Manuscript Collections of the
Nantucket Historical Association Research Library

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MS3 - Bunker Family Papers, 1796-1919
Collection Overview:
The Asa Bunker Letter Books give excellent accounts of the financial status and credit rating of Nantucket businessmen. His letters also discuss education in Nantucket and the place of women in education. Detailed records and discussion of the raising, training and flights of carrier pigeons and the Chase family genealogy are also included.

Historical Note: Descended from George and Jane (Godfrey) Bunker who came to Nantucket in 1659 and were among the first white settlers on the Island, the Bunker family was active in the fields of education and local politics. Among the Nantucket family members represented in this collection are James Madison Bunker (1811-1873), lawyer and Town Clerk of Nantucket before he became Justice of the Bankruptcy Court in New Bedford, Bridgewater and at Vassar College and taught at Bradford Academy before returning to Nantucket to retire; and Asa Bunker (1802-1869), Register of Deeds. Those who left the Island are represented by Augusta Bunker (1855-1886), who married Walter M. Fee and moved to Washington Territory and Waha, Idaho to operate a ranch and teach school and Madison Bunker (1853-1916) who became a veterinarian in Newton, Massachusetts.

ENVELOPE
JAMES BUNKER JOURNAL,1870-1876 Notary Public, April 18, 1872-April 18, 1879 Journal, January 1, 1870 to September 11, 1876 Information about ships' arrivals and departures, wrecks and rescues List of deaths each year. At back: Poem about Bunker family individuals "Lines in Memory of Capt. Reuben Chase."

FOLDER 1
REUBEN BUNKER (1775-1855),son of Tristram Bunker Copy of will, Sept. 17, 1850, allowed Jan. 5, 1856

FOLDER 2
ANNE BUNKER (1804-1885),Daughter of Reuben and Rachel (Chase) Autograph letters signed and invitations from friends, 1820-1833 Included is ALS reporting death of Arianna Mitchell, Nantucket, Dec. 11, 1833

FOLDER 3
JAMES MADISON BUNKER (1811-1873), Son of Reuben Bunker and Rachel (Chase) Autograph letters signed to his daughter, Phebe West Bunker, from Nantucket, August, 1864; New Bedford, Sept. 1864 to March 1872; and Nantucket April and June 1872. Included are reports of a broken boiler on the steamer, Island Home (June 19, 1866); his plan to return to Nantucket to take Judge Gardner's place as Judge of Probate (March 10, 1872) and the grounding of a ship at Great Point, Nantucket (April 8,1872) Also included is a bill from Albert Tobey for labor, Nantucket, Aug. 23, 1864.

FOLDER 4
LUCRETIA MACY BUNKER(1832-1893), Second wife of James Madison Bunker (m. 1859). Stepmother to Phebe West Bunker. Autograph letters signed to Phebe West Bunker, written with James Madison Bunker, New Bedford, Mass., 1866, n.d.

FOLDER 5
ALFRED BUNKER ( 1838- ),Son of James Madison Bunker and his first wife, Sarah West; Master, Roxbury Latin School, Roxbury, Mass. Autograph letters signed to his sister, Phebe West Bunker and others, Nantucket, 1857 and Roxbury, 1883-1919. Post card from A[lexander] Starbuck re: Laban Coffin and whaling at Dunkirk. Waltham, July 3, 1903 Post card from Lauriston Bunker re: Unitarian Church bell ringer. April 12, 1921

FOLDER 6
CORDELIA BARKER BUNKER, Wife of Alred Bunker. Autograph letters signed, Roxbury, 1897-1898.

FOLDER 7
Paul West Bunker (1846-1916),Son of James Madison Bunker and his first wife, Sarah West. ALS to his sister, Phebe West Bunker, Nantucket, Oct. 26, 1857. News clipping reporting Masonic resolutions on his death, Feb. 20, 1880.

