Series I. Correspondence contains correspondence to and from David Pingree (1841-1932). This series has been divided into three subseries. Persons with mold sensitivities should use caution when handling these materials as these are/were affected with inactive mold; protective gloves are available for use upon request.

Subseries A. African Trade Correspondence contains correspondence to and from David Pingree about his shipping and merchant business with African countries and ports. It is possible that there might be some material about the African trade business that is mixed in with the other business correspondence.

Subseries B. Other Business Correspondence contains correspondence to and from David Pingree (1841-1932) about his businesses outside of African trade. Much of the incoming correspondence appears to have been kept in a binder before it arrived at the Phillips Library, as many of the materials have two uniform holes at the top of them. This subseries has been divided into three sub-subseries.

Sub-subseries 1. Incoming contains incoming correspondence. The incoming correspondence topics cover the lumber and timber business, stock holder meeting notices and stock dividend payments, the payment of mortgages and leases, some advertisements, landscaping orders, and the occasional letter asking David to give to a charity. Most of the correspondence is business related, however, there are a handful of letters from family members discussing personal matters. Of particular interest in this sub-subseries is a letter from Booker T. Washington, the principal of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, asking David for a second donation to help with students’ tuition (dated November 12, 1896). There is a photocopy of a January 1, 1895 letter to David Pingree from North Packing and Provision Co.; the original letter is not in the collection, its location is unknown. Sub-subseries 2. Outgoing contains outgoing correspondence from David Pingree. The majority of this correspondence is in letter books, there is one folder containing loose papers. Sub-subseries 3. Other contains business correspondence that is neither addressed to nor written by David Pingree.

Subseries C. Personal Correspondence contains personal correspondence to and from David Pingree; the majority of it is incoming to David. It is possible that there might be some personal correspondence that is mixed in with the other business correspondence. Included in this subseries is a folder of correspondence to David’s mother, Ann Maria Kimball Pingree (1804-1893). Not all of the correspondence to Ann Maria is from David, some is from her other children, nieces, and nephews. There is also a folder of correspondence to Anna Pingree Peabody (1839-1911), some of the correspondence is from David. There is also a folder of correspondence addressed to family members from people other than David.