USA > Massachusetts > Nantucket County > The history of Nantucket County, island, and town : including genealogies of first settlers > Part 49
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"The town", says Macy,; "exhibited the appearance of a de- serted village rather than of a flourishing seaport containing up- wards of four thousand inhabitants. The buildings had received no paint and scarce any repairs during the war, and a considerable number of the oldest houses were in a rapid course of dilapidation."
at Nantucket seven years until a license was procured for her to go to London with a cargo of oil, Timothy Folger commander. She sailed I think in 1780 or 1781. Several gentlemen from Boston took passage in her, among whom, were the late Gov. Winthrop, Thomas K Jones, Hutchinson, and some others whose names I do not recollect.
In 1781 Admiral Digby granted thirty licenses for our vessels to go after whales. I was then connected with my father and S. Rodman in business. Considerable oil was obtained in 1782. In the Fall of that year I went to New York and procured from Admiral Digby licenses for the "Bedford" William Mooers master, and I think, the Industry, John Chadwick master. They loaded: the Bedford sailed first and ar- rived in the Downs on the 23d of February * * * * and went up to London and there displayed the United States flag for the first time. The Industry arrived afterwards and I suppose was the second to dis- play it.
The widow of George Hayley, who did so much business with New England, would visit the Bedford and see the flag displayed. She was the sister of the celebrated John Wilkes.
We sent the sloop Speedwell, James Whippey, to Aux Cayes. She was taken and carried to Jamaica, but the captain was released one day after. by the Treaty the war ceased in that latitude and she was re- leased when she showed the first United States flag. On her arrival home everything was very low by the return of Peace. We put on board 200 boxes of candles and with William Johnson (whose widow I learn now lives at Quaise) as supercargo sent her to Quebec, where was the first United States flag exhibited.
Should thee wish any further information within my recollection, I will freely communicate it. I am, with love to thy wife, thy affec- tionate friend
*Wm Rotch M S.
WM. ROTCH JR.
+Hist. of Nantucket p. 120. The valuation list of 1784 showed the following: Families 767; inhabitants 4,268; houses 551; widows 202; orphaned children 342; Indians, 35; horses, 267; cows and oxen, 693; sheep, 3,000; tons of shipping, practically all purchased since the war, 2,400; tons of shipping captured and lost since 1775, 11,131.
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HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
"About this time many young men came home from different parts, where they had been confined as prisoners. Some of them had been absent so long, without being heard from, that their connec- tions had relinquished all hope of ever seeing them again."
After the opening flurry in business, came a period of severe depression. There was no market for oil and as whaling was practically Nantucket's only business there seemed to be nothing to turn to. Macy, who was doubtless entirely familiar with post- Revolution conditions, says :* "At the close of the Revolutionary War, there was a considerable number of men too far advanced in life to resume the whaling business, in which they had been previously engaged." "Having lost nine years of their life to no profit," to use their own expression, it became necessary to resort to other business for a subsistence. The cod fishery at that time ap- peared likely to become a permanent business of the place. It was therefore adopted by this class. The encouragement to prosecute this branch appeared very promising to a number of commercial men, who embarked therein with their property. The fish, on the great fishing banks, were found exceedingly plenty, by the people of Marblehead, and Cape Cod, &c., and the price was such as yielded a good profit. With these prospects, a number of vessels were put into the service, some of which went to the Grand Bank, New- foundland, Cape Sable, and other places eastward, and others of small burthen went out upon the shoals to the eastward of the Island. They generally obtained good voyages, and the fish sold well for the first two or three years, but it was not suited to the genius and inclinations of the people. The vessels, except a few that continued to fish in the vicinity of the Island, were put into other employment."
Replying to the query why could not the people of Nantucket carry on the cod fishery as advantageously and as profitably as the people of Cape Cod and Marblehead, Mr Macy says: { "The middle- aged, * * * who were too far advanced in life to return to their former business, were the only class to be met with that would engage in the fishing, and of these there was not a sufficient number to prosecute the business, with the energy and to the extent which the nature of it required, in order to render it profitable. In the second place, the people were unaccustomed to the business, and unwilling to engage in it, for their attention and study were con- stantly fixed on that of whaling. They could not be brought to believe that the cod fishing would answer on any principle upon which it was conducted. It was, therefore, impossible to obtain men of the first abilities to go in the vessels. The owners had recourse to the Cape to man their vessels, where they had to en- counter similar difficulties; for the most capable and active part of the population there engaged in this employment, could always have all the encouragement which the business afforded, without leaving their homes."
