The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 50, November 27, 2005, Article 18

MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY ONLINE CATALOG

Dave Perkins writes: "I recently learned that the
Massachusetts Historical Society has an online catalog,
with quite a few historical and numismatic references.
I entered a number of searches, both numismatic and
genealogical (both my Perkins and my Strong families
date back to the 1630s in Massachusetts).  One search
turned up an interesting and different type of pedigree
on a Spanish Milled Dollar dated 1773, as follows:

“1773 Spanish Milled silver dollar (modified pillar
series), stained with blood [my apologies…] from the
Battle of Bunker Hill, enclosed in a frame with a note
signed by Nathaniel Greenough.  The note explains that
the dollar was taken from a “British soldier’s woman”
by Greenough’s sister Hannah a few days after the
battle in 1775.  Also includes a tax bill to Greenough.”

It’s not often we learn where an old silver dollar
was in 1773-5.

A second item was more of a personal interest to me,
and references a shipment of gold dollars:

“Documents regarding the shipment of $40,000 Spanish-milled
gold dollars to Batavia (Jakarta) aboard ship Rebecca, by
James and T. H. Perkins.  Includes justice of the peace
certificate for William Stevenson signed by Mass. Gov.
Caleb Strong, declaration, invoice, and bill of lading.”

This had double interest for me.  The first interest was
of course numismatic.  The second, I’m distantly related
to Gov. Caleb Strong (1745-1819) on my mother’s side of
the family (she was a Strong).  I’m also distantly related
to these two Perkins.

If interested, here is the web address for the Massachusetts
Historical Society online catalog: Online Catalog
Click on the ABAGAIL Online Catalog, and enjoy!"

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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