Sewall Short Inventions and Patents

Sewall Short (1796-1857) born in Newburyport, Massachusetts to William Short and Elizabeth "Betsy" Pike ( 1775-1839) Sewall's gr. grandfather was cabinet maker Joseph Short. In December 1821 he married Eunice Jenkins. I found some inventions and patents Sewall was credited for. This is beginning research and more on this, but sharing what I have found so far.

In 1830, Sewall Short and Noah Bradford submitted a patent application for the submarine explorer. In their application, they claimed that they had created a water-tight suit, different from any diving apparatus known before.
Drawing of Submarine Explorer National Archives

Nantucket Inquirer Saturday, Feb 03, 1838 Nantucket, MA Page: 3
 

Nantucket Inquirer

Sewall Short patent Furnaces through which the charge is moved mechanically, e.g. of tunnel type; Similar furnaces in which the charge moves by gravity heated without contact between combustion gases and charge; electrically heated heated by hot air or gas

1837-09-06 Application granted

1837-09-06 Publication of US421A

1854-09-06 Anticipated expiration

2019-08-28 Application status is Expired - Lifetime

New York Daily Whig; Mr. S. Short; Invented; Operation: Nantucket Inquirer Wednesday, Sep 12, 1838  Nantucket, MA Vol: XVIII Issue: 72 Page: 2

Nantucket Inquirer Saturday, Aug 10, 1833 Nantucket, MA Vol: XIII Issue: 63 Page: Copy of 3

Nantucket Inquirer Tuesday, Nov 11, 1823 Nantucket, MA Vol: III Issue: 46 Page: 4

Newburyport Herald Friday, Dec 18, 1829 Newburyport, MA Page: 1 

 

Improvement In Stringed Instruments Boston Recorder Thursday, Feb 02, 1854 Boston, MA Vol: XXXIX Issue: 5 Page: 20

  

Nantucket Inquirer Saturday, Dec 01, 1832 Nantucket, MA Vol: XII Issue: 48 Page: 3 

Mary Coffin Strarbuck, Daughter of the Light

Some information on Mary Coffin/Coffyn Starbuck (1645-1717) and family. Plus some old articles published in newspapers on Coffin line.

Mary's father, Tristram Coffin

Mary Coffin Starbuck was born Feb. 20, 1645 in Haverhill, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Tristram Coffin (1605-1681) and Dionis Stevens Coffin (1610-1659) 

Cortlandt V. D. Hubbard, Photographer

In 1662, Mary married Nathaniel Starbuck (born in Dover, NH  February 20, 1634) son of Edward Starbuck and Katherine Reynolds. (Note: Nathaniel's sister Abigail Starbuck married Peter Coffin, Mary's brother) Mary and Nathaniel were the first couple to marry on the Island from the new settlement created by these families. The couple also became the leaders in introducing the Quaker faith to the island. Mary was the first woman Quaker minister. She was also called "The Great Merchant" an industrious, clever, and powerful woman. In 1702, John Richardson, a Quaker minister, was speaking at her home and she received a witness that manifested into a deep spiritual driving force of Light that never extinguished. It was in this moment Nathaniel Philbrick asserts that "established a unique fusion of spirituality and covetousness that would make possible Nantucket's rise as a whaling port." Several generations prosper in this industry as well as others.

Mary was a leader--a woman of "strong character and exceptional intelligence." Edward R. Snow Women of the Sea   "The islanders esteemed [Mary Starbuck] as a judge among them, for little was done without her, as I understood...the great woman," 1701 journal entry of John Richardson

She is also known for "Account Book with the Indians," a ledger tracking the credits and debits of 200 Indians, laborers, and whales-men who patronized Mary Coffin Starbuck's store and her later generations, it is a "treasure trove of data about Indian life on Nantucket...covering the years 1662 to1764..."

John Greenleaf Whittier, (1807-1892) the poet, is a 7th generation Coffin, descended from Tristram Coffin, Jr.
 [Manuscript deed of sale (November 14, 1685) of Nashowamoiasuk, now Neck Point of the Edgartown Great Pond, by "Mr. Harrie, Indian of Nantucket" to John Coffin (Mary's brother) for six pounds.From Mr. Larry @4dtraveler]

Below is from The Springfield Daily Republican September 1929

Our Boston Literary Letter. Good Folks and Persecutors. Covenanters, Quakers and Martyrs Andrew Lang's New March 17, 1909 Springfield Republican (Springfield, MA) A larger PDF version can be sent if you post a request or email me