The History of Nantucket: County, Island and Town. Including Genealogies of First Settlers.

STARBUCK, Alexander.

Item Number: 130755

Boston: C. E. Goodspeed & Co., 1924.

First edition of Alexander Starbuck’s history of Nantucket Island. Octavo, bound in three quarter polished calf, gilt titles and ruling to the spine, top edge gilt, illustrated, folding maps. In fine condition.

The Starbuck family of Nantucket gained wide exposure through the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries as whalers. A descendant of one of the first Anglo-European settlers of Nantucket, Valentine Starbuck was born on May 22, 1791 and commanded various whalers in the Pacific. Born on May 11, 1797, Obed Starbuck made a number of significant voyages. Sailing on the Hero 1822-1824, which returned to Nantucket with 2,173 barrels of sperm oil, he discovered an island on 5 September 1823, located at 5°32' S, 155°5' W, since known as Starbuck Island. Alexander Starbuck authored two notable works: History of the American Whale Fishery and his History of Nantucket.