Table of ContentsHistorical NoteScope and Content NoteInformation for ResearchersRelated MaterialsAdministrative InformationCollection InventorySubject Headings |
Inventory of the Deborah Smith Taber Family PapersIn the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library
Historical NoteDeborah Smith (1796-1882) was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the daughter of Quakers Abraham Howland Smith (1749-1826) and Zerviah Smith (1751-1817). In 1821, Deborah married Joseph Taber (1796-1882), but out of their five offspring, Edward (1826-1899), Sarah (1827-1845), Anna (1829-1843), Caroline (1831-1832), and Caroline (1834-1899), only Edward (1826-1899), and their youngest daughter, Caroline (1834-1899), gave birth to any children. Caroline married Samuel Henry Morgan (1832-1894) of Albany, New York, in 1859 and four children of her own: Joseph (1861-1866), Henrietta (1863-1914), Walter (b. 1865), and Caroline (b. 1868). Due to an unfortunate illness, Joseph passed away at the age of five. Return to the Table of Contents Scope and Content NoteThe family papers of Deborah Smith Taber consist primarily of correspondence from Deborah and Joseph to their children and grandchildren. Deborah’s correspondence contains letters written in 1844, 1866, and 1871 to her daughter, Caroline, and granddaughter, Henrietta (“Nettie”), providing updates on family matters and Deborah’s daily activities. In one 1866 letter addressed to Caroline, Deborah expresses concern over Joseph (“Josie”), Caroline’s sick son who eventually passed away shortly after Caroline received the letter. Letters written by Joseph Taber span the dates 1873 – 1874, 1882 and are addressed to his daughter, Caroline, and her husband, Samuel, informing both of them of his daily activities in addition to providing updates on other family members and mutual acquaintances. One letter of note, dated 1874, discusses the temperance movement. On occasion, Joseph and Deborah wrote letters together, resulting in two separate letters in two distinct hands that share the same piece of paper. Letters of this variety are written to Caroline and offer both parents’ perspectives. Additional correspondence includes letters written by Caroline addressed to her mother and cousin. Caroline wrote one particular letter when she was ten years old and described school and her studies. The collection also contains a letter written by Samuel to his son, Josie, while he was visiting Joseph and Deborah in New Bedford during the summer of 1866. Shortly after this trip, Josie took ill and passed away. In addition to family correspondence, this collection also contains Deborah’s personal sketchbook, containing over 100 original illustrations on 28 pages. The finely detailed artwork in Deborah’s sketchbook includes depictions of animals, flowers, people, and vessels, as well as calligraphic letters and text. In addition to the correspondence and sketchbook, this collection also contains a note written by Deborah concerning Josie’s death in 1866 and an undated graphic drawing of a decorative floral pattern designed by Deborah. This collection also includes 19 Farmers’ Almanacs owned and annotated with marginalia by various members of Deborah’s family. The almanacs span the years 1816–1820, 1831–1836, and 1857–1864. Almanacs from 1816–1820 were owned and annotated by Abraham Smith, Deborah’s father. Almanacs from 1831–1836 were owned and annotated by Joseph Taber, and almanacs from 1857–1864 were owned and annotated by Deborah. All almanacs in the collection are Robert B. Thomas’ The (Old) Farmer’s Almanack, with the exception of 1834, which is Thomas Green Fessenden’s The New England Farmer’s Almanac. Researchers should note that these almanacs have been individually cataloged with the appropriate Library of Congress call numbers and shelved with the Library’s Rare Books. Arrangement of CollectionReturn to the Table of Contents Information for Researchers
Access to Collections Unrestricted. Consult librarian for an appointment.
Preferred Citation New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library Mss 127, [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: - non-commercial and non-profit study, scholarship, research, or teaching - criticism or commentary - as a NBWM archives preservation or security copy for research use - as a research copy for deposit in another institution
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. Return to the Table of Contents Related MaterialsRelated Manuscript Collections
Mss 15: Taber Family Business Records
Mss 36: Taber Family Papers
Return to the Table of Contents Administrative Information
Provenance Materials in this collection were donated to the New Bedford Whaling Museum on June 12, 2013 by Mrs. Stephanie Hughes as part of Accession #2013.19
Processing Information Processed by: Mark Procknik, 2014 Encoded by: Mark Procknik, 31 January 2014 Return to the Table of Contents Collection Inventory
Return to the Table of Contents
Subject Headings Almanacs, American
Calligraphy
Children--Death
Daily life--New Bedford (Mass.)--19th century
Morgan family
Morgan, Caroline Taber, 1834-1899
Morgan, Joseph, 1861-1866
Morgan, Samuel Henry, 1832-1894
New Bedford (Mass.)--19th century
Notebooks
Pen drawing
Pencil drawing
Quakers
Smith family
Smith, Abraham Howland, 1749-1826
Society of Friends
Taber family
Taber, Deborah Smith, 1796-1882
Taber, Joseph, 1796-1882
Temperance
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