Edward Mulford Baker (1810-1856) wrote this letter to his only brother, David Baker (1798-1855), while commanding the Daniel Webster on a whaling voyage to the “South Seas,” a term that referred to several places, but most commonly to the South Pacific. Other sources indicate that this voyage passed through the Azores and off Chile and Tahiti.
When Baker left Sag Harbor with the Daniel Webster in 1839, it was the first time he had departed from home as a captain. On his previous voyage, from 1837 to 1839, he was first mate of the Daniel Webster under Capt. Stratton H. Harlow. Fifteen months into the 20-month-long voyage, Harlow was killed by a whale. Baker was then made captain, and it was under his command that the Daniel Webster finished the remainder of the voyage.
Baker seemingly performed well, despite being thrust into the role unexpectedly, because he was hired to captain the Daniel Webster for another whaling trip that began a month after its return. All told, he led five whaling voyages as captain from 1838 to 1852.
In this letter from September of 1839, Edward writes not as a captain but as a brother. He asks after their family’s health, sends his love to their sisters Esther (1792-1872), Maria (1794-1857), and Eleanor (1801-1883), and begs to be informed if any of his nieces get married. He asks for favors and shares the woes he faces aboard his ship, opening up to his brother about struggles with rain and the loss of a young crewmember shortly after leaving port.
Upon Edward’s return from this journey to the Northwest Coast, he bought a house on Pantigo Road, going on to marry Rosalie Miller (1823-1901) in 1844. Edward and Rosalie had two children, Edward (1849-1914) and Jonathan (1853-1923). Edward Mulford Baker died in 1856 at the age of 46.
Moriah Moore is a librarian and archivist in the East Hampton Library’s Long Island Collection.
