Scions of Nantucket Founders (part 1)

Introduction: In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry begins a new series about the founders of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and their descendants. Melissa is a genealogist who has a blog, AnceStory Archives, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.

Today I begin a new series on the sons and daughters of the founders of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Among the surnames are Macy, Coffin, Starbuck, Hussey, Gardiner, Bunker, Folger, Coleman, Swain, and Mayhew.

Photo: postcard showing old Coffin House, Nantucket, Massachusetts, between circa 1930 and circa 1945. Credit: Boston Public Library Tichnor Brothers collection; Wikimedia Commons.
Photo: postcard showing old Coffin House, Nantucket, Massachusetts, between circa 1930 and circa 1945. Credit: Boston Public Library Tichnor Brothers collection; Wikimedia Commons.

As one source noted, to marry into one of “The First” families of Nantucket was esteemed an honor which the proudest might covet.

The scions born from the first groundbreakers were among the most skilled whalers in the world, making Nantucket the whaling capital.

And while these whalemen sailed the globe building an empire, scores of “she merchants” held the fort and independently engaged in commerce and developed trade contracts. This race of merchant princesses put Nantucket on the map as the third busiest seaport next to Salem and Boston.

The predominant sect that reigned over Nantucket was the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers. Their belief in a spiritual democracy and simplistic faith had an absence of clergy, creed and sacrament; moreover, they gave women equality.

The adopted freedom principles by the Quakers bred generations of trailblazers who erected schools, made astronomical discoveries, and led the abolitionist movement.

While I continue to cover the tales and adventures of the “plain-clothed” millionaires, more will be revealed on their pioneer ancestors who motivated and spurred on their accomplishments.

In 1881 the first memorial to commemorate the island’s founders was unveiled.

Photo: Nantucket settlers memorial. Credit: Nantucket Historical Association.
Photo: Nantucket settlers memorial. Credit: Nantucket Historical Association.

Below the listed surnames on the monument reads this inscription:

Many of the descendants of these worthy sires have been distinguished for their courage and energy and left a record for others to emulate.

Please note there is also a memorial for the lady progenitors, and it will be featured in my next story. In addition, I am adding a few surnames (Pike, Greenleaf, Barnard, Pile, etc.) who should be noted as paramount to the settlement of this island.

Map: Nantucket House Lots Drawing 1665-1680, from “The History of Nantucket: County, Island, and Town – Including Genealogies of First Settlers” by Alexander Starbuck, 1925. Credit: Nantucket Historical Association.
Map: Nantucket House Lots Drawing 1665-1680, from “The History of Nantucket: County, Island, and Town – Including Genealogies of First Settlers” by Alexander Starbuck, 1925. Credit: Nantucket Historical Association.

To start, a great source to consult on Nantucket’s early history is former historian, newspaper editor, and author Alexander Starbuck (1841-1925), son of Frederick Gayer Starbuck and Chloe Hatch. He married Ella Maria Warren, daughter of Jonathan Leander Warren and Seraph Matilda Garfield. The couple had two sons.

Alexander is definitely a worthy scion of the island’s forefathers. His works include History of the American Whale Fishery, A Century of Free Masonry in Nantucket, and The History of Nantucket.

Photo: Alexander Starbuck. Credit: Nantucket Historical Association.
Photo: Alexander Starbuck. Credit: Nantucket Historical Association.

Alexander was one of the organizers of the Nantucket Historical Association and founder of the Sons and Daughters of Nantucket.

It is important to mention the contributions Alexander made to the preservation of Nantucket’s antiquities. His work can be found in the Starbuck Family Papers housed at the Nantucket Historical Association.

Here is a 1925 newsclip announcement for the publication of Alexander’s book The History of Nantucket, printed by C. E. Goodspeed & Co.

An article about Alexander Starbuck, Boston Herald newspaper 6 June 1925
Boston Herald (Boston, Massachusetts), 6 June 1925, page 5

This article reports:

Nantucket

Exhaustive History of the Bay State’s Largest Island [Correction: Martha’s Vineyard is twice the size of Nantucket]

The name of Starbuck, like that of Macy, has been associated with Nantucket for close to 300 years. Many years ago, Obed Macy wrote a history of the island, and now Mr. [Alexander] Starbuck, often quoting from that earlier authority, writes a much more comprehensive history of the county, island and town, including genealogies of the families of the first settlers. It is a book of 871 pages, carefully documented and including copious extracts from the town records and also from other official documents and personal correspondence.

Mr. Starbuck begins with the visits of the Northmen, although they are largely legendary, and those of [Bartholomew] Gosnold and others who mentioned the island in their chronicles before Tristram Coffin, Edward Starbuck, Thomas Macy, Thomas Mayhew, Richard Swain, William Bunker and the other original purchasers and settlers definitely put the island on the map in the stormy days of religious persecution during the middle of the 17th century. Their descendants and later arrivals have kept it on the map ever since, and there has been no lack of stressful periods during the years that have followed.

To be continued…

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Note on the header image: flag of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Credit: NuclearVacuum; Wikimedia Commons.

12 thoughts on “Scions of Nantucket Founders (part 1)

  1. I enjoyed this piece and the visuals included. I was born in Salem, MA. Aware that one of my grandparents was descended from Massachusetts Quakers, during the Covid lockdown I followed my family genealogy. I discovered then that three of my grandparents were of Quaker descent, two of them with Nantucket roots. And the stories! Whenever I have a chance to get to know these people better, I take it. Thank-you so much.

    1. Thank you Dale! I appreciate your feedback! My family were Quakers too and in Salem. Some were holding meetings. 🙂 The Phelps for one.

  2. My grandchildren are 14th generation Nantucket. My maternal grandfather’s last name was Tripp. His mother was Ida May Coffin, daughter of George Coffin. I love reading the history of Nantucket. Thank you for this.

  3. Hi, my nanna Ellen Gibbs Holdgate made a tree and info book of our family on Nantucket that goes back to the Bunkers. If you give me an address I can send you a copy.

  4. Thank you for this article, I’m excited to read more. I am a descendant of the Folger Family ( Abiah Folger- Benjamin Franklin)

    1. Hi Tami,
      Thanks for reaching out. I will be writing on Franklin and others in future stories. Stay tuned!

  5. Melissa,
    We have short roots on Nantucket.
    Samuel Streeter was drowned on his way home to Nantucket. He was a tailor who had a tradesman’s accommodation on the island along with his brother-in-law Nathaniel Holland, whose second wife was Sarah Streeter, Samuel’s sister. He left a Bible with his name in it that, I believe, the Coffin family kept with all their names in it. I would pay to get a photocopy of Samuel’s name in that Bible! Any idea where it might be today?

    1. Lola,
      Try reaching out to the Nantucket Historical Association. FamilySearch and Daughters of the American Revolution also have a large collection of Bibles. I have a Quaker group on Facebook with lots of Nantucket descendants that may be able to help. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/993344640737781
      Hope this helps!

  6. Melissa, this is GREAT! I love it. I descend from Francis Worth and his wife, Mary Gardner. Francis moved his family to Guilford County, NC, in 1772, bringing certificate from Nantucket to New Garden MM in NC. From them I connect to: Macy, Hoag, Wheeler, Goodwin, Emery, Hopcott, Starbuck, Shattuck, and Coffin.
    I have taken the liberty to add a link from my blog site to your site. This is mostly for my benefit so I won’t forget about this terrific resource! I hope you won’t mind.
    http://marshamoses.blogspot.com/2024/03/nantucket-research-ideas.html

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