Mayhew Folger (
March 9,
1774 –
September 1,
1828) was a ship's captain, whaler, who captained the sealing ship
Topaz that rediscovered the
Pitcairn Islands in 1808. Only one of 's mutineers was still alive: Alexander Smith, whose alias was
John Adams.
Early life
Mayhew was born on
March 9,
1774, in
Nantucket, Massachusetts to William Folger and Ruth Coffin. Mayhew was a member of the Folger whaling family of
Nantucket, Massachusetts, prominent Quakers. He was a first cousin three times removed of
Benjamin Franklin on his father's side. He married his second cousin, Mary Joy on March 7, 1798 on Nantucket.
Rediscovery of the Pitcairn Islands
Mayhew Folger captained the ship
Topaz that left Boston on April 5, 1807 hunting for seals. They rediscovered the
Pitcairn Islands on
February 6,
1808. Only one of the original mutineers, Alexander Smith, whose real name was
John Adams, was still alive. The
Topaz remained at the island for only ten hours.
The Bountys Chronometer
Captain Folger was given the Bountys azimuth compass and
Larcum Kendall K2
marine chronometer by Adams. The K2 was the third precision marine chronometer made after the H4, designed by
John Harrison. The chronometer was taken by the Spanish governor at
Juan Fernandez Island. The compass remained in Folger's possession and he made use of it aboard the Topaz until he reached Boston, where he put it in to an instrument maker for a new 'card' (face). He sent the compass to the Admiralty in 1813. The chronometer was later purchased by a Spaniard named Castillo. When he died, his family conveyed it to Captain Herbert of
HMS Calliope, who had it conveyed to the
British Museum around 1840. The chronometer is now in Greenwich, London.
Accounts of the rediscovery
The discovery was reported by Folger to the
Royal Navy 1808, a report of which reached the British
Admiralty on May 14, 1809. It was published in the
Quarterly Review in 1810. Captain Folger also related an account of the discovery to his friend Captain Amasa Delano, who published the account in his book
A Narrative of Voyages and Travels in 1817. This account is also included in the book
Pitcarin Island, written by Charles Nordoff and James Hall.
Later years
He became the first postmaster of Massillon, Ohio when the post office was created there in 1828. He died September 1, 1828 in
Massillon, Ohio.
See also
External References
