Lopez, Aaron (1731-1782)

Person

Dates

Existence: 1731 - 1782

Biography

Aaron (born Duarte) Lopez (1731-1782) was a Portuguese-Jewish merchant and ship owner who emigrated to America, settling in Newport in 1752. He built a candle factory there, and acquired spermaceti to be used in the manufacture of his products, as well as whale oil and headmatter through Massachusetts merchants like Henry Lloyd (1709-1795). He was also involved in the slave trade. Lopez's ships were subject to interception and capture by the British and American navies during the Revolutionary War, and as a result, his finances deteriorated during conflict.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Correspondence of Boston and Newport merchants

FOUND IN: Baker Library Special Collections and Archives, Harvard Business School

Collection Identifier: Mss:732 1732-1790 B747

Overview:

This collection consists of four volumes of collected and bound correspondence of merchants engaged in trade of commodities like spermaceti and whale oil, rum, and molasses in Boston, Massachusetts, and Newport, Rhode Island, dated from 1732 to 1790. The bulk of the letters are addressed to Newport merchants Aaron Lopez (1731-1782) and Christopher Champlin (1731-1805) from Boston merchants Henry Lloyd (1705-1795), John Powell, and others.