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Home  Holdings and Collections Finding Aids Maritime Provinces of Canada merchants and shipowners
Maritime Provinces of Canada merchants and shipowners
A guide to the papers of merchants and shipowners of the Maritime Provinces of Canada
Maritime History Archive
Table of contents
Herbert Crowe Letterbook, 1902
Hilyard Family Papers, 1855-1881
James Peake Papers, 1835-1866
James W. Carmichael Papers, 1891-1906
Leavitt (Lovett, Lovitt) Family Papers, 1783-1885
Letterbooks of N. Smith DeMill,1833-1847; 1847-1851
Moran-Galloway Company Account Book, 1867-1878
Pickford and Black Shipping Registers, 1880-1905
Thomas Aylward fonds, 1885-1901
Vessel's Papers of the barque Snow Queen, 1876-1889
W.D. Lawrence Papers, 1835-1908
William Roche Letterbook, 1834-1841
Herbert
Crowe letterbook, 1902
18 pages of textual records
Biographical sketch
Herbert Crowe, 1856-1933, was a native
of Clifton, Colchester County, Nova Scotia. He was the son of James and
Harriet Crowe of Old Barns, Clifton, where his father carried on a successful
ship building business. He built up an extensive grain business in the
Canadian West, later returning to Nova Scotia where he opened up a lumber
business in Halifax, known as the Crowe Lumber Co. He returned to the West
where he established another lumber company in Winnipeg, the Beaver Lumber
Company. As his business prospered he moved his headquarters to New York
where he started another grain business, becoming prominent as a buyer
on the Grain Exchange. He retired from business in the first decade of
the 20th century, spending his summers in Nova Scotia and his
winters in Boston and New York. He died in Nova Scotia in October, 1933.
Sources: Information provided
from his obituary in the Truro Daily News and from Carol Campbell
Scope and content
This item includes photocopied extracts
from a letterbook, 1902, containing correspondence relating to the development
of a policy on shipbuilding in Canada.
Reference information
Copyright is held by the Public Archives
of Nova Scotia.
Location: MF-0166, Maritime History Archive
Maritime History Archive finding aid 27
Administrative information
Purchased from Public Archives of Nova
Scotia, 1977.
Photocopied from the original document
held at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia in 1977.
Return to
table of contents
Hilyard Family
papers, 1855-1881
3.5 centimetres of textual records
Biographical sketch
Thomas Hilyard was a shipbuilder and lumberman,
born at St. John, New Brunswick in October, 1810, son of Thomas Hilyard
and Margaret Miles. He married Matilda Dyer and had thirteen children.
He died 22 June 1873 at Saint John.
Administrative history
Little detail of Thomas Hilyard's activities
prior to 1852 are known. In 1842 he described himself as a shipwright and
was also a registered shipowner. With the construction of two big ships
in 1852 he started building on a large scale. He obtained, first by lease
and later by purchase, a shipyard in Portland, Saint John County. In 1854
he bought an adjoining steam sawmill. In 1856 or 1857 he expanded by leasing
and subsequently purchasing a neighboring shipyard from John Haws, for
decades a leading shipbuilder in the area.
Hilyard launched at least 48 vessels, a
number surpassed by few Canadian builders. His larger ships were often
sold to major shipowners in Liverpool, England while the smaller vessels
were generally sold locally. He gained a high reputation as a shipbuilder
and the quality and quantity of his ships and the extent of his saw milling
operations made him a leading figure in the economic life of the Saint
John region.
Thomas Hilyard also registered eighteen
vessels on the Saint John registry between 1842 and 1877.
After Hilyard died in 1873 his two sons
Thomas K. and Henry continued the business until 1915.
Sources: Dictionary of
Canadian Biography, Vol.X; Ships and Seafarers of Atlantic Canada,
CD ROM, Maritime History Archive, 1998
Scope and content
These papers contain accounts 1855-1863;
leases for shipyard 1857-1864, bills of sale for vessels1856-1864, Moss
Rose; contracts to build vessels 1855-1865; correspondence 1862-1880;
insurance policy for the Lottie Stewart, 1876; ships papers, 1864-1881,
including the Meeranza at Liverpool, a charter party for the Teresa;
and a co-partnership agreement, 1869.
