Captain Alexander Hallett Holway Papers

Manuscripts Collection 297

Overview of the Collection
Repository: G.W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport
Creator: Alexander Hallett Holway
Title: Captain Alexander Hallett Holway Papers
Dates: 1853-1865, 1930-c.2000
Extent: 58 items, 3 volumes, 6 photographs
Abstract: This collection consists of the papers relating to the voyages of Alexander Hallett Holway (1824-c. 1909) as captain of the trading vessels ARETHUSA (Bark), ALEXANDER (Ship), BOSTON LIGHT (Ship), and ORPHEUS (Ship) between 1852 and 1864. Holway’s trading voyages took him to San Francisco, the Puget Sound, Chile, Australia, Calcutta, and Liverpool. Documents include ship’s manifests, bills of lading, crew lists, charter-parties, receipts, account books, photographs, newspaper clippings, broadsides, and poems written by Holway on these voyages. The collection contains an autobiography written by Hallett in 1859, as well as two, 20th century, typed transcripts of portions of the autobiography. Also included are 20th century newspaper clippings and photographs concerning the 1875 collision of the ORPHEUS (Ship) and the PACIFIC (Steamer), which took place after Holway was no longer captain of the ORPHEUS.
Identification: Coll. 297

Biography of Alexander Hallett Holway (b. 1824)

Alexander Hallett Holway was master of the trading bark ARETHUSA, and ships ALEXANDER, BOSTON LIGHT, and ORPHEUS between 1852 and 1864. He first went to sea aboard the fishing schooner MAYFLOWER in 1835. For the next twelve years he served as both cook and seaman on U.S. coastal and transatlantic voyages aboard the schooners DOLPHIN, BENEFIT, EUPHRATES, MALDEN, ORIOLE, PLOUGHBOY, BOXER, and GALAXY, the barks HERSILA, IDA, and POTOMAC, and the sloop FAME. In 1847, Holway was promoted to second mate aboard the HERSILA (Bark). He became first mate of the ARETHUSA (Bark) in 1850. In 1852, he purchased a 1/16th share of that vessel and became its master. On his earliest voyages, Holway engaged in trade and fishing along the eastern U.S. coast. After 1843, he turned exclusively to trading, traveling to Europe, India, South America, China, Australia, Africa, and the western coast of the United States. In 1865, while in command of the steamship NORTH AMERICA, Holway carried Union troops to Savannah to supplement General William T. Sherman’s army.

Holway was born in Osterville (Barnstable County), Massachusetts, on April 16, 1824. His two brothers apprenticed to a sailmaker. In 1852 he married to Sarah Crocker Wright (1829-1867), daughter of Hyannis captain Asa Wright. During a voyage to India, Sarah accompanied her husband and gave birth to their only child, Oceana Alexandrina (1857-1861).

Top →

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.

Top →

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:

Holway, Alexander Hallett

Corporate Bodies (Including Vessels):

Alexander (Ship)
Arethusa (Bark)
Boston Light (Ship)
Orpheus (Ship)

Places:

