USA > Massachusetts > Nantucket County > The history of Nantucket County, island, and town : including genealogies of first settlers > Part 31
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+Mass. Archives Vol. 228 p. 190.
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FRANCIS CHASE SHUBAEL BARNARD
JOHN COFFIN
ELIZABETH GARDNER
REUBEN GARDNER STEPHEN PADDACK
BENJ.' HUSSEY
OBED HUSSEY
SHUBAEL GARDNER WALTER FOLGER
Nantucket ye 23d May, 1780.
The property taken amounts to nearly £4000 Sterling."
To that petition was added the following from Timothy Folger, as authorized by the Town-
"To the Honorable the Council and the Hon'ble the House of Representatives of the State of Massachusetts Bay
The Memorial of Timothy Folger Humbly shews-
That a number of the Inhabitants of Nantucket Petition'd your Honors for Leave for a person to go to New York after their property as set forth in said petition which was laid before your Honors on the third Instant: the House then thought best for the Consideration of s'd petition to be put off for some days .* Your Memorialist begs leave to Inform the Hon'ble Court that the property taken from them is nearly four thousand pounds Sterling, belonging to fifty different persons, one half of which will be left miserable without they can Recover it. And as a Fourth Fleet is expected this sumer in these Seas and in case they should carry on their operations against New York your petitioners will undoubtedly lose the Whole, without your Honors will grant the prayer of their petition for some person to proceed there as soon as possible in order to bring it from thence before such an Event takes place. Your memorialist Desires your Honors to take the same into your wise Consideration, and your Memorialist as in duty bound shall pray
Boston ye 10th June 1780. .
TIM'Y FOLGER
This petition seems to have been referred to a Committee consisting of Capt. Howes, Mr. Sears and Mr. Phelps.
At the same time, in order that the exigencies of the case might be fully impressed upon the Court, Mr. Folger addressed the following letter to the Governor:
"Boston ye 12th June 1780.
Sir: The Inhabitants of Nantucket have a petition before the Court for leave for me to go to New York after the property taken from them in April & October, 1779, by the Refugees. I will inform your Honor of the State of their demands on the Refugees. I had leave from ye Court last summer to go to New York after the property. I accordingly went and laid the matter before the Com- mander in Chief, who directed me to go to Rhodeisland where the Refugees were and to demand the property taken from the peace- able Inhabitants of the Island, and to demand it upon their own printed declaration which they had published to ye World, and if they did not do it to return to New York and Inform him of it; I then went to Newport but on my arrival there I found the whole
*Archives Vol. 228. p 190.
23 4
HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
body had left that place two days before for New York. £ I laid the Act before the Secretary of the Board of directors and let him know what the Commander in Chief directed me to say, and then proceeded on to Nantucket thinking to return there as soon as I heard they had returned: but before that took place they Evacu- ated ye s'd Island, since which we find that when that body broke up they left the Effects belonging to the petitioners in ye hands of some of the directors. we are now fearful if we do not get it from thence before the French fleet & army arrives we shall lose the whole which is nearly £4000 sterling and many of the sufferers will be miserable without they can get that property; if your Honor can assist us in leave to go after that property we shall be ex- ceedingly obliged to you.
I am Sir Your Humble Serv't
TIM. FOLGER.
The petitions were duly considered by the Committee, who submitted the following report:
State of Massachusetts Bay-
June 12, 1780.
In ye House of Representatives: On the Petition of Jonathan Burnell and athers Prays for Timothy Folger to Goo to New Yorck and Bring Back their affects which he shall obtain as Set forth In his Petition*
Resolved that Timothey Foulger be and heirby Is permitted to Repair to New Yorck and bring from thence his affects to this Stait aney time within two Mounths from the time he shall Leave this Stait and all Capt or Comanders of the armed Vassels in the Sarvis of this Stait, or aney of the subjects theirof are heir By Derected and the Cap't or Commanders of aney armed Vassel in the Sarvice of the United States are requested to premit the said Timothy Folger and his affects to Pass unmolested
and It Is forether Resolved that the said Timothy Before that he Departs this Stait shall Give Bondes to the Treasurer with sufficinte surite in the Sume of ten thousand Poundes that he will return into this State with his affects within the time afoursaid the Danger of the seas and Enemies Excepted and that he will not carry any Effects out of this State nor more provision than is neces- sary for his voyage there or to New Yorck."
