The Thomas Wigglesworth Jr. papers contain business documents related to shipping, import and export of goods, prices current, and financial accounts. Since the earliest material covers the time that Thomas Wigglesworth Jr. would have still been a child and later in college, it is possible that he acquired some of the items from his father or had written them out himself as he researched the market over the time covered (1824-1833). This collection is made up of two series.

Series I. Shipping Papers contain bills of lading emanating from Calcutta, a charter agreement, and details about the voyages of the ship Archangel. Also included is correspondence between Wigglesworth and supercargoes, some with written instructions to the supercargoes, including a notebook with detailed instructions about the type, quality, weight, value and handling of Indian commodities purchased and exported. In one of the letters, a supercargo in Calcutta makes reference to the troubles in Egypt in 1840.

Series II. Financial and Trade Papers contain five subseries. Subseries A. Correspondence, contains correspondence to Wigglesworth regarding trade and prices. Subseries B. Imports and Exports contain reports of the imports and/or exports out of specific ports or about specific items. Ports included in this subseries include: Bombay, Calcutta, and Canton [Guangzhou]. There is also a Bengal-to-English weight chart and a report on the import and export of Indigo in 1824.

Subseries C. Market Reports and Prices Current comprises the bulk of the collection. These reports, both printed and handwritten, are from various ports around the world and cover several decades. The reports are arranged alphabetically and include: Amsterdam, Antwerp, Buenos Ayres, Calcutta, Canton, Copenhagen, Geneva, Hamburg, Havana, Leghorn, Liverpool, London, Manila, Rotterdam, San Francisco, Singapore, St. Petersburg, and Triste.

Subseries D. Account Books contain two invoice account books. Subseries E. Other contains miscellaneous items such as a sales account and a Boston Weekly Report from August 19, 1826.