The Oliver Putnam papers record the mercantile career and interests of this prosperous Newburyport, Massachusetts, merchant. The collection also contains papers of Oliver's father, Newburyport blacksmith Oliver Putnam (1755-1818), and his brothers Thorndike (1787-1858) and Joshua Putnam (b. 1798). The papers are divided into three series.

Series I. Oliver Putnam Papers, 1793 to 1825, are divided into three subseries. Subseries A. Shipping Papers is comprised of account books, ships', and shipping papers. The account books and ships' papers include many of Oliver's early adventures conducted under the auspices of his employers, merchants Farris and Stoker. They also contain a large number of the vessels which Oliver owned or chartered (see Appendix II). As none of the ships are well documented, one can catch only a glimpse of the trade which Oliver conducted with Europe, Calcutta, the West Indies, and coastwise America. Of interest in the shipping papers are a number of undated items including a biographical sketch of Captain Haraden of Gloucester, instructions for taking lunar observations, charts of Matanzas Bay, and islands off the coast of Sumatra, and an ink wash view of the Cape of Good Hope.

Subseries B. Correspondence contains shipping correspondence from merchants in Boston, Europe, and the West Indies. Also included is business correspondence regarding Oliver's interests in the United States and insurance stocks, the Great Falls Manufacturing Company in Dover, and the maintenance of his properties. The correspondence also contains a few letters from Oliver to his father and one from a publisher expressing interest in his essays on politics and economics.

Subseries C. Personal Papers consists of legal and financial papers. The legal documents include deeds to the Hampstead, New Hampshire, land and papers from the estate of Oliver's former employer and partner Ebenezer Stoker. Of interest in the bills and receipts are accounts for the "Gentlemen of the Assembly," apparently a society to which Oliver belonged, an undated house and farm inventory, and a conversion memorandum to figure changes in the currencies of various states. Additional personal business accounts may be found in the account books.

Series II. Family Papers, 1775-1875, contains papers of Oliver's father, Oliver Putnam (1755-1818), and his brother Thorndike and Joshua. Oliver Sr.'s papers include land deeds, receipts, and account book entries pertaining to his Newburyport blacksmithing business, and correspondence with Boston merchant Phineas Adams concerning the well-being of his sons Oliver and Thorndike when they were at sea. Of interest are early letters which Oliver Sr. received from his brother-in-law Benjamin Rea, his father Oliver Putnam of Danvers, and his parents-in-law Eleazur and Sarah (Perkins) Lake of Topsfield.

Thorndike Putnam's papers contain letters received while he cared for the Hampstead, New Hampshire farm, his estate accounts, and those of his wife Mary (Chase) Putnam. Also included are miscellaneous papers of his son, Henry, and his grandchildren, Oliver (1844-1897) and Laura.

The bulk of Joshua Putnam's papers relate to the Ship Marmion upon which Joshua sent goods during its 1819-1821 voyage to Manila, Saigon, Samarang, and Rotterdam. The account book also includes a one-page log of the Brig Rapid (undated) when William H. Nichols was master.

Series III. Miscellaneous Papers, 1797-1855, include an invoice of the Ship Ruthelia (1836) and papers of Nathaniel Little of Hampstead, New Hampshire.