George Dunn Gilderdale Papers

Manuscripts Collection 44

Overview of the Collection

Repository: G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport
Creator: Gilderdale, George Dunn, 1824-1902
Title: George Dunn Gilderdale Papers
Dates: 1845-1890
Extent: 78 pieces
Abstract: This is a collection of correspondence, accounts, logbooks, notebooks, shipping documents, home remedies for ailments and diseases, etc. Topics include Gilderdale’s command of the bark PERU on a whaling and sealing voyage to the South Shetland Islands, the steamships EUTERPE and GENERAL SEDGEWICK, and the ship MARY AND SUSAN; his Civil War service in the U.S. Navy on board the U.S.S. ADOLPH HUGEL, ARLETTA, COMMODORE READ, and YANKEE; and flags and signals.
Identification: Coll. 44

Biography of George Dunn Gilderdale

George Dunn Gilderdale was a shipmaster of Mystic, Connecticut. Evidence indicates that he commanded vessels from the 1850’s through the 1870’s; among them the whaling/sealing bark PERU of New London, the ship MARY AND SUSAN, the brig THOMAS MOULDEN, the schooner WILMINGTON, and the steamships EUTERPE and GENERAL SEDGEWICK. During the Civil War, Gilderdale served aboard the U.S.S. ARLETTA, YANKEE, ADOLF HUGEL, and COMMODORE READE. In 1854 he married Elvira P. Andrews (d. 1883).

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Available for use in the Manuscripts Division

Restrictions on Use

Various copying restriction apply. Guidelines are available from the Manuscripts Division.

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Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the G. W. Blunt White Library. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Corporate Bodies (Including Vessels):

Adolph Hugel (Schooner)
Arletta (Schooner)
Commodore Read (Ferry)
Euterpe (Steamboat)
General Sedgewick (Steamboat)
Mary and Susan (Ship)
Peru (Bark)
United States. Navy
Yankee (Steamboat)

Places:

United States–History–Civil War, 1861-1865–Naval operations.

Subjects:

Diseases
Flags
Medicine–Formulae, receipts, prescriptions
Sealing–Antarctica–South Shetland Islands
Shipping
Signals and signaling
Whaling–Antarctica–South Shetland Islands

Document Types:

Accounts
Logbooks
Notebooks

Occupations:

Shipmasters–Connecticut–Mystic

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Coll. 44, Manuscripts Collection, G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Papers, 1824-1902

Box Folder
1 1 Bills, shipping documents, correspondence, accounts,
1845-1890
2 Two pages from log of Brig THOMAS MOULDEN, G. D. Gilderdale, Master,
undated
3 Signals and flags memoranda, Union vessels prize list, duty descriptions aboard U.S. Str. YANKEE, Quarter Bill, U.S. Schooner A. HUGEL, deck plan, U.S. Schooner HUGEL,
undated
4 Home remedies for ailments and diseases by G. Gilderdale,
undated
5 Miscellaneous and unidentified materials,
undated
6 Xerox copies of Gilderdale manuscripts, 1831-1889

Volumes, 1850-1879

Volume
1 Journal kept by George D. Gilderdale aboard the Steamship GENERAL SEDGEWICK, and EUTERPE, and Bark PERU,
1869-1872
2 Notebook kept by George D. Gilderdale regarding sealing area and skinning methods,
1850-1870
3 Journal kept by George D. Gilderdale aboard the Bark PERU of New London, Connecticut,
1872 Apr – Jun
4 Pocket notebook of George D. Gilderdale U.S.N.,
1865
5 Pocket notebook of George D. Gilderdale,
1879

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