Finding Aid - Peabody Essex Museum

SILSBEE FAMILY 

PAPERS, 1637, 1754-1907 

MSS 74 Processed by: Prudence Backman 

September 1982 

Updated by: Jennifer J. Quan 

September 2012 

Volume: 

22 boxes 

14.25 Linear feet 

Provenance: 

Conservation: 

Copyright: 

Processing: 

The congressional and shipping papers of Nathaniel Silsbee (1773-1850) were 

donated in 1907 by Nathaniel D. Silsbee, Mrs. F. A. Whitwell (nee Mary C. 

Silsbee), and William E. Silsbee. The invoice and sales books of the Ship Herald 

were donated in 1927 by the Estate of Willard Peele. Three letters written by 

Nathaniel Silsbee (1773-1850) and pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Silsbee 

were donated by Mary Otis in 1961 and 1964, respectively. The handwritten 

copy of Nathaniel Silsbee's autobiography was a gift from the Estate of Jared S. 

Moore. The account books for the Ships Benjamin, Betsy, and Herald were 

purchased by the Essex Institute in 1934. 

The material was placed in acid-free folders. Badly torn documents were 

mended. Bundles bound with cloth tape or string were rehoused in paper dividers 

and metal fasteners replaced with plastic clips. 

Request for permission to publish material from the collection must be submitted 

in writing to the Manuscript Librarian in the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex 

Museum. 

Original processing and conservation for this collection were funded by a grant 

from the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

©2012, Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum Page 1

MSS 74: Silsbee Family Papers 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 

Nathaniel Silsbee (1748-1791) was born on November 9, 1748 to William and 

Joanna (Fowle) Silsbee. Nathaniel married Sarah Becket on November 1, 1770. During their 

twenty-one years of marriage, Nathaniel and Sarah had eight children, four of whom lived to 

adulthood: Nathaniel (1773-1850); Sarah (1777-1840); William (1779-1833); and Zachariah Fowle 

(1783-1873). The Silsbees lived at the Elkins House on Derby and Turner Streets in Salem, 

Massachusetts, circa 1779 to 1783. In 1783 they moved to a house Nathaniel had built on Daniels 

Street. Nathaniel was the owner or part owner of several vessels which sailed between Salem and 

the West Indies. Nathaniel died on June 25, 1791 in New York. 

Nathaniel Silsbee (1773-1850) was the eldest child of Nathaniel (1748-1791) and Sarah 

(Becket) Silsbee. Forced to end his schooling due to the financial failures of his father, Nathaniel 

went to sea in 1787 at the age of fourteen. Six years later he was given command of Elias Hasket 

Derby's Sloop Sally. Nathaniel continued commanding Derby vessels until 1795 when he purchased 

a quarter of the Schooner Betsy. Prosperous enough to become a shipping merchant, Nathaniel 

continued mastering his own vessels until 1801 and thereafter placed his brothers William and 

Zachariah in charge of his ships. Nathaniel continued owning vessels in partnerships such as Stone, 

Silsbee, and Pickman and Silsbee and Devereux. Stone, Silsbee, and Pickman was originally formed 

in 1798 by Nathaniel and his two partners, Robert Stone and Dudley Leavitt Pickman for the 

purpose of purchasing ships and the sale of imported cargo. Although he continued to be a partner 

of Stone, Silsbee, and Pickman until the 1840s, Nathaniel actively retired from shipping when he 

commenced his political career. 

Nathaniel's political career began with his election to the United States House of 

Representatives in 1817. He served there until March 3, 1821 when he refused re-election. From 

1821 to 1823 Nathaniel served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and from 1823 to 

1825, in the Massachusetts State Senate. In 1826 Nathaniel was elected to the United States Senate 

to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Senator James Lloyd. Nathaniel was re-elected to 

the United States Senate in 1829 and would serve until March 3, 1835. Nathaniel retired from public 

life at the end of his Senate term. 

Nathaniel married Mary Crowninshield in 1802. Their son Nathaniel (1804-1881) was 

mayor of Salem from 1849-1850 and 1858-1859. 

