Series I. Joseph Peabody (1757-1844) Papers consist of five subseries. Subseries A. Business Papers contain receipts, correspondence, ships papers, crew lists, and other documentation of his life at sea. It also contains his "Guide through Life," a collection of sayings that he wrote down in his youth and referred to during his entire life. Subseries B. Legal Papers contain deeds, his Justice of the Peace certificate, and papers from a lawsuit. Subseries C. Personal Papers include diaries, invitations, and a recommendation for a domestic worker. Subseries D. Estate Papers contain wills, obituaries, trustees' papers, an account book, and statistics about Joseph Peabody's businesses. Three men were named trustee of Joseph Peabody's estate: his sons, Francis Peabody and George Peabody, and his son-in-law, John L. Gardner. Subseries E. Elizabeth Peabody (1767-1854) Papers contain correspondence, receipts, inventories, and Elizabeth's obituary.