Cushing and White Records, 1773-1852
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Not requestable
Scope and Content Note
The Cushing and White Records contain ships' papers, correspondence, accounts, receipts, and an account book relating to the shipping and privateering activities of this Boston, Massachusetts firm. Although the records include items from 1773 to 1852, the bulk of the collection concerns privateering during the American Revolution, 1775 to 1783. The collection has been divided into two series.
Series I. Ships' Papers is composed of accounts, receipts, correspondence, inventories, and crew lists. The papers of the ships Alexander and General Hancock, and brigs Diana and Reconciliation contain inventories of ships' stores and appurtenances. The papers of the ship Alexander, schooner Run Fast, and sloop Satisfaction include crew lists. The most complete documentation of privateering activities is found in the papers of the ship Minerva and sloop Satisfaction. Of particular interest in this section is a bill of sale for a portion of the ship Pilgrim, which was purchased by the Salem merchant, Benjamin Waters, and a letter to Cushing and White from Tristram Dalton concerning the sale of a portion of the sloop Satisfaction and the settlement of his accounts, dated March 18, 1778.
Series II. Other contains some general correspondence, a cash book, and accounts and receipts. There is a lengthy letter to John Cushing from William Blodgett which contains an account of his journey from Providence, Rhode Island to Camp Middle Brook, dated January 4, 1779. The cash book includes the accounts of a number of privateer and merchant vessels. Most of the accounts and receipts are related to purchases of stores for the privateers. Also included is a copy of Privateer Instructions, a manuscript copy of the orders issued to privateers by the Continental Congress in 1776.
Dates
- Creation: 1773-1852
Creator
- Cushing and White (Organization)
Restrictions on Access
This collection is open for research use.
Historical Sketch
Cushing and White was a shipping firm based in Boston, Massachusetts. The materials in the collection suggest that the firm was headed by John Cushing and Samuel White. The firm operated a number of privateers during the American Revolutionary War.
Extent
0.5 linear feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Cushing and White Records contain ships' papers, correspondence, accounts, receipts, and an account book relating to the shipping and privateering activities of this Boston, Massachusetts firm.
Series List
SERIES I. Ships' Papers
SERIES II. Other
Physical Location
Phillips Library Stacks
Provenance
This material was purchased in 1938.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Robert P. Spindler, May 1988. Updated by Hilary Streifer, December 2014.
Subject
- Waters, Benjamin, 1720 or 21-1784 (Person)
- Blodgett, William (Person)
- Cushing, John, 1744-1823 (Person)
- Dalton, Tristram, 1738-1817 (Person)
- White, Samuel, 1770-1809 (Person)
- Alexander (Ship) (Organization)
- Betsey (Schooner) (Organization)
- Diana (Brig) (Organization)
- General Hancock (Ship) (Organization)
- General Putnam (Ship) (Organization)
- Jane (Ship) (Organization)
- Margaret (Brig) (Organization)
- Minerva (Ship) (Organization)
- New Duckenfield (Ship) (Organization)
- Pilgrim (Ship) (Organization)
- Pinson (Brig) (Organization)
- Reconciliation (Brig) (Organization)
- Royal George (Ship) (Organization)
- Run Fast (Schooner) (Organization)
- Satisfaction (Sloop) (Organization)
- Syren (Brig) (Organization)
- Tracy (Ship) (Organization)
- Weymouth (Ship) (Organization)
- William (Ship) (Organization)
- Title
- CUSHING AND WHITE RECORDS, 1773-1852
- Author
- Processed by: Robert P. Spindler; Updated by: Hilary Streifer; machine-readable finding aid created by: Rajkumar Natarajan.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Sponsor
- Processing and conservation of this collection was funded in part by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Repository Details
Part of the Phillips Library Repository