Proceedings of the Nantucket Historical Association: Fifty-third Annual Meeting

>t IE ED IN ci

the N &NTUCKET 1If T O R I C A L ASSOCIATION

Si ty i bird Annual Meeting

.1947 ek t to Niagara - 1336' —Bar ney.........

Giary of Mafctuew Barney ' Nantucket Weather's —Crosby ...

35

'Nan

i ket Farms"—'Gardner*

43

Siesideat Grant's Visit in 1874

47

NANTUCKET FARMS SHOWING THE LOCATION AND OWNERSHIP AS OF THE YEAR MAIN ROADS

ARE SHOWN IN SOLID

IN DOTTED LINES.

LOCATION

OF

1850

LINES, FARMS

OTHER IS

ROADS

SHOWN BY

NUMBERS ON THE MAP, OWNERSHIP IS SHOWN IN KEY BELOW. TOPOGRAPHY IS BASED ON U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE IN­ TERIOR

GEOLOGICAL

SURVEY

OF

/^XWAUWINET

1945.

-A COMPILED BY WILLIAM E. GARDNER FROM DATA SUPPLIED BY J. GIBBS

*

1946

POGOMO

HEAD

V~ YN ,---<7

L\ £1 — jl-V.—*"1

_i

MAP

SUPPLIED

\

BY A.E.HOYLE

V

-

i

i

\

QUAISE

,

-A

A

. Q U 10 NE T

QUIDNET

f-

V (SE SACHACHA

\

POND

•

/ \

- // \\ L /

•i ' , .

V to I L e

'+ •'

I x

Vv

\\

i

rklt V V-^ \ \1

X\

* I

1 L'

1

1 \

/

J

srr

w--'

<©

~r~r

K ^ —

L

M !?Si

i [

X \ CISCO

sA t vv

V//

)

/F-. /

y i

y

fjp i/ 4^ —s

' r/

1

1

v

• \

/ i

i *

I

_/s 3URF8IDE

/

V

/

\l/

/ / ^

AIRPORT

V

\TOM NEVERS \ POND j

^s iV

r

H

?s

V;

L—'T0*

J/

r

n e v e r s

—i

h e a d

PROCEEDINGS of the NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

Fifty-Third Annual Meeting 1947

MEMBERSHIP You are cordially invited to become a member of the NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. Our membership classes are: Life Membership, $15:00; Sustaining Membership, $5.00; Annual Membership, $1.00 annually. An initiation fee of $1.00 is charged for each new active membership.

The NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION is an organiza­ tion devoted to the preservation of the Island's famed heritage.

Because of Nantucket's importance in American Whaling, its history is a vital chapter in the larger maritime history of the world. There is no place in America quite like old Nantucket town—the birthplace of American deep-sea whaling.

Your support of our Association enables us to preserve this whaling t adition. It allows us to carry on the work of maintaining our exhibits—the Whaling Museum, the Fair Street Museum, the Oldest House, the Old Mill and our newest acquisitions, the Old Gaol and House of Correction and Industry.

Send checks to Mrs. Elizabeth B. Worth, Treasurer, West Chester Street, Nantucket, Mass.

A HALF CENTURY OF ACHIEVEMENT May 9, 1894—The Association was organized in the "west parlor of the westernmost of the three brick (Starbuck) houses" on Main street, then the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Starbuck.

First officers were: Vice Presidents, Rev. Myron S. Dudley and Henry S. Wyer; Recording Secretary, Miss Mary E. Starbuck; Corresponding Secretary, Miss Susan Starbuck; Treasurer, Alexander H. Seaverns; Councillors, Mrs. Maria T. Swain, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Bennett, Mrs. Judith J. Fish, Miss Susan E. Brock; Rev. Edward C. Gardner, Wendell Macy and Arthur H. Gardner.

July 9, 1894—Incorporated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The same year the Association bought the Friends Meeting House on Fair Street for $1,000. Here were assembled ex­ hibits and here were held" the meetings of the Association and the Council.

August 4, 1897—At a public auction, with a record attendance, held on Main Street's lower square, the Old Mill was sold to the Association for $885. As the Association did not have that total amount, Miss Caroline L. French, by a gift of $135, made up the full amount.

July 21, 1904—The corner stone of a new "fire-proof building" was laid adjacent to the Friends Meeting House.

October 31, 1923—The Oldest House was bought for $3500. Winthrop Coffin, of Boston, a descendant of Tristram Coffin, generously financed the restoration, which was done under the super­ vision of Alfred F. Shurrocks and William Sumner Appleton.

July 24, 1930—The Whaling Museum was formally opened in the "Old Candle House" on Broad street. This brick building had been purchased by Edward F. Sanderson, and with the adjacent land cost $35,000. With the purchase, Mr. Sander­ son made generous gifts to the Association of his unexcelled collection of whaling implements, books, papers, etc., and also waived payment of taxes and interest.

The Association is greatly indebted to the late William F. Macy, (President 1924—1935) for his active work over a period of years in raising the money to make this purchase possible. The first custodian was the late George A. Grant, whose whaling experience and lore was invaluable in fitting the Museum into its present shipshape characteristics.

August 16, 1946—The Association was deeded the Old Gaol, built in 1805, and the House of Correction, first erected at Quaise in 1826, and moved to its present location in 1854.

OFFICERS

1947--1948 PRESIDENT

Edoaard A. Stackpole VICE PRESIDENTS

Mrs. Walton H. Adams Everett U. Crosby Miss Grace Brown Gardner

William E. Gardner Bassett Jones Col. Louis J. Praeger

SECRETARY

Mrs. Oscar B. Eger TREASURER

Mrs. Elizabeth B. Worth AUDITORS

Miss Cora Stevens

Col. Louis J. Praeger COUNCILLORS Term Expires

John J. Gardner, 2nd Edward P. Tice Lawrence B. Cummings* Mrs. Elkins Hutaff Burnham N. Dell Clinton T. Macy* Mrs. Lewis S. Edgarton Howard C. Barber

1948 1948 1949 1949 1950 1950 1951 1951

LIFE COUNCILLORS

Miss Annie Alden Folger Edward F. Sanderson Harry B. Turner *Resigned

OWEN SPOONER

From Photo by Henry Wyer

Presented by Prof. George Wood

This interesting view of Owen Spooner was taken in 1893, when the old whaleman was 87 years of age, and was called "Tempus Fugit" by the late Henry S. Wyer, the photographer. The picture was given the Association in Sept., 1947, by Prof. George Wood, India Street.

Owen Spooner developed a navigational method called "Sunset Longitude" on December 16, 1840, while first mate of the whaleship Atlantic, of Nantucket, Capt. Hoeg, master, the ship then being in mid-Pacific. After successfully determining the ship's longitude by this new method, Spooner informed every ship which the "Atlantic" "spoke," so that by the time his ship arrived at Tahiti, it was well circulated in the whaling fleet. Believing the discovery belonged to mariners everywhere, Capt. Spooner never sought recognition, but in 1869, angered by the claims of others (including a British Ad­ miral), he allowed his many friends to advance the true story.

Annual Meeting HE FIFTY-THIRD Annual Meeting of the Nantucket Histoiical

T

Association was held on Tuesday afternoon, July 29, 1947 at the Friends Meeting House on Fair Street. The limited quarters of the house were utilized to the full by the members and friends some of whom had come down to the island especially for the oc­ casion. Edouard A. Stackpole, President of the Association, served as the Chairman for the meeting.

Following the brief but sincere welcome to the gathering by the Chairman, the report of the Secretary, Mrs. Oscar B. Eger, was read and accepted. Her report showed that the Association's membership now totals 597, of which number 469 are annual members.

Mrs. Elizabeth Worth, the Association's Treasurer, then read her report. That the various exhibits are continuing to provide the capital necessary for their support, and that the organization's ef­ forts to keep the several buildings in repair and "shipshape" are continuing was clearly shown in the figures presented by Mrs. Worth.

The report was accepted as read.

The report of the Nominating Committee was read by David Wood and, upon vote of the meeting, the Secretary was empowerd to cast one ballot for the election of the Officers of the Association for 1947-1948 as follows: PRESIDENT—Edouard A. Stackpole.

VICE PRESIDENTS—Mrs. Nancy S. Adams, Miss Grace Brown Gardner, Everett U. Crosby, Dr. William E. Gardner, Bassett Jones, Col. Louis J. Praeger.

SECRETARY—Mrs. Oscar B. Eger.

TREASURER—Mrs. Elizabeth B. Worth.

COUNCILLORS (for three years)—Mrs. Lewis S. Edgarton and Howard C. Barber. *

*

*

*

*

*

In his annual report, President Stackpole expressed his appre­ ciation for the excellent work of the Council during the year. The co-operation and interest of the several Councillors is of vital im­ portance to the success of the Association. As in past years, the Chair­ men of the various exhibits have carefully arranged for the con­ tinued success of the Association's show-places. The loyalty of the several custodians in attendance has contributed highly to the fine results obtained during the season. Special mention was made of the work of revamping and checking on insurance policies and related factors which has been done by Lawrence B. Cummings. It was voted that a vote of thanks to Mr. Cummings be placed upon the minutes of the annual meeting. The resignation of Mr. Cummings from the

Council was also accepted1 at this time, and with regret that his health had made it necessary for him to withdraw.

After mentioning a number of our recent acquisitions, the Chair­ man spoke of the progress in restoration at the Old Gaol. The As­ sociation's new exhibit was built in 1805, and with the adjacent struc­ ture, the House of Correction, will require a great deal of work be­ fore being entirely available for showing to the public. During the past summer (1947), the Old Gaol was opened for five weeks, but only one of the cells has been partially restored and the experiment was not a successful one from a financial point of view.

In conclusion, Mr. Stackpole spoke of the latest honor to come to Nantucket through the discovery of the log-book of the schooner Huntress. Having acquired the book in the guise of a scrap-book sev­ eral years ago, he carefully removed the pasted material over a period of months and, by study and research, pieced together the facts which have definitely proved the Huntress to be a vessel of great importance and that her commander, Capt. Christopher Burdick, in February, 1821, was the first man to actually identify the continent of Antarctica. *

*

*

*

*

*

A number of people were introduced to the meeting during the course of the afternoon. Among these were William H. Tripp, Cura­ tor of the Whaling Museum at New Bedford, who, as an interested member of our Association, makes the trip down to the island each year to attend our Annual Meeting, and Alliston Greene, of Worces­ ter, Mass., whose boyhood on Nantucket has been re-created in his series of "Fragrant Memories," which have so delighted the readers of The Inquirer and Mirror during the past year. *

*

*

*

*

*

The first of the afternoon's speakers was Everett U. Crosby, a Vice President of the Association, and author of several books on island history, who read from his recently completed work, "Nan­ tucket Weather," a pamphlet now on sale at book stores. This is a study of island weather as compared with that in several cities and localities on the mainland, and most definitely reveals how and why Nantucket may claim through statistics that it is the ideal resort for not only summer vacationists but for those who seek the invigorat­ ing fall months of the year. *

*

*

*

*

*

The second speaker was C. Neal Barney, of New York and Nan­ tucket, who gave a most interesting paper based on a diary written by his grandfather, Matthew Barney, of Nantucket, in 1836. This diary described a journey from Nantucket to Buffalo, utilizing five different modes of travel—sloop to New York city, steamboat to Hudson and Albany, steam-cars to Schenectady, and the Erie Canal«0(9JS>

boats to Lockport, concluding with stage coach to Buffalo.

