MSS 128:  George C. Perkins Estate Records, 1831-1966 - New Bedford Whaling Museum
Inventory of the George C. Perkins Estate Records In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research LibraryProcessed by: Jalien Hollister; machine-readable finding aid created by: Emily EstenFunds for processing this collection were provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities.Inventory of the George C. Perkins Estate Records In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Table of Contents

Biographical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Administrative Information

Description

Inventory of the George C. Perkins Estate Records

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library



Title:
George C. Perkins Estate Records
Date Span:
1831-1966
Creator:
George C. Perkins, 1921-2005
Mss Number:
Mss 128
Extent:
3.25 linear feet
Abstract:
Collection of papers, correspondence, documents, and ships papers purchased from the estate of George C. Perkins (1921-2005), a partner in the law firm of Crapo, Clifford, Prescott, Bullard, and McLeod, bulk dates 1860-1920
Repository:
New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library
Phone: (508) 997-0046

Biographical Note

William Wallace Crapo was born in 1830 and died in 1926. Mr. Crapo was the son of Henry Howland Crapo.(1804-1869) He was the head of the law firm Crapo, Clifford & Clifford and later, Crapo, Clifford, Prescott and Bullard. He was engaged in the prosecution on behalf of the New Bedford whalemen in the “Alabama Claims” whereby the British Government paid $15,000,000 to the U.S. Government for losses suffered due to the collusion of the British with the Confederate privateers. Mr. Crapo was president of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society from 1903 to 1908.

Henry Howland Crapo (2) (1862-1951) was the eldest son of William Wallace Crapo. He was born in 1862 and in 1887 become a member of Crapo, Clifford & Clifford. Mr. Crapo was president of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society from 1938 to 1940.

Charles Warren Clifford, eldest son of Gov. John Henry Clifford was born in 1844. In 1869 he became a member of Marston & Crapo until its dissolution in 1878. He then became a partner in the firm of Crapo, Clifford & Clifford where he remained for 45 years. He was counsel for the owners of the Cape Horn Pigeon (Bark) and took part in the arbitration between the U.S. and Russia at the Hague. He died in 1923.

Walter Clifford was the second son of Gov. John Henry Clifford. He was born in 1849. He become the managing clerk for the law office of Marston & Crapo and from 1878 until his death 34 years later, was a partner in the firm of Crapo, Clifford & Clifford, later Crapo, Clifford & Prescott, then Crapo, Clifford Prescott & Bullard. He died in 1913.

Oliver Prescott (second) was the grandson of Judge Oliver Prescott. Oliver Prescott was a member of Crapo, Clifford, Prescott and Bullard. He died in 1938.

John H. Clifford (1879-1950) grandson of Gov. John Henry Clifford and son of Walter Clifford, was a member of the firm Crapo, Clifford, Prescott & Bullard.

George Marston was born in 1821. He became an associate of W. W. Crapo in 1869 and established the firm of Marston & Crapo. That firm continued for nine years and upon the dissolution of the partnership it then became Marston & Cobb. He died in 1883.

George C. Perkins (1921-2005) was a partner in the law firm of Crapo, Clifford, Prescott, Bullard and McLeod. Mr. Perkins was one of the founders of the New Bedford historic architecture preservationorganization WHALE (the Waterfront Historic Area League).

Historical Note

The law firm of Crapo, Clifford, Prescott and Bullard is a descendant of the firm of Coffin (Timothy G.) and Clifford (John H.), 1830-1834. In succession came the partnerships of Colby and Clifford, Clifford and Brigham, Brigham and Stone, Stone and Crapo, Marston and Crapo, and Crapo, Clifford and Clifford, the latter formed in 1878. Mr. Crapo’s partners and associates were Joshua C. Stone, George Marston, Wendell H. Cobb, Charles W. Clifford, Walter Clifford, Frederick S.C. Bartlett, Henry H. Crapo (second), Oliver Prescott (second), John H. Clifford (second) John M. Bullard, Oliver Prescott (third) and Bryant Prescott.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection of papers and documents represents a small portion of the contents of the law off ices of Crapo, Clifford & Clifford and its descendants. Other related papers and documents from this law office can be found in Accessions 2010.33 and 2011.24. The ships papers represent additional materials that may be found in these collections. The ships papers include the correspondence and depositions related to those ships and is arranged chronologically. They contain a great deal of information concerning particular cases such as the Cape Horn Pigeon and thePioneer. A large portion of the correspondence of the individual partners consists of short notes regarding court schedules and other administrative issues but it also contains letters regarding important legal cases and laws.

Other materials are related to the 1st Congregational Society of New Bedford and C.W. Clifford’s efforts to raise funds for a new building.

Included are a number of stock certificates from various corporations as well as a variety of bank checks, demand notes and the like.

Arrangement of Collection

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Access to Collections

Unrestricted. Consult librarian for an appointment.

Preferred Citation

New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library Mss 128, [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.

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Provenance

The Old-Dartmouth Historical Society - New Bedford Whaling Museum acquired materials in this collection as part of Accession #2011.106

Processing Information

Processed by: Jalien Hollister, 2014

Encoded by: Emily Esten, 22 August 2014

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Description

Please Consult Research Library for Detailed Description of Collection

Series I: Ship Related Correspondence and Documents, 1847-1925
This series contains the papers, correspondence, and records of vessels and related shipping documents as they relate to legal cases in which they are involved. These papers are arranged alphabetically.
Series II: Correspondence, 1851-1966
This series contains the correspondence of the partners of the law firm of Crapo, Crapo and Clifford and its other iterations. The first sub-series consists of the correspondence from and to the law firm in general. The second sub-series contains the correspondence of the individual partners of the firm.
Series III: Legal Documents and Papers, 1805-1898
This series consists of the legal documents relating to the clients of the Firm.
Series IV: Financial Documents, 1805-1958
This series contains financial documentsrelated to various partners as well as clients of the Firm. They are arranged by type: checks, demand notes, receipts and stock certificates.
Series V: Correspondence and Documents Related to C.W. Clifford and the First Congregational Society, 1861-1918
This is a group of documents and correspondence from Charles W. Clifford’s papers.
Series VI: Additional Unassociated Material and Ephemera
This series contains ephemera and materials that are unrelated to the collection.

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