Series I. Jonathan Peele, Jr. (1731-1809) Papers includes ships' papers, shipping account books, and personal papers. Subseries A. Shipping Papers, arranged alphabetically by ship, is comprised of documents relating to vessels owned or chartered by Jonathan Peele, Jr. The papers of ships owned jointly by Jonathan and Willard Peele reside with the Willard Peele Papers (Series II). Because the Peeles arranged their shipping records by ship and voyage, ships papers have been divided by voyage insofar as possible. Papers not associated with a particular voyage have been placed among an individual ships miscellaneous papers. Crew lists are available for most ships in the collection.

The papers of the ship Rachel's 9th voyage contain an account of the capture and detention of the ship by a Danish vessel in 1809. Of particular interest are the papers of schooner Rajah, the first ship to sail directly from Sumatra to Salem with a cargo of pepper. Materials concerning the condemnation of schooner Willard provide information on maritime property disputes.

Subseries B. Personal Papers provide little information about Jonathan Peele's home life but contain documents relative to his wife Margaret (Mason) and relations Sarah Peele and Hannah Carnes.