Obed Macy Journals and Letter Books

Obed Macy (1762–1844) was a Nantucket Quaker merchant and writer whose long and varied career included work as a whaleman, shoemaker, blacksmith, and farmer. He and his brother Silvanus manufactured soap and spermaceti candles, and served as shipping agents and ship owners. In 1835, he published "The History of Nantucket," a book Herman Melville later used as a guide while writing "Moby Dick". An inveterate and eclectic observer, he wrote six volumes of personal journals between 1799 and 1855. These capture daily details of island life, as well personal opinions on national and international events. The NHA also holds Macy's letter books, containing business correspondence with merchants in Boston, Providence, New York, and Philadelphia, as well as personal letters regarding “The History of Nantucket,” antislavery sentiments, and political opinions.