The John Newmarch Cushing papers document the activities of this Newburyport, Massachusetts, merchant, wharfinger, and ship chandler. The collection also includes John's business and personal papers, and business records of his father, John Newmarch (1779-1849), and brother, William Cushing (1823-1875). The papers are divided into two series.

Series I. Shipping Papers contains account books, and ships' and shipping papers. The account books record shipping expenses incurred by John's vessels, as well as wharfage, dockage, storage, and store rental services which John offered to other merchants. Although this collection contains few records documenting John's vessels, the ships' papers and shipping accounts are of special interest because they provide fascinating shipbuilding and ship chandlery information. Included are a large number of memorandums and accounts listing ship dimensions (including mast and spar dimensions), stores, battens, sails, chains, cordage, tools, paint, tinware, etc. (See Appendix I which notes special lists and memorandums contained in the papers of each vessel.) Also of note in the ships' papers are accounts of the ship Sonora, drawn up following the firing of the vessel by the steamer Alabama in 1863, and general average and partial loss records of the ship Mary L. Cushing, which was stranded on Block Island in 1887, and later run into by another vessel while anchored in Calcutta (1891). The shipping correspondence and legal papers contain merchant correspondence from London and Calcutta, miscellaneous charter party agreements, and memorandums and correspondence regarding shipbuilding designs and requirements.

Series II. Personal and Family Papers contains John's personal and business papers, business records of his father, John Newmarch (1779-1849), and brother, William Cushing (1823-1875), and miscellaneous papers. John's papers include real estate and hay accounts, treasurer's memorandums and tax accounts for the First Presbyterian Society of Newburyport, a fire department membership certificate, and records relating to the trusteeship of Nicholas Johnson's estate. John Newmarch Cushing's (1779-1849) papers feature documents regarding increased pilotage rates on the Merrimac River. Of interest in William's papers are his referee accounts settling the schooner Isabella's 1850 voyage to Labrador. Also included is a 1714 Salisbury land deed of Caleb Cushing, miscellaneous master's correspondence, papers regarding the estates of Thomas and William Pritchard, and an undated map of an army installation, Camp Curtis, in Sulphur Springs, Missouri.