Joseph Williams Collection

Manuscripts Collection 37

 

Overview of the Collection

Repository: G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport
Creator: Williams, Joseph, 1753-1800
Title: Joseph Williams Collection
Dates: 1779-1899
Extent: 477 items
Abstract: This collection includes accounts, agreements, bills of sale, bills of lading, manifests, sailing directions, registrations, clearance papers, letters, and government documents concerning coastwise, West Indies, and South American trade. Also included are letters and documents relative to the French Spoliation Claims. The bulk of the collection is concentrated between 1779 and 1798. The material is arranged chronologically and by vessel name. Over 20 sloops, schooners, and brigs are represented.
Identification: Coll. 37

Biography of Joseph Williams

A Norwich, Connecticut native and merchant Joseph Williams began his career by selling necessities to Revolutionary War soldiers. In 1778 he married Abigail Coit and switched to privateering and the West Indies trade as well as other maritime enterprises.

Williams soon owned two warehouses, a shipyard and a fleet of over twenty vessels. He subsequently became actively involved in the government affairs. In 1783 he was appointed a lieutenant in the Home Guards. In 1796 he became brigadier general. Meanwhile his vessels began to feel the ill effects of the French Revolution. Many were either lost at sea or seized by the French. Williams’ wealth declined until his death in 1800.

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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.

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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.

Corporate Entities:

Arguile (Brig)
Betsy (Brig)
Hope (Brig)
Little Joe (Sloop)
Nabby (Sloop)
Nancy (Brig)
Nimrod (Sloop)
Pilgrim (Brig)
Polly (Sloop)
Prosperity (Ship)
Surprise (Sloop)
Swallow (Sloop)
Victory (Sloop)

Places:

South America–Commerce–United States
United States–Commerce–South America
United States–Commerce–West Indies
West Indies–Commerce–United States

Subjects:

Coastwise shipping–Atlantic Coast (U.S.)
French Spoliation claims
International trade
Privateering
Shipping

Document Types:

Bills of lading
Bills of sale
Manifests

Occupations:

Merchants–Connecticut–Norwich
Shipowners–Connecticut–Norwich

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Coll. 37, Manuscripts Collection, G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.