It was an excellent picture of travel a century ago, as experi­ enced by an impressionable young Nantucket Quaker, and Mr. Bar­ ney's excellent presentation did full justice to the memory of his grandfather. A number of those present remembered Matthew Barney as a "gentleman of the old school," and the diary set into be­ ing a chain of interesting reminiscences. * * * * * * The concluding speaker was Sigmund Rothschild, a young artist from New York city, who came to the island for several weeks this summer to restore and clean a number of the Association's portraits.

Since his arrival, he had been called upon to clean many other por­ traits brought to him by various individual owners. The Meeting House, due to its excellent lighting, made a fine work-room, and Mr. Rothschild told of some of his experiences in his highly specialized work. Several of the portraits which had been cleaned were on exhibtion. Mr. Rothschild answered a number of questions concerning the technique of restoration, and gave a comprehensive resume of his accomplishments—which were outstanding considering the short period of weeks in which he had worked on the island.

The meeting adjourned shortly after 5:00 o'clock.

•4 10 j*-

Secretary's Report Mr. President and Members and Friends of the Nantucket Historical Association:

The time in the existence of an individual or a Society when self-congratulation is in order, perhaps, cannot be determined, but there is something curious in a Society, inasmuch as the best form of congratulation on the part of an outsider is the desire to become a member—not a hard wish to fulfill in our Association. Therefore, who is left to congratulate us but ourselves?

Surely on our 53rd anniversary, we might be permitted to con­ template with satisfaction what we are. We have grown in member­ ship, in our collections, in interest and in usefulness. The Council Meetings have been well attended. It has been the Council's care to perform their duties in a manner to meet the approval of the Associa­ tion. Meetings for routine business were held on September 11, 1946, Sept. 25, 1946, December 3, 1946, April 6, 1947, April 27, 1947, May 15, 1947, June 17, 1947.

With your permission, I will dispense with the summary of all the details concerning the business of the year.

Our membership at present stands thus at the close of the fiscal year, June 30, 1947.

Life Members—105; Sustaining Members—23; Annual Members —469. Total Membership—597.

Just here I wish to say that it would be a courtesy much appreci­ ated by your Treasurer and Secretary, if members will give notice of change of address and also if for any reason they wish to discontinue membership.

Untold credit is due the Chairmen of Committees for our fine exhibits who, each in his own capacity, involving tireless interest and ceaseless efforts, have accomplished much. In this same category is our President, who, in spite of the pressure of other duties, had our new acquisition (the Old Gaol) so much at heart that he found time to assist in every way (even to helping dig post holes for the new fence) in order that the Gaol might be opened for visitors during this season.

As another year comes to a close, we feel that we have gained in experience and we are ready to take up any new work in that en­ thusiastic spirit which has always characterized our Association.

Respectfully submitted, CATHERINE RAY EGER, Secretary.

4 H>

Treasurer's Report 1947 RECEIPTS

Cash Balance, July 1, 1946 Annual Memberships Donations Interest and Dividends Life Memberships Museum Accounts: Fair Street, Admissions, Sales Whaling Museum, Admissions, Sales.

Oldest House, Admissions, Sales Old Mill, Admissions, Sales • Admission Taxes Withheld Taxes Transferred from Portrait Restoration Account

$2,048.04 457.80 62.50 128.00 75.00 $1,106.70 3,131.15 873.95 528.85 $5,649.65 1,076.70 110.60 113.39 $9,712.68

12 j§e-

DISBURSEMENTS General Account—Salaries Postage, Printing, supplies

450.00 747.18 $1,197.18

Museum Accounts: Fair Street, Attendants and Maintenance Whaling Museum, Attendants & Maint.

Oldest House, Attendants & Maintenance Old Mill, Attendant & Maintenance Old Jail and House of Correction

$935.77 2,013.13 430.05 586.79 917.65 $4,883.39

Admission Taxes Withheld Taxes Miscellaneous Sales Expense Portrait Restoration TRANSFERS To Life Memberships To Reserve for Maintenance To Reserve for Insurance Cash Balance, June 30, 1947

$1,087.85 100.50 44.95 150.00 75.00 1,000.00 313.05 860.76 $9,712.68

ASSETS Land and Buildings Collections in all Museums Trust Accounts, Nantucket Institution for Savings Stocks and Bonds Reserve for Maintenance Reserve for Insurance

28,000.00 10,000.00 15,214.84 5,307.50 1,000.00 313.05

Respectfully submitted, ELIZABETH B. WORTH, Treasurer.

Audited by: Miss Cora Stevens and Col. Louis J. Praeger.

13 }>

President's Report Members and Friends of the Nantucket Historical Association: The work of the Association has continued along the well-defined course established by the "founding fathers" some fifty-three yeai* ago. But, unlike the conditions which prevailed then and which were in existence a quarter-century later, the Association is now a well organized corporation, having five different groups of buildings, em ploying a correspondingly larger staff and incurring a necessarily • more involved budget.

The Council, therefore, has a much different character than its original panel. Whereas, it for many years served as a more or less advisory body, it is now in reality a Board of Governors, making many of the decisions which provide the administrative officials with important and valuable assistance "at the helm."

The Chairmen of the several exhibits have continued their excel­ lent work of supervision. At Fair Street, Chairman Everett Crosby has continued his cross-indexing and cataloguing. During the sum­ mer months, the Friends Meeting House was again utilized on Fiist Day by a large group of Friends who become seasonal residents of the island. The group is growing and the use of the Meeting House is appreciated by its leaden.

Mrs. Alma Gibbs Backus and Mrs. Addison T. Winslow are the Custodians at Fair street, both ladies now nearing a record of two decades of service at this building.

Through Mr. Crosby's interest the services of a prominent New York artist, Sigmund Rothschild, were secured for work of restoring a number of the Assocation's paintings. Mr. Rothschild found the Meeting House ideal for his work, and a very encouraging start was made in restoring a number of portraits in the extensive collection.

Often, as the artist worked, a number of interested people came in to watch, and several island residents brought in paintings which Mr. Rothschild worked upon in his own time with the consent of the Council.

The Whaling Museum—which is the outstanding financial bul­ wark upon which the Association rests—has again been under the supervision of Dr. William E. Gardner. At the rate it is attracting visitors it bids fair to outstrip its old record for attendance which was set in 1930, the year it opened, when 10,000 people passed through its doors. Wallace Long is again the able Custodian, with Miss Char­ lotte Jones in the Library and James Wood at the front desk.

Due to the resignation of Clinton Macy as Councillor and Chair­ man of the Oldest House Committee, Miss Grace Brown Gardner,

who has served as Chairman pro tem for two years, agreed to carry on the work for the 1947 season. Mrs. Ellen Chace has again served as Chairman, and her interest is an asset to the Association. At last reports, the attendance at the Oldest House is due to surpass the old record established in 1944.

Col. Louis J. Praeger as Chairman of the Old Mill reports that the 200-year-old structure is in good condition, with its vanes re­ stored and its grinding mechanism ready whenever the proper type of corn is available to grind into meal. Richard Purcell is again acting as the Custodian. *

*

*

*

*

*

It was hoped that the Old Gaol might be opened to the public for the first time during the summer of 1947, but the work of restor­ ation and repairing was too big a problem and only the lower west cell was actually readied for sightseers. Due to the resignation of two members of the Committee on the Old Gaol, your President, as the ex officio member, took it upon himself to launch the work of restoration without delay. The major problem was that of having the buildings opened as an unit—and this could not be done due to the un­ safe condition of the House of Correction.

Believing that the proper aging of any new material was impor­ tant, and that the easiest portion of such new construction should come first, your President arranged for the building of the high fence around the west, southwest and south sides. To locate a competent carpenter in the spring was a difficult assignment, but at length the services of Charles Stackpole were secured and the fence was duly constructed along the old lines. In the style of fence decided upon, an old view of the Gaol was utilized. There was some question about placing the stringers on the inside or outside, and the first plan was adopted in view of the fact that the idea of the fence originally was keep people out of the yard rather than to prevent prisoners from escaping from the enclosure, and to provide a place where prisoners might be liberated during the day. One of the stories, handed down from a hundred years ago, was that on one occasion several prisoners complained to the selectmen that a hole in the fence was proving a nuisance as it allowed sheep to enter, and asked that it be repaired!

A study of the story of the Old Gaol is most interesting. The yard was used for the exercise of the prisoners, most of whom occupied the House of Correction and Industry. The Old Gaol was the prison for recalcitrant captives and criminals.

Burnham N. Dell, one of our Councillors, has accepted the Chairmanship of the Old Gaol Committee. The services of an exper­ ienced carpenter have been secured, and the work of restoration will be carried along during the winter months. *

*

*

*

*

*

The changes in the financial structure of the Association have al•»2{ 15

ready been referred to, and the increasing costs of maintenance have become one of our major problems. The Council and the Chairmen of the several exhibits have, from time to time, discussed the question of repairs and upkeep, and early this year Lawrence B. Cummings, one of our Councillors, agreed to draw up a financial prospectus. The work involved an exhaustive study of receipts and expenditures of the Association and when it was completed Mr. Cummings (who was assisted in the preliminaries by Mrs. Nancy S. Adams and Mrs. Elizabeth Worth, our Treasurer) presented as complete an analysis of the Association's financial structure as has yet been prepared.

It is not only an excellent study and an accurate chart for our future course, but it is a reflection on the amount of time which Mr. Cum­ mings devoted to the work. A vote of thanks is in order and the Association regrets that, through his resignation, Mr. Cummings retires from the Council.

Total Receipts for year ending May 31, 1947, were $6,278.00, and total expenses reached the sum of $5,423.79—leaving a balance of $854.21. The Cummings' budget estimate of recurrent items through May 31, 1948, is as follows: Receipts: $6,475.68; expenses, $5,981.03.

This leaves the slim balance of $494.65.

In its estimate of expenses, the Cummings' report listed, under General Expenses, the sum of $1,146.78 as compared to $1,213.50 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 1947; Oldest House expenses, $397.00, as compared to $431.10 for the past fiscal year; the Whaling Museum, $1,629.30 for the coming year, as against $2,155.73 for the past; the Fair Street Museum, $884.47, compared to $920.96 for the 19461947 year; the Old Mill, $360.33 as against $537.44; the Old Gaol and House of Correction, $260.00 compared to $165.06 for the year ended.

Added to this total of expenses are $313.05 for insurance and $1,000 for the annual maintenance for the five exhibit groups—making an estimated total of $5,981.03 for expenses in the coming year.

Under Assets (except real estate), as of May 30, 1947, Mr. Cum­ mings listed: Cash (in checking and general savings account)'— $5,379.21; Cash in Portrait Restoration Account, $111.74; Restricted Funds, of which principal cannot be spent but of which the interest can be spent for general purposes —$10,882.48; Restricted Funds, of which principal cannot be spent and of which interest can be spent only on specific properties—$1,578.18; Stocks, $7.50; Bonds— $5,200.00.

