Subseries A. Ships' Papers are arranged alphabetically, and contain ships' orders, accounts of sales, disbursements, invoices, merchant house correspondence, port ledge bills, and crew lists. In addition, there is some captains' correspondence, mostly from Derby family members, bills of lading, and miscellaneous accounts and receipts while in foreign ports. This subseries includes papers of the Ranger and Volant, both ships that were mastered by Richard (1712-1783), the Grand Turk, Astrea, Henry, John, and Peggy, as well as other less documented vessels (see Appendix I). Several Derby ships were captured during the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, and before the War of 1812. The correspondence or documents related to these captures are located with the ship's papers, or with the folder of spoliation claims (box 9, folder 9). Papers of vessels captured by Derby ships are located with the Derby privateer or letter of marque. Included in this series are papers of the sloop Union, mastered by Richard's uncle Samuel Derby (1673-1728), and the Mary and Restitution, both mastered by John Derby (1767-1831).