Table of Contents

Biographical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Administrative Information

Description

Subject Headings

Inventory of the Henry F. Thomas Papers

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Biographical Note

Henry F. Thomas was born at Portsmouth, Rhode Island, in 1824. He worked on his father's farm until he was fourteen, when he moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts, and became a clerk for Joseph Dunbar & Company. The company was active in the mercantile and whaling industries and served as agents for several whalers. In 1845, he became a co-partner in the company and took over the business in 1850. He continued the business until 1875, when he became President of the New Bedford Copper Company in which he served until his death in 1880.

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Scope and Content Note

Papers in this collection reflect Henry F. Thomas' activities in the mercantile and whaling industries of New Bedford, Massachusetts, from 1841-1859. His correspondence, 1847-1855, contains letters from Edmund Taber (1841-1911), a business associate, and from Benjamin Russell (1804-1855), the artist of the "Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage Around the World." Russell had served on the Kustoff (Ship) in the 1841 voyage and from his experiences aboard ship created the panorama. His letters, two of which are photocopies, discuss his travels and reception of the panorama in St. Louis, Missouri, Detroit, Michigan, and Baltimore, Maryland, in 1850-1851. Edmund Taber's letters discuss business propositions and report on business dealings both in mercantile and shipping activities. Ship's papers, 1841-1859, consist of outfitting books, crew accounts, a gauge book, and bills and receipts for four whalers. The crew account book is for the Kutusoff (Ship), 1841-1855, representing four voyages including the accounts for Benjamin Russell during his 1841 voyage.

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 69, [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

Material in this collection was purchased by the Old Dartmouth Historical Society in April 1981 and additional material was donated by Frederic Taber on 15 October 1965 and Bradford Hathaway on 18 November 1980.

Processing Information

Processed by: Judith Downey, ca. 1982

Encoded by: Mark Procknik, 22 February 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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