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THE INQUIRER AND MIRROR PRESS NANTUCKET, MASS. 1911.

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WILLIAM FRANCIS BARNARD. Born at Nantucket, Mass., December 29, 1840.

Elected President of the Nantucket Historical Association, July 19, 1899, which office he filled most faithfully and acceptably up to the time of his decease.

Superintendent of the Five Points House of Industry, of New York, for thirty-three years.

Member of Thomas M. Gardner Post, No. 207, G. A. R. Married to Miss Marianna Sprague, of Nantucket, in 1869.

Died March 20, 1903.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

Nantucket Historical Association SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING July Twenty-sixth, Nineteen Hundred Eleven

THE INQUIRER AND MIRROR PRESS NANTUCKET, MASS. 1911.

ANNUAL MEETING. HE annual meeting of the Nantucket His­ torical Association was held in the Friends' meeting-house, on Wednesday morning, July 26, 1911, and was called to order immediate­ ly after 10 o'clock by the President, Alexan­ der Starbuek of Waltham. In the absence of Mrs. Elizabeth C. Bennett, the Secretary, it became necessary to elect a Secretary Pro Tempore and Miss Annie Bcdfish was chosen.

The Secretary's records were read, approved and ordered incorporated in the "Proceedings." Then fol­ lowed in order the reports of the Treasurer, Curator and Secretary, all showing a healthy and gratifying condi­ tion in the affairs of the association. The President read his annual address, which dealt largely with his report as delegate of the association to the Bay State Historical League, and told of the recognition of the association in the league by the choice of Mr. Starbuek to be secretary of that organization. These were all accepted and ordered incorporated in the Proceedings.

Miss Annie B. Folger reported for the Nominating Committee the following list of nominees to be balloted upon: President— Vice-Presidents—Henry S. Wyer, Dr. Benjamin Sharp, Mrs. Sarah C. Raymond, Mrs. Judith J. Fish, Moses Joy, Henry B. Worth.

8

MINUTES OF MEETING

Secretary— Treasurer—Miss Hannah Hatch.

Curator and librarian—Miss Susan E. Brock.

Councillors for four years—Alanson Swain Barney, Miss Emma Cook.

Councillor for unexpired term of Mrs. Sawyer— Roland B. Hussey.

Auditors—Irving Elting, Miss Harriet Elkins, Ed­ ward A. Fay. She gave as the committee's reason for leaving blank the nominations for President and Secretary, that the committee thought best to refer those matters di­ rectly to the association for its choice. The partial re­ port of the committee was accepted and it was voted to proceed to ballot.

The President appointed for tellers, Messrs. Sever­ ance and Janes. Dr. Sharp immediately nominated Al­ exander Starbuck for President, which nomination was numerously seconded. Similar action was taken in re­ gard to Mrs. Elizabeth C. Bennett for Secretary, and several spoke in a very complimentary manner of the present incumbents of those offices. A motion was made that as many might not be so situated as to be able to write in the names, those ballots which con­ tained no expression of choice should be counted by the tellers for Mr. Starbuck and Mrs. Bennett, respectively.

The President declined to entertain the motion, on the ground that the tellers could only report on the ex­ pression of choice as the ballots showed it; that they had no definite knowledge of why the blanks were not filled in and had no right to exercise their imagination as to what the intention of the voter was.

Pending the report of the tellers and in order to improve the time, the President called upon Dr. Sharp, (who was obliged to return to Boston on the noon boat), to speak on Nantucket's representatives in State and National offices since 1780, and the Doctor gave a very interesting account of what he found in the records of the General Court, supplementing it by presenting to

MINUTES OF MEETING

9

the association a card catalogue, cross-indexed, of the names, terms and offices filled.

This was followed by a brief address by Mrs. Maria L. Owen, in which she criticized, both vigorously and humorously, the tampering with the names of streets which Nantucket had undergone. She instanced par­ ticularly New Dollar lane, Saratoga street and West­ minster street as instances of nomenclatory freaks. Her brief remarks were pungent and witty.

The tellers not being quite ready to report, the President called on Mrs. Morgan to report regarding the prizes awarded to High School pupils for the best two essays on subjects connected with Nantucket his­ tory. She stated that for some reason there had been much delay on the part of others outside of the commit­ tee in informing the pupils of the competition and its conditions. As a result, probably, of the very brief pe­ riod, the judges had received but three essays and they were of so nearly equal excellence that the selection was difficult. The awards as finally made were: First prize to John Conway, whose subject was "Nantucket Whaling," and second to Max Wagner, who took as his subject "Nantucket in the Revolution." The President then called up the young men, both of whom were pres­ ent, and, in behalf of the association, presented them the prizes awarded, expressing the hope that it would stimulate their interest in the history of the island and town.

The tellers reported the number of ballots cast as 77, of which the printed portion received the full vote and Mr. Starbuck and Mrs. Bennett each received 76, a re­ sult which seemed highly satisfactory to those present.

The Association chose as a nominating committee for the ensuing year:—William F. Codd, Joseph C. Brock, Mrs. Richard P. White, Mrs. Ellen Swain, Miss Hattie Chase.

The President then read an interesting paper on "A Riotous Town Meeting," which occurred in Nantucket in 1814 and of which the town records give no hint.

The annual reception was held in the afternoon, be-

10

MINUTES OF MEETING

tween the hours of 4 and 6, in the Athletic Club hall, and was in charge of a very efficient committee, of which Miss Annie Bodfish was chairman. From 150 to 200 members and guests were in attendance. Refresh­ ments were served and an orchestra of three young la­ dies furnished exceptionally good music.

In the evening the Council met in the Friends' Meeting-House and the customary standing committees were chosen, as follows:— Finance Committee—Dr. John S.Grouard, Mr.Lauriston Bunker, Miss Susan E. Brock.

Publication Committee—Miss Susan E. Brock, Mrs. Stokeley Morgan, Dr. Benjamin Sharp.

Building Committee—Mr. Alanson S. Barney, Mr. Henry S. Wyer, Miss Susan E. Brock.

Annual Meeting Committee—Dr. Benjamin Sharp, Mrs. Sarah C. Raymond, Miss Emma Cook, Mr. Henry B. Worth, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Bennett.

New Work Committee—Dr. Benjamin Sharp, Mrs. Stokeley Morgan, Mr. Alexander Starbuck, Miss Annie W. Bodfish, Dr. Anne Blossom, with power to add to their number.

Siasconset Committee—Miss Annie B. Folger, Mr. Roland B. Hussey, Mr. Alanson Barney.

11

SECRETARY'S REPORT Mr. President, Members of the Nantucket Historical Association: In early reports, when our Association was in its youth, it was in order to say, "We are prophecy." Now at this, our seventeenth anniversary, I think that we can truly say, "We are history;" for the second decade of a corporate life in this country seems fairly venera­ ble—and we have passed well on toward the completion of the second cycle of ten. We are history, indeed, and good history, too, if we do say it, but we should, after all, miss the real truth of the situation if we did not realize that at the same time we are still prophecy, as we were in our first days; for, if our purpose is at all seri­ ous, we must look forward to our existence as a society in the time when the tens shall have grown to hun­ dreds.

As an association grows older and annual reports multiply, the tale of routine business may seem to be the same from year to year, but in reality it is not.

Every year brings its peculiar problems and calls forth in its own way special enthusiasm.

Immediately after the annual meeting the Council is each year organized afresh. The session of organi­ zation last July resulted in the appointment of the fol­ lowing committees:— On Finance—Dr. J. S. Grouard, Miss S. E. Brock, Mr. Lauriston Bunker.

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SECRETARY'S REPORT

On Publication— Miss S. E. Brock, Dr. Benjamin Sharp, Mrs. Stokeley Morgan.

On Buildings—Mr. M. F. Freeborn, Mr. H.S.Wyer, Miss S. E. Brock.

On Annual Meeting—Miss A. W. Bodfish, Mr. John B. Folger, Dr. Benjamin Sharp, Mr. A. B. Lamberton, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Bennett.

On New Work^-Mx. John B. Folger, Miss Mary E. Starbuck, Mrs. Stokeley Morgan, Dr. Benjamin Sharp, Miss Emily Weeks, Mr. Alexander Starbuck, Dr. Anne Blossom.

Including the meeting to organize, there have been four meetings of the Council during the past year.

Apart from considerations in regard to the proper care of our property, the thoughts of the Council have been practically entirely directed to the question of new work—a most important side to our life, as it has often been pointed out from this "high seat." In this con­ nection, methods of completing the catalogue of Nan­ tucket cemeteries have received painstaking discussion.

It seems probable that the undertaking in hand will soon be satisfactorily concluded.

On recommendation from the committee on New Work, that twenty-five dollars be set aside each year for the purchase of local town histories and for books relating to the history of Nantucket, the Council voted that Mr. Alexander Starbuck, our President, have full charge in this matter, with power to act.

