Proceedings of the Nantucket Historical Association: Fourteenth Annual Meeting

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PROCEEDINGS OF THE

NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION as as

Fourteenth Annual Meeting JULY 21st, 1908

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PROCEEDINGS OF THE

NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ^ASSOCIATION

Fourteenth Annual Meeting JULY 21st, 1908

WALTHAM PUBLISHING CO., PRINTERS WALTHAM, MASS. 1908

cANNUAL MEETING

T

HE Fourteenth Annual Meeting of the Nantucket His­ torical Association was held on Tuesday Morning, July 21, in the Old Friends' Meeting House on Fair street, and was called to order promptly at 10 o'clock by the President, Alexander Starbuck. There was a large attend­ ance, the meeting-house being filled, even to the occupation of the "elders' "seats, and several found accommodations in the gallery.

The records of the Secretary were read and approved.

The reports of the Curator, Secretary and Treasurer fol­ lowed, all showing a prosperous condition of the Associa­ tion with a gain in its membership and increased interest in its work, as well as a good financial condition.

The Auditors reported approval of the Treasurer's books and vouchers. The President read a portion of his annual ad­ dress, the part omitted being the report of the doings of the Bay State Flistorical League, of which the Nantucket Asso­ ciation is a component part. The reports and address were ordered to be printed in the Proceedings.

The Nominating Committee reported as its recom­ mendations for the board of officers for the ensuing year, the following list:

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President, ALEXANDER STARBUCK. Vice-Presidents, HENRY S. WYER, SARAH C. RAYMOND, MOSES JOY, DR. BENJAMIN SHARP, MRS. JUDITH J. FISH, HENRY B. WORTH. Secretary, MRS. ELIZABETH C. BENNETT. Treasurer, HENRY S. WYER. Curator and Librarian, MISS SUSAN E. BROCK. Councillors For Four Years, LAURISTON BUNKER, DR. ANNA M. G. BLOSSOM. Auditors, IRVING ELTING, EDWARD A. FAY, MISS HAR­ RIET A. ELKINS. On motion of Mr. Henry Macy Upham, the Secretary was unanimously directed to cast one ballot for the entire list as nominated by the committee and the nominees were declared elected officers of the Association for the ensuing year.

The Nominating Committee of last year was re-elected, and authorized in case of any vacancies in its number to fill them.

In his address the President called attention to a pic­ ture of the four mills that stood near each other on the hills to the south of the town, the only one now standing on the island being one of that group.

The picture was painted

by James Walter Folger and is offered for sale to the Asso­ ciation.

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The next business was the interesting occasion which brought prominent members of the Daughters of the Ameri­ can Revolution as guests of the Association.

It was the unveiling and presentation of the Memorial Tablet upon which are inscribed the names of the Nantucket men who served under John Paul Jones in the Revolution, and that of Lieut. Pinkham, whose personal efforts were the means of preserving the Scottish home of John Paul from decay and destruction.

Mrs. Eleanor Morgan, the Regent of Abiah Folger Franklin Chapter, D. A. R., under whose care and at whose expense the tablet had been prepared, made the address of presentation, and said in substance: "Mr. President: One year ago I came before this so­ ciety for Abiah Folger Franklin Chapter, D. A. R., to pro­ pose placing somewhere in or on the building of the His­ torical Society, adjoining this Meeting House, a memorial tablet to the twenty-one Nantucket sailors who served with John Paul Jones.

It also seemed fitting to place thereon a second memorial, to Lieut. Alexander B. Pinkham, U. S. N., of Nantucket, who, in the words of the tablet, in patriotic remembrance, restored the birth-place of John Paul Jones at Arbigland, Scotland, in 1831. He was distressed to see the early home of one who was to him a national hero, fall­ ing into ruin, and his generosity, coupled with the interest he excited in the owner, made it possible for the building to be repaired, with a little fund for its maintenance, and that it should be occupied rent-free by the widow of a fisher­ man.

An account tells us, that as the sailors sail past the cottage, which overlooks the sea, they doff their caps and say 'God bless kind Lieut. Pinkham.' A fine miniature of Paul Jones, in possession of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, where it went by will of Lieut.

Pinkham, testifies the appreciation of some of the Paul fam-

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MINUTES OF MEETING

ily for this act of graceful and patriotic devotion. now be acknowledged on the island of his birth.

It will

"We are accustomed to say and to hear that Nantucket did little to help in our war for independence—that our fathers were all Tories or Quakers.

Tories we certainly had, and Quakers the most of us were, but the Quakers gave of their substance as well as their sympathy to the cause, and what ships we had swarmed with Nantucket seamen, many of whom suffered and died in the Jersey and other prison hulks. Can we place among our historical memorials one more interesting than to our sailors, and especially to those of them who served the brilliant founder of our navy?

He, himself, says they were among his best men.

It was Henry Gardner of Nantucket, acting gunner, in com­ mand in the tops, under whose direfction the grenade was dropped into the hatch of the Serapis, causing the explosion which precipitated her surrender.

"At the Navy Department is John Paul Jones' own ac­ count of how he transferred the remnant of his officers and men to his prize, leaving the Richard as a coffin for his dead, and when she sank into the deep she carried all that was mortal of three who stood upon her roster as from Nan­ tucket, who had died in her defence and in the defence of that young flag, which their gallant commander left waving above them—the only time that flag has ever sunk in vic­ tory; one of the most impressive and dramatic burials in all history.

"For over 125 years their names have been preserved in the archives of their country; from now they shall stand in bronze on the threshold of the collection we have made, that our children and our children's may know what manner of folk our fathers were and of their times and con­ dition.

I take pleasure, Mr. President, in presenting to you for the Historical Society, in behalf of Abiah Folger Franklin

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Chapter and the friends whose interest and generosity have enabled us to carry out our project, this memorial tablet.

As is fitting, the flag which hangs before it will be drawn by the grand-daughter of the one officer Nantucket fur­ nished to our infant navy."

The tablet was then unveiled by Miss Mary Jane Chase, a descendant of the Reuben Chase of whom Paul Jones spoke so highly.

As the tablet is placed in the vestibule of the Fire Proof building and the space was limited, the actual unveiling could only be witnessed by the Daughters of the American Revolution and the officers of the His­ torical Association.

On the return of those witnesses to the audience room, President Starbuck made the following address of acceptance: * "Madame Regent:— "Up to last Saturday I had supposed that this occasion would be an informal affair, in which the fair but energetic Regent of Abiah Folger Franklin Chapter, the daughter of a much esteemed class-mate of mine, would smilingly step up and say—'Mr. President—Here's the tablet,' and I would, quite as smilingly, respond—'Madame Regent, in behalf of the Nantucket Historical Association, I accept it —thank you.' On Saturday, however, I found that I was up against an entirely different proposition, and it was not until my arrival in Nantucket last evening, that I was made acquainted with the program somewhat in detail.

"It was one of the principles instilled in my youthful mind that the wife and the mother were in no sense in­ ferior to the husband and father. The experiences of gen­ erations of whalemen, that if the husband and father was the earning power, the wife and mother was the financial agent who managed the business, trained the children and was sole arbiter in the home, so permeated Nantucket life that we expected Nantucket women to take in the conduct of affairs, if not the laboring oar, at least an equal respon-

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sibility.

And so it is quite in keeping with our honored traditions that we find on this occasion the design and the execution in the presentation of this beautiful memorial are due entirely to the women.

"During the period covered by the War of the Revolu­ tion, three-quarters of the people of Nantucket belonged directly or indirectly to the Society of Friends and were religiously opposed to war.

