Woodwell Family Papers, 1755-1884
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Not requestable
Scope and Content Note
The Woodwell Family Papers document the activities of the Woodwell shipyard and the ship chandlery and hardware business established by David T. Woodwell. The collection has been divided into two series.
Series I. Woodwell Shipyard Records begins with account books and receipts for Gideons activities as a ship carpenter and conclude with the closing of the yard by the Woodwell brothers in 1852. Both Gideon and John (1752-1822) appear to have operated a general store in addition to building ships, since accounts for vessels built and repaired run alongside those for the sale of dry goods merchandise. In addition to ship carpentry accounts, the Woodwell Brothers daybook contains entries for their work on the Parker River and Plum Island bridges.
Series II. D. T. Woodwell & Company Records provides a comprehensive documentation on the fiscal status of the business, but limited information on the companys actual retail activities. Only the journals contain itemized listings of goods purchased. The remaining volumes list customer or suppliers name and the debit or credit rendered. The shipping and estates account books (B3 F4) may reflect Woodwells management and part ownership in sailing vessels as well as his administration of various estates.
Dates
- Creation: 1755-1884
Creator
- Woodwell family (Family)
Restrictions on Access
This collection is open for research use.
Biographical Sketches
Gideon Woodwell (1720-1790) began his career as a ship carpenter; he had begun building vessels by 1759. From the time he established his Newbury, Massachusetts, shipyard in 1762 until the Revolutionary War halted manufacturing, Woodwell had built 52 vessels, He resumed shipbuilding in 1783, forming a company, Woodwell & Hale, with his son John (1752-1822) and son-in-law Enoch Hale. After Gideons death in 1790, Gideon (1750-1840), John, and Enoch Hale continued operating the yard.
John (1752-1822) and his sons John (1786-1861), David (1788-1857), and Gideon (1790-1871) ran the yard under the name Woodwell Brothers. After Johns death in 1822 his sons continued the business until the yard closed in 1852. In addition to building ships, the brothers also rebuilt the Parker River Bridge and repaired the Plum Island Bridge.
David Titcomb Woodwell (1820-1884), the son of David (1788-1857) learned the trade of ship carpenter in the Woodwell yard. After the yard closed in 1852, he formed a hardware business with his father-in-law, Jacob Haskell. The company, which was known as D. T. Woodwell * CO., specialized in ship chandlery.
Extent
2.25 linear feet (4 boxes; 2 volumes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Woodwell Family Papers document the activities of the Woodwell shipyard and the ship chandlery and hardware business established by David T. Woodwell.
Series List
SERIES I. Woodwell Shipyard Records
SERIES II. D. T. Woodwell & Company Records
Physical Location
Phillips Library Stacks
Provenance
The D. T. Woodwell & Company records were purchased on August 19, 1930. The John Woodwell account books were purchased June 3, 1924. A shipbuilding contract between John Woodwell and Tower and Holbrook, dated 1845, was purchased from Ten Pound Island Book Co., on August 17, 2021 (Acc 2021.030). The remainder of the collection is from an unknown source.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Prudence K. Backman, March 1987. Updated by Tamara Gaydos, September 2015.
Subject
- Hale, Enoch, 1757-1825 (Person)
- Haskell, Jacob (Person)
- Woodwell, David, 1788-1857 (Person)
- Woodwell, David T. (David Titcomb), 1820-1884 (Person)
- Woodwell, Gideon, 1720-1790 (Person)
- Woodwell, Gideon, 1750-1840 (Person)
- Woodwell, Gideon, 1790-1871 (Person)
- Woodwell, John, 1752-1822 (Person)
- Woodwell, John, 1786-1861 (Person)
- D. T. Woodwell & Co. (Newbury, Mass.) (Organization)
- Woodwell Brothers (Newbury, Mass.) (Organization)
- Title
- WOODWELL FAMILY PAPERS, 1755-1884
- Author
- Processed by: Prudence K. Backman; Updated by: Tamara Gaydos; machine-readable finding aid created by: Rajkumar Natarajan.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Sponsor
- Processing and rehousing of this collection were funded by grants from the following Essex Institute corporate members: Gulf of Maine Research Group, Bursaw Oil Corp., and Salem Laundry Company.
Repository Details
Part of the Phillips Library Repository