Edward Augustus Silsbee (1826-1900) was the son of Zachariah Fowle and Sarah 

(Boardman) Silsbee. He was involved in the East India trade early in his life, employed first in the 

Neal and Company counting house, later as a supercargo on the Windsor Fay, and as master of the 

Ships Columbia and Syren. After retiring from the sea in 1853, he traveled in Europe, collecting 

notes on literary and poetical figures (most notably Shelley), lecturing and writing articles. He died, 

unmarried, in Boston, Massachusetts in 1900. 

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE 

The Silsbee Family Papers contain the personal papers, business papers, and shipping 

papers for four generations of Silsbees. The collection includes the shipping papers of Nathaniel 

Silsbee (1748-1791). It also includes the papers of: his sons, Nathaniel (1773-1850), William, and 

Zachariah; grandson Nathaniel (1804-1881) and; great-grandsons Nathaniel D. (b. 1830), William 

Edward, Francis Henry, George Z. and Edward Augustus. The papers have been organized into four 

series. 

Page 2 

©2012, Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum


Series I. Nathaniel Silsbee (1748-1791) Papers consist of his shipping papers. Of special 

note are the records of the Ship Grand Turk, and several Revolutionary privateers including the 

Schooners Congress, Lexington, and Pembroke and the Brigs Fame, Monmouth, and Roebuck. 

Series II. Nathaniel Silsbee (1773-1850) Papers include his autobiography, 

correspondence, legal documents, congressional papers, and shipping papers. The series has been 

organized into three subseries. 

Subseries A. Personal Papers include Nathaniel's autobiography, correspondence, eulogies 

and obituaries, and legal papers. Of particular note is a journal containing Nathaniel's 

autobiography; written in his own hand it records events in his life from 1782 to 1836. The journal 

has an appendix listing the bills of the United States House of Representatives and the United States 

Senate that were of interest to Nathaniel during his term in office. Also included is a handwritten 

transcription of Nathaniel's autobiography which was probably created by Mary Anne C. Devereux, 

wife of his son, Nathaniel. Nathaniel's correspondence reflects the change in his career from 

shipping captain and merchant to politician. Of special interest are letters from Nathaniel's brotherin-law, 

Benjamin W. Crowninshield, Secretary of the Navy. In addition to the discussion of political 

and social events in Washington, these letters contain references to Nathaniel's memorial regarding 

the Brig Edwin. Also included in the correspondence is an 1819 resolution from the Town of Salem 

to the federal government in favor of prohibiting the extension of slavery. Correspondence 

commemorating Nathaniel's life, including a signed letter from James Buchanan, is filed with the 

obituary notices of his death. The bulk of the legal documents include deeds for land in New 

Orleans sold by John Crowninshield to Nathaniel and a Michigan land deed signed by Martin Van 

Buren. Subseries B. Congressional Papers include copies of bills, remarks, or speeches made by 

Nathaniel before Congress. All matters covered by either House or Senate for a given session are 

filed together. Bills, remarks, or speeches, which could not be identified with specific sessions have 

been filed separately. Subseries C. Shipping Papers document Nathaniel's career first as a ship 

master and later as a shipping merchant. Papers for the Ship Benjamin, owned by Elias Hasket 

Derby, cover Nathaniel's captaincy from 1792 to 1795. Papers for the Ship Herald include letters 

from Zacharia F. Silsbee, master of the Herald to his brother, Nathaniel. The bulk of the papers for 

the brig Romp concern the memorial to Congress on the Romp's capture by the French (1809). 

Account books for the ships Benjamin, Betsy, and Herald are also included in this subseries. 

Miscellaneous shipping papers document Nathaniel's partnerships in the shipping firms of Stone, 

Silsbee, and Pickman and Silsbee and Devereux. Additional documents are included for the brigs 

Edwin and Malay and the ship Mary Ann. 

Series III. Edward Augustus Silsbee Papers include his correspondence, notes and articles 

reflecting his literary activities, and his shipping papers. The series has been organized into three 

subseries. 

