New Bedford Whaling Museum Summary [Accessed 26 October 2010]:
Maria Beckley Fleetwood with her children Anne and Solomon. Having served as a waiter on the Steamer Massachusetts, Lewis Fleetwood, Maria's husband, decided in 1853 to go to sea beyond the calm waters of the harbor and the sound. This family picture may have been made for him to take to sea as a reminder of the family waiting for his return. His career at sea was short-lived, however, as Maria is listed in the 1859 city directory as a widow.