That condition of affairs not only operated against any general uprising of those of the people capable of bearing arms as was the case in some communities, but permitted only the most meagre details to be made known regarding those who actually were in the service or aided the cause of the Colonists in other direc­ tions. It is only within a recent period that we have been made acquainted with Nantucket's activity in this respect.

We know that scores of her vessels were captured and de­ stroyed, and that hundreds of her sailors were made prison­ ers, many of whom never returned to their native island, but it is only in the light of recent investigations that we become acquainted with the active participation of Nan­ tucket men in the defence of our country. We find by the records, so far as at present examined, that the Society of Friends disowned 47 of its members for being on armed ves­ sels, bearing arms, or being in the company of armed men; some 80 or more were exchanged prisoners or are recorded as enlisted men; 12 served the Colony under civil commis­ sions ; 5 were commissioned as a Committee of Correspond­ ence, Inspection and Safety; 97 loaned money to the gov­ ernment; and the 21 whose names are inscribed on that tablet fought with that daring, versatile and able com­ mander, John Paul Jones. This is not a discreditable rec­ ord under the circumstances.

The sailors of Nantucket, who did not and could not conscientiously actively participate in the struggle, still were loyal to their native land, In a letter to the Council

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of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, written in 1779, John Adams, in suggesting means for destroying the British whale fishery, said, 'Whenever an English man of War or Privateer has taken an American Vessel they have given to the Whalemen among the Crew, by order of Government, their Choice, either to go on Board a Man of War and fight against their Country or go into the Whale Fishery. Such Numbers have chosen the latter as have made up the Crews of these seventeen Vessells.'

"Mr. Adams gives names of captains of these vessels, which include sixteen from Nantucket and four from other ports. Typical of the loyalty of the mariners of Nantucket was the reply of Capt. Nathan Coffin, who, when captured by the British and pressed to ally himself with them, he­ roically responded 'Hang me if you will to the yard arm of your ship but do not ask me to be a traitor to my country.'

"Allusion has often been made to the frequently ex­ pressed desire of the people of Nantucket to be allowed to be neutral in the Revolutionary conflict, but when one con­ siders the religious principles of the vast majority of them and the utterly defenceless position they occupied, subject at all times to the impartial depredations of both the British and the Americans, neither of whom would or could give them any protection from the other, considering, too, that they were obliged to import all the necessaries of life, that desire is not to be wondered at. But Nantucket was by no means an isolated instance of that feeling of helplessness several localities within the jurisdiction of the Massachu­ setts Bay Colony expressed a similar wish.

Even the Colony of South Carolina plead for the same immunity.

Lieut. Col. Lee in his 'History of the War in the South,' tells us that when the British troops were beseiging Charleston in 1779 overtures were made with the British commander in behalf of the city and Colony by which it was agreed that South Carolina should remain neutral dur-

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ing the rest of the war, her future status to be determined at its close.

The neutrality of South Carolina meant the complete disorganization of armed resistance in the South, and that the country south of and possibly including Vir­ ginia, would remain undisputed British territory and that the English government could then concentrate its entire strength on the Northern Colonies.

Why the English commander did not accept the offer is an unfathomable mys­ tery. So you see that the suggestion of neutrality by Nan­ tucket was by no means a sporadic case.

"The patriotism of Nantucket was not confined to the men. Among the women of the island who seemed to be­ lieve that 'Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God' was Deborah Chase, afterwards Deborah Morris.

What rela­ tion she bore to the distinguished man who fought under Paul Jones, a relative of whom is a member of the Chapter making this beautiful gift, I do not know, but she was a young woman of marked force of character.

On one oc­ casion of the visits of the Refugees to Nantucket during the War of the Revolution, they had posted their sentinels in the vicinity of her home so that it was difficult to get water, and they suffered sorely.

At last Deborah's patience was exhausted, and she determined to procure a supply of water.

Her father said 'Thee had better not, thee will get a bayonet in thee.

She replied I would as lief die one way as an­ other,' and seizing two pails she started for the pump.

Passing around a corner she suddenly came upon a sergeant on guard who presented his bayonet to halt her.

She flung one pail full in his face and knocked him senseless.

She then passed on filled her two pails with water and returned in safety past the still prostrate sentry.

It seems to me particularly appropriate that in this good town where woman's influence and woman's absolute equality have been so long recognized and unchallenged, that this handsome tablet dedicated to the memory of men

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who rendered so conspicuous service to their country when that service was all-important, should be given by the women of your patriotic organization into the keeping of an Association which owes its existence to the laudable desire to keep ever alive the memories of our ancestors.

While we all earnestly pray that the need may never come for our children or our children's children again to take up arms to defend our country in battle, on shore or on sea, against any foe, whether foreign or domestic, if in the providence of God the time does come when the sword must be un­ sheathed, may the glorious example of the men, whose names are here inscribed in enduring bronze, prove to the young men of that time an incentive to dare and to do as nobly as they dared and did.

"Madame Regent and members of Abiah Folger Frank­ lin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution— in behalf of the people of Nantucket, and especially in be­ half of the members of Nantucket Historical Association, I accept this gift and I thank you for it."

Mrs. Morgan, in whose direct charge the ceremonies had been placed, then presented the State Regent, Mrs. Charles F. Masury, who made a very interesting address, telling in some detail the story of the formation of Abiah Folger Franklin Chapter and the really important aid the men of Nantucket were to the country during the Revolu­ tion in the loan of money to sustain the Continental Con­ gress in its work. She spoke enthusiastically of how much the D. A. R. meant to the nation in keeping before the peo­ ple the story of the patriotic deeds of the fathers, and said that the island counties stood well at the head in the pa­ triotic duty of sustaining those who had the work of the organization in charge.

Mrs. Masury alluded to the inter­ esting and historic cradles in the Association's collection, one of which has been stated as having been the one in which the original but then youthful Tristram Coffin was

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quieted to sleep. She deprecated the modern way of child neglect, and said that, doctor or no doctor, she believed in coddling the dear little baby, rocking it in the arms or in the cradle, and treating the helpless bit of humanity as though it was a precious and welcome entity instead of a mere animal to be left to care for itself excepting at meal times.

Her treatment of this phase of her subject seemed to strike a responsive chord.

Her address was followed with close attention and was warmly applauded at its finish.

The regular business of the Association was then re­ sumed and Miss Helen Gardner read a very Interesting pa­ per. on one of Nantucket's local and peculiar institutions— "The 'Cent' School."

This was followed by an amusing and instructive paper by Dr. Sharp on "Nautical Colloquial­ isms."

Both the papers showed diligent research and parts of them evoked much merriment.

The meeting closed just before 12 o'clock, the President calling especial attention to the reception at the Point Breeze Hotel in the afternoon, urging all members to be present, with a guest if they chose, and cordially inviting every member of the Daughters of American Revolution in town to participate.

The Reception.

The reception tendered by the Association to the Daughters of the American Revolution at the Point Breeze in the afternoon was one of the most successful events of its kind in the history of the society.

President Starbuck, of the Association, and Mrs. Masury, the State Regent, were the receiving line, and the guests were delightfully presented by Mrs. Eleanor Morgan.

From three o'clock until five they were coming and going, the amusement room at the Point Breeze being constantly thronged by a social, informal party of members and guests.

