USA > Massachusetts > Nantucket County > The history of Nantucket County, island, and town : including genealogies of first settlers > Part 72
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FRENCH PRIVATEERSMEN'S RAID
The following is from unpublished manuscript written by Obed Macy. t
"In the year 1695, a French Privateer anchored under Squam Head at the east end of the Island. A boat with a number of men landed from her. They inquired of an Indian who happened to be there, where the inhabitants lived? He answered them vaguely.
*Abram Quary who died November 25, 1854, the last person of In- dian descent and himself a halfbreed.
+Mr. Macy left some manuscript on which was written "If ever any History of Nantucket is republished in a second edition some of the following anecdotes may be found useful." Concerning the above, he wrote "Charles Bunker (a friend of good reputation) related to me the following historical story." The year 1695 is given because there was a French privateer depredating at that time. It was omitted in Mr. Macy's M. S.
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At that time Squam was covered with thick woods, and the weather being foggy the Indian was able to get away from his questioners unperceived and he ran as rapidly as he could to inform John Swain, his master, of their landing. Swain lived near Podpis Har- bor, and apprehending that the strangers might find his house and commit some depredation he took his bag of money and a spade and left his house and went westward, but did not inform his family of his intention. In his day he was considered a rich man and one of but few words. His family supposed he went upon Swain's Neck and there buried the money, but from that time to the present, no one has been able to find where he deposited his cash, how much there was of it or whether he buried any. His family always be- lieved he buried it there and that there was a large amount for that day.
"The boat's crew searched about until they found a house where a Bunker family lived. (There were a number of that name living in Squam at that time). The head of the family was not at home at their first coming to the house. They found a woman with her family around her. The men wanted provisions to put on board their vessel. The woman said they could not spare any, and remonstrated against the crew taking any away. She told them if they took any provisions away her family would suffer. They partly respected her wishes, but took a part of what they found.
"By this time her husband had returned home, and they in- sisted on his going on board their vessel to pilot them around Great Point and up the Sound. He and his wife strenuously objected to such an arrangement but to no avail. He was taken on board, got the vessel around the Point and headed eastward.
"It happened at this time that Stephen Hussey had gone off to Barnstable to be married and was expected home. Soon a vessel hove in sight which proved to be the one with the wedding party. Stephen was rich and a large concourse of Indians gathered to the festivities. There was much anxiety as the two vessels ap- proached each other. Hussey's house, which stood on the south side of the harbor, was thronged with a great number of friends. The oven was full of victuals for the wedding feast and other cook- ing was proceeding in preparation for the company.
"The vessels were seen to be nearing each other and the ex- citement became so great through fear that the wedding party would be taken prisoners and carried away that the food cooking in the oven was forgotten. No trouble occurred, however, and Hussey and his party proceeded to the Island unharmed.
"Then came the renewed thought of the wedding feast. An examination showed that the cake was burnt to a coal. Stephen's wife, Martha, on being informed of the catastrophe was greatly disturbed and thought the "very heavens and stars were against them," but soon recovering her mental balance, she expressed thanks that they were all there clear of the privateer, and that there was plenty of plum porridge in the pot under the trees. Before the vessel arrived, however, word was brought to Martha that an Indian who was standing over the porridgepot accidently let his bottle of rum fall against the side of the pot breaking it in pieces and dividing the debris and the liquor with charming impartiality inside and outside the pot.
"The privateer beat up Sound until abreast of Long Hill on the north side of the Island. There she fell in with an English privateer. An engagement followed with many casualties on each side, but no decisive result. The French vessel then put into Tar- paulin Cove where Bunker was discharged and allowed to return home."
