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COLLECTION Identifier: Mss:1 1771-1904 E14

Eaton family business records

Scope and Content

The collection consists of business records for Joseph Eaton and his son, Samuel, Francis Chase, and James A. Davis. The Eaton, Chase, and Davis families were early settlers of Haverhill, Massachusetts and maintained close kinship ties for decades. It also includes a small amount of Richard Chase accounts, 1807-1828, primarily for the sale of wood and the genealogy of the Chase family.

Dates

  • Creation: 1771-1904

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. Materials stored onsite. Please contact specialcollectionsref@hbs.edu for more information.

Extent

3.42 linear feet (4 volumes, 1 box)

Historical Note

Joseph Eaton, son of Thomas and Lydia (Kimball) Eaton was born February 27, 1730 in Haverhill, Massachusetts. He married Sarah Webster on January 24, 1754 and the couple had ten children. Joseph lived his adult life on a farm opposite his father's house in the West Parish of Haverhill and died there on February 20, 1805. His son, Samuel, was born in Haverhill on July 15, 1760. Samuel was living in Boston in the 1830s, but eventually moved back to Haverhill.

Richard Chase, son of Francis, was born 1780 in Haverhill. Richard married Martha Davis of Amesbury, August 12, 1804 and the couple had eight children. They were: (1) Hannah, b. June 2, 1806; (2) Francis, b. July 26, 1807; (3) Ephraim; b. December 12, 1809; (4) Richard, b. February 2, 1812; (5) Sarah, b. February 18, 1814; (6) son, b. and d. April 23, 1816; (7) Caleb, b. April 23, 1817; and (8) Abigail, b. June 5, 1820. Francis was very active in selling real estate in the towns near Haverhill and even up into New Hampshire. His son, Ephraim moved to Sandown, New Hampshire where he owned a small farm. Ephraim married Sarah Eaton, daughter of Samuel, and they had one child, Martha Lois Chase, who was born 1853. Martha married James A. Davis in 1874 and the couple had three children: (1) Alfred, b. 1875; (2) Fannie, b. 1879; and (3) Mary, b. 1881.

Physical Location

MANU

Provenance:

Gift of Mary H. Davis,1969

Digitization Funding

Collections and items have been digitized with the generous support of The Polonsky Foundation.

Title
Eaton Family. Eaton Family Business Records, 1771-1904: Finding Aid
Author
Baker Library
Language of description
und
EAD ID
bak00002

Repository Details

Part of the Baker Library Special Collections and Archives, Harvard Business School Repository

Baker Library Special Collections and Archives holds unique resources that focus on the evolution of business and industry, as well as the records of the Harvard Business School, documenting the institution's development over the last century. These rich and varied collections support research in a diverse range of fields such as business, economic, social and cultural history as well as the history of science and technology.

Contact:
Baker Library | Bloomberg Center
Soldiers Field Road
Boston MA 01263 USA
(617) 495-6411