Biography of Enoch Hobart
Enoch Hobart was a Philadelphia merchant and shipowner during the middle years of the 18th century, and was actively involved in that city’s trade with the West Indies. The most popular trading ports seemed to have been Jamaica and St. Lucia, and cargos consisted of flour, bread, sugar, rum, staves, and other goods. Hobart owned or managed the brigs MINERVA and POLLY, and perhaps held interests in other vessels. Between 1754-1757 he made four voyages to Jamaica and was twice captured by French privateers.
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:
Haughton, Phillip–Correspondence
Corporate Bodies (Including Vessels):
Minerva (Brig)
Polly (Brig : 1754-1766)
Places:
Jamaica
Philadelphia (Pa.)–Commerce–West Indies
Saint Lucia
West Indies–Commerce–Pennsylvania–Philadelphia
Subjects:
International trade
Shipmasters
Shipping–Pennsylvania–Philadelphia
Document Types:
Invoices
Letterpress copybooks
Occupations:
Merchants–Pennsylvania–Philadelphia
Shipowners–Pennsylvania–Philadelphia
Administrative Information
Coll. 174, Manuscripts Collection, G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
| Enoch Hobart papers & letterbook; 1754-1766 | |||||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Papers; includes accounts, incoming letters, portage bill and cargo invoice for brigantine MINERVA, William Morrell, master. Brig POLLY also mentioned; 1754 8 pages | |||||||||||
| 2 | Papers; includes cargo invoice and proceeds from MINERVA, account between Phillip Haughton and Capt. Hobart relating to construction of brigantine POLLY, letter from Hobart to Capt. Thomas Nusum of the POLLY, other letters from Hobart relating to shipping interests, and a descriptions of General Braddock’s defeat at Fort Duquesne on July 9; 1755 31 pages | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Papers; includes vessel accounts for POLLY, cargo invoice, and receipt for rum shipped aboard MINERVA; 1756-1757 9 pages | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Papers; sales accounts for barrels of rum and flour, business letter (copy) and memo from Hobart, and invoice for 54 barrels of flour shipped aboard brig REBECCA; 1758 4 pages | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Papers; includes receipt, letter from Hobart, and cargo invoice of bread and flour aboard sloop HENRY; 1759-1761 7 pages | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Papers; includes invoice of cargo aboard MINERVA, and cargo account for MINERVA; 1762-1764 2 pages | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Papers; includes cargo invoices for barrels of flour and ship bread, bill of lading for ship RACHELL, and copy of Hobart’s instructions to Capt. John Burrows of MINERVA; 1765-1766 7 pages | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Papers; includes receipts, cargo invoices, cargo sales accounts (MINERVA), and livestock account aboard POLLY; undated 10 pages | ||||||||||||
| Letter copybook; contains manuscript copies of letters from Hobart (in Philadelphia) to business associates and shipmasters, and invoices for cargo shipped via MINERVA, POLLY, REBECCA, PATTY, MARTHA, ROBERT & MARY, NANCY, and the snow SUCCESS; 1754-176 | |||||||||||||