By 1670 Edward Starbuck had been a Nantucket resident for many years. He had already established one weir with Thomas Macy and he sought permission to establish another one on Long Pond.[1] According to the entry in the deed book, dated 23 August 1670, Edward was again partnering with Thomas Macy, but the venture was open to whoever else in town want ed to join in. Tristram Coffin is on record as having entered the partnership, but it appears Richard Swain dissented. No reason was given for that. Other entries in Nantucket records are notable for having townsmen note their dissent to majority decisions. Nantucketers apparently placed a lot of importance on the opinion of each citizen.
Civic Duties
One of Edward’s other watery skills, that of mill operation, was again put to use when he, along with his son, Nathaniel, John Swain and William Worth were tasked by the town with making millstones for the local mill.[3] Grains were not specifically named, but the stones were likely needed for grinding flour. The town was clearly interested in having an operational mill because they planned to pay the men two shillings, six pence for each day of work put in on the project, plus corn at harvest. They also paid the local smith for making the tools that were needed (which of course would belong to the town when the job was done).
Edward was also tasked with collecting what appeared to be a special tax for a trip some townsmen were making to New York.[4] At that time, Nantucket was under the jurisdiction of Dukes County, which was part of New York until 1692.
Edward stayed busy throughout the decade of the 1670s with other public service. He was:
- Nominated (along with William Bunker) for military service for Nantucket [5]
- Continued working on agreements with the Native Americans on behalf of Nantucket [7]
- Chosen as one of the Nantucket selectmen in 1673 [8]
- A taxman for raising money for defense supplies in 1673 [9]
- A participant in the Revolt of the Half-Share Men, standing for what he felt was fair [10]
- Continued to stay involved in other town civil and economic affairs [11]
Edward’s life on Nantucket had entered a settled phase by the end of the 1670s. The town records showed he was fully participating and valued member of the community. Though he was in his 70s himself, he stayed active in town discussions and decisions.
[1] Nantucket, Massachusetts, Deed Book 1: 5, Edward Starbuck, 1664, FHL film 906,232, item 1, image 5/621; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 January 2022).
Nantucket, Massachusetts, Deed Book 1: 17, Edward Starbuck, 1670, FHL film 906,232, item 1, image 17/621; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 January 2022).
[2] Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org), “Fishing Weir,” rev. 15:05, 7 September 2022.
[3] Nantucket, Massachusetts, Deed Book 1: 20, Edward Starbuck, 1670/71, FHL film 906,232, item 1, image 19/621; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 January 2022).
[4] Nantucket, Massachusetts, Deed Book 1: 21, Edward Starbuck, 1671, FHL film 906,232, item 1, image 19/621; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 January 2022).
[5] Nantucket, Massachusetts, Deed Book 1: 21, Edward Starbuck, 1671, FHL film 906,232, item 1, image 19/621; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 January 2022). This military service for Nantucket was a requirement of then-governor Francis Lovelace.
[6] Nantucket, Massachusetts, Deed Book 1: 22, Edward Starbuck, 1672, FHL film 906,232, item 1, image 20/621; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 January 2022).
Nantucket, Massachusetts, Deed Book 2: 11, Edward Starbuck, 1674/75, FHL film 906,232, item 2, image 135/621; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 11 February 2022).
[7] Nantucket, Massachusetts, Deed Book 1: 33, Edward Starbuck, 1672, FHL film 906,232, item 1, image 25/621; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 January 2022).
[8] Nantucket, Massachusetts, Deed Book 1: 33, Edward Starbuck, 1672/73, FHL film 906,232, item 1, image 25/621; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 19 January 2022).
[9] Nantucket, Massachusetts, Deed Book 1: 35, Edward Starbuck, 1673, FHL film 906,232, item 1, image 26/621; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 19 January 2022).
[10] Henry Barnard Worth, Nantucket Lands & Landowners (Nantucket, Massachusetts : Nantucket Historical Association, 1901), 18–19. This issue divided the town between those who felt the original share holders (who held full shares) should have two votes in town matters and half-share holders should have one, and those who felt everyone, even the full share holders, should have just one vote. Edward sided with those who felt everyone should have the same voice no matter how much land they owned.
[11] Franklin B. Hough, Papers Relating to the Island of Nantucket While Under the Colony of New York (Albany, New York: Albany Institute, 1856), 99.
Nantucket, Massachusetts, Deed Book 1: 41, Edward Starbuck, 1678, FHL film 906,232, item 1, image 80/621; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 19 January 2022).
