Table of Contents

Biographical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Separations List

Administrative Information

Description

Subject Headings

Inventory of the Mandell Family Papers

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Biographical Note

Thomas Mandell was born in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, in 1792. In 1819 he joined Isaac Howland Jr. & Company of New Bedford, Mass., a firm founded by Isaac Howland Jr. (1755-1834) and his son-in-law, Gideon Howland Jr. (1770-1847). The company, originally interested in the merchant trade, later expanded to include whaling in its activities and served as agent for up to thirty vessels. Edward Mott Robinson (1800-1865) joined the firm in 1833, and following Gideon Howland Jr.'s death, his daughter, Sylvia Ann Howland (1806-1865), became a partner. Robinson withdrew from the firm in 1861 and moved to New York City, N. Y., leaving Thomas Mandell to continue the business until his death in 1870. Mandell's son, Edward D. Mandell (1821-1897), was also involved in whaling, acting first as an independent agent and later as a partner in the firm Charles R. Tucker & Company of New Bedford. Edward invested in local and western industries and western railroads and served as trustee and executor of Sylvia Ann Howland's estate.

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Scope and Content Note

The papers of Thomas Mandell principally reflect his business activities as a member of Isaac Howland Jr. & Company, New Bedford, Mass. Materials of note include ship's papers, among which are: Sea letters, Whalemens' Shipping Papers, insurance policies, legal records, an account book, and bills of sale, dating 1818-1892, for such whaling vessels as the Ships California and Mercury and the Brig Triton. Other materials relating to his business, but which also reflect his personal investing activities, include financial records, 1804-1869, consisting of accounts, claims and creditors records, promissory notes, insurance records, certificates, and bills and receipts; and labor records, 1853-1865, which include accounts of discharging, repairing, and fitting vessels. These records are supplemented by legal documents, 1803-1867, including deeds and leases; records of the trust fund for Abby Slocum Howland Robinson (1809-1860) which Mandell administered, principally consisting of accounts, receipts, and deeds, dating 1834-1869; the records of Mandell's personal estate, 1870, 1883; and incoming and outgoing business and personal correspondence, 1848-1870.

The bulk of Edward D. Mandell's papers consist of financial records, 1841-1886; legal documents, 1870-1878; and correspondence, 1869-1885, most of which relates to his investment activities in such companies as the Milwaukee Iron Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (currently part of United States Steel Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad Company, Saginaw, Michigan (later known as Pere Marquette Railroad Company), the Des Moines Valley Railroad Company, Des Moines, Iowa, and American Plate Glass Company, Detroit, Michigan, through the brokerage firm of Samuel P. Burt & Company, New Bedford, Mass. This material also includes records concerning bankruptcy claims filed by the Milwaukee Iron Company in 1875. Another significant group of documents in Mandell's papers reflects his administration of Sylvia Ann Howland's estate and includes correspondence, legal briefs, insurance policies, and accounts, spanning the years 1834 to 1885, some of which relate to Thomas Mandell's service as administrator of the estate prior to 1870. In addition, Edward Mandell's papers include records of the settlement of his personal estate, 1894-1909.

The papers of Thomas and Edward D. Mandell are arranged in Sub-groups 1 and 2, respectively. Sub-group 3 contains the papers of members of the Howland family, namely Gideon Howland (1734-1823) and his sons: William Howland 2nd (1756-1840), Cornelius Howland (1758-1835), and Gideon Howland Jr. as well as Isaac Howland (1726-1811), Gideon's cousin, and Isaac's son, Isaac Howland Jr. These materials are arranged chronologically and include deeds, indentures, estate records, accounts, bills, and receipts, dating 1796-1843. The papers of Thomas Mandell's father, Lemuel Mandell (fl.1734-1807), and a relative, Ellis Mandell (b.1806), are arranged in Sub-group 4 and consist of deeds dating 1748-1832. Sub-group 5 encompasses the papers of Edward Mott Robinson which include deeds and leases, a note, and insurance policies and premium receipts relating to the settlement of his estate, dating 1841-1858, 1872-1883.

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 60, [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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Separations List

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Administrative Information

Provenance

Individual items in this collection were given to the Old Dartmouth Historical Society by Mary Rodman in 1918; P. L. Haskell in 1923; Charles H. Taylor in 1924; Mrs. Orin Q. Flint Sr. on 27 April 1935; Charles R. Phillips Sr. on 30 April 1965; Almira F. Hillman on 23 July 1965; and by Anna T. Jarvis on 3 May 1979. Additional items were purchased from N. D. Scotti on 11 February 1964.

Processing Information

Processed by: Barbara E. Austen, with assistance from Edna Carlson, ca. 1982

Encoded by: Kermit Dewey, 6 June 2012

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

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Description

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Subject Headings

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Vessel Names

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