USA > Massachusetts > Nantucket County > The history of Nantucket County, island, and town : including genealogies of first settlers > Part 62
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91
At our landing, we went up to the House of the Widow Mary Gardner; §where, after some Refreshment had, came to us
*Mr. Story was an Englishman who came to America in 1699. He left a Journal of his experiences which was published in 1757. TP. 350 of his Journal.
ĮMr. Story must have reckoned from the vicinity of Dartmouth.
** It would appear that up to that time there was no settled min- ister on the Island.
++1703 according to Mrs. Hinchman's list.
¿¿ Richardson says that "Peleg Slocum, near
Rhode Island, was Master of the Sloop."
§ This would seem to be an error and that Sarah (Shattuck) Gard- ner, widow of Richard senior was the woman meant. She had made herself obnoxious to the Massachusetts government by sympathizing with the Quakers, had been brought before the Salem Court for ab- senting herself "from the publik ordinances on the Lord's Day," for neglecting to attend services at the First Church in Salem and for (See next page)
526
HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
Nathaniel Starbuck, (Husband of Mary Starbuck, before mentioned) and his Son of the same Name; and we proposed to them to have a Meeting that Day; but there being a Court to sit then by special Commission upon an Indian, accused for murdering his Wife, we found it improper at that Time; * and some of our Company went home with Nathaniel Starbuck, the elder, and others with his Son; where we were kindly entertained, tho' Strangers, and they, at that Time, not in the Profession of Truth with us. On the 15th we had a Meeting at the House of Nathaniel Starbuck, the elder; which was pretty large and open, several of the People being tendered, and generally satisfied with what they heard and felt of the Goodness and Mercy of GOD.
On the 16th, being the First day of the Week, we had another Meeting there; which was not so large as was expected, by reason of two Priests, an elderly Man, and a young one; the first from the Isle of Showles, and the other from Martha's Vineyard, who had a meeting near us; the former being come to try if he could obtain a settled Maintenance among that People: And several being curious to hear this new Preacher in the Presbyterian way, it made our Meeting something less than otherwise it might have been; yet it was considerably large, very open and encouraging; for the good Presence of the LORD was with us.
Many of the Inhabitants of this Island are convinced of the Truth of some Points of the Doctrine of Truth, and some of them have been reached by the divine Virtue and Power of it; but some other Things they do not yet see; and, if there were no Cross, would, in all Appearance, come generally under our Profession; Some few are for a Priest, and to allow him some certain Maintenance, (for they walk not by Faith but Sight) ; but the Majority is against it: So that one of these, not being able to effect his Purpose, went home in a few Days, but the other staid a little longer.
On the Second Morning came Captain William Basset, of Sandwich, before mentioned, being a discreet Man, affable, of a good natural Temper and Understanding; ; who, with Justice Scift and some others of that Town, (where I had the Dispute with Rollon-Cotton as aforesaid) were commissioned to try the Indian aforesaid, to advice with me what to do in his Case, it being difficult to them; for they inclined to save the Man's Life for some Reasons, though the Evidence was full against him; but they had not yet given Judgment in form. I told them', "That seeing the Evidence was so full as they related, and the Crime heinous and mortal, if they gave Sentence, they were obliged,
attending assemblies of the Friends, and had been excommunicated from the First Church in Salem for so doing. Thomas Gardner, p. 47. There was no "Widow Mary Gardner" to whom Mr. Story's words could apply. The widow Sarah was a woman of decided opinions and not inclined to mask them, Sarah, daughter of Richard and Sarah, married Eleazur Folger, son of Peter and when Peter was imprisoned during the "Insurrection" the Gardner family showed indignation and were arrested. They failed to appear at the Court held April 22, 1677 to which they were summoned but did appear at the Court next fol- lowing with this result: "Sarah, wife of Mr. Richard Gardner, being legally convicted of speaking very opprobriously and uttering many slanderous words concerning the imprisonment of Peter Folger who was imprisoned by order of the Court, upon her good demeaning herself, and civilly being to the good satisfaction and likeness of the Court, the Court think fit to remit all other fines provided by law in such case, but she shall be reproved and admonished to have care for the future of evil words tending to defaming His Majesty's Court."
*Finch, who was the first on record on the Island to be tried, con- victed and executed for murder.
¿This was doubtless the Indian Finch who was convicted of mur- der in 1704.