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Indexes

Index to Personal and Corporate Names

NOTE: The fraction(s) indicate the Box and Folder numbers where that particular reference can be found. For example, the researcher will find information about Isaac Abel in Box 1, Folder 1 of the collection.
Abel, Isaac 1/1
Allen, Thomas 2/10
Andras, William 2/3, 2/4, 2/5, 2/15
Babcock, Adam 1/11
Backus, Ebeneser 1/2
Bailey, Nathan (Jr.) 1/5, 1/10
Barrett & Swaddle 1/12, 2/6, 2/9
Billings, Alpheus 1/13
Braddick, John 1/12, 1/13
Breed, Simeon 1/12, 1/13
Brooks, Guy 1/4, 1/10, 1/11, 1/13, 2/13, 2/14
Bushnell, Jabez 2/8
Byrne, John 1/9
Carew, Elijah 1/13, 2/10
Carew, Joseph 2/4
Caustin, James H. 2/17
Chandler, T.C. 2/19
Chapel, ? 2/15
Chapman, John 2/2
Chapman, Phinehas 1/13
Church, H. 2/16
Clark, John 1/4
Clement, Joseph 1/13
Coit, Benjamin 1/13
Coit, Elisha 2/4, 2/5, 2/6, 2/7, 2/8, 2/9, 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2/15
Coit, William 2/1, 2/2, 2/6, 2/8, 2/9, 2/10, 2/13
Culver, Stephen 1/9
Davison, Alpheus 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Davison, William 1/13
Day, John 2/1
Delano, ? 2/14
Denison, Thomas 1/12
Denison, William 2/9
Dennis, George 1/8
Dennis, Russell 2/10
Deshon & Colfax 2/10, 2/13, 2/15
Earle, William E. 2/18, 2/19
Elderkin, Frederick 2/6
Elderkin, John 1/13, 2/8, 2/11
Ewen, Edward 2/3
Ewen, John 2/9, 2/10
Felemory, Timothy 1/12
Fitch, A. 2/15
Fitch, Ebeneser 2/2
Freeman, Hezekiah 2/2, 2/3
Fuller, H.A. 2/19
Gale, Joseph 1/2
Geer, Squire 1/2, 2/2, 2/9, 2/11
George Phillips & Co. 1/13
Girand & Co. 1/10
Green, Timothy 1/8, 1/9
Greene, Benjamin 1/7
Griffith, Joshua 1/5
Grover, John 2/10
Guy Richards & Son 1/8
Hall, Daniel 2/4
Hallam, Edward 1/1, 1/5, 1/8, 1/9, 1/11, 2/4
Hamilton, Jonas 1/1, 1/2, 1/7, 1/10, 1/12, 2/3, 2/7, 2/9, 2/13
Hamilton, Solomon 1/5, 1/10, 1/11
Hancock, Thomas 1/9, 1/11
Haughton, James 1/13, 2/10
Hero & Bradford 1/10
Herrick, Elijah 1/12, 1/13, 1/14, 2/10, 2/11
Hewitt, Solomon 1/5
Hommedieu, Giles L. 1/12
Hommedieu, Grover L. 1/13, 2/7, 2/11
Hommedieu, Samuel 2/2
Hosmer, Stephen 1/5
Howard, John 1/9
Howland & Coit 1/1, 1/4, 1/5
Hunter, William 2/18
Huntington, I. 2/17
Huntington, John (Jr.) 2/4
Huntington, Levi 2/15
Huntington, Samuel 1/11, 1/13
Ingraham, Allen 1/7, 1/11, 2/1
Jackson, William 2/4, 2/14
Jeffers, Peter 2/7, 2/8
Jenkins, Samuel 1/8
John Swaddle & Co. 2/2
Johnston, Samuel 1/13
Joseph Gilbert & Co. 1/13
Joy, William 1/12, 1/13, 2/4, 2/6, 2/8, 2/10, 2/11
Kelly, Daniel 1/5, 1/11
Kelly, John 2/6
Kimble & Thomas 1/7
Laffingwell, Benajah 1/9, 2/11
Laffingwell, Christopher 1/13
Latham, Edward 1/14
Lathrop & Luke 1/14
Lathrop, Elisha 1/8, 1/9, 1/10, 1/13, 2/1, 2/3, 2/5
Lester, Jesse 2/10
Lindsey, Benjamin 1/8
Lord, Elias 2/6, 2/8
Loring, William 2/1, 2/2
Manwaring, David 2/13
Merrell, Alexander 1/2
Miner, Ephraim 2/1, 2/4
Mitchel, Francios 2/5
Murray, James 1/3
Murray, Seymour 2/1
Newels, David 1/13
Norman, Joshua 1/5, 1/9, 1/10, 1/12, 2/5, 2/11
Parkinson, William 1/13
Parkman, Samuel 1/7
Perkins, Samuel 1/7
Phillips, Thompson 1/13
Plumb, Samuel 1/13, 2/13
Porter, Joseph 2/18
Price, Micheal 2/8
Prince, William 1/9
Rose, Ransford 1/10, 1/11
Samuel Latimer & co. 1/5
Sebore, Joseph 1/13
Shaler & Sebore 2/9
Smith, Ephraim 1/9, 1/10, 1/11
Smith, Jonathan 1/8
Smith, Joseph 1/13
Smith, Josephus 1/13
Starr, Joshua 1/2, 2/2, 2/10, 2/13
Story, L. 1/11
Thomas, James 1/1
Tilly, James 1/2, 2/6, 2/10, 2/13
Troop, George 1/11
Tucker, George F. 2/19
Vail & Hamilton 2/15
Vandoorn, William 1/13
Wade, James 2/13
Wall, William 1/4
Ward, John 1/3
Waterman, G. 1/4
Waters, Edward Emerson 2/19
Way, John 2/10
Willet, John 1/7, 1/11, 1/12, 2/4, 2/6, 2/10, 2/14
William Foster & Co. 2/5
Williams, Christopher 1/1, 1/13
Williams, Isaac 1/13, 1/14
Williams, John 1/1
Williams, Joseph 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/7, 1/8, 1/9, 1/10, 1/11, 1/12, 1/13, 1/14, 2/1, 2/2, 2/3, 2/4, 2/5, 2/6, 2/7, 2/8, 2/9, 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2/15, 2/16
Williams, Rebbeca C. 2/18
Williams, Timothy D. 2/16, 2/18, 2/19
Winthrop, William 1/13, 2/6, 2/7, 2/10, 2/13
Wood, Jasper 1/12
Woodworth, D. 2/4
Wright, D. 1/13
Young, John (Jr.) 2/3

