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Joseph Tucker Papers
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Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
The Tucker family owned and operated a shipping firm at a time when Wiscasset, Maine, was a major center of trade. The founder, Richard Hawley Tucker (1791-1867), descended from a long line of mariners. He started the business in 1827, managing the ships and their operations until his death. Richard's sons, Joseph Tucker (1821-1889) and Richard Holbrook Tucker (1816-1895), both served as captains, Joseph from 1843 to 1859 and Richard from 1838 to 1848. After leaving the sea, Richard looked after the family's interests in Charleston, S.C., (1848-1854), then returned to Wiscasset where he engaged in various businesses, many of which were independent of shipping. Joseph took over the management of the business upon his father's death in 1867, running it until the last ship was sold in 1882.
[Biographical note supplied by Bowdoin College's finding aid for the "Tucker Shipping Papers."]
The collection consists of the ship's papers of Joseph Tucker while he was shipmaster of several Wiscasset, Maine, merchant ships trading--over a period of 30 years (1841-1875)--between such ports as Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, Liverpool, England, and Le Havre de Grâce (today, Le Havre), France. Included are bills of lading, ship manifests, cargo books, receipts of various kinds, sailors' certificates of citizenship, and miscellaneous other records, as well as some of Tucker's business and personal correspondence. Among the vessels mentioned are Brother Jonathan, Ellen Austin, Jefferson Borden, Othello, R. H. Tucker, and Samoset.
In general, each folder contains papers associated with a different ship.
Gift of William McClure Dougherty.
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
This collection was processed by Jill Baron and Lauren Hoffman '15 in May 2012. Finding aid written by Jill Baron in May 2012.
This collection was processed by Jill Baron and Lauren Hoffman '15 in May 2012. Finding aid written by Jill Baron in May 2012.
No appraisal information is available.
Subject
- Marine protests -- United States -- 19th century
- Merchant ships -- United States -- 19th century
- Shipmasters -- Maine -- 19th century
- Shipping -- Maine -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
- Ships, American -- Cargo -- 19th century
Place
- Publisher
- Manuscripts Division
- Finding Aid Author
- Jill Baron
- Finding Aid Date
- 2008
- Access Restrictions
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The collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
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Collection Inventory
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Includes 3 bound notebooks.
Physical Description1 folder
Includes cargo books and ship manifests.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Includes notebooks, recceipts, diary-notes, ship advertisements, and a map, the "Traveller's companion and guide westward: Great Western & Mich'n Central Railway Line [...]."
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
Documents certifying the citizenship of sailors. They include the following information: complexion, height, hair color, eye color, place of birth, and additional information, such as the presence of scars or tattoos.
Physical Description1 folder