FOLDER 8
MADISON BUNKER (1853-1916),Son James Madison Bunker and his first wife, Sarah West. Autograph letters signed to his sister, Phebe West Bunker, Newton, Mass., 1883-1884 Autograph letters signed to Phebe Ann West, sister to his mother, 1890, 1899.

FOLDER 9
EMMA PIERCE BUNKER,wife of Madison Bunker. Autograph letters signed to Phebe Ann West, 1897-1899

FOLDER 10
AUGUSTA (BUNKER) FEE (1855-1886) Daughter of James Madison Bunker and his first wife, Sarah West. Autograph letters signed to her sister, Phebe West Bunker, brothers, Alfred and Madison, and aunt, Phebe Ann West describing her life in the west with maps and floor plans. The letters tell of her trip through the Arizona Desert on a Union Pacific train to Cheney, Washington where she taught school, July 19, 1882-Dec. 19, 1883.

FOLDER 11
AUGUSTA BUNKER FEE (1855-1886) Autograph letters signed to her sister, Phebe West Bunker, and her aunt, Anne Bunker, Jan. 6, 1884- May 6, 1886. Also included are letters to Phebe West Bunker from R. N. Fee, mother-in- law of Augusta Bunker, and Walter M. Fee, husband of Augusta Bunker, April 20, 1886, May 6, 1886 and Oct. 29, 1888.

FOLDER 12
AUGUSTA (BUNKER) FEE (8155-1886) Letters of condolence on the death of Augusta Bunker written to Phebe West Bunker, April and May, 1886, some from Nantucket friends and relatives.

FOLDER 13
PHEBE WEST BUNKER (1839-1915) Daughter of James Madison Bunker and his first wife, Sarah West. Diaries: 1853 - Nantucket Family affairs, school, weather Record of letters written and received 1856 - Nantucket and near Boston ] Weather, family, school, friends. Considerable information on the North Church and discussion of some sermons 1857: - near Boston School, family, weather, church events, friends Some information about speakers at the Lyceum. 1858 - near Boston; Primarily before June 10 Weather, Unitarian Church, school Accounts at back of book.

FOLDER 14
PHEBE WEST BUNKER (1839-1915) Diaries: 1859 - near Boston Weather, church (primarily First Congragetional Church), sermons and family events. 1865 - near Boston Church, family and school events 1868 - near Boston School, church, weather Scrap Book, 1881

FOLDER 15
PHEBE WEST BUNKER (1839-1915) Exercise Book: 1852-1853 Contains short essays, poetry, samples of letters and some personal recollections.

FOLDER 16
PHEBE WEST BUNKER (1839-1915) Letters Out: ALS to "Aunt Anne" [Bunker, sister of James Madison Bunker] Bridgewater, Oct. 23, 1857 giving family and school news.

FOLDER 17
PHEBE WEST BUNKER (1839-1915) Letters In: from friends in Haverhill, Westford, and Bridgeport primarily concering school affairs, 1882-1890 and including an ANS from Maria Mitchell asking about Sarah West Bunker's health and comfort. Lynn, July 20, n.y. (Letters are filed alphabetically by sender). Valentine, unsigned, n.d. Invitation from Amy and Amelia Lawrence, Dec. 24, n.y. Bill, 1861

