The Endicott Family Papers record the activities of four generations of a family which settled in Windsor, Vermont, Danvers, Massachusetts, and Salem, Massachusetts. The collection includes shipping, business, and personal papers of many other family members. The collection is divided into four series.

Series I. Charles Moses Endicott (1793-1863) Family Papers, 1794-1886, contains correspondence and financial papers of Charles, his wife Sarah (Blythe), and members of Sarah's family. Charles' and Sarah's papers are almost entirely of a personal nature. The only documents relating to Charles' shipping careers are a few accounts and memorandums. Charles' 23-year employment with the Salem Bank is not documented in these papers. Charles' and Sarah's correspondence includes letters received and letters written to Sarah's mother, Sarah Ingersoll. The bulk of the correspondence reports on family and friends, including the movements of Sarah's brother-in-law, Captain Philemon Putnam, while he was at sea, and the death of her sister Lucy in 1839. The correspondence also contains a few letters regarding Charles' memoir of Governor John Endicott and other genealogies upon which he worked. Of interest is a letter from Jonathan I. Bowditch who describes the burning of his house in Boston in 1857 and mentions the articles which were saved from the fire.

The bulk of Charles' bills and receipts are personal or household. Included however are two 1848 receipts for the East India Marine Society, of which he was president, a bill for the 1845 painted copy of Governor John Endicott's portrait, and receipts for the printing and binding of his "Memoir of John Endicott."

The correspondence of Jonathan Ingersoll, Sarah's stepfather, contains letters regarding his shipping concerns and his sheep farm, as well as personal letters from his son George, and grandchildren Henry I. and Nathaniel I. Bowditch, and Mary Dixwell.

The personal correspondence of Lucy (Blythe) and Philemon Putnam includes correspondence with their mother Sarah Ingersoll and their sister Sarah R. Endicott. Additional passages written by Lucy may be found appended to letters written by Sarah and Charles Endicott.

The family papers include correspondence and accounts of Charles' and Sarah's sons, Charles Edward and Ingersoll Bowditch, and a few estate receipts of Sarah Ingersoll.

Series II. Elias and Mary Endicott Papers covers the years 1792 to 1871. The family genealogical register lists three generations, beginning with Elias. Elias' account books provide a glimpse at the thriving shoe and leather working business which he operated in Danvers, Massachusetts. His bills and receipts include both personal and leather working accounts. Mary's diary, 1816-1871, describes the thoughts of a woman growing up on the family farm in Danvers. There are oftentimes spaces of weeks or months between entries. Mary tends not to recount daily activities. She writes primarily with a religious bent, discussing the deaths of family, friends, and neighbors. She includes also the murder of Salem resident Joseph White in 1830, the suicide of Richard Crowninshield, and the trials and executions of the Knapp brothers. Also of interest is the theory, garnered from Mary's diary entries, that she was in love with her brother-in-law Alfred Porter (see Frank C. Damon's introductory essay on the diary in box 4 folder 7). Researchers are requested to use the typescript of the diary.

Series III. Family Papers, 1638-1936, covers a wide variety of individuals. Nathan Endicott's (1790-1858) shipping letterbook reflects his career as a shipping merchant trading with London, Leningrad, and St. Thomas. Samuel Endicott Jr.'s (1795-1828) shipping account book contains accounts with Joseph and Joseph A. Peabody, and accounts of the ships Catherine and Augustus' voyages to Antwerp, Hamburg, Leningrad, Helsingor, Marseilles, Djakarta, Havana, and Charleston, South Carolina.

William Crowninshield Endicott's (1826-1900) papers contain correspondence and accounts documenting his roles as attorney and Secretary of War. His correspondence includes letters written as Secretary of War concerning Crow Indians. William's account books contain guardianship, trustee's or attorney's accounts for Dudley P., George W., and Eliza P. Rogers, J. Watson Andrews, Charles Endicott, and Jacob C. Rogers.

The miscellaneous family papers include correspondence and financial papers of Samuel, Robert, Henry, John, George W., E.M., Lewis, William P., and William Crowninshield Endicott Jr. William Crowninshield Endicott Jr.'s letters include various historical memorials and celebrations, and his resignation of the Essex Institute presidency. Of note are legal documents of Governor John Endecott: a copy of a 1638 agreement and an original notarized agreement of 1653.

Series IV. Miscellaneous Papers, 1816-1909, includes lists of Salem men over age 70 for the years 1816 and 1822, correspondence to T.H. Perkins of Boston regarding wool, an 1833 surgeon's certificate for a seaman admitted to a Gibraltar hospital, and an essay on Colonel Leslie's retreat in 1755.