Richard Columbus Mears Collection/Papers

Manuscripts Collection 311

Overview of the Collection

Repository: G.W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport
Creator: Mears, Richard Columbus, (1829-1899)
Title: Richard Columbus Mears Collection
Dates: 1816-1972
Extent: 3031 items/ 53 vols.
Abstract: .
Identification: Coll. 311
Accesssion number MC 2006.61

Biography of Richard Columbus Mears

Richard Columbus Mears was born in Accomack County, Virginia in 1829. He worked as a merchant ship captain on numerous ships out of New York, for most of his life while his family remained in Fair Haven, Connecticut. He traveled all over the world and wrote his only daughter, Nellie Goodsell Mears Van Valkenburgh, his three wives and many other family members faithfully. Mears sent his daughter many keepsakes, plant samples, and literature from his journeys. He retired briefly to Sailors’ Snug Harbor in New York in 1893 but soon became a shopkeeper in Greene, New York where his daughter and her family lived. He stayed with them until his death in 1899.

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Scope and Contents of the Papers

This collection was largely organized by Richard Columbus Mears and his daughter, Nellie. He sorted his accounts and kept meticulous records of his journeys. His daughter organized his records further and it is in this condition that they arrived at Mystic Seaport. The orignal order was kept as much as possible and the only items that were moved were either not dated or relocated in order to separate personal accounts from business accounts. The Richard Columbus Mears Collection is is arranged by series as described below.

Series 1: Personal Correspondence. 1816-1972

Series 2: Personal Papers, Miscellaneous. 1816-1972

Series 3: Business and Personal Papers and Correspondence, Merchant Mariner. 1853-1892

Series 4: Business and Personal Papers and Correspondence, Shopkeeper. 1893-1897

Series 5: Journals. 1869-1890

Series 6: Account books. 1865-1889

Series 7: Published Texts. 1875, 1884, undated

Series 8: Van Valkenburgh Family Volumes. 1897-1917, undated

Series 9: Viewbooks. 1863-1900, undated

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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.

Persons:

Goodsell, Sarah, (d. 1867)
Griffing, Ann Eliza, (d. 1878)
Mears, Richard Columbus (1829-1899)
Munsell, Ellen, (d. 1862)
Terry, Charles
Van Valkenburgh, Joseph Dwight (1849-1907)
Van Valkenburgh, Nellie Goodsell Mears (1866-1956)

Corporate Bodies (Including Vessels):

Adeline Elwood (Schooner)
Bennet Flanner (Schooner)
Carrie L. Tyler (Barkentine)
Chattanooga (Bark)
Edwin Rowe (Brigantine)
Evanell (Bark)
Florella (Bark)
Fresno (Bark)
Gentoo (Bark)
Kensington (Schooner)
Lepanto (Bark)
Maria W. Norwood (Brig)
Paloma (Brig)
Princess Alice (Brigantine)
Sailors’ Snug Harbor (Institution)
St. Joseph (Ship)
St. Mary (Bark)
William C. Atwater (Schooner)

Places:

Accomack County (Va.)
Fair Haven (Conn.)
French Polynesia
Greene (N.Y.)
Montevideo (Uruguay)

Subjects:

Christianity, 19th century
General stores
Intercoastal shipping

Document Types:

Accounts
Advertising cards
Correspondence
Diaries
Viewbooks

Occupations:

Merchant mariners
Shopkeepers

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Coll. 311, Manuscripts Collection, G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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