Antwerp (Belgium)–Ports-of-call
Baltimore (Md.)–Ports-of-call
Barnstable (Mass.)–Hailing ports Boston (Mass.)–Ports-of-call
Bremen (Germany)–Ports-of-call
Bristol (England)–Ports-of-call
Calcutta (India)–Ports-of-call
Caldera (Chile)–Ports-of-call
Callao (Peru)–Ports-of-call
Cape Town (South Africa)–Ports-of-call
Charleston (S.C.)–Ports-of-call
Copiapo (Chile)–Ports-of-call
Cork (Ireland)–Ports-of-call
Fairhaven (Mass.)–Ports-of-call
Fall River (Mass.)–Ports-of-call
Gibraltar–Ports-of-call
Greenwich (London, England)–Ports-of-call
Hartford (Conn.)–Ports-of-call
Havana (Cuba)–Ports-of-call
Helsingor (Denmark)–Ports-of-call
Hingham (Mass.)–Ports-of-call
Hong Kong (China)–Ports-of-call
Hyannis (Mass.)–Hailing ports
Lima (Peru)–Ports-of-call
Lisbon (Portugal)–Ports-of-call
Liverpool (England)–Ports-of-call
Livorno (Italy)–Ports-of-call
London (England)–Ports-of-call
Manila (Philippines)–Ports-of-call
Marseille (France)–Ports-of-call
Matanzas (Cuba)–Ports-of-call
Melbourne (Vic.)–Ports-of-call
Nantucket (Mass.)–Ports-of-call
Naples (Italy)–Ports-of-call
New Bedford (Mass.)–Ports-of-call
New Haven (Conn.)–Ports-of-call
New Orleans (La.)–Ports-of-call
New York (N.Y.)–Hailing ports
Norfolk (Va.)–Ports-of-call
Portland (Me.)–Ports-of-call
Providence (R.I.)–Ports-of-call
Puget Sound (Wash.)–Ports-of-call
Richmond (Va.)–Ports-of-call
Rio de Janiero (Brazil)–Ports-of-call
San Francisco (Calif.)–Ports-of-call
Savannah (Ga.)–Ports-of-call
Seattle (Wash.)–Ports-of-call
Sete (France)–Ports-of-call
Sierra Leone–Ports-of-call
Singapore–Ports-of-call
Stonington (Conn.)–Ports-of-call
Sydney (N.S.W.)–Ports-of-call
Tome (Chile)–Ports-of-call
Trieste (Italy)–Ports-of-call
Valparaiso (Chile)–Ports-of-call
Vancouver Island (B.C.)–Ports-of-call
Yarmouth (Mass.)–Ports-of-call

Subjects:

International trade
Merchant ships–New York (N.Y.)
Shipwrecks–Vancouver Island (B.C.)
Transatlantic voyages
Transpacific voyages
Voyages around the world–19th century
Voyages to the Pacific coast

Document Types:

Account books
Autobiographies
Bills of lading
Broadsides
Charter-parties
Crew lists
Invoices
Ship’s manifests

Occupations:

Shipmasters

Top →

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Coll. 297, Manuscripts Collection, G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.