These thirty-three items represent approximately
ten percent of the original collection held at the New Brunswick Museum.
Reference information
Copyright is held by the New Brunswick
Museum.
Location: R95-17, Maritime History Archive
Administrative information
Photocopies acquired in the 1970s.
Associated material
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Wills and
Inventories Collection, Thomas Hilyard, Maritime History Archive, Collection
6, File 101
Hilyard Family Papers, New Brunswick Museum
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table of contents
James Peake papers,
1835-1866
2 reels of microfilm
Biographical sketch
James Ellis Peake, who emigrated from
Plymouth, England to Charlottetown in 1823, was a merchant and shipowner
of Prince Edward Island. He married a daughter of Ralph Brecken and Mathilda
Robinson. In 1841, he sat on the Executive Council with John Brecken and
Thomas Heath Haviland, the colonial secretary who had married another daughter
of the Breckens. At this time, James Peake was the major shipbuilder in
the colony.
Peake may have begun his own firm in the
year following his arrival in Prince Edward Island. After 1824, he also
appears to have been associated with the Brecken firm. In 1825, he purchased
his first sailing vessel, one of 152 vessels which he would own over the
next thirty-five years. These vessels were usually in the North Atlantic
trade, mainly between Prince Edward Island or a New Brunswick timber port,
and either Liverpool or Plymouth.
Peake's vessels were also involved in the
coastal trade, carrying out island produce and picking up timber cargoes
for transatlantic voyages. These investments marked him as one of the largest
owners of shipping in eastern Canada during the first half of the nineteenth
century. Peake was also engaged in other activities which were related
to his maritime interests.
Peake owned several stores at which he
sold the goods which he imported on his own vessels. He also acted as a
broker for marine insurance, and operated a ship chandlery and outfitting
business. Additionally, he dabbled in other mercantile activities until
his death In 1856, Peake had become ill and returned to England where he
died, May 4, 1860.
Sources: Lewis R. Fischer,
"An engine yet moderate": James Peake, entrepreneurial behaviour and the
shipping industry of Nineteenth Century Prince Edward Island, The Enterprising
Canadians, Maritime History Group, 1979
Scope and content
These papers include selections from the
Peake papers, consisting of letterbooks, 1835-1837 and 1845-1850, and outgoing
and in-coming correspondence for 1841-1866.
Reference information
Copyright is held by the Public Archives
of Prince Edward Island.
Location: Mic.1-2-4-11/12, Maritime History
Archive
Maritime History Archive finding aid 74
Administrative information
Filmed from the original papers held at
the Public Archives of Prince Edward Island.
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table of contents
James W. Carmichael
papers, 1890-1906
30 centimetres of textual records
Biographical sketch
Businessman, shipowner and politician
of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, James William Carmichael, born December 16,
1819, was the son of James Carmichael, the founder of the town of New Glasgow.
He became a clerk in his father's business and in the early 1850s gradually
took over his father's mercantile and shipping interests. By 1854, the
firm was known as J.W. Carmichael and Company. He registered his first
vessel, the Helen Stairs, in 1851, and, between then and 1869, built
at least fourteen more vessels. By the 1870s, his shipbuilding yards were
the most prominent in Pictou County. He constructed his largest vessel,
the 1,174 ton Thiorva in 1876.
Carmichael invested in local business;
he held the agency for the Bank of Nova Scotia from 1866 to 1886, was president
of the New Glasgow Marine Insurance Association and was chair of the New
Glasgow Underwiters Association. By diversifying his investments, Carmichael
maintained a strong position in Pictou county and his worth grew steadily.
Carmichael was elected to the Nova Scotia Legislature as the member for
Pictou in 1867, as a liberal and opponent of confederation. He lost his
seat in 1872, was re-elected in 1874, and was defeated in 1878, 1882, and
1896. He was active in the community life of New Glasgow, taking part in
religious, civic and charitable organizations. Carmichael died May 1, 1903.
