"Sometimes Think of Me"
by Chris O'Day
"But when he says Goodbye my love, I'm off across the sea,
First I cry for his departure, then laugh because I'm free”
This quote, which comes from Ford’s 1883 poem Nantucket Girl’s Song, humorously celebrates the life of a Nantucket sailor’s wife. Instead of languishing and waiting for her man to return, the narrator decides to have fun living her life independent and strong. This poem captures the colorful and strong-willed spirit the women of Nantucket have possessed through out history.
Keeping with Ford’s sentiment, the Nantucket Historical Association’s major 2010 exhibition, opening this week, focuses on the interesting lives of Nantucket women during the past four centuries. The NHA’s Chief Curator Ben Simons explained, “The NHA has never did a major retrospective on Nantucket women. With Susan Boardman’s recent work, plus the NHA’s great historical collection, we wanted to do an exhibition that highlighted Nantucket women, who have long-deserved it.” The exhibition is titled, “Sometimes think of me”: Notable Nantucket Women through the Centuries and is on display in the Peter Foulger Gallery of the Nantucket Whaling Museum.
Opening with a special Member’s Preview Thursday, July 1 and to the public on Friday, July 2, the exhibition offers a rare view into the lives of Nantucket women, such as Wampanoag maiden Wonoma and whaling wife Eliza Brock. Simons said, “From the very beginning, Nantucket women have been very independent and a huge part of the community. Mary Starbuck kept store in the early settlement and many wives of captains joined their husbands at sea. From the start they have been involved in business and the playing large roles in the community. It is the same today with many women running their own businesses and having important roles in the community.”
Using artifacts, logbooks, and manuscript material, the NHA will present these women in lively detail. Experience the struggle of abolitionist Mary Ellen Pleasant or the daily studies of famed scientist Mariah Mitchell — two of the many interesting women explored in the exhibit. Simons said, “It’s a chance to come face-to-face with personal diaries and journals of these great women, to see their faces in the context of beautiful artifacts and detailed journals. There is a real intimacy in seeing handwriting of the women who kept journals on whaling ships for instance. With that real intimacy you get to know them individually, what their thoughts and daily activities were. At the exhibit you will be able to use a magnifying glass and spend time reading each log.”
Maria Mitchell Embroidery
A highlight of the exhibition is the “embroidered narratives” by Nantucket needlework artist Susan Boardman. Simons said, “Susan Veeder’s detailed journal she kept while on the whaling ship the Nauticon inspired Susan Boardman to create these beautiful narratives. Susan selected the 34 women to represent 400 years, and wanted to showcase the variety of talents of Nantucket women, like Martha Fish who was a farmer and Mariah Mitchell the great astronomer. She wanted to highlight both the already noted women and also the less known Nantucket women who deserved recognition.”
Expect to be mesmerized by Boardman’s work. “She created 46 separate embroidered narratives with beautiful panoramic scenes. She went into wonderful detail. She used little bits of ivory and whalebones to make great effects, she made shingles on houses, she created seagulls, roses, and even rich green sea foam. Each of the 46 pieces took between 200 and 400 hours to create, Simon explained.” The women represented in the narratives range from the early settlers to contemporary women of the Nantucket community. Boardman was able to capture their lives in the unique medium of needlework and sew them from the fabrics of history for all to see.
Another interesting part of the exhibit will be the accompanying book-length catalog written by island historian and NHA Research Fellow Betsy Tyler. Tyler was able to dive into history and create an in-depth look at Nantucket women and discover some unknown history. Simons said, “One great aspect of the catalog is it gives credit to Phebe Folger Coleman. Her brother was famous, but his sister Phebe was equally brilliant but not known at all, the catalog brings her the attention she deserves. Also, through Tyler’s research she uncovered that Susan Veeder’s husband gave up control of his vessel, the Nauticon, fell in love with a Pacific Islander woman and stayed there the rest of his life. Susan Veeder, however, returned to Nantucket to live.”
From whaling wives to today’s independent businesswomen, the women of Nantucket have always possessed a moral fiber that’s made them exceptional. Simons said: ”What’s amazing about Nantucket women are the full rich lives they lead. For instance, there is a monument to wives of early setters and these women lived into their seventies. These women in the seventeenth-century had up to 12 children, raised them, ran the house, ran businesses, and still lived to old age. They’ve had an independent streak that’s always been there, with Mariah Mitchell, with women joining husbands at sea, just an incredible range of talent and its great they are now being celebrated.”
“Sometimes Think of Me” will be on display at the Nantucket Whaling Museum, Broad Street until November 8.
