{"id":98458,"date":"2024-03-29T09:59:40","date_gmt":"2024-03-29T13:59:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/live-genealogy.pantheonsite.io\/?p=98458"},"modified":"2024-05-09T08:37:13","modified_gmt":"2024-05-09T12:37:13","slug":"scions-of-nantucket-founders-part-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/scions-of-nantucket-founders-part-5.html","title":{"rendered":"Scions of Nantucket Founders (part 5)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry continues her series about the founders of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and their descendants, focusing on a colorful character named Stephen Macy. Melissa is a genealogist who has a blog, AnceStory Archives<\/a>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Today I continue with my series on the scions of the founders of Nantucket, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n

In 1850 Stephen Macy had a very unusual but noble request. He wanted to legally change his name to Franklin Macy in honor of his kinfolk Benjamin Franklin.<\/p>\n

\"Illustration:<\/a>
Illustration: \u201cBenjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky\u201d by Benjamin West, c. 1816. Credit: Philadelphia Museum of Art.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Stephen was the son of Samuel Macy and Lydia Folger. He never married or had issues, but he was a colorful character in Nantucket\u2019s history, one to be remembered. He had plenty of siblings and cousins who continued the family line.<\/p>\n

Stephen descended from several Nantucket founders, and many of his ancestors were practicing Quakers. In addition, his 5th great grandparents were Mayflower<\/em> passengers John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley.<\/p>\n

He was a noted \u201cTown Crier,\u201d philosopher, and a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company.<\/p>\n

The record for Stephen\u2019s petition to change his name appears on page 128 of the List of Persons Whose Names Have Been Changed in Massachusetts, 1780-1883<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It was also published in the New Bedford Mercury<\/em> newspaper.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
New Bedford Mercury (New Bedford, Massachusetts), 19 April 1850, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Stephen Macy\u2019s petition was accompanied by a statement from Folger\u2019s Almanac<\/em> that provides details of Benjamin Franklin\u2019s genealogy, as well as a note about Stephen\u2019s own:<\/p>\n

\u201cJohn Folger came from England in the year 1636 from the city of Norwich in the county of Norfolk, a widower, with his son Peter, aged 16 years. His wife\u2019s maiden name was Mesina Gibbs. She died in England. Hugh Peters<\/a>, who was chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, came from England in the same vessel with them. They settled at Martha\u2019s Vineyard<\/a>, and in 1644 Peter Folger married Mary Moriel [Morrill], a waiting maid, that came from England with the family of Hugh Peters. They had eight children during their residence at Martha\u2019s Vineyard. They removed to Nantucket in the year 1662, and afterwards had one daughter, named Abiah, who was the mother of Dr. Franklin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peter [Folger] was great-great-great-grandfather to my mother, and she was Walter Folger\u2019s senior daughter named Lydia.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Stephen\u2019s mother Lydia was the daughter of Quakers Walter Folger (1735-1826) and Elizabeth Starbuck (1738-1821). Here are silhouettes of her parents.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: silhouettes of Walter Folger and Elizabeth Starbuck Folger. Credit: Nantucket Historical Association.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cNantucket Memories,\u201d an article published in 1886, featured Franklin\u2019s mother and grandparents.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Evening Post (New York, New York), 8 January 1886, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This article reported:<\/p>\n

Ben Franklin\u2019s mother [Abiah Folger Franklin (1667-1752)] and grandmother [Mary] were residents of the island, and I suspect a good share of his mother[\u2019s] wit and sound sense were due to Nantucket sea-breezes and nitrogenous food. Here is the record of his mother\u2019s birth: \u201cAbiah, daughter of Peter [and Mary] Folger, born August 15, 1667.\u201d She was of the same family that produced the late Judge [Charles James] Folger<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Illustration:<\/a>
Illustration: Abiah Folger Franklin, wife of Josiah Franklin and mother of Benjamin Franklin, by Samuel Johnson. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The article also adds an additional tidbit to the story of how Abiah\u2019s father Peter Folger fell in love with his wife Mary:<\/p>\n

Quite a romance attaches to her [Abiah\u2019s] mother Mary Moriel, the wife of Peter Folger. She was a maid-servant in the family of the Rev. Hugh Peters, one of Cromwell\u2019s chaplains, and in 1662 accompanied her master and his family to the New World. Peter Folger was a passenger on the same vessel, and became so enamored of the maid that he bought her indenture of her master for \u00a320, an enormous sum in those days, and on landing, married her.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Photos:<\/a>
Photos: The Abiah Folger Franklin Memorial Fountain on Madaket Road, Nantucket. Credit: Nantucket Historical Association.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A clip from the Nantucket Atheneum newspaper archives entitled \u201cRooted in History\u201d described famous scions bred from Nantucket\u2019s founders, and most are interrelated. Benjamin Franklin (statesman) is featured in the tree just below James A. Folger (coffee magnate) and across from Lucretia Mott Coffin (reformer).<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Inquirer and Mirror (Nantucket, Massachusetts), 27 April 2000, section D, page 33<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When our subject Stephen Macy died in 1868 his obituary was just as colorful as he had been in life. This obituary refers to him as a \u201cwell-known character\u201d; after all, this was a man whose official name change petition said he wanted to be called Franklin because:<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish to have my name changed to Franklin Macy, instead of Stephen Macy, being a relative of the illustrious Dr. Franklin, and having a mind like his<\/em>.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"An<\/a>
Evening Standard (New Bedford, Massachusetts), 12 February 1868, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This obituary reported:<\/p>\n

Death of Professor Macy<\/p>\n

This well-known character departed this life in Nantucket on the 5th inst. The Inquirer & Mirror<\/em> insert his name in its obituary announcements as Stephen Macy, but we believe the Professor had his name changed to Franklin Macy, by petition to the General Court. He was well known as a poet and lecturer on electricity, mesmerism, jackasses, and kindred subjects. He rode the goat, and was once honored with a commission purporting to come from His Highness the Emperor of Japan; and was the recipient of many honors while residing in this city. Some people lacked the perception to see that the Professor was a learned man, but anyone could perceive that he had acquired what many a greater man fails in, the art of living without work<\/em>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Maybe Master Macy took his cue from Benjamin Franklin:<\/p>\n

\u201cDost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Explore over 330 years of newspapers and historical records in GenealogyBank. Discover your family story! Start a 7-Day Free Trial<\/a><\/p>\n

Note on the header image:<\/em><\/strong> flag of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Credit: NuclearVacuum; Wikimedia Commons.<\/p>\n

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