USA > Massachusetts > Nantucket County > The history of Nantucket County, island, and town : including genealogies of first settlers > Part 36
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Voted. That John Cartwright, Nymphas Marston, Josiah Bar- ker, Wm Coffin, Peter Hussey, John Swain and Jethro Mitchell Jr., be a Committee, to draught a Petition to Congress, and lay the same before the meeting at an adjournment. Voted that the Meeting be adjourned to the first of May, ensuing. t
*The tendency of the American sailors to make the English ridic- ulous or to subdue their arrogance is illustrated by the way in which · a whaling captain, said to be from Nantucket, treated an English Naval officer whose displeasure he had, perhaps not unintentionally, incurred. To soothe his ruffled honor, the Englishman challenged the American. As the challenged party the American had the choice of weapons and he chose harpoons. 'They met according to the preliminary arrange- ments and took their stations. The English officer stood for a moment before the poised harpoon in the hands of the Captain, and then gave way and the duel did not take place. On another similar occasion it is said the American chose pistols and arranged that they were to meet at a certain place, stand back to back, advance a certain number of paces and at the word turn and fire. When the Englishman arrived at the place he found it was the top of a hill and when the required distance was paced off the parties were out of sight of each other. English and American sailors rarely met in port on the west coast of South America in those days without a fight.
+New Bedford Mercury July 3, 1812.
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At a meeting held by adjournment, May 1st, 1812, Jethro Mitchell, Jun., Chairman, Josiah Barker, secretary-The Committee which was appointed for that purpose, produced the following Pe- tition, which was read, considered and accepted, without a dissent- ing voice:
Resolved. That the Chairman and Secretary sign and forward the same to the Congress of the United States.
Petition
To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, in Congress assembled :
At A Large number of the inhabitants of the Island of Nan- tucket, convened on the first of May, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and twelve, beg leave to express their sentiments and wishes to approach in the language of petition the constituted au- thorities of the nation, to whom is entrusted the preservation of their rights and the promotion of their happiness. You are the le- gal guardians of the interests of the people of every part of the United States, however small, and we trust you will not deem us too insignificant to deserve your favorable notice. We view with extreme anxiety and solicitude the present gloomy aspect of our po- litical horizon." After this preliminary expression the petition goes on to represent the privations and distress that would follow and do follow in the wake of restrictions and says that war would mean death to their industries and means of livelihood. Therefore they petition for a modification of the present restrictions. They have now invested in the South Sea fishery property to the value of near- ly a million dollars, which means for some their entire property. Congress is urged to take every honorable means to avoid war.
Some of the articles used in the prosecution of the Whale Fishery are imported from England and the petitioners pray for the removal of the restrictions so that the needed articles may be imported. The meetings as recorded showed the trend of the public mind but the records do not seem to show what was done or what specific action was taken on them.
Soon after the formal declaration of war seemed unavoidable the anxiety of the owners of the whaling fleet became so marked that some of the principal of them convened to consult on what measures to take to avert the impending calamity. The plan was suggested of endeavoring to secure the friendly influence of the British minister, who had not then left Washington, to intercede with his home government for the immunity from capture by Brit- ish vessels of ships belonging to the Nantucket whaling fleet then pursuing their calling in the Pacific Ocean, as well as to obtain the sanction of the English Government for the people of Nan- tucket to pursue their regular avocations under specified restric- tions. As the matter was discussed, however, the opinion arrived at was that there was little prospect of success. Macy says- "It was the opinion of many at that time, and subsequent events have strengthened the opinion, that had the Town united in the attempt, and done all in its power for the promotion of the object, very great
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advantages would have resulted. The fleet at sea might, perhaps, have been saved, and the liberty secured to carry on the whale fishing without molestation."*
As it became more apparent that war would ensue business became unsettled or at a standstill. Recalling the privations and sufferings and losses the Islanders encountered during the War of the Revolution, talk of removal into the country became common, but real estate could not be transported and no one wished to pur- chase.t
June 18, 1812, the United States formally declared war against Great Britain. The news was received in Nantucket June 24, and
IN
THE JAIL AND HOUSE OF CORRECTION
the last vestige of hope, that the clouds would break and peace continue, was shattered. Then followed weeks and months of pri- vation and suffering. The National Government was unable to pro- tect them, and to allow special privileges was a dangerous prece- dent. The whaling fleet was largely at sea, subject to the depreda- tions of English vessels of war. The first to be reported as falling
*History of Nantucket 165. ¿Kezia Fanning in her diary under date of Sunday, June 28, 1812, says "Ten families went away today with Capt. Robinson, bound to Amboy, then to Philadelphia and on to Ohio: Mrs. King, wife & child, Charles Rand & wife, -Butler, wife & family from Chappaquiddick & Richard Folger & family. David Folger & family, Silv. Folger & family, John Starbuck & family. Mrs. Bunker & her granddaughter moved to Wareham. August 8. Obadiah Wood & family moved today to Kennebunk. In his diary Obed Macy notes these removals in the latter part of 1812 additional to those mentioned by Mrs. Fanning: Stephen Briggs, Jona C. Rathbone, Barnabas Coffin, Hepzibah Chadwick, Richard Gardner, Rowland Coleman, Timo Folger, Andrew Pinkham, John Paddack, Charles Coffin 3d, Elisha Folger.
