Benjamin Coggeshall House, 8 Orange Street, Nantucket

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Handsome Greek Revival home of a famous Nantucket whaler; part of the Orange and Union Streets Neigh- borhood Study (MASS-1014). PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Original and subsequent owners: * Benjamin Coggeshall, mariner, bought land in Wesco from his brother Peleg for Nathaniel A. Sprague bought from Benjamin Coggeshall land with dwelling thereon. One day later Daniel Jones, silversmith, bought the property from Nathaniel A. Sprague. Henry U. Jones by will of his father, Daniel Jones. Elisha Parker, blacksmith, bought from Henry H. Jones for Eliza C. Parker and children on death of Elisha Parker. Clinton Parker on death of his mother Eliza. Harriett E. Parker, widow of Clinton Parker and her three daughters inherited the property.

to date Clara Parker and Ida Parker. (Abstract: Records Registry Deeds, Nantucket, Massachusetts;} 2. Date of erection: Between and 3. Architect: Unknown 4. Original plans, construction, etc.: A Greek Revival house with carpenter's handbook details. The house was built with # ORANGE AND UNION STREETS NEIGHBORHOOD STUDY BENJAMIN COGGESHALL HOUSE 11ABS No. MASS-1062 (Page 2) a high basement and large rooms with double parlors on both floors, a palatial home reflecting the wealth re- ceived from whaling. 5. Notes on alterations and additions: Various changes have been made from time to time and an ell was added at the rear, but the main part of the house remains much as built. B.

Historical Events Connected with the Structure: Peleg Coggeshall and his brother Benjamin built houses side by side at 8 and 10 Orange Street. Peleg was a cooper while Benjamin, a younger man, was a mariner who made at least five trips out of Nantucket between and as Captain of Whaleships Peruvian, Walter Scott, Monticellq and Alabama. On his last trip on the Alabama in Captain Coggeshall "left the ship sick and died at home in November For some undetermined reason both brothers sold their homes at the same time in Daniel Jones who had been living in his home at 5 Orange Street for many years bought the property at No. 8 across the street, and left it by will to his son, Henry H. Jones.

Daniel Jones was called a silversmith in deeds although there is no record of his work in lists of silversmiths who worked at Nantucket. He was known, however, as a man of substance and some standing in Nantucket, and although Jones is believed to have been a Quakeress their home contained many costly items of furnishings brought from the Orient. This house has been in the possession of the Parker family since C. Sources of Information: 1. Old Views: Photograph in Rambling Through the Streets and Lanes of Nantucket by Edouard A. Stackpole, page 24; photographs of Orange Street in Fifty Glimpses of Nantucket Island by John F. Murphy, New York and Chicago: Rand McNally, old photograph showing cobblestones in Nantucket Illustrated by A.

Wittemann, New York: The Albertype Co., Prepared by Marie M. Coffin Nantucket, Massachusetts July PART II. PROJECT INFORMATION These records were prepared as part of the Orange and Union Streets Neighborhood Study (MASS-1014) made in the summer of by the Historic American Buildings Survey on Nantucket, Massachusetts. This is the fifth ORANGE AND UNION STREETS NEIGHBORHOOD STUDY BENJAMIN COGGESHALL HOUSE HABS No. MASS-1062 (Page 3) summer project of a continuing KAES comprehensive survey of the early architecture and urban design of Nantucket financed by a grant from the Nantucket Historical Trust. The project was under the general supervision of James C. Massey, Chief of the Historic American Buildings Survey. Project Director was Professor F.

Blair Reeves, A.I.A., of the University of Florida. Historical information was provided by Marie M. Coffin of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Photographs are by Jack E. Boucher of Linwood, New Jersey. The material was edited for deposit in the Library of Congress by Constance Werner Ramirez, August m m