This report was accepted and concurred in by both the House of Representatives and the Council. What success Mr. Folger met with does not appear by any record or report at present known. It would appear that Timothy Folger did go to New York, but it would seem from the statement by Obed Macy that his purpose was a very different one. Alluding to the distressed conditions under which the people found themselves placed and their inability to carry on any pursuit that would earn them a livelihood, Mr. Macy
says- "Under these considerations Timothy Folger, Esq., was sent to New York to represent the situation of the people of Nantucket, and to ask permission of the British Commander-in-chief to carry on the whaling business without being subject to capture by the vessels of his government."
* The documents quoted are taken from the originals in the Archives and are intended to be quoted verbatim.
* Page 116.
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He presented a petition to Sir Henry Clinton, General, and to Vice Admiral Arbuthnot "and His Majesty's Commissioners for restoring peace to the revolting colonies," which set forth that "at this time there is five thousand inhabitants on said Island, who through the unhappy dispute that hath taken place between Great Britain and the Colonies, are reduced to the most miserable condition imaginable. *
The soil will not produce a subsistence for one-third part of the people, Wholly destitute of fire wood, and but a little clothing; such being their situation and circumstances, your petitioners really apprehend, that, without some indulgencies from your ex- cellencies, there will many people perish for want, before the end of another winter. Your petitioners hope and flatter themselves that, as they have taken no part whatever in the unhappy war that has brought on these calamities, but have remained these five years in a state of peace, without civil or military officers on the island, or any court of justice, on which account they have been denied more than once of all supplies from the continent, and likewise that more than two thirds parts of the inhabitants are of the people called Quakers, and principled against bearing arms on any occasion,-that your excellencies will take their peculiar situa- tion into your wise consideration, and grant them such relief as will furnish them with a subsistence only.
Your petitioners do not wish, neither will they presume to ask, any indulgences that will counteract the plans of government. As the inhabitants of said island were heretofore wholly employed in the whale and cod fishery, and at present every other means of subsistence being cut off, they hope your excellencies will per- mit twenty fishing boats to fish round the island of Nantucket, and four vessels to be employed in the whale fishery, and ten small vessels to supply the inhabitants with wood, and one to go to New York for some little supplies; said vessels being put under such regulations as your excellencies shall see meet. Your peti- tioners likewise beg of your excellencies, that you will prohibit all armed vessels and armed men from going to Nantucket to take the property of the island from thence.
And your petitioners as in duty bound shall pray.
TIMOTHY FOLGER
Agent for the inhabitants of Nantucket. New York, 9th July, 1780."
In the light of such information as we have the situation seems a somewhat anomalous one. Mr. Folger and the several signers to the petition to the General Court, asked for permission to go to the British authorities at New York, to recover certain goods, stolen from the people of Nantucket by the predatory bands of Refugees who visited the Island in 1779. The Resolve of the General Court of June 23d, 1779, forbade the inhabitants of the Island holding any communication with the British authorities without the special sanction of the Court. The vote of the Town Meeting of May 22, 1780, was to request the repeal of the Re- solve, without specifying why. The petition of Timothy Folger to the British, made in accordance with the permit of the General
*The petition purports to be "of the island of Nantucket." The phra- seology is a little peculiar for there was no Town meeting recorded where the petition was authorized, and there are no records of the Se- lectmen's meetings of the period known to be in existence.
.
