I am trying to solve a mystery. We (the Nantucket Historical Association) has a log kept by Susan Veeder on the Nauticon; we all love her story, and when someone asked when her husband, whaling Capt. Charles Veeder, died, we investigated. We have found that he left his ship (the William Gifford) in Tahiti (probably Papeete, since the US consul came on board), in May 1872. The consul wrote that Veeder "will remain at one of these islands with the native woman whom he had on board the vessel as his mistress." Since the ship's log records Veeder as "doing her laundry," he must have been in love.

But what happened to Veeder? We know he died in 1878 in the "Society Islands."

Would anyone have information or leads on other places to search? He's not mentioned in the Whalemen's shipping list. Is there a historical society or cemetery inscription project down there? I keep thinking there's probably more information someplace, if I just knew who to ask.

Thanks!

You could try looking at the appropriate film in this set of Mormon films
Fichiers des naissances et mariages, 1775-1970

Authors
Polynésie française. Greffe du Tribunal civil (Main Author)

Notes
Microfilm des originaux dans le Tribunal civil, Papeete, Tahiti.
Alphabetical card file of births and marriages for French Polynesia.

Subjects
French Polynesia - Civil registration

Format
Manuscript (On Film)

Language
French

Publication
Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmés par la Genealogical Society of Utah, 1974

Physical
70 bobines de microfilm ; 35 mm.

Film Notes
Note - Location [Film]
AA - AN SING (Micheling) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083412 ]
AN SING (Maeta) - ANTOINE (P) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083413 ]
ANTOINE (R) - AUCH (Tem) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083414 ]
AUCH (Teo) - AUTAI, BACCA - BOISSEAU - FHL INTL Film [ 1083415 ]
BON - BYOT - FHL INTL Film [ 1083416 ]
CABOURET - CHIN SIN (Chin) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083417 ]
CHIN SIN (Tomos) - CURTISS - FHL INTL Film [ 1083418 ]
DAHL - DUVALE - FHL INTL Film [ 1083428 ]
EAAE - EYRIN - FHL INTL Film [ 1083429 ]
FAA - FAATUARAI (Tih) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083430 ]
FAATUARAI (Tih) - FAUA (Amb) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083431 ]
FAUA (And) - FUNG CHOU - FHL INTL Film [ 1083432 ]
GABERT - GUYOT - FHL INTL Film [ 1083433 ]
HAAIIAU - HAOTAI (Toa) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083434 ]
HAOATAI (Tu) - HIKI (Teh) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083435 ]
HIKI - HOROI (Tai) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083436 ]
HOROI (Tap) - HYDE - FHL INTL Film [ 1083437 ]
IEMIA - IRIHAU - FHL INTL Film [ 1083438 ]
JACQUOT - KWONG WING - FHL INTL Film [ 1083439 ]
LA DINH - LAO (Jeanne) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083440 ]
LEO - LENOIR (Rev) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083419 ]
LENOIR (Rich) - LISIOU - FHL INTL Film [ 1083420 ]
MAA - MAI (Ketty) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083421 ]
MAI (L) - MAITUITU (Teu) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083422 ]
MAITUITU (Toro) - MAONI (Louis) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083423 ]
MAONI (Louise) - MARITERAGI (Teu) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083424 ]
MARITERAGI (Teu) - MATUI (Rau) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083425 ]
MATUI (Tev) - METUA (Ter) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083426 ]
METUA (TEu) - MOU KIAOU (Ayou) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083427 ]
MOU KIAOU (Hong) - MOZELLE - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083441 ]
NAMAITENAUA - NAPUAUHI (Tan) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083442 ]
NAPUAUHI (Tea) - NUUTERE - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083443 ]
O - OWEN - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083444 ]
PAEPAETAATA - PAO (Tere) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083445 ]
PAU (Teri) - PAUTU (Ata) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083446 ]
PAUTU (Ato) - PIRITUA (Jean G) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083447 ]
PIRITUA (Jean Jac) - PUNU (Tau) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083448 ]
PUNU (Tav) - PUURA - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083449 ]
QUA NIAU - ROAU (James) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083450 ]
ROUA (James) - ROURA - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083451 ]
SALMON - SOUCAZE (Maule Marie) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083452 ]
SOUCHE - SVENSON - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083453 ]
TAAE - TAEREA (Thérèse) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083454 ]
TAEREA (Thérèse) - TAIAVA (The) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083455 ]
TAIAVA (Teh) - TAMARINO (Puai) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083456 ]
TAMARINO (Puai) - TAPAKIA (Ten) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083457 ]
TAPAKIA - TARUIA - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083458 ]
TARUIA - TAUPUA (Mar) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083459 ]
TAUPUA (Mar) - TEAHUTAPU (Vah) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083460 ]
TEAHUTAPU (Vini) - TEAVE (Temar) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083461 ]
TEAVE (Ten) - TEHAU - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083462 ]
TEHAU (Huri) - TEIHOARII (Heu) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083463 ]
TEIHOARII (Hio) - TEIO (Tep) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083464 ]
TEFANA - TEPOATEA (Tea) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083465 ]
TEPOATEA (Teu) - TERITO - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083466 ]
TERIVAITERAI - TERIIMAREURA - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083467 ]
TERII - TETIARAHI (Eta) - FHL INTL Film [ 1083468 ]
TETIARAHI (Fau) - TETUARII (Teu) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083469 ]
TETUARII (Timi) - TEVAA - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083470 ]
TEVAATUA - TINORUA (Tea) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083471 ]
TINORUA (Tee) - TOTIATA (Mata) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083472 ]
TOTOARII - TUATAA (Paru) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083473 ]
TUATAA (Ram) - TUPUAITUA (Jeanne) - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083474 ]
TUPUAITUA (Jeanne R) - TUVIRA - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083475 ]
U - UY CHAP CHING - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083476 ]
VAHI - VUONG - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083477 ]
WAISHAN - ZIMA - FHL INTL Film [ 1083478 ]
GUILLOUX - TAPUNUI (Miscellaneous) . MARIAGES - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083479 ]
AFAIAU - SAGE - VAULT INTL Film [ 1083480 ]
T - Y - VAULT INTL Film [ 1084108 ]

There should be a card for him.