The condition of business became a very serious one. None of the plans suggested seemed to afford a remedy. Some even imag- ined that if the Island could be made neutral, in some occult way the troubles would disappear and the sun of prosperity would shine
*Hist. of Nantucket p 123.
+P. 124.
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HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
again upon them. Mr Macy says :* "As nothing could be done with- out legislative assistance, several town meetings were held to de- liberate on the subject." Unfortunately the records are so meager as to convey no suggestion of what was done. Apparently the Town delayed electing Representatives until some conclusion was arrived at.
On February 25, 1785, it was voted that "Peleg Coffin, one of our Representatives, be desired and directed to attend the General Court Immediately at their present Session." On March 1st, a com- mittee was ordered chosen "to Prepare and Draw up a memorial to be prefered to the General court at the next May Session and that said Plan and memorial be laid before the next annual Town meet- ing to see if the Town will accept thereof and confirm the Same." A committee of nine was selected, consisting of Frederick Folger, Christopher Starbuck, Timothy Folger, Richard Mitchell, Jr., Shu- bael Coffin, Alexander Gardner, George Hussey, Shubael Barnard and Charles Bunker to perform the desired service. The report of the Committee was read at a meeting held April 4 and referred to a meeting to be held on the first Monday in May. It was finally ac- cepted at a meeting held on that day. At the same meeting it was voted "that a Neutral State is the most convenient Situation that the Town can be placed in for the present for the Benefit of the Inhabitants thereof under their present Circumstances." Josiah Barker, William Rotch, Timothy Folger and Richard Mitchell Jr., were delegated to present the Memorial to the General Court and take such further action as they judged to be wise. Timothy Folger was also chosen a Representative.
The report of the Committee was as follows :- -
"The Committee appointed by the Town to draft a memorial to present to the General Court, in behalf of the inhabitants of the Island, have attended to that business, and have reported the same to the satisfaction of the Town, and as the same committee were directed to form a plan for the Town to proceed upon, such as they apprehended would answer the best purposes, and be most for the interest of the whole, crave leave to report, that, it is the unanimous opinion of the committee, that the whale fishery cannot be preserved to this place, nor any part of that business can be carried on by the inhabitants of the Island, without great loss attending it, which will of course reduce the inhabitants to a state of poverty and distress and it is their opinion that the only possible remedy is, in placing . the Island and its inhabitants in a state of neutrality, which if ob- tained may perhaps put it in the power of the inhabitants, to pre- serve so much of the whale fishery as may procure them a sub- sistence.
'But as the memorial says nothing respecting a state of neutrality, but only requests the government to point out some method for us to secure some part of the whale fishery, which, if they should do, and it should appear to the agents of the Town on this business, that it will effectually answer the meaning and inten- tion of the memorial, in that case a state of neutrality may not be moved for, but the committee are fully. of the opinion, that a matter of so much consequence must, in a great measure, be left to the
*Hist. of Nantucket p 126.
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HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
wisdom, prudence, and integrity of your agent, or agents, that may have the conducting of this business with the government.
"The above report was signed by the Committee, consisting of nine persons."
"Nantucket: 5th mo. 2d. 1785."*
A condition of neutrality as applied to a portion of the Com- monwealth only was hardly consistent with equal rights of all and it is not strange that the General Court was not prepared to grant the request of Nantucket for such an exemption. The depression in the whaling business was too serious to be left to chance for a recovery and the General Court was disposed to render such assist- ance as was possible. A bounty on the various kinds of whale oil seemed feasible and consistent and in the session of 1785, the Legislature passed the following resolution :- 1
"Whereas, this Court, having a due sense of the high worth and importance of the whale fishery, are desirous of its preserva- tion, not only to this State, but to the United States in general; therefore, Resolved, that there be paid out of the Treasury of this Commonwealth, the following bounties upon whale oil, of the dif- ferent qualities hereafter mentioned, viz:
"For every ton of white spermaceti oil, five pounds.
"For every ton of brown or yellow spermaceti oil, sixty shil- lings.