On similar recommendation it was voted: "That the Nantucket Historical Association offer two prizes— five dollars, or value, and three dollars, or value, re­ spectively—to be given to members of the graduating class of the Nantucket High School for the two best es­ says on Nantucket history, the essays receiving prizes to become the property of the Nantucket Historical As­ sociation." The secretary duly notified the school authorities of this action and received a reply accepting the offer of the Association. It is by extending our borders in such ways that we may become more efficient in our work.

SECRETARY'S REPORT

13

The membership list of the Association at the close of the fiscal year stands thus:— Life Councillors 4 60 Life Members 263 Annual Members The sad list of those whom we have lost by death has ten names this year, namely: Mrs. James Alden, Col. George M. Brayton, Mr. Silas B. Coleman, Mr. Paulino Echeverria, Mrs. Roland Gardner, Mr. Harold C. Kimball, Mrs. Sarah Penniman, Miss Mary Abby Starbuck, Miss Sarah B. Swain, Mrs. Rebecca C. Wyer.

To make mention of these names brings to mind the thought of the many, almost a host, who were char­ ter members, without whose help and zeal this Associa­ tion would never have come into being. Indeed, in our membership list, from the first days until now, we have one of our most valued traditions. In poring oyer that list, a genuine Nantucketer may find great delight, for many of the names given there in full put us at once in touch with the early history of Nantucket by telling the story of inter-marriages and relationships of which we never tire. It is a pleasure merely to see those old family names.

I hardly like to dwell on this satisfaction, however, for that seems not to be fair to those others whose names appear on that list—those, I mean, who,y without any definite connection with Nantucket, by blood, birth or marriage, have, for love of the island and of our cause, given to us generously of their money and enthusiasm. It is hard to express adequately fhe grati­ tude which we feel toward these.

Truly we long for more members, and we probably ought to make this fact more generally known. I have, alas, heard it remarked: "I wish that I were a Nan­ tucketer, in order that I might join the Historical As­ sociation!" Let us by all means avoid all that might seem to give us an exclusive air and let us show our friends outside how much we need them and how easy it is to become one of us.

Respectfully submitted, ELIZABETH C. BENNETT, Secretary.

14

CURATOR'S REPORT Mr. President and Friends: In looking over the record of the year which closes today, we find that only once in our history (when we moved into our new building) has the curator spent a more active season. Early in the fall, there seemed to be a great increase of interest in genealogy, owing to our recent acquisition of the William C. Folger records, and letters began to pour in, asking information of va­ rious kinds. We have spent much time and labor dur­ ing the whole year, searching out and copying data and answering these letters. It was considered best to charge a small fee for this work, thus bringing in a revenue, which, though not large as yet, bids fair to increase, and to be of help to us in the future. This is especially desirable, as the Council voted that these rec­ ords should all be copied.

When this decision was reached, we were so for­ tunate as to receive a most generous offer from our es­ teemed member, Mrs. Helen B. Worth, who was her­ self a noted genealogist. She offered to freely give her services in the work of making an accurate and alpha­ betically arranged transcript of the old books. This work she was engaged upon when the '' Great Reaper'' suddenly came, and, to our great loss and sorrow, we were bereft of her aid forever.

The work was about one-third completed and it be­ came necessary for us to employ a copyist to finish it.

It is slow and difficult work for those who are not ac­ customed to the task of deciphering ancient records,

CURATOR'S REPORT

15

but fair progress has been made, and we hope another season will show its completion.

Amongst things accomplished this year, may be mentioned the revision of our loan catalogue. In our sixteen years' existence, many loans have been made and many withdrawn at dilferent times, thus changing the numbering of articles, leaving many vacant places and causing much confusion. The entire catalogue has been re-written, the arrangement of entries changed so that the names of lenders are numbered instead of the articles, the latter all newly labelled and an alphabeti­ cal index made, thus making it possible to locate the loans more readily and to insert new ones without dis­ arranging the old numbers.

The new donations to the collection have been fully up to the average in number and value. A few of these may be mentioned, as follows: Four interesting log-books, six beautiful pieces of ancient needlework, four diamond window panes from the house of Nathan­ iel and Mary Starbuck, three large oil portraits, some beautiful miniatures, one valuable marine painting, two finely made "swifts" and a few other good pieces of "scrim-shont" work in ivory.

We have also received a very generous donation from Mr. and Mrs. Alexander H. Seaverns, consisting of more than fifty articles. About half of these were al­ ready in our collection as loans, but now become our own, with the addition of as many more of great value and historical interest. Among the latter are four pieces which formed a part of a set of fine china, deco­ rated with the rare design of the Seal of the United States, and brought home by Capt. Reuben Joy of Nan­ tucket, in 1804. Strange to say, we had purchased four pieces of this same set, last summer, from another descendant of the family, thus repeating the remarkable coincidence that happened once before, of reuniting parts of a set of china, which had been divided and scattered far over land and sea, only to come together again finally on our shelves. We have purchased some china and a few small articles of ivory, but have not

16

CURATOR'S REPORT

made any large expenditures in this way.

A circumstance has occurred which emphasizes in an impressive manner the wisdom of our founder and faithful counsellor, Rev. Myron S. Dudley. He always insisted that everything which came to us should be preserved, whether of apparent value or not. When the Atheneum collection was deposited here, some arti­ cles that were not marked and appeared to be of no special historical interest, were rolled up and placed in the basement, for further consideration. There they remained undisturbed until two years ago, when a visitor noticed projecting from the bundle a corner of something which interested her. She went to the at­ tendant in charge and inquired if we did not value the Indian blanket which seemed to be rolled up there. It was taken out at her suggestion and spread where it could be seen—still in the basement.

Last summer it was seen by an expert in such mat­ ters who chanced to be here, and whose interest was aroused immediately. To our surprise, he pronounced it a fine specimen of a Chilcoot blanket. These are no longer made and it is rarely that one is found in such perfect condition. He told us that the Peabody Insti­ tute had recently purhcased a smaller and very imper­ fect one for $250.00 and assured us that ours was worth much more and ought to be carefully mounted in a tightly closed case to preserve it from the ravages of moths, etc.

So, although the moths had never disturbed it, dur­ ingthe many years when its value was unsuspected while hanging in the Atheneum, or when rolled up in our basement, we felt that this disinterested advice should be followed, and now you may see it, rescued trom its ignominious retreat, placed behind glass doors, ana pointed out with pride as one of our most valuable acquisitions. This story does not reflect great credit on the perspicacity of your officials, but seems too good to keep to ourselves, especially as it points a moral so con­ vincingly, and the experience will undobutedly be of service in the future.

CURATOR'S REPORT

17

Our venture at Siasconset proved quite successful.

The committee in charge worked indefatigably and had a very fair exhibition ready when the house was opened to the public. It naturally takes time for such a place to become well known and appreciated, and the atten­ dance was not large, but the receipts were sufficient to cover the running expenses, and this, for the first year, was more than we expected, and was most gratifying.

The season has opened very favorably this year, under the same management, and we feel that the good work is well started in 'Sconset, and will grow with each year that passes.

We have formed a few plans for the coming year.

Besides finishing the copying and binding of the Folger records, we hope to have our files of local newspapers bound up to date, as it is over five years since this work was done.

We are contemplating the purchase of some rare and beautiful china, which was an heirloom in an old Nantucket family, and has recently been placed on the market. We shall endeavor to obtain as much of this as the state of our finances will allow.

There will also probably be a new bulletin issued soon, as Mr. Henry B. Worth has completed another part of his great work. This number will contain "Abstracts of Wills from the Probate Office," bringing this subject down to 1820, and will consist of from for­ ty to fifty pages.

And so we press on, as each year, opening out be­ fore us, brings something new to be accomplished, and we feel that thus our existence is justified and we are fulfilling our mission to the best of our strength and ability.

Respectfully submitted, SUSAN E. BROCK, Curator.

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TREASURER'S REPORT. CREDITS. Balance on hand June 15, 1910 Membership dues for 1911 Membership dues for 1912 Membership dues previous to 1911 Life membership fees Admission fees Historical Rooms Admission fees Siasconset House Admission fees Old Mill Rent of Room, Siasconset House Rent of Lot Cash Drawn fromMiddleboro Savings Bank Cash drawn from New Bedford Institution for Savings Interest drawn from People's Savings Bank, Worcester Interest drawn from Bristol County Savings Bank Sale of Bulletins, etc.

Discount on Bill for Annual Reports

$ .31 114.00 128.00 5.00 30.00 307.95 28.95 26.65 24.00 15.00 1,000.00 785.00 40.40 40.40 48.07 2.97 $2,596.70

Siasconset House Recording Deed Gas Bill Water Bill F1^

DEBITS.

