Meet Our Roleplayers

Mrs. Hannah Gallup Ashby didn't know what to expect when she left teaching to sail with her husband, but she was sure of one thing: her place was at his side. Her forthrightness and sense of independence served her well over the next five whaling voyages, and she hasn't slowed down since the Ashbys' retirement to Mystic in 1857. Ask Mrs. Ashby about her remedy for sunburn, Mrs. Stepson, or her daughter Mrs. Capt. Wheldon!

Mrs. Abigail Wheldon Hamilton represents her family's third generation of whaling women. Born on the Shepherdess, she made three voyages by her eighth birthday. Now, as the wife of a first mate from New Bedford, she eagerly awaits his promotion to captain and a chance to accompany him to sea. Until then she frequently visits her mother and grandmother here in Mystic. Ask Mrs. Hamilton about Bibles, her daughter Nan, or Miss Ackerman's brother Seth!

Mr. David Avery was raised by English parents who endured both immigration and the War of 1812. Now, he teaches the children of Greenmanville about Centennial patriotism and being a good American citizen. Usually found at the little green schoolhouse, he is more than willing to help others with his renowned alphabet drill or warn them against the overuse of slang. Ask Mr. Avery about his whaling days, the ferrule, or Italian immigrant Signora Panesi!

Mrs. Elizabeth Adams Reynolds saw the world from her husband's clipper ship, which ran cargoes to and from exotic ports like New York and China. She loves learning about different cultures and firmly believes in educational opportunities for everyone but especially for women. She is extremely proud of her son, master of a steamer on the Mallorys' Galveston line. Ask Mrs. Reynolds about her canal travels, Queen Victoria, or best friend Mrs. Ashby!

Miss Louisa Elisabeth Ackerman hopes and keeps busy managing the Ackerman Boardinghouse by day and pursuing her dreams at her writing desk by night. She and her mother moved here from Gettysburg in 1863 to join her brothers, shipwrights at the Greenman and Mallory yards. Independent and "strong-minded", she nevertheless possesses a fondness for Romanticism and a weakness for flowers and fashion. Ask Miss Ackerman about Harriet Stowe, base ball, or boarder Mr. Carter!

Mr. Jacob Isaiah Carter makes his living as an oiler on the sidewheeler Ella carrying passengers and cargo between Norwich and Watch Hill. He served in the Union infantry but prefers to discuss current politics and the upcoming election rather than his own slightly mysterious past. Whether riding his velocipede or reciting Shakespeare aloud, he is eager to improve himself. Ask Mr. Carter about General Custer, the Centennial arm, or boardinghouse laundress the Widow Buckley!

Mrs. Ellen Ashby Wheldon first called her father's whaleship Albion home. Although she prefers dry land, her blue water childhood gave her the courage to accompany her husband, master of the whaler Shepherdess, and to raise three children at sea. Now she and her husband own a store in Mystic, where she is content to remember the Sandwich Islands from afar. Ask Mrs. Wheldon about her journal, the seven-times table, or her daughter Mrs. Hamilton!

Mrs. Maria Paolina Panesi has been shaking up New London since 1854 as one of its few Italian immigrants. Devoted to her family and stonemason husband, she is just as interested in America's opportunities as she is in preserving her Tuscan traditions. Although her ways and those of her New England neighbours often differ, her lively sense of humour usually prevails. Ask Signora Panesi about her daughter's doll, Garibaldi, or fellow immigrant Mr. Sheridan!

Mr. C.(ornelius) Michael Sheridan still bests the local schoolchildren at push-ups, a testament to his long years working the forests and oceans of America. Now a labourer at a local mill, this native Irishman delights in sharing the fascinating stories of his experiences. He is proud of his skill playing the bones, whether for St. Patrick's Day or about town. Ask Mr. Sheridan about the Erie Canal, the whaler Caledonia, or Mrs. Capt. Williams's Gaelic!

Mrs. Emma Babcock Buckley learned herbology from a Native woman who lived near the Babcock farm. Her superior knowledge of cookery and herbal remedies is locally famous! After her husband's death in 1871, she went to the Stonington Almshouse but now resides with a family in Mystic. She is a cheerful, incurable gossip who won't hesitate to share her opinions. Ask Mrs. Buckley about washday, The City of New London, or Mr. Avery's sweet tooth!

Mrs. Ann Owen Williams hails from Wales, a harsh stretch of shoreline on the westernmost edge of the British Isles. She and her husband, master of the cargo vessel Cambrian Monarch, are briefly visiting America as the young country celebrates its hundredth birthday. A lady of poise and elegance, she also cares deeply about her husband's crew and others less fortunate than she. Ask Mrs. Williams about music, Temperance, or sister sailor Mrs. Capt. Reynolds!