"For every ton of whale oil, (so called) forty shillings, that may be taken or caught by any vessel or vessels, that are or may be owned and manned wholly by the inhabitants of this Common- wealth, and landed within the same, from and after the first day of January next, and until the further order of the General Court. "And be it further resolved, that the Selectmen of each town within this Commonwealth, where said fishery is carried on, be, and they hereby are empowered and directed to appoint an in- spector or inspectors, who, (first making oath for the due per- formance of his or their duty), shall inspect all such oil, so landed, with an iron oil-searcher, and with a marking-iron, mark on the head of each cask so inspected, the initial letters of his name describing the quality of the oil by the letters W. B. Y. W. O. annexed, and make certificate thereof to the Selectmen of such town, as aforesaid, under oath, such inspector or inspectors to be paid by the owner or owners of such oil, so inspected, on certi- ficate being produced as aforesaid.
"And it is further resolved that, in order to entitle the owner or owners of the oil, so taken, landed, inspected, and marked, as aforesaid, to the bounty or bounties aforesaid, the owner or owners of the vessel or vessels, that took and landed the same, shall produce to the Governor and Council, a certificate, from under the hands of the Selectmen of the town, where the said oil was landed and inspected, as aforesaid; which certificate shall be in the following words, mutatis mutandis." (Then follows the form certifying .to the facts as required.)
"And it is further resolved, that the said owner, or owners, together with the master, mentioned in the said certificate, shall each of them subscribe the same; and the said owner or owners, together with the said master, shall make oath before some justice of the peace, for the same county, in the form following, to wit :-
*Macy's History, p. 126-7.
fMacy's History, 128-9.
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HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
"You, A. B. and C. D., do solemnly swear, (or affirm, ) that you were the sole owners of the -, A. B. master, mentioned in the certificate, during the whole time she was employed in the whale voyage, herein mentioned, and that the quantity of oil, aforesaid, was taken or caught by the persons employed on board said vessel, during said voyage, which vessel was navigated and manned wholly by the inhabitants of this State, and that no for- eigner, directly or indirectly, hath, or had, any share, part or interest therein, and that the whole of said oil was taken or caught after the first day of December, A. D. 1785.
So help you God."
"And it is further resolved, that upon such certificate being produced to the Governor and Council, the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Council, be and he is hereby em- powered to grant a warrant on the treasury of this Commonwealth, for the payment of the bounties in the manner aforesaid." The Secretary was directed to publish these resolves "in Adams and Nourse's, the Essex, Falmouth, and Plymouth newspapers."
THE FISHING FLEET
What seemed at first a blessing proved eventually to be detri- mental rather than beneficial. The bounty served to overstimulate and seamen in other ports were induced to go into the business. Naturally, the market being restricted, it became overstocked and the price greatly reduced. A long suspension from the use of oil had accustomed the people to the use of tallow candles. Light- houses used but little and municipal lighting was little practiced. England had nursed its own fishery by means of bounties and tariff restrictions on imported oils that it no longer provided a market for the whalemen of New England.
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HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
The English Government, to aid its own Colonies, established Halifax as a base from which to pursue the whale fishery. "The Government," says Macy,* "held out such alluring prospects to such of the people of Nantucket as should remove thither and pursue the whaling business, that a considerable number were induced to try the experiment.
"In 1786 and 1787 they settled on the shore opposite to the town of Halifax and there built dwelling houses, wharves, sper- maceti candle-works, stores, &c., calling the name of the place Dartmouth. There they carried on the business several years, and reaped the benefit of every advantage which the government was willing to allow them. They appeared likely to succeed in their undertaking, and the place seemed destined to become of great importance."
But the seeming prosperity was short-lived. The English home government held out more advantageous inducements and some of the chief promoters of the original removal became un- easy and eventually removed again, this time to the English port of Milford Haven where they established a whaling port, whence they prosecuted the fishery for many years. In the meantime the remnant at Dartmouth, finding the exodus very injurious to their interests gradually quitted Dartmouth at a material sacrifice in property. The removal to Dartmouth and to Milford Haven de- prived the Island of much capital and many skilled whalemen. t
*Hist. of Nantucket 132.
