Table of Contents

Biographical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Separations List

Administrative Information

Description

Subject Headings

Inventory of the Lyman Allyn Papers

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Biographical Note

Lyman Allyn, the son of Freeman and Irene Allyn, was born in 1797 in Montville, Connecticut. He moved with his family to Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1803 and then to New London, Connecticut, in 1818. He began his career by shipping on whalers for two prominent whaling agents and worked his way up to captain while working for N. & W. W. Billings. By 1834, he had established himself as an independent whaling agent for five vessels, namely the ships Columbus, George, George and Mary, Georgia, and Louvre. Allyn still maintained close business ties with N. & W. W. Billings, investing in a number of their whaling and merchant vessels. He was also active selling whale-oil and bone to commission merchants in New York City, N.Y. During the California gold rush, Allyn converted a number of vessels and carried miners and supplies to the west coast. By about 1855, he withdrew from whaling and concentrated on selling oil and bone and on investing in land and railroads in Illinois and Indiana. He also acted as landlord for several properties in New London and New York City.

In 1825, Allyn married Emma Turner (1804-1881). Children from this marriage included Mary Turner Allyn Seymour Henry (1832-1906), Emma A. Allyn (1834-1877), Charlotte C. Allyn (1836-1910), John Turner Allyn (1838-1887), and Harriet Upson Allyn Allyn (1840-1926). Lyman Allyn died in 1874.

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Scope and Content Note

The bulk of Lyman Allyn's papers consist of ship's papers for vessels which he served as agent, in which he had an interest, commanded, or with which he contracted business, 1825-1854. Of primary importance among the records of the five vessels for which he acted as agent, 1834-1853, are correspondence between Allyn and captains, businessmen, owners, and recruiting agents; agent/owner accounts, which consist of records for outfitting, recruiting, and settling individual whaling voyages; and crew papers, including agreements with the agent, slops accounts, bills, and Whalemens' Shipping Papers. In addition, these records include consular and customs records, primarily consisting of bills, receipts, and clearances; sales and purchase agreements; insurance records; bills of exchange and lading; bills of sale; bills and receipts; and memoranda concerning crew, cargo, stores, and sails. The other vessels in the collection are represented by similar materials. Of primary importance among the shipmaster's records are letters to Allyn as captain of the John and Edward (Ship) from agents N. & W. W. Billings in December 1831, discussing the presence of a United States warship near the Falkland Islands to prevent the seizure of American whalers. The letters also discuss the failure of the Davis Strait whale fishery and the current prices of whale-oil and bone.

Another significant portion of Lyman Allyn's papers consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence, 1829-1874. The bulk of the correspondence concerns his business ventures in whaling, selling oil, and investing in western lands and railroads. Correspondents include merchants E. D. Hurlbut & Company, M. H. Shepard, Grinnell, Minturn & Company, Lyman Allyn (d. 1869), and bakers Davidson & Young, of New York City, New York; Henry Leavitt Ellsworth (1791-1858), a prominent agriculturalist, land agent, and commissioner of patents; the Brazilian consul to the United States appointing Allyn as vice consul; and members of his family in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Estate records also constitute a substantial amount of material in this collection. Among the estates represented are those of Allyn himself; William H. Craddock, which is closely tied into Allyn's personal estate; William P. Cleveland; Nancy Young Copeland; Jesse Jerome; William Morgan, which also includes a trust for his children; Nehemiah B. Payne; and Jeremiah and Mary Tinker. The settlement of the Tinker estate, which also included the guardianship of their children, lasted beyond Allyn's death and involved his daughter, Charlotte C. Allyn, as his administratrix, and his sons-in-law, Harvey Seymour and James Allyn. These records encompass correspondence, bills and receipts, accounts, and probate records, dating 1825-1895. Additional material consists of legal documents, 1785-1874, including deeds, agreements, warrants, and protests; financial records encompassing bills and receipts, accounts, including accounts of the Waterford, Conn., War Committee, 1862, which Allyn chaired, and checks, invoices, statements, and similar records, 1813-1874; and a poem, set of instructions, printed laws and other miscellany, ca. 1840-1857, 1939.

Members of Lyman Allyn's family and relatives by marriage are also represented by material in this collection. These materials, dating 1809-1917, include correspondence, legal documents, financial records, and similar personal papers. Of particular note among these records are the papers of Harriet Upson Allyn Allyn and John Turner Allyn. Harriet's papers, 1850-1917, consist of bills and receipts for personal and farm items; checks; accounts; correspondence, chiefly regarding investments; herd registers for cattle she bred and sold; dog licenses; tax exemption certificates for bonds she held; and a specification. John's papers, 1850-1889, encompass bills and receipts for personal and farm items; legal documents, including deeds; business correspondence; records of his personal estate settled by his sister, Harriet; insurance policies; and herd registers. Miscellaneous family papers, 1792-1931, primarily consist of financial records of people believed to be related to the Allyn family.

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 76 [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

Materials in this collection were given to the Old Dartmouth Historical Society by Mrs. Charles F. Batchelder on 22 December 1975.

Processing Information

Processed by: Barbara E. Austen, with assistance from Joyce Borden, ca. 1982

Encoded by: Mark Procknik, 07 March 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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