Table of Contents

Historical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Administrative Information

Collection Inventory

Subject Headings

Inventory of the Rodman Family Papers

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Historical Note

Members of the Rodman family of New Bedford, Mass., were chiefly involved with local whaling and textile industries from 1798-1900. Most notable among these individuals were Samuel Rodman Sr. (1753-1835), his sons, Samuel Jr. (1792-1876) and Benjamin (1794-1876), and young and young Samuel's son, Thomas Rotch Rodman (1825-1905). Samuel Rodman Sr. came to New Bedford from Nantucket in 1798 and established himself as a merchant, banker, and financial supporter of several early textile mills. Both Benjamin and his son, William Logan Rodman (1822-1863) became merchants, bankers, and merchants involved with out-fitting and financing whaling voyages and funding activities of local cotton-making firms, particularly Wamsutta Mill.

Benjamin’s son, Lt. Col. William Logan Rodman died in the Civil War battle at Port Hudson, Louisiana.

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Scope and Content Note

Papers in this collection date from 1705-1879, but consist primarily of correspondence during the years 1840 to 1879 from Benjamin Rodman and William Logan Rodman. Benjamin Rodman’s correspondence deals mostly with his contesting the final will of his aunt, Mary Rotch. Mary Rotch died in 1848 and her final will left a portion of the estate to her longtime companion Mary Gifford and her attorney Thomas Dawes Eliot. In his letters, Benjamin questions Eliot’s part in the estate of Sylvia Ann Howland in addition to his political beliefs, as Eliot was a member of the Whig party. Benjamin’s papers also include a tax receipt dated 1864 from the City of New Bedford for property sold to William Crapo on the advice and monies given to him by Benjamin Rodman. There is also an Indentured Contract, dated 1831, for John King outlining that he will receive training as a mariner by Benjamin Rodman for the period ending in 1840.

William Logan Rodman’s correspondence contains Rodman genealogical information and notes. There are also papers related to Dr. John Rodman in the form of a marriage license between him and Margaret Gross in addition to two letters Dr. Rodman received from his father.

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 185, [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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Administrative Information

Provenance

Materials in this collection were donated by Robert Emlen to the New Bedford Whaling Museum on August 27, 1990 as part of accession B90-23

Processing Information

Processed by: Cecelia Tavares, 2020

Encoded by: Kristi Mukk, 10 November 2020

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Collection Inventory

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Subject Headings

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