Top →

Indexes

Index to Personal 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 *** in Box *, Folder * of the collection.
Allen, James (see also Robinson, James) 1/6
Allen, John 1/6
Alta, Jose Manuel Sierra 1/11
Ames, Charles A. 1/5, 1/8
Babson, Edward 1/11
Bailey, John 1/6
Baker, Charles A. 1/5
Baker, Charles N. 1/8
Baker, Joseph 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Baker, Robert 1/5, 1/8
Baker, Seth 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Baker, William 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Basset, L.D., Jr. 1/7
Baxter, Alexander 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Baxter, Allen 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/5
Baxter, Daniel 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/5
Baxter, Edwin 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Baxter, Elijah 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Baxter, Ira 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Baxter, John A. 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Baxter, Mrs. Allen 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Baxter, Mrs. Sylvester 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Baxter, Sylvester 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/7
Beane, Richard 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Bearse, William 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Bell, James 1/10
Bell, R.C. 1/7
Bendren, John 1/6
Bennett, Amos F. 1/5, 1/8
Bennett, James 1/8
Beqette, L. 1/5
Berry, Hamilton 1/5
Bohn, Emanuel 1/6
Booker, William Lane 1/10
Bragg, John 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Bray, Benjamin F. 1/6
Bray, Edwin 1/6
Brown John A. 1/6
Brown, Peter 1/5
Brown, Samuel 1/6
Brown, Thomas 1/5, 1/6
Burgoyne, Edward 1/6
Burton, William 1/5, 1/7
Calkin, Henry 1/6
Cary, Oran A. 1/5
Cary, T.G. 1/10
Cauip, George 1/8
Cauip, William 1/8
Chapell, John 1/6
Chebard, John 1/6
Childs, Mr. 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Christen, Ferdinand 1/6
Clark, John R. 1/6
Clough, William H. 1/5, 1/7
Coleman, Henry 1/5
Connoly, Patrick 1/6
Cornforth, J. 1/10
Cosgrove, Joseph 1/5, 1/7
Covell, Bowman 1/5, 1/7
Cowell, T.M. 1/8
Crawford, Henry 1/5
Crescent, Benjamin 1/8
Crocker, William 1/6
Crowell, Benjamin 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Crowell, Eugene 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Crowell, Joshua 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Crowell, Judah 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Crowell, M.B. 1/5, 1/7
Crowell, Nelson 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Crowell, Sturgis 1/6
Crowell, Z.E. 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Dale, James 1/5
Davidson, William 1/6
Dawson, William 1/6
Delavera, Manuel 1/5, 1/8
Doeg, John 1/8
Driesselm, Charles 1/7
Duiez, George 1/5, 1/8
Dunn, Andrew 1/5
Edwards, S. Page 1/6, 1/9
Elizaga, Jose Joaquin de 1/8
Ellrain, W.P. 1/6
Felly, C. 1/8
Flavel, Andrew W. 1/5, 1/7
Fletcher, Artemas 1/10
Flood, John 1/6
Forrest, W.H. 1/6
Forrester, John 1/6
Forster, Peter 1/6
Fosil, William 1/5
Fox, Fred 1/5
Fox, John 1/5
Frazer, John 1/6
Freeman, Eugene M. 1/6
Freeman, William 1/6
Furgenson, James 1/6
Gallagher, Robert 1/6
Gibbs, Daniel 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Gibson, William Henry 1/6
Gilbert, Capt. 1/11
Gilbert, Robert C. 1/5
Goodall, Charles 1/10
Gould, Benjamin 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Graaf, Jan Roelof de 1/6
Griswold, Charles 1/8
Hadaway, E.L. 1/6
Hallett, Charles H. 1/5, 1/8
Hallett, Freeman 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Hallett, Henry S. 1/9
Hallett, Samuel 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Halsey, Edward C. 1/7
Hansen, Charles 1/8
Hansen, Hans 1/5, 1/8
Hanson, George 1/6
Hardy, Alexander 1/5
Hardy, John R. 1/7
Hart, James 1/8
Hawkins, John 1/6
Hay, McHardy 1/5
Hays, John 1/6
Heatley, E.D. 1/10
Henley, Neil 1/11
Henry, George 1/8
Hildebrandt, George 1/5
Hoffman, Henry 1/6
Hohen, A.H. 1/6
Holway, Samuel 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Hopkins, S.M. 1/10
Hoppe, Justice 1/5, 1/8
Howell, Jefferson D. 1/11
Jacob, George 1/8
Jansen, P.C. 1/6
Jelly, Henry 1/11
Johnson, Andrew 1/6
Johnson, August 1/5
Johnson, Peter 1/6
Jorham, James 1/6
Joseph, Christopher 1/6
Julkr, Frederick 1/6
Kavrk, Hans 1/5
Kelean, Johann 1/6
Kelly, Thomas 1/6
Kennell, William 1/6
Kerns, Robert 1/5, 1/8
King, William 1/6
Lacklan, James M. 1/5
Laing, Andrew 1/11
Lanson, John 1/6
Lathrop, Sylvester 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Lawrence, John 1/5, 1/8
Lecompt, C.P. 1/8
Lee, William 1/5, 1/7
Leflissild, B. 1/5
Lewis, Gustavus C. 1/5, 1/7, 1/8
Light, Alfred 1/6
Lind, Charles 1/6
Linnell, Joseph, Jr. 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Linnell, Joseph, Sr. 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Liscombe, Charles P. 1/5, 1/8
Lonngrin, Charles 1/6
Lorchin, Frank 1/6
Lothrop, Asa 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Lothrop, Sylvester 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Lott, C.F. 1/10
Loyd, John 1/5, 1/8
Macaloone, George 1/6
Machado, John A. 1/7
Mallory, Ernest 1/6
Manchester, J.B. 1/5
Mann, Robert 1/5
Maretskz, Carl 1/6
Marshall, William 1/5
Martin, Henry F. 1/6
Martin, John J. 1/8
Mathews, Freeman 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Maun, R.M. 1/8
McLacklan, James 1/8
McNeil, Thomas 1/6
Merrill, R.D. 1/8
Miller, Daniel 1/6
Miller, Joseph 1/5
Miller, Peter 1/6
Milton, Joseph 1/7
Mitchell, Richard, Sr. 1/11
Mohr, Edward 1/6
Moller, G. 1/5, 1/8
Monrtu, William 1/6
Moody, S.P. 1/11
Morley, Charles 1/10
Morton, Charles C. 1/6
Murphy, Thomas D. 1/6
Narsh, H.S. 1/8
Nelson, John A. 1/6
Nicholson, A. 1/8
Nicholson, Johannes Peter 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Nilson, Johan 1/6
Norris, Robert 1/5, 1/8
Ofeda, Manuel 1/7
Owen, John 1/6
Pajaro, John 1/5
Parker, George 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Parker, Joseph Henry 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Paulsen, H. 1/6
Paulston, John 1/8
Paxson, Joseph S. 1/8
Peeks, Robert 1/6
Pena, Francis 1/8
Peterson, Charles 1/6
Phillips, James 1/6
Pierce, William 1/5
Plummer, Anthony 1/7
Ragnes, John E. 1/6
Rees, John A. 1/6
Renateau, T.G. 1/7
Rhodes, A.H., Jr. 1/8
Rhunes, H. 1/6
Ringe, George 1/5
Robinson, Francis 1/6
Robinson, James (see also Allen, James) 1/6
Samuelson, S.W. 1/10
Sandstrom, Herman 1/6
Savage, Mr. 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Sawyer, Capt. 1/11
Sawyer, Mrs. 1/11
Scott, John 1/5
Scott, William 1/5, 1/8
Shearer, Arthur 1/5
Shelby, Thomas 1/6
Sherwin, Abner 1/5, 1/7
Ship, William 1/5
Siders, John T. 1/6
Silcox, Joseph 1/6
Simms, Joseph 1/6
Slater, John 1/5
Smith, Charles, 1st 1/6
Smith, Charles, 3rd 1/6
Smith, Henry 1/6
Smith, James 1/6
Smith, John 1/5, 1/8
Smith, Samuel F. 1/6
Smith, William 1/6
Snelgrove, James 1/8
Somers, Henry 1/6
Spencer, Jeremiah 1/6
Sprao, Auto 1/8
Squires, Albert 1/6
Stenner, Antonio 1/6
Stevenson, Robert 1/6
Sutherland, John 1/5
Sweeny, Edward 1/5, 1/8
Tate, Francis 1/5, 1/8
Taylor, Lewis 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Ternin, Alfred 1/6
Thomas, Jenkins 1/5, 1/8
Thompson, Charles 1/6
Thompson, Charles (Peter) 1/6
Thompson, James 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Thompson, William 1/8
Tilby, Charles 1/5
Train, E.M. 1/6
Trott, William 1/5
Turner, James 1/5
Vail, George A. 1/5
Van Kleeck, E. 1/10
Walder, Jan 1/6
Ward, Alfred 1/7
Welch, Thomas 1/6
White, Daniel 1/6
White, George 1/8
Wilkins, H.G. 1/5
William, J.S. 1/6
Williams, Alexander K 1/6
Williams, Henry 1/6
Williams, Thomas 1/5, 1/8
Wilson, Dan 1/5
Woodward, M.G. 1/6
Wright, Asa 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Wright, Harlen P. 1/5, 1/7
Wright, Sarah Crocker 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4
Wright, W.A. 1/8
Wright, William N. 1/5, 1/8

