Background
Elias Hasket Derby was born on January 10, 1766, in Salem, Massachusetts. He was the third child and eldest son of Elias Hasket Derby, the famous Salem merchant, by his wife, Elizabeth Crowninshield.
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Elias Hasket Derby
Edit ProfileEducation
A year or two at Harvard was the least part of his education, which in other respects was the counterpart of that given to all the Derby apprentices: several years in the counting house thorough instruction in navigation under old Captain Jonathan Archer, several voyages as captain's clerk, and finally a voyage to the West Indies as supercargo of the brig Rose.
Career
In November 1787 Derby sailed in the Grand Turk for the Isle of France (Mauritius), which had been opened to American commerce in 1784, and did not get back to Salem until December 31, 1790. During these three years he also visited Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta and established the Derby firm as the dominant American commercial house on the Isle of France. These activities are said to have added $100, 000 - a large sum for the time - to the Derby fortune.
On July 14, 1799, he sailed from Salem in the Mount Vernon, a new ship of 355 tons and armed with twenty guns, for the Mediterranean. The Napoleonic Wars made the certain hazards and the possible profits of this voyage triply great. The Mount Vernon had several brushes with the French but was able either to outsail or to outshoot them. She captured a large latineer off Algeciras Point but was unable to bring her to port. At Naples Derby was entertained by Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton. This voyage added another $100, 000 to the Derby fortune, but before Elias Hasket Derby, Jr. , reached Salem, July 7, 1800, the head of the house was dead.
The rest of Derby's career was an anticlimax. In recognition of his extraordinary services, his father in his will left him an equal share in the estate, although he had already received his portion. As a result a family quarrel arose; once Derby and his brother-in-law, Nathaniel West, came to blows on the Derby wharf; and the once proud family became a subject of gossip and scandal. Derby, too, cut a somewhat ridiculous figure as a brigadier-general of militia; he was embroiled in the violent politics of Salem; and his reduced income did not suffice to maintain the Derby mansion, which had been built to satisfy the extravagance and vanity of his mother.
In 1809, in an effort to retrieve his fortune, Derby made a voyage to Rio de Janeiro and London in the Mount Hope, but this venture was a failure. He then moved to Londonderry, New Hampshire. During the War of 1812 he manufactured broadcloth. He died at Londonderry of gout.
Achievements
Connections
Derby was married to Lucy Brown, who had borne him four daughters and five sons.
References
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Born
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Died
September 16, 1826 (aged 60) -
Resting place
Forest Hill Cemetery, East Derry, New Hampshire, United States -
Nationality
American