+In 1876 Hussey & Robinson published a "Catalogue of Nantucket Whalers and their Voyages," supplementing it with a list of Nantuck- et men who commanded whaleships from French and English ports sub- sequent to the Revolution and prior to the War of 1812. Those who removed to Halifax were:
Master Ship
Master
Ship
Ebenezer Bailey, Argo
Abner Briggs,
Charlotte & Sta-
Jona Barnard, Nancy
Obed Bunker, Romulus
Thomas Brock,
Romulus
Peleg Bunker, Falkland
Zacchary Bunker,
Africa
John Chadwick, Romulus
William Chadwick,
Colony
Joseph Clasby, Joseph
Zimri Chase,
Neptune
Brown Coffin,
Harriet
Jonathan Coffin, 2d, Solomon Coffin, David Coleman,
Lucretia Donnahu
Andrew Coleman, Dartmouth
Ark
Simeon Coleman, Argo
Solomon Coleman, Jr. Nancy
Philip Fosdick,
Lucretia '
Albert Hussey,
Dartmouth
Thomas Hiller,
Lucretia
Ransom Jones,
African
Peleg Hussey,
Aurora
Nathaniel Macy,
African
Daniel Kelley,
Charliotte & Sta-
Silas Paddock, Donnahu
Elisha Pinkham, Ark
John Sprague, Nancy
Thaddeus Swain, Manilla
Matthew Pinkham, Barnabas Swain, Paul Worth,
Aurora
Those who went to Milford Haven, presumably from Halifax, were:
David Baxter, Charles
Andrew Brock,
Jefferson Ann
Uriel Bunker, Maitland Prince Coleman,
Jesse Coffin, Grand Sachem Frederick Coffin,
Geo. Dunnaman, New Zealander Micajah Gardner,
Hannah & Eliza
Duke of Kent
Andrew Myrick, Aurora
Daniel Waterman, Sierra Leone
Coffin Whippey,
Charles Grand: Sachem
Samuel Starbuck and his sons and Timothy Folger went also to Milford Haven as owners of whaling vessels.
Edmund Macy,
tira Harriet
William Paddock, Neptune
Romulus
Dartmouth
James Gwinn, Wareham Ammiel Hussey, Laban Russell,
Hannah & Eliza
E
tira
Eber Coffin, Aurora
Stephen Gardner, Romulus
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HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
The removal did not end with the settlements at those two English ports. The extensive interests of William Rotch followed the same trend. Mr. Rotch, who personally lost $60,000 through the capture and destruction of his property during the Revolution, an immense sum for those days, after waiting two years for pros- pects to brighten in his native country found himself at the point where it was necessary to go where he could do better or remain as he was and lose the remnant of his property or to take his inter- ests abroad and endeavor to retrieve his losses. In memoranda written at the request of a friend Mr. Rotch gives an interesting statement of what occurred.
He writes: "I found no probable alternative but to proceed to England, and endeavor to pursue the Whale Fishery from there. I accordingly took passage in the ship Maria, William Moores, master, accompanied by my son Benjamin,* and sailed from Nan- tucket on the 4th of 7th mo, 1785. We had a fine passage of Twenty Three days, five of which, having Easterly winds, we gained only one day's sail forward in that time. I proceeded to London, calling on my old friend Dr. William Cooper at Rochester (who with his family went to England in the same ship two years before), and requesting him to accompany me to London, which he kindly did. When we reached shooters Hill, in full view of London, and Eight Miles distant, forcibly feeling the great distance which separated me from my family, myself a stranger in that land, the occasion that drew me there, and the uncertainty of its answering any valuable purpose, I was overwhelmed with sorrow, and my spirits so depressed, that in looking towards that great City, no pleasant pictures were presented to my view. But I found it would not do to give way to despondence, and reason resumed her em- pire. I was there, and something must be attempted .;
We reached London, and I took lodgings for myself and my son Benjamin at Thomas Wagstaff's, in Grace Church street.
Our first journey was to the West of England, in which we had the agreeable company of my friend James Phillips. We visited the sea coast from Southampton to Falmouth, in search of a good situa- tion for the Whale Fishery, if we should conclude to form an Establishment on that Island. We found several ports suitable for the purpose, but none that we preferred to Falmouth. In
* Benjamin Rodman, his son-in-law.
