Table of Contents

Biographical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Administrative Information

Description

Subject Headings

Inventory of the Charles Waln Morgan Papers

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Biographical Note

Charles Waln Morgan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1796. By 1818, he had moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he entered into business as a partner of William Rotch Sr. and Samuel Rodman Sr. in their merchant shipping firm. Morgan later became an independent merchant and whaling agent. From 1819 until his death in 1861, he owned all or partial interest in various whalers, such as the ship Hector, ship/bark Hesper, ship Maria and several merchant vessels, including the brigs Parthian and Troy. In addition, he invested in an iron works in Duncannon, Penn., with his wife's brother-in-law, William Logan Fisher (1781-1862); owned a candleworks in New Bedford; supplied United States lighthouses; and was active in civic affairs. In 1819, he married Sarah Rodman (1793-1888), daughter of Samuel Rodman Sr. Their only son was Samuel Rodman Morgan (1824-1891).

Samuel Griffitts Morgan (1816-1893) was employed as a clerk by his uncle, Charles Waln Morgan, until about 1836. At that time, he formed a partnership with William G. E. Pope (1815-ca. 1869) known as Pope & Morgan. This New Bedford, Mass., firm acted as agent for such vessels as the bark Braganza and ship Chandler Price.

Return to the Table of Contents

Scope and Content Note

The bulk of material in this collection consists of ship's papers for twenty whaling and merchant vessels which Charles Waln Morgan owned or had an interest in or for which he acted as agent from 1817-1850. These records encompass correspondence from the vessels' captains; agent/owner accounts for outfits, disbursements and settlements of individual voyages; crew papers, including Whalemens' Shipping Papers; consular and customs records; bills and receipts; and similar material. Another significant portion of records reflect Morgan's activities supplying United States lighthouses from 1834-1837. These materials include correspondence; accounts; a bill of lading and an invoice; financial records of the ship Gazelle which carried lighthouse supplies; and bills and receipts, the majority of which concern supplies for and repair work done at the Isles of Shoals Lighthouse, White Island, N.H. Additional materials, dating 1817-1866, encompass legal documents, including his marriage certificate; financial records; incoming and outgoing business and personal correspondence, including a letter from Benjamin Rotch concerning the failure of the Davis Strait, Greenland, whale fishery, 1836; and a handwritten copy, with later additions, of a lecture on whales and whaling which Morgan delivered at the New Bedford Lyceum and a list.

The papers of Samuel Griffitts Morgan consist of ship's papers for the bark Braganza and ship Chandler Price, 1840-1862, for which Pope & Morgan acted as agent; and a letter to Charles Waln Morgan, 1839. Loum Snow (1810-1871), took over as agent for the Chandler Price about 1861 and his accounts conclude the last voyage in the ship's account book. Another member of the Morgan family, Samuel Rodman Morgan, is represented by a business letter to Lindley Fisher, 1849, and a bill, 1853.

Members of the Fisher, Rodman, and Wister families, related to the Morgans by marriage, are represented by outgoing correspondence, 1838-1864, the bulk of which is addressed to either Charles Waln Morgan or his wife, Sarah Rodman Morgan. These letters primarily concern the finances of the iron works in Duncannon, Penn., or family news from Wakefield, Penn. Of particular note are the letters of Elizabeth Rodman Fisher (1810-1875) and William Logan Fisher which describe the area around Duncannon and production at the iron works. John Wister (1829-1900) is represented by newspaper clippings, including his obituary, ca. 1895, 1900.

Researchers should note that additional material concerning the Morgan, Fisher, Rodman, and Wister families can be found in the following collections: Mss 2, Rotch Collection; Mss 4, Rodman Collection; Mss 56, Business Records Collection; and Mss 64, Biographical Collection. In addition, material concerning William G. E. Pope can be found in Mss 56. A printed work which can provide additional information is The Rotches (1947) by John M. Bullard.

Arrangement of Collection

Return to the Table of Contents

Information for Researchers

Access to the Collection

Unrestricted. Consult librarian for an appointment.

Preferred Citation

New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library Mss 41 [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

Portions of the material in this collection were given to the Old Dartmouth Historical Society by Emily M. Hussey in September 1904; Harold R. Sweet on 5 September 1936; Mrs. E. B. Kresge on 24 August 1937; William L. R. Gifford on 31 October 1940; Charles R. Phillips Sr. on 30 April 1965; William Tallman on 29 June 1966; and by Mary Hussey Mandell on 28 August 1974.

Processing Information

Processed by: Barbara E. Austen, ca. 1982

Encoded by: Kermit Dewey, 24 November 2011; box list appended by Mark Procknik, 21 March 2012

Funds for processing this collection were provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Return to the Table of Contents

Description

Return to the Table of Contents

Subject Headings

Return to the Table of Contents

Vessel Names

Return to the Table of Contents