The records of Ropes Emmerton & Company, a Salem, Massachusetts, shipping firm, contain correspondence, financial, and shipping records which document the history and activities of the firm and their Arabian, Zanzibar, and Madagascar agencies. The records span the years from the company's beginning in 1882, through its prosperous years into its decline. The records end seven years after the closing of the agencies and the dissolution of the company. Also included are records of Pratt, Read & Company, an ivory manufacturing firm which was taken over by Edward D. Ropes and E. Augustus Emmerton. The collection has been divided into five series.



Series I. Salem Office Records contain correspondence, financial records, and legal papers which give a general overview of the various activities of the company. These include business transactions in the United States, distribution and purchase of cargo, and accounts with foreign agencies. The cable books record copies of cables sent and received by Ropes Emmerton. The originals are located in agency correspondence. The shipping account books and purchase and sale accounts often contain both invoices of cargoes shipped to the United States and a tally of when and where these goods were sold. Of special interest in the legal papers are agreements between Ropes Emmerton & Company and their agents, masters, and foreign merchants. There is also a folder of legal and financial papers from the 1892 sale of the Zanzibar agency to Arnold, Cheney & Company



All accounts current and accounts of sales generated in the foreign agencies, as well as correspondence from Ropes Emmerton & Company to their agents, are located in Series II. Partner and Agency Records. This series contains correspondence, cables and accounts for the firm's partners, Arnold, Hines & Company and Arnold, Cheney & Company, and for the Arabian, Zanzibar, and Madagascar agencies. The agencies are arranged alphabetically by area grouping. Correspondence and cables sent by the agencies, originally mounted in letterbooks, have been dismounted. The original arrangement of reverse chronological order, however, has been maintained. Due to the overlapping of agents' jurisdiction, many of the major agency records contain correspondence and accounts of neighboring agencies. Agency accounts also contain sales of discharged cargo carried by Ropes Emmerton ships.



Series III. Ships' Papers contain not only records for the two ships owned by Ropes Emmerton & Company, Glide (Bark) and Taria Topan (Bark), but also records for ships chartered in cooperation with Arnold, Hines & Company. Bills of lading and invoices arranging for the travel of cargo from the east coast of Africa through the Suez Canal and to London are located with the consigning agency.



Series IV. Pratt Read & Company Records contain correspondence, monthly reports, inventories, and financial papers from 1883 to 1901. These papers reflect the company's profitable business of manufacturing ivory combs, and piano and organ keys.



Series V. Miscellaneous Papers contain six years of William G. Webb's receipts for the guardianship of John Kerivan's children. One folder of miscellaneous papers contains labels and a key to a safe deposit box.