#Capt. Alexander Coffin was one of those who looked on the whale- fishery as a peculiarly American pursuit, and who denounced any effort looking to a transfer of it to any foreign government. On the 8th of June, 1785, he addressed, from Nantucket, a vigorous letter to the Hon. Samuel Adams. He wrote in severe terms against the measure being adopted to remove to England, and said Mr. Rotch "is now taking on board a double stock of materials, such as Cedar boards, (commonly called boat-boards) of which they have none in England, a large quantity of cooper's stuff for casks, &c .- neither does it stop here, the house of Rotch have been endeavoring to engage an ac- quaintance of mine, to go to Bermudas to superintend the business at that place." In a postscript to his letter, Capt. Coffin writes, "Since writing the above I have been favored with the original scheme of establishment of the Fishery at Bermudas, copies of which are here enclosed; one of the Company is now at Kennebeck, contracting with some person for an annual supply of hoops, staves, and other lumber necessary for the business." This letter was laid before the Senate of Massachusetts, and the result was the passage of an act prohibit- ing the export to Bermudas of the articles, enumerated, so the transfer in that direction was prevented.
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HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
that large Harbor, there are several smaller that would do well for the business. I had very favorable offers of divers places, but I was only on discovery, and did not wish to entangle myself with any. After viewing the coast and spending some days at Ply- mouth, we took a circuitous route, and returned to London .. At Bristol I visited the grave of my brother Joseph, who died there 18 years before.
My next object was to know what encouragement we could obtain from the British Government. My friend Robert Barclay, perceiving what my business was, spoke to Henry Beaufoy, a mem- ber of Parliament, who introduced me to the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer (the Great William Pitt, then about twenty-seven years of age). He received me politely, and heard me patiently. I laid before him our serious situation, saying- "When the War began we declared against taking any part in it, and strenuously adhered to this determination, thus placing ourselves as a Neutral Island. Nevertheless you have taken from us about 200 sail of vessels valued at £200,000 sterling unjustly & illegally. Had that War been founded on a general declaration against America, we should have been in- cluded in it, but it was predicated upon a Rebellion. Consequently none could be in rebellion but such as were in Arms, or those that were aiding such. We have done neither. As a. proof of our being without the reach of your Declaration you sent Commissioners to restore Peace to America, in which any Province, County, Town, &c., that should make submission, and receive pardon, should be reinstated in their former situation. As we had not offended, we had no submission to make or pardon to ask, and it is certainly very hard if we do not stand on better ground than those who have offended; consequently we remained a part of your dominions until separated by the peace." This last sentence I pressed closely whenever I could with propriety introduce it, knowing it was a material point. After I had done, he paused some time, and then answered to our remaining part of their dominions &c., "Most undoubtedly you are right sir. Now what can be done for you?" I told him that in the present state of things, the principal part of the Inhabitants must leave the Island; some would go into the country. "A part," said I, "wish to continue the Whale Fishery wherever it can be pursued to advantage. Therefore my chief business is to lay our distressed situation, and the cause of it, before this nation, and to ascertain if the Fishery is considered an object worth giving such Encouragement for a removal to England, as the subject deserves." Thuis our conversation ended and I withdrew with my friend H. Beaufoy .*
The Chancellor of the Exchequer could not be expected to attend to all applications, therefore I suppose he laid mine before the Privy Council, as the Sec'y of the Council, Stephen Cotterel, sent me a note soon after this conversation, saying the Council would sit at an early day, when they would hear what I had to offer. I waited for that "early day" a month, and then applied to Sec'y Cotterel to know what occasioned the delay. He an- swered that so much business lay before them, that they had not been able to attend to it, but would soon.
*"In agriculture, then, they have no resources, and if that of their fishery cannot be pursued from their habitations, it is natural that they should seek others from which it can be followed, and. pre- fer those where they will find a sameness of language, religion, laws, habits, and kindred. A foreign emissary has lately been among them for the purpose of renewing the invitations to a change of situation; but attached to their native country, they prefer continu- ing in it, if their continuance can be made supportable"-Jefferson's Report on the Fisheries, January, 1791.
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HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
Thus I waited, not daring to leave Town lest I should be called for. This state of things continued more than four months, during which time I received several what I called unmeaning Court messages-"that they were sorry that they had not been able to call for me" &c. I then desired them to appoint some person for me to confer with, that the matter might be brought to a close.
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