Samuel Osborn, Jr. papers

File — Box: Multi-Collection Box

Identifier: 003-02-25

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains correspondence to and from Samuel Osborn, Jr., business records including notes on whales and lots of sperm oil, bills and insurance documents, and a small number of miscellaneous personal papers.

Of particular note are correspondences related to the Arctic whaling disaster of 1871 requesting compensation for the owners of the lost vessels.

Dates

1845 - 1894
1999

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

Samuel Osborn, Jr. (1823-1895) was a highly successful whaleship owner and agent. Born in Edgartown, MA, one of seven children of Samuel and Mary T. Osborn, he originally owned a clothing shop before beginning to invest in whaling ships, eventually owning nine ships and being a part owner in several more. By 1880, he was the largest individual owner of whaling vessels in the United States. He was an ardent Republican and served as Sheriff of Dukes County, while also remaining engaged in town affairs and local politics. He had two sons, Howard O. and Walter S., with his first wife Zoraida Coffin. After Zoraida’s death, he married Hattie Jordan. Osborn died after an illness.

Extent

.2 Linear Feet (19 folders)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

The collection is organized into two series: the first contains correspondence, and the second contains business records, legal documents, and other personal papers.

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

003-02-02, Ship’s Papers of Eunice H. Adams (Brig) of Edgartown. Providence Public Library. This collection contains frequent correspondence between the ship’s captain and Osborn.

003-02-04, Ship’s Papers of Minnesota (Bark) of Edgartown. Providence Public Library. Contains correspondence between the ship’s captain and Osborn, its agent.

003-02-05, Ship’s Papers of E.H. Hatfield (Schooner) of Edgartown. Providence Public Library.

003-02-08, Ship’s Papers of Emma Jane (Schooner) of Edgartown. Providence Public Library.

003-02-06, Ship’s Papers of Aurora (Schooner) of Edgartown. Providence Public Library.

003-02-09, Ship’s Papers of Clarice (Bark) of Edgartown. Providence Public Library.

Nicholson Collection: Whaling bound volumes. Providence Public Library. These contain a number of volumes with notes from Osborn, as well as an account ledger that Osborn kept from 1850-1872 and an account book of Osborn’s checks from 1864-1878.

Osborn Family Papers, 1834-1923. Martha’s Vineyard Museum.

Kendall Whaling Museum Manuscript Collection. New Bedford Whaling Museum.

Pam BII-291. Arctic Disaster, 1871 claims. New Bedford Whaling Museum.

Whaling and Other Nautical Papers, 1696-1974. Boston Public Library.

Separated Materials

Bound volumes from Osborn were cataloged separately, including several volumes in the Whaling Bound Volumes; several sets of Ship’s Papers include materials from Osborn, as listed under “See Also.” The majority of Osborn’s correspondence is filed with the manuscript collections for ships that he owned or for which he served as agent.

Processing Information

Previously part of general Nicholson Whaling Manuscript Collection, Subgroup 22. 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 Kate Wells in 2024.