Lot Essay
This family register records the life of Jesse and Betsey Gardner and their children. Jesse Gardner, son of Silvanus and Anna Folger Gardner, was born February 1780 and married Betsey Alley November 18, 1801. In the vital records of Nantucket his death is recorded, March 3, 1826. Betsy Alley, daughter of Jacob and Eunice Folger Alley, was born February 4, 1780 and the sister of William Alley (see Vital Records of Nantucket to the Year 1850, Vol. I, II, & III (Boston, 1927).
The accompanying four letters, addressed to William Alley from Joseph Shane, portray the lives of three related families: the Gardners, the Alleys and the Shanes. These letters exhibit the fragility of life, health and economics of Americans during the early 19th century. In one letter Joseph Shane states "I am thankful to state my health is better...,-Betsy?" inquiring about Betsy's health. Another partial letter dated, February 27, 1816 describes the birth of a son. At one point he refers to "sister Sylva" and "My dear Betsey" and ends "remember us to mother". In the third letter, dated May 19, 1819, Joseph Shane describes how "many merchants are failing, very little profitable business is doing, and money perhaps was never so scarce." He explains that he is in debt, but optimistically continues by stating," I should succeed-such and many other difficulties arise from the worldly pursuits, considering these and many other perplexities of life, we see as the Apostle says 'if in this life only we had hope, above, all men we should be most miserable.'" He ends this letter by stating "more of the Family shall hear from us by Capt. Smith in haste Adieu." In the fourth letter Joseph Shane refers to the death of the daughter of William Alley, and that "his dear wife often wishes to see her sister Sylva". An inscription in another hand is at the end of this letter and is signed by Mary Coffin. William Alley married Sylva Coffin, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Gardner Coffin on December 31, 1793. Mary Coffin, Sylva Coffin Alley's sister, married Stephen T. Mace of Baltimore. Joseph Shane was married to Sylva and Mary Coffin's sister. A watercolor and ink on paper of the Gardner Family Arms signed by Eunice Gardner and dated June 7, 1796, located in the Nantucket Historical Society is illustrated in Charles H. Carpenter Jr. and Mary Grace Carpenter, The Decorative Arts and Crafts of Nantucket (New York, 1987) pl. LXIV.
The accompanying four letters, addressed to William Alley from Joseph Shane, portray the lives of three related families: the Gardners, the Alleys and the Shanes. These letters exhibit the fragility of life, health and economics of Americans during the early 19th century. In one letter Joseph Shane states "I am thankful to state my health is better...,-Betsy?" inquiring about Betsy's health. Another partial letter dated, February 27, 1816 describes the birth of a son. At one point he refers to "sister Sylva" and "My dear Betsey" and ends "remember us to mother". In the third letter, dated May 19, 1819, Joseph Shane describes how "many merchants are failing, very little profitable business is doing, and money perhaps was never so scarce." He explains that he is in debt, but optimistically continues by stating," I should succeed-such and many other difficulties arise from the worldly pursuits, considering these and many other perplexities of life, we see as the Apostle says 'if in this life only we had hope, above, all men we should be most miserable.'" He ends this letter by stating "more of the Family shall hear from us by Capt. Smith in haste Adieu." In the fourth letter Joseph Shane refers to the death of the daughter of William Alley, and that "his dear wife often wishes to see her sister Sylva". An inscription in another hand is at the end of this letter and is signed by Mary Coffin. William Alley married Sylva Coffin, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Gardner Coffin on December 31, 1793. Mary Coffin, Sylva Coffin Alley's sister, married Stephen T. Mace of Baltimore. Joseph Shane was married to Sylva and Mary Coffin's sister. A watercolor and ink on paper of the Gardner Family Arms signed by Eunice Gardner and dated June 7, 1796, located in the Nantucket Historical Society is illustrated in Charles H. Carpenter Jr. and Mary Grace Carpenter, The Decorative Arts and Crafts of Nantucket (New York, 1987) pl. LXIV.