

Among these letters appear so many references to Colonel George Claghorn that it could be inferred that here are the whale ships that he was bulding when he was called to build the Constitution.

Sanford says that George Claghorn built the Barclay for William Rotch & Sons, immediately preceding the Constitution. Ricketson (23), on the other hand, attributes the Barclay to Zachariah Hillman, Sr. Either way it is probably safe to assume that the Barclay of 1793 was a live oak whaleship.

Also according to Sanford, the Rousseau, built in Philadel­ phia by Stephen Girard in 1801 (15), had live oak timbers.

The Rousseau joined the whaling fleet in 1832.

This is the only material found so far about the early use of live oak for merchants or whalers, and merely suggests an area for future research. In any case the politically troubled times, culminating in the War of 1812, inhibited the growth and finally nearly wiped out the whaling fleet. After the war, recovery was rapid — perhaps too much so — and many large new whaleships were built of nearly double the capacity of those before the war (13). However, I have not been able to find any mention of live oak again until the late 1820s, when a succes­ sion of profitable voyages, and losses from leaky, poorly made ships, sent the merchants to their ship builders with money in their pockets and a determination to build better ships.

Live Oak for Merchant Ships After 1812 The whaling merchants knew where to go and what to for, because the press of Nantucket and New Bedford in late 20s and early 30s had been reporting with growing citement on the use of live oak for merchant ships and on

ask the ex­ the

LIVE OAK WHALESHIPS

31

increasingly superior vessels being produced by J. & Z. Hillman's shipyard in New Bedford and by several shipyards in Mattapoisett (Rochester). Hillman's was owned by Zachariah and Jethro Hillman, sons of the Zachariah Hillman who went to Georgia for William Rotch. Their first ship, the merchant Thomas Dickason, said to have been a live oak ship (23), was built in 1826 for Grinnell and Minturn of New York (24). The next ships built at Hillmans were whalers not of live oak, so far as I can find. Meanwhile, another "fine live oak ship" (25), the Oneida, was built in New Bedford in 1832 for Joseph Grinnell by Benjamin Barstow, assisted by Samuel Damon (26) (8). After the launching of the Oneida, Barstow appears to have returned to Mattapoisett (27), and Damon went to work at Hillmans. At this time the Hillmans were building a magnificent ship, the George Washington, a 600 ton Liverpool packet, "built entirely of live oak" (28) in 1832. This masterpiece was followed at Hillman's in 1833 by the Horatio of 460 tons, "a beautiful live oak ship" (29) whose timbers were cut and framed in Georgia by Capt. Silas Stetson of Acushnet Village (23).

Sanford says that when the Horatio was given a new deck at New Bedford in 1867, it was found that the live oak frame and yellow pine deck frame were entirely sound. Remarks of this nature about Hillman ships are so common that we can assume that one of the Hillmans' achievements was to solve the dry rot problem. Perhaps it was all the salting (see Oneida description) that prevented dry rot. Also, in order to salt a ship, there must be adequate space between the timbers, a configuration generally assumed for whaleships (7), if not for the navy. In any case, the long life of live oak whaleships, barring accident, is legendary.

Sanford goes on to say that at launch the Horatio was the largest American ship in the East India trade, and her frame was "as large as would be considered entirely sufficient for a ship of 1,200 tons by builders of today (1875)." As for the question of whether a live oak ship might have been too heavy to be a fast ship, we may note that Sanford reports that the Horatio, although a fullbuilt ship, was a good sailer and had a reputation for fast pas­ sages.

While the significance of these outstanding merchant ships for the live oak whaleship story lies primarily in the time and place of their building, the Thomas Dickason, Oneida, and George.

Washington later were bought from the merchant service for whaling, and so became live oak whaleships.

Live Oak for Whaleships After 1812 We have found that by 1833 the navy was using a great deal of live oak, and fine merchants and packets were being built of live oak in New Bedford. Where and when was the first step taken to build a live oak whaleship? The answer may come as a surprise to New Bedford and Nantucket, for the first as well as most of the live oak whalers after the War of 1812 were

HISTORIC NANTUCKET 32 built at Woods Hole! It need not surprise us, however, if we re­ member that Elijah Swift, the naval live oak supplier, lived in Falmouth. With but one whaleship up to 1828, in that year a group of Falmouth men led by Elijah Swift decided to challenge Nantucket and New Bedford by building a wharf, a shipyard, anid other buildings, and launching at Woods Hole a large "live oak" whaleship, the Uncas (30). Nor did they stop there. In 1830 they built the "new, large and elegant" (31) Awashonks "entirely of live oak" (32), and in 1832 they built "the new live oak ship" (33) Bartholomeio Gosnold, and had the "new Live Oak ship" Hobomok built in Mattapoisett by Ebenezer Cannon, Jr. (34).

