vitals sources
go to Sarah Delano's page
signature from his father's probate papers when he was 27
signature from Isaiah's will when he was 80
Isaiah was raised in a home in a part of Chatham, Massachusetts, now known as Chathamport. In his Bible, Killey Eldredge says his father was born in Yarmouth, but evidence places the family in Chatham (see Elnathan Eldredge's biography page). The family moved to a part of Darmouth, Massachusetts, between 1735 and 1739. Where in Dartmouth has yet to be found, but it was in what is now either Acushnet or Fairhaven. He followed his father in a seafaring life. In his early adulthood he served on coastal trade schooners, eventually rising to master them. He first appears in newspapers as a captain in 1745, and this was likely his first commission, given that he was 20. His ship was the schooner Supply, which called in the ports of Boston, Newport, New York, Egg Harbor and Philadelphia in the summer of 1745.1 His next commission was on the sloop Molly in 1747 and 1748, followed by the sloop Rainbow in 1749.2 The name Eldredge, very likely indicating Isaiah, continues to appear in shipping reports into the 1750s (the first names of captains were often left out), but available papers for that time didn't associate the captains with ship names.
By 1758 Isaiah had become a whaling ship's captain, thus beginning a 90-year stretch of involvement in this business by ancestors of the Smith/Briggs family. In that year he was master of the sloop Industry. French privateers were running up and down the East Coast of the American Colonies (this was during the "French & Indian" War), and snatched the sloop from it's route on 22 June to or from the South Atlantic off Cape Henry, Virginia.5 Two privateers, a brig and a schooner out of Mississippi, were involved. Since Industry was "going much better than the schooner, was fitted out as her concert, with 2 carriage and 2 swivel guns and 20 men." The French schooner and the American sloop then cruised for more prizes, apparently with Isaiah and his crew aboard as prisoners. Industry's new crew, composed mostly of "banditti from Mobille and Pensacoula," caught two more ships. They sailed into St. Augustine, Florida, late in June, but were told by the governor there to leave, having an allegiance to the British who were provisioning them. What happened to Industry isn't told, but it's unlikely the privateers would have given up a valuable fast sailer. The whaling men must have had to find their own way back home. There is a four year gap in the births of Isaiah and Sarah's children between 1755 and 1759. Isaiah was probably not at sea for all that time, but it does bring up the question how long he was away. Their daughter Bethiah, ancestor of the Smith/Briggs family, was born about 9 months after his adventure with the French bandits.
When Isaiah retired from the sea hasn't been found. His son Isaiah is very likely the whaler who was at sea in the 1790s. There is a logbook for the sloop Tryall dated first from 1768 to 1775, then 1785 to 1797. The earlier trips were sometimes if not always up through the Straits of Belle Isle between Newfoundland and Labrador and the Davis Straits north toward Greenland. There is no evidence of a whaler with that name after the New Bedford paper Medley began in 1792, and Isaiah, Jr., mastered a different ship in 1792. Was the logbook used by others on other ships?
Isaiah was in "New Bedford" when he wrote his will in 1804, and mentions two lots of land in Fairhaven Village. His death notice says he was of Fairhaven. He died just before Fairhaven Township was created, but the area was named well before that. In 1760? he was one of the major investors in the "20 acre purchase," which is now the core of Fairhaven village. He had four lots at that time.
Several of Isaiah's lots in the village of Fairhaven. There are old houses on most of these lots, but it hasn't been found specifically where the family lived. He left the red lot, with a house on it, to his daughters. Ruby (Eldredge) Allen was already living in a house on the lot with her family, and that part of the lot was given to her. Two lots originally had waterfront footage, one of which is the green lot. Isaiah still had one of these when he died, and he willed it to his sons Killey and Phineas. Killey, who lived in Fairhaven after his father died, appears not to have ever lived there. These two lots, with measurements mentioned, are listed separately in his will from his homestead. Was the latter one of his two other 20 acre purchase lots?
The lot at the corner of what is now Middle and Washington Streets and is listed in his estate inventory and was, by 1804, occupied by his daughter Ruby and her husband Jethro Allen. Another lot was at the corner of what is now Main, Union and Middle Streets. This was sold by the time Isaiah's inventory was taken. The other two extended from Middle Street across Water Street to the waterfront. One was sold and the other is very likely the third lot in the inventory and included water rights. The two village lots in the inventory are described differently from his homestead land, so he surely wasn't living in the village when he died. There are houses on all of the village lots. The lots at Main, Union and Middle and the corner of Middle and Center Streets have houses that were built probably between 1790 and 1810. Isaiah may have sold one or both to people who then had the houses built, but either may have been built for the Eldredge's and served as their home before moving elsewhere. The second lot from Middle Street to the waterfront, midway between Washington to Center Streets also has an old house on it, but not obviously old enough to have been the Eldredge home. The Jethro Allen lot has a much remodelled house that is not likely to have ever been Isaiah's own, perhaps not even the Allen's. It would make sense if Isaiah built a home for himself on one of these lots. He was still going to sea when he bought them, and most likely from a wharf very nearby. The family may have moved to a farm in Fairhaven after he retired. His neighbors in the 1790 census (the only one to list people by visitation rather than by alphabet before Isaiah died) seem to place him in the Nasketucket area of Fairhaven. His homestead land went to his sons Phineas and Killey. Their grantor deeds haven't been researched.
