"LIST OF LETTERS
Remaining in the Lahaina Post Office, Oct 1
......
Shackford M. W."
(Polynesian., October 02, 1852, Image 1)
The Honolulu newspaper "The Friend, New Series, Vol 1, No 7, Oct 8, 1852" carried the same notice about this letter. The Friend was a monthly Journal published and edited by Samuel C Damon, Seamen's Chaplain. He devoted his publication to Temperance, Seamen, Marine and General Intelligence.
I'm not sure which M W Shackford had mail waiting for them in Lahaina, Maui in 1852. I can't find any Shackfords with these initials -- perhaps the the name was not spelled correctly in the newspaper--not sure if we'll ever know.
I enjoyed reading a few digital copies of 1852 Maui Friend newspapers and a few other general websites about Maui history and learned a bit about what it was like to be in Hawaii 150 years ago. About one ship/day arrived in Maui, most of which seem to be involved in the whaling trade. The newspaper asked for donations for the church and the newspaper and pleaded for temperance (reduced or no alcholol). The paper also included lists of books for sale, news from the United States and England, notices to be passed onto sailors, and notifications that some letters were being held by the missionaries. Some of this news included requests for sailors to find another sailor and notify them of a death in their family or to let them know an estate back home was in settlement. Reading the newspaper had me wondering again which Shackford was on the beautiful island of Maui so far from home.
The Library of Congress Chronicling America Historic American Newspapers SHACKFORD family history genealogy series includes newspaper clippings that mention a SHACKFORD followed by a digital transcript and a short biography of the person mentioned in the article.
Copyright Joanne Shackford Parkes 2013, All Rights Reserved