As nearly as can be ascertained there were about 50 members of the D. A. R. who responded to the invitation and were present. Among

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the especially noteworthy ones were: Mrs. Bailey, State Historian; Mrs. Barker, State Regent of Rhode Island; Mrs. Fiske, Regent of Wayside Inn Chapter of Sudbury, and chairman of the Outing Committee of the State organ­ ization; Mrs. Alline, Regent of Paul Revere Chapter; Mrs. Cromwell, Regent of Sea Coast Defence Chapter of Martha's Vineyard, besides others from New York City and Ohio.

An interesting feature of the reception was the presence of quite a delegation from our sister island of Martha's Vineyard. Refreshments were served by a most efficient committee, of which Miss Annie Bodfish was chairman.

Her fair and able assistants were Miss Florence Bennett, Miss Elizabeth Elting, Miss Anne Lawrence, Miss Dorothy Sharp, Mrs. Grouard, Mrs. Emma Edwards, Miss Lou Macy, Mrs. Irving Elting, Miss Penman, Miss Hedges, Miss Mary Worth, Miss Boyd and Miss Helen Phillips.

This event closed what seems admittedly to have been a red-letter day and one of the pleasantest the Association has experienced.

At a meeting of the Council held Wednesday morning in the Association's rooms the following committees were elected: Finance—Alfred Smith, Miss S. E. Brock, Lauriston Bunker.

Publication—Miss Brock, Dr. Benjamin Sharp, Mrs. Eleanor Morgan.

Building—Millard Freeborn, Henry S. Wyer, Miss Brock.

Annual Meeting—Miss Annie Bodfish, Dr. Sharp, Mrs. Grouard, Sylvester Swain, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Bennett. The committee was authorized to add to its own members if deemed advisable.

New Work—Miss M. L. Myrick, Miss Mary E. Starbuck, Mrs. Morgan, Miss Emily Weeks, Alexander Starbuck, Mr. Bunker, Dr. Anne M. G. Blossom.

SECRETARY'S REPORT Since my report of last year the doings of this Associa­ tion have run on with the smoothness and precision of a Walter Folger clock.

Perhaps you are willing to dispense with detailed information as to how the works are oiled, so long as you know that there is oil in plenty.

To tell the truth, the wheels run almost of themselves, and even pass­ ers-by recognize our Association, an instrument, striking, living and running.

During the past year there have been two regular Council Meetings.

The first one to organize and elect Committees; the second to arrange for this Annual Meeting.

I need not tell you how the Treasurer has busied him­ self, nor how the Curator has directed the growth of the collection.

They speak for themselves.

Your Secretary has been busy with the list of members. Response to rollcall should reveal the following numbers: Life Councillors 3 Life Members 62 Annual Members 253 Total

318

A sad duty which the Secretary performs is that of striking from the books the names of the dead.

This year they are Mrs. Sarah M. Wing, Mr. Horace Easton, Mrs. Annie B. Sheldon, Mr. Horace Dodd, Captain George H. Brock, Admiral Seth M. Ackley, Mr. Allen Coffin, Mr. Henry P. Brown, Mr. Peter B. Hoyt.

Copies of our Proceedings have been sent far and wide to the various members, and the correspondence and ex­ change publications with other Historical Institutions have been duly carried on. It may be of interest to you to hear

SECRETARY'S REPORT

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the names of some, if not all, of these Institutions with which we exchange: Library of Congress, Washington, D. C.; State Library of Massachusetts, Boston; Essex Institute, Salem, Mass.; American Genealogical and His­ torical Library, Philadelphia; Historical Society of Old Newbury, Newburyport, Mass.; Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C.; New Hampshire State Library, Con­ cord, N. H.; Rhode Island Historical Society, Providence, R. I.; Newport Historical Society, Newport, R. I.; Bay State Historical League, Arlington, Mass.; Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, Columbus, Ohio.

There are many more.

Shall I be censured if I read you a letter from one of our members, which may well serve as a sample of the generosity on the part of individuals to which we owe our prosperity?

It is under date of July 16, 1908, reading as follows: "Your card of invitation to meet the Daughters of the American Revolution has just reached me here,, which is why I must decline, as I am away this summer from good, old Nantucket.

If any money contributions to it would be acceptable please let me know, that I may do my share."

It would give me the greatest pleasure to speak out the lady's name. I am restrained by fear of her disapproval, knowing with what exceeding modesty she has given in the past. Guessing is not forbidden.

When such letters come spontaneously what limit shall we set to our ambitions ?

That we are supported by hearty interest is an in­ dubitable fact.

How shall we best direct our energies?

A few years since our President, Mr. Starbuck, sent out to every member slips of uniform size, later to be bound as a volume. On these slips members were asked to note any thing pertaining to Nantucket history in the way of old stories, songs, sea phrases, etc., etc.

They were very meagerly noticed. The importance of such contributions I

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SECRETARY'S REPORT

wish to emphasize here.

The rapid flight of time makes it important to us all. Nantucket early acquired a reputa­ tion as a literary center through the ability of the talented men and women born and educated in this Isle of the Sea. Those who can contribute are passing away. Such a col­ lection would be invaluable. This is merely a suggestion, not improperly put forward in a report, since it has been broached before.

My report would be incomplete did I not remind you that your officers never forget that they hold a position of important trust, and they look to your enthusiasm for their stimulus.

Respectfully Submitted, ELIZABETH C. BENNETT, Secretary.

CURATOR'S REPORT For many years, indeed ever since our Association opened its doors to the public, our books have recorded a steady increase in the number of our visitors during the season, and the summer of 1907 was no exception to the rule. The increase in each year is not large, but in the ag­ gregate amounts to a goodly number, our register showing nearly three thousand names last year.

The attendance seeming to warrant it, we extended the time of keeping the Rooms open until Sept. 28th, and probably it will now be necessary in the future, to hold the exhibition open from the middle of June to Oct. 1st.

We have received a number of valuable additions to our collection, a few of which are as follows:— A These latter Abiah

large, much worn silver spoon marked J. E. S. initials stand for John and Experience Swain, the being the daughter of Peter Folger and sister to Folger Franklin.

A grape-shot which must be a relic of the naval battle between the British frigate Endymion and the American privateer Neufchatel, as it was found in sea-weed at the South Shore.

The tiller of the old Nantucket whaleship Lima, which was used for many years by our former Treasurer, Chas. C. Crosby, as a signboard over his office on Whale St. A fine large ivory swift made by a Nantucket sea cap­ tain, whose name unfortunately cannot now be obtained.

Two brass ladles, made in Nantucket's first and only brass foundry.

A model made by Peter F. Ewer, when he was twelve years old, is of a colonial house built as were many in Nan-

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CURATOR'S REPORT

tucket at that time.

This was originally intended to show changes of weather, being fitted with wires attached to a little man and woman, the man appearing at the door when it rained and the woman when the sun shone.

This is of interest as showing that the modern barometers of this kind were not a new idea, but merely an adaptation of an old in­ vention.

Another model made by Ferdinand C. Ewer, son of the former, is of the pulpit in the first Episcopal church of Nan­ tucket, Trinity Church on Broad Street, which was burned in the great fire.

A wooden yoke for the shoulders with rope and hook hanging from each end.

This appears to be a relic of slavery days.

How it came here, history does not tell, but it was used by Rachel Lynch, a little colored woman whom many of us remember well, to collect swill for pigs, when she was a small girl. It astonishes those of us who tried it, to find how snugly it fits the shoulders and what a great help it must have been to the bearer of heavy burdens.

We have been enabled to purchase a valuable collection of old family china, which had been loaned to us for years and which it is most gratifying to feel that we now possess in our own right.

