Historic Nantucket, Summer 1977, Vol. 25 No. 1

Some of the More Recently Recorded Interesting and Valuable Accessions

by Edouard A. Stackpole IT WOULD REQUIRE a considerable space to do full justice to the listing of the interesting and valuable accessions which our Nantucket Historical Association has recorded in recent months. However, a summary of several outstanding items will be of interest to members, and serve as a reminder that visits to the several exhibit buildings and museums will show the various gifts in their new homes.

An excellent oil portrait of William Starbuck (1732-1812) is the gift of Dr. Mark D. Altschule, of the Harvard Medical School. It is a well executed painting, thought to have been done by an English artist, and shows William Starbuck in his later years. Here was a Nantucket whaling merchant who served as a Selectman of the town of Sherborn during the difficult days of the American Revolution. He may be seen at the Peter Foulger Museum.

Leon M. Royal has presented a model of the first successful steam engine to be used in generating electricity on Nantucket. This model was made by Mr. Royal's father, Leon Royal, who served as the chief engineer of the plant for nearly half a century. Close by in the same case with this model is the bluefish drail and line used for many years by Walter Royal, brother of the donor.

The record book of the Commercial Insurance Company of Nan­ tucket for the period Oct. 1850 to Sept. 1871 was presented by the Pacific National Bank.

This is an important acquisition as it contains manuscript documents concerning the important Nantucket whaleships of that period, including the Montano, Baltic, Edward Cary, Lydia and Clarkson.

A watercolor painting of the whaleship Mount Vernon has been given by Mrs. John J. Gardner, and is now a part of our exhibit relating to the farms of Nantucket. This is not so strange as it may seem as Mount Vernon Farm was named for this ship when it was purchased by Capt.

Henry Coleman. John J. Gardner worked on the farm as a young man when his father owned it. The painting is by the Nantucket artist William H. Coffin.

Miss Eunice B. Haden, of Washington, D.C., a descendant of Captain Zophar Haden, of Nantucket, has presented a "Pounce Set."