Top →

Index to 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 *** in Box *, Folder * of the collection.
Anderson Brothers and Company 1/6
Bell, Nott and Company 1/10
Bolton, Barron and Company 1/8
British Columbia Underwater Archeological Society 1/11
C. Aldolphe, Low and Company 1/8
C.L. Taylor and Company 1/11
Cap, Spring and Company 1/11
Colby and Edmunds, Company 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Consulate of the United States 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Cousino and Garland, Merchants 1/6
Coventry, Sheppard and Company 1/10
D. Eggert and Son 1/10
Dickson, DeWolf and Company 1/10
F. Huth and Company 1/10
Falkner, Bell and Company 1/10
Findlay, Richardson and Company 1/8
Flint, Peabody and Company 1/8
G. Howes and Company 1/10
Gerbaulet Rubens and Company 1/6
H. C. Falk of Liverpool 1/10
H. Grunning and Company 1/6
Higginbotham and Beard 1/10
John B. Sardy, Shipping 1/6
Loring Brothers and Company 1/1/, 1/2, 1/3
Lynch and Reading 1/10
M. Ewan and Company 1/8
Macondray and Company 1/8
McNab Brothers and Company 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/6
Morgan, Hathaway and Company 1/8
National Observatory 1/6
New York Board of Underwriters 1/10
Pacific Mineral Company 1/10
Pacific Rim National Park 1/11
Peel, Hubbell and Company 1/8
Rise and Mitchell 1/11
Russell and Sturgis 1/8
Samuel Price and Company 1/7
Schwabe and Company 1/8
Waddington Templeman and Company 1/7
Watson, Lanark and Company 1/10
Wells Fargo 1/11
William Duncan and Company 1/7
William F. Weld and Company 1/6, 1/10, 1/11
William Gibbs and Company 1/7
Williams and Company 1/7