$1,500.00 50 o qq q'qo 5! 00

TREASURER'S REPORT

0. W. Humes, carpenter's bill Subscription Inquirer and Mirror Inquirer and Mirror, printing and advertising Inquirer and Mirror, printing and advertising Inquirer and Mirror, printing and advertising Inquirer and Mirror, printing and advertising Sullivan & Crocker, record books Francis Auld, show case Freight Bill Photographs A. G. Brock, Insurance, Siasconset House A. G. Brock, Insurance, Siasconset House collection A. G. Brock, Insurance, Mill A. G. Brock, Insurance Historical (frame building) A. G. Brock, Insurance Historical (frame building) A. G. Brock, Insurance Collection Reception Bills Inquirer and Mirror, Annual Reports Stamps Postage—Secretary Cash—Curator for incidentals Sundries Cash Coal Co., coal W. B. Marden, plumbing C. F. Whelden, cleaning N. E. Lowell, mason work—Mill M. F. Freeborn, paint and repairs C. A. Sawyer, repairing furniture Goodspeed's Book Shop, Massachusetts Histories Travelling expenses, Mrs. Mathews, speaker Board Bill, Mrs. Mathews, speaker Carriage hire, Mrs. Mathews, speaker Dennison Co., clasp envelopes A. S. Wait, old china Capstan Light Jigging Knife

19

22.63 2.00 4.60 6.50 4.75 1.25 9.85 12.00 1.54 2.50 15.75 3.00 10.70 6.00 5.25 18.00 51.51 99.25 10.00 10.00 10.00 1.35 4.00 2.75 12.90 6.50 4.02 2.25 25.00 4.96 8.00 1.25 4.00 35.00 1-00 2.00

20

TREASURER'S REPORT

Bone Napkin Rings Old Spectacles A. M. Winslow, sampler Typewriting Report Stationary Sundries Bay State League Dues Pictures and Frames Relics C. L. Holley, old china Salary of Curator Salary of Treasurer Salary of Secretary Salaries of 2 attendants, room, Fair St., 14 weeks each Salary of attendant, Siasconset house,11 weeks Salary of Janitor Extra services of Janitor Balance to New Account

1.50 1.00 5.00 .60 .35 .90 2.00 2.25 2.50 16.00 100.00 75.00 50.00 168.00 44.00 60.00 41.95 86.29 $2,596.70

SUMMARY. J~LSS@ts '

Fireproof Building $8,500.00 Meeting House 1,500.00 Old Mill 1,000.00 Collection, Insurance 1,000.00 Siasconset House 1,500.00 Siasconset House collection, Insurance 800.00 Susan W. Folger Fund Nantucket Institution for Savings 1,042.94 People's Savings Bank, Worcester 1,000.00 Bristol County Savings Bank 1,000.00 New Bedford Institution for Savings 21.60 3,064.54 Liabilities—None.

$16,864.54

HANNAH G. HATCH, Treasurer.

TREASURER'S REPORT

21

Approved July 8, 1911. The above report of the Nan­ tucket Historical Association for the year ending June 15, 1911.

Irving Elting, H. A. Elkins, Of the Auditing Committee.

MEMBERSHIP. Life Councillors Life Members Annual Members Lost by death, Life Members Life members transferred to Life Councillor New Life Members Lost by death, Annual Members Dropped for non-payment of dues (three years) New Annual Members

4 60 263 4 1 2 6 9 12

1

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PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. Members of the Nantucket Historical Association:— The Seventeenth Annual Meeting of the Association brings us together again to review the work of the past year and to plan for the coming one, that there may be no halting in the progress which has marked the entire life-time of our society.

During the year the Bay State Historical League has held four meetings, all of which, as your delegate, I attended. The first meeting of the year was held on October 22nd, 1910, with the Historical Society of Old Newbury at Newburyport, a town which, from its asso­ ciations, as a part of the old Newbury whence came iristi am Coffin and his wife to Nantucket, is of more than ordinary interest to our people and to our Society, the Historical Society, two months before, dedicated i neS home afid placed in the building its large and valuable collection. Unfortunately the building is of wood and like all such structures, liable to fire from without, making the preservation of its treasures preca­ rious. there were about 50 persons present, repre­ senting 17 societies-Arlington, Brookline, Concord£^lqMnln',Hyde Park. Ipswich, Lynn, Maiden, Med& o ' Peabody, Roxbury, Shepard, South - K, Swampscott, Wakefield, and the local society, of which we were guests. t^nZ\V°?ic f°r discussion was "The Relations BeTh! ^ i e , Historical Society and Its Collections." er 7'', aPPeared to be regularly assigned tn ttJ+Lf-*5 pic, or, at least, the only one who was present,

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

23

was your President, and he read a paper which gave quite in detail the growth of our own collection, a sub­ ject which, while it seemed greatly to interest those present, is too familiar to you for me to make any spec­ ial report upon.

Mr. Fenton, of the Medford Historical Society, de­ scribed somewhat in detail the system of records used by that association.

President Lombard of the local society said that his association refused nothing which was given to it, from bicycles and ox-yokes to ancient china and rare furniture. What was not of direct use could be disposed of and more desirable articles pro­ cured by exchange or with the proceeds. He believed, however, in specializing along definite lines. The Newburyport society has a large military collection, but its best, most rare and valuable treasures are the laces made in Newbury port.

Other speakers were President Martin of the Lynn Society, President Bartlett of Roxbury, Mr. Mowry cf Hyde Park and Mrs. Cheney of South Natick. It was a rainy day and many for that reason were unable to visit the more noted historical localities of the city.

The second meeting of the League for the year was held January 21st of this year with the Dorchester His­ torical Society, in its home, the "Blake House." There were present delegates from the Arlington, Barre, Brookline, Danvers, Hyde Park, Lynn, Lexington, Lowell, Medford, Nantucket, Paul Revere Memorial, Somerville, South Natick and Swampscott societies, besides a goodly delegation from the local association. Again the day was stormy and many were kept away on that account.

The delegates were welcomed by President Humphreys of the Dorchester Society, who spoke in a very lauda­ tory manner of Dorchester and of the Blake House, the home of the local Society. The house, he said, was built prior to 1650, the statements of the exact date varying between 1642 and 1648. When Massachusetts Avenue was laid out, the location was over where the house stood. The Dorchester Historical Society bought it and moved it to its present site. Washington passed

24

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

it on his way to Dorchester Heights; the first school house in America, supported by the people, was with­ in a few rods of its location; seven Governors had lived near by, as well as a President of Harvard College.

The present site was, within his memory, a swamp.

The topic for the day was '' How Can the Condi­ tions of Colonial Life Best be Presented for Study by the Local Historical Societies?" Mr. Frank Smith, of the Dedham Society, opened the discussion. He be­ lieved the Society should consider its locations and sur­ roundings, and find out who the early settlers were and why they came there. They had high ideals of the home, the church, the town; as a rule they were demo­ cratic. The principal distinctions were on the lines of education and wealth. They established government of, for and by the people; then came delegated authori­ ty to Selectmen. Mr. Smith claimed that Dedham es­ tablished, January 1st, 1645. the first free school to be supported by taxation; the Dorchester school, he said, was supported by revenue derived from an island.

The local society should consider the environment of the early settlers; the conditions regarding their In­ dian neighbors; the training fields where the whites drilled to protect themselves from the Indians. From the Red Men they received foods, such as maize; cloth­ ing, such as snowshoes; a medium of exchange, such as wampum. The early church should be considered.

Marriage was a civil contract, performed, not by minis­ ters,_ but by justices of the peace. Ministers did not officiate at funerals, but they did act as physicians. * |he_re was no Bible reading in the churches prior to 1755; no regularly framed houses in the Massachusetts Bay Colony until a saw-mill was established in what is now Wellesley There was a tendency to wander from the special topic. Mr. Smith was followed by James H. Stark, vice-president of the Dorchester Society, who stated that the Puritans were not democratic, and that the mass of the people had no voice in the government, the Pilgrims, he asserted, were the more democratic, ana tor sixty years they were loyal to the govern-

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

25

ment, while the Puritans were not. He said the Blake House was built about 1642. The Town Records of 1672 contain an item about "a house built like Deacon Blake's." The material is native oak, which is very different from the English oak. Other speakers fol­ lowed, but not in line with the announced subject. A light collation was served after the meeting.

The third meeting of the year was held April 22d last with the Arlington Historical Society at Arlington.

The delegates were welcomed by Judge James P. Parmenter, President of the society. The topic of the day was "How Far Should a Local Historical Society Con­ fine Itself to Local Topics?" The discussion was opened by President Chick, of the Hyde Park Society, who said that ten or twelve years ago there was quite a evival in historical interest. After the first enthusiasm was abated, societies settled down to business. The work of a society is not alone to note what has been done or to collect curios. Historic spots may be marked, pedigrees worked out, facts fixed, but how many of these are really worthy of remembrance?

Some events seem to interested parties to be of much importancre, but the community at large, perhaps, does not so regard them. Localities are soon marked and then the interest is over. The field should be broad enough to cover the general study of history. An ef­ fort should be made to have in all historical societies a library of reference for the students. Unless the field is broadened, it soon becomes overworked. Data con­ cerning local historic events, persons and things should be preserved in the archives of local historical socie­ ties. Valuable data should be printed. Curios are_ val­ uable as types of different epochs. Topics of old times and places are of interest, but not necessarily localized.