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LEGEND OF THE JETHRO COFFIN HOUSE
Benjamin Franklin Folger, a well-known genealogist relates the following story in a communication to the Nantucket Mirror. giving as his authority Catherine Folger, who was a grand-daughter of Mary Coffin, wife of Jethro and the heroine of the occasion. He writes
"If, in reference to the principal actor, it was rather the freak of a momentary impulse, or the result of excitement produced by excessive potations, it was to the woman a most fearful adventure, and which made such an impression upon her mind, as rendered it a subject of frequent recurrence .The scene was the Jethro Cof- fin house, on Sunset Hill, now known as "The Oldest House." The story is-
"About the year 1693, when Mary Coffin was 23 years old, and the mother of two children, the house they were building, and in which the family had already located themselves, was still unfinish- ed .* Within a stone's throw of this, was the house of Eleazer Fol- ger Jr. Long before the dawn of day, her husband had gone with a boat's crew to the shore, probably to look after whales, leaving his wife in bed on the lower floor, who had taken her two children beside her. John Arthur, son of her widowed sister Priscilla, was at that time an inmate of the family. Immediately after her hus- band had left, she heard a footstep on the floor above, which she naturally concluded was that of her nephew, and she thereupon called aloud,-"John, be careful, don't fall through the floor." In a moment down came an Indian through the aperture, and present- ed himself from the closet to which it led, and stood outright be- fore her. A light was burning, and he deliberately commenced whetting his knife, avowing his intention "to kill her." She was so terrified, that but for her children, she would have yielded her- self in despair, but when he pronounced that "the edge would do," and had therepon extinguished the light, she sprang from her bed and ran to the door, out of which she flew, but not without feeling the attempted grasp of the Indian upon her arm, and in a moment she presented herself at Eleazer Folger's door for admittance, and calling for "Help, help! Indian, Indian," she fell insensible on the floor. The family caught enough, instantly to repair to the house, where the Indian was caught, whose basket was beside the outer door, containing among other matters, a bottle of rum! He was put in prison, from which he afterwards escaped. It was generally considered, that at the worst, the Indian had no other design than that of plunder, and perhaps, nothing beyond what he thought a justifiable surprise, or a piece of fun; but to herself, it was an adventure never to be forgotten, and the chill of horror which the events of that night so naturally produced, was always an ac- companiment when she recounted them in after years."
Mr Macy, whose facilities for knowing were of the best, and whose methods of recording make liis memoranda authoritative,
*There is a discrepancy as to dates as the house was built in 1686 for a bridal gift.
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left the following statement regarding the deaths of the last sur- viving Nantucket Indians: *
1801 Isaac Tashama died, aged 80;
1801 Joshua Chogin an old man;
1801 Peter Micah died in Town at the Poorhouse;
1817 Mary Abel died;
1817 Abigail Derrick died;
1818 Elizabeth Mingo died at Shawkemmo;
1821 Sarah Tashama died, aged 75; .
1822 20th. 1 mo. Abigail Jethro died, the last survivor of the Indian race belonging here.
Mr Macy notes Abram Quary as living at Shawkemmo. but that he is a half-breed.
Mr Macy made the following memoranda in 1842 of the names of teachers of schools on Nantucket, which he says was "penned down merely for amusement.";
"The first Schoolmaster that ever I heard of was called "Little Draper."# He kept a school in a Meeting house, which stood to the westward and not far from Maxcey's Pond. (It was near the middle of the Town at that early period. ) It burnt down, and was the first building that was burnt down here that I ever heard of. That was in 1736. The next Schoolmaster was a stranger named-Collins. He appeared here as a stranger, and was careful not to give any information where he came from. He was a man of ability and of good learning. He was here several years and kept a school in an old School house across the street to the eastward of my house .** It was a very old shattered building when I went to school in it, in the year 1768, with diamond cut glass windows. He left the Island suddenly, without giving information to anyone where he was going. He spoke to Benjamin Coffin, Isaac Coffin's father, to take charge of the School while he stept out; he never was seen afterwards. It was supposed he was a Pirate, and kept secreted from whence he came, to secure himself from being arrested. Benjamin kept the school many years afterwards, as long as he was able to go out to the Schoolhouse. He was an excellent School teacher.
Frederick Folger kept in a school house that stood where Lydia Barker's house now stands. Joseph Marshall kept in a school- house that stood in Upper town a little to the southwards of the house where Edmond Worth formerly lived, or the Nath'l Frost house, so called of late, now owned and occupied by Alex'r Dawin. I went to school there in the year 1768. Edward Tillit Emmet-he was the first that teached French; Wm. Mitchell, Peleg Folger, Wm Coleman, Daniel Coffin, Wm Harris, Jonathan Varney, Jacob Willets, Walter Sawyer, Nathan Comstock, Asa G. Bunker, Silv's Worth, Nathl Barney, Obed Barney, Wm Coffin Jr., Cyrus Pierce, Geo. Mitchell, Andrew M. Macy, Daniels, Snow,
*Unpublished M. S .; written probably about 1843.
+Unpublished M. S.
#Mr. Macy evidently was unaware that the Town Records state that the Town chose Eleazer Folger, schoolmaster, 24th 1 mo. 1716 for £60 for one year.