There seems to be a peculiar sentiment attached to the old cradles that rocked so many successive generations of oui ancestors. At least more of these have been preserved and handed over to us for safe keeping, than any other aiticle of household furniture.

We have cradles large and cradles small, cradles plain and cradles ornamental, cradles with well authenticated history and cradles with legends that we catalogue with a question mark, but this year has brought us perhaps the most interesting of the lot.

It is said to be the one which rocked our original Tristram Coffin in his birthplace in England, being brought over later for his own family. Amazing as it seems, there are some facts

CURATOR'S REPORT

21

that might almost make us give credence to the story.

It is a pine cradle, which is one thing in favor of its great antiquity, and it undoubtedly descended in the Coffin family for many generations.

Before the memory of the one who has told us what is known of its history, it was painted with this inscription :—"A lineal descendant of Tris­ tram." We think there is evidence showing some founda­ tion for the legend and hope to be able to trace it back far enough to substantiate this marvellous claim.

We have had several good portraits donated, notably that of Capt. Stephen West, born in 1775, and one of our Rear-Admiral Seth Mitchell Ackley, who has the distinction of being the only one of Nantucket's sons who has attained this high naval position.

Several more log-books have come into our possession, one of which we find of much value, as it contains state­ ments about the ships that used the Camels, of which no record has ever been found.

The greatest additions have been made to our library.

We have received a set of the United States Official History of the Rebellion, consisting of one hundred and twentyeight volumes, and through the efforts of our Congressman Greene, our set of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies, has been completed very nearly up to date.

These two works are most valuable for historical reference.

Our genealogical library has been reinforced by twenty volumes of scrap-books, containing cuttings from the Bos­ ton Transcript, N. Y. Mail and Express, Newport Mercury and the Hartford Times.

There are many of them care­ fully indexed, and those that are not, we are planning to complete in this way during the coming winter. They con­ tain many items relating to Nantucket families, and will be of great use to our many visitors seeking such information.

For some time we have wished to re-arrange and re­ label much of the Atheneum Loan Collection and are glad

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CURATOR'S REPORT

to be able to say that this work has been accomplished.

Many inaccuracies have been corrected and the proper scientific names given to many specimens, thus making the collection of much greater educational and historical value.

We are deeply sensible of the honor conferred upon our Association by the Daughters of the American Revolution, who have deemed our walls a fitting place for their beauti­ ful tablet in memory of some of Nantucket's heroes of the past.

Both societies may take great pride and pleasure in the thought that these names are thus preserved for future gen­ erations, as long as bronze and stone shall endure.

Each year as we prepare this report, the wonder grows upon us that what we commenced in a small way and with many misgivings, has been so successful, growing steadily in size and strength with practically no reverses. After feeling the necessity of pleading for funds for years, it is a matter of mutual congratulation that now as long as our members continue to stand by us as in the past, our finan­ cial standing is assured, and we may turn our attention to extending the scope of our labors.

Our great danger seems to be, that losing the zest which comes with the struggle for existence, we may relax our efforts and rest content with what has been accomplished.

There is plenty of work still for our society to take in hand, but there has been a dearth of active members amongst our working force this past year. But thus iar, everything we have needed or especially desired has come to us, and we have faith to believe that when this want is understood, the necessary workers will come forward, who may be able and willing to give time and strength to the carrying out of the many plans for future work, that are suggested every year.

Respectfully submitted, SUSAN E. BROCK, Curator.

TREASURER'S REPORT CREDITS

Balance on hand June 15, 1907 Membership dues for 1908 Membership dues for 1909 Membership dues for previous to 1908 Withdrawn from Nant. Inst. Savings Withdrawn from New Bedford Savings Withdrawn from Middleboro Savings Admission Fees Historical Rooms Admission Fees Old Mill Sales of Books, Bulletins, &c.

Rent of Land opp. Mill

$51.67 104.00 108.00 10.00 104.06 100.00 100.00 345.45 46.85 31.53 8.00 $1009.56

DEBITS

Gas bills $7.20 Sub. Inquirer & Mirror 2.00 Water bill 8.00 Stamps 7.50 Brooms -45 Bay State League L00 Sundries -35 Cleaning 9.00 Cleaning 12.80 Supplies for Reception 20.53 Printing (Inqr. & Mirror) 7.45 Waltham Pub. Co. printing—Report of 3 yrs. 66.00 Ice for old mill 2.75 Lowering flag-staff 1-00 R. B. Hussey, printing & advertising 14.84 Spoon for collection 2.00 Contribution to Cemetery fence 10.00 Souvenir Post Cards 4.00

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TREASURER'S REPORT

Braided Rug Salaries of Attendants Insurance on Mill Insurance on Historical Buildings Copying Friends Records Postage (Secretary) Table Mirror plate & paint Freight and cartage Express Autograph Letter & Portrait Vane and Deadlight Waltham Pub. Co., Annual Reports Insurance on collection Check-book Book for Collection Iron Try pot Sundries Carpenter bill for repairs Grape Shot Coal Record Books C. W. Austin's bill Plumbing N. E. Hist. Gen. Assn.

Essex Antiquarian Holmes & Pease, Bill for Fence Mrs. Mitchell, old china Framed Picture Cartage Cutting down tree China Pitcher Plumbing Salary of Curator Salary of Treasurer Salary of Secretary

5.00 120.67 12.50 13.50 55.00 10.00 3.00 2.70 3.50 6.45 2.00 4.84 72.00 18.00 .50 1.65 1.75 2.96 3.37 2.00 4.00 1.00 3.50 2.25 3.00 1.50 71.90 48.00 2.75 .25 5.00 7.50 1.35 100.00 75.00 50.00

TREASURER'S REPORT

Salary of Janitor Extra Services Janitor Balance to new acct.

25

60.00 32.50 21.80 $1009.56 SUMMARY. ASSETS

Fireproof Building Meeting House (Insurance) Old Mill (Insurance) Collection (Insurance) Susan Folger Fund: Middleboro Savings Bank Bristol Co. Savings Bank People's Saving Bank, Worcester Nantucket Inst, for Savings New Bedford Inst, for Savings Total Assets

8500.00 1500.00 1000.00 1000.00 $1008.24 1113.25 1098.24 1022.50 1026.14

$17,268.37 (Liabilities, 00.)

HENRY S. WYER, Treasurer.

Approved above report of Treasurer for year ending June 15, 1908.

Irving Elting, E. A. Fay, H. A. Elkina, Auditing Committee.

MEMBERSHIP, JUNE 15TH, 1908.

Life Councillors Life Members Annual Members Lost by Death, Life Member Lost by Death, Annual Members Withdrawn, Annual Members Dropped for non -payment of dues New Members, Annual

2 8 3 6

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PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS We gather today for the Fourteenth Annual Meeting of the Association.

That it has been a year of prosperity and a year for congratulation is attested by the reports of the Secretary, Curator and Treasurer, to which you have just listened.

Since our last Annual Meeting I have attended in my official capacity as your delegate, four meetings of the Bay State Historical League, and have been invited to represent the Association officially on three other occasions, being present at two of them.

On Thursday, August 15th, of last year, I attended the unveiling of the Memorial Tablet at Stage Fort Park, Glou­ cester, which was intended to commemorate the establish­ ment of the first permanent settlement in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

At the unveiling, the principal oration was

by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, and it was, as might be ex­ pected, a scholarly address, but it was one which could hardly be said to sustain the claim of Gloucester. Another excellent address was made by Prof. F. C. de Sumichrast of Harvard College.