The firm of J.W. Carmichael continued after
the death of James and his son. In 1962, the firm went into voluntary liquidation
bequeathing $670,000 to charitable organizations.
Sources: Dictionary of
Canadian Biography, Vol. XIII, pp. 169-171
Scope and content
These papers consist of photocopies of
part of the business papers of James Carmichael. The letterbooks deal mainly
with shipbuilding in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, and other shipping business,
and include correspondence with shipbrokers, Scammel Brothers, 1892-1901,
Black, Moore and Co., 1893-1894, as well as correspondence with captains,
1891-1906 for the vessels Arnguda, Rock City, Helga, Brynhilda and Swanhilda
and miscellaneous records such as vouchers and disbursements, 1890-1901.
Reference information
Copyright is held by the Public Archives
of Nova Scotia.
Location: R95-35, Maritime History Archive
Administration information
Purchased from the Public Archives of
Nova Scotia, 1980.
Photocopied in 1980 from the original
documents held at Public Archives of Nova Scotia, MG2, No 224-421.
Associated material
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Wills and
Inventories Collection, Carmichael, James W., Maritime History Archive,
Collection 6, File 037
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table of contents
Leavitt (Lovett,
Lovitt) Family papers, 1783-1875
1 reel of microfilm
Biographical sketch
The Leavitt family were merchants, shipowners
and shipmasters of Saint John, New Brunswick.
Jonathan Leavitt (1746-1811)was a ship's
captain and pilot. He married Hephzibah Peabody and they had eight sons
and two daughters. His son Thomas (C1795 - 1850), who after his fathers
death continued the family business, married Mary Ann Ketchum in 1822 and
they had four sons and three daughters.
Thomas Leavitt's maternal aunts had married
James Simmons and James White of the ship owning firm of Simmons, Hazen
and White.
Administrative history
Johnathan Leavitt (1746-1811) came to
Saint John in 1762 and served as captain and pilot on the vessels of the
firm of Simonds, Hazen and White prior to the American Revolution. He prospered
as a shipowner and mariner and at his death in 1811 he left a considerable
estate. His son Thomas inherited half-interest in the family home, ownership
of four choice lots in Saint John and a seventh part of a large landholding
on the Miramichi River. In 1817 Thomas was admitted as a merchant freeman
in the city of Saint John and from that time on he played an active role
in business life in New Brunswick. In the 1830s and 1840s he acted as agent
for the Liverpool Association of Underwriters and a number of New York
marine insurance companies. In 1835 he was made the U.S. consul for Saint
John. He was a founder of the City Bank in 1837 and later became the president
of the Bank of New Brunswick. Thomas died 24 October 1850 at the age of
55.
Sources: Dictionary of Canadian
Biography, Vol. VII, p. 493; Leavitt Family Papers, Maritime History Archive
Scope and content
These papers include ships accounts, insurance
policies and papers for the Sally, 1796-1801, Dove, 1797-1799,
snow Mary, 1803-1804, Mary, 1803-1804, Susanna, 1805,
Cattle, 1810, Paraquay, 1849-, General Higgins, 1851-52,
Hibernia, 1789-1791, Belmont, 1858, Lampedo, 1856-1858
and Rosannah, 1785; Lovettt family letters (mostly to Daniel, George
and Joseph), 1802-1866; Indentures and bonds, 1798-1874; Bills, receipts
and promissory notes, 1700-1856; Daniel Lovett account book, 1798; Saint
John city Poor House account book, 1810-1813.
Reference information
Copyright is held by the New Brunswick
Museum.
Location: Mic.5-3-5-2, Maritime History
Archive
There is an item level index included
with the microfilm
Administrative information
Purchased from the New Brunswick Museum
198-.
Filmed by MicRo Ltd. for the New Brunswick
Museum, 1978.
Associated material
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Wills and
Inventories Collection, Leavitt, William, Maritime History Archive, Collection
6, File 136
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table of contents
Letterbooks of N. Smith DeMill,
1833-1851
1 reel of microfilm
Biographical sketch
Nathan DeMill,(1804-1864), loyalist, was
a prosperous merchant, shipowner, and lumberman in Saint John, New Brunswick.