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HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
Court to seek redress for the stolen property, makes no mention whatever of that particular matter, but requests permits for fish- ing privileges and a prohibition of further predatory raids. How-' ever, there seems to be no evidence that the visit to the British authorities was productive of any benefit in any particular .*
A few months later Mr. Folger addressed another petition to the General Court, as follows :-
"To his Excellency John Hancock Esquire, Governor and Commander-in-Chief, in and over the Commonwealth of Massa- chusetts, And to the Honorable the Senate and House of Representa- tives in General Court Assembled-
The petition of Timothy Folger of Sherbourn in the County of Nantucket Humbly shews:
That the Inhabitants of the Island of Nantucket at the Com- mencement of the present Unhappy war carrying on between Great Britain and the United States, were owners of one hundred and forty sail of Vessels which were Employ'd in the whale fishery and other business: Since which they have gone on other Voyages (in order to procure a Subsistence for the people on the Island) till they have almost lost the whole of them there being at this time not more than ten sail of Vessels belonging to said Inhabitants that can be fited to Sea on any Voyage: Added to which they have often been plunder'd by the Refugees from New York of almost their whole property, which has Reduc'd said Inhabitants to a state of distress and Misery not to be parallel'd by any place on the Continent nor Island belonging to the United States, to such a situation are they brought that at this day it is not in the power of the Inhabitants to raise monies sufficient to maintain the Poor that now is there, And is still rapidly Increasing-All this they have borne and followed the fortunes of the Continent with Chearfulness but what particularly Affects the feelings of the Inhabitants of said Island is, that the good people of this common- wealth should entertain prejudices against them from mere Report. Your Petitioner begs leave to mention that before the unhappy troubles they were of some benefit to Government they belonged to As they Annually took from twenty five to thirty thousand barrels of Oyl which mostly came to this market: and they hope in one day to come they may be of some service to the Community if they are not forc'd to Abandon the Island for the want of sub- sistence of which there is great danger. Your petitioner is very
*Macy says (page 113) "This petition, although it had not that im- mediate effect that was asked for, proved of much advantage in pro- moting the much desired object, that of whaling without the risk of capture. The subject was constantly kept in view by the inhabitants, and, as often as opportunity presented, permission was asked of the British for that purpose." In August the Selectmen sent the following petition to the Council (Archives Vol 177 p 24) "To the Gentlemen of the Council in Boston: Whereas the inhabitants of the Island of Nan- tucket are at this present, a great part of them grievously distressed for the Want of Bread, and the Calamity of the Times is such as renders it very Difficult to obtain Relief; We have therefore thought proper to recommend to your Notice Tristram Coffin Master of the Schooner Phe- nix of Nantucket, and desire your approbation and Assistance to pro- mote and enable the said Tristram Coffin to bring a load of Bread and Flower from Philadelphia in the said Schooner in order to relieve the sore Distress of the Inhabitants of this Town, Silvanus Starbuck, Ben- jamin Hussey, Paul Gardner, Alex Gardner, Wm. Starbuck, Peter Folger, Benj. Jenkins, Selectmen. The Council sent a letter to His Excellency, Joseph Reed, Gov. of Pennsylvania, recommending the favorable con- sideration of the mission of Capt. Coffin.
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sensible that the Inhabitants of said Island suffer'd much from Reports being spread on the Continent by wicked and perfidious men, that said Inhabitants have Carried on a trade with, and supplied the British Garrisons. Your Petitioner now declares on his Honor in behalf of the Inhabitants of the Island of Nan- tucket ( as their Agent, Chosen by the free Suffrages of the people, ) that they, nor Either of them have during the present War in any instance whatever sent any Vessel or boat to the British Garrisons, with or without supplies, neither brought anything from them while they had possession of Boston, Rhodeisland, or New York but by the sanction and Authority of this now Common Wealth; Excepting One Committee sent by the Town of Sherburn to New York immediately after being plunder'd as herein mention'd, and one whale Boat to Rhodeisland to Endeavour the Inlargement of two of the Inhabitants who had suffered a long imprisonment there -Your petitioner calls on all the World, Britons or Americans to produce one other Instance-The Inhabitants of said Island are more particularly Alarm'd and Astonished to find themselves point- ed out in a Resolve of the General Court of the then State of Massa- chusetts bearing date ye twenty third day of June 1779, Ordering and forbiding the Inhabitants from holding any Correspondence or Communication with the Enemies of the United States whatever- Your petitioner Appeals to the Candour and Good sence of your Excellency and Honors: whether being situated as the Inhabitants of that Island are, seperated fifteen Leagues from the Continent, and not protected by them but left open to the Ravages & always in the power of the British fleet who Parade round that Island, come into its Harbours & lay the Inhabitants under Contribution- Whether under these Circumstances it can be criminal to hold a Correspondence with the Enemy, Or whether they are not Justified, And have an Inherent Natural right to make as good terms as can be Obtain'd.
Your Petitioner Acknowledges that the Inhabitants of the Island have more than Once been call'd upon, And been under the disagreeable Necessity (And Unfortunate is it for them) to treat with the Britons when they have made demands on the In- habitants since that Resolve pass'd And of Consequence committed a breach of it. The Inhabitants of the Island of Nantucket ever wish to pay all deference to the Laws Enacted by the power that Governs them-
Your Petitioner therefore prays your Excellency and Honors that the said Resolve may be repealed, that they may have the satisfaction to find that they are Governed by the same General Laws with the other Good people of this Commonwealth, And not to be particularly pointed out in a Resolve as persons carrying on a trade with the Britons which had its foundation in mere Reports Fabricated by the Arts of Wicked and designing men-Your Petitioner rests Assured from the good Intentions of your Ex- cellency and Honors that as the Inhabitants of said Island are so situated and at present cannot protect them from the British fleet that you will not pass such Acts & Resolves as may hold them up as a forlorn Hope for destruction but for them to have a being which is all they Ask and Your Petitioner as in duty bound shall pray.
