Ocean-Born Mary, American Legends
A historian delves into the legendary story of the baby who saved a ship full of Scottish immigrants from pirates.
Meet Mary, ocean-born and named by an infamous pirate. Her birth saved a group of Scottish immigrants aboard a ship bound for New England in 1720. Halfway through the grueling voyage, pirates intercepted and captured the vessel. Upon hearing a baby’s cry, the pirate captain promised to spare the lives of all on board if the mother named her newborn Mary, allegedly after his beloved mother. The ship arrived safely in Massachusetts, and Mary lived most of her long life in Londonderry, New Hampshire.
Discover the house in Henniker, New Hampshire, that Mary is said to haunt, and where a pirate purportedly stashed his treasure, as historian Jeremy D’Entremont separates the facts from the fantastic legends shrouding one of New England’s most enduring folk tales.
Jeremy D'Entremont
Jeremy D'Entremont is a writer, photographer and tour guide whose specialty is New England maritime history. He is the author of nine books, including The Lighthouses of Maine, Great Shipwrecks of the Maine Coast and The Lighthouse Handbook: New England. He's written more than three hundred articles on lighthouses and maritime history, and his photographs have appeared in countless books, magazines and calendars. He's the historian and president of the American Lighthouse Foundation and founder of Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses. He has appeared on the History Channel, public television, Travel Channel, Syfy Channel, WCVB-TV, WMUR-TV and has been heard on National Public Radio speaking about lighthouses and maritime history. His website on New England lighthouses, www.lighthouse.cc, was launched in 1997. Jeremy also offers tours based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; see www.newenglandlighthousetours.com. He has lectured on and narrated cruises all along the New England coast. He lives in Portsmouth with his wife, Charlotte Raczkowski, and their tuxedo cat, Evie.