He was active on the board of governors of Acadia College. Having left
the Church of England, he became a Baptist who was a man of strong principles
and a strict abstainer, nick-named "cold-water DeMill".
Sources: Dictionary of Canadian
Biography, Vol. X, p. 223
Scope and content
These two letterbooks dated 1833-1847
and 1847-1851, which contain correspondence from Mr. DeMill to various
businesses provide information about accounts, orders, cargo, sailing dates
and voyage destinations.
Reference information
Copyright is held by the New Brunswick
Museum.
Location: Mic.5-3-5-1, Maritime History
Archive
Administrative information
Purchased from the New Brunswick Museum.
Microfilmed from the original documents
held at the New Brunswick Museum.
Associated material
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Wills and
Inventories Collection, DeMill, Thomas, Maritime History Archive, Collection
6, File 062
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table of contents
Moran-Galloway Company
account book, 1867-1878
1 reel of microfilm
Administrative history
The Moran-Galloway Company were shipowners
of Saint John, New Brunswick.
Scope and content
This account book records "Owners of vessels
in Account Current with Moran, Galloway & Co", 1867-1878. In many of
the entries, the owners include Robert Galloway, Robert G. Moran, and James
H. Moran. The names of the vessels are also identified. In the last entry,
Moran, Galloway & Co. is replaced with Vaughan Brothers & Co.
Sources:
Reference information
Copyright is held by the New Brunswick
Museum.
Location: Mic.6-6-1-6, Maritime History
Archive
Administrative information
Purchased from the New Brunswick Museum,
1980.
Filmed for the New Brunswick Museum, 1980.
Associated material
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Wills and
Inventories Collection, Moran, Robert G., Maritime History Archive, Collection
6, 172
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table of contents
Pickford and
Black shipping registers, 1880-1905
1 reel of microfilm
Administrative history
Partners Robert Pickford (1841-1914) and
William A. Black (1847-1934) were ship chandlers and grocers of Halifax,
Nova Scotia. Pickford founded the business 1870, and Black joined the firm
in 1978, which was still flourishing in 1929. The firm expanded into shipping
and steamships, and the West Indies trade. The firm was also an agent for
Lloyd's and other European steamship lines.
Scope and content
This collection consists of three registers
of incoming vessels, at Halifax, 1880-1905. The records were kept by Pickford
and Black, but include all incoming shipping regardless of agent. Registers
give the date of arrival, the rig, vessel name, tonnage, port of registry,
master, where from, number of days at sea, consignee, cargo, wharf, date
of sailing and destination.
Reference information
Copyright is held by the Public Archives
of Nova Scotia.
Location: Mic.1-1-1-16, Maritime History
Archive
Administrative information
Purchased from the Public Archives of
Nova Scotia in 1978.
Filmed from the Pickford and Black papers
held at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia, MG 7 v. 43 - 45.
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table of contents
Thomas Aylward
fonds, 1885-1901
3.5 centimetres of textual records
Biographical sketch
Thomas Aylward was born at Falmouth, Nova
Scotia in 1829. In 1854, he obtained his Master Mariner's certificate in
London. His first command was on the ship China and he later commanded
the British Queen and the Nile. He commanded vessels
for the firm of John S. DeWolfe & Co., of Liverpool, England, sailing
to India and Australia, and for Bennett Smith of Windsor, Nova Scotia.
For several years he was managing owner of the ship Avoca and barquentines
St. Croix, St. Paul and St. Peter. Aylward was
a member of the Board of Stewards of the Methodist Church of Windsor, N.S.
and was on the building committee of the church, St. John's United, which
was erected in 1899. He died at Windsor on March 21, 1902.
Scope and content
This fonds consists of shipping account
books, 1885-1893, bills and receipts for cargoes, 1885-1901. It includes
records of expenses for the operation of vessels in Aylward's command including
the St. Croix, 1895-1897, the St. Paul, the
St. Peter and the Avoca, 1894-1899; lists of port
charges; seamen's wages, 1898-1899; and charters, accounts and insurances,
1900-1901.
Reference information
Copyright is held by Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management.
