Williams Family Papers, 1739-1910, undated
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Not requestable
Scope and Content Note
The Williams family papers document the activities of three generations of Salem, Massachusetts, merchants and mariners. Series I. Henry L. Williams Papers consists of six subseries. Subseries A. Business Papers contains ships' papers arranged alphabetically by ship name. For names of ships appearing in this collection, see Appendix I. Following the alphabetical run of ships' papers is a folder containing memoranda, broadsides, lists, and an architectural drawing. This subseries also contains seven volumes of account books. Subseries B. Correspondence consists of letters to and from business partners and some family members, arranged chronologically, plus a letter copy book. Subseries C. Prices Current includes prices current from Manila, London, and Genoa. Subseries D. George Peabody (1795-1869) Funerary Ephemera consists of materials relating to the death of George Peabody. Subseries E. Photographs contains two photographs of the vessel George. Subseries F. Cloth Samples includes a collection of cloth samples sent to Henry from Auckland, New Zealand; some of the samples are marked with stenciling and handwriting. Subseries G. Personal Papers includes records from Henry’s time with the Essex Guard, Justice of the Peace certificates, personal papers, and a book of clippings.
Series II. John B. Williams Papers is comprised of five subseries. Subseries A. Business Papers contains ships' papers arranged alphabetically by ship name. For names of ships appearing in this collection, see Appendix I. Following the alphabetical run of ships' papers are folders containing invoices, accounts, and memos. Subseries B. Correspondence consists mostly of letters from John to Henry, with some to their mother and their brother, Israel, and some relating to consular business. Subseries C. Journal of John B. Williams in New Zealand is a bound journal relating John's impressions of New Zealand between 1842 and 1844. Subseries D. Estate contains letters about the execution of John's estate and his claims against the natives of the Fiji Islands. Subseries E. Personal Papers contains financial and personal records.
Series III. Israel Williams Papers includes material from Williams' time in the Essex Guard during the War of 1812, land and pew deeds (including some from Israel’s ancestors Henry Williams and Samuel Williams), receipts, correspondence, and insurance policies.
Series IV. Family Papers includes correspondence, accounts, and personal papers of Elizabeth Tucker Daland Williams, Israel Porter Williams, and Tucker Daland Williams.
Dates
- Creation: 1739-1910, undated
Creator
- Williams, John Brown, 1810-1860 (Person)
- Williams, Henry Lawrence, 1815-1879 (Person)
- Williams, Elizabeth Tucker Daland, 1846-1915 (Person)
- Williams, Israel Porter, 1804-1891 (Person)
Restrictions on Access
This collection is open for research use.
Biographical Sketches
Henry Lawrence Williams was born in 1815 to Captain Israel Williams and Lydia Waite in Salem, Massachusetts. He was a merchant and a senior member of the international shipping firm Williams & Daland of Boston. Later in life he was president of the Salem Five Cents Savings Bank, and from 1875 to 1876 he served as mayor of Salem. Henry married Elizabeth Tucker Daland Williams (1818-1902) in 1845 and they had three known children, Tucker Daland Williams (1846-1915), Ellen D Williams (1851-) and Elizabeth Williams (1852-). Henry and Elizabeth also employed several Irish servants noted in various Salem census’ including, Ellen Sullivan, Mary Reardon, Catherine Fitzgerald and Bridget O’Dohnald. Henry died in Salem in 1879. John Brown Williams was born in 1810 to Captain Israel Williams and Lydia Waite in Salem, Massachusetts. He was a merchant, mariner, and commercial agent. Beginning in 1842 he served as a United States Consul at Bay of Islands and Auckland, New Zealand, and from 1846 on, in the Fiji Islands. John held both consular posts until he died of dysentery in Fiji in 1860. John and Henry’s father, Captain Israel Williams(1772-1831), was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1772 and was captain of the Salem Cadets in 1801. During the War of 1812 he commanded the Essex Guards. He was also a shipmaster and merchant. Israel Porter Williams (1804-1891) was born to Captain Israel Williams and Lydia Waite in 1804. He had a close relationship with his nephew Tucker Daland Williams. Tucker Daland Williams. was born to Henry Lawrence Williams and Elizabeth Tucker Daland Williams on August 31, 1846 and worked as a bank clerk. He died in 1915 of myocarditis.
