1840 Manuscript Letter from the Wife of a Maine Sea Captain Sailing on the Solomon Saltus Discussing the Voyage and Business Back Home

On offer is an outstanding piece of early maritime history from the heart of 19th  century America’s great whaling seaports.

The letter was written in 1840 by Lucy Gray (nee Drinkwater) (1790-1884). It is addressed to her husband, Joshua Gray (1788-1852) who was on board a sailing ship, most likely captaining the voyage. The letter was posted to him, in care of the ship’s agents Nesmith and Leeds in New York City. Joshua Gray was a sea captain who was born and lived his life in Yarmouth, Maine. At the time of this letter, he was sailing on the ‘Sol. Saltus’ (we believe that the abbreviation is for Solomon Saltus). The Solomon Saltus was laid down in 1838 in Falls River, Massachusetts, and was engaged in commercial shipping and took part in whaling expeditions. 

In the opening lines, Lucy confirms that Joshua was recently in Rotterdam and is now expected to be on his return journey. He has asked Lucy to travel to Baltimore to join him for the winter. She does not feel that she is up to such a trip (she was 50 years old at the time of writing). Some excerpts from the letter follow:

“...When you last went from B [altimore ...ed note] you wish me to come there and spend the winter and I thought during the later part of the summer that I should be able to comply with your request but I have now given it up as I do not think I could bear the fatigue of such a journey…” [p 1].

“...I still have a hope that you will come if you should have to wait for business…” [p 2].

Lucy asks Joshua  about prices for the sale of goods he has sent her:

“I have one barrel of molasses that I shall sell as soon as it will fetch a better price. I wish you would inform me how low you can afford to sell it…” [p 2].

In the October 11th supplement, she notes that she has been waiting to see if she receives another letter before replying. She also notes how physically hard life generally is:

“I have been waiting all the last week hoping to receive another letter from Rotterdam as I have not I shall send this tonight as I think you must soon arrive and I cannot think of not having a letter there ready for you it gives me much pleasure in thinking that you will soon be where I can often write you if I cannot see you. My health for a few days has been poor and I do not expect will be any better as the cold weather is coming on. I can only say I hope to have patience and submission to bear all that is allotted me in the life there have been a number of deaths of late in this town…” [p 3].

The letter bears a stamp confirming receipt in Baltimore October 31st and the remnants of a red wax seal.

For a historian, especially one interested in the maritime history of the United States, this letter is a direct connection to those times. It is rich in details of family life and offers an insight into what the life of a seafarer’s family would be like. For a gender studies program, it offers an excellent insight into the lives of the wives and families of seafaring men who were gone from home for extensive amounts to time. The United States has a strong maritime heritage, especially around the great fishing and whaling fleets of New England. This letter is a direct link to those ‘wooden ships and iron men’ and to the women who kept families and homes together while they were gone. It would be a wonderful addition to a private collection or maritime archive.

The document is a single sheet measuring approximately 10.0x16.0 inches and then folded in half to create four pages. The first two pages constitute a letter written on October 4th, 1840 and page 3 is a continuation of that written on October 11th. The reverse is the name of the recipient and address. The letter is in generally good condition. There is a small portion along the outer edge of pages 3 & 4, measuring approximately 1.0 inch by 5.0 inches which has been torn away. The handwriting is legible.