The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE 19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: Haskell, John, 1786-1827.

Title: Papers,

Dates: 1818-1825

Call No.: Col. 7

Acc. No.: 84x68

Quantity: 1 box

Location: 16 A 2

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

John Haskell was a native of Gloucester, Massachusetts, the son of John and Polly (Goodhue) Haskell. He was a captain of ships involved in commerce with China and the East Indies. Haskell died at sea while returning from India. (See Ulysses G. Haskell, "A Short Account of the Descendants of William Haskell of Gloucester, Mass.," Historical Collections of the Essex Institute 32 (July-December 1896): 133-195 [esp. p. 175].)

SCOPE AND CONTENT

Both bound volumes and 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 Canton (several voyages between 1816 and 1822), the ship Ophelia in 1823-1824, and the brig Duxbury in 1824-1825. In one of these bound volumes are modern financial accounts by an unnamed grandchild of Haskell, recorded in red ballpoint pen ink, dating from 1963-1971. Also included are a volume of six small paintings of Chinese ships; and a journal of a 1799 voyage from Boston to Liverpool on board the ship Hiram, and the 1800 return trip aboard the John Adams. This latter journal is by a W. Gilbert.

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:

Canton (Ship)

Betsey (Schooner)

John Adams (Ship)

Ophelia (Ship)

Duxbury (Brig)

Hiram (Ship)

Shipping - Accounting.

China trade porcelain.

China trade watercolor painting.

Silk, Chinese.

Merchant ships.

Ships in art.

Merchant marine – Signaling.

China - Commerce - United States.

East Indies - Commerce - United States.

United States - Commerce - China.

United States - Commerce - East Indies.

Account books.

Journals (notebooks).

Bills of lading.

Orders.

Paintings.

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

Box 1:

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;

Oct. 22-Nov. 28 1799: travels around England;

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

Folder 2: .2 S. & G.W. Peare, Gloucester, July 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 box, sweet meats, tortoise shells, nankeen, tea, and other goods; includes drawing indicating the thickness of something 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, Canton, November 9, 1816, mentions umbrellas; endorsed on back: acc’t curr’t, 2d voyage

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 14, 1817;

Form is decorated with a sailing ship and was sold by James P. Parke of Philadelphia

Folder 6: .6-.7 clearances at port of Manila, The Philippines, for John Haskell’s brig Duxbury, both printed forms, both in Spanish, one dated Nov. 9, 1824, signed Juan Antonio Martinez; both mention Batavia; acc. .6 lists the Duxbury’s officers: Haskell, Nevell, [illegible], 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.

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, Potomack in the English Channel, Savannah, Liverpool, Manila, Singapore, Batavia, Rotterdam, and St. [illegible]; mostly these accounts are for provisioning or repairing the ships, but some mention trade goods;

Also includes “Inventory of effects on board ship Ophelia,” May 1823, including clothing, navigation instruments, books (short titles given), charts, bedding, and “scale & dividers & sundry [illegible] 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;

This volume was defaced by an unknown descendant, 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