Mowry Family Collection of Whaling Correspondence

Item — Box: Multi-collection Box

Identifier: 003-02-21

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection consists primarily of correspondence, mostly from Daniel D. Mowry to his family, but also from Captains James and Charles Nichols and Charles Nichols’ wife Carrie to the Mowry Family (Carrie Nichols was Ellen Mowry’s sister). Much of this correspondence was written at sea. The collection also includes a day book and hand-written poetry.

Dates

1832 - 1867

Creator

Nicholson, Paul C. (Paul Coe), 1888-1956 (Collector, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

PPL believes this collection is in the public domain. Users of this item are responsible for determining copyright restrictions.

Biographical / Historical

Daniel Daggett Mowry (1840-1924) of Rhode Island joined the crew of the whaling ship Sea Gull of New Bedford in 1858 when he was aged 18. The ship’s master was his uncle, Charles Nichols. While at sea, he corresponded regularly with his parents, Erastus and Ellen Mowry and his brother Charlie, describing his own health, activity aboard ship, and, as the voyage progressed, his disappointment at the lack of success of the voyage (the total yield for the five-year voyage was 1786 bbls sperm, not a very successful voyage). Daniel Mowry deserted at Auckland, New Zealand in March, 1861. He made his way to Sydney, Australia where he worked first on steamers and later in a corn and hay store. In Sydney he married Mary A. and their first son Charles Arthur was born in 1865 and son William G. Mowry was born in 1868 at sea on the family’s return to Rhode Island where they remained.

Captain Charles Nichols (1820-1890) of Nantucket, Massachusetts was married to Caroline Harriet “Carrie” Mowry, who was the sister to Daniel Mowry’s mother Ellen. He was captain of five whaling voyages between 1849-1870.

Erastus R. Mowry (1815-1898) was married Ellen A. Mowry. He was an engineer in Providence, Rhode Island.

Extent

.25 Linear Feet (.5 manuscript box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

The collection consists of a single series. Correspondence is arranged by author and by date.

Custodial History

Acquired as part of the Paul C. Nicholson Whaling Collection in 1956.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Paul C. Nicholson, 1956.

Related Materials

B99-21.19 [Manuscript letter from Daniel Mowry to his parents and brother from the South Pacific.] New Bedford Whaling Museum.

Processing Information

Previously part of general Nicholson Whaling Manuscript Collection, Subgroup 20. Processing by Judith Lund in 2008 with additions made to the finding aid by Janaya Kizzie in 2014. The decision to reprocess the subgroups as individual collections was made by Jordan Goffin in 2018. The collection was reprocessed by Angela DiVeglia in 2021.