Unusual expenditures for work authorized the coming year in­ clude $650.00 for the fence at the Old Gaol; $188.26 for Portrait Res­ toration; $200.00 for repairs to clock, and $100.00 for filing work— mking a total of $1,138.26. Funds available for these expenditures from present assets, without disturbing the income producing invest­ ments are: $2,850.00 (the checking account) and $494.65 (the esti­ mated net income for fiscal year), making a total of $3,344.65. From

these available funds, after deducting the amount for authorized ex­ penditures, remains the sum of $2,206.39 for restoration and other work. In these days of rising expenses, this sum admits of nothing but sharp figuring and "shortened sail." *

*

*

*

*

*

Our acquisitions during the past year include some unusual items. From the Pleasant Street home of Mrs. Eleanore E. Brown, recently sold, comes the paint-box and palette of James Walter Folger, the Nantucket artist and wood-carver, whose work is becom­ ing more and more a collector's item. The paint-box contains1 some of the tubes of paint which "James Walter" used during his best days, and the palette is also one of his working items—probably the one he last used—with the pigments still daubed upon it.

Through the interest of Gordon B. Turner, two relics of World War II have been presented. One of these is a "war head" used on an aircraft rocket by Naval planes operating out of the Nantucket Air­ port during practice maneuvers. The second is a piece of floating mine which came ashore on the south side of the island and was exploded by a special demolition crew.

From Mrs. Florence Starbuck, of Santa Monica, California, has come a dress and one slipper which were worn as a child by the late Ferdinand Starbuck, great-grandson of Joseph Starbuck. Ferdinand Starbuck was born in the "Middle Brick" of the three Starbuck houses on Main street, and his father was J. Bradlee Starbuck and his grandfather Matthew Starbuck.

Miss Hannah Hatch has given the Association a miniature cradle which was made by her father, the late Oliver Hatch. As an example of the craftsmanship of the Nantucket "cabinet makers," it is an ex­ cellent item, and it also gives details of the construction of the cradles used in Nantucket homes a century ago. *

*

*

*

*

*

During the afternoon on July 14, the Newtown Cemetery was the scene of an unusual ceremony. Edward Rowe Snow, of Winthrop, a New England historian, had read in "Godfrey's Guide to Nantucket" that the heart of Dr. Charles F. Winslow had been buried in Nan­ tucket while his body had been interred in Boston. Always interested in the unusual, Mr. Snow investigated the story. He contacted known descendants of Dr. Winslow and invited them to come to Nantucket for a ceremony, during which he would place a tablet over the place in the grave of Dr. Winslow's mother where the Nantucket man willed that his heart should be buried.

Present were members of the Winslow family from Nantucket, Boston, Winthrop, Ipswich, Brookline, Cambridge, Philadelphia and Dallas, Texas. Mr. Snow, who conducted the services, read a tele­ gram of greeting from Arthur C. Winslow, only living grandson of Dr. Winslow, now residing at San Francisco, Cal. 4 17 js-

Mrs. James C. Oehler, of Dallas, Texas, great-granddaughter of Dr. Winslow, gave a most interesting outline of Dr. Winslow's re­ markable career. He was born in 1811, was educated in island schools and at Harvard University, participated in interests (aside from medicine) which included politics, foreign trade, scientific research, etc., and died in Salt Lake City in 1877. His will stipulated that his body be placed beside his wife, the former Lydia Coffin Jones, in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, and that his heart be buried without ceremony in the grave of his parents in Nantucket.

Mr. Snow then presented the tablet, which bore the inscription: "The heart of Dr. Charles F. Winslow lies buried here." Francis Has­ kell, President of the Bay State League, made a short speech, and Dr. William E. Gardner, of Nantucket, dedicated it with a brief prayer. Closing the service, Mr. Snow's mother, Mrs. Alice Rowe Snow (who rounded the Horn twice on sailing ships) played two familiar hymns on that little known instrument, the zither.

Attending the services, in addition to League members and in­ terested summer visitors, were Winslow descendants of Benjamin, father of Dr. Winslow. Of the direct descendants of the physician four were in attendance: Mrs. Oehler, Robert Shippen Irving and his son, Robert W. Irving, and daughter, Kathleen Winslow Irving.

Among the Nantucket Winslows on hand were: Mrs. Isabel (Winslow) Riddell, Miss Mabel Winslow, Miss Maud Winslow, Mrs. Bessie (Winslow) Cartwright, Mrs. Addison T. Winslow, Miss Helen Winslow.

On that same evening, (July 14, 1947), Mr. Snow gave a lecture —illustrated with motion pictures of his own—at the Whaling Museum, where his party and other invited guests enjoyed a pleasant and instructive evening. Mr. Snow's pictures were all excellent, es­ pecially his pictorial adventure to Sable Island. His remarkable mother, Mrs. Alice Snow, in response to requests, played a number of selections on the zither.

Dr. William E. Gardner, who served as a committee of one on arrangements for cars, rooms, meals, etc., for Mr. Snow and his party, did a splendid job which involved many perplexing problems. * * * * * * Your President wishes to report on some of the many bits of correspondence which comprise an important part of his duties. A lady in Missouri wrote to ask if a missing fragment in her family's connection with the Macys of Nantucket could be found. The only fact she could offer was that a Miss Macy of Nantucket had married a man named Pierce, which was certainly not a Nantucket name one hundred and sixty years ago. Fortunately, the information was un­ covered—but only after checking back to the Nantucket branch by way of the North Carolina migration of the early 1770's. Similarly, 4 18)§-

a lady in Oregon wished to connect her antecedents with Nantucket, and again a bit of obscure genealogical material provided the bridge.

One of the most interesting phases of the correspondence has to do with the Pinkham family which moved to Ohio in 1812. For many years your President has been gathering material for a possible biography of Lieut. Alexander B. Pinkham, a Nantucket Naval officer with an unusual record. The son of Captain Andrew Pinkham, who moved to Ohio, it was natural that Lieut. Pinkham should pay a visit to his parents when he had "shore-leave."

Miss Marie Dickore, Librarian of the Fifth Third Union Trust Co., of Cincinnati, Ohio, has been of invaluable assistance in tracing the life of the Nantucket Navy-man. She has the custodianship of many historic documents which include letters which the Lieut. Alexander, his brother Lieut. Reuben, and his father Capt. Andrew wrote to friends and relatives in Nantucket. Through her interest and help­ fulness, information as to the location of Captain Andrew Pinkham's farm has been forthcoming (including a picture of the house which the Nantucket whaling master built), in Clermont County, and copies of several letters have been made. By exchange of research material, a more complete picture of the life of one of Nantucket's mid-western pioneers is in prospect. *

*

*

*

*

*

A number of years ago, your President attempted a "log book census," hoping to locate the whereabouts of all the log-books of Nantucket ships, beside those owned by the Association. Though only moderately successful, he was able to ascertain facts which are more or less important in possibly securing a number. He asked especially about scrapbooks which had been made from old logs. One of these he purchased from a lady who thought the various clippings of inter­ est, especially the old wood-cuts. Over a period of months, your President spent spare moments on winter evenings clearing the old log of these clippings—similar to the restoration of several other logs in similar condition.

But this particular log proved of more than ordinary interest.

He learned that it was that of the schooner Huntress, under Captain Christopher Burdick, which sailed to the South Shetland Islands in 1820-21 on a sealing voyage. One notation—recorded in the Falkland Islands—revealed that Capt. Burdick had gone ashore to climb a high hill (a mile and a half high) for the purpose of getting the "lay of the land" and the shore-line. This was an unusual thing for the average ship-master to do, and it gave the fact that here was a most unusual mariner.

From, that point on, the log was carefully checked. Then, one evening, most appropriately at midnight, an astounding fact was found. On the 15th of February, 1821, while on a cruise for seals southeast of the South Sheltand group, Captain Burdick sighted a 4 19 >

high mountainous land-mass, its ice-capped peaks, through the mist, growing higher as he sailed closer. It was the mainland of the Ant­ arctic Peninsula, and Capt. Burdick gave his bearings and then the historic statement that he had seen land which "I suppose to be a Continent." Thus is recorded the first discovery and recognition of the Antarctic Continent, the honor of which discovery has previ­ ously been attributed to Capt. Nathaniel Palmer, of Stonington, in November, 1820, and to Captain Wilkes of the U. S. Navy and Ad­ miral D'Urville, of the French Naval Expedition, some 20 years later.

When the facts of the matter were sent to Col. Lawrence Martin, Honorary Consultant in Geography of the Department of State, and considered the great authority on early Antarctic exploration, he wrote: "That Captain Burdick saw the Antarctic mainland from the vicinity of Low Island and Liege Island" interests me tremendously, especially as he, first of all recorded observers, recognized it as continental and said so in his logbook. Both you and he deserve great credit " It is the hope of your President that, through the continued work of research in all phases of Nantucket history, a more under­ standing picture of the valuable days of yesteryear may be drawn, so that the lives of all those Nantucketers who created "this town in the sea" may become more fully known and appreciated.

Respectfully submitted, EDOUARD A. STACKPOLE, President.

«8{20)»-

Nantucket to Niagara - -1836.

A Diary of Matthew Barney.

By C. NEAL BARNEY.

The reason we are able today to reconstruct with such accuracy the history of different periods at Nantucket, the occupational habits, the intellectual and spiritual life of our forebears is because so many of them have written log books, diaries, letters, and sentimental verse.

The diary with which we are here concerned is that of a young Nantucket Quaker of a century ago, who has had little mention in our voluminous historical literature. His inclusion in Everett Crosby's list of Nantucket writers is because, in 1892, he published and gave his friends a book of verse, "Waves From Nantucket," steeped in affection for this beloved isle.

The diary is in five small notebooks, written in lead pencil, and in places difficult to decipher. It contains fifteen thousand words.

Perhaps he felt that this journal would help him gain favor with the talented young woman who later became his wife—Sally Mitchell, daughter of William and eldest sister of Maria, the astronomer.

Although neither his diary written as a youth, nor his verse, written later, has special literary merit, classical allusions in the diary show him to have been a wide reader. Among the books from his library that have come down to me are Plutarch's Lives, Zim­ merman's Solitude, Josephus' works, Cooper's Spy, the poetry of Cowper, Pope, Mitlon, Marriott, and many of the earlier editions of Longfellow and the Quaker poet, Whittier. *

*

*

*

*

*

In 1836, Matthew Barney was a youth of twenty-two, following the trade of a cooper in the shop of his father, William Barney, on the South side of Chester Street, between the family home and what is now Ivy Lodge. Coopers made casks for the whaling industry.

The staves from which casks were fashioned were not always easy to procure. Although Matthew's trip of over fifteen hundred miles to western New York and back was probably born of his desire to travel, common with Nantucketers, there runs through the diary the story of his purchase of staves and his struggle to get them to Nantucket.