The local society is the place to make and study his­ tory. The more informed the citizen is the better is his citizenship.

Judge Parmenter said he could undertsand why, as Hyde Park had no special history, the society must broaden out to live. Perhaps many events in local his­ tory may of themselves seem to us unimportant, and

26

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

yet they really had in their day an importance and may have had an effect. He thought the back-bone of work at meetings should be on local lines. The 19th of April was largely a local affair, and yet Danvers was represented and that society might well have a paper on April 19th. Many broad things may have so local an application that they must have a special local in­ terest.

Ex-President Eddy, of Medford. criticized Mr. Chick's position and regretted that he did not move into a town that had a history. In Medford they have occa­ sionally tiken up some outside topic to develop interest in all parties. They may fail to secure writers in Med­ ford, but they never run out of subjects. Your Presi­ dent spoke of the abundant field offered in the Nantuck­ et Society and thought there should be no lack of topics in any organization that really sought for them. He asked the first speaker what earthly excuse the local association had for living if it was not to develop pure­ ly local history, and the question brought out the fact that the vast preponderance of sentiment was against the position taken by Mr. Chick.

Other speakers were Mr. Mann of Medford, Mr. Albree of Swampscott, Mrs. Cheney of South Natick, and Mr. Watkins of Maiden. Mr. Watkins said the Maiden Society had no local topic for years and it be­ came affected with creeping paralysis.

The local soci­ ety certainly should devote most of its time to local his­ tory. Early records are incomplete. People have died who could have given us much valuable information.

Maiden is losing its old families and becoming cosmo­ politan.

There were present at Arlington delegates from Hyde Park, Leominster, Danvers, Br'ookline, Nantucket, Swampscott, Somerville, South Natick, Lynn, Arling­ ton, Medford, Canton, Cambridge, Lowell, Maiden and Wakefield.

The annual meeting of the League was held on June 24th with the Dover Historical Society. It is well equipped, with a small building of its own, built of brick and standing by itself in a pretty little grove.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

27

The following named societies were represented: Ar­ lington, Brookline, Shepard, Old Newbury, Hyde Park, Lynn Medfield, New Braintree, Medford, Dedham, Nantucket, Somerville, South Natick and Dover.

The only business planned was the annual reports and election of officers. The reports showed a satisfac­ tory condition. Secretary Ayer, who has served the League as its President and Secretary continuously from its origin in 1903, read an interesting resume of the League's history. He absolutely declined a re-elec­ tion. .

At the election of officers, Charles G. Chick, Esq., President of the Hyde Park Society, was chosen Presi­ dent, and Judge James P. Parmenter, of the Arlington Society, Vice-President. The Nantucket Association was recognized by the election of your President to be Secretary. It was voted to request a report of its pro­ ceedings from every Society comprising the League.

The usual simple collation was served in the grove.

There seemed to be a desire shown to hold the annual meeting of the League next June with our Nantucket Association and I would suggest that the needed invita­ tion be extended. The expense involved is trivial.

An invitation to attend the Boston meeting of the American Association of Museums came at a time when a very serious illness in my family made it impossible for me to attend; consequently I can make no report ot what took place on that occasion.

The report of the Curator tells you of additions to our collection during the past year. I am glad to report that a good start has been made in the direction 01 adding to our library such local histories, especially ot Massachusetts municipalities, as can yet be secured.

Such works, because of the preliminary labor and ex­ pense involved in their publication,and the very limited demand for them, are almost invariably printed m sma editions, and in time become rare and valuable, i seems to me wise to continue to add a few each yeaL our library, as our income may allow. We were enable to make a particularly advantageous bargain during t e

28

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

past year with a Boston dealer who makes a specialty of such collections.

It is inevitable, in an Association like ours, which numbers among its members many who have passed over the divide and are journeying along the declivity of life, that each year should see some passing away, and the report of our Secretary has shown you that we have lost some valued associates.

The Committee on New Work has fully justified its appointment during the past year. There is much that it is capable of suggesting, for many channels of useful­ ness open up to a committee which believes in itself.

I am informed that the Town Clerk has in manu­ script form, suitable for binding, certified copies of the Town's Records covering the first two books and includ­ ing the years from 1662 to 1825, and which he is willing to dispose of at a reasonable price. I would suggest that the Council consider the matter of opening negoti­ ations with him, to see on what terms he will dispose of them, and whether the Association can afford to purchase what would be a very valuable addition to our collection.

Finally—another year is opening before us,with its work and its possibilities. We need to press on united­ ly, harmoniously and vigorously, under such leaders as you may be pleased this day to elect.

29

NANTUCKET'S REPRESENTATIVES in National and State Legislatures.

BY BENJAMIN SHARP. The following list has been made up from the rec­ ords in the State Library at Boston and commences in the year 1780. The first three years Nantucket had no representation whatever, as was also the case in 1847, the year after the great fire.

The greatest representation was in the years 1809 and 1810, when the island had nine Representatives, one State Senator and one United States Congressman.

In all, Nantucket has had four Representatves in the National Congress, two Presidential Electors. Six were sent from the island to the Constitutional Con­ vention in 1820 and two in 1853.

From Nantucket there has been elected one State Treasurer (1797 to 1801); one State Auditor (1855); and four to the Governor's Council (1838, 1848-49, 1858 and 1872-74).

In 55 years Nantucket has had Senatorial Repre­ sentation—the last (William Barney) in 1856.

The living ex-Representatives are: Henry Paddack—1878-1881, four years.

Henry Riddell—1888, one year.

Arthur H. Gardner—1891-92 and 1900-1904,sev­ en years.

John J. Gardner—1895-97, three years.

NANTUCKET'S REPRESENTATIVES

David B. Andrews—1899, one year.

Ellenwood B. Coleman-1907-1909, three years.

1780-82 No Representative.

1783 Alexander Coffin.

Peleg Coffin, Jr. 1809 Stephen Hussey.

1784 Alexander Coffin.

Peleg Coffin, Jr. Stephen Paddaek.

1785 Timothy Polger.

Peleg Coffin, Jr., Senator.

1786-87 George Hussey.

Peleg Coffin, Jr., Senator.

1788 No Representative.

Matthew Mayhew, Sen­

ator.

Uriah Swain.

Gorham George Hussey,

Senator.

George Cannon.

Micajah Coffin.

Shubael Coffin.

Jedediah Pitch.

Micajah Gardner.

Archelaus Hammond.

Martin Tyler Morton.

Uriah Swain.

Daniel Whitney.

Walter Folger, Jr., Sen­

ator.

Peleg Coffin, Jr. Alexander Gardner.

1810 Isaac Coffin, Senator.

1790 Alexander Gardner.

Peleg Coffin, Senator.

1791 Micajah Coffin.

Alexander Gardner.

Peleg Coffin, Jr., Senator.

1792 Micajah Coffin.

Peleg Coffin, Jr., Senator.

1793—94 Micajah Coffin.

Peleg Coffin, Jr., U. S.

Gideon

1795

Gideon

1789

1796

Congress.

Micajah Coffin.

Peleg Coffin, Jr., Senator

and U. S. Congress.

1811

Micajah Coffin.

Peleg Coffin, Jr., Senator.

1797-99 Micajah Coffin.

Peleg Coffin, Jr., Treas­

urer.

1800

Mieajah Coffin.

Isaac Coffin, Senator.

Peleg Coffin, Jr., Treas­

1801

Micajah Coffin.

Peleg Coffin, Jr., Treas­

urer.

1802—07 Micajah Coffin.

Isaac Coffin, Senator.

1808 Micajah Coffin.

Walter Polger, Jr.

ator.

Gardner, V. S.

Congress.

George Cannon.

Micajah Coffin.

Shubael Coffin.

Jedediah Pitch.

Obed Polger.

Mieajah Gardner.

Archelaus Hammond.

Coffin Whippey.

Walter Polger, Jr., Sen­ Gideon

Gardner,

Congress.

1812

TJ. S.

George Cannon.

Micajah Coffin.

Shubael Coffin.

Jedediah Pitch.

Obed Polger.

George Gardner, 2'd.

Micajah Gardner.

Archelaus Hammond.

Daniel Whitney.

Walter Polger, Jr., Sen­

ator.

urer.

Gardner,

Congress.

George Cannon.

Mieajah Coffin.

Shubael Coffin.

Simeon Colemen.

Jedediah Pitch.

TJ. S.

NANTUCKET'S REPRESENTATIVES Obed Folger.

Mieaiah Gardner.

Archelaus Hammond.

Coffin Whippey.

Walter Folger, Jr., Sen­ ator.

Gilbert Coffin.

1813 Walter Folger, Jr., Sen­ ator.

Mica jab Gardner.