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a victim to the enemy was the schooner Mount Hope, David Cottle master, which was captured July 9 while on a whaling voyage on the Atlantic and burned with her catch of 170 barrels of sperm oil. The crew were held as prisoners. At this time the Island fleet of whaling vessels, coasters and merchantmen, consisted of 43 ships, 47 sloops, 7 brigs, and 19 schooners; a total of 116 vessels, with a total tonnage of nearly 11,000 tons .*
The activity of English privateers and cruisers prevented to a great degree the transportation of fuel and provisions and the Is- landers were speedily reduced to serious straits. Of this period Mr. Macy, who was contemporary with it, says: "British cruisers were so numerous on the coast, as to render it very hazardous for those coasters to pass, which had usually supplied the market with bread stuffs. Late in the fall no bread-stuff could be bought, and little was expected to be brought to the Island; and there was less wood than had been known for many years. Hundreds of the la- boring poor might daily be seen in the streets, destitute of the means of subsistence because destitute of employment."t
With the approach of colder weather conditions became more serious. Running imminent danger of capture several vessels were dispatched to ports to the westward to procure such necessary articles as corn, flour and other provisions. In November a vessel arrived with a cargo of corn, which was sold at the rate of $1.25 a bushel. Flour sold for $13.50 a barrel. "Although the price was high," says Macy,¿ "the whole cargo was sold very fast; higher prices would have been obtained, if demanded. It was truly mel- ancholy to see the people thronging and pressing to take their time to be served with articles of food, while many came on board the vessel, equally in want, but destitute of the means to buy. Such a picture of distress had not been displayed since the Revolu- ionary War. Previous to the war, not a beggar was to be seen in the streets; at this time many received their daily pittance from the hand of charity."
The fear of predatory visits from hostile fleets was ever pres- ent, and the Directors of the banks removed what specie could be spared and deposited it for safe keeping on the continent. The knowledge of this occasioned a brief run on the banks by anxious depositors, but it was promptly met and speedily subsided.
The advent of winter was not so serious as had been feared. The importations of provisions and fuel were more successful than were expected. The lack of opportunities for the laboring portion of the people to earn the means to purchase the necessaries of life however reduced them to a condition of suffering. While the rich did not get richer the poor grew poorer. In December the troubles already experienced were made more grievous by the first really
*Macy 167.
+Macy 167-8
#Hist. of Nantucket p. 168.
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serious fire the town had experienced for over 40 years. * The fire started in a building on the Old South wharf and before it was extinguished had consumed eight buildings. Fortunately the wind, though brisk, blew from the north and there were no buildings at the leeward of those destroyed.
In the latter part of November, 1812, a number of members of the minority party, the Federalists, felt constrained to address a letter to the President of the United States to acquaint him with the discouraging situation in which the Island was struggling. Their communication was as follows:
Nantucket, November 21st, 1812.
James Madison, Esq., President of the United States
Sir :- The Republican citizens of Nantucket are conscious, that, when the Government finds it expedient for the support of our National Sovereignty and Independence to declare war, the people must expect to submit to burdens and privations they are not ac- customed to in time of peace; but the peculiar situation of Nan- tucket has induced us to address you.
