Starbuck (whaling family)
Encyclopedia
The Starbuck family were a group of whaler
s operating out of Nantucket, Massachusetts
from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. Some members of the family gained wider exposure due to their discovery of various islands in the Pacific Ocean
.
.
A descendant of one of the first Anglo-European settlers of Nantucket, Valentine commanded various whalers in the Pacific. In 1823, while captaining the British whaleship Aigle, he was chartered by Hawaiian
King Kamehameha II
for a trip to Britain on a state visit. The passengers included Queen Kamāmalu
and a few other nobles. The Hawaiian King and Queen died of measles while at London
, and Valentine was sued by his employers for not completing his whaling voyage.
Prior to his journey to London, Valentine had sighted an island in the Pacific, known as Starbuck
or Volunteer Island. When Royal Navy captain George Anson Byron
came across this island when returning the bodies of the Hawaiian king and Queen to their homeland on the , he named the island "Starbuck" in Valentine's honour. However, his cousin Obed Starbuck had sighted the island previously.
Whaling in the Pacific for many years, Obed made a number of significant voyages. Sailing on the Hero 1822-1824, which returned to Nantucket with 2173 barrels of sperm oil, he discovered an island on 5 September 1823, located at 5°32' S, 155°5' W, since known as Starbuck Island
(also called "Hero Island").
From 1824-1826, Obed captained the Loper, in which vessel he was the first European to visit an outlying island in the Phoenix group
which he named "New Nantucket" which, when re-discovered in 1835 by Michael Baker, was renamed Baker Island
. Obed named "Loper Island" (Niutao
) which was sighted by Francisco Antonio Mourelle
on May 5, 1781. who named Niutao, El Gran Cocal ('The Great Coconut Plantation'). Obed also named "Tracy Island" (Vaitupu
), and various other now-unidentified islands. Based on reported locations, these might include Birnie Island
and Sydney Island
, previously discovered by Capt. Emmett in 1820, although it is hard to be precise due to the bearings given. On this journey, Obed also completed the mapping of Tuvalu
, which had been begun by Captain George Barrett of the Nantucket whaler Independence II.
Other sources suggest that Obed discovered New Nantucket in 1823, while aboard the Hero. JN Reynolds, while reporting to the US House of Representatives
in 1828, reported a sighting of an island "5 deg. 1 min. south latitude. Seen by O. Starbuck, northwest from Marquesas."
Obed made later whaling voyages on the Loper (1829-1830), Rose in 1831 (which ran aground) and the Zone in 1843-1846.
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
s operating out of Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. Some members of the family gained wider exposure due to their discovery of various islands in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
Valentine Starbuck
Valentine Starbuck was born on May, 22 1791 in Nantucket, MassachusettsNantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
.
A descendant of one of the first Anglo-European settlers of Nantucket, Valentine commanded various whalers in the Pacific. In 1823, while captaining the British whaleship Aigle, he was chartered by Hawaiian
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
King Kamehameha II
Kamehameha II
Kamehameha II was the second king of the Kingdom of Hawaii. His birth name was Liholiho and full name was Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke kapu Iolani...
for a trip to Britain on a state visit. The passengers included Queen Kamāmalu
Kamamalu
Kamāmalu Kalani-Kuaana-o-Kamehamalu-Kekuaiwa-o-kalani-Kealii-Hoopili-a-Walu was Queen consort of the Kingdom of Hawaii as the wife of King Kamehameha II. She is not to be confused with Princess Victoria Kamāmalu who was her niece...
and a few other nobles. The Hawaiian King and Queen died of measles while at London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and Valentine was sued by his employers for not completing his whaling voyage.