Poems by Mrs. Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, of Newton, Mass., and by Madison Cawein, Esq., of Louisville, Ky., were read, the latter by the author, and the occasion was made a day of general festivity, lasting from midnight between August 14th and 15th, during almost the entire succeeding twenty-four hours. My own attendance was limited to the literary exercises at the Park.

On Saturday, September 21, I attended a meeting of the League at Haverhill.

The meeting was held at "The Buttonwoods," where are located the rooms of the Haverhill Historical Society.

The Haverhill association has a mem­ bership of about 350, and among its treasures is the John M ard house, the earliest dwelling built in Haverhill, and

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

27

which has recently been restored to its original condition by its present owners. There were some 25 delegates present, representing 15 societies, Arlington, Billerica, Bradford, Brookline, Cambridge, Danvers, Haverhill, Hyde Park, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket, Old Newbury, Somerville, Swampscott and Wakefield.

After looking over the Society's building and examin­ ing its very interesting and valuable collection of relics, the topic assigned for the day, which was "Co-operation in His­ torical Work," was taken up.

Charles G. Chick, President of the Hyde Park Historical Society, spoke on the general subject. He referred to the marvellous way in which his­ torical societies have sprung up in Massachusetts, and the needless intermingling and duplication of their work. New towns have been formed from old ones and history has be­ come somewhat mixed on that account, and several societies may be working on precisely the same problems without co-operation.

Papers, too, are read, filed away or kept by the writer, and eventually lost.

One of the purposes of . the League should be to look to the preservation of those papers, as well as to stimulate interest in State history.

As has often happened, the most thoroughly practical paper was prepared and read by a woman.

Miss Helen T. Wild of the Medford Historical Society read a paper on "Practical Co-operation."

Her essay was so full of the essence of good, practical work that it is a distinct loss not to have it printed. Her work is largely on the lines covered by her paper.

She said, in substance, that each member of an historical society should write out his or her personal genealogy so far as is possible.

Societies should institute a Bible hunt, beginning this branch of the work without de­ lay. Warning notices and county records should also be examined. All books and documents, including the records of the Selectmen, should be indexed.

In Medford the gravestone inscriptions are being transcribed.

The State

28

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

government should be induced to index and publish the rec­ ords of Colonial wars.

There is also much in the County Records which should be published, and old County Rec­ ords need to be indexed.

Town and city clerks should be required to copy and send to the home towns all records of marriages of non-residents.

Charles F. Read, of the Brookline Historical Society, was the last announced speaker, and his paper was upon "Co-operation and the Local Society."

He stated that there were about 75 local historcial societies in Massachu­ setts, and of these 33 were members of the League. He thought that delegates should report the proceedings at the League meetings to their local societies, and that the League should publish its results and the records of its meetings.

President Frothingham, of the Haverhill Society, sug­ gested that old inscriptions on gravestones should be re-cut.

This, he said, was being done in Quincy.

A lunch was served by the ladies of the local associa­ tion on the lawn in front of the John Ward house, after which the entire party boarded electric cars and visited the birthplace of John Greenleaf Whittier at East Haverhill.

On Thursday, October 10th, I was invited as your rep­ resentative to be present at the unveiling of the recumbent Memorial Statue of Rev. John Cotton, and its formal trans­ fer to the First Parish church of Boston. The interesting ceremonies took place in the meeting-house.

The transfer was made by Charles Francis Adams, Esq., and the recep­ tion address was made by Rev. Charles E. Park, Pastor of the church.

Rev. Paul Revere Frothingham delivered an oration on the "Life of John Cotton."

On Saturday, December 7th, the League met in the rooms of the Essex Institute at Salem. The collection of the Institute is similar in character to that of our own Asso­ ciation, though much more extensive, and consists of log-

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

29

books and curios brought by the old-time sea captains of Salem returning from their voyages, old furniture, china and glass-ware, and other objects of antique and historical value. The special topic of the day was "Genealogy as a Field of Work for local Historical Societies," and it was discussed by Hon. Charles F. Jenney, formerly Librarian of the Hyde Park Historical Society; Mrs. Harriet F. Parker, of Lynn, compiler of "The Bronsdon and Box Families," and Secretary of the Genealogical Committee of the Lynn Historical Society; and Mr. David H. Brown, of Medford, a former President of the Medford Historical So­ ciety; and Sidney H. Perley, Esq., of Salem, author of the "History of Boxford," and Editor of the "Essex Anti­ quarian."

Senator Jarvis said that personal investigation alone was not a matter of public benefit; to make the investiga­ tion of value the world must have the advantage of its re­ sults.

Patriotic societies stimulate historical and genea­ logical interest.

To find that one's ancestors came from Salem and were associated with its early history, insures an interest in Salem and its past.

If a society publishes the results of its members' investigations, its work has an ex­ tensive outside demand.

Genealogical work has been the means of starting local historical associations.

Mr. Jen­ ney alluded to the interesting phases of an arithmetical pro­ gression in ancestry and a similar progression in descent.

Running backward 32 generations, to the time of the Nor­ man conquest, and allowing each person two parents and four grandparents would give one an ancestry of 4,294,967,296, and brings a time when all are related.

Similar results follow a like progression in descent. No rule has ever been devised to determine the checks on these apparent compu­ tations. Within 65 years 13,000,000 immigrants have en­ tered this country. A study of genealogy carried out may broaden itself into a study of the world.

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PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

After the President had spoken of a special blank gen­ ealogical form which the Medford Society sent out to each of its members to have filled out and returned, he presented Mrs. Harriet F. Parker, Secretary of the Genealogical Com­ mittee of the Lynn Historcial Society, as the next speaker.

Mrs. Parker suggested that societies publish more of the histories and genealogies that otherwise will become lost to the world by the death of the compilers. More care is now taken of documents, and they can wait their turn. For the first half of the 19th century there are few records. Be­ tween 1800 and 1849 in Boston there is almost a complete hiatus of records.

The city of Philadelphia has no com­ plete records prior to 1867.

The Lynn Historical Society presents to every one of its members ancestral blanks, covering nine generations, to be filled out and returned to the association. The Society is very glad to have similar blanks filled out by parties not members of the Society, pro­ vided the work is carefully done. There are now in the Society's archives 100 such blanks, all carefully indexed and filed.

There have been no responses from those of foreign birth. Mrs. Parker says that it takes about a cen­ tury for manuscript to become valuable.

Mr. David H. Brown, of Medford, who was the next speaker, said that the Historical association of that city was largely made up of those living there but a few years.

Some of the old families have been written up and the re­ sults published in the Register.

It was their design to have one old family genealogy published each year. The aim of historical societies is to bring out genealogical facts as well as genealogical records. Gov. Roger Wolcott had 114 ancestors who were engaged in the Colonial wars.

Very few persons can give the names of their 16 great-greatgrand parents. He had lost one out of that number, and five out of the previous generation. Of the 128 in the 5th great generation back he knows only 73, and of the next previous generation only 47 out of 256.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

31

Sidney Perley, Esq., was the last speaker.

He said that the preceding speakers seemed to have dodged the direct subject.

He considered the investigations in genealogy imperative in the study of local history.

One cannot get at the true inwardness of certain events without knowing of the men and women concerned in those events.

He asked why local societies did not take up this matter sys­ tematically.

Few members of them seem to be interested in it save in a personal way.

There were two thoughts he desired to emphasize: First, there must be genealogical interest in order that the society may do good work. As examples of what he meant he instanced the case of a young man who walked seven miles in the morning to copy certain vital records, and that of a young woman who walked ten miles each way to make copies of cemetery inscriptions.

