John Palmer Papers (Coll. 53)

An Inventory of His Papers at the G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport

Finding aid prepared by Doug Stein

Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.
Mystic, Connecticut

Overview of the Collection
Creator: Palmer, John
Title: John Palmer Papers
Dates: 1775-1839
Abstract: Included in this collection are letters to John Palmer at Newport during 1776 from family and friends. Two diaries kept by John Palmer between 1775 and 1777 provide insights into the Revolutionary Period, as do the 2 sea journals from the Privateer REVENGE. Present also are logs and journals for the Snow BLACK PRINCESS, Schooner LITTLE REBECCA, Sloop COUNT D'ESTAINGE, Brig BETSEY, and the Ship READYMONEY. Most of the material after 1800 (about 10% of the total) involves other members of the Palmer family.
Quantity: 1 box (113 pieces; 11 vol.)
Identification: Coll. 53

Biography of John Palmer

John Palmer (1747-1810) was a Revolutionary War soldier and mariner from Stonington, Connecticut. During 1776 he was with Col. Babcock's regiment at Newport, Rhode Island. Later, from 1777-1778, he served aboard the Stonington privateer REVENGE. Following that he served aboard several merchant vessels out of Stonington and New London on West Indies trading voyages between 1779 and 1785. Records indicate that he was master of the Snow BLACK PRINCESS.

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 Entities:
Betsey (Brig : 1785-1786)
Black Princess (Snow)
Count D'Estainge (Sloop)
Little Rebecca (Schooner)
Readymoney (Ship)
Revenge (Privateer)
Subjects:
International trade
Privateering
Shipping
Voyages and travels
Places:
Newport (R.I.)--History
Rhode Island--History--Revolution, 1775-1783
Stonington (Conn.)--History
United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Naval operations
Document Types:
Diaries
Journals (accounts)
Logbooks
Occupations:
Ship captains--Connecticut--Stonington

Detailed Description of the Collection

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

Correspondence and Miscellaneous Documents, 1775-1839
Box Folder
1 1 John Palmer, correspondence received from family and friends. 1776 (34 pieces)
2 Letter, bill, receipts, etc. 1777-1780 (4 pieces)
3 Correspondence to and from John Palmer; Inventory of Sails and Rigging aboard Sloop COUNT D'ESTAINGE; sending bills and receipts. 1781-1799 (30 pieces)
4 Bond, will, summons, and correspondence re. Palmer family. 1800-1839 (10 pieces)
5 Love letters and poems, and song lyrics re. The Revolutionary War. ca. 1776 (18 pieces)
6 Manuscript track of courses sailed by Brig BETSEY from Aux Cayes (Haiti) to "Little Island"; ca. 1785 (1 piece, shelved with oversized material)
7 Undated/unidentified correspondence and miscellaneous materials. (14 pieces)
Volumes 1775-1807
Box Folder
1 8 Vol. 1; John Palmer's cipher book. 1775 (74 p.)
9 Vol. 2; John Palmer's pocket diary with typed transcription. 1775 (13 p.)
10 Vol. 3; John Palmer's diary. 1776-1777 (30 p.)
11 Vol. 4; Workbook of weights and measures, time and mathematics. ca. 1807 (40 p.)
12 Vol. 5; Sloop REVENGE (Privateer) abstract log, Jul.-Sep. 1777, and journal Feb.-Jun. 1778, Joseph Conkling, master; contains Articles of Agreement for privateering voyage. (37 p.; 1 piece)
13 Vol. 6; Sloop REVENGE (Privateer) journal, Nathan Post, master; contains Articles of Agreement. 1778 Jul.-Sep. (20 p.; 1 piece)
14 Vol. 7; Sloop FAIRPLAY journal, Mar.-June 1779, kept by John Palmer on a West Indies trading voyage; Schooner LITTLE REBECCA journal, Jul.-Aug. 1779, kept by John Palmer on a West Indies trading voyage. (30 p.)
15 Vol. 8; Snow BLACK PRINCESS abstract log, John Palmer, master (incomplete). 1781 Feb.-Mar. (1 p.)
16 Vol. 9; Sloop COUNT D'ESTAINGE journal, kept by John Palmer for a coastwise and West Indies trading voyage. 1783-1784 (56 p.)
17 Vol. 10; Brig BETSEY journal, kept by John Palmer for West Indies trading voyage. 1785-1786 (100 p.)
18 Vol. 11; Ship READYMONEY logbook, for a West Indies trading voyage. 1785 Jul.-Aug. (18 p.)