1814 Walter Folger, Jr., Sen­ ator.

Mica.iah Gardner.

1815 Thaddeus Coffin, Senator.

Tliaddeus Coffin.

1816 1817-18 Micajah Gardner.

Walter Folger, Jr., V. S. Congress.

Jonathan Jenkins Barney.

1819 Walter Folger, Jr., V. S. Congress.

Barker Burnell, Constitu­ 1820 tional Convention.

Hezekiah Barnard, Con­ stitutional Convention.

Gideon Folger, Constitu­ tional Convention.

Josiali Hussey, Constitu­ tional Convention.

Jethro Mitchell, Constitu­ tional Convention.

William Bunker Mitchell, Constitutional Conven­ tion.

William Coffin, Represen­ tative.

Barker Burnell.

1821 Francis Gardner Maey.

Jethro Mitchell.

George Myrick, Senator.

1 f:92 Barker Burnell.

Walter Folger, Jr., Sen­ ator.

Hezekiah Barnard.

1823 Gideon Folger.

Barker Burnell, Senator.

Jethro Mitchell, Senator.

Francis Gardner Maey.

1824 Francis Gardner Maey.

1825 Barker Burnell, Senator.

31

1826-27 Hezekiah Barnard.

Barker Burnell, Senator.

1828 Peter Chase.

Barker Burnell, Senator.

1829 Hezekiah Barnard.

Jared Coffin.

George Washington Gard­ ner.

James Mitchell.

Seth Pinkham.

Barker Burnell, Senator.

1830 Isaac Folger.

George Washington Gard­ ner.

Seth Pinkham.

Barker Burnell, Senator.

1831 Hezekiah Barnard.

David Baxter.

Isaac Folger.

Barker Burnell, Senator.

1832 David Baxter.

John Coffin Briggs.

Isaac Folger.

1833

1834

1835

Barker Burnell, Senator.

David Baxter.

John Coffin Briggs.

Jared Coffin.

Isaac Folger.

David Joy. George Myrick.

Seth Pinkham.

Barker Burnell, Senator.

Frederick Arthur.

David Baxter.

John Coffin Briggs.

Jared Coffin.

William Redwood Easton.

George Myrick.

Seth Pinkham.

Seth Freeman Swift.

David Joy, Senator.

David Baxter.

John Coffin Briggs.

George Marshall Bunker.

Thaddeus Coffin.

William Redwood Easton.

Roland Hussey.

William Jenkins.

Seth Pinkham.

William Watson.

32

3836

1837

1838

1839

1840

1841

NANTUCKET'S REPRESENTATIVES Samuel Haynes Jenks, Senator.

Frederick Arthur.

John Coffin Briggs.

George Marshall Bunker.

William Redwood Easton.

Benjamin Gardner.

Samuel Haynes Jenks.

William Jenkins.

Seth Pinkham.

William Watson.

Frederick Arthur.

John Coffin Briggs.

George Marshall Bunker.

Jared Coffin.

Benjamin Gardner.

William Jenkins.

George Bruce TJpton.

William Watson.

David Joy, Senator.

George Marshall Bunker.

William Redwood Easton.

William Seabury French.

William Watson.

Daniel Whitney.

Barker Burnell, Senator.

David Joy, Governor's Council.

George Bradburn.

Isaac Brayton.

John Coffin Briggs.

Samuel Haynes Jenks.

Frederick Cartwrigtt Macy.

Josiah Swain.

George Bruce Upton, Sen­ ator.

George Bradburn.

John Coffin Briggs.

Benjamin Gardner.

Samuel Haynes Jenks.

David Joy. William Bunker Mitchell.

George Bruce Upton, Senator.

George Bradburn.

John Coffin Briggs.

Benjamin Gardner.'

George Bruce Upton.

Barker Burnell, XJ. S. Congress.

1842

1843

1844

1845

1846

1847 1848

1849

1850

Obed Barney.

Charles Gardner Coggeshall.

George Gill Folger.

David Joy. Barker Burnell, U. S. Congress.

David Baker.

Obed Barney.

Hiram Banett Dennis.

George Gill Folger.

George Bruce Upton, Sen­ ator.

Barker Burnell, U. S. Congress.

David Baker.

George Gill Folger.

Daniel Jones, Jr. Charles Wood.

Obed Barney, Senator.

David Bake'r.

George Harris.

William Coffin Starbuck.

Charles Wood.

William Mitchell, Senator.

George Harris.

Justin Lawrence.

Barker Burnell, Jr., Sen­ ator.

No Representative.

David Baker.

William Barney.

Justin Lawrence.

Joseph Mitchell.

John Elkins, Presidential Elector.

William Mitchell, Gover­ nor's Council.

William Barney.

Joseph Mitchell.

John Morissey.

William Coffin Starbuck.

John Elkins, Senator.

William Mitchell, Gover­ nor's Council.

William Barney.

Edward Wyer Cobb.

Reuben Meader.

Joseph Mitchell.

William Coffin Starbuck, Senator.

NANTUCKET'S REPRESENTATIVES 1851

1852 1853

1854

1855

1856

1857

1858

1859 1860

James Harkey Briggs.

Reuben Meader.

Obed Swain.

William Barney, Senator.

James Harkey Briggs.

Henry Clay Worth.

William Barney, Senator.

George Howland Folger.

Reuben Meader.

Josiah Swain.

James Easton, 2d, Consti­

1861

Edward Hammond.

Josiah Swain.

David Wood.

Joseph Mitchell, Senator.

Charles Hussey Brock.

William Cushman Bunker.

John Elkins.

Edward Hammond.

Joseph Mitchell, Auditor.

Edward Hammond.

John Morissey.

John Hussey Shaw.

William Barney, Senator.

Edward Hammond.

John Morissey.

John Hussey Shaw.

William Wyer Wood.

Joseph Mitchell.

Peleg Ray. Charles Wood.

John Morissey, Gover­

1868 1869 1870 1871

1862 1863 1864 1865 1866

tutional Convention.

Alanson Swain, Constitu­ 1867 tional Convention.

1872

33

Elisha Smith.

Alfred Swain.

Andrew Jackson Morton.

Elisha Smith.

Charles Frederic Brown.

Andrew Jackson Morton.

Reuben Pinkham Folger.

Elisha Smith.

Reuben Pinkham Folger.

Joseph Mitchell, 2d.

Isaac Hussey Folger.

Joseph Mitchell, 2d.

William Henry Waitt.

Andrew Whitney.

William Henry Waitt.

Isaiah Freeman Robinson.

Reuben Pinkham Folger.

Robert Folger Gardner.

Andrew Pinkham.

Robert Folger Gardner.

Alfred Macy, Governor's Council.

1873-74 Edward MeCleave.

Alfred Macy, Governor's

1875-76 1877 1878-81 1882-83 1884-87 1888 1889-90 1891-92 1893-94 1895-97 1898 nor's Council.

1899 James Eranklin Cobb.

1900-04 Peleg Ray. 1905-06 John Thompson.

1907 09 Charles Wood.

Alfred Macy, Presidential 1910-11

Council.

Joseph Mitchell, 2d.

Charles Bunker Swain.

Henry Paddack.

Josiah Freeman.

John William Hallett.

Henry Riddell.

Anthony Smalley.

Arthur Hinton Gardner.

Anthony Smalley.

John Jackson Gardner.

Rollin Morris Allen.

David Barnard Andrews.

Arthur Hinton Gardner.

William Chase Dunham.

Ellenwood Bunker Coleman Benjamin Sharp

Elector.

I

34

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING.

BY ALEXANDER STARBUCK

I think that no one who has ever consulted town records as a source of historical information can have failed to note with exceeding regret their meagreness, amounting almost to niggardliness, of detail in the nar­ ration of most important events. It often seems as though a little more minuteness in recording the pro­ ceedings would not only show the general attitude on important subjects, but would clear up disputed points as to the intent of votes which of necessity are matters of record. It always has seemed to me as though the Town or City Clerk who limits his records to a mere narration of votes alone does not perform his full duty, either to his fellow citizens or to posterity.

Other reasons than merely the reluctance of the Town Clerk to amplify his records operated to make those of Nantucket particularly brief and uninforming.

The desire of our Quaker ancestors to avoid saying or doing those things which might be construed as derog­ atory to the good name, or an aspersion on the motives of a fellow-citizen, led to the suppression of much that would have an important bearing on historical events which occurred cotemporaneously or subsequently.

This spirit shows itself also in Obed Macy's History of Nantucket, which, under ordinary circumstances, would

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

35

be judged to be as remarkable for what it does not say as it is interesting in the facts it does record.

Occa­ sionally it seems as though the evident partisan bias of the Town Clerk gave him so implicit a confidence that nothing good could come out of Nazareth, that matters which in the ordinary routine of business should have been recorded are not even hinted at.

