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America's first whaling industry and the whaler yeomen of Cape May 1630-1830
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Romm, Richard M.. America's first whaling industry and the whaler yeomen of Cape May 1630-1830. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T39023V3

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TitleAmerica's first whaling industry and the whaler yeomen of Cape May 1630-1830
NameRomm, Richard M. (author); Scranton, Philip (chair); Rutgers University; Camden Graduate School
Date Created2010
Other Date2010 (degree)
SubjectHistory, Whaling--Delaware Bay (Del. and N.J.)--History, Whalers (Persons)--Delaware Bay (Del. and N.J.), Delaware Bay (Del. and N.J.)--Commerce, Cape May (N.J.)--Commerce
Extent45 p.
DescriptionAmerican whaling began in Delaware Bay?not in Cape Cod, as is commonly believed. The whale fishery began as a Dutch whaling colony at Lewes, Delaware in 1631. The history of Delaware Bay?s whale fishery is disjointed, with a half century lull before any whaling on the north shore of the bay began at Cape May by whalers from Long Island in the 1680s and 1690s. Whaling proved to be a valuable asset to the colonial economy of West Jersey; the whaling trade built elite family dynasties on the Jersey Cape that lasted for generations. As these families prospered, through the sale of whale oil, blubber and baleen to Philadelphia and beyond, they succeeded, unlike their fellow colonists in Southern slave societies, in producing a vibrant, diverse economy. They engaged in everything from oyster to sturgeon fishing, cedar mining to cattle raising, shipbuilding to knitting mittens. Not only did the whaler yeomen flourish, many were able to increase their land holdings, establish plantations, purchase slaves and endow their families with great wealth. Most importantly, the people of Cape May participated fully in the colonial economy, trading with merchants not only in Philadelphia, but throughout the mid-Atlantic and southern colonies, New England, the West Indies and Europe.
NoteM.A.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Noteby Richard M. Romm
Genretheses, ETD graduate
Persistent URLhttps://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T39023V3
Languageeng
CollectionCamden Graduate School Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
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