Subseries A. Nathaniel Ropes contains the papers of Nathaniel Ropes III. The account books contain records for both his shipping partnership, Hussey and Ropes, and his own businesses. Nathaniel Coverly's stationary store was located in Ropes' Essex Street building, and Coverly's account book (box three, folder four) was evidently left behind when he moved to Charleston in 1802. The three boxes of Nathaniel Ropes receipts include receipts for Hussey and Ropes, Ropes' stores, and family expenses. Included in the undated receipts is a list of Hussey and Ropes debts. The 1803 to 1805 receipt book (box seven, folder one) also includes Ropes' manuscript songbook. His violin instruction book is filed with the miscellaneous papers (box seven, folder nine).

The correspondence includes Hussey and Ropes merchant house correspondence as well as numerous letters regarding the estates for which Nathaniel Ropes was acting as executor. Filed in the shipping papers (box seven, folder five) are miscellaneous documents for the following vessels: Betsey (Brig), Cato (Privateer), Cicero (Brig), Hannah (Schooner), Joseph's Brother (Schooner), Light Horse (Ship), Louisa (Sloop), Lucy (Schooner), Nancy (Schooner), Olive Branch (Ship), Polly (Schooner), Polly (Privateer), Sally (Schooner), Satisfaction (Schooner), Silvanus (Brig), Success (Schooner), and Two Brothers (Sloop). The folder of Salem sheep pasture papers contains Ropes' records as a member of the committee of proprietors including legal papers, two memorandum books, and meeting records.