527
HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
by the Law, to do it according to Evidence and Verdict of the Jury, and could not dispense with it as Judges; but if, for any good Cause, they inclined to Mercy, they might suspend their Sentence, if the Nature of their Commission would admit of Delay, till they could procure a Pardon for him'; or, they might give Sentence according to Evidence, and suspend the Execution by a Reprieve, until a Pardon could be had from the Governor; who, I presumed, had power to grant one, according to the Charter and Constitution of that Government." They thanked me for my Advice, and took the former Method.
That Afternoon we went about visiting several People at their Houses, and they were generally very well pleased, kind and respectful; but one Justice Gardner* an ancient Man, who had much Sway in the Affairs of the Government of the Island, soon after we went into his House, (as his Manner was) uttered some Invectives and Reproaches against Solomon Eccles, George Fox, and others of our Friends, (departed this Life many Years before) urging several false Accusations against them'; as, they denied the human Nature of CHRIST, and the hypostatical Union, setting up a Light within instead of CHRIST.
I, suspecting that the Justice spoke parrotically and did not understand the Word hypostatical; and, seeing him one of the old envious sort, I inclined to confound him before the Com- pany, and asked him what he meant by hypostatical Union? of which he could give no Account: By which all might see he had asserted he knew not what. Then I asked him, "Seeing thou hast charged George Fox and Solomon Eccles with denying CHRIST, and intended an injurious Reproach upon us too on their Account,
what dost thou mean by the Word CHRIST? How is CHRIST constituted?" He replied, "The divine and human natures in one Person is CHRIST." Then I asked him, "What dost thou mean by Human Nature? How constituted? What is it that constitutes a proper perfect Man in a State of Nature, as Man simply?" This was too hard, and put him' upon his Demur; at length he re- peated some Expressions of King David out of the Psalms; where it is said, I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: but could not give any further Account about it.
" 'Tis true, said I, Man is wonderfully made, but this does not answer the Question; and since thou does not understand what human Nature properly is, or what constitutes a Man, how shouldst thou know what the divine Nature is, and how CHRIST is constituted, or what Manner of Union makes the true CHRIST? Thy charging any Man with denying the true CHRIST is therefore invalid and unreasonable, thou thyself not having any true Knowl- edge of CHRIST, or what thou affirmest."
This fretted the old Justice considerably, and made him sweat, but to recover himself, and, as well as he could, to hide his Imperfections, he laid them further open; telling us, "That thirty or forty Years since a Quaker at Salem denied, that the Body of JESUS CHRIST ever rose from the dead." I replied, "That is nothing to us, seeing we hold no such Error, nor ever did, as a People, but deny all such Holders, and their Tenets." Then Susannah Freeborn, one of our Company, informed us what gave occasion to this Report, and that it was one who had been denied by Friends before that Time; so that we were not accountable for his Error. Then I said to the Justice, "I perceive thou hast long been convinced of Truth; but, not liking the Cross, thou hast laid hold on such trifling Occasions and Pretences as these,
*Captain John Gardner.
528
HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
as Excuses for thy Disobedience; which will not cover thee in that Day which is hastening upon thee, when no such Fig-leaves will hide thee from the Face of an all-seeing, all-knowing Judge;" and, advising him to repent and return to the Truth, if not already too late, I left him; But Peleg Slocumb, a grave elderly Friend, went also to him, and said, "If thou has wronged George Fox and Solomon Eccles, it will be well to own it and repent, that thou may find Mercy;" and so we left him: But his Wife (an ancient Person) was much grieved at the Ill-nature and Behaviour of her Husband toward us, who were Strangers, and come to visit them in Christian Charity; and she wept much whilst we talked together.
This Evening we ascended towards the upper Part of the Island, to John Swain's, (one who came to our Meetings, and there was only one more, that is Stephen Hussie, in all that Island under our Name) * and there we met with a great Company of Indians and other People together, having been raising a Timber House for him; and the two Priests were among them, one of whom had been wrestling with a young Indian, and came into the House with his Coat rent; and some there looking upon the Action as too mean and vain for a Man of his Pretences to excuse it, he said, We must all wrestle with Flesh and Blood; and so made only a. Jest of it: But I replied, "If ever thou overcomest Flesh and Blood in the best Sense, and according to that Scripture which thou seems to hint at, and the Powers there mentioned, thou must wrestle in another Power than thy own, or else thy Wrestling will be in vain; thou will never overcome; and then, in a few Minutes Time, they left the Room, and the Company departed; for they did not like our Gravity, nor we their Lightness.
