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| Baker's Island Light. Photo by Erik Smith. |
| email the webmaster |
| Copyright 2007/2008/2009, Erik K. Smith, Salem, Massachusetts |
| The inspiration for this website is Tom Sito, who has been emailing me Daily Histories for over 10 years now |
The majority of the research done to create this website was possible thanks to
the Salem Public Library. If you would like to learn more about any of these
topics, please visit the Sources page where you can find links to books
available there.
the Salem Public Library. If you would like to learn more about any of these
topics, please visit the Sources page where you can find links to books
available there.
It happened on this day in
Salem, Massachusetts:
Salem, Massachusetts:
| Cat Island. Photo by Erik Smith. |
| Video: Salem Hospital and Captain John Bertram Produced by Erik Smith for Salem Access Television. |
April 6, 1799 Nathaniel Bowditch returned to Salem from his third
of five voyages. He was aboard Elias Hasket Derby's “Astrea”,
loaded with port from Spain. This was not a happy return for
young Nathaniel, though. He was returning a widower, having only
been married on March 28 of the previous year. His wife
Elizabeth Boardman Bowditch had died of consumption in October.
1824 King Kamehameha’s royal yacht “Ha’aheo o Hawaii” (Pride of
Hawaii) was wrecked on a reef there. The ship began its life in
Salem as George Crowninshield’s yacht “Cleopatra’s Barge”.
1830 Captain Joseph White was murdered in his home, the Gardner
Pingree House on Essex Street.
1839 The Naumkeag Steam Cotton Company was incorporated. Their
headquarters are now Shetland Park.
1941 The British Destroyer “Chelsea” rescued 29 survivors of the
“SS Olga S” which sank after an air attack in the North
Atlantic. The “Chelsea” began its life as the “U.S.S.
Crowninshield” and was turned over to the Royal Navy in the
Lend/Lease Program.
April 7 1873 Salem Hospital was organized with a $25,000 gift
from John Bertram and many other smaller donations. It was first
located at 31 Charter Street in a brick home, but after the fire
of 1914 it was severely burned so the hospital was relocated to
Highland Avenue in 1917.
1882 The Eastern Railroad Depot burned. It was located near the
present site of the Salem Police Station. All that survived the
blaze were the granite towers.
April 8, 1796 In response to a petition put before them by the
Salem Marine Society, the United States Congress passed an act
that provided for a lighthouse on Baker’s Island.
1839 William Lloyd Garrison wrote to the Salem Female Anti-
Slavery Society:
It is, perhaps, somewhat remarkable,--considering the
proximity of the place to Boston,--that I have never given a
single lecture in Salem since I began to plead for “the suffering
and the dumb.” Your city is not deficient in intellect, in
pecuniary ability, or in hospitality to strangers; but I fear it
is greatly so in heart. You have among you, some choice abolition
spirits, of both sexes, who are “fruitful among the faithless
found,” and very much do I admire their zeal, firmness, and self-
sacrificing disposition. Unfortunately, all are not abolitionists
who are called such, or who make flaming pretensions on the
subject of slavery. The Lord, however, is sifting us from time to
time, and trying every man’s work as by fire. No one can lament
the divisions that exist in our ranks more than I do; but they
were to have been effected, if not in their present shape, at
least in some form and from some cause in the progress of our
sacred enterprise.
1999 Eight National Park Service Employees from around the
country were given a fitness test in order to qualify to become
federal wildlife firefighters at Derby and Central Wharves. They
were required to walk 3 miles in 45 minutes while carrying 45
pound backpacks.
April 9, 1827 Maria Susanna Cummins was born in Salem. She was
the author of “The Lamplighter”, “Mabel Vaughn”, and “Haunted
Hearts”.
1846 Nathaniel Hawthorn was sworn in as Surveyor at the Salem
Custom House.
1861 The Salem Light Infantry held a drill and ball at Mechanic
Hall. Massachusetts Governor John Albion Andrew was present and
expressed his hope that the young men would not be seeing
action. Fort Sumpter was fired upon three days later.
April 10, 1666 King Charles II had sent word that he wanted
Governor Bellingham and William Hathorne to return to England to
explain their refusal to comply with changes in the Massachusetts
Bay Charter. On this day his Secretary of State, Sir William
Morrice, informed Bellingham and Hathorne of this order. They
ignored it. Hathorne was an ancestor of author Nathaniel
Hawthorne.
1808 Richard Manning asked Reverend Bentley to say a prayer for
his son in law Nathaniel Hawthorne, who had died of Yellow Fever
in Surinam.
1877 Thanks to the generosity of Captain John Bertram, the Salem
Old Men’s Home opened in the former estate of John Forrester on
Washington Square. It is now known as the John Bertram House.