TIMOTHY FOLGER Agent for the Inhabitants of Nantucket
Boston ye 6th Nov'er 1780*
*Archives Vol 186 p 370. This petition was referred to Col. Thacher,
(See next page)
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In spite of the poverty of the people and the difficulties they experienced in obtaining supplies of any kind for their own main- tenance, the General Court continued to make requisitions on the Town of Nantucket. By a resolve passed May 4, 1780, the County of Nantucket was called upon to furnish 111 pairs of shoes, stockings and shirts, and 55 blankets, and Stephen Hussey Esq was designated as the agent for their collection .* On June 22, the Court passed a resolve to collect delinquent taxes in the counties of Cumberland, Lincoln, Dukes and Nantucket and Stephen Hussey and James Athearn Esqs were appointed Commissioners. These requisitions, however, do not appear to have been pressed, probably because collection was not possible.
On January 13, 1781, a Town meeting was held at which it was voted to "send a Petition or Remonstrance to the General . Court setting forth the Distress of the Town and praying for some Indulgence to apply to the Commanders of the British forces at New York for Relief." William Rotch, Timothy Folger, Josiah Barker, Walter Folger and Shubael. Barnard were appointed a Committee "to draw up said Remonstrance and lay the same before the selectmen of the Town for their approbation." Stephen Hussey, Timothy Folger and Peleg Coffin 2d were delegated to present the remonstrance to the General Court. Under date of February 17, the record states that the Committee made a verbal report to the Town, which was considered satisfactory. There does not seem to be any accessible data as to the character of the Remonstrance or the nature of the report.
Early in July, 1781, the Refugees renewed their depredations upon the people of Nantucket. On the 8th of that month, two shaving mills from New York came into the harbor to secure pro- visions. They captured several small vessels and chased others into the harbor. On the 9th Major Dimmick of Falmouth, and a
crew, came to the Island in pursuit of the enemy. The combatants had a brief engagement in which one man was killed and two severely wounded, but without any decisive result. The Refugees captured a schooner belonging to William Barnard and sent it to New York, allowing the captain and crew to go ashore .;
On September 29, there was a large party of nearly 100 Refugees entered the harbor for the purpose of plundering the people. Major Dimmick again engaged them and succeeded in driving them away, but evidently did not feel that his force, which
Mr. Nye and Mr. Henshaw. The only other reference that appears re- garding it is that by recommendation of the Committee, on Nov. 16 it was tabled until Mr. Folger appeared. Mr. Folger may have felt some dis- couragement from the fact that on Oct. 30 a previous petition (which does not appear among the Archives) was granted by the Senate but on Nov. 4 the House not only declined to concur with the Senate, but unan- imously ordered the matter dismissed. As Mr. Folger sailed from Nan- tucket for New York Nov. 25 the indication is that he made no effort to press his petition of Nov. 6. * Archives Vol 227. p. 479.
+Archives Vol 238, p. 461.
ĮKezia Fannings Diaries.
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was only about two-thirds as large as that of the Refugees, was strong enough to pursue them.
