Table of Contents

Biographical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Administrative Information

Collection Inventory

Subject Headings

Inventory of the Joshua Clapp Stone Papers

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Biographical Note

Joshua Clapp Stone was born in Boston on August 25, 1825. After graduating from Harvard in 1844, he spent a year at Harvard Law School and then completed his law studies with Colonel Page in New Bedford. Admitted to the bar in 1844, Stone then continued as a partner in Colonel Page’s practice until the senior attorney retired.

In 1853, Stone joined the practice of Lincoln F. Brigham where he remained until 1859. In 1859, Stone returned to Boston where he remained until 1862 when he returned to New Bedford to join the practice of William W. Crapo (Crapo and Stone). Stone continued at this firm until his death on January 2, 1869. Stone married Elizabeth Hathaway of New Bedford and they were the parents of four sons (Henry, Nathaniel, Francis and Frederic) and a daughter (Caroline).

Return to the Table of Contents

Scope and Content Note

Materials in this collection consist of Joshua Clapp Stone’s correspondence from 1848 to 1868. Stone’s correspondence is addressed primarily to Elizabeth Hathaway Stone and document the time prior to their marriage. Stone consistently writes of the areas where he traveled, and as a result, his letters include rich descriptions of Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The content of Stone’s later letters, dated 1858 to 1868, describe his family life, the activities of his four sons and the birth of his daughter.

The letters in this collection were bound together in two separate notebooks. The first notebook contains Stone’s letters from 1848 to 1856, while the second notebook contains his letters from 1858-1868.

Arrangement of Collection

Return 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 182, [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.

Return to the Table of Contents

Administrative Information

Provenance

Materials in this collection were donated to the New Bedford Whaling Museum on August 30, 1995 by Mr. Henry B. Stone as part of accession B95-25

Processing Information

Processed by: Cecelia Tavares, 2020

Encoded by: Kristi Mukk, 9 November 2020

Return to the Table of Contents

Collection Inventory

Return to the Table of Contents

Subject Headings

Return to the Table of Contents