Instead of reading the entries in the diary in chronological order, I am going to trace the journey for you; first, with reference to the five methods of transportation, second by pointing out some of the more significant sights seen through the eyes of the young

traveler, and third, by gathering the fragments of his business transaction. And through it all, I shall give you the names of Nan­ tucket men who were everywhere the traveler went. *

*

*

*

*

*

Itinerary Let us first trace the trip with particular reference to the means of transportation one hundred and eleven years ago. Had the trip been made ten years later, most of it could have been made by rail.

In order that you may get the style of the record, I read you part of the entry for the first two days, beginning September 24, 1836.

"After one day's delay, the wind being now fair, I went on board the sloop George, Capt. Russell, for New York. We left the wharf at half past nine in the morning, having a moderate Wind from the east. At 10 we past the bar, and steered northwest for the shoal, which we passed at half past 12. The wind lulled some, and veered to the north. At 2 o'clock we got dinner, and at 3 came to anchor in Holmes Hole (Vineyard Haven). At 4, in company with the Capt, and passengers, I went on shore at the Village. I strolled about some time but saw nothing very interesting. We got some fruit and some few needfuls and then went on board. After getting supper, I spent some time in reading.

"25th. After a tolerable nights rest, I rose at 7 o'clock in the morning and found the wind had veered to the northwest, which detains us at anchor—with several other vessels. At 11 the steamboat passed us bound to Nantucket. I, being a little seasick and homesick, almost wished myself on board of her. At half past 12 the wind veer­ ing to the North, we got under weigh to go to Tarpauline Cove (on the east side of Naushon Island). At 2 o'clock we passed the Claris­ sa, Capt. Dawson, bound to Nantucket. At 3 we arrived at the cove in, company with several other vessels. After getting supper ^^it j several of our company went on shore. We went up to the Hotel awhile, and then took a tour round the premises. We visited the look­ out as it is called I cut my name amongst the many that Were there."

After this delay of two days on Naushon, waiting for a favor­ able wind, on the 28th we have this entry: "At 4 o'clock in the morning we got under weigh for New York.

After getting out in the sound, the sea being rough, the motion of the vessel made me sea sick. The continued vomiting made me weak.

Not having eaten anything, in the afternoon, the Capt. gave me an Apple, which tasted better than I can tell. At tea time, the motion of the vessel being less, I eat considerably."

At 8 o'clock the following morning, the sloop George was fortyfive miles from New York. At 1:30 it was opposite Blackwell's Island, '"where the City's convicts are sent." With a pilot on board, it had passed through "hurlgate." Note the young Quaker's aversion to the real name of this dangerous passage. At 2 o'clock on this fifth day from Nantucket, he writes: "I am once more on terra firma. But like a prisoner from ^ the stocks, my feet are unsteady and my head, somewhat unsettled." <{22j&-

The elapsed time of the sloop George, from Nantucket to New York City, was five days, four and one half hours, but her actual running time was forty-two hours. The traveler could have reached New York in much less time by steamer from Nantucket and stage coach to New York. *

*

*

*

*

*

After two days in New York City, to which reference will be made later, on October first he hired a cartman, at an expense of 37y2c, to take his baggage to the pier of the Hudson River steamboat at the foot of Barclay Street, and boarded the steamer Albany, Cap­ tain J. Jenkins, bound for Hudson and carrying about 250 persons.

On board, he met "Captain Edwin Barnard and lady, from Nan­ tucket, on a tour to the West," and adds that Capt. Barnard loaned him a book called The Tourist, with a map of the river attached to it. Perhaps this accounts for many of the detailed statements made in the diary about the scenery and historic sites along the river.

In the past century and a quarter, the charm and romance of the Hudson River steamer trip have lured literally millions of passengers. The building of a rail line between New York City and Albany was delayed until 1851, possibly because the public liked the Hudson River steamers—and possibly also because the owners of the line were powerful enough to forestall competition. So, although by 1845; two trains a day crossed New York State from Albany to Buffalo, it was six years later, and twenty years after the first rail­ road in New York State, that one could go by rail between its two largest cities, New York and Albany.

After visiting for two days with relatives in Hudson, the thirtyodd miles to Albany were covered in three and a half hours on October 3 by passage on the Hudson River in the steamer Advocate.

After sightseeing for three days in Albany, he "took a seat in the rail cars for Schenectady, distance 16 miles at the charge of 75 cents."

This short rail line, which as we shall see had engineering obstacles, was completed in 1831, the first steam line in New York State and therefore the oldest in that large number of short lines later gathered together by Commodore Vanderbilt to make the New York Central Railroad with its present many thousands of miles of track.

The traveler's description of this short ride from Albany is this: "Our train consisted of 13 cars, each carrying 20 persons ... . .... The inclined plane, that commences one mile from the town of Schenectady is a great curiosity, the descent of the plane is one foot in 20. The means of descent is thus. A car of stone, being at the foot of the plane, to it is fixed a rope, that passes up to the top of the plane, over a large Iron roller and then to the passenger cars, which as they descend draw up the car of stone. The motion of the cars is easy at first, but they soon acquire a swifter motion and should the rope break destruction would be the consquence."

This curious bit of railroad construction was later abandoned •«f 23

for a slightly longer route with little or no grade, on which route today travel fast trains to the west, over the New York Central's much-advertised "water-level" route. *

*

*

*

*

*

For the next five days our Nantucket traveler was on the Erie Canal, that extraordinary engineering achievement that did more than anything else to spur settlement of the west, and, strangely enough, to give New York City pre-eminence as a seaport for foreign com­ merce. The Canal stretched from the Hudson River near Albany to Lake Erie at Buffalo, a distance of 352 miles. From its opening in 1825, it carried great cargoes of manufactured goods and emigrants from east to west, and of wheat from west to east. Its cost to the State of New York was about seven million dollars and the tolls paid for it in twenty years.

The Canal was four feet deep in most places and forty feet wide.

The canalboats were drawn by horses, walking on the towpath at the side and driven by canallers with long whips.

One who wishes the romantic story of this busy thoroughfare and its hard-working, drinking, fighting crews, will read the his­ torical fiction of Walter Edmonds, "Erie Water," "Mostly Canallers," and "Rome Haul."

On arrival in Schenectady, Matthew was accosted by an agent of one of the canal lines who sold him passage on the "good boat Express, Captain Whitney," which was to take him to Utica. He says: "At 10 I embarked on the great ditch as they call it that way, for Utica, distant 80 miles. Our passengers consisted of 6 ladies, 8 gentlemen and one colored gentleman, one of our company an old dutch gentleman that was a real Specimen of the west country farmers."

So leisurely was the traffic, in the afternoon while the boat wait­ ed in line to go through one of the locks, he ascended a high hill on the banks to get walnuts. He crept up eighty feet through rocks and briers and filled his pockets. When he returned to the boat, he found "an intimate friend on his way from Buffalo to Nantucket." He adds: "We conversed a while and by him I sent a note."

On the following day, he arrived in Utica where he saw on the dock Capt. Paul West and son who were returning from Auburn to Nantucket. He sent another note home by them.

It had taken our traveler over forty hours to go the eighty miles between Schenectady and Utica on what was known as a "line boat."

In spite of the fact that passage on the line boat was 2Vsc per mile and found, he decided to make faster time by traveling on a "packet" where the fare was 4c a mile and found. So he boarded the packet Cleveland, Capt. Gates, for Rochester, 160 miles away, and comments: We started out of Utica at the rate of 5 miles an hour. This 4 24 )&•

seemed like traveling some Our company consists of 8 ladies, 6 children, and 18 gentlemen, as the term is."

The packet was faster than the line boat, but the traveler was uncomfortable on deck as "we have been serenaded by 8 crying children and the waiter of the boat with his flute, and music, vocal and in­ strumental."

On the following day, mosquitoes added to the unpleasantness.

The diarist felt extremely lonesome. "I had been on deck alone most of the time. My situation and circumstances, my prospects, home and all its joys, each have had a thought." The company below deck was talking of Michigan farms and the prospect of western speculation.

Rochester was reached in less than two days. Here the Canal crosses the Genesee River near the center of the city "by a splendid aqueduct being 804 feet long, supported by" 11 arches and elevated 14 feet above the river." This aqueduct is used by the present gener­ ation as a highway. *

*

*

*

*

*

On the following morning he found among the crowd on the dock his friend, O. Coffin, from" Nantucket, and says, "I felt like the mariner when he espies a beacon light. I saw also S. B. Romain and took passage in the same boat to Lockport." This boat was also a packet, and was named Fulton.

"The boat was crowded with passengers insomuch that I feared we should be upset. There were about 30 bound to Michigan and some of our company was the noisiest I ever saw; they made it a point to hail everyone they saw on the canal and sometimes got answered."

Here occurred one of those unfortunate mishaps that beset travelers on the Canal. Our diarist tells us: "In getting on shore I slipped and fell into the canal and got somewhat wet. I got out not much hurt but angry. A house being near, I soon shifted and then after sitting by the fire awhile, went to bed."

This was in Lockport. After breakfast he embarked on his fifth mode of transportation, a stagecoach from Niagara Falls, distant 24 miles. His first view of the Falls he describes as "grand and im­ posing. No language can describe my feelings when I first saw Lake Ontario. I thought of the broad Atlantic and a secret joy crept over me which was soon chilled when I remembered I was from home." * * * * . * * The several points of interest at Niagara are described in detail —perhaps much as you and I described them in letters home when we were there for the first time.

He hesitated to take the trip under the Falls, but when he saw William Summerhayes of Nantucket do it, he allowed himself to be rigged up in clothes appropriate for the wet journey. He writes that he was filled with awe and terror and found the experience

•#25&

sublime. But he ends his account with the anti-climactic sentence: "It is a good bath."

After a stay of two nights at the Eagle House, kept by General Whitney, he took a steamboat from Niagara for Buffalo. Possibly still feeling the thrills of the Falls, he described in language more lurid than usual his approach to the city: "We drew near to Buffalo when the sun had set and then it looked beautiful. All nature showed the decline of the bright orb of day, the lights were lit in the city and as I gazed out over the calm surface of Erie whose placid waters stretched as far as the Eye could, I felt a deep and living awe, my bosom heaved with strong emotions and the thoughts of home rushed over me and in momentary feelings I was there We had about 20 cabin passengers and as many deck passengers mostly Irish."

In Buffalo the following morning, he saw on the dock William Hiller and Charles B. Myrick of Nantucket, and had a long talk with them. *

*

*

*

*

*

Having now reached the western extremity of his tour, the trav­ eler embarked for home on the Erie Canal in the Ohio, Capt. Harris, bound for Rochester. Among the passengers on the boat was "one person rigged out with buttons but what is his station or office I can­ not learn One man uses his cigar in the cabin with too much freedom to be civil. They all -appear too distant to be eastern people."

From Rochester, he continued on the Canal in the packet Detroit, Capt. Greenman, for Utica. He comments that at every passage through a lock, "there is one or more grocery" and that "every boat has its bar."

At the public houses it quite disgusts me to see such a general taking something to drink. I have been asked several times but so lar I have been enabled to hold fast and not give way to custom." *

*

*

*

*

„

From Syracuse east for 61 miles, there were no locks and the packet made good time. He mentions incidentally at this point that a packet was: and from 10 to 13 wide. One or two of the "ibout 8? *eei hnf,haV® sheet iron bottoms and float like an TU K egg shell. Their cabin is the whole length of them; the ladies cabin is m the forward part. At night the berths are hung to the side, 8 frame and sackinS> but they are hard and meVre uncomfortable things."