Location: R95-16, Maritime History Archive
Administrative information
Purchased from the Public Archives of
Nova Scotia, 1980.
Copied from the original documents held
at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia in 1980.
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table of contents
Vessel's papers of the barque Snow
Queen, 1876-1889
2 reels of microfilm
Biographical sketch
Frieze and Roy were merchants and shipowners
of Maitland, Nova Scotia. Several people held shares in the barque Snow
Queen (O.N. 64900), built at Maitland and registered in 1872: Thomas
Kenny, Halifax merchant (24 shares); George Frieze, Maitland merchant (8
shares); Thomas Roy, Maitland merchant (12 shares); Alexander Roy, Maitland
shipbuilder (12 shares); John Roy, Maitland farmer/planter (4 shares);
and Hiram Grant, Maitland shipbuilder (4 shares). In 1891 the barque was
sold to foreigners in Sweden.
Scope and content
The papers were microfilmed from the papers
of Frieze and Roy and include charter parties and other papers relating
to the vessel Snow Queen, 1876-1889.
Reference information
Location: Mic.5-10-4-1/2, Maritime History
Archive
Copyright is held by the creator or his/her
heirs.
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table of contents
W.D. Lawrence
papers, 1835-1908
2 reels of microfilm
Biographical sketch
William Dawson Lawrence, born at Gilford,
Northern Ireland in 1817, moved to Nova Scotia with his parents when he
was an infant. In 1838, he apprenticed in the shipyards of Alexander Lyle
and John Chappell at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. In 1847, he designed the Wanderer,
a barque of 568 tons, which was launched in 1849. He then became involved
in the design, construction, ownership and operation of his own vessels,
deep sea barques and ships which carried general cargoes to all parts of
the world and included the 2,459 ton ship William D. Lawrence, registered
in 1874. The construction of this vessel put Lawrence in debt for $27,000,
but over the next eight years it not only cleared the debt, but made a
profit for its owners of over $140,000. Lawrence was active in politics
throughout the 1860s. In 1859, he was appointed Justice of the Peace for
Hants County, and in 1863 he was elected to represent Hants County in the
provincial Assembly where he supported free education and adamantly opposed
confederation. In the election of 1871, he made repeal of confederation
a key issue but was defeated by William Henry Allison. He retained an active
interest in politics until his death in 1886 at Maitland, Nova Scotia.
Sources: Dictionary of
Canadian Biography, Vol. XI, pp. 501-502
Scope and content
These papers include: account books, 1859-1902,
1861-1862; logbook of brig Aeolis, 1867; a book containing newspaper
clippings; miscellaneous loose documents, 1835-1908, including indentures,
bills of sale and petitions.
Reference information
Copyright is held by the owner Miss Abbie
Lawrence, Maitland, Hants County, NS.
Location: Mic.5-3-5-4/5, Maritime History
Archive
Administrative information
Purchased from the Public Archives of
Nova Scotia.
Filmed from the original documents by
the Public Archives of Nova Scotia in 1963.
Original papers held by Miss Abbie Lawrence,
granddaughter of W.D. Lawrence.
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table of contents
William Roche
letterbook, 1834-1841
3 centimetres of textual records
Biographical sketch
William Roche Sr., 1800-1887, was a merchant
and sea captain of Halifax. He was the president of Union Marine Insurance
Company, and an alderman of the city of Halifax, 1849-1850 and 1862-1864.
Sources: Public Archives
of Nova Scotia, Finding Aid to the Roche Papers
Scope and content
This is a photocopy of a letterbook ,
1834-1841, of William Roche, partner of the firm of Roche and Kinnear.
The correspondence contains information mostly about cargoes and the West
India trade.
Reference information
Copyright is held by the Public Archives
of Nova Scotia.
Location: MF-0167, Maritime History Archive
Maritime History Archive finding aid 26
Administration information
Purchased from the Public Archives of
Nova Scotia, 1981.
Copied from the original held at the Public
Archives of Nova Scotia, MG3 v. 207.
Associated material
William Roche Sr. fonds, Public
Archives of Nova Scotia, M.G. 3, volumes 202-210
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