I Isaiah Eldredge of New Bedford in the County of Bristol and State of Massachusetts being at this time of a sound dispossing mind and memory which I am thanfull to God for and calling to mind the uncertingty of life in this present world and knowing that it is appointed once for all men to die I do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following viz
Imprimis my will is that all my just debts and funeral charges be first paid by my two sons namely Phines Eldredge and Killey Eldredge out of what is hereafter given them
Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved wife Sarah Eldredge the use and improvement of all my estate bouth real and personall and all other estate of whatsover discripsion it may be of during her widwhood or natural life
Item I give and bequeath unto my two sons Phenis Eldredge and Killey Eldredge and to their heirs and assigns for ever all my real estate excepting one lot of land in Fairhaven of fifty four rods wheron Jethro Allen now lives to be eaqueally betwen them devided and to each of my sd sons one silver spoon a peace that is now in the house and marked ISE and all my waring apparall and all my out door movebles and all the depts due on notes of hand or otherways and moneys on hand that shall be left at their mothers deceasd they to be at the expence of settling my estate all is to be eaqueally devided betwen them they allowing their mother her tearm in said estate.
Item I give and beqeath unto my four daughters namely Rubey Allin Mary Terry and Bethiah Russell and Sarah Wood and to their heirs and assigns for ever my lot of land in Fairhaven of fifty four rods, whereon Jethro Allin now lives to be eaqueally betwen them divided Rubey to have her sheare lot of where the house is and all my in door movebles of whatsover nature they may be of to be eaqually betwen them divided tis my will that each of my sd daughters shall each of them shall have a silver spoon a peace that is markd ISE they allowing their mother the peasable improvement her tearm in them.
Item and I hereby dissolow and make voide all other wills and testaments heretofore by me made and confirm this to be my last will and testament and I hereby constute make and ordain my son Killey Eldredge to be my sole executor, to this my last will and testament in witness wherof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this thirteenth day of January one thousand eight hundred and four
Isaiah Eldredge
Tucke Damon
Ebenezer Akin
Nancy Akin
Barthw. Akin
May 5 1812 appd.
Isaiah's estate inventory:
An inventory of the estate of Isaiah Eldredge late of Fairhaven in the county of Bristol deceased appraised upon oath by us the subsrcibers duly appointed to that service by the Hon. Hodijah Baylies Esqr. Jude of Probate of Wills &c for said County viz
Real Estate
The homestead of said deceased with the buildings thereon siutated in sd Fairhaven 1000 [dollars]
One lot of land containing fifty four rods situated in the Village of Fairhaven 5406.1
One lot of land containing about thiry three rods and a part of a [water?] situated as above 3506.2
total real estate dollars 1890
Personal Estate
11 chairs $5 4 tables 250c 1 case drawers $2 1 lookg glass $4 $13.50
3 feather beds bolsters & pillows $48 3 bedstead & cords $6 $54
9 glass tumblers 75c 1/2 doz cups & saucers 30c 1 pitcher 25c coffee pot 25c $1.55
1 tea chest c 4 cannisters 150c 2 tea pots 75c 3 sugar pots 30c $2.55
2 candlesticks 30c 1/2 doz bottles 25c 1 [slate?] 30c iron dogs 75c $1.60
2 shovels & 2 pr tongs 75c 3 cranes & hooks $3 3 iron pots 150c $5.25
4 kettles 150c 2 [shiders?] 50c 1 tea kettle 10c 1 bake kettle & skillet 50c $2.60
1 pr flatts 50c 3 tin pans 75c 2 tin pails 75c [?] & saucepan 20c $2.20
2 peper boxes 5c 3 pewter platters 150c 8 plates $1 4 basons 50c $3.05
3 porringers 25c 2 earthen dishes 50c 1 1/2 doz plates 75c $1.50
1 doz bowls 50c 2 salt morters 150c 1/2 doz knives & forks 50c $2.50
1 can 25c 1/2 doz large & small silver spoons $10 $10.25
1 warming pan 50c 3 chests $2 2 wheels reals & winders 150c $4
2 churns 50c 10 empty bottles $1 1 coffee mill 25c 1 pr bellows 25c $2
2 window curtins 75c 3 wollen sheets $3 3 bed blankets $3 $6.75
24 cotton & linnen sheets $24 4 bolsters cases $1 $25
24 pillow cases $6 3 coverlids $3 2 bed quilts $2 $14
1 bed spread $1 3 table cloths $2 12 towels 150c $4.50
6 books 150c 1 Gunters scale 25c 1 pr steel yards 25c $2
Isaiah's Gunter's scale, which he either made or acquired in 1750, passed through the antiques market in 2008. The photos below are of the scale, courtesy Paul Madden Antiques. It is 2 feet by about 1 5/8 inches.