1997 Salem City Council voted unanimously to change the name of
Cat Island to Children’s Island.
April 11, 1839 This day light breezes, at sunrise saw the Wade to
windward distance 8 miles, at 7 A.M., Mr. Downes raised a school
of small Sperm Whales on the weather bow, distance five miles and
heading to windward, we then lowered our boats and set a small
signal to the mast for the Wade’s benefit, providing she could
see it, the boats pulled for them for some time but could not get
amongst them, at last the Wade saw our boats down and she lowered
and gave chase but could not get fast, we at last raised a ship
to windward at great distance and the Whales heading for her, we,
as well as the Wade’s boats gave p the chase and went onboard
took up the boats &c, at 3PM., to the ship (stranger) appeared to
be cutting a Whale, at 4 P.M., lost sight of both vessels astern,
saw nothing since taking up the boats &c, Ends fine weather.
Most of the crew complains of Disentary.
April 12, 1836 According to Frances Diane Robotti’s book “Whaling
and Old Salem” the 325 ton whaling ship Mount Wolloston returned
to Salem after a 10 month voyage with 450 barrels of sperm oil
and 1250 barrels of whale oil.
1868 Poet Annie Batchelder Stevens was born in Salem.
1913 The South Branch Library opened in a new building at 47
Ocean Avenue, on the corner of Lafayette. It remained open until
1985.
April 13, 1799 The keel laying ceremony for the frigate “Essex”
was held at Winter Island.
1821 Samuel Calley was born in Salem. He served as the City’s
Mayor in 1872. He made his living as a house painter; he also
served as a Representative in the Massachusetts House.
1948 Welterweight boxer Tippy Larkin, “The Garfield Gunner”, beat
Billy Kearns at the North Street Arena.
1850 In a letter to Horatio Bridge, 44 year old Nathaniel
Hawthorne, who had just published The Scarlett Letter, wrote:
As to the Salem people, I really thought I had been
exceedingly good natured in my treatment of them. They certainly
do not deserve good usage at my hands, after permitting me (their
most distinguished citizen for they have no other that was ever
heard of beyond the limits of the Congressional district) after
permitting me to be deliberately lied down, not merely once, but
at two separate attacks, on false indictments, without hardly a
voice being raised in my behalf; and then sending one of the
false witnesses to Congress, other to the State legislature, and
choosing another as their Mayor. I feel an infinite contempt for
them, and probably have expressed it more of it than I intended.
April 14, 1994 Salem's Fort Lee was named to the National
Register of Historical Places.
April 15, 1837 The Salem whaling bark “Derby” was wrecked near
the Falkland Islands.
April 16, 1906 Houdini opened a three night run at the Salem
Theatre.
Last week's history is archived here.
of five voyages. He was aboard Elias Hasket Derby's “Astrea”,
loaded with port from Spain. This was not a happy return for
young Nathaniel, though. He was returning a widower, having only
been married on March 28 of the previous year. His wife
Elizabeth Boardman Bowditch had died of consumption in October.
1824 King Kamehameha’s royal yacht “Ha’aheo o Hawaii” (Pride of
Hawaii) was wrecked on a reef there. The ship began its life in
Salem as George Crowninshield’s yacht “Cleopatra’s Barge”.
1830 Captain Joseph White was murdered in his home, the Gardner
Pingree House on Essex Street.
1839 The Naumkeag Steam Cotton Company was incorporated. Their
headquarters are now Shetland Park.
1941 The British Destroyer “Chelsea” rescued 29 survivors of the
“SS Olga S” which sank after an air attack in the North
Atlantic. The “Chelsea” began its life as the “U.S.S.
Crowninshield” and was turned over to the Royal Navy in the
Lend/Lease Program.
April 7 1873 Salem Hospital was organized with a $25,000 gift
from John Bertram and many other smaller donations. It was first
located at 31 Charter Street in a brick home, but after the fire
of 1914 it was severely burned so the hospital was relocated to
Highland Avenue in 1917.
1882 The Eastern Railroad Depot burned. It was located near the
present site of the Salem Police Station. All that survived the
blaze were the granite towers.
April 8, 1796 In response to a petition put before them by the
Salem Marine Society, the United States Congress passed an act
that provided for a lighthouse on Baker’s Island.