Personal Correspondence, 1852-1897
Box Folder
1 1 Correspondence; 1852-1853 (8 pieces)
2 Correspondence; 1854 (9 pieces)
3 Correspondence; 1855 (19 pieces)
4 Correspondence; 1856 (16 pieces)
5 Correspondence; 1857 (23 pieces)
6 Correspondence; 1858 (9 pieces)
7 Correspondence; 1859 (17 pieces)
8 Correspondence; 1860 (7 pieces)
9 Correspondence; 1861 (7 pieces)
Box Folder
2 1 Correspondence; 1862 (11 pieces)
2 Correspondence; 1863 (14 pieces)
3 Correspondence; 1864 (13 pieces)
4 Correspondence; 1865 (24 pieces)
5 Correspondence; 1866 (29 pieces)
6 Correspondence; 1867-1869 (4 pieces)
7 Correspondence; 1870 (4 pieces)
8 Correspondence; 1875 (3 pieces)
9 Correspondence; 1876-1877 (23 pieces)
10 Correspondence; 1878 (34 pieces)
11 Correspondence; 1879 (3 pieces)
Box Folder
3 1 Correspondence; 1880 (10 pieces)
2 Correspondence; 1881 Jan-1881 Feb (12 pieces)
3 Correspondence; 1881 Mar-1881 Apr (8 pieces)
4 Correspondence; 1881 May-1881 Aug (11 pieces)
5 Correspondence; 1881 Sept-1881 Dec (11 pieces)
6 Correspondence; 1882 Jan-1882 Mar (14 pieces)
7 Correspondence; 1882 Apr-1882 Jun (16 pieces)
8 Correspondence; 1882 Jul-1882 Dec (14 pieces)
Box Folder
4 1 Correspondence; 1882 Oct-1882 Dec (8 pieces)
2 Correspondence; 1883 Jan-1883 Feb (10 pieces)
3 Correspondence; 1883 Mar-1883 Jul (8 pieces)
4 Correspondence; 1883 Aug-1883 Sep (15 pieces)
5 Correspondence; 1883 Oct-1883 Dec (11 pieces)
6 Correspondence; 1884 Jan-1884 Feb (23 pieces)
7 Correspondence; 1884 Mar-1884 May (7 pieces)
8 Correspondence; 1884 Jun-1884 Aug (20 pieces)
Box Folder
5 1 Correspondence; 1884 Sep (13 pieces)
2 Correspondence; 1884 Oct (13 pieces)
3 Correspondence; 1884 Nov (12 pieces)
4 Correspondence; 1884 Dec (6 pieces)
5 Correspondence; 1885 Jan-1885 Mar (17 pieces)
6 Correspondence; 1885 Apr (12 pieces)
7 Correspondence; 1885 May-1885 Jun (24 pieces)
8 Correspondence; 1885 Jul-1885 Sep (14 pieces)
Box Folder
6 1 Correspondence; 1885 Oct-1885 Nov (17 pieces)
2 Correspondence; 1885 Dec (8 pieces)
3 Correspondence; 1886 Jan-1886 Feb (17 pieces)
4 Correspondence; 1886 Mar-1886 May (13 pieces)
5 Correspondence; 1886 Jun-1886 Sep (11 pieces)
6 Correspondence; 1886 Oct-1886 Dec (19 pieces)
7 Correspondence; 1887 Jan-1887 Apr (14 pieces)
Box Folder
7 1 Correspondence; 1887 May-1887 Jun (16 pieces)
2 Correspondence; 1887 Jul-1887 Aug (19 pieces)
3 Correspondence; 1887 Sep (15 pieces)
4 Correspondence; 1887 Oct (11 pieces)
5 Correspondence; 1887 Nov (8 pieces)
6 Correspondence; 1887 Dec (14 pieces)
7 Correspondence; 1888 Jan (14 pieces)
8 Correspondence; 1888 Feb-1888 Mar (9 pieces)
Box Folder
8 1 Correspondence; 1888 Apr-1888 May (18 pieces)
2 Correspondence; 1888 Jun (13 pieces)
3 Correspondence; 1888 Jul-1888 Sep (13 pieces)
4 Correspondence; 1888 Oct-1888 Dec (8 pieces)
5 Correspondence; 1889 Jan-1889 Apr (14 pieces)
6 Correspondence; 1889 May-1889 Jun (13 pieces)
7 Correspondence; 1889 Jul (5 pieces)
