Table of Contents

Historical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Related Materials

Separations List

Administrative Information

Inventory of Collection

Subject Headings

Inventory of the Swift Family Papers

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Historical Note

Hester Williams Swift Prescott (1882-1962) was born in New Bedford, MA, to Dr. William Nye Swift (1854-1911) and his wife Anna Hathaway Swift (1855-1933). In 1897, the family spent a year in Berlin and traveling in Europe. Hester spent a year at the Sorbonne in Paris in 1901. In 1910, she became engaged to Henry Dudley Prescott and married him a year later.

Henry Dudley Prescott (1875-1945) was the son of Charles Dudley and Martha Knowles Prescott. He graduated from Harvard College as a doctor and became a surgeon at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford for short time until he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Due to his health condition, he was not able to continue his practice. The Prescotts continued to be active in civic concerns and social activities. Hester volunteered at St. Luke’s Hospital and became very involved in writing her families histories and genealogies.

Members of the Hathaway family were chiefly involved in the China trade as importers of tea, hemp, and silk and in various aspects of the whaling industry between 1816 and 1888. Humphrey Hathaway (1765-1821) was a ship builder who also managed a whale-oil refining factory. One of his sons, Nathaniel Hathaway (1798-1836) expanded the family business and went on to have six children. One of these children, Horatio (1831-1898), remained in New Bedford to handle business correspondence with China and New York.

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Scope and Content Note

The Swift Family Papers is a collection of correspondence, financial records, diaries, journals and photographs created by the Prescott, Swift and Hathaway families, dating from 1811 to 1957. The bulk of the items were created between 1880 and 1930. The collection is divided into three subgroups, arranged by the creators: the Swift family, the Prescott family, and the Hathaway family.

The bulk of materials in the Swift and Prescott subgroups were created by Hester Swift Prescott. These include letters written to and by her, as well as poetry, financial records, inventory lists, and bills of sale. Documents of note include letters between Hester and her husband Henry Prescott, before and after they were married; and letters between Hester and her mother while Hester was in Paris, 1901-1902.

The bulk of the Hathaway papers are the personal correspondences of Horatio Hathaway, from the early to the late 1800s. Also included are correspondences of Nathaniel Hathaway, as well as last wills for the 3 generations of family members.

Arrangement of Collection

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Information for Researchers

Access to Collections

Unrestricted. Consult librarian for an appointment.

Preferred Citation

New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library Mss 141, [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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Related Materials

Related Items

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Separations List

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Administrative Information

Provenance Statement

Materials in this collection were donated to the New Bedford Whaling Museum by Shelley Swift Plaskans and her sister, Gay Swift Tracy, on January 29, 1999 as part of Accession #B99-3.

Processing Information

Processed by: Nancy Thornton and Stefan Strychar, 2014

Encoded by: Stefan Strychar, 21 October 2014

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Inventory of Collection

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Subject Headings

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Vessel Names

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