John Quinby Papers, 1724-1802 | Maine Maritime Museum Manuscript Collection Online Catalog

The John Quinby papers consist of a single box of manuscript records pertaining to the  John Quinby shipping business in the eighteenth century. Quinby was a shop owner, merchant, ship builder and ship owner in Stroudwater a part of modern Portland, Maine.  The papers are primarily vessel records. There are some general shipping business and personal papers in the collection as well.

The collection records Quinby’s trade with local residents in merchandise and his involvement in the shipping industry. Papers capture shipbuilding activities, labor exchanges, purchases, repairs and shipping. A number of receipts show Quinby was also a surveyor of lumber. Some of the other receipts are handwritten by Portland Customs officials for clearance of vessels. In general shipping business correspondence, are proposals for the selling of a ship and the sale of the ship by Quinby. Moreover, there are letters from captains aboard vessels to Quinby concerning cargo, weather, damage, expenses, market trends and bills. There is also correspondence with ship brokers such as William Pennock of Norfolk, Virginia about the John (Bark/Ship) on March 31, 1798 (folder 14). The papers exhibit domestic and foreign trade, especially in the West Indies.

There is also a promissory note  (February 13, 1780) where Arthur McLellan and Moses Titcomb agree to pay for the recovery and salvage of the cartel schooner Nancy wreck in Cape Elizabeth (folder 22). The Nancy (Schooner) was a cartel from Halifax, Nova Scotia cast ashore on February 12, 1780 at Cape Elizabeth.¹

There is a correspondence from Captain William Dolliver to John Quinby on August 5, 1797 reporting the seizure of the Eunice (Ship) with Thomas Seal as shipmaster by a French privateer. Josiah Parsons was recorded as mate in this letter as well (folder 7).

On the rear side of a freight and cargo account for the Rainbow (Schooner) is a general settlement account for the schooner Friendship (folder 25). In folder one, there is correspondence from Phineas Dana to John Quinby concerning the Northward. This vessel type could not be identified at this time. The bark John, in March of 1798, was re-rigged as a ship, so mentioned in one of the letters.

In personal papers, is a receipt for digging the grave and tending to the funeral of John Quinby’s wife on December 10, 1790 (folder 30). Lastly, there is a deed. This is an “Articles of Agreement” between merchant John Quinby and yeoman John Cobbe. Cobbe agrees to rent a 90 acre farm in Falmouth at Amminconging [Amerescoggin ?] for one year from Quinby. The document records this agreement took place in Falmouth, County Cumberland and Commonwealth of Massachusetts on April 1, 1795 (folder 31).

References

<ol> <li> Clifford, John Henry, Alexander Wheeler, et al. The Acts and Resolves, Public and Private of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Vol. 21. Boston, MA: Wright & Potter, 1922. p. 400.  eBook.</li></ol>