Biography of Isaiah Larabee
Isaiah Larabee was a ship master from the Penobscot region of Maine. Between 1855 and 1878 he commanded the Bark AMANDA (captured by the Confederate raider C.S.S. ALABAMA), the Bark MONITOR, and the Brigs EUGENIA, CAROLINE EDDY, and HARRY STEWART. Most of the vessels found in this collection were built in Maine and registered at Bangor. Many were owned or managed by firms like Thomas J. Stewart, Albion P. Veazie & Co., or A. Littlefield & Co., and they are prominently represented in Larabee’s papers.
These vessels sailed from ports in Maine as well as Boston, New York and Philadelphia; and traded at cities like Buenos Ayres and Montevideo, Cardiff, London, Kingston, Jamaica, Mayaguez, Palermo, Messina, and Genoa, Italy.
Internal evidence suggests that Larabee may have built a house or “farm” at Winterport, Maine in 1869, too which he retired ten years later. His wife, Mary died in 1878, and Isaiah probably died in 1886, leaving children Mary E., Alice, and Isaiah L. Larabee. Papers for other Larabee family members make up the remainder of this collection, ca. 1886-1940.
Scope and Content
This collection contains bills, receipts, cargo invoices, charter parties, articles of agreement, bills of lading, and crew lists, in addition to a lesser amount of correspondence received by Larabee from various agents, charterers, merchants, etc. There are also several papers and documents regarding an Alabama Claims case filed by Larabee and the owners of the bark AMANDA, in addition twenty-one seamen’s protection certificates issued between 1845 and 1861, seven of which were issued to black seamen.
The bulk of the material is concentrated between the years 1855 and 1889, and it is this portion which produces a comprehensive look at the life and activities of this ship master from Winterport, Maine. Records of the Barks AMANDA and MONITOR, and the Brigs EUGENIA, CAROLINE EDDY, and HARRY STEWART are well represented.
There are some family papers, including a property deed, fire insurance polices, tax receipts, grocery bills, estate papers, and numerous miscellaneous items relative to Larabee’s descendants into the 1900’s.
Restrictions
Restrictions on Access
Available for use in the Manuscripts Division
Restrictions on Use
Various copying restriction apply. Guidelines are available from the Manuscripts Division.
Index Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the G. W. Blunt White Library. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Persons:
Larabee family
Larabee, Alice
Larabee, Isaiah L.
Larabee, Mary E.
Larabee, Mary, d. 1878
Corporate Bodies (Including Vessels):
A. Littlefield & Co.
Alabama (Ship)
Albion P. Veazie & Co.
Amanda (Bark)
Caroline Eddy (Ship)
Eugenia (Brig)
Harry Stewart (Brig)
Monitor (Bark)
Thomas J. Stewart (Firm)
Places:
Buenos Aires (Argentina)–Commerce
Cardiff (Wales)–Commerce
Genoa (Italy)–Commerce
Kingston (Jamaica)–Commerce
London (England)–Commerce
Messina (Italy)–Commerce
Montevideo (Uruguay)–Commerce
United States–History–Civil War, 1861-1865–Claims
Subjects:
Alabama claims
Black merchant mariners
International trade
Merchant mariners–Legal status, laws, etc.
Shipping–Maine–Bangor
Shipping–Maine–Penobscot County
Shipping–Massachusetts–Boston
Shipping–New York (State)–New York
Shipping–Pennsylvania–Philadelphia
Ships–Cargo Voyages and travels
Document Types:
Bills of lading
Charter-parties
Crew lists
Insurance policies
Occupations:
Shipmasters’ spouses–Maine–Winterport
Shipmasters–Maine–Winterport
Return to the Table of Contents
Administrative Information
Coll. 255, Manuscripts Collection, G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.
Indexes
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Business and Shipping Papers; 1845-1942.
| Box | Folder | |
| 1 | 1 | Seamen’s Protection Certificates (21 certificates/7 black seamen). Images |
| 2 | Shipping Papers. Images | |
| 3 | Shipping Papers. Images | |
| 4 | Shipping Papers. Images | |
| 5 | Shipping Papers. Images | |
| 6 | Shipping Papers. Images | |
| 7 | Shipping Papers. Images | |
| 8 | Shipping Papers. Images | |
| 9 | Shipping Papers. Images | |
| 10 | Shipping Papers. Images | |
| 11 | Shipping Papers. Images | |
| 12 | Shipping Papers. Images | |
| 13 | Shipping Papers. Images | |
| 14 | Larabee Family Papers. Images | |
| 15 | Larabee / Alabama Claims. Images | |
| 16 | Unidentified pieces. Images | |
| 17 | Isaiah Larabee, envelopes stamped and addressed). Images | |
| 18 | Misc. Newspapers & Clippings. Images |