Many of these unrecorded events are so interwoven with the history of the island that some things can be fully explained only by reference to previous conditions and their effects upon individuals. It may well be queried whether political parties on Nantucket in for­ mer times were not divided on lines of cleavage sug­ gested as much by the quarrels between the original purchasers and the half shares men, as by affiliations with New York or the Massachusetts Bay Colony; as much by the antagonisms engendered by the robbery of the Nantucket Bank as on the National lines of Feder­ alist and Democrat.

It has seemed to me that even m later days the question of free schools or paid tuition and similar matters of local interest, to a very consider­ able extent, determined party affiiliations. In reaching some of these conclusions the records of the earlier co­ lonial days afford a better ground for argument than do those of later years.

To read the records of the Town covering the early Revolutionary and War of 1812 periods, one would scarcely know that in one the nation was struggling for its life and in the other was fighting for its emancipa­ tion. Up to April 9, 1779, practically four years after the struggle for independence began, there seems to be absolutely nothing in the records referring directly or indirectly to the war; and yet several communications had passed between the Selectmen and the General Court relative to the distressed condition of the Islanders.

So far as the War of 1812 is concerned, there seems to be very little record of Town procedure of any kind between April 3d, 1812, and April 4th, 1814, although it would seem as though there must have been important business transacted. One is at a loss to know whether

36

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

the Town took not the slightest action on topics seem­ ingly made necessary by circumstances arising out of both of those wars, until they were half over, or whether, from motives of prudence, the records were suppressed.

The following is a concrete example of the incom­ pleteness of the records and of their unsatisfactory con­ dition as a source of historic information. The Town records tell us that at a Town meeting held April 29th, 1814, Isaac Coffin was chosen moderator by a vote of 329 to 273 for Jethro Mitchell, Jr. At that meeting the Town Clerk, Selectmen, Assessors, Treasurer and Over­ seers of the Poor were elected and the meeting ad­ journed to April 30th. On the day of adjournment Constables, Surveyors of Shingles and Clapboards, Cullers of Coopers' Stuff, Fence Viewers, Sealers of Leather, Cullers of Fish, Pound Keeper, Hog Reeves, Field Drivers, Surveyors of Hemp, Health Committee, Firewards and a Bell Ringer for the First Congrega­ tional Meeting House were chosen; the report of the Health Committee was accepted; a committee was ap­ pointed to settle the accounts of the Treasurer; $7,000 was appropriated for Town expenses and the Treasurer was authorized to hire $2,000. The Selectmen were in­ vested with the powers and duties of Surveyors of Highways and the election of a Collector of Taxes was postponed to an adjourned meeting to be held on Satur­ day, May 7th. On this last named day the Collector was chosen. Quoting now directly and verbatim from the record it says: "At a meeting of the Male Inhabitants of the Town of Nantucket qualified by law to vote for Representa­ tives. Meet at the Town house in Nantucket on Satur­ day the seventh day of May 1814 at two o'clock in the afternoon for the Choice of one or more Representatives to Represent this Town in the general Court appointed to be Convened and held at the State House in Boston on the last Wednesday of May Instant. The votes being brought in sorted and Counted The whole number of votes was two hundred and two votes.

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

37

There Appeared for Micajah Gardner two hundred and One votes.

There Appeared for Joseph Winslow one vote."

There is not a line in the records that even hints at anything unusual having occurred at that meeting and the most critical student of Nantucket history would pass them by without further thought, unless it was for some casual comment on the practical unanimity of Mr. Gardner's election.

In looking over the manuscript Journal of the House of Representatives of the General Court of Mas­ sachusetts for the year 1814, however, we find, under date of May 26th, this entry: "Remonstrance of Wil­ liam Coffin and others of Nantucket read and commit­ ted to Committee on Contested Elections.''

That Committee was composed of Mr. Tillinghast of Taunton, Mr. Ware of Wrentham, Mr. Crosby of Brockfield, Mr. Davis of Boston and Mr. Brown of Lex­ ington.

The original documents concerning this election do not seem to be on file at the State House and it is doubtful if they are in existence. I have in my private collection copies of several of them and it is quite safe to state that the remonstrance was in substance as fol­ lows: "To the Hon'ble the House of Representatives in General Court assembled The subscribers inhabitants and legal voters in the Town of Nantucket in the County of Nantucket & Com­ monwealth of Massachusetts, Respectfully represent that Micajah Gardner, returned a Representative for the Town of Nantucket to the General Court for the present year, has not been legally chosen, and believing that the purity of Elections is the chief pillar of free­ dom & that to detect errors & irregularities in our elec­ tions is not only a right but the duty of all good Citi­ zens We take the liberty to remonstrate against the aforesaid Micajah Gardner holding a seat as a repre­ sentative for the Town of Nantucket the present year for the following reason We state that immediately

38

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

after the meeting was opened by the Chairman of the Selectmen by reading the Warrant a motion was regu­ larly made and seconded, that the Town send no repre­ sentative this year. The Chairman peremptorily re­ fused to put the motion & to stop all debate called in­ stantly on the people present to bring in their votes for one or more Representatives without making any state­ ment of the number which they had a right to Vote for, so arbitrary did the proceedings of the Selectmen ap­ pear & so contrary to the long settled practice of this Town that a considerable propotion of the people then assembled, immediately left the meeting disgusted at the proceedings all of which is believed to be contrary to the Constitution & laws of this Commonwealth."

This was signed by the remonstrants.

Under date of May 31st, 1814, the Journal of the House of Representatives contains this entry: "Memo­ rial of the Selectmen of Nantucket with accompanying papers read and committed to the Committee on Con­ tested Elections."

The memorial is addressed '' To the Honourable the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to be convened at Boston last Wednesday of May instant," and sets forth the following: The undersigned Selectmen of the town of Nan­ tucket, in the County of Nantucket do hereby respect­ fully represent that a remonstrance from a number of the inhabitants of this town, has been prepared to be sent to the House of Representatives with avowed in­ tention to set aside the selection of Micajah Gardner, our representative, and thereby to deprive us of our lawfull representative.

IarepJy to which we beg leave to observe, that the T , nnabitants of this Town were legally convened on the „ ,ry YVr™e °f a warrant issued in the usual manner «w JF the meeting was opened and the chairman of the Selectmen had read the warrant, it was proposed to send no representative after which a e <Ict was made & seconded and the nrSu , principle strenuously supported for a considerable time,

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

39

and untill the Selectmen, by their chairman, declared the present was not a meeting for debate, neither was discussion of the proposed Question contemplated by the warrant or by the law. they then refused to adhere to the motion and immediately proclaimed their readi­ ness to receive the votes of the people, for one or more Representatives and a number of votes were then pre­ sented and accepted.

When the advocates of no representatives discov­ ered the question would not be taken, they became tu­ multuous and riotous, several of which then and there denounced the Selectmen as rascals and Tyrants, and made a proposition forcibly to take the Box from them into which the votes were put as they were received— they Continued in a Riotous manner to disturb and em­ barrass the meeting, untill the chairman found it Nec­ essary to order the Sheriff to read the riot act—which was accordingly done, after which the greater number of the rioters dispersed and the Selectmen continued to receive all the legal votes that were presented, untill the poll was closed, when it appeared all the votes ex­ cepting one were given for Micajah Gardner, who was then and there declared to be duly elected.

Dan'l Coffin Joseph Chase Isaac Coffin Fran's Macy George Gardner 2d Gideon Folger Selectmen of Nantucket.

This statement was duly affirmed to by the Select­ men May 19th, before Charles Folger, Justice of the Peace To fairly understand the situation at Nantucket it is well to remember two things—first the animosities engendered by the War of 1812 between its advocates and opponents, as well as the privation, danger and financial loss it brought to our people, and, second, that in the early days of the Commonwealth, prior to 1820 possibly, it appears that each town paid the expenses of

40

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

its own representatives in the General Court and could send one or more up to its limit, as its ability or the ex­ igencies of legislation seemed to warrant.

The following appears on the early Colonial records: "At a General Court held at New Towne the 2nd day of the 3rd mo. 1638. * * * It is ordered that every towne shall beare the partes of their own magistrates and deputies, and to allow for a magistrate 3 shillings 6 pence a day and for a deputy 2s. 6d. a day from the time of their going to the Court until their return for their diet and lodging." This was dated May 2, 1638. It is uncertain just how long this law continued and whether it did not survive the establishment of the Constitution by many years. The pay for Representatives yaried according to the value of paper money. In 1780 it was 12 s. per day; in 1781 it varied, running from 15 s to 30 s. per day and down to 9 s. In 1782 it was 8 s. In 1800 to 1804 it was $2.00 per day. What leads one to think that the towns paid the expenses is an act passed Feb. 3, 1812, and which provided: "That in the future, the members of the House of Representatives shall be paid for their travel and attendance to and during the ses­ sion of Legislature, in the same manner as the Council and Senate of this Commonwealth are paid, any law, usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding, and that the said pay shall not be chargeable to their sever­ al towns."

