The Francis Stevens Papers contain the shipping and personal papers of Francis Stevens (1772-1823). The collection has been arranged into four series.

Series I. Ships' Papers contains bills, receipts, and accounts of payment to the crew for the Columbus (Ship). The oversized folder on the ship Columbus includes charter documents and crew lists. Also included are bills for goods and receipts for the Jackin (Schooner). The folder labeled John George (Schooner) contains receipts, work contracts, official state and foreign government documents, listings of crew on board, permits, documentation of the building of the schooner John George, and a report and manifest of cargo and insurance policies. The last folder in this series entitled Mount Vernon (Ship) contains logs of wages paid to crew and payments received for merchandise at ports.

Series II. Correspondence consists of correspondence received by Francis Stevens, which contains thirteen letters to Captain Stevens from Abiel Wood of Wiscasset, Maine, owner of the ship Mount Vernon and two letters from John W. Rogers, captain of the ship Mercury. Also included are two bills of disbursement from the ship Mercury. The material also includes correspondence from other individuals. Some letters mention the firm Nisbett and Brother of Savannah, Georgia.

The folder entitled "Correspondence sent by Francis Stevens" contains three letters written to his wife Mary and a letter to John Proctor. The folder entitled "Correspondence of others" contains a letter to the firm, Nisbett and Brother from Abiel Wood, one letter to Captain Arch Selaman of the schooner Harriet from William Patrick, and a letter to Samuel Williams Eagan from John Peter referencing payment to crew members.

Series III. Personal Papers is comprised of three folders: "Francis Stevens" contains a receipt of rent paid, bills, receipts, taxes, legal documents, a poem, and a dog license for Plato; "Mary Stevens" contains receipts, and a receipt of inheritance from John Stevens for Mary Stevens, wife of Francis Stevens; and "Abigail Stevens" contains a jury duty summons and a bill from William Atkins to Abigail Stevens, mother of Captain Francis Stevens.

Series IV. John Stevens Business Papers contains receipts, memorandum of fish caught, and a bill for insurance for John Stevens, captain of the schooner Abigail and father of Francis Stevens.