Correspondence of Boston and Newport merchants

Christopher Champlin (1731-1805) was a merchant and ship owner in Newport, Rhode Island. He sometimes partnered with his brother, George Champlin (1739-1809), a shipmaster, and traded goods including oatmeal, beans, pork, butter, and molasses with fellow merchants including John Powell of Boston, Massachusetts. In 1764, Champlin and Powell became victualling agents for the British navy, supplying food and other commodities to ships.

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). 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.

Henry Lloyd (1709-1795) was a merchant in Boston who traded in commodities like wheat, lumber, potash, and animal pelts in New England, the West Indies, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and England. He assisted Newport merchant Aaron Lopez (1731-1782) with the acquisition of spermaceti and whale oil from Nantucket and New Bedford whalers like William Rotch (1734-1828).

John Powell was a merchant in Boston active from the 1760s to the 1780s, who traded in oatmeal, beans, fish, beef, port, butter, and molasses. He had a business partnership with his brother in the firm of John & William Powell. He traded with merchants including Christopher Champlin of Newport.