The
The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and
Printed Ephemera
Henry Francis du Pont
5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur,
Delaware 19735
302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883
OVERVIEW OF
THE COLLECTION
Creator: Haskell, John, 1786-1827.
Title: Papers,
Dates: 1818-1825
Call No.:
Acc. No.: 84x68
Quantity: 1 box
Location: 16 A 2
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
John Haskell was a native of
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
Both the bound
volumes and the individual manuscripts describe the economic aspects of a
number of Haskell's voyages. Specifically, accounts, ledgers, and
miscellaneous documents detail arrangements or voyages of, and cargo on board,
the schooner Betsey in 1811, the ship
In one of these bound volumes are modern financial
accounts by an unnamed descendant of Haskell (possibly the Herbert Ensign who
was a real estate broker in Cambridge, New York) recorded in red ballpoint pen
ink, dating from 1963-1971.
ORGANIZATION
For the most part, in chronological order.
LANGUAGE OF
MATERIALS
The materials are in English.
RESTRICTIONS
ON ACCESS
Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.
PROVENANCE
Purchased from Stephen A. Resnick.
ACCESS POINTS
People:
Gilbert, W.
Topics:
Betsey (Schooner)
John Adams (Ship)
Ophelia (Ship)
Duxbury (Brig)
Hiram (Ship)
Shipping - Accounting.
Silk, Chinese.
Merchant ships.
Ships in art.
Merchant marine – Signaling.
Textile fabrics – Specimens.
Men – Diaries.
Account books.
Journals (notebooks).
Bills of lading.
Orders.
Paintings.
Ships’ logs.
Importers.
Additional author:
Elford, James M. Universal signal book.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 16 A
2
Note: all accession numbers begin with 84x68
Folder 1: .1 Gilbert,
W. “Journal of a voyage from Boston to
Liverpool on board ship Hiram, Cap. Samuel A. Whitney, commander.”
July 22-Sept. 1,
1799: entries for the voyage from Boston to Liverpool;
Oct. 22-Nov. 28
1799: travels around England (mostly just records the mileage between the
cities he visited);
on February 16,
1800, went on board the ship John Adams in the harbour of Liverpool, bound to
Boston, Peleg Tollman, master; last entry: April 11, 1800, sight what they
believe to be Cape Ann.
Note: although
W. Gilbert is not fully identified, he was probably a relative of Harriet
Gilbert Haskell. In one of these bound volumes are modern financial accounts by
an unnamed descendant of Haskell (possibly the Herbert Ensign who was a real
estate broker in Cambridge, New York) recorded in red ballpoint pen ink, dating
from 1963-1971.
Folder 2: .2 S.
& G.W. Peare, Gloucester, Jany 23, 1811, to Capt. John Haskell, Jr.
Sailing orders
for schooner Betsey, to sail to St.
Salvador, Brazil, to dispose of cargo of fish and bring back sugar and
Brazilian logwood, plus some cochineal and indigo, with statement about his
payment as percentage of sales
Folder 3: .3 Capt.
Sargent, Gloucester, May 7, 1816, to Mr. Haskell, memorandum, detailing goods
which Sargent wants Haskell to bring back for him, including a set of stone
china (various sizes of dishes, tureens with stands and ladles, baking dishes,
fruit baskets, plates, etc.), also shawls, silk handkerchiefs, shaving and
dressing or work boxes, sweet meats, tortoise shells, nankeen, tea, rosewood
backgammon board, and other goods; includes drawing indicating the thickness of
something (not named) and another drawing labeled “hinges & springs”
On back: calculations
and endorsement: Capt. Sargent’s order, 2d voyage
Folder 4: .4 Mr.
John Haskell in account with Jno. Hartt,
Folder 5: .5 bill
of lading (printed form): shipped by John Haskell in the ship Canton, Isaac Hinckley being master, 24
cases of silk goods being shipped from Canton to Boston, signed Isaac Hinckley,
November 19, 1817;
Form is decorated with a
sailing ship and was sold by James P. Parke of
Folder 6: .6-.7 clearances
at port of Manila, The Philippines, for John Haskell’s brig Duxbury, both on printed forms, both in
Spanish, one dated Nov. 9, 1824, signed Juan Antonio Martinez; both mention
Batavia, and .7 also mentions China; acc. .6 lists the Duxbury’s officers: John
Haskell, Andrew Nevell, J. McSever[?], W. Jordan, and 8 sailors
Folder 7: .8 account
journal of adventure no. 1, Boston and Canton, 1818-1819; lists amounts of
money which people (including women) in Boston invested in the voyage; goods
purchased in Canton, including the names of Chinese merchants; some expenses of
the voyage; disbursements on return to Boston in 1819, etc.
Goods
include silk, shawls, whips, china (including children’s tea sets), fireworks,
writing desks, puzzles, etc.
NOTE: HANDLE WITH CARE –
PAGES VERY BRITTLE
Folder 8: .9 account
journal for ships Canton, Ophelia, and Duxbury, 1820-1825;
includes
lists of disbursements made at various ports: Alexandria, Amsterdam, Potomac in
the English Channel, Savannah, Liverpool, Manila, Singapore, Batavia,
Rotterdam, and St. Allies [?]; mostly these accounts are for provisioning or
repairing the ships, but some mention trade goods: tortoise shell, soap,
cigars, tea, etc.;
Also includes “Inventory of effects on board ship
Ophelia,” May 1823, including clothing, navigation instruments, books (short
titles given, mostly useful to sailors, such as Turner’s longitude tables), charts,
bedding, and “scale & dividers & sundry brifting[?] articles
unnecessary to mention”
Note: most of volume is blank
Folder 9: .10 John
Haskell’s accounts with ships Canton,
Ophelia, and Duxbury, 1820-1825, a companion to the volume above, listing ports
of call and amounts of disbursements, but with less information about goods;
mentioned trade goods include tobacco, tortoise shell, cotton, coffee, sugar,
tea, etc.;
This volume
was defaced by an unknown descendant, perhaps Herbert Ensign, who used it for
his own accounts, 1960s
Folder 10: .11 manuscript
copy of The Universal Signal Book,
published by James M. Elford (1818), with illustrations of flag signals, and
the signals needed to spell the names Canton and Haskell.
Note: the volume has been covered in linen and bound with
black binding tape
Folder 11: .12 volume
with 6 Chinese paintings of Chinese boats; the volume is covered with silk fabric.
HANDLE WITH
CARE
Folder 12: [no accession number] cards with notes about the items in this
collection