FOLDER 18
ASA G. BUNKER (1802-1869) son of Hezekiah Bunker and Lydia Ellenwood Gardner Copy of letter to Harry F. Temple concerning date of birth. Nantucket, Oct. 9, 1856. Copy of letter to Willetts and Company requesting price of one of the lots in Aaron Mitchell's mortgage, Nantucket, Oct. 28, 1856. Draft of letter to B. Gardner King regarding the Gardner family and his own descent from Thomas Gardner who landed in Gloucester in 1624, Nantucket, Dec. 12, 1856. Copy of letter to Susannah Coleman concerning the purchase of one third of old estate on Gardner's Court, Nantucket, Feb. 7, 1857. Copy of letter to "Friend Isaac" [Coffin] regarding a pension for the children of Polly Sampson, deceased 1856, Nantucket, March 18, 1857. Copy of letter to Isaac N. Coffin concerning a pension for the heirs of Reuben Chase whose widow dies in 1837, Nantucket, March 24, 1857. On inside of same sheet, copy of letter to "Friend" concerning the receipt of pension by heirs, the question of certifying Polly Sampson's death, and sending certificates of the deaths of Peter and Rhoda Boston who died May 17, 1856, Nantucket, April l, 1857. Copy of letter to Philip C. Scott requesting verification of Joseph Rogers' certificate, Nantucket, Aug. 11, 1858. (On reverse, form for certification of signature.) Draft fragment of letter to Joseph D. Bliss regarding the receipt of a letter, Nantucket, Jan. 18, 1864. Rough draft of letter to "Friend" asking about the salary for the office [of Register of Deeds], Nantucket, Feb. 20, 1865. Draft of letter concerning the deaths of seamen David A. Macy, David Pinkham, Reuben Morslander, Thomas Kelley, Ebenezer Skinner and Benjamin Swain.

FOLDER 19
ASA G. BUNKER (1802-1869) Journal, 1841-1845: 47 pages, numbered only to #21. Notes and copies of letters regarding the Office of the Register of Deeds, Nantucket discussing leases, tracing titles, land transfers, drafts of wills. Also copies of letters to family and friends, 1842-1844: Concerning lameness of daughter Sarah, p.28 Concerning ships "Charles Carroll" (page 32) and "Emerald" and "Montano" (page 47).

FOLDER 20
ASA G. BUNKER (1802-1869) Letter Book, 1844-1846 , Reel 103:224, 57 pages Contains copy of letter from New York requesting credit ratings of Nantucket merchants, June 1844 and copy of letter out to W. A. Cleveland discussing credit ratings, Nantucket, May 20. 1845.

FOLDER 20.50
ASA G. BUNKER (1802-1869) Certification of vote by the Land Owners on March 7, 1846 to request the General Court of Mass. to pass the annexed Bill as a code of law by which they may be governed.

FOLDER 21
ASA G. BUNKER (1802-1869) Letter Book/Journal, 1844-1854, Reel 113:167 Pages are unnumbered but items follow chronological order Scattered calendar of vital statistics and notes about weather and the comings and goings of people, ships and carrier pigeons, Oct.-Nov. 1844, Oct. 1845-0ct. 1846, April 1847-Feb. 1851. Copies of a few business letters regarding the office of Register of Deeds, Nantucket, 1845, primarily to Henry Clapp of Boston, Mass. Extensive and detailed information on the financial status and credit potential of individual Nantucket businessmen, pages 8-21 and 1854-1855. Some copies of letters written for others including J. C. Ray, New Bedford, Oct. 26, 1846 and J. B. Chace, Taunton, Oct. 27, 1847 Copies of letters out concerning the Chase family with extensive information on the genealogy of the Chase family. Some genealogical information on the Bunker, Fitch, Hussey, Folger, Gardner and Glover families. Copies of many notes and letters to a cousin and to D. H. Craig on the training of carrier pigeons with records of their flights. Information regarding the estate of James Law, March 13, 1849. Copies of letters to his daughter, Phebe R. Bunker Alley and her husband, Obed, giving family and local news, Nantucket, 1848-1849, and discussing the candidacy of Mary S. Coffin and Sarah G. Bunker for the position of Assistant in the South Grammar School and the conflict between Asa Gardner and Alfred Macy which involved the two candidates. Observations on teaching methods are also made, Nantucket, 1853 -1855.

FOLDER 22
ASA G. BUNKER (1802-1869) List of Nantucket business men and their financial status, n.d.

FOLDER 23
ASA G. BUNKER (1802-1869) ALS from John S. Smith, Register of Deeds in Edgartown, Mass. regarding his salary as Register, Edgartown, Feb. 23, 1865.

