The Peele Family Papers reflect the shipping and merchant activities of Jonathan Peele, Jr., and Willard Peele of Salem, Massachusetts. The collection has been arranged in two series.

Series I. Jonathan Peele, Jr. (1731-1809) Papers includes ships' papers, shipping account books, and personal papers. Subseries A. Shipping Papers, arranged alphabetically by ship, is comprised of documents relating to vessels owned or chartered by Jonathan Peele, Jr. The papers of ships owned jointly by Jonathan and Willard Peele reside with the Willard Peele Papers (Series II). Because the Peeles arranged their shipping records by ship and voyage, ships papers have been divided by voyage insofar as possible. Papers not associated with a particular voyage have been placed among an individual ships miscellaneous papers. Crew lists are available for most ships in the collection.

The papers of the ship Rachel's 9th voyage contain an account of the capture and detention of the ship by a Danish vessel in 1809. Of particular interest are the papers of schooner Rajah, the first ship to sail directly from Sumatra to Salem with a cargo of pepper. Materials concerning the condemnation of schooner Willard provide information on maritime property disputes.

Subseries B. Personal Papers provide little information about Jonathan Peele's home life but contain documents relative to his wife Margaret (Mason) and relations Sarah Peele and Hannah Carnes.

Series II. Willard Peele (1773-1835) Papers are comprised of ships' papers, shipping correspondence, account books, business papers, and personal papers. Subseries A. Shipping Papers contains documents relating to vessels owned or chartered by Willard Peele or co-owned with Jonathan Peele, Jr. The papers of ship Argonaut are notable for their documentation of the premature condemnation of the ship and the resultant legal action against the Merchants Insurance Company. The notebook of Captain Gamaliel Hodges contains extensive notes on the culture of native Sumatrans. The papers of the ship Perseverance include correspondence from part-owner J. Willard Peele in Antwerp. The majority of the shipping correspondence consists of market advices and prices current from ports in American and abroad. Also included is a series of letters (1821-1822, 1824) from Daniel Webster and his associate Alex Bliss regarding the spoliation claims of an anonymous group of Salem merchants. Researchers interested in the voyages of particular ships after 1810 should consult the "Index to Journals C and D" for access to accounts from particular voyages of individual ships. The shipping account book contains accounts from ships Aurora and Perseverance, and brig Jane.

Subseries B. Business Papers begins with documentation of the Ohio Company, formed to manage investments in Ohio real estate from 1800-1834. The papers of the Grosvenor/Rice School describe the search for a new school master and the annual meetings of the school trustees. They include letters from Levi Hedge, religious education and philosopher from Harvard University. The folder title reflects the earliest masters of the school, Ebenezer Grosvenor and John P. Rice since the documents did not actually identify the school's name. The papers concerning the Liberty Street Fire are comprised of lists of belongings lost by Salem citizens in the 1816 tragedy.

Subseries C. Personal Papers contain a number of interesting items. Among the correspondence is a letter from Daniel Webster urging Peele to run for Congress (October 22, 1822). In the accounts/receipts file are receipts for carvings by Samuel McIntire (June 13, 1810) and portraits executed by James Frothingham (November 18, 1820). The printed matter includes twentieth century restrikes of Willard Peele's business card and articles of incorporation for the following local institutions: the [Salem] Bank for Savings (1820), Commercial Bank (1819), Essex Fire and Marine Insurance Co. (1803), Gloucester Canal Corp. (1822), Merchants Insurance Co. (1823), Office of Discount and Deposit, Bank of the United States (Boston, 1817).