The Island in its detached situation, being beyond the reach of protection from the Continent, is exposed to the ravages of an enemy. The Island contains a population of nearly seven thousand inhabitants, many of whom were employed in the various mechanic arts and other employments, peculiarly applicable to the Whale Fishery, who, since the declaration of war, have been without em- ploy, and thereby reduced to indigent circumstances.
Experience has taught that the Whale Fishery, for which this place has ever been famed, cannot be prosecuted while it is exposed to the ravages of war; and should it continue, we fear it will in a great degree be lost; it has been considered of such National con- sequence as to induce both England and France to offer great en- couragements to the citizens of this Place to remove and establish it within their Dominions.
We are aware that the Constitution of the United States pro- vides that no preference shall be given to one State over the others; at the same time we are fully sensible, that, when a resort to arms is considered unavoidable, our Government will afford that consistent Relief to such parts of the Community as are deprived of the means of subsistence by a continuation of the war. Such appears to be the Situation we are approaching, as most of the trading Capital of the Island is now in the Southern Ocean, some of which will not be on its return within one year from the present date; and if the war continues, we fully believe the greater part, if not the whole, will fall an easy Prey to the Enemy.
As we are thus situated, and deprived by Nature from obtain- ing a subsistence on the Island, it seems we have no choice, but that of respectfully soliciting your attention and that of our Gov- ernment, to our alarming Condition; requesting also Liberty to ask, if in your Wisdom any means can be devised to save our Fleet
*It is quite a singular coincidence that the only other serious fire up to that time was in 1769, when several buildings were destroyed on the same wharf.
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of Whale Ships now in the Southern Ocean, and if any Method can be adopted, whereby we may prosecute the Cod and Whale Fisheries without the risk of capture by the Enemy.
We also beg leave to ask, if any Stipulation can consistently be effected with Great Britain, whereby the Cod and Whale Fisheries of both Nations may be exempted from the Ravages of war.
In behalf of the Republican Citizens of Nantucket, we have the honor to be with the greatest Respect, Sir, your obedient Serv- ants.'
This petition was signed by the committee which was charged with preparing it and forwarded to the President. There seems to be no report of any action on this petition.
Early in 1813, the waters adjacent to Nantucket became so infested with British vessels of war that safe passage to and from the harbor became a matter of good fortune. Some of the smaller craft laden with provisions, fuel and other supplies were captured. The small sloop Nancy, on a whaling voyage on the Shoals, was captured July 9 when but 24 hours from port. The packet sloop, which carried the mails between Nantucket and Falmouth, was captured, the mails pillaged and the vessel sent into New London. News began to come of the capture of whale ships. The Perseveranda, Paddack, was captured by the frigate Albion January 3d. with 350 barrels of oil. The Hope, Capt. Weeks was taken by the frigate Tribune with a cargo of 200 tons of whale oil; the Alligator was captured and sent into St. Thomas with a full cargo. Some ships ran the gauntlet and put into the nearest port. The New Bedford packet Maria, was chased into Woods Hole by the English privateer, Liverpool Packet . The privateer afterwards anchored off under Nantucket Point and landed some men in a boat. Three days afterwards (April 28) she again an- chored under the Point and one Kimbal Perry in a sloop from Sand- wich gathered 30 or 40 men armed with guns to capture her. They ran down to the Nantucket Bar but the wind came out ahead and their vessel being slow they abandoned the attempt. The more expensive vessels remaining to the Islanders were hauled up to wait for more propitious times and the cheaper ones only were used to run the blockade .*
Further news came from the whaling fleet a little later.
The Sterling, Jonathan Swain was captured and sent into the Barbadoes where she was sold; the Samuel arrived safely at New Bedford; the Edward, Seth Folger, was captured by one of the armed English whalers sent out to destroy the American fishery; the Rose, James Cary, in the merchant service with a cargo said to be worth $400,000 was captured and sent in to the Isle of France;
*The unpublished diary of Obed Macy contains the following item which shows that, despite his being a man of peace, if there must be a fight he wanted fair play: Commenting on the capture of the Chesapeake, he writes-"most probable the victory was gained by some stratagem, which had its origin in cowardice, & not by the common method of Tete-a Tete; notwithstanding the Shannon was of superior force. "The subject must rest for farther particulars."