A successful society must have among its members some with a similar interest. Sec­ ond, there must be economy in work for historical societies.

There is a great waste in genealogical work.

The records of Salem run back to 1636. Indexed volumes would save a vast deal in time and money. What it costs some in fruit­ less search would pay for abstracting and indexing volumes.

It costs comparatively little to abstract records. Recopying is risky because of the danger of errors.

His own method is, first, to go to the Probate office and note all names, with abstracts of all facts; then to the Registry of Deeds and vital records; then to the town or city records, family Bibles and other sources of information, and finally to search among the inscriptions on grave-stones.

At this meeting there were present delegates from twelve societies—Arlington, Concord Antiquarian, Danvers, Hyde Park, Lynn, Maiden, Medford, Nantucket, Peabody, Somerville, Swampscott and Worcester.

I received an invitation, as your representative, to at­ tend the "Lafayette" meeting of the Sharon Historcial So-

32

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

ciety, which was held on the evening of Friday, January 31st, but attending the evening meeting was impracticable for me.

On the afternoon of Saturday, April 18th, the League met with the Brookline Historical Society in a hall in the public building of that town. Sixteen societies were rep­ resented—Arlington, Billerica, Brookline, Canton, Dorches­ ter, Hyde Park, Littleton, Lynn, Maiden, Medford, Nan­ tucket, Peabody, Somerville, South Natick, Stoughton and Swampscott. The topic assigned for the day was— "What can the local Historical Society do for the Improvement of Its Locality?" The speakers were George Gregerson Wolkins, of the Old South Historical Society, of Boston, David H. Floyd, of the Dean Winthrop House Association, of Winthrop, and Rev. Bradley Gilman, of the Canton His­ torical Society.

Mr. Wolkins said that the "Old South" church was saved to the people in 1876 at an expense of $400,000, onequarter of which was contributed by Mary Hemenway.

The special work of the Society took the form of lectures and studies.

Prizes were offered to pupils in the schools for special work. Edwin D. Mead was among those who were especially active.

Much work was accomplished through the schools. On February 22d prizes of historical works are awarded. The Society is formed of those who have written in competition for prizes. About ten years ago they started a series of talks. They had lantern slides of old Boston which were used, and they afterwards added to these some slides of other historical localities. At first they had the pupils come to the Society's rooms, but subse­ quently they went to where the pupils were. Appropriate leaflets were used to fix in the mind historic data, and an­ niversary days were selected as occasions for especial ob­ servance.

An historical play was at one time attempted, but it was found hardly practicable.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

33

Mr. Floyd told of the development of the Dean Winthrop House Association from the Winthrop Improvement Society, and of its instrumentality in starting a Public Li­ brary and in saving the old Dean Winthrop house.

The Association owns many historical articles, and is to add Historical to its name and be regularly incorporated.

They have tried to connect the town and its progenitors with important events in English history. They have made a special study of old maps, and have a collection of 18 dif­ ferent ones of Winthrop.

He thought historical societies ought to have more to do in anniversary events.

Mr. Oilman gave a good report of what was done in Canton.

Prizes were offered for competition in local his­ torical subjects for pupils in the schools, who were divided into two grades,—the Juniors including those 12 years old or less, and the Seniors including those over 12 years of age. The prizes offered in the Senior grade were—first $6.00, and second and third of $4.00 each; in the Junior grade—first $3.00, and second and third $2.00 each. Some of the questions to be answered in competition related to specified periods spoken of in Huntoon's History of Canton.

The Society had a Field Day once a year and the competi­ tors for prizes were invited to join in it; those showing especial ability were made guests of the Society.

After the meeting a collation was served, and those present were invited to inspect the Public Baths and Mu­ nicipal Gymnasium.

The Annual Meeting of the League was held on Satur­ day, June 6th, in the rooms of the Quincy Historical So­ ciety, which are located in the house that was the birth­ place of President John Quincy Adams.

There were pres­ ent at that time delegates from the following historical so­ cieties :—Arlington, Brookline, Billerica, Foxborough, Hyde Park, Lynn, Lowell, Medford, Nantucket, Old Newbury, Peabody, Roxbury, Somerville, Shepard Memorial (Cam-

34

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

bridge), Swampscott, Watertown and Wakefield, 17 in all.

The officers of the previous year were unanimously re­ elected.

The annual dues were increased to $2.00 in order to enable the League to publish its Proceedings. After the meeting the delegates were invited to visit the many his­ toric localities in Quincy.

I have detailed at length the reports of these meetings for three reasons—First, to place them on record that you all may see what the League is accomplishing and the re­ sults of these interchanges of thoughts and experiences; second, because our Association is entitled to know how at­ tentive its delegate is to the duties assigned to him; and third, because it has been deemed by the League particu­ larly desirable that such reports be made to the contributing societies.

Since our Annual Meeting of 1907, nine of our members have passed away.

They are Mrs. Sarah Mitchell Wing, who of late had made her home under a foreign government in the distant Bahamas; Horace Easton, a business man of New York city; Mrs. Annie B. Sheldon, a lover of Nantucket living in the Middle West; Horace S. Dodd, a cotton-broker and a Boston business man; Capt. George Henry Brock, among the last survivors of those sturdy men who made the name of Nantucket known all over the world; Rear Admiral Seth Mitchell Ackley, whose record is written in the annuals of his country's service; Allen Coffin, Esq., lineal descendant of the first Tristram, wellknown in law, prominent in politics, a devoted lover of Nan­ tucket; Henry Pinkham Brown, a merchant of Nantucket, cut off in the midst of a most promising career, and at the time of his death an honored and valued Councillor of our Association; and Peter Berry Hayt, a summer visitor for many years.

We are forcibly reminded in scanning the list of those who have passed over into the Great Beyond that there are

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

35

many among our membership whose "Way of life "Has passed into the sere, the yellow leaf," and how advisable it is to make especial effort that the com­ ing generation develops among its numbers some whose sympathies are with our dear old Island, and who believe that one of the best ways to make its present and future respected is to honor and cherish the memory of its past.

It seems to me desirable in this connection for the Council carefully to consider the advisability and feasibility of offer­ ing prizes to pupils in the public schools for special work in the direction of local history. This has proved successful in several historcial societies in our Commonwealth, and it would seem as though it might advantageously be used in Nantucket.

I trust the repetition will be pardoned if I renew the suggestion I made a year ago relative to some observance of the 250th anniversary of the settlement of Nantucket by our ancestors, which will occur next year.

It seems to me more than advisable that the Association take cognizance of the event by some special and appropriate exercises in commemoration of the occasion at our next Annual Meet ing.

They need be neither elaborate nor expensive—in­ deed, bearing in mind the sturdiness and thrift of our ances­ tors, elaboration and extravagance would be out of place.

At the Annual Meeting of the Bay State Historical League, I advocated united action on the part of the His­ torical associations of the State in a petition to the next General Court to direct the publication of the Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts, fiom its first session, directly following the last session of the Pro­ vincial Congress in 1775, to the close of the Revolution, fol­ lowing somewhat the lines which the United States govern­ ment is following in publishing the Journals of the Con­ tinental Congress during the Revolutionary War. Such a

36

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

publication would be of great value to all libraries and of vast assistance to historical students. The expense could largely be defrayed by adopting the custom of the National Government in selling the volumes at the actual cost of production.

Carefully edited, such a work would be of great value, and would preserve in a thousand or more li­ braries records that exist now only in manuscript. I have urged this in behalf of our Association, feeling confident that it would meet with your approval.