Indexes

Index to Personal and Corporate Names

NOTE: The fraction(s) indicate the Box and Folder numbers where that particular reference can be found. For example, the researcher will find information about Elisha Babcock in Box 1, Folder 1 of the collection.
Babcock, Elisha 1/1
Babcock, Hezekiah 1/3
Babcock, M. 1/1
Babcock, N. 1/7
Babcock, Robert 1/1
Belsher, John 1/1
Brown, Joshua 1/1
Burrows, Henry 1/4
Burrows, Noyes 1/4
Chesebrough, Amos 1/1
Chesebrough, Nathaniel 1/1
Chesebrough, Rebecca 1/1
Chesebrough, Zeb 1/1
Coldman, Edward 1/1
Conkling, Joseph 1/2, 1/3
Denison, Eliza 1/7
Denison, James 1/1
Hancox, Joseph 1/1
Hancox, Zeb 1/1
Hewitt, Silas 1/1
Hilliard, Joseph 1/1
Hull, Charlie 1/7
Lewis, Asa 1/1
Marchant, Henry 1/2, 1/3
Miner, Clement 1/1
Miner, Ephraim 1/3
Miner, Lucy 1/7
Nichols, John 1/4
Nichols, Sarah 1/4
Noyes, Ephraim 1/4
Noyes, Eunice 1/4
Noyes, Joseph 1/4
Noyes, Lucy Ann 1/4
Noyes, Nancy 1/4
Noyes, Nathan S. 1/4
Noyes, Thomas 1/1
Palmer, Abijah 1/1
Palmer, Allen 1/1, 1/2, 1/5
Palmer, Benjamin F. 1/4
Palmer, Bridget 1/1
Palmer, Daniel 1/1
Palmer, Dolly 1/4
Palmer, E.H. (Mrs.) 1/4
Palmer, Edward 1/1, 1/3
Palmer, Elijah 1/3
Palmer, Eliza 1/4
Palmer, James 1/1
Palmer, Jonas 1/1
Palmer, Mary 1/7
Palmer, Moses 1/1
Palmer, Nathan 1/1
Palmer, Noyes (Jr.) 1/1, 1/3
Palmer, Noyes (Sr.) 1/1, 1/3
Palmer, Peleg 1/1
Palmer, Prudence 1/1
Palmer, Reuben 1/1
Palmer, Samuel 1/1
Palmer, Sarah 1/3, 1/5, 1/7
Palmer, Zebediah 1/1, 1/3
Pendleton, Amos 1/1
Pendleton, Benjamin 1/1
Prentice, Samuel 1/1
Rossiter, White 1/3
Searle, Mary 1/3
Smith Sons & Anderson 1/3
Smith, Oliver 1/1
Stanton, Andrew 1/1
Stanton, Ebenezer 1/1
Stanton, Lodowick 1/1
Stanton, Lois 1/1
Stanton, Robert 1/1
Stanton, Thankful 1/3
Thompson, Nathan 1/3
Thompson, Nathaniel 1/1
Tracy, Moses 1/1
Whipple, ? (Capt.) 1/1
Williams, Hannah 1/1
Williams, S.N.L. 1/4
Woodbridge, Joseph 1/2, 1/3

Index to Vessel Names

NOTE: The fraction(s) indicate the Box and Folder numbers where that particular reference can be found. For example, the researcher will find information about the brig BETSY in Box 1, Folder 3 of the collection.
BETSY (Brig) 1/3
CALEDONIA 1/7
COLUMBUS (Privateer) 1/1
COUNT D'ESTAINGE (Sloop) 1/3