He also mentions that he had just been looking over his trunk and missed some articles. Carrying a trunk under all the vicissitudes of this trip must have been quite a problem in logistics!

At Schenectady, instead of returning directly to Albany, he took the rail car to Saratoga Springs. He comments: "Many fly here to regain their health which has been wasted and broken down by dis­ sipation and luxuriousness," and later adds, "I drank some of the -8{26}fr

water; in so doing it went up into my head and caused a sensation which I cannot tell here."

At Saratoga, he took the cars for Troy and on the following day, a stage to Albany. It was now the 20th of October, and he had been away from Nantucket for nearly four weeks, but to care for the staves he had purchased required him, as we shall see later, to stay in Albany more than two weeks. Then, having finished his business, on November 8, he took a steamer for Hudson and on the following day for New York. In the latter city, he went first to Uriah Coffin's and there met Eben Swain and Job Coleman of Nantucket; dropped into the store of Wm. and Charles Swain; and went over to Canal street to see Aaron Swain.

That night he took his trunk from his lodging and went on board the Cleopatra for Newport, but did not sleep well because his berth was near the boiler and he had a "thought of the consequences of the bursting of the boiler."

At Newport, his only visit was to the Jewish synagogue on Touro Street. This synagogue, which he describes as a handsome brick building, was completed in 1763. In 1946, because of its historical value as the then oldest synagogue in the United States, it was de­ clared by the National Park Service as a national historic site.

Driving to Fall River, he went to see his brother-in-law, Frank­ lin Myrick, and on the following day, November 11, took stage for New Bedford where he called on E. Hussey, at 54 Middle Street, and "spent the evening there in social converse."

The following day he went to a caucus of Whigs, in the Hall of the Mechanics Bank, where he met Josiah Swain and Samuel Swain from Nantucket.

On the 13th of November, he left New Bedford at 8:00 o'clock in the morning on the steamer Telegraph and after stopping at Woodsville (now Woods Hole) and Holmeshole (now Vineyard Haven), arrived in Nantucket shortly after one o'clock in the after­ noon, after an absence of fifty days.

He closes the record of his travel by referring to his native town as "that loved spot where all my hopes are centered, yes friends and home are there and I, like the prodigal, am returning to my father's house, and can truly say this is an hour of delight."

Sights Along the Way. Having described the route of our young traveler on his varied trip of nearly 1500 miles, let us now go back to see a few of the things that interested a Nantucket youth 111 years ago, as he stopped briefly in three important cities. .

sublime. But he ends his account with the anti-climactic sentence: "It is a good bath."

After a stay of two nights at the Eagle House, kept by General Whitney, he took a steamboat from Niagara for Buffalo. Possibly still feeling the thrills of the Falls, he described in language more lurid than usual his approach to the city: "We drew near to Buffalo when the sun had set and then it looked beautiful. All nature showed the decline of the bright orb of day, the lights were lit in the city and as I gazed out over the calm surface of Erie whose placid waters stretched as far as the Eye could, I felt a deep and living awe, my bosom heaved with strong emotions and the thoughts of home rushed over me and in momentary feelings I was there We had about 20 cabin passengers and as many deck passengers mostly Irish."

In Buffalo the following morning, he saw on the dock William Hiller and Charles B. Myrick of Nantucket, and had a long talk with them. *

*

*

*

*

*

Having now reached the western extremity of his tour, the trav­ eler embarked for home on the Erie Canal in the Ohio, Capt. Harris, bound for Rochester. Among the passengers on the boat was "one person rigged out with buttons but what is his station or office I can­ not learn One man uses his cigar in the cabin with too much freedom to be civil. They all appear too distant to be eastern people."

From Rochester, he continued on the Canal in the packet Detroit, Capt. Greenman, for Utica. He comments that at every passage through a lock, "there is one or more grocery" and that "every boat has its bar."

"At the public houses it quite disgusts me to see such a general taking something to drink. I have been asked several times but so far I have been enabled to hold fast and not give way to custom." *

*

*

*

*

*

From Syracuse east for 61 miles, there were no locks and the packet made good time. He mentions incidentally at this point that a packet was: "About 80 feet long and from 10 to 13 wide. One or two of the Rochester and Buffalo line have sheet iron bottoms and float like an egg shell. Their cabin is the whole length of them; the ladies cabin is in the forward part. At night the berths are hung to the side, 8 tier deep, they are of frame and sacking, but they are hard and uncomfortable things."

He also mentions that he had just been looking over his trunk and missed some articles. Carrying a trunk under all the vicissitudes of this trip must have been quite a problem in logistics!

At Schenectady, instead of returning directly to Albany, he took the rail car to Saratoga Springs. He comments: "Many fly here to regain their health which has been wasted and broken down by dis­ sipation and luxuriousness," and later adds, "I drank some of the «(26)fr

water; in so doing it went up into my head and caused a sensation which I cannot tell here."

At Saratoga, he took the cars for Troy and on the following day, a stage to Albany. It was now the 20th of October, and he had been away from Nantucket for nearly four weeks, but to care for the staves he had purchased required him, as we shall see later, to stay in Albany more than two weeks. Then, having finished his business, on November 8, he took a steamer for Hudson and on the following day for New York. In the latter city, he went first to Uriah Coffin's and there met Eben Swain and Job Coleman of Nantucket; dropped into the store of ffm. and Charles Swain; and went over to Canal street to see Aaron Swain.

That night he took his trunk from his lodging and went on board the Cleopatra for Newport, but did not sleep well because his berth was near the boiler and he had a "thought of the consequences of the bursting of the boiler."

At Newport, his only visit was to the Jewish synagogue on Touro Street. This synagogue, which he describes as a handsome brick building, was completed in 1763. In 1946, because of its historical value as the then oldest synagogue in the United States, it was de­ clared by the National Park Service as a national historic site.

Driving to Fall River, he went to see his brother-in-law, Frank­ lin Myrick, and on the following day, November 11, took stage for New Bedford where he called on E. Hussey, at 54 Middle Street, and "spent the evening there in social converse."

The following day he went to a caucus of Whigs in the Hall of the Mechanics Bank, where he met Josiah Swain and Samuel Swain from Nantucket.

On the 13th of November, he left New Bedford at 8:00 o'clock in the morning on the steamer Telegraph and after stopping at Woodsville (now Woods Hole) and Holmeshole (now Vineyard Haven), arrived in Nantucket shortly after one o'clock in the after­ noon, after an absence of fifty days.

He closes the record of his travel by referring to his native town as "that loved spot where all my hopes are centered, yes friends and home are there and I, like the prodigal, am returning to my father's house, and can truly say this is an hour of delight."

Sights Along the Way: Having described the route of our young traveler on his varied trip of nearly 1500 miles, let us now go back to see a few of the things that interested a Nantucket youth 111 years ago, as he stopped briefly in three important cities.

4 21^

New York City In New York City, his first visit was to the City Hall, that archi­ tectural gem designed by Macomb and Mangin and completed in 1812. To this day, the City Hall remains one of New York's most charming buildings, although now dwarfed in size by the multistoried municipal building nearby, which was designed, 75 years after the diary was written, by a nephew of the diarist's wife, William Mitchell Kendall, a distinguished descendant of Nantucket and then a member of the prominent architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White.

Peels Museum on the Bowery interested him. He saw there among the eight rooms of exhibits a dwarf two and one-half feet high, a living Anaconda, and a gallery of paintings, including por­ traits of the Presidents! Going into the street, he saw General William Henry Harrison standing in the window of the American Hotel (located on Broadway where the Woolworth Building now stands), from which he addressed the people in his campaign against Van Buren for the Presidency. Fulton Market and Catherine Market also attracted him, but in his opinion they did not equal the Boston Market!

In company with A. Gardner, he went to call on Aaron Swain, of Nantucket, met Owen Coffin, and with him went into the Astor House on the corner of Broadway and Vezey Streets (built in 1834 and closed in 1910), where he "was told the profit of the bar-room was a considerable gain to the establishment." This hotel was prob­ ably the most magnificent structure of its kind he had then seen and he describes the famous hostelry in glowing terms.

He visited St. Paul's Chapel on lower Broadway, built in 1766, and at present (1947) the oldest house of worship in Manhattan.

He comments on the memorial erected to General Richard Mont­ gomery (whom he miscalls Andrew), who fell in the attack on Quebec in 1775. This memorial still adorns the Broadway front of St. Paul's'.

He went up to the Washington Parade Ground at the foot of Fifth Avenue, known to us as Washington Square, which, as he tells us, was formerly "Potters field where lies many a stranger, who died far from home perhaps unpitied and unwept." The square had been enlarged in 1827 and the graves levelled in 1828. At the time of our diarist's visit, New York University was being built at the east end of the square. The stone building that he describes as six stories high and "of all orders of architecture" (but referred to by historians as Gothic!), has long since been torn down and replaced by high brick buildings that house this great university, one of the largest in the country.

He took the railroad for: "Yorkville, distant 4 miles a pleasant ride To the farther end of the road is a Tunnel construction, which will be fin<9f 28 }>

ished in about 9 months, the whole distance to be through it 568 ft.; the railroad is about 30 feet below the level of the village."

The "village of Yorkville" is today that section of Manhattan east of Park Avenue, lying between approximately 69th and 90th Streets. The railroad to which he refers, the New York and Harlem, one of the oldest of the present-day components of the New York Central, was opened as far as Yorkville in 1834, and ran from down­ town near the City Hall through what are now Fourth and Park Avenues. The tunnel referred to has been greatly increased in length and breadth and is now part of the underground approach of the New York Central and the New York, New Haven and Hartford to the Grand Central Station.

Hudson You will recall that, after leaving New York City, our traveler spent two days in Hudson. This place was settled in 1784 by persons most of whom had lived in Nantucket. Several of the first settlers brought their houses with them and, in 1786, 25 vessels were brought from Nantucket. There was a considerable group who wished to name the place New Nantucket. The town, although 120 miles up the Hudson River, rapidly became a thriving whaling port of the first magnitude, and on many of the most notable voyages, Hudson whalers and sealers were captained by Nantucket skippers like Solo­ mon Bunker and Zephaniah Coffin.

Our traveler, on arrival in Hudson, first went, as he did every­ where, to find Nantucket friends. He passed much of his time at the home of Uncle Joy (who, I assume, was one of his mother's brothers, a son of Reuben Joy, of Nantucket) and at the homes of Lydia Coffin, Sarah Coffin, and William Coffin. He refers to William as his cousin.

On Sunday, he went with one of his hosts to the Orthodox Friends Meeting, and in the evening was persuaded by another host (who evidently was a backslider!) to go to the Universalist church. After describing the latter service, he adds that "the pastor being some­ what small had to mount a stool to be above the edge of the pulpit His voice and manner of speaking reminded me very much of Barker Burnell." (of Nantucket, who was a member of Congress, 1841-45.)

Albany On the trip west, the diarist spent three days in Albany and, on the return trip, more than two weeks. Let us see what interested him there.