Subseries A. Personal Papers include Edward's correspondence, memorandum books, 

invoices and receipts, and passport. The bulk of his correspondence, which is undated, concerns 

activities of friends, travels abroad, or literary and poetical themes. A large number of the letters 

sent are Edward's copies, which do not bear a salutation or closing. Of special note in the folder for 

Letters/diary is Edward's account of an early shipping venture for Neal & Company. The 

memorandum books, 1854 to 1896, contain not only daily reminders but Edward's personal 

observations and thoughts on a variety of subjects. Also included in this subseries are invoices and 

receipts for purchases made in Boston and abroad and Edward's passport which documents his 

travels from 1854 to 1862. Subseries B. Literary Activities includes Edward's essays, notes, 

abstracts, and quotations on literary figures and subjects. Literary figures mentioned include 

Shelley, Tennyson, and Lessing. The bulk of Edward's literary pursuits are represented by the notes 

and drafts of articles or lectures, many of which appear to be incomplete or in random order. 



Therefore, the original order in which Edward's notes were received has been maintained. In 

addition, miscellaneous notes include portions of writings that are not easily identifiable as letters, 

articles, essays, or lectures. Subseries C. Shipping Papers contain papers and memorandum books. 

The memorandum books are lists of goods, invoices, and observations made by Edward while in 

foreign ports. Edward's shipping papers pertain to the ships Syren, Columbia, and Windsor Fay. Of 

note in the shipping papers is a letter from Edward to Neal & Company relating damage which 

occurred to one of their vessels. 

Series IV. Family Papers contains business and personal papers of additional Silsbee family 

members and relatives. William Silsbee's business and estate papers include an invoice for goods 

consigned to Nathaniel Silsbee on the ship Mary & Eliza as well as an account book for the 

settlement of his estate. Zachariah Silsbee's personal account book reflects his partnership in the 

shipping firm Stone, Silsbee, and Pickman. A letter from Zachariah to his niece, Mary Sparks, is 

located in Zachariah's correspondence. George Z. Silsbee's invoice book contains invoices and 

accounts for vessels he mastered, including the ship Syren owned by Stone, Silsbee, and Pickman. 

The family papers also contain letters from Nathaniel D. Silsbee (b. 1833) and William E. Silsbee to 

Robert Rantoul discussing the publication of their grandfather, Nathaniel's (1773-1850), 

autobiography and donations to the Essex Institute. There is also a typewritten autobiography of 

Nathaniel Silsbee (1804-1881), a diary of a journey kept by Francis H. Silsbee, and Francis 

Boardman's shipping account book. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RELATED COLLECTIONS 

Emmerton, James A. "Henry Silsbee and Some of his Descendants," Essex Institute Historical 

Collections, Vol. XVII, 1880, pp. 257-311. 

Jackson, Russell Leigh. "Additions to Portraits in the Essex Institute," Essex Institute Historical 

Collections, Vol. LXXXVI, 1950, p. 157. 

Located in the Broadside Collection are appointments to the Senate and Justice of the Peace and a 

duplicate of the Michigan land grant. 

Derby Family Papers, MSS 37 

Logbooks for the following ships are located in the Logbook Collection: Ship Astrea, Bark 

Columbia, Ship Herald, Ship Pontiac, and Ship Syren. 

Stone Family Papers, MSS 65 

Stone Silsbee and Pickman Records, MSS 63 

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SILSBEE FAMILY PAPERS, 1755-1907 

