The Parsons Family Papers consist of the shipping, business, and personal papers of a successful Gloucester, Massachusetts, merchant family. The collection contains shipping papers of ship owner and master Aaron Parsons Sr. (1759-1809), and privateering, merchant, and wharfage papers of his sons, Aaron Jr. (1790-1838) and Winthrop Parsons (1795-1873). Also included are papers of Aaron's Sr.'s wife, Mary (Dolliver) Parsons, his daughter Nancy Parsons (1784-1860), and his grandson Aaron Parsons (1848-1901). The collection is divided into five series.

Series I. Aaron Parsons Sr. Shipping Papers contains ships' papers, shipping correspondence, and financial papers which reflect Aaron Sr.'s career as a shipmaster and owner. There are a few papers documenting the majority of the vessels found in this collection. The ships' papers, however, briefly cover all of Aaron Sr.'s voyages as master from 1783 to 1794. They also provide a glimpse at all but one of the vessels which Aaron Sr. owned (See Appendix II for a complete list). The bulk of the shipping correspondence contains information regarding cargo and finance, and includes correspondence with Aaron's partners Ignatius Sargent and Eben and Thomas Parsons. In addition to general shipping accounts, the account and memorandum books contain ships' accounts, and storage and wharfage memorandums. For additional outfitting and cargo sales receipts, and papers relating to the final settlement of the schooner Martin's voyage to Spain, see Aaron's estate papers (B3 F9).

Series II. Aaron Jr. and Winthrop Parsons Shipping Papers records the shipping and mercantile activities of Aaron Sr.'s sons. Of interest in this subseries are ships' papers of the fishing schooner Dover. The legal papers contain an 1811 partnership agreement between Aaron Jr. and Samuel Elwell to engage in retail trade. The account and memorandum books include personal accounts of family members and estate accounts of Aaron Sr. and Mary Parsons.

Series III. Aaron Sr. and Mary Parsons Papers include an 1809 inventory. Additional estate papers may be found in the bills and receipts of their children and in the account books of Series II.

Series IV. Aaron Parsons Jr. (1790-1838) Personal Papers consists primarily of business and personal correspondence covering Aaron's interest in bank stocks and lotteries. Also included are letters reflecting his role as fiscal agent for Anne Somes, his sister Nancy Parsons, cousin Susan Widgery, and cousin Anthony Morse. Of special note is a letter from Aaron dated September 17, 1830 describing the effects of a large fire in Gloucester and an 1834 letter to the Directors of the Gloucester Canal regarding steamboat traffic.

Series V. Family and Miscellaneous Papers includes personal and business papers of Winthrop, Nancy, and Aaron Parsons, bills and receipts of Daniel and Ann Parsons, shipping papers of Captain Paul Dolliver (father of Mary Dolliver Parsons), and legal papers relating to Susan Widgery's husband William. The papers of Winthrop and Nancy Parsons describe their interests in bank stocks. Aarons' papers contain an essay on a voyage to the Orient, minutes from town and club meetings, and a volume of Gloucester warehousing bonds. Of special note are Captain Dolliver's shipping papers generated from his voyages to the West Indies circa 1750 to 1770. William Widgery's papers concern his death by drowning. This series has been divided into four subseries.