As in each of the previous stopping places, he first went to see the public buildings. He gives us lengthy descriptions of the old stone Capitol, the State Hall, the City Hall, and the Academy. While he describes many features of all these buildings, he seemed partic•4 29 ^

ularly interested in the contents of the City Hall where there was an emblematic monument of complicated design inscribed: "DeWitt Clinton, Public Benefactor. To his memory by the Citizens of Al­ bany." Clinton had been Governor of the State and the principal proponent of the Erie Canal.

On the opposite wall was another elaborate monument inscribed: "The Citizens of Albany to the Memory of Walter Scott, 1833." To the historian interested in the state of literary appreciation in the early part of the nineteenth century, this monument furnishes striking evidence of the regard in which the British novelist was held. One can hardly imagine an American city today erecting a memorial to a modern British author.

The museum on State Street had his attention. The one thing that surprised him most was "one oyster shell that weighed 152 lbs. being nearly 2 ft. in diameter." (Possibly our traveler, being more accustomed to whales than to mollusks, was somewhat overcredu-' lous!) On another visit, he saw a "mummy from Thebes, awefull to contemplate that it was once in possession of every feeling like our­ selves."

He also went to see a sleight of hand performance by a Mr. Weldon where the only act that seemed worthwhile to him was a man fired three balls at Weldon from a pistol, after which Weldon "stood unhurt and caught them in his hand."

And, believe it or not, he went on October 20, 1836 to see moving pictures! Here is the entry: "At 7 I went to the Atheneum building to see a moveing diorama.

There was a most beautiful painting representing the shepherds tending their flocks. The curtain rose and there appeared a scene in Switzerland. There were vessels, sailing about and moving as in real life and then came the funeral of a monk. The corpse was pre­ ceded by 8 monks, then came the bier supported by 4 priests, and then 8 bearing lights. They sunk and next rose the view of the interior of a temple, the tolling bell, the throne lighted by 6 torches; then came the bier supported by 4 priests & following a train bearing torches 8 came from the opposite side of the building. When they neared each other the bier was rested and the four knelt and an anthem was chanted; they rose and passed out of sight; the tolling of the bell, the sound of the organ and the scene by moonlight made these seem really beyond my description.

"Next came the engagement between the Constitution & Gurriere; the Constitution came out in sight then passed away, then came the Gurriere, she soon fired a gun; then came the Constitution, the English fired several times and Jonathan answered not until he got near then off he fired and down with a crash the mast came. They manoevered awhile until Jonathan sunk him. Next came a storm at sea; the thunder and lightning looked almost real and sounded so I cannot describe anything like it.

"The next view was the burning of New York on the 16th of Dec. (1835.) The curtain rose and there was the appearance of two streets, and the Exchange; the lanterns were lit and all was still.

4 80 }>

Presently a few persons were seen and the alarm given, then the loud peeling of the bell & the rush of men, the awful lurid flame, the report of buildings blown up, the falling of timber and the crash, the working of the engines, the hurrying of men with goods to and fro.

It was a grand spectacle; it seemed too much like life to be otherwise."

I his is one of the most challenging entries in the diary. The diorama, as we know it today, may best be described as a threedimensional picture—usually a scenic painting in the background with figures of men and things in a naturalistic setting in the fore­ ground, all forming a single picture. Such dioramas were used at the New York World's Fair in 1939 and are to be found in historical and religious exhibits and department store window displays. Some­ times simple motion, induced by an electric motor, is found in these modern exhibits. Apparently the diorama of 1836 was similar, al­ though much more complicated. But how was the complicated motion described by the diarist induced?

Several dioramas are mentioned in Professor (Well's History of the New York Stage as being given in New York City in the same City in the same decade, more particularly by the Hanington Brothers at the City Saloon opposite St. Paul's Chapel. These all appear to have been of the same general type. But after corresponding with var­ ious museums, Diorama makers, historians and historical societies, and consulting old folks, I have found* no record of how the move­ ment referred to in the diary was accomplished.

My guess would be that each individual figure was tripped by complicated gears and pulleys, controlled by a wheel -below or at the side; that gun shots and other noises were made off stage as they are today; that the illusion of fire was created by lights much as in the modern opera sets. Elaborate stage-craft methods were known in the Continental theatrical world of a hundred years ago, but no mention has been found of their application to the diorama. In any case, the diorama was an ingenious and complicated mechanism. It is not to be confused with Daguerre's diorama of a decade earlier where changing effects in scenery were made by the use of changing lights thrown on translucent paintings.

On Sundays in Albany, our diarist went to the Friends Meeting House in Plain Street. On one occasion he heard an address "on the necessity of seeking for ourselves the grace of God and a regeneration from sin." He adds: "Soon after I went into meeting, two persons came in one old and one young man; the young man took off his hat & takein'g out his handkerchief dropt it on the floor; then he knelt a few moments in silence. What the ceremony was I could not tell but suppose it was a Catholic."

To a young Quaker from Nantucket, kneeling in prayer was highly liturgical!

The day of the Presidential election was approaching so he went H5(31^

one evening to the Van Buren Committee Room and thought it was "more mobocracy than democracy." He says: "There appeared to be but few respectable men there. Here stood the beer bucket and it was draw and drink .... There about 30 persons whose appearance spoke more of moral degrad than moral cultivation, some whose actions showed they were mo stimulated with good cheer than party feeling, friends more to beer than to Buren." ^ Disgusted with what he saw, he walked out and went to the Whig Committee Rooms and noted the contrast.

"There were assembled about 25 persons mostly mechanics and clerks; some were reading and others discussing matters of the day.

The Presidential election occurred while he was in Albany and he went to see a polling place and the voters. He adds, "The people did not seem to be very warm in the cause."

He attended two sessions of the Mayor's court. They were trying a counterfeiter's case and an interpreter was necessary.

"Their mode of swearing a person is different from ours; a clerk holds them a bible, the person lays his right hand upon it, the clerk repeats the form and then the person kisses the book.

Unfortunately, on this same day, while he was absent from his boarding place, someone took his overcoat. From several later allusions it would appear that he did not get a new one until he arrived home.

During his stay in Albany, he met many Nantucketers. Among those that he calls by name, were Charles Morris, Joseph Dodge, Capt. Barnard Chase and his family, Peter Folger, C. W. Rand, George A. Lawrence and T. G. Nickerson. *

*

*

*

*

*

The Business Transaction At the beginning of this paper, mention was made of the tiansaction in staves that runs through the latter part of the diary. On the way west, the young cooper began his search for staves, but it was not until he reached Lockport on the return trip that he found the kind he wanted. Here he purchased in two lots, 5600 staves at a total cost of $108.90 and shipped them through the canal to Albany at a cost of $78.69. But it was eight days after he arrived in Albany before the staves came. From day to day he records his anxiety, his trips up the canal in the hope of meeting the boat with the staves, his futile pleading with the vessel owners in Albany and in Hudson to take the staves to Nantucket.

When the staves arrived in Albany, he began the job of unload­ ing them and in one day piled 3300 on the shore. After eight further days of heart-rendering effort to get a vessel to load the staves home, he made a tentative bargain with a captain "to give him 180 dollars' and load him home, 10 thousand to be landed at Edgartown and 5 % thousand of mine to be carried to Nantucket." But the young man was doomed to disappointment. On the following day, the bargain *C*{ 32

fell through and "the weight of discouragement felt heavy."

Not being able to get his staves home, he sold them, on his nine­ teenth day in Albany, to S. Bonney of New Bedford for what the staves and their transportation to Albany had cost him, plus $26.12, which certainly was not enough to cover his expense of sojourning in Albany for two weeks and a half. He had remarked earlier when writing of his business transaction, "I have never known what care and anxiety was or what it was to trust to my own resources." The young merchant had lost out on his first business transaction away from home. *

*

*

*

*

*

Conclusion Notwithstanding his failure to get the staves to Nantucket, and in spite of his humble reference to himself in the closing paragraph of the diary as a prodigal returning to the house of his father, the diary gives no evidence of the riotous living of a prodigal! On the contrary, the trip was one of an earnest young man, eager to ac­ quire knowledge of worthwhile things, and friendly in his contacts with people—especially if they came from Nantucket.

Perhaps some of you remember Matthew Barney as a benevolent old gentleman, the Treasurer for many years of the Nantucket In­ stitution for Savings. I remember him, a half century after this diary was written, as a kindly grandfather, with a keen intellect and quiet sense of humor, who read good literature and quoted from memory long passages from the Victorian poets—and to his death a consistent member of the Society of Friends.

«S|33|*-

A VIEW OF THE 'SCONSET PUMP IN THE 1880S. This ancient pump, which dates from Revolutionary War times, was constantly in use for over a century and a quarter. The Nantucket Historical Association is the Custodian of it, appointed by the Town.

«34|9>

NANTUCKET WEATHER. A REPORT by EVERETT U. CROSBY. &§§§$§§§§$$ It is generally recognized that the climate of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, is noticeably agreeable during the summer months.

July and August is the time when the majority of summer visitors come to the Island—more in August than July, and also large num­ bers, including the cottage element, during June and September.

What the people like in these months is the absence of annoying heat, and a favorable contrast to the weather at their home locations.

There are three things which chiefly impress the person seeking desirable outdoor summer weather in this part of the world; a maxi­ mum of sunshine, a minimum of rain, and a freedom from average high temperatures and of extremes of high temperature.

To find out what constitutes Nantucket's recognized summer climatic appeal, this examination has been made of the records of the United States Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau, at eight of their stations—Nantucket, Boston, New York, Atlantic City, Philadephia, Washington, Pittsburgh and Chicago. These are tabu­ lated in the following eight categories, and the figures are for the varying number of years for which the respective records have been kept at the named stations.

Thunder storms are not tabulated in this report as it is only necessary to state that they are less than half as frequent as at many of the mainland locations and relatively mild. This is due to their coming from the mainland and when crossing the Sound they are weakened by the cooler water and become what is termed "high level thunder storms," often popularly spoken of as "heat lightning."

•$35}8*-

1. Percent of Possible Sunshine.

Each day of the year at any specific location sunshine is possible for a definite number of hours and minutes, and the records are of the actual amount of sunshine as a percent of the total possible.

This table shows that the 64% of possible sunshine for Nan­ tucket in the month of July is substantially the same as for the other city locations, except Chicago, which has an appreciably better sun­ shine ratio for both July and August than the other cities, although Chicago's average for the year is much the same as the others— meaning it has less sunshine in various of the winter months.

Nantucket's percentage of 67 for August is noticeably superior (again excepting Chicago). It is to be noted that the Nantucket station has kept sunshine records for a short time (only 8 years1 as compared to the other locations, and so has not established as broad an average. This is emphasized by the fact that in 1946 the Nan­ tucket sunshine percentage in August was only 45, and in September only 47, which were freak months as disclosed by observing the per­ centages in all other months of all ei'rht years. For such records see the full government reports not printed in this summary. Indeed, the August sunshine record for Nantucket, exclud'np- 19'6 is 70%.

The extremely poor year-round sunshine record (50%) belongs to Pittsburgh.