1839 William Lloyd Garrison wrote to the Salem Female Anti-
Slavery Society:
It is, perhaps, somewhat remarkable,--considering the
proximity of the place to Boston,--that I have never given a
single lecture in Salem since I began to plead for “the suffering
and the dumb.” Your city is not deficient in intellect, in
pecuniary ability, or in hospitality to strangers; but I fear it
is greatly so in heart. You have among you, some choice abolition
spirits, of both sexes, who are “fruitful among the faithless
found,” and very much do I admire their zeal, firmness, and self-
sacrificing disposition. Unfortunately, all are not abolitionists
who are called such, or who make flaming pretensions on the
subject of slavery. The Lord, however, is sifting us from time to
time, and trying every man’s work as by fire. No one can lament
the divisions that exist in our ranks more than I do; but they
were to have been effected, if not in their present shape, at
least in some form and from some cause in the progress of our
sacred enterprise.
1999 Eight National Park Service Employees from around the
country were given a fitness test in order to qualify to become
federal wildlife firefighters at Derby and Central Wharves. They
were required to walk 3 miles in 45 minutes while carrying 45
pound backpacks.
April 9, 1827 Maria Susanna Cummins was born in Salem. She was
the author of “The Lamplighter”, “Mabel Vaughn”, and “Haunted
Hearts”.
1846 Nathaniel Hawthorn was sworn in as Surveyor at the Salem
Custom House.
1861 The Salem Light Infantry held a drill and ball at Mechanic
Hall. Massachusetts Governor John Albion Andrew was present and
expressed his hope that the young men would not be seeing
action. Fort Sumpter was fired upon three days later.
April 10, 1666 King Charles II had sent word that he wanted
Governor Bellingham and William Hathorne to return to England to
explain their refusal to comply with changes in the Massachusetts
Bay Charter. On this day his Secretary of State, Sir William
Morrice, informed Bellingham and Hathorne of this order. They
ignored it. Hathorne was an ancestor of author Nathaniel
Hawthorne.
1808 Richard Manning asked Reverend Bentley to say a prayer for
his son in law Nathaniel Hawthorne, who had died of Yellow Fever
in Surinam.
1877 Thanks to the generosity of Captain John Bertram, the Salem
Old Men’s Home opened in the former estate of John Forrester on
Washington Square. It is now known as the John Bertram House.
1997 Salem City Council voted unanimously to change the name of
Cat Island to Children’s Island.
April 11, 1839 This day light breezes, at sunrise saw the Wade to
windward distance 8 miles, at 7 A.M., Mr. Downes raised a school
of small Sperm Whales on the weather bow, distance five miles and
heading to windward, we then lowered our boats and set a small
signal to the mast for the Wade’s benefit, providing she could
see it, the boats pulled for them for some time but could not get
amongst them, at last the Wade saw our boats down and she lowered
and gave chase but could not get fast, we at last raised a ship
to windward at great distance and the Whales heading for her, we,
as well as the Wade’s boats gave p the chase and went onboard
took up the boats &c, at 3PM., to the ship (stranger) appeared to
be cutting a Whale, at 4 P.M., lost sight of both vessels astern,
saw nothing since taking up the boats &c, Ends fine weather.
Most of the crew complains of Disentary.
April 12, 1836 According to Frances Diane Robotti’s book “Whaling
and Old Salem” the 325 ton whaling ship Mount Wolloston returned
to Salem after a 10 month voyage with 450 barrels of sperm oil
and 1250 barrels of whale oil.
1868 Poet Annie Batchelder Stevens was born in Salem.
1913 The South Branch Library opened in a new building at 47
Ocean Avenue, on the corner of Lafayette. It remained open until
1985.
April 13, 1799 The keel laying ceremony for the frigate “Essex”
was held at Winter Island.
1821 Samuel Calley was born in Salem. He served as the City’s
Mayor in 1872. He made his living as a house painter; he also
served as a Representative in the Massachusetts House.
1948 Welterweight boxer Tippy Larkin, “The Garfield Gunner”, beat
Billy Kearns at the North Street Arena.
1850 In a letter to Horatio Bridge, 44 year old Nathaniel
Hawthorne, who had just published The Scarlett Letter, wrote:
As to the Salem people, I really thought I had been
exceedingly good natured in my treatment of them. They certainly
do not deserve good usage at my hands, after permitting me (their
most distinguished citizen for they have no other that was ever
heard of beyond the limits of the Congressional district) after
permitting me to be deliberately lied down, not merely once, but
at two separate attacks, on false indictments, without hardly a
voice being raised in my behalf; and then sending one of the
false witnesses to Congress, other to the State legislature, and
choosing another as their Mayor. I feel an infinite contempt for
them, and probably have expressed it more of it than I intended.
April 14, 1994 Salem's Fort Lee was named to the National
Register of Historical Places.
April 15, 1837 The Salem whaling bark “Derby” was wrecked near
the Falkland Islands.
April 16, 1906 Houdini opened a three night run at the Salem
Theatre.
Last week's history is archived here.
| The Gardner-Pingree House, site of the Murder of Captain Joseph White. Photo by Erik Smith. |
