Table of Contents

Historical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Separations List

Administrative Information

Description

Subject Headings

Inventory of the Rodman Family Papers

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Historical Note

Members of the Rodman family of New Bedford, Mass., were chiefly involved with local whaling and textile industries between 1798-1900. Most notable among these individuals were Samuel Rodman Sr. (1753-1835), his sons, Samuel Jr. (1792-1876) and Benjamin (1798-1876), and young Samuel's son, Thomas Rotch Rodman (1825-1905). Samuel Rodman Sr. came to New Bedford from Nantucket in 1798 and established himself as a merchant, banker, and financial supporter of several early textile mills. Like their father, Samuel Rodman Jr. and Benjamin Rodman became merchants, bankers, and merchants involved with out-fitting and financing whaling voyages and funding activities of local cotton-making firms, particularly Wamsutta Mill. Thomas Rotch Rodman, after participating in the Civil War and traveling extensively in the Middle West from 1866-1872, returned to New Bedford and entered the employment of Wamsutta Mill.

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Scope and Content Note

Papers in this collection reflect the activities of members of the Rodman family of New Bedford, Mass., between 1781 and 1933. The material concentrates on Samuel Rodman Jr. and his son, Thomas Rotch Rodman. Samuel's papers consist of diaries, 1821-1859, concerning his business activities, family life, and economic conditions prevailing in New Bedford during that era; personal correspondence; a marriage certificate; and a receipt. Thomas Rotch Rodman's papers include diaries, 1902-1905, chiefly relating to his European travels and social activities; weather observations, 1881-1885; and personal letters to family members written while at Harvard, in the Civil War, and from a period spent traveling in the Middle West.

Also represented by materials in this collection are other Rodman family members and relatives by marriage. Benjamin Rodman's papers include financial records and a letter book, 1829-1832, relating to his activities as a merchant involved in the whaling industry. Papers for Eliza Rodman (1782-1846) and Sarah Rodman Morgan (1793-1888) principally comprise diaries reflecting their social activities and interests between 1805-1826. The collection also contains personal correspondence of Charles W. Morgan (1796-1861), 1819-1851, and letters to Morgan from his brother-in-law, Francis Rotch (1788-1874), 1819-1845, relating to business affairs, family matters, and activities of Rotch family members living in Europe.

Materials in the Rodman Collection have been organized into sub-groups representing letters and papers of Rodmans, Rotches, Morgans and other individuals related by marriage. The sub-groups have been listed in the inventory in alphabetical order by surname. Correspondence, whenever possible, is arranged within each year by the name of the writer. Other papers, organized into series by type of document, are arranged in chronological order except for ships' papers, which are grouped alphabetically by name of vessel. Published works which may serve as a guide to the persons represented in this collection include The Rotches, by John Morgan Bullard (1947), and The History of New Bedford and its' Vicinity, 1602-1892, by Leonard Bolles Ellis (1892).

Arrangement of Collection

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Information for Researchers

Access to the Collection

Unrestricted. Consult librarian for an appointment.

Preferred Citation

New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library Mss 4 [sub-group, series, sub-series, folder/volume as appropriate], [item]

Copyright Notice

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 United States Code 552a) governs the use of materials that document private individuals, groups, and corporations.

Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a reproduction if the document does not infringe the privacy rights of an individual, group, or corporation. These specified conditions of authorized use include:

If the researcher later uses a copy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," the researcher is personally liable for copyright. privacy, or publicity infringement and agrees to indemnify the New Bedford Whaling Museum from any legal action as a result of the error. Permission to obtain a photographic, xerographic, digital, or other copy of a document does not indicate permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, sell, distribute, or prepare derivative works from the document without permission from the copyright holder and from any private individual, group, or corporation shown or otherwise recorded.

Permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, prepare derivative works from, sell, or otherwise distribute the item must be obtained separately in writing from the holder of the original copyright (or if the creator is dead, from his/her heirs) as well as from any individual(s), groups, or corporations whose name, image, recorded words, or private information (e.g. employment information) may be reproduced in the source material. The holder of the original copyright is not necessarily the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The New Bedford Whaling Museum is not legally liable for copyright, privacy, or publicity infringement when materials are wrongfully used after being provided to researchers for "fair use."

This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if fulfillment of the order is judged in violation of copyright or federal or state privacy law. This institution also places restrictions on the use of cameras, photocopiers, and scanners in the research room.

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Separations List

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Administrative Information

Provenance

The major portion of this collection was donated to the Old Dartmouth Historical Society by Dr. Thomas R. Goethals, grandson of Thomas Rotch Rodman, in 1938 and 1946. The financial records of Benjamin Rodman were donated by Miss Elsie West in 1936 and 1937. Other materials were donated to the Society between ca. 1937-1977.

Processing Information

Processed by: Judith Downey, ca. 1982

Encoded by: Kermit Dewey, 11 May 2011; box list amended by Mark Procknik, 04 August 2011

Funds for processing this collection were provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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Description

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Subject Headings

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Vessel Names

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