** The memoranda was written in 1842-3.
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Crosby, - Wells, James Thompson, Wilson Rawson, Wm Morris, Mark Coffin, Andrew Brock, Oliver C. Bartlett, Wm Brown, Jacob Barney, James Bigelow, Richard L. Coleman, Paul Macy, Reuben Macy, Obed Macy, Daniel P. Macy, Thomas Macy, Peter Macy, Wm Nickels, Obed Ray, Moses Dame, Benj'n Gardner, Uriah Pinkham, Seth F. Swift, Thomas M. Macy, Wm Hughs, Edward M. Gardner, Freeman M. Spofford, Henry A. Morse, Wm W. Wood, Luther Rob- inson, David Head, Marsh, Jeremiah Killey, Elisha Macy, Wm Marcus, Wm C. Folger, Frederick Gardner, Edward M. Bunker, Laffborough, Abraham Coffin, Edmond Gale, Abraham Macy, Zebdiel Gwinn, Matthew Naylor, John Boadle, Augustus Morse.
Women Teachers
Sophia Bunker, Elizabeth Bunker, Abigail Coffin, Lydia Gard- ner, Hannah Gardner, Elizabeth Gardner. Anna Swain, Dinah Spooner, Lydia Barney, Katharine Coffin, Anna Joy, Mary Coffin, Elizabeth Austin, Sarah Gale, Charlotte Macy, Phebe Clisby, Eliza- beth Clasby, Margaret Worth, Charlotte Clasby, Eunice Easton, Lydia Swain, Sarah Bunker, Lucy Starbuck, Sarah Wood, Elizabeth Coffin, Anna Coffin, Hannah Coffin, Mary Gardner, Emeline Swain, Delia Whippey, Lucretia Paddack, Mary Ann Macy, Eliza Smith, Anna Smith, Mary Worth, Sarah Folger, Eunice Coffin Macy, Lydia Parker, Alice Mitchell, Susan Coffin, Nancy Luce. Eunice Myrick, Eunice Swain, Hepsah Coffin, Eliza Wharton, Mary Hussey, Lydia Macy, Alice Swain, Lydia Bunker, Rachel G. Austin, Judith and Hannah Macy, Mary Easton, Maria Hussey, Margaret Cottle, Mary Burrell, Martha Swain, Eunice Barney, Eliza Barker, Lydia Cleve- land, Nabby Coffin, Phebe Coffin, Lucretia F. Macy, Phebe Hussey, Mary Ann Folger, Mary Barker, Rachel Macy, Sarah Barker .*
A reference to the files of the newspapers from 1821 to 1850 will show the name of almost every teacher on the Island within those dates, as they almost invariably advertised.
THE DRAINING OF LILY POND.
Love Swain, wife of George Swain, whose maiden name was Paddock, when about eleven years old, left the Jabez Bunker house where she had been one afternoon to return to her father's house which stood on the hill on the north side of the Lily Pond. She noticed that the water in the Pond was unusually high. It was about sunset at the time. There being no one passing she took a shell and, child-like, dug a little gutter to see the water run, not thinking that any harm could come of it. The Pond at that time was very large. Where Thomas Gardner now lives, was a rising spot of land, which was surrounded by water where the old folks said there was a Fort for protection against the Indians, in case of an uprising, which was sometimes threatened by them. As it was Gardner's land it was called Gardner Island.
*In January, 1869, the Inquirer and Mirror published a list of 159 Nantucket men and women who had gone from the Island to teach schools on the continent.
₹1842.
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After digging the gutter of sufficient depth to form a running stream, so that she could step across it, she went home, and with- out thinking to mention the circumstance to anyone, she went to bed. In the morning she was awakened by an outcry made by her father. She laid still and listened, when he got up and looked out of the windows and broke out in strong language to his wife, say- ing -"O, what a wicked piece of work here is!" "What is it?" his wife asked. He replied. "Some evil-minded person has let the Lily Pond out; it has carried away the sand and made a great gul- ley. The fulling mill is gone and the fences torn up; several small vessels which lay up in the Creek* to winter have been damaged and some boats stove to pieces; and a great deal of damage is done."
The girl lay still and heard this talk and much more and was greatly alarmed, knowing that she was the author of it. After the first shock was over, she began to reflect upon it. She had said nothing to any one concerning the circumstances and she conclud- ed that she never would.