Therefore, it may be concluded that Nantucket fares well with sunshine, in all four of the summer months and particularly so, rela­ tively, in August.

I

FeRCBAtr

OF PossfOLE J(stfs///Ara:

JM. Fe&Mtf ftpx.WTmlo/r IANTUCKET

53 bo 63 6/ if

AU&SEFROCrHot fee.

43 if 47 if to S3 ft

ktewt io

doSroAf

9-9 56 57 57 S9 is ij 63 if

S7 ft fi

57

Ma w YORK ftrAAHT/cCiry

Si S9 51 it 62 if if 63 63 ix 61 5/

io

St 57 57 59 C>3 i-3 U 6s AT if sg 5/

to

Vft/LA~I>EF/>///A

49 57 SP 59 4/ iX if iX 63 63 S3 99

55

WAS/fM&roA/

4C Sf S3~ 5} it 63 ij 6,1 ix it 55 57

57

tyrrs 8L>R&H

32 3g 4i So 59 43 63 ix tz SS to ji?

So

ff 14 5% SS 4.7 64 74 7o if ho 47 fo

*8

«6{86£-

II.

Precipitation Monthly, in Inches.

It will be observed from the tables that Nantucket has appreci­ ably less rainfall in July and August than nearly all of the other named localities; indeed, the same is true for June and September.

This registers heavily in the minds of the summer visitors.

tr

Fi f

£ c / P / r A r / o u -

tyo/vrHi-Y

-

l / v c / f e s

JAN.FS-ASF.fr0cT.77av.$ac. ^zr/>[ NwrocKtr 3.77 3.37 57s-1% US 2 if 3*7 3 Vo OAS'33? 321 IT/

3 »J/<T

Eobro/s

3-4/ 3-37

Ma./M

Hein/)fo/?K

3.4C

hriAhiricCirr

3So 32S 343 3-lC 2 la 3a?

PHlLA~d£LPHm

is7-33V

3./S

3.S1 3 t7 342 3'V

3JS- 333

3.//s

3.S2 3-4? 3.33 3.3V 3.33 421 7.33 3-37 3S3 Hi Ui

33o 3732.

337

3.23

Mao 3./? 3-20 3a3 3.CS

3.SS- 323 3-2V f./5 til 3/7

j.n 2.7a 3.V3

42.7?

Mo. 5?

7a.V/

WtrSH/N&roP

3.55 3.27 i.js 327 3 7a ?/i MJ/ ?a/ 3.3V JSV 237 332

?ITT56uRQH

314

3/>z 32S 3-7? 023 333 J.47 3-55 2-3V 2-7f

34.53

LHICAGtO

if2, m 2.14 2.1b 34! 3S1 J./3 33a 3.2/ 2Sg 2.37 .'-f3

$2.3/

III.

J-S3 322

//J.'4

Extreme Maximum Temperature, Degrees F.

Here again Nantucket is impressive for both July and August being from 10 to 15 degrees lower in this particular than the other places. And the same applies to June and September.

nr

BxrRE HE FIAXIEIU /R Tbeipea'ATI/KE Jnfi. Fes. MarApsFmJl/MtTuL

^Apri/cHEf

Ii 60 tr 79fti

Bob TV/V

70

°F

ScfPOcTFov.Jtc. R/^hcs/

fa ?i 7o n

6l

lot

7z

I? 3C> 19 97 too /Of 0/ /o2

7? 6?

09

YEWJOAK

£9 73 99 9' 9S~ 77 0Z 0Z 'ao

7S £,7

K>Z

hrLANr/dirr

6? 77 77 % if 97 /oz /<"/- 79

77 6?

09

?ffILAT )£LPE/A

73 79 19 ?=> 9£ 0Z lot /o£

02.

77 7o

06

to/ASRM5-TW

77 89 93 fS 97 lop. 04 /o£ /ou.

73 79

06

P/rrSBupfr/F

7s 77 m % 95-19 /03 03 02

7f

/03

Cfj/CA&O

AS 67 U 9/ ft

77 61

/op 05 /oi /oo

437.fr-

73

05-

IV. Extreme Minimum Temperature.

It is without importance for the summer months.

Ir

Ex TPEME Pt//V/"l(/M TempestA TC/Pa

°F.

Vwri/uEr

Tm FesEl/tfApzMtf PveluVf Hut.Se/f.OcCfa/. JeC. Lou/esr -•/-(, L 75~ 3// s/ ti so 's- - 3 -c

dosn/V

-/3 - / S - 9 ' / 3 / # / S o " C 3 t 3 5 - - 3 - / /

NewYork

-C -/v

3 /3L 3V

frLA/vrpf/ry

-v -<7

? /er 33 fS SX

fy/LAPELPffP

-g-

5- /4 & V6 SX S/ So Of

-!U -75" U 75~

P/rrs&JPEP

-IL -Xo - / // 27 3f

C747CAE-53

97 39 n -7 y S

- ?

-//

773 SX ff 36 oe, /' -'3 -7sr

M/ASf/mroy

53

-/V

59 Sf 39 3 7 7 -'5 -777

//C /fir 3 * e o ' ~ 9 - 2 o -7o -X/ ./X 17 27 3S 7/7 of /f -2 -23 - 2 3

V. Mean Monthly Temperatures, Degrees F. We laymen can construe the word "mean" to be "average" as we are more familiar with the latter. Mean is one-half way between the highest and the lowest and is much easier to compute as used in these government tables. It is close enough to average and fully adequate for our purposes.

Nantucket averages lower temperatures for each of the four summer months than each of the other cities.

MEAN

PjoA/rtfLY fEAiPE/?/\ro/?a Tm. Feo Mm.

"F

YJwcTuixlvt.SeerGorMf.Decfoar/jfe

HiMirvCKET

3/3 %i7 sestet so.3

17s tn u$ s*.i te.t ass

#r.9

S05TO/V

27-9 3S.f 3S6 Xt S7! US T/.7 iff 632.53.1 #34 33S

7/?.6

NEI/\/jORK

3o-9 3/3 m Wt tot. MS 73.f 73/ u.f SC3K4.2 3S/>

S23

flrLA/vr/cCtry

33.5-371 set sty trt 73-7 m>its 57.0

xs

sos

PtflL/WELP/f/A 32C 3&)tfo.% 53.1 62? 7/7 76.1 m Ife 57X1/57 X-3

&.</

IPbSH/A/G-ro/f

33.1 353 m J3i U7 73-7 XX 75U> 17/ 57# fs.2 366

SSo

P/7T5/37/RM-

3o.9 m ?99 &7 t3.o

sag

sjor

Cp/CAAO

24.9 362 X! t7./ 37Si7S~733 71-0 £53 53f j/di jfo

&f.S~

-§{38

w 739 Ui ststeo

VI. Relatve Humidity, Percent at Mid-Day. It is a fact that the moisture in the air is appreciably more at Nantucket than at the other locations in our tabulation, with the exception of Atlantic City, which is also an island in the sea. People who require an exceptionally dry atmosphere will not find it at sea.

However, there is no sense of discomfort from it at Nantucket for practically all occasions because a considerable breeze is nearly al­ ways blowing during the daytime. At the same time there are no extreme highs of temperature. 84° F. is usually the highest tempera­ ture recorded.

Fog must be mentioned. It prevails more at the sea-coast than inland and Nantucket is no exception, where at times it may be present in the early morning, "burn off" during the morning and "blow in" again during the late afternoon. During the summer months this fog mist is thin much of the time with no clouds above it where the sun shines brightly. Under these conditions when the sunlight penetrates the fog sufficiently to cast a shadow it is not regarded as interfering with the period of possible sunshine.

FELAT/VE J/i//y/j>/rF - *7° JAM FEAMWAR*Anb&JKR AUG-. SERVER, top tec. AR&r/ve JiUNTl/CFET 13 73 7/ £7 7/ 73 73 £? 6g U 6« 7/ 7o toSTON L,3 £,/ ax £7 £/ S? £/ £/ <>z 57 £S £3V MEIAJ JOAK (po S? 55-S3 5V Sg 57 £0 $7 to -it ^ f\TLfl,tmcQry If if U69 7/ 13. 7/ 7o U 65- £7 ?A/LA 7)ELPE/A &5~ 6Z 60 SC,AST S£ S£, sx 59 S£ (>z £3 5?

WASH/mm S9 sirs/ *7 #? sv S5-SC sa 57 60 sy ?/rrSd£"?M t*7 C7 n S5 5XSS- SA SS 55-57 Vf 7o Cft/CAM 7/ u <-3 s? 59 ko AJ 51 s? 57 it 7/ ^ EZ"

«(39^

VII. Wind, Average Hourly Velocity.

Nantucket is an island 15 miles long and' 3 miles wide in the Atlantic Ocean, out of sight of land off the elbow of Cape Cod, Mass­ achusetts, which is 24 miles away, measuring from Nantucket harbor entrance to Hyannis.

The nearly constant daytime breezes in Nantucket during the summer are a great boon in providing clean air always coming from across the sea.

It will be seen from the table that four cities are favored by goodly breezes, while Philadelphia, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and particu­ larly Washington, suffer during the summer months. As a matter of fact these recorded wind velocities are the average for 24 hours a day and being less at night when it is relatively cool, average higher during the day so that the average daytime summer wind velocity is between 13 and 14 miles per hour at Nantucket.

M

WIND - AI/EKA&E Uoviu.r t/EIOC/rr

Nwrt/cKEr

Tm. Fee.

M,Les

PPR Moor*

bvc-.fetfOcf-the he.

'9-9 '#9 /KZ Ifi '3.2 /s.5~//•? US '32' I f Iff !2y

'3-7

osr //-a 'Z-o /i.2 '2-9 a.7 nl 'Zj "z. '"•/ /a.i 1-1' / i f m /u tu /xi m /zi m'*s mis- /c.z as-

"T

/St H-9 H-7 If f /3S '3.X '39 '39 U/.7 'SS 'S3.

'So

PMMPEWJA 'at lis a 9 //./ 9.9 ta.z 9.7 92 9-v 9-9 '"3 ">.7 4T SS S.0 S ss 7-2 79 /J

/".V

6osro/v

NewYork frrLMncCtrY

WASH v&ro/v 7/rr5d0fi&w ffllGA&O

K/

U ft St .l C7 is u.r /2.1 lis* /M 99 rt is gfrr/'t "s //•C n. 12 n 72 // 'O f f /a // 12 /2

^40

/V?

u //.

VIII. Wind, Maximum Velocity.

This table is unimportant for our purpose but is included because it shows that Nantucket did not get the worst of the September hur­ ricanes, but during many months of the year does have occasional gales, in which Nantucket, Boston, New York and Atlantic City are somewhat alike, and Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh and Chicago do not experience such high velocities.