Top →

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 *** in Box *, Folder * of the collection.
Alexander (Ship) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/5, 1/8
Arethusa (Bark) 1/ 1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/7
Arkwright (Bark) 1/11
Benefit (Schooner) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Boston Light (Ship) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/6, 1/9
Boxer (Schooner) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Cleone (Ship) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Dolphin (Schooner) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Eurphrates (Schooner) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Fame (Sloop) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Flying Cloud (Ship) 1/11
Galaxy (Schooner) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Hersila (Bark) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Ida (Bark) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Jacob Perkins (Ship) 1/8
Kensington (Bark) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Kohinoor (Ship) 1/8
Lima (Bark) 1/8
Malden (Schooner) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Mascotte (Ship) 1/11
Mayflower (Schooner) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Messenger (Bark) 1/11
North America (Ship) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Oriole (Schooner) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Orpheus (Ship) 1/ 1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/6, 1/10, 1/11, 1/12
Pacific (Steamer) 1/11, 1/12
Ploughboy (Schooner) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Potomac (Bark) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Rambler (Ship) 1/1, 1/2, 1/3
Tipoo Saib (Ship) 1/10
Tornado (Brig) 1/8
Wolcott (Ship) 1/11

Top →

Detailed Description of the Collection

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

Personal Writings of Captain Alexander Hallett Holway; c. 1860, 1945-c. 2000
Box Folder
1 1 “Memoranda”: Original manuscript of autobiography of Alexander H. Holway; c. 1865 (1 volume)
2 “Memoranda of Passages”: Typed transcript of autobiography of Alexander H. Holway; c. 2000 (14 pages)
3 “Copied from the Original Diary of Captain Alexander H. Holway”: Photocopy of a typed transcript of parts of autobiography of Alexander H. Holway; 1945 (38 pages)
4 Personal writings of Alexander H. Holway, 1855-1864 (4 pages)
Account Books; 1853-1863
Box Folder
1 5 “Ship-Master’s Account Current with Crew,” partly used as a scrapbook at a later date; 1853-1857, c. 1860 (1 volume)
6 “Portage Book,” or “Ship-Master’s Account Current with Crew”; 1860-1864 (1 volume)
Voyages; 1852-1864
Box Folder
1 7 Papers relating to voyage of Arethusa (Bark) to Valparaiso, San Francisco, Sierra Leone, Marseilles, New York, and Portland, Me.; 1852-1855 (25 items; 1 item removed to OV)
8 Papers relating to voyage of Alexander (Ship) to San Francisco and Manila; 1857-1858 (13 items; 1 item removed to OV)
9 Papers relating to voyage of Boston Light (Ship) to New York and Calcutta; 1859-1861 (4 items; 1 item removed to OV)
10 Papers relating to voyage of Orpheus (Ship) to New York, San Francisco, Calcutta, and Liverpool; 1862-1864 (8 items; 2 items removed to OV)
Miscellaneous; 1939-1997
Box Folder
1 11 Photocopies of Orpheus (Ship) / Pacific (Steamer) Collision newspaper clippings; 1985-1997 (7 pages; Originals in oversized folder)
12 Photocopies of woodcut prints “Clippers of Cape Cod Captains” and “Records of the Clippers, 1846-1857:; 1939 (2 pages; Originals in oversized folder)
Photographs; c. 1860, 1985
Box Folder
1 13 Scanned copies of photographs of portrait of Captain Holway, Orpheus (Ship) shipwreck, Pacific (Steamer), and painting of Orpheus (Ship); c. 1860, 1985 (9 pages; Original photographs removed to curatorial department)

Top →