Long before New Bedford became a world whaling capital, the Rotch family was already shaping New England’s maritime story.
Joseph Rotch, born in England in 1704, first settled in Salem before moving to Nantucket in the 1720s. There, through his marriage into the Coffin and Macy families, he entered the growing Quaker whaling trade. By mid-century, the Rotches were at the forefront of the industry—owning ships, developing candle works, and building a network that stretched far beyond Nantucket.
In 1765, Joseph’s son, also named Joseph, looked to the deep harbor of the Acushnet River as a new base of operations. The family’s move to the mainland marked a turning point: Bedford Village began its transformation into New Bedford. Their vessels, including the Dartmouth and the Beaver, would even sail into Revolutionary history during the Boston Tea Party.
The Rotch family’s vision and enterprise laid the groundwork for New Bedford’s rise as a great port—a legacy remembered today at the Seamen’s Bethel, where the city’s seafaring past is honored and preserved.