Rotch, William, Jr.

Scope and Contents: Two account books of merchant and shipowner Humphrey Howland (1759-1812), of New Bedford, Massachusetts, containing records of a general store, trade of whale oil and fish and Howland's commissions on sales, operation of a spermaceti works and a wharf, and coastwise shipping and West Indies voyages. Volume one is a daybook with entries related to shipping, shipfitting, wharfage, dockage, and storage of commodities, sales of general merchandise, and wages paid to employees of the spermaceti...

Scope and Contents: The collection includes correspondence, bills, receipts for payment, a petty cash book, and other business records of members of the Rotch family, dating between 1808 and 1836. The bulk of the materials concern the business interests of William R. Rotch and Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Notable materials include reports from William R. Rotch's commercial agents and ship captains updating him on the current state of foreign markets such as Lisbon, Rio de Janeiro, Bilboa, and Madeira;...