The Details:
William Bentley. Diary, October 9, 1815-March 15, 1818. William Bentley Papers. [catalog record]
Bequest of William Bentley Fowle, 1866.
The Story:
William Bentley is best known today for the voluminous diaries he kept between 1785 and his death in 1819. They contain rich details about events in Salem, Massachusetts, and its environs. Bentley recommended that his manuscripts be destroyed, but his nephew preserved them, later bequeathing them to the Society. The entry for August 15, 1817 (shown) includes an account of a sea monster reported off the Massachusetts coast.
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