On the 18th we had a large good Meeting there among the People; and, that Evening returned to Nathaniel Starbuck's the younger, and there lodged.
On the 19th, we had another large good Meeting at Nathan- iel Starbuck's, the elder, his Wife, Mary, as before hinted, being the first in that Island who had any Regard to the Way of Truth as among us; but now her three Sons and Daughters, and Sons Wives, are all in a hopeful Way to the Knowledge of Truth, and Liberty of the Sons of God, with several other tender People at this time on that small Island.
To this Meeting came Thomas West, the elder of the Priests aforesaid, and staid till I had done, though many Things had been opened concerning the Hireling Priests, the Merchants of Babylon, their Doctrine and Maintenance; yet I heard after the Meeting, that he said, "There was a good Life and Power in that Meeting;" But I having spoken of the universal Grace of God, through Christ, unto Mankind, he could not receive that Part, being prepossessed by false Principles against it.
The next Day we went from House to House, visiting the friendly People all about the Neighbourhood; and they were well pleased with it, being very open, tender and kind.
On the 21st we had a Meeting at Stephen Hussie's; which, in the Beginning of it, was a little hard; but, the Lord favoring us with his good Presence, several were melted and tendered under the Influence of the Power of Truth, before it was over; and it was a good Meeting. After which I was presented with a Paper from Thomas West aforesaid, but not directed to me. That Night I lodged there, with some other Friends, and observed the Woman of the House full of Questions and fault-finding. Her Husband under the Name of a Friend, and then out of the Island; but she
*Mr. Hussey was one of the petitioners for a monthly meeting.
529
HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
was a very rigid and ignorant Presbyterian. The first Thing she began with, was an Expression of mine she said I uttered in some former Meeting, viz. "To say that Man may be saved in his Sins, by a bare Belief of Christ's outward Coming in the Flesh is a Doctrine of Devils." I did not remember the Expression, but own'd the Thing to be true; and prov'd to her before the Company, That without the inward Work of the Spirit of Christ, nothing else can compleat our Salvation: But the next Morning she had folded down many Leaves and Places of Scripture about Predestination; which I confuted, as to the Sense that Sect commonly put upon them, shewing her how she misunderstood and misapplied them, and that she was seeking a false Rest in her Sins, and Christ without his Cross, and Knowledge without Life; and answered all her Questions, contrary to her Desires or Expectations; removing those Perver- sions she had received upon divers Scriptures, both of the Old Tes- tament and the New: At length, finding herself hedged round, and her Way blocked up on every Hand, she burst into a very great Degree of weeping; and endeavouring to hide it, went away a while, but came again, and we had some more Discourse; but she could not say much then, being immerged in a Flood of Tears again; and still unwilling to be seen in that, and loth to submit to the Cross of Christ, she went and came several Times, still striving against the Truth in herself and me, and at last was silent, and sighed deeply, till being quite still, as one dead for a Time, and new Life springing in her Soul, she became very gentle, loving, and sweet spirited, and would have had us stay longer: But, being otherwise engaged, we returned that Forenoon to Nathaniel Starbuck's the elder; and that Evening, I heard that the two Priests, before men- tioned, had reported, that I was no Quaker; for I did not preach the Light, and other Doctrines, as other Quakers. I answered the Person informing, "That they did that only to abuse me, and so far as they could, to hinder my Service, seeing I had some Place among the People; who if they followed my Doctrine, would not pay Priests, nor hear them, but would turn to the Lord Christ, and he would teach them freely, and to better Purpose;" and so I slighted their Reports as idle and senseless; for the People them- selves knew their Falsehood. This Evening I began an Answer to the Priest's Paper, and compleated it the next Day. (Mr. Storey's reply appears in full in his Journal, occupying about four pages. It being purely doctrinal and not historical it is not quoted here.)