The matter remained a profound mystery until she arrived at the age of 80 years, when it appeared she was near the close of her life and some of her neighbors were sent for. She then told them as her time was nearly at an end she would relate to them an oc- curence that took place more than 70 years before. She then gave them the foregoing information." The story is from unpublished manuscript left by Obed Macy who says the story was told in substance by Jethro Pinkham who was a neighbor and was pres- ent, while Mrs Swain was a woman of unblemished character.
In an appendix Mr Macy gives further information communi- cated by Charles Gardner, great grandson of George Gardner, who built the house there when it was an island, surrounded by a large pond and which was only conveniently approachable by water car- riage. Some distance from the shore was a large rock on which the boys sat to catch pond fish. The rock is now (1842) about 40 rods from the marsh. A large rock was found in front of the house and is now used for a door stone. Mr. Gardner's story regarding the fort is that it was protection against the Spaniards, but there is no record of any attack by people of that nation unless it was in the West Indies by privateers. In the fort the people, upon an alarm, deposited their money, silver plate and other valuables.
*Since called "Barzillai's Creek."
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CHAPTER XV ANTI-SLAVERY
The Society of Friends, at an early period, put itself on record as opposed to human slavery. On the 26th of the 9th month, 1716, the Nantucket Society, at its Monthly Meeting, recorded as its opinion that it is "not agreeable to Truth for friends to purchase slaves & Keep them Term of liffe." This action was voluntarily taken, at a time when such bondage was quite the rule, and many honored members of their own Society participated in it. The ac- tion taken by the Meeting was an entering wedge, necessarily so inserted as not to disrupt their organization, but clearly intended to lead up to more definite action later.
On the 23d of the 12th month, 1729-30, the Records say :
"our frd Elihu Coleman offered a small piece of Manuscript to this meeting which was read & approv'd in & by this meeting & ordered to be carried to ye Quarterly Meeting at Rhode island which was a testimony against making slaves of men etc.
In his communication Mr Coleman shows very clearly that the way 'of what we now style an abolitionist was by no means so smooth sailing, argumentatively, as might be supposed. He writes- "And some now though may think it hard to have this practice spoken against, that has been carried on so long pretty much in silence. I may let such know, that I have found it hard to write against it; yet nevertheless, believing it my duty so to do, I have written according to my understanding thereof. And although I have written but little, and in a very plain way, yet I hope that those remarks I have made thereon, may serve as a text for some to preach to themselves upon. I am not unthoughtful of the ferment or stir that such discourse as this may make among some, who (like Demetrius of old) may say, by this craft we have our wealth, which caused the people to cry out with one voice, "great is Diana of the Ephesians," whom all Asia and the world worship. *
* * * *I have often considered how earnestly some men will search into the etymology or original of some things that may be but small, and in the meantime omit the greater. Now in my judgment every thing ought to be looked upon according to the importance, weight, or value of the thing; for to be very zealous in a small thing, and to pass lightly over a greater, that zeal may be more properly called superstition, than good zeal, which should be grounded on knowledge. Now I would have all to consider of this practice of making slaves of negroes, or others that we can get the mastery over, to see upon what foundation it stands, or to see what the original of it was, whether or no pride and idleness was not the first rise of it, that they might go with
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white hands, and that their wives might (Jezebel-like) paint and adorn themselves, and their sons and daughters be brought up in idleness, which may be very well termed the mother of all vice; for it is generally the richest sort of people that have them, for the poor are not able to get them. * * * *
"But some may object, as I myself have heard them, that there was a mark set upon Cain, and they do believe, that these negroes are the posterity of Cain; * but if we do but observe, and read in the genealogy of Cain, we may find that they were all drowned in the old world, and that Canaan was of the line of Seth.
"Christ forbids his followers to meddle with the tares, lest they hurt the wheat, therefore none can have any plea for making them slaves, for their being ignorant or wicked; for if that plea would do, I do believe they need not go so far for slaves as now they do.