1 brass scimmer 10c 1 poundg bbl? $1 2 washing tubs 50c $1.60
2 pails 50c 5 baskets 75c gin case 50c 2 chambers [pots?] 50c $2.25
[apparently in the barn:]
1 ton hay $20 1 hay fork 50c 1 shovel 75c 1 ax $1 $21.75
2 hatts $1 9 shirts 250c 6 pr trowsers $3 3 pr breaches 150c 5 waistcoats $2 3 coats $4 2 great coats $4 9 pr stockg $2 1 pr shoes $1 $21
cash $4.50 Jared Chases note May 20th 1810 for $8 $12.50
total personal dollrs 217.90
total reas estate 1890
dollrs $2107.90
Fairhaven 3rd April 1812
Jonathan Nye, John Price, Barthom. Taber, appraisers
May 5 1812 returned & sworn to by Killy Eldridge, exr.
The following is taken from his father's probate file:
Dartmouth
Febuary ye of 20th 1746/7
Judg sir may it please you I being ye eldest son of Elnathan Eldredg latly dessesed and I being bound to sea and cannot tarrey at home this summer therefore I would pray you would give the letters of adminestration to my mother-in-law for their is no body else that can as I no of take it
Isaiah Eldredg
Sir may it please you you see that my eldest son will do nothing consarning ye estate and I being not capabel of comming over to you at presant so I would pray you would send me over your clark to give one letters of adminestration as soon as you can convaniantly for things are under defecul surcomstanses so wishing your honours helth and prosprity so remain yours to sarve you
Deliverance her x mark Eldredge
widow of Elnathan Eldredg...
children of Isaiah and Sarah (Delano) Eldredge:7
Bethiah
Isaiah's birth and death are from the Killey Eldredge Bible, published in The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (July 1940), vol. 94, pp. 299-300. The entries in the Bible were made by Killey long after many of the events occurred. He wrote that his father was born in Yarmouth, MA. Although his grandmother Hannah O'Kelly and great grandfather Jehosephat Eldredge were from that town, grandfather Elnathan had moved to Chatham, MA by the time Isaiah was born. The Vital Records of New Bedford, Massachusetts, to the Year Ending 1850 (Boston:1932), p. The New Bedford Mercury reported his death on 20 Mar 1812, p. 3, age 88 (sic). Both the vital record and the newspaper report say he was 88. He was actually 87. His marriage is in The Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, to the Year Ending 1850 (Boston:1930), Vol. II "Marriages," p. 177, both of Dartmouth. Killey Eldredge wrote the day in his Bible as 27 rather than 28. The Dartmouth town record is favored here, given that it is more contemporaneous to the event.
1. Pennsylvania Gazette, 29 Aug 1748, p. 3.
2. New York Gazette, 12 Oct 1747, p. 3; Ibid, 28 Mar 1748, p. 3; Ibid, 6 June 1748, p. 3. In one instance he is called Josiah.
5. Boston Evening Post, 28 Aug 1758. Isaiah was from "Portsmouth in New Hampshire." This surely was a mistake, confusing Portsmouth with Dartmouth, and assuming the well-known Portsmouth in New Hampshire.
6. Medley, or New Bedford Marine Journal, 26 Jan 1793, p. 3.
6.1. Based on an (original?) map of the "20 acre purchase," this lot was the one on which Jethro and Ruby lived on the corner of Middle and Washington Sts.
6.2. "20 acre purchase" map shows Isaiah bought two lots that extended from Middle St. to the water, crossing Water St. The latter was laid out, but dotted lines on the map show the intention to extend the waterfront out into the Acushnet River, thus extending the lots and allowing Water St. to run further south. They were a little over 34 rods, making it very likely this lot in the inventory is one of those and included perhaps water rights. It has yet to be researched when the waterfront was extended.
7. Dartmouth, MA, vital records.
all text and photographs © 1998-2007 by Doug Sinclair unless where otherwise noted
