Series II. Nathaniel Silsbee (1773-1850) Papers include his autobiography, correspondence, legal documents, congressional papers, and shipping papers. The series has been organized into three subseries.

Subseries A. Personal Papers include Nathaniel's autobiography, correspondence, eulogies and obituaries, and legal papers. Of particular note is a journal containing Nathaniel's autobiography; written in his own hand it records events in his life from 1782 to 1836. The journal has an appendix listing the bills of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate that were of interest to Nathaniel during his term in office. Also included is a handwritten transcription of Nathaniel's autobiography which was probably created by Mary Anne C. Devereux, wife of his son, Nathaniel. Nathaniel's correspondence reflects the change in his career from shipping captain and merchant to politician. Of special interest are letters from Nathaniel's brother-in-law, Benjamin W. Crowninshield, Secretary of the Navy. In addition to the discussion of political and social events in Washington, these letters contain references to Nathaniel's memorial regarding the Brig Edwin. Also included in the correspondence is an 1819 resolution from the Town of Salem to the federal government in favor of prohibiting the extension of slavery. Correspondence commemorating Nathaniel's life, including a signed letter from James Buchanan, is filed with the obituary notices of his death. The bulk of the legal documents include deeds for land in New Orleans sold by John Crowninshield to Nathaniel and a Michigan land deed signed by Martin Van Buren. Subseries B. Congressional Papers include copies of bills, remarks, or speeches made by Nathaniel before Congress. All matters covered by either House or Senate for a given session are filed together. Bills, remarks, or speeches, which could not be identified with specific sessions have been filed separately. Subseries C. Shipping Papers document Nathaniel's career first as a ship master and later as a shipping merchant. Papers for the Ship Benjamin, owned by Elias Hasket Derby, cover Nathaniel's captaincy from 1792 to 1795. Papers for the Ship Herald include letters from Zacharia F. Silsbee, master of the Herald to his brother, Nathaniel. The bulk of the papers for the brig Romp concern the memorial to Congress on the Romp's capture by the French (1809). Account books for the ships Benjamin, Betsy, and Herald are also included in this subseries. Miscellaneous shipping papers document Nathaniel's partnerships in the shipping firms of Stone, Silsbee, and Pickman and Silsbee and Devereux. Additional documents are included for the brigs Edwin and Malay and the ship Mary Ann.