The situation was sufficiently serious to make it necessary to convene at once a Town Meeting on October 3d, at which it was voted that Samuel Starbuck, William Rotch and Benjamin Hussey were delegated to go to New York to obtain relief. William Rotch, Peleg Coffin 2d, Samuel Gelston, Stephen Hussey and Chris- topher Starbuck were appointed a Committee to draw up a Memori- al to send to New York .*
This would seem to be the journey of which Mr. Rotch gives the following account in his Memorandum:
"Some time in the year 1780, Admiral Arbuthnot returned to England, and Admiral Digby succeeded him. As soon as Arbuthnot was gone those plundering Refugees were upon us again, our pro- tection having ceased by his departure. This renewed our per- plexity. The Town was convened to consult about measures to
* Mrs. Fanning in her Diary gives the following story of the raid, her family being at the Quaise house at the time. "Sunday Sept. 30 Juda Robert & Johna came up before sunset. tell that there was two shave- ing mills with 90 or 100 men in them came into the Harbour last night. they nave taken a number of Vessels today. the Town is in great Con- fusion. Mon. Oct 1, about midnight Dimick with about 60 Men came into the harbour arm'd-he & the shaveing Mills gave each other several
shot: on the whole Dimick thought he would wait till day before he made an attempt :- in the morn Dimick & they fired a number of times at each other. the Refugees had taken a Brigg that was just loaded & ready to sail for the W. Indies. Dimick concluded to wait till 10 o'clock before he retook her for at that hour she would be wholly his-it would be 24 from her being captured by the Refugees-the Refugees with their shaveing mills were alongside the Brigg nigh Brant Point. they had made up Barrackadoes in the Brigg to defend themselves-Dimick with his 2 Vessels were without them. about 9 o'clock a number of Connecti- cut men (that had lost their vessels) and strangers from other parts, went on brant Point threw up a breast work, carried swivels & small arms & attack'd the shaveing mills so warmly that they were obliged to get off with themselves as fast as possible towards Courteau-Dimick at the same time fired from his vessels for 15 or more minutes. there was a great fireing from Dimick & the shoar-the Refugees never fired till they were out of Reach then they fired one cannon & shouted with their hatts off. they killed one from the shoar on board the shaveing mill & tis thought several were kill'd after they shoved from the Brigg -they rowed & sail'd as fast as possible out over the Bar. Dimick never persued-George Lawrence was in sight all the morn be- tween the Point & Bar-between 8 & 9 they perceived that there was something amiss in the harbour. his men all got into the boat (left only Lawrence & his little son on board) got to the haulover place at cour- teau haul'd over their Boat & put immediately over here-they got up to our house about 10. Uriah Gardner, Joshua Bunker Junr Paul Pink- ham & Macy, Jonathan's son, as soon as they really discovered there was no trouble in the harbour they took their cloaths & what other things they could & shoved off. Lawrence stood for the other side. a boat's crew came up from town. seeing the boat come from Lawrence they came immediately here-the 4 from Lawrence went down dirctly in the Boat that came from Town, left their own boat here. the shaveing mills when they got over the (bar) seeing that nobody persued them im- mediately persued Lawrence took & carried him away westward with a small S. E. wind. Dimick with his retook Prizes remain'd the remainder of the day in the harbour." Tuesday. Oct 2 "they say that the Owners of that Brigg are agoing to give Dimick 1800 Dollers for her. Dimick & a number of others went out about noon bound Westward." Sat. Oct. 6 "news from Town-the 2 shaveing mills that escaped last Monday on their way to N. York overtook a large Roe gally. the 2 mills with the Roe galley came into our harbour last night in the night, they cut a number of Vessels from the Wharfs before morn. they tarried all day in the harbour-at sunset they set fire to a Connecticut vessel & went off with another-as soon as they were out of Reach with their guns our people put out the fire-she was considerably burnt in her stern."
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prevent destruction .* The result was to send a Committee again to New York to solicit an order from Admiral. Digby similar to that which we had before. It was proposed for me to go with two others. I had then been confined nearly nine months with the Rheumatism, had just left my crutches and was hobbling about with a cane. Therefore I could not think of such an undertaking. But all others utterly refused to go unless I would accompany them This brought a very great .straight on my mind. Go I thought I could not, and to omit it seemed almost inevitable de- struction. At last I consented under great apprehension that I should not live to return. We accordingly set sail, and when we were off Rhode Island, I was obliged to have them go to the East side of the Island, and lay there several days, for my pain was so great that I could not bear the motion of the vessel. But we got safe to New York in a few days after it abated. Admiral Digby had arrived, Commodore Affleck (since Admiral) still being there, and he having kindly assisted us in getting the Permits for a few whaling vessels the year before, we applied first to him. We asked him to introduce us to the Admiral, and assist us in procuring protection against their cruisers in our harbor, and some Permits for the Fishery. He looked very stern, and said "I don't know how you can have the face to ask any indulgence of us. I assisted in getting Permits for you last year, which I have been very sorry for. I find that you have abused the confidence we placed in you, for Capt. , who cruised in Boston Bay and its vicinity, told me that he could hardly find a vessel but what had the Permits and you deserve no favor." I heard him patiently through while he was giving us such a lecture, knowing I could overthrow it all. I then answered "Commodore Affleck, thou hast been greatly imposed upon in this matter. I defy Capt. - to make such a declaration to my face.
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