Table of Contents

Biographical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Related Materials

Administrative Information

Description

Subject Headings

Inventory of the Howland Family Papers

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Biographical Note

George Kirby (1794-1882) owned a farm in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, and was active in state and local politics. He served in the state legislature for ten years and as selectman, treasurer and collector for the town of Dartmouth for twenty-three years. In 1821, he married Abigail H. Smith (1798-1861). Their daughter, Rebecca Kirby (1825-1895), married Weston Howland (1815-ca. 1901), a prominent New Bedford, Mass., merchant and businessman, who resided in Fairhaven, Mass. Among their children were Weston Howland Jr. (1852-1878), who worked in his father's office and in the Pennsylvania oil fields; Rachel Howland (1853-1934); Abby S. Howland (1861-1950); and Alice H. Howland Garrett (b. 1867).

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Scope and Content Note

The bulk of material in this collection consists of personal diaries kept by members of the Howland family and by Abigail H. Smith Kirby between 1820-1890. These volumes generally contain observations on the weather; comments on social activities such as balls, Poor Society meetings, clubs, and visits with friends; and comments on family and daily activities, trips, and Friends meetings. Abby S. Howland's diaries, 1877-1890, include a description of her trip to New York City, N.Y., and Washington D.C., in 1888. The diaries of Rachel Howland, 1874-1891, include comments on women preaching at Friend's meetings, on President Garfield's assassination, and on her brother Weston's death. Weston Howland Jr. included notes on the arrival of whalers in the port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, a description of the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge controversy in 1869, and comments on the Chicago fire and on a speech about women's rights in his diaries, dating 1868-1872. Abigail H. Smith Kirby wrote numerous philosophical, religious, and moral observations as well as notes concerning her in involvement in the Dartmouth, Mass., Friends Meeting in her diaries, 1820-1860. Typescripts and photocopies exist for most of these volumes; the former are arranged after the originals, while the latter can be found in the Collection File for Mss 65.

Weston Howland's papers consist of incoming and outgoing personal correspondence, 1845-1899, some of which are typescripts, and includes a letter from William James Rotch (1819-1893), concerning the use of a revenue boat for pleasure sailing, 1866. Alice H. Howland Garrett, Rebecca Kirby Howland, and Weston Howland's mother, Abigail Hathaway Howland (1774-1867) are represented by a diary, a book of poems, notes on property, and incoming and outgoing personal correspondence, 1844-1890. George Kirby's papers chiefly consist of photocopies of original documents. Of primary importance are Dartmouth town records, 1827-1849, which include receipts from Kirby as town treasurer, orders to and from assessors concerning the division of Dartmouth into two towns, and an agreement to run the almshouse. This material is supplemented by legal documents, 1818-1838, 1882, including records of his and his father's estates; financial records, 1830-1852, including an original account book form farm labor; and a letter from his granddaughter, Rachel Howland, and one to his daughter, 1881. Photocopies of legal documents and financial records of various Kirby family members comprise the miscellaneous Kirby family papers, 1798-1823, ca. 1850. Genealogical material, 1836, ca. 1860, 1895, ca. 1973, includes an original, although incorrect, Howland family genealogy and a holograph volume and photocopied notes on the Kirby family genealogy

Printed works which provide additional information on the Howland and Kirby families are The Howland Heirs by William M. Emery (1919), A Brief Genealogical and Biographical History of Arthur, Henry, and John Howland and Their Descendants by Franklyn Howland (1885) and Kirbys of New England by Melatiah E. Dwight (ca. 1899).

Arrangement of Collection

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Information for Researchers

Access to the Collection

Unrestricted. Consult librarian for an appointment.

Preferred Citation

New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library Mss 65 [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 Manuscript Collections

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Administrative Information

Provenance

Materials in this collection were given to the Old Dartmouth Historical Society by Mrs. Weston Howland on 22 June 1977, 12 May 1982, 25 June 1982, and 22 November 1982.

Processing Information

Processed by: Barbara E. Austen, ca. 1982

Encoded by: Mark Procknik, 19 August 2011

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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