SERIES LIST 

SERIES I. Nathaniel Silsbee (1748-1791) Papers 

SERIES II. Nathaniel Silsbee (1773-1850) Papers 

A. Personal Papers 

B. Congressional Papers 

C. Shipping Papers 

SERIES III. Edward Augustus Silsbee Papers 


B. Literary Activities 


SERIES IV. Family Papers 

CONTENTS LIST 

SERIES I. Nathaniel Silsbee (1748-1791) Papers 

Box Folder Contents Date 

1 1 Grand Turk (Ship) papers 1784-1785 

2 Papers pertaining to the Congress (Schooner), Fame 

(Brigantine), Lexington (Schooner), Monmouth 

(Brigantine), Nancy (Schooner), Pembroke (Schooner), 

Rachel (Ship), Roebuck (Brigantine), Sally (Schooner), 

and William (Schooner) 1771, 1776, 1778- 

1781 

3 Various ship papers 1772-1785 

SERIES II. Nathaniel Silsbee (1773-1850) Papers 


1 3A Autobiography 1836 

4 Autobiography circa 1850 

5 Correspondence 1799-1826 

1A Vol. 1 Letter book 1796-1813 

2 1 Correspondence 1827-1848 

2 Eulogies and obituary notices 1850-1872 

3 Legal papers 1786-1838 

B. Congressional Papers 




2 4 Notes, remarks and bills, United States 

House of Representatives 1817-1821 

5 Notes, remarks and bills, United States Senate 1826-1830 

6 Notes, remarks and bills, United States Senate 1830-1835 

7 Notes, remarks and bills undated 




3 1 Benjamin (Ship) papers 1792-November 1794 

21 (OS)Vol. 1 Benjamin (Ship) account book 1792-1795 

3 2 Benjamin (Ship) papers December 1794-1797 

22 (OS)Vol. 1 Account book for the Betsy (Ship) and Herald (Ship) 1796-1801, 1816- 

1822 

3 3 Herald (Ship) papers 1802-1809 

21 (OS)Vol. 2 Herald (Ship) account book 1800-1801 

3 4 Herald (Ship) invoice and sales book 1800-1803 

5 Herald (Ship) invoice and sales book 1802-1803 

6 Herald (Ship) invoice and sales book 1804-1805 

7 Romp (Brigantine) 1809-1833 

8 Romp (Brigantine) undated 

9 Miscellaneous shipping papers 1781-1816 

SERIES III. Edward Augustus Silsbee Papers 


3 10 Correspondence April 1852-May 

1866 

4 1 Correspondence June 1866-April 1869 

2 Correspondence 1870-1899 

3 Correspondence undated 




7 Letters/diary 1844-1846, 1854 

5 1 Letters/diary 1854-1863 

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5 2 Letters/diary undated 

3 Memorandum books 1854-1858 




7 Memorandum books 1866 

6 1 Memorandum books 1867-1868 







7 1 Memorandum books 1873 






8 1 Memorandum books 1883-1885 

2 Memorandum books 1886, 1895-1896 

3 Memorandum books undated 




9 1 Memorandum books undated 



3A Invoices and Receipts 1850-1853, 1866, 

1868, 1873, 1887, 

1893, 1898, undated 

3B Passport of Edward Augustus Silsbee 1854-1862 

3C Art and music programs, notice of meetings, and 

ephemera 1867, 1883, 1885- 

1886, 1894, undated 

B. Literary Activities 

9 4 Notes and drafts of articles and lectures undated 

5 Notes and drafts of articles and lectures undated 

















4 Published Articles by Edward Augustus Silsbee undated 

5 Literary notes undated 



12 1 Literary notes undated 








13 1 Literary notes undated 




5 Miscellaneous notes undated 


14 1 Miscellaneous notes undated 










Page 8 



















7 Collected poetry and essays undated 

18 1 Collected poetry and essays undated 

2 Collected poetry and essays undated 

2A Printed material on Shelley and G. P. Bradford 1887, 1896, undated 

2B Catalogue of second hand books, publication 

announcement, pamphlet of the Society of Authors 1890, undated 

3 Newspaper clippings undated 




18 6 Columbia (Ship) papers 1850-1852 

7 Syren (Ship) papers 1853 

19 1 Winsdor Fay (Ship) papers 1849 

2 Shipping memorandum books 1847-1848, undated 

3 Letter to Neal & Company 1846 

SERIES IV. Family Papers 

19 4 William Silsbee business and estate papers 1804, 1815, 1833- 

1840, 1842 

5 Zachariah Fowle Silsbee account book 1828-1835 

6 Zachariah Fowle Silsbee correspondence and 1837, 1839, 

legal papers 1842, 1848 




19 7 Nathaniel Silsbee (1804-circa 1881) correspondence 1841, 1846, 1859, 

and newspaper clipping 1879 

8 Nathaniel Silsbee (1804-circa 1881) autobiography 

(typewritten) circa 1853 

9 Francis H. Silsbee journal 1823, 1831 

20 (OS)Vol. 1 George Z. Silsbee invoice book 1850-1852 

19 10 Nathaniel D. Silsbee (b. 1833) correspondence 1897, 1899, 1901 

11 William E. Silsbee correspondence 1899, 1907 

12 Francis Boardman indenture paper and shipping 

account book 1754, 1782-1787 

13 Various family papers 1637-1888, undated 

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