It seems to me also desirable, and even advisable, for the Association to consider the question of printing a catalogue of its treasures.

This has been done by some societies where I have visited, and I think has proved in some degree a source of revenue.

I would suggest that some action be taken looking to petitioning the Town to adopt a by-law forbidding the change of name of any public street, way, park or square, unless by vote of the Town, and then only after a properly advertised public hearing. Those of us who have passed the "divide" of life feel something of a shock to have fa­ miliar names discarded to suit some passing whim, and such changes should be definitely placed beyond the reach of mere caprice. The acceptance of a public street, way, park or square should carry with it a title, and that title should only be allowed to be changed by due process of law.

In conclusion, allow me once more to urge the collec­ tion by the Association, so far as is practicable, of copies of all pictures of Nantucket or any part of it. In my own personal collection I have over 200, and to me, it is above price. A few years from now duplication of some of these will be impossible, and with increasing years they will be­ come increasingly valuable.

ALEXANDER STARBUCK, President.

LETTER FROM ALEXANDER B. PINKHAM TO JAMES BUNKER, ESQ. The original of the following letter is among the As­ sociation's collection, and it seems peculiarly appropriate to reproduce it at this time in connection with the report of the unveiling of the Memorial Tablet, which in part is erected to commemorate the life and work of Lieut. Pinkham :

Bantam, Clermont County, Ohio, 2nd April, 1837.

Dear Sir and My Brave Commander:— It is now some forty-five years gone this day since you and father killed the big whale on the coast of New Hol­ land. It is possible you may happen to think of that cir­ cumstance today, and also of another important event which happened to me on the same day.

My mind is the more fully impressed with the recollection of the many times I have heard allusion made to these events, by the principal actors; since the sun of my existence according to the opinion of the most approved philosophers has this day reached its meridian,—nay: whilst I write I may say she has dipped, the sun has fell, 'tis twelve o'clock ! and the most important change will be when her nether limb touches the horizon, and finally dips her upper one below it.

The return of this day has never brought such serious feelings with it as the present, since I was twenty-one.

Henceforward my steps must of course be downward, yet the greatest folly, I think, is to grieve, because we cannot always be young or that we cannot live forever; or at any rate as long as life is desirable.

Having plodded onward until I have arrived at the highest peak, the apex, the very summit of my existence, it

38

LETTER FROM ALEXANDER B. PINKHAM

would be natural for me to look back upon the beaten road, sum up the good and the evil, and endeavour by some ar­ rangement of the figures, to strike a ballance that would ex­ hibit in my favour, the result of a life thus far well spent.

But it would require much more of pondering and figuring, searching out corrections for semidiameter, dip, parallax and refraction, than in making a common meridianal alti­ tude of the sun; setting aside the which I am free to confess has been something greater than that discovered by the Astronomer Royal, in his inspection of the light from the fixed stars. If I ever do attempt an examination, it will be when I have more leisure than at present, in the mean time to try and do better.

We take the "Nantucket Inquirer" and by it we learn from time to time, the principal matters going on upon the Island.

We claim the credit for feeling ourselves very much interested in every thing that relates to our native land and rejoice at every additional evidence of its pros­ perity. The more the place is known, the more it seems to rise in the estimation of the people of the United States. It remains perhaps to be more generally known, that Nan­ tucket has dope more, much more toward the general pros­ perity of the country, than any other place of equal magni­ tude upon the sea coast.

I came here with my wife fifteen months ago, and should feel disposed to remain as much longer, was it not from her anxiety to return to her friends at Portsmouth, near Norfolk, Va. Out of compliment to her patience, in suffering so long an absence from them, I shall take her back to them in about a month Since writing the above, Father has been relating for the one thousandth and one time, all the circumstances re­ lating to the killing of the aforementioned great pam-a-city.

It is very natural for one who talks so much, to find himself very often relating the same story.

I must do him the

LETTER FROM ALEXANDER B. PINKHAM

39

credit to say, that he sometimes hits upon something new.

I never until now heard him relate the adventures of the previous day.

Whilst he in the head of the boat was busy getting up the you were steering the boat so as to get into the wake of the large whale that had broke water close ahead, and had not spouted above a dozen times; he, perceiving it, from his impetuosity desired you to steer directly for the whale; the consequence was, that the boat approached directly upon his eye, the whale was gallied and went off.

I stretched forth my hand and opened my mouth to tell him. that was not the way we used to do things on board the Chili, but he continued, saying, he took care never after­ wards to commit such a blunder. Wrhenever he tells his great pam-a-city story, I generally tell mine; and that is all about the one we took on the coast of Chili the day I was sixteen years old.

I have no doubt you remember it. The relations of our exploits amongst the monsters of the great deep, are the more interesting, the longer time that inter­ venes between that of their execution and the period of their being retold. The whole that I can say for myself, is to sum the whole up into one mighty blast, which is poured forth in a declaration that I struck the whole of the twentyseven sperm whales we got to our boat on the last voyage in the Chili, out of which there were but two that I did not put both irons into It is my intention to settle in Portsmouth, in a house that belonged to my wife's father and in which she was born and reared. Apropos of birthdays, my wife was born on the 25th March, 1811. We were them, if I mistake not, cruising off Valparaiso on the Chili.

A considerable dis­ parity in our ages truly, but that is a circumstance not so uncommon elsewhere as at Nant.

Amongst our Nantucket friends whose names are so often mentioned amongst us, there are none which oftener

40

LETTER FROM ALEXANDER B. PINKHAM

occur than that of yourself and Mrs. Bunker, and I will ven­ ture to say there are none whom we should be more glad to see than yourselves, your children and your children's chil­ dren. It is a pleasure that my parents and myself may yet live to enjoy.

If this communication bears half the interest with it that I could wish, I shall be more than paid.

The first thing this morning, I cast about to think what pious duty I should perform on so remarkable a day as that on which I arrived at my forty-fifth year, and I could hit upon nothing so appropriate as addressing myself to you.

In the course of a life somewhat checkered by adven­ tures, I look back upon the four years I served under your command, as the greenest spot; the only real oasis in the whole expanse.

The lessons I learned from your example and precept, have been of daily advantage to me through life thus far.

Long may you live to enjoy the reward of a well spent life, which if it comes in no other form than the serenity of mind from a consciousness of it, still that is a treasure not lightly to be valued.

If there is any person's name which is mentioned amongst us oftener than another it is that of Geo. Myrick, Sen. Will you have the kindness to remember us to him.

My father and mother, wife and all of us, send best wishes for the welfare of yourself and family.

I remain most truly yours, ALEX. B. PINKHAM.

CENT SCHOOLS No sketch of the Cent Schools of Nantucket would be complete without mention of those earlier schools from which they were naturally evolved.

When our ancestors settled here in the middle of the 17th century they brought with them from Amesbury and Salisbury the ideas of Old England in regard to the educa­ tion of the young; that is, so far as reading, writing and figuring were concerned. Thomas Macy had been Over­ seer of schools in Salisbury; Peter Folger a teacher on Martha's Vineyard; and on Nantucket as early as 1716 the town, by vote in town meeting, hired Eleazer Folger to keep school for one year for £3 (£1—4.80x).

Before and after the real public school (In the early day called the "charity" school) was established, various kinds of private schools flourished.

Of these the "dame schools" for small children and girls of all ages were patterned after the English schools of the same name. In Nantucket this name did not cling to them as long as in Salem and other towns of Essex county, but in most particulars they were like them. In Old England dame schools were often kept by old women who depended upon the meagre pay to keep them out of the poor-house. In New England they were kept by refined, thrifty women who often taught their own or their neighbors' children until they were old enough to enter schools of a higher grade.