Box Folder
9 1 Correspondence; 1889 Aug (9 pieces)
2 Correspondence; 1889 Sep-1889 Oct (14 pieces)
3 Correspondence; 1889 Nov-1890 Jan (8 pieces)
4 Correspondence; 1890 Feb-1890 Apr (15 pieces)
5 Correspondence; 1890 May-1890 Jun (15 pieces)
6 Correspondence; 1890 Jul-1890 Sep (22 pieces)
7 Correspondence; 1890 Oct (9 pieces)
8 Correspondence; 1890 Nov-1890 Dec (16 pieces)
Box Folder
10 1 Correspondence; 1891 Jan (5 pieces)
2 Correspondence; 1891 Feb 1-1891 Feb 10 (18 pieces)
3 Correspondence; 1891 Feb 11-1891 Feb 27 (9 pieces)
4 Correspondence; 1891 Apr-1891 Jun (6 pieces)
5 Correspondence; 1891 Sep-1891 Nov (8 pieces)
6 Correspondence; 1892 Jan-1892 Feb (6 pieces)
7 Correspondence; 1892 Mar-1892 Aug (8 pieces)
8 Correspondence; 1892 Sep-1892 Dec (10 pieces)
9 Correspondence; 1893 (4 pieces)
Box Folder
11 1 Correspondence; 1894 (6 pieces)
2 Correspondence; 1895 (4 pieces)
3 Correspondence; 1896 Jan-1896 May (7 pieces)
4 Correspondence; 1886 Jun-1896 Aug (13 pieces)
5 Correspondence; 1896 Sep-1896 Dec (15 pieces)
6 Correspondence; 1897 Jan (21 pieces)
7 Correspondence; 1897 Feb 1-1897 Feb 14 (11 pieces)
8 Correspondence; 1897 Feb 15-1897 Feb 25 (9 pieces)
Box Folder
12 1 Correspondence; 1897 Mar-1897 Apr (12 pieces)
2 Correspondence; 1897 May (8 pieces)
3 Correspondence; 1897 Jun (13 pieces)
4 Correspondence; undated (42 pieces)
Personal Papers, Miscellaneous; 1816-1972
Box Folder
12 5 Miscellaneous; 1816 April 22-1908 Feb 6 (14 pieces)
6 Miscellaneous; undated (67 pieces)
7 Van Valkenburgh Family Miscellaneous; 1972 Aug 14, undated (7 pieces)
Business and Personal Papers and Correspondence, Merchant Mariner; 1853-1892
Box Folder
12 8 Bill of Sale; 1853 Apr 27 (1 piece)
9 Business Correspondence; 1856 Mar 27 (1 piece)
10 KENSINGTON (Schooner) Accounts; 1856 (2 pieces)
Box Folder
13 1 WILLIAM C. ATWATER (Schooner) Accounts; 1856 (54 pieces)
2 WILLIAM C. ATWATER (Schooner) Accounts; 1857 (45 pieces)
3 Personal Accounts; 1859 (11 pieces)
4 Business Correspondence; 1860 Dec-1861 Jan (5 pieces)
5 Personal Accounts; 1862 Oct-1862 Nov (12 pieces)
6 BENNET FLANNER (Schooner) Accounts and Correspondence; 1861 Apr – 1863 Mar (18 pieces)
7 PRINCESS ALICE (Brigantine) Accounts and Correspondence; 1863 Mar – 1864 Sep (8 pieces)
8 Personal Accounts; 1863 Feb-1864 Dec (12 pieces)
9 PRINCESS ALICE (Brigantine) Accounts and Correspondence; 1865 Feb – 1866 Oct (17 pieces)
10 Personal Accounts; 1865 Jan-1866 Dec (29 pieces)
Box Folder
14 1 Personal Accounts; 1867 (21 pieces)
2 Personal Accounts; 1868 (5 pieces)
3 Personal Accounts; 1869 (7 pieces)
4 ADELINE ELWOOD (Schooner) Accounts; 1869 (11 pieces)
5 EDWIN ROWE (Brigantine) Accounts; 1866-1869 (13 pieces)
6 ADELINE ELWOOD (Schooner) Accounts; 1870 (16 pieces)
7 Personal Accounts; 1870 (10 pieces)
8 FLORELLA (Bark) Accounts; 1873-1874 (7 pieces)
9 Personal Accounts; 1873-1874 (13 pieces)