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Index to Vessel Names

NOTE: The fraction(s) indicate the Box and Folder numbers where that particular reference can be found. For example, the researcher will find information about the schooner ABIGAIL in Box 2, Folder 10 of the collection.
ABIGAIL (schooner) 2/10
ARGUILE (brig) 1/4
BETSY & POLLY (brig) 1/8
BETSY (sloop) 1/8
BLACKSNAKE (whaleboat) 1/5
CHATHAM (whaleboat) 1/5
GENERAL STARK (sloop) 1/1
HOPE (brig) 2/16
INTREPID (brig) 2/5
JOSEPHUS (ship) 2/3
LITTLE JOE (sloop) 1/9, 1/10
NABBY (sloop) 2/1, 2/2, 2/3, 2/4, 2/5, 2/6, 2/7, 2/8, 2/9, 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2/15
NANCY (brig) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
NIMROD (sloop) 1/7
PEGGY (brig) 1/8
PILGRAM (brig) 1/8
POLLY (sloop) 1/8, 1/13
SALLY (sloop) 2/7
SURPRISE (sloop) 1/5, 1/6
SWALLOW (sloop) 1/14
VICTORY (sloop) 1/12
VIRGER (schooner) 2/5

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Papers for specific vessels; 1779-1792. Papers, Joseph Williams; 1782. Papers, re French Spoilation Claims; 1797-1899.

Box Folder
1 1 Accounts, NANCY (Brig). Images
2 Papers, NANCY (Brig), including accounts and sailing instructions. Images
3 Accounts, NANCY (Brig). Images
4 Papers, ARGUILE (Brig), including bill of sale, agreements, and accounts. Images
5 Papers, SURPRISE (Sloop), including outfitting accounts and a prize receipt. Images
6 Journal, SURPRISE (Sloop). Images
7 Accounts, NIMROD (Sloop). Images
8 Accounts, POLLY (Sloop), BETSY (Brig), PEGGY (Brig), PILGRIM (Brig). Images
9 Papers, LITTLE JOE (Sloop), including accounts, agreements, a bond and sailing instructions. Images
10 Papers, LITTLE JOE (Sloop), including accounts and sailing instructions. Images
12 Accounts, VICTORY (Sloop). Images
13 Papers, POLLY (Brig), including registration, bill of sale, sailing instructions, accounts, and agreements. Images
14 Papers, SWALLOW (Sloop), including registration, sailing instructions, clearance papers, accounts, and agreements. Images
Box Folder
2 1 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, accounts, agreements, and sailing instructions. Images
2 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, accounts, agreements, and appointment to command. Images
3 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, accounts, and an agreement. Images
4 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, accounts, sailing instructions, and a clearance paper. Images
5 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, and accounts. Images
6 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, accounts, agreements, and sailing instructions. Images
7 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, and accounts. Images
8 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, accounts, agreements, and sailing instructions. Images
9 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, and accounts. Images
10 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, and accounts. Images
11 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, and accounts. Images
12 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), regarding master and the molasses trade in Port-au-Prince. Images
13 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, accounts, and sailing instructions. Images
14 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, and accounts. Images
15 Papers, NABBY (Sloop), including bills of lading, and accounts. Images
11 Miscellaneous papers. Images
16 Papers, HOPE (Brig), and PROSPERITY (Ship) regarding French Spoliation Claims. Images
17 Papers, regarding French Spoliation Claims legislation, including letters and circulars. Images
18 Papers, regarding French Spoliation Claims, including letters pertaining to re-submission. Images
19 Papers, HOPE (Brig), regarding French Spoliation Claims settlement. Images