Table of Contents

Historical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Separations List

Administrative Information

Description

Subject Headings

Inventory of the Hitch Family Papers

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Historical Note

James C. Hitch was born in New Bedford, Mass., in 1839. After acting as a clerk for various local merchants and participating in the Civil War in 1862-1863, he began his career as a public official in 1865. From that year until his death in 1894, Hitch served as a clerk and eventual Collector at the New Bedford Custom House; and also was a member of city government, 1876-1880; secretary of the New Bedford Silver Mining Company, 1882-1886; a Bristol County, Mass., justice of the peace, and a notary public.

James Hitch's son, Mayhew Robinson Hitch (1867-1956), was a lawyer active in New Bedford, Mass., from 1889 until the time of his death. He was appointed probate judge for Bristol County, Mass., in 1922 and acted in such capacity until his retirement in 1948. He also was president and vice president of E. Anthony and Sons, publishers of the Evening Standard (later Standard Times).

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Scope and Content Note

Papers in this collection principally reflect the activities of James C. Hitch and Mayhew Robinson Hitch between the years 1861-1920. The elder Hitch's papers, 1861-1892, include commissions as justice of the peace and notary public, 1864-1892; sea letters, 1861-1863, and a search permit relating to his Custom House duties, 1886; and military records, 1862-ca.1890, featuring an account of his experiences in the Civil War. Mayhew R. Hitch's papers contain personal correspondence, 1877-1889; a ledger reflecting his business as a lawyer, 1901-1904; and an estate record of William T. Soule, 1888-1889; as well as documents relating to Hitch's education and social activities, ca. 1875-1886.

Also represented by personal correspondence in this collection, 1906-1920, are Mayhew Robinson Hitch Jr. (1902-1978) and his sister, Sarah Hitch (1905-1980). In addition to Hitch family papers, this collection encompasses various records which probably relate to Mayhew Robinson Hitch's activities as a lawyer. These materials include financial records for 1882-1896 of the Big Lode Mining Company, a corporation centered in Boston, Mass., with a silver and lead mine in Blaine County, Idaho; and of the North Wharf Company of Edgartown, Mass., 1902. Of particular note, however, are the records of several New Bedford, Mass., benevolent societies. The records of Zouaves, Incorporated, a French-American organization, consist of by-laws and minutes of meetings, 1901-1903. Records of the Sociedad Michaelense Affonso Chaves, a Portuguese American association, include a membership book, 1894-1910, an account book, 1908-1909, and minutes of meetings, 1909-1910. The latter materials also reflect the activities of the Real Associacao Beneficente Automatica Michaelense Incorporada, a society predating the 1909 formation of Sociedad Michaelense Affonso Chaves.

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 30 [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

Papers in this collection were donated to the Old Dartmouth Historical Society from the estate of Sarah Hitch on 1 August 1980.

Processing Information

Processed by: Judith Downey, ca. 1982

Encoded by: Kermit Dewey, 20 August 2011; box list appended by Mark Procknik, 29 February 2012

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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