This act was repealed June 14, 1813.

In Nantucket the warrants for the election custom­ arily read "to give in their votes for one or more Rep­ resentatives to represent them at the General Court ap­ pointed to be convened and held at the State House in Boston. Thus in 1784 the Town sent three; in 1785 and 1786 one; in 1787 there is no record of a May meeting; in 1788 the Town voted to send none; in 1789 two were chosen and it was subsequently voted that one of them should not attend unless the Selectmen thought it necessary; in 1790 one was elected; in 1791, two; from 1792 to 1808 Micajah Coffin alone was the Town's Rep­ resentative; in 1808 three were elected; in 1809 the Town elected eight; in 1810, nine; in 1811, eight were

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

41

chosen on May 4th, and two weeks later the Town elected a ninth.

The precarious situation in which the Town was placed, subject as it was to the practically unrestrained depredations of the English, its only means of support cut off and all sources of supply at the mercy of Eng­ lish cruisers, was, in the minds of many, sufficient rea­ son to avoid giving any unnecessary excuse for British levy of contributions, which might come through the Town's being represented in the General Court. The poverty of the Town offered another seemingly good reason.

On May 11th, 1814, four days after the Town meet­ ing was held, a gathering of the dissastisfied citizens was held in Washington Hall in response to the follow­ ing notice: "The Federal Republicans and friends of Peace (who find themselves dissatisfied with the conduct of the Selectmen at the last Town meeting) are requested to meet at Washington Hall this evening at 7 o'clock, then & there to adopt such measures as shall be consistant with the Constitution and laws of this Common­ wealth for the due investigation of our Corporate Rights—Wednesday May 11" 1814" At the meeting Timothy G. Coffin made an ad­ dress, for which the thanks of the meeting were ten­ dered him through a committee, and the acts of the Town meeting recently held under the warrant were considered. It was also voted to choose a committee of seven to contest the election of Micajah Gardner m such a manner as seemed to them advisable. The com­ mittee chosen were: William Coffin, Jethro Mitchell Jr., Albert Gardner, Aaron Mitchell, Josiah Hussey, Peter Hussey and Thaddeus Joy. . , . , As we have seen, this Committee made a formal protest to the General Court, and the Sheriff notified Mr. Gardner and the Selectmen of the protest.

Depositions were filed with the Committee of the General Court, setting forth the facts in the case from the standpoint of the contestants. Among them are the statements of William Coffin, Griffin Barney, R

42

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

ert Barker, Daniel Barney and one, quite numerously signed, which says of the meeting: "The warrant for the above purpose was posted up in several public parts of the Town on tuesday the 3d of May which expressly said all legal voters were warned to vote for one or more Representative or Representa­ tives.

After the meeting was opened by the Chairman of the Selectmen, the warrant was read. Mr. Wm. Coffin first addressed the Chair & observed in his opinion it would from the situation of this place be best not to send any Representative for this year, and was in favor of taking the question by vote, whether the Town would send any Representative or not, in some of his speeches, & also observed that the meeting was il­ legal as it was not conformable to a Vote of this Town passed in 1724 which was that the warrant should be put up at the two meeting houses & stand over on sab­ bath & spoke some minutes in favor of not sending any Representative. Gideon Gardner answered Wm. Coffin that in all cases a Town could only act upon what was expressed in the Warrant, and as the words of the Warrant were to vote for one or more Representative or Representatives & the warrant was legal, no ques­ tion could be legally taken in this meeting. Wm. Coffin answered Gideon Gardner the Warrant was correct, & that a Town could not Act upon anything that was not expressed in the Warrant. Walter Folger Jun ex­ plained upon the Constitution & the Law of this State which the Warrant was conformable to and that no other question could be legally taken that was not contamed in the Warrant & spoke some minutes against the legality of any other question, about this time Mr. Micajah Coffin observed he came to the meeting to act agreeable to the Warrant & offered his Vote, the Chairman of the Selectmen informed him the votes were not called for & that he should not receive any votes before they were called for. Wm Coffin spoke against receiving any Votes before the question was taken whether the Town would send any Representa-

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

43

tive or not & observed (the exact words are not recol­ lected but as far as memory serves) that if the votes were received before the question was taken, whether the Town would send any Representative or not it would be a Rehoboth meeting, several spoke in favor of taking the question & several spoke against it. a motion was made by some person, not recollected, that the Question should be taken whether this Town would send any Representative or not, which was seconded by several & many called the question the question, the Chairman of the Selectmen proclaimed they were ready to receive the Votes, several votes were immediately received & put into the Box. many^ continued calling verry loud, the question the question. I demand my rights, my rights are taken away. Tyrany, rascallity & one called take away the Box and such kind of language which made much confusion, about this time the Chairman of the Selectmen ordered the Riot act to be read & handed it to the sheriff, who read the Act & called on the people to disperse. Wm Coffin observed that as the sheriff had read the Riot act and commanded the people to disperse he was of the opin­ ion it was best to go & went out of _ the meeting & many others who were for the question to be taken whether this Town would send any Representative or not followed Wm Coffin & left the meeting after which it became very quiet, those who had not given in their votes proceeded to give them in to the Selectmen they received them & put them into the Box the po was closed the votes were counted & Proclaimed by the Chairman of the Selectmen to be 201 for Micajah Gard­ ner & one for Jos Winslow & that the meeting was disS°^

Signed by Gideon Gardner, Geo. Bunker Jr, Seth Coffin, Robt Barker, Charles Folger, Reuben R-Bunker, Freeman Gardner, Shub'l. Coffin, Trist m Barnard Geo. Clark, Dan'l Jothanan Morris Jr Jacob Barney, Coffin Whippey, Gardner Coffin, Robert Hus Barney

This statement was sworn to before different Jus­ tices of the Peace.

SGJ

44

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

I, Griffin Barney, of Nantucket, in the County of Nantucket & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Trader, of Lawfull age to give evidence, do testify & say that on the seventh day of this present month of may I went to the Town House in Nantucket for the purpose of giving my vote for a Representative to Represent this Town in the Gen'l Court in this Commonwealth this current year. I saw Jer'h Lawrence Esq. Sheriff of this County, Walter Folger Jr Esq. Aaron Mitchell & Peter Hussey, had taken the Justices seat or uper seat in the Town House, the meeting was then opened by the Chairman of the Selectmen reading the Warrent by which the meeting was warned, then Wm Coffin ad­ dressed the Chairman & said in substance, that the Warrent was in due form & a legal Warrent & then asked if the question could not be taken for to deter­ mine whether the Town would send one or more Repre­ sentatives to the Gen'l Court, or none, the Chairman then answered him that he conceived that this was not a meeting for debate, & that no vote could be taken in this meeting legally, unless taken by written Ballots.

Then Gidion Gardner replied that he thought nothing could be acted upon unless it was expressed in the Warrent and that the Warrent just read, was to notify the Inhabitants duly qualified to vote to bring in their votes for one or more Representatives, therefore his opinion was that no other question could legally be taken under the present warrent to which Wm. Coffin replied he thought there could be & cited an opinion of the Judges of the Supreme Judicial Court from a Volume of the term Reports, which did not appear to me to apply to the case before us. Walter Folger Jr Esq replied & stated his opinion of the Construction that should be given to the Constitution & laws of the Commonwealth touching the case, about that time some Gne moved that Ave send no Representative, the motion was seconded & a number of people spoke a few words for & against the motion & about that time Micajah Coffin who stood near the Selectmen said that he came there to give in his vote for a Representative, he then offered a vote, the Chairman of the Selectmen

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

45

informed him that they had not as yet called for the votes, soon after this the Chairman informed the meeting in the following words Gentlemen the Select­ men are ready to receive your votes for one or more Representatives, agreeable to the Warrent, Then Jer'h Lawrence high Sheriff of the County of Nantuck­ et started up & began to bellow & bawl as loud as he could, "I will have my rights you are depriving me of my rights." he repeated the expressions a great many times & was followed by twenty or thirty persons more who used the same expression as the said Sheriff used, at length Walter Folger Jr. Esq. spoke to the said Sheriff to sit down which he did but there was a great deal of noise & confusion with about 20 or 30 persons some a calling the Selectmen Rascals & Scoundrels & tyrants others said let us prepare ourselves with ballots & run in nine federal Representatives, at length the Chairman of the Selectmen began to receive votes & he appeared to hold each vote in his hand calling the name of the voter to the other Selectmen & to those who had the check lists at the Selectmen's table until they answered & checked the name of the Voter. I then went home & returned back to the Town House & met those people who were so noisy in House a coming down from it & further I the said deponent say not.

Signed and Affirmed to May 23, 1814.