On this 23d. of the Fifth Month, being the First of the Week, we had another large open Meeting at Nathaniel Starbuck's, senior; where several were tendered and comforted; but it was a little bodily exercising and painful to me, for, having a sore Throat, and not willing to spare myself, I spit pretty much Blood in the Time of my Ministry; also Esther Palmer and Susannah Freeborn being there, and with us all the Time, had good Service: For as they were living Ministers, and their Testimonies reaching and affecting to the People, all Objections were removed at once against Women's Preaching, without the Labour of Dispute or Hurt of Contention or Jar about it. The Meeting being ended, we lodged there, and in the Neighbourhood, that Night; and, before we went off the Island, I left the abovesaid answer to the Priest with Na- thaniel Starbuck, the younger; but have not heard of any Reply: But, one Night before we returned from this Island, my Sleep was taken from me, under a Concern of Mind for the Settlement of a Meeting there: And though there were two Men under the Profession of Truth among them they had not been faithful, nor of good Report. but a Stumbling-block in the Way of the Weak; for they could not agree between themselves; and one of them
530
HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
was at odds with many of his Neighbours ;* so that they were set aside, and the chief Instrument pointed to in my Thoughts, by the Truth, for this Service, when we should be gone, was Mary Starbuck, before mentioned, to whom I made it known; and in the Opening and Mind of Truth, laid a Charge upon her to endeavour to have a Meeting established in their Family, once a week at least, to wait upon the Lord, with all who were convinced of Truth in the Neighbourhood, and in the Island, as they had Conveniency.
This she received with Christian Gravity; and it affected her much, and became her Concern. Having first mentioned it to the Friends who were with me, I proposed it likewise to her Children, (her Husband being freely passive only in such Things, and natur- ally good temper'd) who were all discreet young Men and Women, most of them married, and hopeful; being all convinced of Truth, they were ready to embrace the Proposal. Then I advised them to wait sincerely upon the Lord in such Meetings; (for they had no instrumental Teachers) and assured them, that I had a firm Confidence in the Lord, that he would visit them by his Holy Spirit in them, in his own Time, if they were faithful, held on, and did not faint, or look back.
And accordingly, some time after we departed the Island, they did meet, and the Lord did visit them, and gathered many there unto himself; and they became a large and living Meeting in him, and several living and able Ministers were raised by the Lord in that Family, and of others; to the Honour of his own Arm', who is worthy for ever.
On the 24th of the Fifth Month we went on board our Vessel, in order to our Return, accompanied thither by several of our new and tender Friends; who provided plentifully for our Voyage, and parted with us, and we with them, with great Reluctance and Ten- derness: And, being under Sail, there came on a great Fog, and the Wind abating, it was almost dark before we arrived in the Channel near Old Town, ; in Martha's Vineyard, an Island between Nantucket and the Main; and, the Wind ceasing, and Fog remain- ing, we anchored there that Night."
Between the years 1704 and 1708, the records are very mea- ger. It would seem as though Chalkley's second visit must have succeeded rather than preceded that of Thomas Story, for he seems to have noted a progress beyond that indicated by Story. In the interim between 1704 and 1708, however, there was no lack of exponents of the faith of the Friends. In 1704, besides those al- ready named, Nantucket was visited by Richard Harper of Sand- wich, Mary Slocum and John Butler .¿ In 1705, Samuel Bownas, of England, preached there; in 1706, Mary Banister and Ann Chap- man from England, Hugh Copperthwait of Long Island, Peleg Slocum, of Dartmouth and William Anthony, of Rhode Island; in 1706, John Fothergill, William Armistead and Mary Lawson, of England, Susanna Freeborn, ** Joseph Wanton and Ephraim' Hicks
*John Swain and Stephen Hussey.
tEdgartown.
įMrs. Lydia S. Hinchman in her "Early Settlers of Nantucket" gives a very full and doubtless, in the main, a very complete list of Ministers of the Society of Friends, and their Associates visiting Nan- tucket between 1664 and 1846. She had exceptionable opportunity to compile an accurate list.
** Mrs. Hinchman makes this the third visit of Susamah Freeborn, but she had previously visited the Island in 1701, 1702 and 1704.
531
HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
(2d time) * of Rhode Island, Esther Palmer of Long Island, John Smith of Philadelphia, and Hope Borden, who was not a public Friend; in 1707 Jacob Mott and wife. With the zeal which seemed to be manifested under the ministrations of Story and Chalkly it would seem that the admonition of the former to Mary Starbuck "to endeavour to have a Meeting established in their Family, once a week at least, to wait upon the Lord, with all who were con- vinced of Truth in the Neighbourhood, and in the Island, as they had Conveniency," must have borne fruit for in 1708, the follow- ing letter was addressed to the Yearly Meeting: t
"To Friends at ye yearly Meeting To be held in Rhoad Island Pursuant to ye good order of Truth, as we have been in- formed by our friends Ebenezer Slocumb & Patrick Henderson; & by whose advice also, We do think it Would be for ye Good of friends here to have a Monthly Meeting of busines among our- selves uppon this island of Nantucket; hoping it will tend to our Comforte & Preservation. We do Propose to friends at ye yearly Meeting, to be held on Rhoad Island ye 11, 12 & 13 days of 4 month next yt if they see good it should be so, they May Make an Entrey thereof, but if they see cause otherwise then Leave with- out making any Entry: & if friends alow us to haue one, then to advise us what Quarterly Meeting may be thought most Conveni- ent for us to be Joyned unto, yt there we may apply ourselves- in any necessary Matter as we may have occasion,-
And farther we do think it would be of Good service & accep- table to us if friends think Good, yt we should have a General Meeting for worship once in ye year: & if suiting with friends convenience to be in ye same Month which ye yearly meeting on Rhoad Island is held on, as Soon as may be after ye said year- ly Meeting is Ended. So with ye salutation of our Loue to you We conclude your friends. Signed With advice of friends hereby Nantucket ye 26 day of ye 3 mo 1708.