If live oak was still three times as expensive as other woods, one can imagine the effect of this extravagance on the older and far larger whaling ports. Indeed, local pride appears to have played a role in the decisions to build live oak whaleships. How­ ever, such decisions were not made in haste. There must have been many heated discussions between the conservative mer­ chants appalled at the cost of live oak, and the live oak fans, who probably insisted that the low cost of repairs would make a live oak whaleship economical in the long run. An excur­ sion from Nantucket to Woods Hole for the launching of the Aivashonks was arranged by the steamer Marco Bozzaris in 1830 (35). And then in 1832 this ad appeared in the Mercury: Wanted two good vessels, from 100 to 150 tons burthen to be employed in freighting Live Oak, be­ tween this place and vicinity and the neighborhood of Savannah, Geo., to commence about the middle of October ensuing and continue through the winter.

Low decked vessels would be preferred. For partic­ ulars enquire of R. Swift, corner of Spring and Sixth St. (36) New Bedford had decided for live oak.

After having watched Falmouth's activities for five years, New Bedford whaling merchants had the new live oak whaler (37), William C. Nye, built at Mattapoisett. Built, according to her Ship Register, in 1833 by Nathan H. Barstow, the son of Benjamin Barstow, she was, I believe, "the finest ship, probably, that ever was built here (Mattapoisett)" (38). She is firmly embedded in the legend of live oak as the first live oak ship built at Mattapoisett (27), but it would be fair to remember that the live oak Hobomok had been built at Mattapoisett the previous year. Next, the Hillmans, already unsurpassed at building both live oak ships and whaleships, joined the action in live oak whaleship building, and built for New Bedford in 1834 the William Hamilton, "a splendid ship . . . built of live oak" (39), (see Photograph 4), and in 1835 the Roman, said to have live oax timbers and beams from Georgia (24) (40).

LIVE OAK WHALESHIPS

33

Nantucket, which had been thinking about live oak for six years, or at least reading about it in the newspaper, also finally took action. At Mattapoisett, from which Nantucket obtained almost all its whaleships in the period 1826-1841, a Nantucket, firm had the Christopher Mitchell "built of live oak" in 1834 by G. Barstow & Son (41).

However, the example set by Falmouth in building whale­ ships at Faimouth still beckoned. The Inquirer had pointed out in 1830 that The timber and indeed all materials for the hull of a ship are procured from a distance; from Flor­ ida, Carolina, Virginia, New York and the East­ ward, and transported to Mattapoisett under similar circumstances as would attend the bringing of them to this place (42).

And there already was a small shipyard at Brant Point.

This challenge was accepted by several groups of Nantucket merchants and craftsmen, and four whaleships were built at Brant Point between 1832 and 1838. All were superior ships and one, launched in 1836, was "built of live oak, copper fastened" (1). As we have learned, this was the ultimate in expensive, durable material with which to build a ship. To ensure the highest quality of workmanship, the Nantucketers who invested in the live oak ship employed the boss carpenter from Hillman's shipyard in New Bedford, Samuel Damon (or Dammon) (50). Mr. Damon apparently came to Nantucket in order to supervise the building of the live oak ship. Appropriately, for a ship of the finest materials and great expectations, she was christened Nan­ tucket, and given as a private signal a flag depicting a sperm whale.

After the Nantucket was launched, a change seems to have occurred in the whaleship building climate. Although there were still fine and even great ships being built, I can find no more live oak whaleships, with the exception of the Izaak Walton, a "new and beautiful live oak" ship (43) launched by G. Barstow & Son, Mattapoisett, for the port of New London in 1844. Nat­ urally there may be live oak ships that I have missed, and I would appreciate hearing from any reader who knows of one.

However, I have found launch or arrival notices in the news­ papers for 61 out of the 89 new Nantucket ships of the period 1821-1845, and only two are described as live oak ships. I feel with some confidence that the editors were considering live oak to be news. In the case of New Bedford, with three new live oak whaleships, Falmouth with four, and New London with one, I am less confident that I have found all the live oak ships.

