The Stone Silsbee and Pickman records cover the years 1809 to 1904 and include papers for the three partnerships of the firm: Stone Silsbee and Pickman; Silsbee and Pickman; and Silsbee Pickman and Allen. The large volume of this 19th century company's records reflects the growth and transition of the Salem shipping firm. Started during the height of the Salem shipping industry, these records parallel the changes in the industry from its prosperous era to its declining years.

The bulk of this collection documents the middle and later years of the company, 1840 to 1880. Activities of the firm prior to 1840 are represented only by the account books of the bark Camel and ship Endeavor, and a few merchant house letters. Some Benjamin W. Stone and Brothers (MSS 64) account books contain entries for Benjamin W. Stone with Stone Silsbee and Pickman. This collection has been arranged into four series.

Series I. Account Books covers the years 1809 to 1893. Subseries A. General Account Books contains entries for ships, cargo, insurance, and American and foreign merchants. Subseries B. Shipping Account Books includes cargo and crew accounts for individual ships and general shipping accounts. Account books for cargoes imported on chartered vessels have been arranged by port. Miscellaneous shipping account books include entries for more than one ship or unidentified vessels.

Series II. Correspondence covers the years 1827 to 1903. Subseries A. Letter Books contains originals and copies of letters sent and received from merchant houses and ships' masters; Volumes 32 to 36 include indexes. The telegram books contain messages received by the firm from 1878 to 1890. Loose telegrams are filed with merchant house and miscellaneous business correspondence, subseries D and F. Subseries B. Internal Correspondence contains business letters between the firm members. The correspondence before 1865 relates ships' progress, selection of masters, and cargo importation. Correspondence between George H. Allen and firm members discusses financial transactions and investments. Letters from Silsbee and Pickman to George H. Allen also include letters from the partners' children concerning business.

Subseries C. Agents' Correspondence includes letters to and from Stone Silsbee and Pickman agents: F. W. Brown in Hobartown, Australia; E. A. Emmerton in Manila; and J. Henry Williams in New York. The correspondence in this subseries discusses ships' progress, prices current, and advice for the sale and purchase of cargo. Subseries D. Merchant House Correspondence also discusses ships' progress, prices current, and advice for the sale and purchase of cargo. Also in the merchant house correspondence are a few letters addressed to members of Stone Silsbee and Pickman.

Subseries E. American Business Correspondence reveals the transition of Stone Silsbee and Pickman, from a shipping company to Silsbee Pickman and Allen, an investment firm. Early correspondence with merchants concerns ships' activities, insurance, importation and sale of cargoes, and George H. Allen's ventures in the cigar business. Correspondence after 1870 increasingly concerns investments by firm members. Subseries F. Miscellaneous Business Correspondence covers the years 1855 to 1903.

Series III. Shipping Papers covers the years 1812 to 1900. Subseries A. Ships' Papers is arranged alphabetically by the name of the ship and includes vessels owned by Stone Silsbee and Pickman. Papers for chartered vessels follow the alphabetical listing of firm-owned ships. Additional information regarding ships can be found in account books, letter books, agent correspondence, and merchant house correspondence. Subseries B. Miscellaneous Shipping Papers contains documents for more than one vessel or unidentified vessels. The lawsuit with the insurance companies concerning a warehouse fire (box 72, folders 1-3) includes correspondence, affidavits, vouchers, and transcripts of the trial. Included here are George Z. Silsbee's instructions for trading in various East Indian ports.

Series IV. Miscellaneous Papers covers the years 1840-1904 and contains miscellaneous papers related to the firm. Of interest in this series are notes on the histories of various ships, which were collected by George H. Allen. Also included are two charts drawn from the Municipal Observatory in Manila and two issues of The Citizen, a Calcutta newspaper, dated 1852 (flat file 1).