This collection contains papers of three members of the Mugford family of Salem, Massachusetts, namely, William Mugford, his brother-in-law Benjamin Dimond, and his son Charles D. Mugford. It includes shipping papers from sixteen vessels. Also present is correspondence with the American Philosophical Society concerning a medal awarded to William Mugford. The collection has been organized into three series.

Series I. William Mugford contains shipping papers from ten vessels captained by William Mugford, including the brigs Columbia, Elvira, Eliza, Herald, and Minerva, ships Betsy, Eliza, Ulysses, and William, and schooner Active. The papers include instructions to Captain Mugford, cargo manifests, invoices, disbursements, receipts, bills of lading, bonds, letters of credit, legal documents, and other papers. The bulk of the papers pertain to the ship Ulysses, captained by William Mugford from 1799 to 1805. Also present is correspondence from the American Philosophical Society concerning the medal awarded to William Mugford for the design of his novel rudder.

Series II. Benjamin Dimond contains shipping papers from two vessels captained by Benjamin Dimond, the brig Nancy and schooner Lively. Included are invoices, disbursements, an insurance policy, letters of protest, and other legal papers. There is also a list of officers from the brig Cossack; the list includes Benjamin Dimond, Clerk, presumably Captain Benjamin Dimond's son.

Series III. Charles D. Mugford contains shipping papers from three ships, Black Warrior, Grotius and Areatus, captained by Charles Mugford. The bulk of the papers pertain to Black Warrior, and these include accounts of sales, invoices, receipts, instructions from the owners, cargo lists, disbursements, customs forms, and other papers. Series III contains smaller collections of papers from the ships Grotius and Areatus. Of interest among the Areatus papers are letters from Charles Mugford to the owners describing his experiences trading in the Phillipines and China.