Later writers, reminiscing of the period, remember more live oak ships than there actually were. Great ships like the Joseph

LIVE OAK WHALESHIPS

35 Starbuck of Nantucket and the Charles W. Morgan of New Bed­ ford are generally assumed to have been live oak ships. Sanford's List of Ships (2) shows that the Joseph Starbuck, built in 1838 for about $63,000, fitted for sea, cost more than the live oak Nantucket at $52,000. However, research into the building of the Joseph Starbuck by William Gardner (44) did not show her to have been built of live oak. Nor do purchases of timber for the Charles W. Morgan, which cost about $49,000 in 1841, indicate a live oak ship. Bought from O. C. Swift & Co. (the son of Elijah Swift of Falmouth) were 109 feet of live oak timber at $161, out of a total cost of $7630 for wood, mostly pine and oak (45).

What happened? At least two developments appear to have a bearing here. First, a financial panic in 1837 wiped out the speculators and the extravagances. Whaling continued to be profitable after 1.837 for sound business firms, if they watched their costs, but the bull market in oil no longer obtained. Live oak, still expensive, still strong and durable, had proved itself for parts of the frames of strong ships. Where it was unnecessary, other suitable wood was used. For example, the Hillman (50) was built in 1851 at Hillman's with live oak only for the apron, transom, knightheads and side counters. Probably some live oak was used in most of the fine ships built after 1837, but the news­ papers did not call such ships "Live Oak" ships. The Charles W. Morgan, for example, also built at Hillman's, is simply called "a beautiful ship" (46).

The other development is that by 1840 the interest of the press and merchants had shifted to speed and the shape of the hull, and the results were to be the fast and beautiful clippers of the 1850s. Yes, even whaleships were clippers. The Nantucket whaleship Memnon of 1852 was "a splendid clipper ship" (47).

As early as 1835, a "Mr. F." of Nantucket discussed in the Inquirer (48) the increase in speed possible if the bow water lines of a whaler were not bluff ("white bone in her mouth") but concave, and the stern water lines were not concave, but convex.

Concerning the Frigate Constitution, he says: I ascertained by actual admeasurement, that the after part of the water-line, three feet above the keel, was concave, or within a right line eighteen inches.

Had the worthy old Commodore shifted his spars and rudder, so as to point the stern of old Iron­ sides towards New York, perhaps he could have made a passage as short as those of the packets.

Having started the story of live oak whaleships with the Constitution and her builder, it pleases me to end it, if some­ what irreverently, on the same great ship. The end of the live oak story signals the beginning of the clipper ship story. With-

36

HISTORIC NANTUCKET

out any doubt the money spent and the knowledge and skill gained in the 20s and 30s building strong, large, and live oak ships helped to make possible the development of the clippers (49).

In summary, what we have found is a brief period, 1828-44, of elegant ship development in the southern Massachusetts area, as manifested in the use of live oak. There must have been many techniques of construction that were improved, but the newspapers and the historians don't tell us much when they describe a ship as "beautiful." A ship built of live oak is, on the other hand, some­ thing exceptional which was noticed at the time, and remembered later. It would have been an exciting time to be connected with ships.

I would like to thank the following people for their assist­ ance: Mrs. Louise Hussey and the late Mrs. Ellen Chace of the Nantucket Whaling Museum; Miss Barbara Andrews and Miss Janice Williams of the Nantucket Atheneum; and Mr. Reginald Hegarty of the New Bedford Free Public Library, Mr. Edouard A. Stackpole, Mr. Charles Sayle, and Mr. A. Morris Crosby, of Nantucket.

REFERENCES 1. Nantucket Inquirer, Nov. 2, 1836. (Dates of items of Marine News are given by date of occurrence. In a semi-weekly paper, the item will be found in the issue next following the date given here.)

2. F. C. Sanford Papers, Microfilm, Nantucket Atheneum, Nan­ tucket, Mass.

3. The Tree Book, Julia Ellen Rogers, Doubleday Doran & Co., Inc., Garden City, New York, 1931, pp. 196-197.

4. Carew Rice, Green Pond, South Carolina, personal correspond­ ence, 1968.

5. History of Neiv York Ship Yards, John H. Morrison, Wm. F. Sametz & Co., New York, 1909, p. 20.

6. A Dictionary of Sea Terms, A. Ansted, L. Upcott Gill, Lon­ don, 1898, p. 93.

7. The Birth of a Whale Ship, Reginald B. Hegarty, New Bed­ ford Free Public Library, New Bedford, 1964.

8. Court of Commissioners of Alabama Claims, Judd & Detweiler, Washington, 1877, Claim No. 532, pp. 2-3.

9. Inquirer, Aug. 13, 1831.

10. E. Milby Burton, The Charleston Museum, Charleston, South Carolina, personal correspondence, 1967.

11. The Frigate Constitution and Other Historic Ships, F. Alex­ ander Magoun, Marine Research Society, Salem, Mass., 1928, pp. 64-87.

