Edgartown History

Vineyard Claims 20 Year Advantage in Bathtub Race

When was the first bath tub brought to Martha’s Vineyard? Nantucket had a bath tub, weighing more than 800 pounds, in 1881. A Nantucketer reports having seen another as early as 1861 on that island. Commenting editorially on the question of bath tub priority, the Boston Herald on Wednesday morning challenged Vineyarders to adduce proof of the earlier existence on this Island of a receptacle designed solely for bathing the human form.

Edgartown

The R. W. Watsons have closed their summer home at Edgartown and are at the Wolcott, New York city, for several weeks before re-opening their town house.

At the Methodist Episcopal Church next Sunday morning the Rev. E. E. Craig will preach. There will be a Union Temperance Meeting in the Congregational church in the evening.

Mrs. Edward Burchell and Mrs. Samuel Burchell of Nantucket have been visiting Mrs. William H. Luce the past week.

The Golf and Tennis Club

The Edgartown Golf and Tennis Club has opened its links at “Pineside,” a little to the north of upper Main street. The course is 2,540 yards long, and is, in the opinion of experts, an unusually successful reproduction of golfing condition on the downs of Scotland, where the game originated. A tennis court is projected for the near future. Membership in the Club, entitling one to all privileges, costs, for men $4.00, for women $2.00 and for children under fifteen $1.50 per year. Guests’ tickets may be had at 25c each. The treasurer is Mr. John E. White.

The Edgartown Golf and Tennis Club

The Edgartown Golf and Tennis Club was organized this week, and starts off with a good list of members, which it is hoped will be much increased with the next month. Good grounds are to be secured, and it is going to be quite the correct thing to become a member and play golf this summer. The officers chosen temporarily are J. R. Hanmer, president, and John E. White, treasurer.

Organization of the “Katama Land Company”

It affords us sincere pleasure to announce that the question whether Katama was “to be or not to be” the scene of a new settlement and a resort for summer visitors, is certainly “to be.”

We were morally certain of this fact several weeks ago, but refrained from stating it at the request of the parties concerned in working up the enterprise, until all possibility of a failure from any human cause, was removed. It is now a fixed fact, and we but give voice to the expression of our citizens when we propose three times three cheers for the cheering inevitable.

The New York Yacht Squadron in the Harbor of Edgartown

A Newport correspondent of the New York Post says: -
 
“The members of the yacht squadron which arrived here on Monday night from the East gave a funny account of their adventures,” and he goes on to state the particulars of their forming an acquaintance with the ladies of Edgartown, the ball, &c. Being detained by the weather from proceeding to Nahant, and feeling ennui in their protracted stay, they hoped to obtain some relief by reception on shore. We quote as follows: -
 

Citizens of Edgartown Opposed to Slavery

The citizens of Edgartown, opposed to the further extension of slavery in this country, assembled at the Town Hall on Friday evening last.

E. Marchant was chosen Chairman, and Henry A. Coffin, Esq., Secretary.

The following gentlemen were elected Delegates to the Worcester Convention, to nominate candidates for State Officers, viz: - John Vinson, J.R. Dillingham, Harrison P. Mayhew.

Escape of a Fugitive Slave from a vessel in Edgartown Harbor

The public mind has been greatly occupied recently with several cases of reclamation of fugitive slaves. We give, in another column, some account of the capture and return to bondage of a brother and two nephews of the Rev. Dr. Pennington, a well known and highly esteemed colored minister of New York; also of the case of Burns, in Boston.

Below will be found the particulars of the escape of a fugitive from a vessel in our own harbor.

July the 28th A. D. 1743.

The New County Road

THE NEW COUNTY ROAD, between Edgartown and Holmes Hole, is in a good state of forwardness; that portion lying within the Tisbury boundary, we believe, is entirely completed. We passed over the road a day or two since, and are free to confess that we consider this the greatest improvement to locomotion ever made on the island. Through a considerable portion of the route, the road is already as hard and as handsomely finished as any turnpike we ever passed over.

Town Meeting

The following business was transacted at the adjourned [Edgartown] town meeting, on Wednesday last.

The tenth article of the warrant, relative to the support of Nancy Michael, was taken up. -

Pages