Historic Nantucket
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Grant August 28, 1839, when she was 16 years old. These two families, Grant and Wyer, were the ancestors of George A. Grant and his sister Eleanor Baker Peirce, whose children are the third generation. The son of George, Arthur Burbank Grant, was a sea-farer and ensign in World War I and, recently, owner of the fishing boat Madeline." His son, Robert Swain Grant, is a deep- sea fisherman and presently employed in the U. S. Fish & Wild Life Service with duties on the "Delaware" of Gloucester, Mass. His second son, Philip Baron, is also a deep-sea fisherman and manager, with his brother-in-law, of a very successful seasonal fish market in Nantucket. This is the background and the introduction to my sea-faring family. (Written in 1957.)
Chapter 12 CHARLES & NANCY SHIP ON THE "MOHAWK" Charles had enjoyed the life of a landlubber for over a year. Be ing ashore and at home was pleasant and it was gratifying to walk down the streets and meet old friends and receive the daily news. The agents, P. & I. Macy, were not so willing to allow him these privileges. They were urging him every day to take another ship out for them. Charles finally expressed his willingness to take the ship MOHAWK for a voyage. For some weeks he was kept busy in prepar ing for sailing. For First Mate he chose William Beebee; Second Mate, Benjamin Gorham; and Third Mate, James Cathcart. The MOHAWK was a 350-ton ship built in Medford, Mass., in 1850. Her first voyage was from 1850-54 with Capt. Oliver C. Swain as Master. The second voyage was 1854-58 with Charles Grant as Master, when he sailed the ship around the world. Her next voyage was 1859-63 with Capt. George H. Swain, after which voyage she was sold to New York. Nancy packed her chests and shipped with him, taking little Charlie who was now about four years old. One would think that, after the previous voyage, she would have had enough of privation! but she was a brave woman and really enjoyed the life on shipboard! It was far better for her to be with her husband than to he at home waiting and wondering when he would return.