10 GENTOO (Bark) and CARRIE L. TYLER (Barkentine) Correspondence; 1877 (4 pieces)
11 FRESNO (Bark) Accounts and Correspondence; 1880-1882 (8 pieces)
12 Personal Accounts; 1875-1882 (12 pieces)
13 ST. JOSEPH (Ship) Accounts; 1883 (5 pieces)
Box Folder
15 1 Personal Accounts; 1884-1885 (22 pieces)
2 MARIA W. NORWOOD (Brig) and CHATTANOOGA (Bark) Accounts; 1884-1886 (4 pieces)
3 Personal Accounts; 1886-1887 (26 pieces)
4 ST. MARY (Bark) Accounts and Correspondence; 1888 (31 pieces)
5 Personal Accounts; 1888 (29 pieces)
6 Personal Accounts; 1889 (27 pieces)
7 ST. MARY (Bark) Accounts; 1887-1890 (8 pieces)
8 Personal Accounts; 1890-1891 (17 pieces)
9 ST. MARY (Bark) Accounts and Correspondence; 1891-1892 (11 pieces)
10 Personal Accounts; 1892 (7 pieces)
Business and Personal Papers and Correspondence, Store Keeper; 1893 – 1897
Box Folder
16 1 Store Receipts; 1893 Mar-1893 May (39 pieces)
2 Store Receipts; 1893 Jun-1893 Sep (38 pieces)
3 Store Receipts; 1893 Oct-1893 Dec (53 pieces)
4 Brown & Co. Invoices; 1893 (27 pieces)
5 Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Bills of Lading; 1893 (127 pieces)
6 J. Albert See Invoices; 1893 (76 pieces)
7 J.C. Wainwright & Son Invoices; 1893 (19 pieces)
8 Francis H. Leggett & Co. Invoices and Receipts; 1893 (46 pieces)
Box Folder
17 1 Store Receipts; 1894 Jan-1894 Mar (48 pieces)
2 Store Receipts; 1894 Apr-1894 Jun (66 pieces)
3 Store Receipts; 1894 Jul-1894 Sep (23 pieces)
4 Store Receipts; 1894 Oct-1894 Dec (64 pieces)
5 Brown &Co. Invoices; 1894 (8 pieces)
6 Delaware, Lackawanna, & Western Railroad Bills of Lading; 1894 Jan-1894 Jun (92 pieces)
7 Delaware, Lackawanna, & Western Railroad Bills of Lading; 1894 Jul-1894 Dec (93 pieces)
8 J. Albert See Invoices; 1894 (70 pieces)
9 J.C. Wainwright & Sons Invoices; 1894 (12 pieces)
10 Francis H. Legett & Co. Invoices 1894 (7 pieces)
11 Personal Accounts; 1894 (6 pieces)
Box Folder
18 1 Store Receipts; 1895 (76 pieces)
2 Personal Accounts; 1895 (4 pieces)
3 Personal Accounts; 1896 Jan-1896 Feb (10 pieces)
4 Personal Accounts; 1896 Mar-1896 Dec (11 pieces)
5 Personal Accounts; 1897 (2 pieces)
6 Accounts; undated (37 pieces)
7 Business Miscellaneous; Undated (30 pieces)
Journals; 1869 – 1890
Box Volume
19 1 ADELINE ELWOOD (Schooner) Journal; 1869 (1 volume)
2 FLORELLA (Bark) Journal; 1872-1873 (1 volume)
3 FRESNO (Bark) Journal; 1879 (1 volume)
4 Private Notebook; 1879 (1 volume)
5 FRESNO (Bark) Journal; 1880 (1 volume)
6 FRESNO (Bark) Journal; 1881 (1 volume)
7 FRESNO (Bark) and PALOMA (Brig) Journal; 1882-1883 (1 volume)
8 ST. JOSEPH (Ship) Journal; 1883 (1 volume)
Box Volume
20 1 MARIA W. NORWOOD (Brig) Journal; 1884 (1 volume)
2 MARIA W. NORWOOD (Brig) and CHATTANOOGA (Bark) Journal; 1885 (1 volume)
3 ST. MARY (Bark) Journal; 1886 (1 volume)
4 ST. MARY (Bark) Journal; 1890 (1 volume)
Account Books; 1865 – 1889
Box Volume
20 5 PRINCESS ALICE (Brigantine) and EDWIN ROWE (Brigantine) Account Book; 1865-1867 (1 volume)
