Background
Nathaniel Tracy was born on August 11, 1751 in Newbury (now Newburyport), Massachussets. He was the eldest son of Capt. Patrick Tracy, who had migrated to Massachusetts from Ireland as a youth, and his second wife, Hannah Gookin.
merchant philanthropist Revolutionary
Nathaniel Tracy was born on August 11, 1751 in Newbury (now Newburyport), Massachussets. He was the eldest son of Capt. Patrick Tracy, who had migrated to Massachusetts from Ireland as a youth, and his second wife, Hannah Gookin.
He was graduated from Harvard College in 1769 and received the M. A. degree in 1772.
He commenced business in Newburyport with his brother-in-law, Jonathan Jackson, and in 1775 fitted out a fleet of privateers which sailed out of Newburyport in August.
Between 1775 and 1783 he sent to sea twenty-four cruisers manned by 2800 men and captured 120 sail of vessels with 2225 prisoners of war.
During the same period, as the principal owner, he sent out 110 merchant vessels, all but thirteen of which were either captured or lost before the end of the war. The chief service of his cruisers was in capturing ammunition and supplies intended for the British army; his merchant vessels with their cargoes were worth $2, 733, 300. The 120 vessels that were captured were sold for $4, 000, 000.
In spite of his wealth, which was considerably increased early in the war, he died in virtual bankruptcy due to the fact that as the war continued his fleet was almost entirely captured or destroyed. Of his cruisers only one remained in 1783. He was further reduced by the failure of several enterprises, particularly by a contract to furnish masts for the marine of France, and as one of the principal creditors of the Spanish merchant Gardoqui. He contributed $167, 000 in cash, as well as clothing and food to the government.
In addition to Jackson, he was associated in business with his brother, John Tracy, another brother-in-law, Joseph Lee, and a cousin, Capt. Nicholas Tracy. Among his homes was the brick mansion in Newburyport (now the public library) built for him by his father upon his marriage, and in which he entertained Washington and Lafayette, the Vassall house in Cambridge, now known as the Craigie or Longfellow house, once the home of the poet, and the Spencer-Pierce farm in Newbury, to which he retired and where he died.
During his affluence he is said to have owned so many houses that he could travel from Newburyport to Philadelphia and sleep under his own roof every night.
He served as deputy to the Massachusetts General Court, 1781-82, as a state senator in 1783.
He was a charter member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
On February 28, 1775, he was married to Mary Lee, the daughter of Col. Jeremiah and Martha (Swett) Lee, of Marblehead. She, with several of their eleven children, survived him. Charles, James, 1777-1867, and Patrick T. Jackson were his nephews.