In Nantucket in 1723 "the Wesco and New Town peo­ ple were authroized by the Proprietors to set up a Woman's School at the head of the Fish Lots." The building stood 10 rods south of what is now Main St., and 2 rods west of the turn of Ray's Court; that is, very near this building of the Historical Association.

42

CENT SCHOOLS

It would be interesting to know what pay these women teachers received, and it is possible that some old school bills are cherished among family relics. It is a matter of record that in 1797 Abiel Hussey was engaged to teach school at the rate of seventy shillings ($12.) per month for 35 scholars.

A bill that was given to me several years ago reads as follows: Job Coleman 2d.

To Anna Macy, Dr. For care of Ann Maria from 5 mo. 17 to 10 mo. 2, 19y2 weeks at 11 $3.25 Absent 4 weeks .66

Nantucket, 10 mo. 2, 1841.

$2.59 Rec'd Paym't, Anna Macy.

One mother paid for her child's lessons by supplying the teacher's family with home-made yeast, or "emptyins," as it was then called.

In one case the teacher received as pay for a little girl's schooling a pair of andirons. When the pupil was an old woman these andirons were given to her by the teacher, and are now a valued possession of the family.

In the cent schools of later date the pay seems to have been uniform as the name implies. In the dinner pail or sewing bag or tied up in a corner of the handkerchief, the cent was carried to the teacher at each session of the school. Some of these schools were kept by young misses, not out of their teens, on Wednesday and Saturday after­ noons and were much like the "day-nursery" schools of to­ day, where tired or busy mothers were glad to leave the little ones for a few hours. Others were kept six days in

CENT SCHOOLS

43

the week, two sessions a day, and were open to little boys and girls, some of whom were too young for any lessons.

These had their toys and spent long recesses in the yard in good weather.

Many of us learned our letters standing at the knee of the teacher, who pointed them out with a knitting-needle, and when we could name them "skipping about" we were promoted to the class that had picture primers, from which we learned to read and spell.

One recalls her "cent school" days in these words:— "Learning to read seems to me now a 'ten minutes of two' operation, not because the lesson came at that hour, but be­ cause we stood in a line, and placed our feet at the same angle which the hands of the clock make at ten minutes of two. As we faced the teacher we looked with wonder at her who could read backwards as she pointed out the words for us to read."

How addition and subtraction were taught is not now clear to me, but the multiplication table was sung to a monotonous tune that has made a lasting impression.

Division followed naturally, as for example:— 3 times 1 are 3.

3 into 3 is 1.

3 times 2 are 6.

3 into 6 is 2.

3 times 3 are 9.

3 into 9 is 3, etc.

These exercises repeated daily in concert have proved as good as modern methods to strengthen the memory.

On sewing days, when the girls sewed patch-work, the boys were allowed to do a kind of worsted work, which then seemed exciting and intricate: four pins were stuck into a spool, stitches were made on each, and with a fifth pin the worsteds grew into a cord, to be later coiled into a mat.

Sometimes a boy wished to learn how to sew and to knit,

44

CENT SCHOOLS

and such was the spirit of courtesy and good breeding in the school that he escaped all sneering jokes, and no one called him "sissy."

As some schools were kept in the homes of the teachers, there was often an opportunity for, at least, an observation lesson in cooking or other household art.

On "clean-house" days or at other times of domestic stress the dinner pail went to the school with the child or a note asking that he be given some of Aunt Anne's dinner.

The discipline in these schools was mild but firm.

Nothing is recalled more severe than a tap on the hand with the "pointer," or a few minutes on the "repentance stool," where the shame of the punishment soon brought the sin­ ner to a state of penitence.

In one school if in the recess games of "Round-a-ring-a-rosy" or "Raise the gates as high as the sky," there was rough pushing or too loud shouting, the next recess was spent in the "pen."

This was not a strong place of close confinement.

The culprit was en­ circled by the arms of a blinded invalid who was sitting in his chair, and who, after giving a few hints on proper be­ havior, generally finished by telling some thrilling incident of one of his voyages.

It has been impossible to make a complete list of "dame," or of "cent" schools.

They were found all over the town and varied in size and length of life. In a house that stood on the now vacant lot on the corner of Centre and Broad Sts. a school was kept by two daughters of Ebenezer Calef, a deacon of the North church.

More fa­ miliar to this audience are the names of Alice Mitchell and Hepsibeth Hussey, who had schools in this building.

Without reference to dates, we may mention Mrs. Calder and daughter, Mrs. Abrams, Betsey Hallett, Mrs. Frederick Starbuck,

CENT SCHOOLS

45

Sarah Easton, Judith Folger, Mary Joy Cottle, Mrs. Phebe Baker, Mrs. Paddack, Mrs. Creasy, Mrs. Rebecca A. Coffin, Mrs. Myrick, Mrs. Moses Folger, Mary Bunker Coleman, Delia M. Hussey and her assistant, P. A. Coffin, now Mrs. Hannaford, (Aunt) Anne Ray, (Aunt) Anne Macy.

Dame schools and cent schools have all vanished, but they played an important part in the story of Nantucket.

In these days of kindergarten, nature teaching, and manual training these early schools seem crude and old-fashioned, yet the testimony of many of us will show that they were happy places for the little folks.

We learned to read and to spell at an early age, and with these simple lessons we were daily taught the value of honesty, kindness, and re­ spect for those in authority.

HELEN A. GARDNER.

Publications of Nantucket Historical Association.

Quakerism on Nantucket since 1800, by Henry Barnard Worth.

Vol. 1, No. 1, 1896 Timothy White Papers, by Rev. Myron Samuel Dudley.

Vol. 1, No. 2, 1898.

Nantucket Lands and Land Owners, by Henry Barnard Worth.

Part 1, Vol. 2, No. 1, 1901.

The Settlers, their Homes and Government (Map),

by Henry Barnard Worth. Part2,Vol.2,No.2,1902.

The Indians of Nantucket, by Henry Barnard Worth.

Part 3, Vol. 2, No. 3, 1902.

A Century of Free Masonry on Nantucket, by Alexander Starbuck.

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Nantucket Lands and Land Owners, by Henry Barnard Worth (Illustrated) Part 4, Vol. 2, No. 4, 1906.

PRICE 35 CENTS

Proceedings of First, Second and Third Annual meetings of the Nantucket Historical Association. 1895-6-7.

Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Meeting of the Nan­ tucket Historical Association. 1898.

Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Meeting of the Nantucket Historical Association. 1900.

Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Meeting of the Nan­ tucket Historical Association. 1901.

Proceedings of the Eighth Annual Meeting of the Nan­ tucket Historical Association. 1902.

Proceedings of the Ninth Annual Meeting of the Nantucket Historical Association. 1903.

Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Meeting of the Nantucket Historical Association.

1904.

Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the Nan­ tucket Historical Association, Constitution and list of Members. 1905.

Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the Nan­ tucket Historical Association, with list of Members.

1906.

Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Nan­ tucket Historical Association.

1907.

Proceedings of the Fourteenth Annual Meeting of the Nan­ tucket Historical Association. 1908.

PRICE 10 CENTS EACH Souvenir Postal Cards of interior and exterior views of the Association's Rooms, 3 cents each, 2 for 5 cents.

Above will be fowarded, postpaid, upon application to Miss Susan E. Brock, Curator> Nantucket, Mass.