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the Rebecca, Jethro Coffin, was taken and sent into Rio Janeiro; the Fame, Job Coffin, with 1200 bbls, sperm oil was captured by an English 74; the Renown, Zaccheus Barnard was captured by a British armed whaleship in the Pacific .*
To add to the abundant troubles with which they were beset the National Government levied a direct tax of $5,000. The
amount itself was small and ordinarily would have cheerfully been paid, but this was a case out of the ordinary and involved
particular hardship. It was felt to be especially unjust because the National Government was giving the people of the Island no protection. In this extremity a Town Meeting was called and was convened on November 26, 1813. Isaac Coffin was chosen Modera- tor. So many voters assembled that the meeting was adjourned to the Friends' Meeting House to accommodate them. It was voted to petition Congress to suspend or mitigate the assessment of direct taxes. It would seem that some one had come prepared with the proper document for it was voted "That the petition or Memorial that has been brought into this meeting and Read be accepted." Gideon Gardner was selected to carry the petition to Congress and it was voted "That in case the petition should not be granted by Congress That Mr. Gideon Gardner is Vested with full power from this Town to accept all or any Relief in behalf of the Town that Congress may grant."
The following is the text of the memorial:
"To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled. The Petition of the Town and County of Nantucket Respectfully sheweth :-
That The unavoidable fate of the War, in which the Nation is Involved, has so reduced them in Circumstances, as seemingly to leave no choice whereby Relief can be obtained, other than by the interference of Congress. Not only as Respects their present Con- dition, but from distressing appearances, the reality of which, they have reason to believe, will eventually meet them.
They have already Realized the Losses by War in a very Ex- tensive Degree; a number of valuable ships with full Cargoes of oil have been Captured and Totally Lost, and, what is truly lament- able, several of the owners, that were heretofore in opulent Cir- cumstances, are now reduced to indigence. And they have further to anticipate a very considerable, if not a total loss of Fifteen valuable ships, now absent in the Whale fishery. Many vessels Im- ployed as Coasters, and some in the merchant service, have also been Captured and Lost, to a great amount in value.
The Whale Fishery, which has Constantly been Considered the staple of Nantucket, must inevitably decline under the present state of things. In truth the partial failure, already Realized, appears to
*September 28, 1813, A British privateer, cruising off the Shoals, captured the Juno, Obed Ray, on a whaling cruise. The privateer's cap- tain demanded that one of the crew go with two of his own men in the prize to St. Johns. They drew lots to see who should go and it fell upon Alexander Swain, son of Parnal. The vessel never reached port and never was heard from afterwards. The Juno was of 45 tons bur- den owned by Jeremiah Austin & Sons; value $1200. (Obed Macy's diary.)
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threaten a total Extinction of the means by which that valuable branch has been so successfully prosecuted.
The present stagnation of Mercantile, and also of most other Concerns, has induced, or rather, Compelled hundreds of people to Remove to the Continent, in search of the common Necessaries of life, which Could neither be afforded or procured here, as the small Remaining Capital of our Island is Rapidly Exhausting, without a present prospect of Replenishing. It is neither the Intention or wish of your petitioners to present an Exaggerated account, but merely a statement of facts, which they feel Impelled by duty seriously to Request, that if Consistent some provision may be made, whereby the Fisheries may be prosecuted, without being subject to Losses by War. Your petitioners are aware that the time for Collecting the direct tax and Internal duties is fast Approaching, Respecting which they beg leave to observe, that it appears to have been Con- templated for the defence of the Country. Their detached situation from the Continent prevents almost every benefit that can arise from its appropriation, their Exposed and defenceless Condition Consid- ered with the natural situation of the Island, which Renders it Impossible for adequate defence to be Afforded, are Circumstances which they believe are but partially known to Congress.
The Ruinous Losses already Realized, and those that are an- ticipated, and seemingly unavoidable, added to a general suspension of the means of subsistance, are circumstances which, when duly Considered, your petitioners are persuaded, will Entitle them not only to Countenance and Commiseration, but to such Consistant Relief as seems Indispensable for their Continued Existance.
ISAAC COFFIN, Moderator,
JAMES COFFIN, Town Clerk."* Nantucket, 26th., 11th., mo. 1813."