MARY STARBUCK ANN TROTT DORCAS STARBUCK PRISSILA COLEMAN#
NATH'LL STARBUCK JR STEPHEN HUSSEY JETHRO STARBUCK BARNABAS STARBUCK JOHN COLEMAN JR
The first entry in the records of the Friends meeting, fol- lowing the request to be allowed to hold a Monthly Meeting is as follows:
At our Monthly Meeting Begun & held on Nantucket ye 28 day of ye 4 mo, 1708 at ye house of Nath'll Starbuck, friends here having Proposed & Desired of ye yearly meeting at Rhoad Island yt we Might have a yearly Meeting for Worship & a Monthly Men & Womens Meeting for businis Establish'd here; & ye yearly meet-
*Previously in 1703.
¡Friends' Records.
¿It is interesting to note in connection with the advice of Story that nearly all the signatories are Starbucks or intimately connected. Prissilla Coleman was the wife of John Jr. and daughter of Nathaniel Starbuck. John Swain seems to have dropped out but Stephen Hussey is there.
532
HISTORY OF NANTUCKET
ing on Rhoad Island held ye 21, 22, 23 & 24th days of ye 4 month 1708 haveing alowed it & made an entry thereof have appoint- ed yt our yearly Meeting for Worship should begin on ye 4th Sixth day in this month & to hold sixth seventh & first days & so to be kept yearly & yt our Monthly meeting should be kept on ye next second day following & yt all our Monthly Meetings for time to come shall be kept on ye Last second day in every Month, & yt We be joyned to Rhoad Island Quarterly Meeting-Pursuant to ye Good order as above, they have been kept & Establish'd by ye friends apointed by said yearly Meeting (viz) Jacob Mott & Thom- as Cornel, being accompanied by William Barker, Peleg Slo- comb, Eleazer Slocomb & for ye better Management of ye busines of our Meeting, do appoint Nath Starbuck Jr to be ye Writer for this Meeting-ye Meeting doth agree yt on ye next Monthly Meet- ing there shall be a Colection for to purchase a book for ye Meet- ing therein to enter ye proseedings & busines of our Meeting also it's Proposed yt friends take care for a piece of Ground for to Set a Meeting house on & for a buriing ground."
At the next monthly meeting (26th 5th mo. 1708), the collec- tions amounted to 4 shillings 11 pence and it is recorded that "Barnabas Starbuck is apointed to take Care of al ye Colections of ye Meeting & Dispose of it as ye Meeting shall order." The col- lections, in the very nature of the simple habits of the Islanders were always small, limited usually to a few shillings, but at the Monthly Meeting on the 27th of the 4th month, 1709, the build- ing of a meeting-house was suggested .* The matter was referred to the Monthly Meeting of 25th 5mo and was again postponed to the 29th 6mo at which time it was decided to "build one as fast as we can." In the nature of things there could not have been an overburdened treasury. Probably the total amount collected up to the time that vote was passed did not exceed £4 but it is quite likely that assistance was rendered by Friends' Meetings in other localities. The Nantucket Meeting was not infrequently called up- on to assist other struggling local societies and may have requested aid from others more fortunately situated.t
Just when or where the Meetinghouse was built does not ap- pear by the record, but it doubtless was prior to 1713, for on the 27th. 5 mo. of that year the Meeting voted to give 30 shillings to help build a Friends' Meetinghouse at Dover, a degree of liberal- ity they would not have felt equal to if they still were struggling to build for themselves .;
*On the 27th of the 7th month 1708, Nathaniel Gardner and Na- thaniel Starbuck Jr. were appointed to attend the Quarterly Meeting which was to convene on Rhode Island on the 8th of the 8th month.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.