I Robert Barker of Nantucket in the County of Nantucket & state of Massachusetts of Lawfull age to give evidence do testify & say that I was at the Town Meeting held in this Town on seventh day of the Week the seventh Instant for the purpose of chusing one or more Representatives. I was there when the meeting was first opened by the chairman of the Selectmen, Isaac Coffin Esq. reading the Warrent by which it was called & continued there until the meeting was disolved I took a seat by the side of Francis Macy^ Esq. one of the Selectmen & at his request took one of the lists of voters to check their names when their votes were re­ ceived. Immediately after the Warrent was read Wm

46

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

Coffin addressed the Chairman & asked if the question could not be taken to determine whether the Town would send one or more or none, as if it could he was in favour of determining not to send any to which Gid'n Gardner replied he thought it would be improper to take any question under the present Warrent as none would be legal. Wm Coffin said he thought the warrent was legal & it would be proper to take the question & cited an opinion of the Supreme Jud'c Court, some one now made a motion that we send no Representative which was seconded by several. Walter Folger Jr Esq stated his opinion of the Constitution & Laws upon the subject, several others spoke for & against the motion when Micajah Coffin who was standing near the Selectmen's table said he came there to give his vote for a Representative & offered one when the Chairman informed him the votes had not yet been called for, when they were his vote should be taken, a number of people now clamored verry loud & bawled repeatedly "give us our rights, I will have my rights; you are taking away my rights; it is tyranny, rascality, &c &c. the Chairman after calling upon the people present to bring in their votes proceeded to take such as were offered & as fast as any whose names were on the list I had, were received I checked them, the noise & confusion was great some calling for the question others to disolve the meeting & one in particu­ lar I heard say let us take the Box away meaning the Box in which the Chairman of the Selectmen put the votes after the name was checked, the Chairman re­ plied if you do not behave yourself peaceably you shall be put out of the meeting, he asked who would put him out & was answered by the Chairman I will if no one else does if you are not peaceable, there was now a cry from a considerable number of: "he shall not be put out;" "defend him" &c which continued until I saw Isaac Coffin Esq. hand the Sheriff a book contain­ ing the Riot Act & requested him to read it which he did & requested the people to disperse, upon which William Coffin said as the Riot act was read he was for leaving the House & immediately left followed by most

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

47

of the people who had made the disturbance after which the meeting was quiet & orderly conducted the people proceeding to put in their votes until the poll was closed & the votes counted & declared viz two hun­ dred & one for Micajah Gardner & one for Jos. Winslow. when the Riot Act was read it was sixteen min­ utes after three by my watch & when the poll was closed it wanted five minutes of four by the same Watch— Signed & sworn to.

It is evident that the Committee agreed with the sentiment of the remonstrants, for the Journal of the House of Representatives for June 8th, 1814, contains this entry: "The Committee on Contested Elections in the case of the Remonstrance of Wm. Coffin & others against the election of Nantucket Reported that the supposed election of Micajah Gardner as a Representative from the Town of Nantucket to this House on the 7th day of May now last past was utterly void and of no effect and that his seat be declared vacated. Read & ac­ cepted 95 to 6."

There was an aftermath. Under date of June 25th William Coffin, Peter Hussey and Aaron Mitchell ad­ dressed a letter to the Selectmen in which they say "we feel disposed, however, cooly to consider the aggressions we have suffered & to assertain from you whither the late proceedings in Town meeting were the result of a settled plan to deprive the Corporation of its rights,—0? whither a misconception of principles led to the result we have experienced—if the former we ex­ pect no concession on your part you was wrong, & no disposition to repair the injury by a pecuniary indem­ nification of the expences we have necessarily incurred —If the latter we expect, that a disposition to repair the injury so far as is in your power,_ will become apperant by accepting a proposition which we shall now

48

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

make you—which is—that if the necessary & reason­ able expences we have been at, in bringing the ques­ tion of the constitutionality of the late Representative meeting before the Legislature for their decision are paid, we shall be disposed to bury in oblivion all that has passed. & impute the error to mistake, more than design but should this proposition meet your refusal or contempt & the proceedings of the meeting be further justified—we shall consider ourselves not only injured but insulted, & shall accept the invitation that was given us that day, to repair to the judiciary, where you are amenable for your proceedings."

It would appear that the Selectmen ignored this communication, as a document I have, dated July 5th, 1814, says no answer has been received and requests the return of the letter. I think no further action was taken.

There is nothing in the Town records to show that any meeting was held on May 2d, 1812, nor that the matter of a Representative in the General Court was considered at any other time in that year by the Town, and yet I have in my possession affidavits showing that such a meeting was held on May 2d, that it was a dis­ turbed and turbulent affair, that the Clerk stated that 768 votes were cast and that Micajah Coffin, Shubael Coffin, Micajah Gardner, Coffin Whippey, Archelaus Hammond, George Cannon, Obadiah Folger, Simeon Coleman and Jedidiah Fitch, all Democrats, were elected. Those documents further show that plans were made to contest the election, but the Journal of the House does not record the receipt of any remon­ strance.

The Town Records, under date of May 6th, 1815, announce a Town Meeting in the Town House for the choice of one or more Representatives to Represent the Town of Nantucket in the General Court that is to be Convened and held in Boston on the last Wednesday of May, 1815.

The votes being brought in Sorted and Counted they Appeared as follows:

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

49

Micajah Gardner had one hundred & thirty one votes Aaron Mitehel had one."

That is absolutely all there is to the Record. There is the same suspicious unanimity that attached to the announcement of the result in 1814, especially when we consider that at that time Nantucket must have had about 2,000 ratable polls to entitle it to nine Repre­ sentatives.

The previous experience suggests an examination of the Journal of the House for 1815 and we find that on June 1st the "Remonstrance of Wm Coffin and others against the Election in Nantucket, Read and committed to the Committee on Contested Elections."

According to the remonstrance, which is signed by William Coffin, Peter Chase, Josiah Barker, George Myrick, Richard Mitchell, Jr., and Thaddeus Joy, and dated May 18th, 1815, the proceedings at the meeting followed with singular fidelity those which occasioned the trouble in 1812 and 1814, excepting that it not does not appear that the Riot Act was read.

On June 13th the report of the Committee on Con­ tested Elections, proposing to refer to the Supreme Judicial Court the case of Nantucket for an opinion whether a Town having a right to send Representa­ tives to the General Court could legally vote not to send any, was read and accepted and the following day the matter was referred to the next session.

The opinion of the Supreme Court, as given by Justices Isaac Parker, George Thatcher, Charles Jack­ son, Samuel Putnam and Samuel S. Wilde, was in sub­ stance that while it is a corporate duty as well as a corporate right for a town to send a Representative, for the neglect of which the House may impose a fine, but which neglect they are under no obligation under the Constitution to punish, a town might legally refuse to be represented and the House could impose a fine for neglect of duty. The Court pointed as an extreme case that under a compulsion to send Representatives such officials might be chosen by a minority less in number than themselves. The report, which was presented to

50

A RIOTOUS TOWN MEETING

the House January 24th, 1816, was received, read and ordered committed to the Committee on Contested Elec­ tions. That Committee on February 3d, 1816, made a report declaring Micajah Gardner "not duly elected and not entitled to a seat in this House." The report was read and accepted.

The fact that the Town Records give one not the slightest hint of anything unusual at either of these three elections points out one of the difficulties that be­ set the student of local history.

51

PUBLICATIONS of the Nantucket Historical Association:

Quakerism on Nantucket since 1800, by Henry Barnard Worth.

Vol. 1, No. 1, 1896, 25 cts.

Timothy White Papers, by Rev. Myron Samuel Dudley.

Vol. 1, No. 2, 1898, 25c.

Nantucket Lands and Land Owners, by Henry Barnard Worth.

The Title and The Nantucket Insurrection.

Vol. 2, No. 1, 1901, 25 cts.

The Settlers, Their Homes and Government.

(Map) Vol. 2, No. 2, 1902, 25 cts.

The Indians of Nantucket, Vol. 2, No. 3, 1902, 25 cts.

Sheep Commons and The Proprietary.

Vol. 2, No. 4, 1904, 25 cts.

Ancient Buildings of Nantucket.

Vol. 2, No. 5, 1906, 35 cts.

Indian Names, Wills and Estates, Index.

Vol. 2, No. 6, 1910, 35 cts.

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

Vol. 3, No. 1, 1903, 25 cts.

Proceedings of First, Second and Third Annual Meet­ ings of the Nantucket Historical Association.

1895-6-7.

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

Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Nan­ tucket Historical Association. 1899. Out of print.

52

Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Meeting the Nantuck­ et 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 Nan­ tucket Historical Association. 1903.

Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Meeting of the Nan­ tucket Historical Association. 1904.

Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the Nantucket 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 Nantucket Historical Association. 1907.

Proceedings of the Fourteenth Annual Meeting of the Nantucket Historical Association. 1908.

Proceedings of the Fifteenth Annual Meeting of the Nantucket Historical Association. 1909.

Proceedings of the Sixteenth Annual Meeting of the Nantucket Historical Association. 1910.

Proceedings of the Seventeenth Annual Meeting of the Nantucket Historical Association. 1911.

Price, Ten Cents Each.