FOLDER 24
ASA G. BUNKER (1802-1869) Index to Books 1-7 of the Nantucket County Registry of Deeds compiled by Asa G. Bunker, n.d. Chronological order, not by grantor or grantee. Index to Books 7-12 of records in the Nantucket County Registry of Deeds compiled by Asa G. Bunker by name of grantors and grantees.

FOLDER 25
ASA G. BUNKER (1802-1869) Index to Books 22-26 of records in the Nantucket County Registry of Deeds compiled by Asa G. Bunker by name of grantors and grantees. Index to Books 26-30 of records in the Nantucket County Registry of Deeds compiled by Asa G. Bunker alphabetically by name of grantors and grantees and in chronological sequence.

FOLDER 26
PHEBE R. (BUNKER) [Alley] (1828- )Daughter of Asa G. and Mary Ray; Wife of Obed Alley Letters Out: To father, Asa G. Bunker ALS "Phebe and Obed"concerning the amputation of Obed's leg and mentioning the hanging of John Brown, Martinez, [California], Jan. 18, 1860 ALS "Obed, Phebe and Herman" discussing the ravages of the Civil War, the death of Lincoln, the differences between the northerners and the southerners, mentioning the character and death of Sarah Riddell [Mrs. Alexander], the death of Philip Howland Folger and speaking of Sarah Swain [Mrs. Josiah C], Martinez, [California], May 7, 1865 ALS signed "Obed & Phebe" reporting poor business and mentioning Sylvanus Swain, Martinez, [California], March 9, 1861 ALS signed "Obed & Phebe" deploring Civil War, Martinez, [California], April 15, 1863

FOLDER 27
CHARLES BUNKER Copy of speech made in the ceremony honoring Major Moses Barnard at the Atheneum, Oct. 18, 1848.

FOLDER 28
ELISHAI BUNKER (1808-1841)? Brother or Asa G. Bunker, Son of Hezekiah Bunker and Lydia Gardner (?). Writ of Attachment against William C. Folger. concerning land, Nantucket, Sept. 17, 1835.

FOLDER 29
HEZEKIAH BUNKER (1737-1820)son of Paul and Hannah (Gardner) Deed of share of Brant Point Meadows, inherited from father, to George Gorham Hussey and Robert Brayton, Nantucket Oct. 9, 1796. Appointment of William Bunker as Executor of will. March 3, 1821. Plat for land, n.d.

FOLDER 30
[JOHN BUNKER] Character reading by phrenology, Aug. 1844.

FOLDER 31
PELEG BUNKER (1748-1806) Son of Jonathan and Judith([Macy]) Writ of attachment by Joseph Chase, June 3, 1802.

FOLDER 32
WILLIAM P. BUNKER (1809-1864)Son of Owen and Phebe Gardner Will leaving estate to wife, witnessed by Asa Bunker and others, April 14, 1864.