Prior to his journey to London, Valentine had sighted an island in the Pacific, known as Starbuck
Starbuck Island
Starbuck Island is an uninhabited coral atoll in the central Pacific, and is part of the Central Line Islands of Kiribati...
or Volunteer Island. When Royal Navy captain George Anson Byron
George Byron, 7th Baron Byron
Admiral George Anson Byron, 7th Baron Byron was a British naval officer, and the seventh Baron Byron, in 1824 succeeding his cousin the poet George Gordon Byron in that peerage...
came across this island when returning the bodies of the Hawaiian king and Queen to their homeland on the , he named the island "Starbuck" in Valentine's honour. However, his cousin Obed Starbuck had sighted the island previously.
Obed Starbuck
Obed Starbuck was born on May 11, 1797, also in Nantucket, and died June 27, 1882.Whaling in the Pacific for many years, Obed made a number of significant voyages. Sailing on the Hero 1822-1824, which returned to Nantucket with 2173 barrels of sperm oil, he discovered an island on 5 September 1823, located at 5°32' S, 155°5' W, since known as Starbuck Island
Starbuck Island
Starbuck Island is an uninhabited coral atoll in the central Pacific, and is part of the Central Line Islands of Kiribati...
(also called "Hero Island").
From 1824-1826, Obed captained the Loper, in which vessel he was the first European to visit an outlying island in the Phoenix group
Phoenix Islands
The Phoenix Islands are a group of eight atolls and two submerged coral reefs, lying in the central Pacific Ocean east of the Gilbert Islands and west of the Line Islands. They are a part of the Republic of Kiribati. During the late 1930s they became the site of the last attempted colonial...
which he named "New Nantucket" which, when re-discovered in 1835 by Michael Baker, was renamed Baker Island
Baker Island
Baker Island is an uninhabited atoll located just north of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean about southwest of Honolulu. The island lies almost halfway between Hawaii and Australia, and is a possession of the United States. Its nearest neighbor is Howland Island, to the north.Located at...
. Obed named "Loper Island" (Niutao
Niutao
Niutao is a reef island in the northern part of Tuvalu. It is one of the nine districts of Tuvalu, and one of the three who consist of only one island, not counting the three islets inside the closed lagoon. Niutao has a population of 663 .-Geography:There are two lakes , which are brackish to...
) which was sighted by Francisco Antonio Mourelle
Francisco Antonio Mourelle
Francisco Antonio Mourelle de la Rúa was a Galician naval officer and explorer serving the Spanish crown. He was born in 1750 at San Adrián de Corme , near La Coruña, Galicia.-1775 voyage:...
on May 5, 1781. who named Niutao, El Gran Cocal ('The Great Coconut Plantation'). Obed also named "Tracy Island" (Vaitupu
Vaitupu
Vaitupu is an atoll, which is part of the nation of Tuvalu.Vaitupu, the largest atoll of Tuvalu is located at 7.48 degrees south and 178.83 degrees west. The capital is Asau.-History:...
), and various other now-unidentified islands. Based on reported locations, these might include Birnie Island
Birnie Island
Birnie Island is a small, uninhabited coral island, 20 hectares in area, part of the Phoenix Island group, which forms a possession of the Republic of Kiribati. It is located about 100 km SE of Kanton Island and 90 km WNW of Rawaki Island, formerly known as Phoenix Island. It lies at . ...
and Sydney Island
Manra Island
Manra Island or Sydney Island, is one of the Phoenix Islands in the Republic of Kiribati. It lies at . W. longitude, and has an area of 4.4 km2. and an elevation of approximately six meters...
, previously discovered by Capt. Emmett in 1820, although it is hard to be precise due to the bearings given. On this journey, Obed also completed the mapping of Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
, which had been begun by Captain George Barrett of the Nantucket whaler Independence II.
Other sources suggest that Obed discovered New Nantucket in 1823, while aboard the Hero. JN Reynolds, while reporting to the US House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1828, reported a sighting of an island "5 deg. 1 min. south latitude. Seen by O. Starbuck, northwest from Marquesas."
Obed made later whaling voyages on the Loper (1829-1830), Rose in 1831 (which ran aground) and the Zone in 1843-1846.