Extent
5 linear feet (7 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Williams family papers document the activities of three generations of Salem, Massachusetts, merchants and mariners.
Series List
SERIES I. Henry L. Williams Papers
- A. Business Papers
- B. Correspondence
- C. Prices Current
- D. George Peabody Funerary Ephemera
- E. Photographs
- F. Cloth Samples
- G. Personal Papers
- A. Business Papers
- B. Correspondence
- C. Journal of John B. Williams in New Zealand
- D. Estate
- E. Personal Papers
SERIES IV. Family Papers
Physical Location
Phillips Library Stacks
Provenance
This collection represents an integration of several collections of Williams’ family materials. A majority of the material was donated by the estate of Elizabeth D. Williams (acc #9403). Six folders of material related to John B. Williams’ work in Fiji were purchased from Primary Sources in 2019 (Acc 2019.027). Fam. MSS. 1099 (five folders) were integrated into Series II. Fam. MSS. 1100 (four folders) were integrated into Series III and IV.
Processing Information
Collection processed by James T. Connolly, November 2010. Updated by Tamara Gaydos, August 2016. Updated by Catherine Robertson, October 2021.
Subject
- Williams, John Brown, 1810-1860 (Person)
- Admiral (Steamer) (Organization)
- Alicia (Schooner) (Organization)
- Antares (Brig) (Organization)
- Audubon (Ship) (Organization)
- Belle (Bark) (Organization)
- Belvedere (Ship) (Organization)
- Carthage (Ship) (Organization)
- Castro (Ship) (Organization)
- Costa Concordia (Ship) (Organization)
- Constitution (Ship) (Organization)
- Delhi (Ship) (Organization)
- Draco (Brig) (Organization)
- Dragon (Bark) (Organization)
- Duxbury (Ship) (Organization)
- E. H. Herrick (Schooner) (Organization)
- Eclipse (Ship) (Organization)
- Eliza (Whaling Bark) (Organization)
- Elizabeth (Bark) (Organization)
- Emma (Brig) (Organization)
- Falmouth (U. S. Sloop) (Organization)
- Fredonia (Bark) (Organization)
- Gambia (Brig) (Organization)
- Granite (Brig) (Organization)
- Hindostan (Ship) (Organization)
- Hollander (Bark) (Organization)
- Hopewell (Schooner) (Organization)
- Jackson (Sloop) (Organization)
- Jersey (Ship) (Organization)
- John Adams (USS) (Organization)
- John Tucker (Ship) (Organization)
- John H. Malay (Bark) (Organization)
- La Plata (Bark) (Organization)
- Lotos (Ship) (Organization)
- Lucilla (Bark) (Organization)
- Lucilla (Brig) (Organization)
- Malta (Whaling Brig) (Organization)
- Mary W. (Schooner) (Organization)
- Massasoit (Ship) (Organization)
- Mexican (Brig) (Organization)
- Mortimer Livingston (Ship) (Organization)
- Naples (Ship) (Organization)
- Nautilus (Bark) (Organization)
- New Jersey (Vessel) (Organization)
- Noble (Bark) (Organization)
- Orb (Bark) (Organization)
- Pearl (Boat) (Organization)
- Post Boy (Schooner) (Organization)
- Propontis (Ship) (Organization)
- Robert Pulsford (Ship) (Organization)
- Rouble (Bark) (Organization)
- Samuel A. Appleton (Schooner) (Organization)
- Siam (Ship) (Organization)
- Sophia (Schooner) (Organization)
- Sumter (Bark) (Organization)
- Tarquina (Bark) (Organization)
- Thetis (Bark) (Organization)
- Unicorn (Ship) (Organization)
- Vitula (Ship) (Organization)
- Warwick (Schooner) (Organization)
- Water Witch (Brig) (Organization)
- Witch of the Wave (Vessel) (Organization)
- Title
- Williams Family Papers, 1739-1910, undated
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by: James T. Connolly; Updated by: Tamara Gaydos; machine-readable finding aid created by: Rajkumar Natarajan; Updated by: Catherine Robertson
- Date
- October 2021
- Description rules
- Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Edition statement
- October, 2021: Catherine Robertson
Repository Details
Part of the Phillips Library Repository