FOLDER 33
OTHER MEMBERS OF BUNKER FAMILY: S[amuel] Bunker: torn and mended ALS "Your faithful husband" to his wife written in verse, referring to his arrival and voyage plans, New[buryport], MS [Mass.] [Aug. 22] Promise to pay $1,000 as principle by Francis Gassmen of New Bedford. Feb. 5, 1835 Eliza C. Bunker: At Home card, Aug. 31, 1853 Reuben R. Bunker: Transaction at Amsterdam, 1807 Mrs. David (Sarah?) Bunker: auto Eliza C. Bunker: At Home card, Aug 31, 1853. Mrs. David Bunker (Sarah?): ALS in verse: "Cousin" to Mrs. David Bunker sending family news and mentioning ships and their owners and masters, the absence of a preacher. and a Mr. Bradford, [Nantucket, April 11], n.y., sent in care of Capt. Joseph Congdon. The ships mentioned include the "Henry" and "Rambler." Paul West Bunker: ANS as small child,.1899 (Probably son of Madison, grand- nephew of Phebe Ann West to whom he writes.) Lydia G. to sister, Phebe R.: ALS describing a big fire and also a trial, mentioning Emily, Obed, Joseph and Martha, Charlotte, Obed G. and Leander, Milwaukee, Wisc., Feb. 15, 1851. Unsigned letter to "Friends" referring to Obed F., March 30, 1851. Sarah G. Bunker (1834- ) Daughter of Asa & Mary (Ray) ALS to father describing San Francisco earthquake, San Francisco, [CA], Oct. 17, [18]65 ALS from William Wilmott urging her to come to California, Benecia [CA], Oct. 4, 1855 ALS from Mrs. Deborah expressing condolence [1848, death of mother, Mary, May 4, 1858] George Bunker: Receipted bils for labor to Paul West, April 2, and 30, 1857 William H. Waitt (1813-1877), husband of Elizabeth Ann Bunker, daughter of Asa Bunker (1831- ) Copy of poem from Philadelphia Saturday Courier, Aug. 19, 1843, Oct. 3, 1843 Jonathan Bunker: Copy of will, 1721 Ann Bunker: Valentine unsigned, n.d. Obed Bunker: ALS to sister Lydia, giving family news, New York, Nov. 30, 1811 Assessment of property Elihu Bunker (1748-1822) ALS to grandfather (Ritchard [sic] Macy) and grandmother (Deborah (Pinkham) Macy), saying lonely after death of wife (Phebe (Starbuck)). Poughguage?, 26, Tenth month, 1779. Mary (Wyer)Bunker (1773-1816) Invitation to tea from Jonathan Swain to pick up furniture [Aug. 25, 1817], later married. Andrew Bunker: Receipted bill to the Proprietors for board road from Squam to Quidnet, Nantucket, Aug. 20, 1830 Shubael Bunker (1731- ), son of Zachariah & Desire (Gorham): Deed for sale of half of house and land formerly owned by Zachariah Bunker, to William Coffin. Nantucket, Sept. 28, 1787 Rachel (Hussey)(Coleman)Bunker (1715-1796), wife of Paul, son of Jabez and Hannah (Gardner) Biographical information from Eloise W. Mitchell. #1362 Uriah Bunker: Deed for sale of cow commons to Thomas Delano. Nantucket, Feb. 2, 1787 Judith (Bunker)Glover (1769-1826),daugther of Tristram and Abigail (Ramsdell), wife of Benjamin Glover Will of Benjamin Glover, Feb. 1800 William P. Hiller (1822-1904), husband of Eliza M. (Horsfield) (Bunker); son of William & Betsey (Orpin) Grand Army of the Republic Certificate, Jan. 21, 1871 Pension from service in Civil War, May 8, 1903 Copy of Will, April 14, 1904 Thomas Hiller (1761-1839), son of Levi & Rebecca (Palmer) of Albany; grandfather-in-law of Eliza M. (Horsfield) (Bunker) Fragment of deed, n.d. A.G.Bunker: Receipt for cash paid, 1853 James Bunker Sketch of coast in [California] indicating ruba river, slate range and north fork.

FOLDER 34
Lauriston Bunker Justice of the Peace, records of marriages, Aug. 20, 1899 - Nov. 4, 1929

FOLDER 35
David Bunker (1818-1890), son of Daniel and Susan (Cathcart) Letters Out: ALS fragment to wife denying rumors written home by others, reporting seeing Ships "Catawba" & "Constitution." "Ship Henry" at sea, July 27, 1855 Letters In: ALS from Thomas Macy appointing him as Mate of the Ship "Phoenix" and Master if Capt. Perry Winslow should be incapacitated. Nantucket, Aug. 23, 1844 3 ALS from Frederick C. Sanford warning that the Gold rush is claiming sailors and ships including the Ship "Aurora", Seth Swain, Master; the "Henry Astor", George F. Joy, Master, and the Ship "Russell", Francis B. Folger, Master; quoting oil and bone prices and reporting the failure of William B. Mitchell and Company. Nantucket, Jan. 16, 20 & Feb. 17, 1849 ALS from George D. Allen. Jenksville, N.Y., Nov. 24, 1858.