Michael A. Healy papers, 1881-1900

Summary

Creators:

Healy, Michael A., 1839-1904.

Abstract:

This collection contains papers of U.S. Cutter ship captain Michael A. Healy (1839-1904) who commanded the U.S. Revenue Cutters "Corwin" and "Bear" off the Alaskan coast in the mid 1880s, and his family.

Extent:

2.75 Linear Feet (3 boxes)

Language:

Materials are in English.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Michael A. Healy papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains papers of United Revenue Cutter ship captain Michael A. Healy (1839-1904) and his family, consisting of 39 pieces of correspondence, 4 diaries, a letterbook from the U.S. Revenue-Cutter Service ship, "Bear," (1885-1887), two large scrapbooks, and an illuminated manuscript testimonial to Capt. Healy in a leather pouch. Three of the diaries (1884, 1890, and 1891) are by Healy's wife, Mary Jane Roach Healy, kept while aboard the "Corwin" (1883-1884) and the "Bear" (1890 and 1891) (mssHM 47578-mssHM 47580), and the fourth is by his son, Fred A. Healy (written aboard the "Corwin" in 1883) (mssHM 47577). The scrapbooks (mssHM 47616-47617) kept by Mary Jane Healy contain clippings related to Capt. Healy's time in Alaska as well as general articles about Alaska, its population, whaling, the missionary Sheldon Jackson, and reindeer. mssHM 47617 contains a rare copy of the first issue of the Eskimo bulletin, Vol. 1, No. 1, March, 1893, and a watercolor drawing of an Alaskan house by Bessie E. (Bugbee) Tarpley, dated June 27, 1891.

Biographical / historical:

Captain Michael Healy (1839-1904), commander of the Revenue Cutters "Corwin" and "Bear" was the presence of the law off the coast of Alaska in the late 19th century. Although his primary function was to prevent the contraband sale of guns and alcohol to the natives and to control the illegal slaughter of seals, he was acclaimed for his fearless efforts to save the lives of seamen marooned in the Arctic. He was also concerned for the Eskimos, whose food supply was being depleted by the decreasing number of seals and walrus. Together with the missionary Sheldon Jackson, he initiated a plan to bring Siberian reindeer into Alaska. Healy bargained with the Siberian tribesmen for purchase of the animals, then ferried the shiploads of reindeer across the Bering Straits to establish the herds. Healy was born in Georgia, the son of an Irish father and a mulatto slave mother. He and his brothers were sent north for education and freedom. His brothers distinguished themselves academically, one becoming President of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., another the Bishop of Portland, Maine, but Michael ran away from schools in Massachussetts, Montreal, and Paris to go to sea at age 15. In 1865 he applied for a position in the U. S. Revenue Service, the precursor of the Coast Guard, and in the same year he married Mary Jane Roach (1835-1907) of Boston. Healy served in many areas, including Sitka, but his Arctic command began in 1880 with the steamer "Corwin" and continued from 1886 to 1896 with the famed ship "Bear" that had earlier rescued the survivors of the Greely Expedition off Greenland and years later was to be selected by Admiral Byrd to go to Antarctica. It was ironic that after the many years of praiseworthy service to all in the North and after years of controlling the illegal liquor traffic, that Healy should be charged with being drunk on duty, brought up for court martial, and relieved of his command. Eventually, however, before he died in 1904, he was given another command and restored to his position as 7th ranking captain in the service.

Acquisition information:

Purchased from John K. Healy, Michael Healy's grandson, July 1960.

Processing information:

Processed by Huntington Library staff; supplementary encoding and revision supplied by Brooke Dykman Dockter and Diann Benti.

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Related resources

Separated material:

Approximately 284 photographs of Alaska were transferred to the Rare Books Department of the Huntington Library (call number: photCL 131).The following newspapers also came with the collection and are now filed in the Rare Book Department of the Huntington Library: Nome Daily Chronicle, Aug. 14-Sept. 29, 1900 (call number: 349195); Nome Daily Gold Digger, Jan. 10, 1900 (call number: 349192); Nome Weekly Chronicle, Oct. 6, 1900 (call number: 349193).

Alternative form available:

Selected items from this collection have been digitized. Digital reproductions are available in the Huntington Digital Library.

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Eskimos -- Alaska
Missionaries -- Alaska
Reindeer -- Alaska
Ship captains -- Alaska -- Archives
Whaling -- Alaska
Women -- Alaska -- Diaries
Diaries -- Alaska -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- Alaska -- 19th century
Scrapbooks -- Alaska -- 19th century

Names:

Bear (Ship)
Corwin (Ship)
United States. Revenue-Cutter Service -- History -- 19th century -- Sources.
Healy, Fred A.
Healy, Mary Jane Roach.
Jackson, Sheldon, 1834-1909

Places:

Alaska -- Description and travel
Alaska -- History -- 19th century -- Sources

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Michael A. Healy papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:

Huntington Library, Manuscript Collections

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, CA 91108, US

Contact:

(626) 405-2191

reference@huntington.org

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