[
478]
This county is an island which lies east from
Duke's County, and about thirty miles south of
Cape Cod or
Barnstable County.
It is fifteen miles in length from east to west, and about four miles average breadth: it contains fifty square miles.
In 1659 it was bought by
Thomas Macy of
Thomas Mayhew for thirty pounds, βin merchant pay and two beaver hats.β
It was first settled by whites in that year, when it contained about three thousand
Indians; it was formerly well-wooded; the soil is light and sandy.
The whale fishery commenced here in 1690, and has continued to the present time; it has a good harbor, on the borders of which the town of
Nantucket is located.
The history of
Nantucket is very interesting, and its war record during the
Rebellion, which is all we have now to do with, is highly honorable, and in brief is as follows:β
Incorporated as the town of
Sherburn, June 27, 1687; name changed to
Nantucket, June 8, 1795.
Population in 1860, 6,294; in 1865, 4,830.
Valuation in 1860, $3,875,598; in 1865, $2,152,568.
The selectmen in 1861 were
William Barney,
Joseph Mitchell, 2d,
William H. Waitt,
Alexander Macy, Benjamin Field,
Joshua Parker,
Elisha Smith; in 1862 and 1863,
Charles F. Brown,
Charles A. Folger,
Zenas L. Adams,
Samuel Woodward,
Andrew J. Morton,
Samuel Swain,
Charles G. Coffin; in 1864,
Joseph Mitchell, 2d,
Joseph C. Chase,
Charles G. Jagger,
William H. Waitt,
Robert McLean,
Henry Colesworth, Jr.,
Reuben P. Folger; in 1865,
Joseph Mitchell, 2d,
Robert McLean,
William H. Waitt,
Joseph C. Chase,
Charles H. Jagger,
Henry Colesworth,
Charles A. Leader.