LIVE OAK WHALESHIPS

37

12. The Book of Trees, William C. Grimm, Stackpole Co., Harrisburg, Pa., 1962, p. 193.

13. Inquirer, Nov. 27, 1830.

14. Inquirer, Dec. 25, 1830.

15. Inquirer, Jan. 7, 1832.

16. Inquirer, May 14, 1831; See also "Live Oaking Business in Southern Forests," New Bedford Standard, Feb. 13, 1910.

17. New Bedford Mercury, May 11, 1831.

18. Suckanesset where in may be read a history of Falmouth, Massachusetts, Theodate Geoffrey, Falmouth Publishing Co., Inc., Falmouth, 1930.

19. Mercury, Sept. 14, 1832.

20. Inquirer, Nov. 19, 1831.

21. The History of the American Sailing Navy, Howard I. Chappelle, W. W. Norton & Co., Inc., New York 1949, Bonanza Books Edition, pp. 378-380.

22. The Rotches, John M. Bullard, the author, New Bedford, 1947, pp. 259-263.

23. New Bedford of the Past. Daniel Ricketson, Houghton Mifflin & Co., Boston, 1903, p. 111.

24. "Ship Building" (History of Hillman's), New Bedford Stand­ ard, Jan. 31, 1857.

25. Mercury, Feb. 17, 1832.

26. Certificate of Admeasurement, Oneida, 1832, New Bedford Free Public Library.

27. Ship Builders of Mattapoisett, Charles S. Mendell, Jr., Old Dartmouth Historical Sketches, No. 66, 1937.

28. Mercury, July 27, 1832.

29. Mercury, June 21, 1833.

30. Mercury, Oct. 3, 1828.

31. Inquirer, Nov. 13, 1830.

32. Inquirer, Sept. 25, 1830.

33. Mercury, Sept. 28, 1832.

34. Mercury, Oct. 26, 1832. Here, as wherever possible, the Ship Register was consulted.

35. Inquirer, Sept. 4, 1830.

36. Mercury, Sept. 21, 1832.

37. Alabama, Claim No. 421, pp. 4-5.

38. Mattapoisett and Old Rochester, Massachusetts, 2nd Ed., Mattapoisett Improvement Association, 1933, p. 296.

39. Mercury, March 28, 1834.

40. Captain Edmund Gardner of Nantucket and New Bedford, John M. Bullard, the author, New Bedford, 1958.

41. Inquirer, April 26, 1834.

38

HISTORIC NANTUCKET

42. Inquirer, Oct. 23, 1830.

43. New Bedford Whalemen's Shipping List and Merchants' Transcript, Sept. 17, 1844.

44. Three Bricks and Three Brothers, Will Gardner, Whaling Museum Publications, Riverside Press, Cambridge, 1956.

45. "Cost of constructing and outfitting the ship Charles W. Mor­ gan," Information Bulletin 67-1, Marine Historical Associa­ tion, Mystic Seaport, Mystic, Conn., p. 6.

46. Mercury, July 23, 1841.

47. Whalemen's Shipping List, Dec. 12, 1,854.

48. Inquirer, July 15, 1835.

49. The Search for Speed Under Sail, Howard I. Chappelle, W. W. Norton & Co., Inc., New York, 1967, p. 271.

50. Alabama Claim No. 492, pp. 35-36.

LEGACIES AND BEQUESTS

39

Legacies and Bequests Membership in our Association proves that you are interested in its program for the preservation of Nantucket's famed heritage and its illustrious past, which so profoundly affected the develop­ ment of our country. You can perpetuate that interest by giving to the Association a legacy under your will, which will help to insure the Association's carrying on. Counsel advises that legacies to the Nantucket Historical Association are allowable deductions under the Federal Estate Tax Law. Legacies will be used for general or specific purposes as directed by the donor. A sample form may read as follows: "I give, devise, and bequeath to the Nantucket Historical Association, a corporation duly or­ ganized under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and located in the Town of Nantucket, in said Commonwealth, the sum of dollars."

Legacies may be made also in real estate, bonds, stocks, books, paintings, or any objects having historical value, in which event a brief description of the same should be inserted instead of a sum of money.

Please send all communications to the Secretary, Box 1016, Nantucket, Massachusetts 02554. Office, Union Street.

'