6 FLORELLA (Bark) Account Book; 1874 (1 volume)
Box Volume
21 1 ST. MARY (Bark) Account Book; 1887 (1 volume)
2 ST. MARY (Bark) Account Book; 1889 (1 volume)
Published Texts; 1875, 1884, Undated
Box Volume
21 3 “By-Laws Adelphi Lodge #63”; 1884 (1 volume)
4 “Introduction to the Books of the Bible” in Tahitian, annotated by Richard Columbus Mears; undated (1 volume)
5 “New Testament”; 1875 (1 volume)
6 “People and Places on the Foreign Field”; undated (1 volume)
7 “School Lesson Book” in Tahitian, annotated by Richard Columbus Mears; undated (1 volume)
8 “Francis Guy’s Tourist Handbook South of Ireland”; undated (1 volume)
9 “Catechism” in Tahitian, annotated by Richard Columbus Mears; undated (1 volume)
Van Valkenburgh Family Volumes; 1897-1917, Undated
Box Volume
22 1 Nellie Mears Van Valkenburgh Account Book; 1897-1899 Jun (1 volume)
2 Clara Cornelia Juliand Journal; 1901 (1 volume)
3 Address Book; 1917 (1 volume)
4 Edward A. Van Valkenburgh Notebook; undated (1 volume)
5 Provisions Notebook; undated (1 volume)
6 Think Notebook; undated (1 volume)
7 Three Ring Notepad; undated (1 volume)
8 Trenton Experimental Stocks Notebook; undated (1 volume)
Viewbooks; 1863-1900, Undated
Box Folder
23 1 Argentina, “Album de Buenos Aires”; 1885 (1 volume)
2 Australia, “Souvenirs of Sydney, New South Wales”; 1880 (1 volume)
3 Australia, “Photographic Souvenir of Melbourne, Victoria”; undated (1 volume)
4 Bermuda, “Hamilton, Bermuda”; 1885 (1 volume)
5 France, “Bordeaux”; undated (1 volume)
6 France, “Bordeaux et Arcachon”; undated (1 volume)
7 South Africa, “Album of South Africa 60 views of Cape Town, Simons Town, Port Elizabeth, Kimberley, and South African Gold Fields” ; 1870 (1 volume)
8 South Africa, “Views of South Africa”; 1900 (1 volume)
9 United Kingdom, “The Princess’ Album of Falmouth”; 1863-1865 (1 volume)
10 United Kingdom, “Album of the Lakes of Killarney and Glengarriff”; 26 Sep 1883 (1 volume)
11 United Kingdom, “Picturesque Sketches in Wales”; 25 Dec 1888 (1 volume)
12 United Kingdom, “Bristol and Clifton”; 1890 (1 volume)
13 United Kingdom, “The Exhibition Album of Cork, Blarney and Queenstown”; undated (1 volume)
14 United Kingdom, “The Album of Cork views”; undated (1 volume)
15 United Kingdom, “The Queen’s Album of Cornwall”; undated (1 volume)
16 United Kingdom, “Album of Dublin and Co. Wicklow”; undated (1 volume)
Box Folder
24 1 United States of America, “Souvenir of the Hudson River”; 1881 (1 volume)
2 United States of America, “Niagara Falls” with a picture of three people and a gas flame pasted in back; 1884 (1 volume)
3 United States of America, “Album of St. Louis, M.O.”; 1889 (1 volume)
4 United States of America, “Album of Chicago”; 1890-1895 (1 volume)
5 United States of America, Hartford; undated (1 volume)
6 United States of America, “New York”; undated (1 volume)

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