"Now although the Turks make slaves of those they catch that are not of their religion, yet (as history relates) as soon as any embraces the Mohametan religion, they are no longer kept slaves, but are quickly set free, and for the most part put to some place .of preferment; so zealous are they for proselytes and their own re- ligion. Now if many among those called Christians would but con- sider how far they fall short of the Turks in this particular, it would be well; for they tell the negroes, that they must believe in Christ, and receive the Christian faith, and that they must receive the Sacrament, and be baptized, and so they do; but still they keep them slaves for all this."*
It is easy to see that in his day and generation Elihu Cole- man's conception of the duty of society in relation to slavery was especially noteworthy. The principles of the Society of Friends did not permit the stirring up of unnecessary strife. As he intimates those who owned slaves could quote from the Scriptures they all reverenced an apparent justification for their acts, and to lead his friends to see the light as he saw it was the work which he suc- cessfully accomplished. His appeal was convincing and as shown, the Society of Friends put itself definitely on record on the sub- ject as early as February, 1730 (NS).f
Early in the year 1822, the General Court of Massachusetts had before it a proposition to admit to the Commonwealth free negroes and mulattoes. The subject was referred to a committee. In its report the committee said-"The Committee fortunately have it in their power to relate the circumstances leading to the
*"A Testimony against that anti-Christian Practice of making Slaves of Men." Written by Elihu Coleman, who was a minister of the Society of Friends, in 1729-30 and published in 1733.
*The will of William Gayer in 1710, devises property to Africa "a negro, once my servant." Stephen Hussey in 1716 devised to his wife his negro woman, Sarah; to his son Silvanus the negro boy Mark; and to his daughter, Theodate, h's negro girl, Dorothy. James Cof- fin, Esq. in 1720, left his negro servant, Hagar, to his daughter Mary Gardner, during her life time-then to go to his son John. Shubael Coffin in his will, 1737, devised his servant Bristol, to be free at the age of 30. In his will dated 1739 Samuel Barker, of Falmouth, men- tioned four slaves living on Nantucket. Daniel Folger's inventory in 1748 included an Indian servant. In the estate of Thomas Brock in 1750, a negro woman is appraised at £120 old tenor or about £30 law- ful money. Nathaniel Starbuck Jr. in 1742 devises to his wife, among other things "all my Indian men and their debts." The inventory of Daniel Hussey in 1754, enumerates "Indian boy James."
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first act of emancipation in this Commonwealth in consequence of the verdict of a jury.
These circumstances were obtained from a venerable and most respectable gentleman, now living in New Bedford, and still an active member of that religious Society which has truly merited the respect and gratitude of all good men for its unequalled la- bours in the most christian, salutary and memorable work under- taken by man. This gentleman,* while living in Nantucket, con- fident that no law of the Colony justified slavery, received on board a vessel called the Friendship, at that time engaged in the whale fishery, and commanded by Elisha Folger, a young man by the
THE ELIHU COLEMAN HOUSE
name of "Boston," held as a slave by the heirs of Wm. Swain, and at the termination of the voyage, paid the young man his propor- tion of the proceeds. This circumstance took place between the years 1769 and 1770. In the meantime his reputed master, John Swain, brought an action against the Captain of the vessel, in the Court of Common Pleas at Nantucket, for the recovery of his slave; but the jury returned a verdict in favour of the defendant-and the slave, called Prince Boston, was manumitted by the magis- trates. Swain appealed from this judgment to the Supreme Court at Boston-Mr. Rotch thought it advisable to retain John Adams
*William Rotch. The report was presented to the House January 16, 1882, as a matter referred to it from the General Court of 1821, is signed by Theodore Lyman Jr., and accepted by the House Jan. 19, 1822. In the report the Committee says that the case of Prince Bos- ton led "to the first act of emancipation in this Commonwealth in con- sequence of the verdict of a jury."
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as his counsel in the case, but Swain, discouraged by the feelings of the people and the circumstances of the country, never pre- sented the appeal. After that period all the slaves on the Island of Nantucket obtained their freedom. It adds greatly to the sat- isfaction which this event inspires, to be assured that Prince Bos- ton was a respectable industrious man, and conducted himself with such prudence and economy as to be possessed at an early period in his life of one hundred pounds sterling in the English funds."*
The Records of the Town afford additional evidence of the feelings of other members of the Society of Friends concerning this unjustifiable traffic in human beings. John and Mary Thurston of Newport, Rhode Island, died possessed of certain slaves, under the laws. Among the heirs to the estate were Hezekiah and Mary Starbuck of Nantucket. It would appear that the Thurstons must have died intestate, so that the estate would be divided according to law. In that case the Nantucket heirs would be entitled to whatever the law designated. They apprehended that slaves would be alotted to them. In that expectation they accepted what might be awarded them, but had publicly recorded by the Town Clerk manumission for the slaves. The Record reads: -
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