7SF

W//V7) - FI/AX/WV I^BLOC/RR JAI TA ^MlPss^AYJTRR£7T/IYBI/6-.$EF, (JCT-POO. FEE. $£/£$

T /Mri/cvsr 01 80 STOW SO HEW YORK 00 HMRMCC/RT FYLLADET-P/M¥7

17 Si Sf S3 S7 S3. 02 tz

u

SI St, 17 IS 3f 17 3i 73 1» 0 3 17

73

73 70 OS tl 07 tf S/ ft

tS 0! Of

EI

73 Of 7l So so SO 0s~ El

LS 00 St.

fz

is Si 17 17

Of

(,0

00

0/

so S3 17 0? IE

Sjl

S3

PITTS BE7?&(/

Si 11 S1 S3 S3 5/ it is- It 1% 13 sy

OliiOATn

S/ Os S3 st so St, St) St. St 1? S? St

St ts-

X

1 i

13 If 17 37 13 It S3 n Si 1T ¥3 31

Conclusion In summer Nantucket enjoys much sunshine, no high tempera­ tures, constant breezes, and but little rain.

4 41

<e( 42 }?!•

NANTUCKET FARMS. This list of numbers and names identify the Nantucket farms of the 1850s shown on the accompanying map.

The names are those most frequently used in conversation, and not a record of all the owners.

Corrections cannot be made in the zinc plate of the map but Dr. Gardner would welcome them and file them in the Historical Association.

FARMS ON NANTUCKET IN THE EIGHTEEN FIFTIES. Concerning this map and the names under it, Dr. Gardner makes the following statement: The map and names of farm owners is the result of some research in gathering material for my book on the Starbucks: "Three Bricks and Three Brothers," and for the book I am now preparing on the Coffins.

I found that I could not search out Starbuck and Coffin farms and properties without locating many other farms; most of these are memories and only located by holes in the ground, by doorsteps hid­ den in the grass and by rubble where no grass would grow because of the big chimney that once stood there.

I became conscious that these holes and rubbish heaps told a story of an important period in our island life.

In the eighteen fifties there were over one hundred farms on the island. More than three hundred children were growing up on these farms. Men were going whaling, leaving their farms to "the women folks" and the old men; and many times coming back, as in the case of Obed Swain (he lived on what is now the Dr. Folger farm), to find his wife had made more money farming that he had made whaling.

Look at this record of 1855: horses, 346; cows and oxen, 874; sheep, 1201; pigs, 541; pounds of butter made, 24,152; potatoes, 7,776 bushels; hay, 2851 tons.

It seemed important to gather as much material as I could about these farms and make a map and place the record in the files of the Nantucket Historical Association.

I secured the help of Jay Gibbs, one of the few men who have kept up his interest in the farm life of the island, and during two winters we have spent many evenings together in my home just be­ fore Jay went on to ring the "curfew" at nine o'clock. Many others have helped by correcting our conclusions and adding new data; some 443j*-

have developed a difference of opinion concerning locations and own­ erships.

We are indebted to Alex Hoyle, Pest House Shore, for the draw­ ing of this excellent map; it is based largely on the Geodetic Maps of 1945.

All the material we have collected will go into the files of the Nantucket Historical Association; not only the map and the list of owners, but also interesting stories about the making of peat, the good times at Polpis—especially at the corn huskings—the Farm Institute and the "Annual Cattle Show."

Two interesting manuscripts will be included, one by Millard F. Freeborn and Wallace Gardner, and the other by Jay Gibbs.

All will be filed under "Farms of Nantucket."

We are especially indebted to the editor of The Inquirer and Mirror, for not only making this map known to many interested in the history of Nantucket, but also for his help in the detail of the search where his knowledge of island people and property was in­ valuable.

1. Polpis Road—Seth Clisby, R. E. Burgess, Lawrence Mooney.

2. Polpis Road—William Shaw.

3. Polpis Road—Obed Swain, David Worth, Charles Burgess.

4. Polpis Road—Charles Burgess.

5. Polpis Road—Joseph Folger, Harrison Gardner, George Norcross, Harry Gordon.

6. Polpis Road—Kezia ("Miriam") Coffin, William B. Starbuck.

7. Polpis Road—"Town Farm," John Harps.

8. Polpis—"Norwood Farm," F. C. Sanford.

9. Polpis—David Joy. 10. Polpis—Reuben Joy. 11. Polpis—Charles C. Chadwick.

12. Polpis—Benjamin Swain, Benjamin Eldridge, Benj. Worth.

13. Polpis—Obed Macy, "Spotswood," F. C. Sanford.

14. Polpis—Capt. Samuel Harris.

15. Polpis—Benjamin Robinson, Frank Chadwick.

16. Polpis—John Swain, Harvey Smith, Charles Swain.

17. Polpis—Heiry Swain, Josiah B. Gould.

18. Polpis—Benjamin Ray, Charles Rule, John Enos.

19. Polpis—Charles Swain (J. E. C. Farnham lived here, see "My Boyhood Days on Nantucket.")

20. Polpis—Gardner Coffin, Robert Mooney.

21. Polpis—"Beachwood Farm," F. C. Sanford.

22. Polpis—"Milton Farm," Edward Morris, Jonathan Parker, Edward Ray, Charles Swain.

23. Polpis—William Phinney, William Perkins, Jacob Gibbs.

24. Polpis—William Rawson, Henry Swain, Charles Swain.

24.a Polpis—George B. Starbuck.

<144^-

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

41.

41.a -s 42.

43.

44. » 44.a 45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

51.

52.

53.

54.

55.

56.

57.

58.

59.

60.

61.

62.

63.

64.

Polpis—"Eatfire Springs," Albert Easton, Sylvanus Morey, Henry Fay. Squam—Oliver Backus, John Harps, Henry Fay. Squam—David Phinney.

Pocomo—"Boden Farm," Joseph Steingardt, Edward Boden.

Pocomo—"Steingardt Farm," Manuel Enos, Joseph Steingardt.

Wauwinet—Elijah Luce, LeGrand Canon Tibbetts.

Coskata—Capt. Edward Coffin, Philip Folger.

Squam—Sylvanus Morey, LeGrand Canon Tibbetts.

Squam—"Chadwick Farm," William Henry Chadwick.

Squam—Thomas Ray. Quidnet—George Norcross, Capt. John Killen. * Quidnet—George Chadwick.

Quidnet—Edward Norcross, Oscar Norcross, Allan Norcross.

Sesachacha—James Norcross.

Sesachacha—Charles Chadwick.

Sesachacha—James Maguire, James Norcross, "Beach Club."

'Sconset—Philip Folger, Levi Coffin.

'Sconset—"Tashama Island," Albert Easton.

'Sconset—Matthew Crosby, Levi Coffin, "Bloomingdale Golf Club."

'Sconset—Sidney B. Folger.

'Sconset—Samuel Pitman.

'Sconset—Low Beach, Henry C. Coffin.

Tom Nevers—Thomas Ray. Nobadeer—"Nobadeer Farm," William Worth.

Nobadeer—Frank Sylvia.

Nobadeer—Joseph Vincent, Isaac Hills, Frank Holm.

Nobadeer—"Myrick Farm," "Morse Farm," Abner Fish, Fred­ erick Fish.

Nobadeer—Matthew Macy.

Shimmo—Captain Andrew Arthur.

Shimmon—Aaron Swain.

Shimmo—Stephen Gibbs.

Shimmo—Coffin Macy.

Shimmo—Paul Clisby.

Shimmo—Brown Gardner.

Monomoy—Zimri Cathcart, S. S. Lewis, Jr. Nobadeer—"Hinsdale Farm," Fred Fish, Leslie Holm.

Surfside—"Spring Garden," Edward Hammond, William Mac­ intosh, "Tashama Farm."

Surfside—"Miacomet Farm," John Appleton.

Cisco—John O'Connell, Dr. Charles Congdon.

Cisco—John Wilson, Thomas Gibbs, Albert Chase, John Bartlett, Joseph Grouard.

Cisco—George H. Gardner.

Cisco—Joseph Starbuck, William Starbuck. <6(45^

65. Cato—Narcissa Coffin, Joseph Sylvia de Rosa.

66. Cato—"Appleton Farm," John S. Appleton, Noah Appleton, Nathaniel Lowell.

67. Cato—"Mitchell Farm," John Roberts.

68. Cato—Obed Starbuck, Charles Starbuck, Walter Dawson, John Ring.

69. Cato—"Cherry Grove," Eliot Cathcart, Thomas Macy, Clinton Hussey, Nathaniel Lowell, E. McLaughlin.

70. Cato—D. B. Allen, Arnold Morse, Daniel Brayton, Clinton Hussey, Nathaniel Lowell.

71. Hummock Pond Road—Edward Macy, Reuben Chadwick, An­ drew Sandsbury, Charles G. Austin.

72. Hummock Pond Road—"Burnt Swamp"—Albert Folger.

73. Hummock Pond Road—"Mount Vernon Farm," Cartwright, Laban Paddock, Fred Paddock, Charles G. Gardner, Wallace Gardner.

74. Hummock Pond Road—Capt. Shubael Allen (part of 73), Capt. Henry Coleman, John J. Gardner, Charles W. Gard­ ner, Wallace Gardner.

75. Hummock Pond—George Starbuck (part of 73), Judge Ed­ ward Gardner.

6. Hummock Pond—"Bartlett Farm," Henry Coffin, Albeit Bartlett, John Bartlett.

77. Hummock Pond—"Rams Pasture," Lot Palmer, Henry Cole­ man, May Brayton, William Wallace.

78. Hummock Pond—Elihu Coleman, William Hosier.

79. Hummock Pond—William Randall.

80. Hummock Pond—David G. Hussey.

81. Madaket—"Cambridge," site of farm of "Great Mary" Starbuck, "Cornish Farm," Bailey Cornish, William T. Swain.

82. Madaket—Andrew Backus.

83. Madaket—"Trott's Swamp," William-Bartlett, "Gibson Farm."

83.a Madaket—James Collins, George Barrett.

84. Madaket—Nathan Chase, "Bennett Farm," Warren Ramsdell, "Madaket Gun Club."

85. Madaket—Warren Ramsdell, William Ray, Benjamin Pease.

86. Madaket—William Ramsdell.

87. Madaket—Washington I. Fisher.

88. Madaket—Joseph Fisher, Isaac Hills.

89. Madaket—Colin Small, Daniel Folger, Ernest G. Eliot.

90. Madaket—Valentine Small.

91. North Shore—"Franklin Valley Farm," William H. H. Smith, Mary E. Crosby.

92. North Shore—"Hamblin Farm;" Thomas Hamblin.

93. North Shore—"Hinckley Farm," Eben Hinckley.

94. North Shore—George Robinson.

•4 46 k*

WHEN PRESIDENT ULYSSES S. GRANT VISITED NANTUCKET IN 1874.

Having arrived on the island on August 27, aboard the famous steamer River Queen, the famous President was entertained at the Ocean House by a committee of islanders headed by Joseph S. Barney. His personal escort was Frederick C. Sanford, then the leading citizen of the town. President Grant is the man in white standing in the center at the top of the steps and Fred­ erick Sanford is leaning against the portico. The equipage in the foreground is interesting. After President Grant had seated himself in the center "hack" the horses became frightened by the excitement and' promptly ran away.

Mr. Sanford, with characteristic coolness, reined them into a tree and to a sudden stop. Mrs. Grant and Councillor Macy changed carriages, but Pres­ ident Grant remained with Mr. Sanford, calmly puffing away on his cigar the while, and continued in the same carriage to the boat at the wharf.

m

K fc-2'* • •