The relief given to the whalemen in the Pacific by the timely and effective work of Captain Porter was now beginning to manifest itself, for the vessels that were released started for the home port. There was much anxiety over them for fear of their being intercepted and a constant lookout for them was kept. Large re- wards were offered to any who piloted them safely in or gave such information as should lead to their safe arrival .; On December 4th a chebacco vessel, the Citizen, Daniel Russell, master, from New York to Nantucket, with a cargo of 120 barrels of flour, chased by an English privateer brig near Black Point, Long Island Sound, was run upon a reef and sunk. The flour was saved and carried into New London. About the same time the whaleship Criterion, Captain Clark, which was detained at Conception by the Spaniards on the Pacific Coast, arrived in Rhode Island with a full cargo of sperm oil. The ship Chili was captured by an armed vessel in Tarpaulin
*Concerning this missison Obed Macy says in his diary that Gideon Gardner returned to Nantucket in February and reported that the President listened attentively to what he had to say. He also inter- viewed the President's wife "diplomatically." He succeeded in having an act passed giving the President authority to grant relief from the embargo. This was to enable the Islanders to import fuel, provisions and other necessaries.
The sum of $500. was offered to any Vineyard pilot who was successful in getting a whaleship into port. (Mr. Macy's diary.)
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Cove. * Quickly following this came the news that the ship Pres- ident, with 1100 barrels of oil, and the Lima with 800 barrels had arrived safely in Rhode Island: The ship Atlas, Joy, with 850 bar- rels arrived at the Vineyard.The Gardner, captured by the Frigate Loire, December 4, with 400 barrels of oil was sent into Halifax, The Monticello was captured by the Albion a 75 gun frigate with 1250 barrels. As a partial offset the Ship Charles, Grafton Gardner, Master, arrived off the Bar February 28, 1814, with 1800 barrels worth $80,000. This Mr Macy in his diary records as the "greatest voyage ever made from Nantucket."
An embargo act was passed in December, 1813, which was in- tended to effectually stop all commerce, foreign or domestic, in order to prevent supplies being carried to the English. Excepting in certain specified cases, no vessel was permitted to sail from any port in the United States to any other port even in the same State. Naturally such orders rigidly enforced meant that the people of Nantucket must move or starve. Fortunately, listening to the petition of the Islanders, Congress conferred on the President authority to mitigate the operation of the act in conditions like those at Nantucket. The Embargo Act, however, did not effect the pur- pose for which it was designed and in April, 1814, it was repealed.
The difficulty in obtaining food stuffs was not diminished, however, with being legalized. Says Macyt-"Some of the British vessels were constantly at Tarpaulin Cove. While engaged there in procuring water and other supplies, they sent their boats, from time to time, up and down the Sound, which captured all the coast- ers they met with; they plundered some, and others they destroyed or exacted a ransom for them, in money, pretty much on their own terms. These circumstances reduced the Town to such a condition that famine seemed inevitable unless a change should be brought about. There was not a bushel of corn to be bought."
In his personal diary Obed Macy draws a graphic picture of the depressed state of business and remunerative work on the Island. Under date of 3 mo, 11, he writes-"Indoors business is very much turned to manufacturing Cloth; in almost every family, more or less is done in that line; and in some of the first families, their Parlours are used to card and spin in; besides several have estab- lished factories, & others are about to be established. The old Work House is fitted with a fulling Mill by David Allen, which is wrought by Wind-by some experience already made up on this Novel plan, he is sanguine it will succeed to his expectations; he finds the work is performed as well & much sooner than with a stream of Water in the common way-the use of flying shuttles to
*Mr. Macy records in his diary, on December 8, 1813, that "60 men in four boats from the Vineyard tried to cut out the Chili at anchor near Gay Head, but their courage failed them though the prize had only nine men with four muskets on board." Mr. Macy, in addition to those mentioned, records the following with their catch as having been captured prior to 1814-Ranger (full), Manilla (full), George (1300 barrels), Lion (900) Sukey (750), John & James (1000), Mary Ann (650), William Penn (1300), Brig Ocean (full), Brig Leo, Schooner Mt. Hope. The Ship Henry was lost. The Industry, Essex, Ruby, Thomas, Lady Adams and Martha were not sent to sea after War was declared. +Hist. Nantucket 179.
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