Manuscript Collections of the
Nantucket Historical Association Research Library

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MS2 - Kezia Coffin Fanning Papers, 1775- 1820
Historical Note: Kezia (Coffin) Fanning was born to John and Kezia (Folger) Coffin in 1759. She married Phineas Fanning, a young attorney, at age eighteen and continued to live in Nantucket until she died in 1820.

Collection Overview: Diary records family events, news of Nantucket especially births, deaths and marriages. Of particular interest are reports on the robbery at the Nantucket Bank and on politics, particularly during the American Revolution. Information on fishing and whaling as well as commerce and trade are included. Kezia began keeping her diary when she was sixteen and continued until her death. The record originally numbered 50 booklets, but all but a few fugitive pages were lost. Fortunately, however, extracts from the entire record were made by family members.

CARD FILE
Index to Diaries, 1775-1820.

FOLDER 1
Three pages in the handwriting of Kezia Fanning and signed by her, dated October 19, 1797. Concerning events and conversations which led her to believe that Randell Rice did not rob the Nantucket Bank. Among those persons mentioned in addition to her husband and Mr. Rice are Mary Barnard and Weatherly. Particular reference is made to events on October 22, 1796. Photocopies of 11 pages titled "Extracts from Kezia Fanning's Diaries, Nantucket Bank Robberty".

FOLDER 1.50
Handwritten notebook of the diary for 1779-1804

FOLDER 2
Handwritten extracts of the diary for the years 1783-1820 believed to have been made by Dr. Thomas Fanning Wood of Wilmington, North Carolina.

FOLDER 3
Bound Notes and Extracts of diary: Printed on spine of book: History of Nantucket - Starbuck copy of notes believed to have been made by Dr. Thomas Fanning Wood.

FOLDER 4
Typewritten copy of Notes and Extracts from diary, 1775-1820 Copies by Margaret H. Wood, 1938.

FOLDER 5
Correspondence concerning history of the diary and a Daguerreotype of Kezia Coffin Fanning (not in collection): a) ALS Dr. Thomas Fanning Wood to Alexander Starbuck, April 7, 1877. b) ALS Alexander Starbuck to Miss Brock, Jan. 8, 1922 with pencilled draft of reply on reverse. c) Typewritten notes and letters by Margaret A. Wood, 1938.