While Owen Chase's career flourished after the Essex ordeal, his personal life included several tragedies. His wife, Peggy, had two additional children: Lydia and William. She died shortly after William's birth, while Chase was at sea. He then married Nancy Joy, widow of his friend and Essex second mate Matthew Joy. Nancy gave birth to a daughter, Adaline, then died a few weeks later while Chase was at sea. His third wife, Eunice Chadwick, apparently had an affair that resulted in a son, Charles, who was born when Chase had been at sea for 16 months. Chase filed for divorce upon his return, and raised Charles as his own. In 1840, soon after his divorce was settled, he married Susan Coffin Gwinn, widow of fellow Nantucket whaler captain James Gwinn. Chase suffered from nightmares and migraines, and spent several years in an institution after he started hoarding food in his attic. He died in 1869, at age 72.
