New Hampshire Fire and Marine Insurance Company Papers – MS002

Provenance: The Portsmouth Athenaeum moved into the building that had been occupied by the New Hampshire Fire and Marine Insurance Company and took over the company’s assets and papers. The papers were kept in the Athenaeum vault until 1964, when they were removed by Garland Patch, who made an inventory of the bills for constructing the building. In 1987 more papers were found in a trunk and these were added to the others.

Citation: New Hampshire Fire and Marine Insurance Company Papers, MS002, Portsmouth Athenaeum

Size: 8.5 linear feet

Dates: 1801-1823

Access: No restrictions

Processed by: Carolyn Eastman and Kevin Shupe in 1990, revised by Susan Stowe Kindstedt in 2006

Summary

Correspondence, financial, shipping, and administration records, insurance policies, and reading room papers of the company. Includes insurance policy books of William Gardner who collaborated with John Langdon, Daniel Webster, and others to insure ships; protests and claims relating to losses to ships and cargo from the U.S., and elsewhere; and account books of company secretaries, Thomas Sparhawk, John B. Sewall, and Edward J. Long. Other persons represented include founders James Rundlet, Samuel Ham, William Ballard, and John Gilman, Jr.

Scope and Content

These papers are the business and administrative papers of the company. They are divided into three subgroups: William Gardner Insurance Books, the NH Fire and Marine Insurance Company Records, and the Reading Room papers.

The earliest items, from 1801-1807, are three insurance policy books belonging to the office of William Gardner, who collaborated with other individuals to insure ships; John Langdon was a frequent underwriter.

The insurance company records deal primarily in shipping. The earliest Fire and Marine papers begin in 1803 with the record book of meetings, the purchase of land on Market Square, and the construction of the office. From that time, the records cover every aspect of the business, containing insurance policies and shares, financial accounts, correspondence, administrative notes and minutes, and legal material.

The NH Fire and Marine Company papers are divided into eight series: Ships, Insurance, Financial, Correspondence, Administrative, Legal, Miscellaneous, and Share Certificates. One group of papers which is less complete than other groups in the group of records during the War of 1812, a time of great importance to the company.

The Reading Room subgroup of papers, consisting of about half of one archival box, includes bills and receipts, correspondence, lists of subscribers, and rules of the Reading Room. These records date from 1808, when the room was established, to 1824. This subgroup is not divided into series.

Historical Note

The New Hampshire Fire and Marine Insurance Company was incorporated in 1803 with a twenty year charter. Underwriters of the company included James Rundlett, Samuel Ham, William Ballard, and John Gilman, Jr. The proprietors elected to finance the company by selling two thousand shares. Houses, stores, and merchandise were insured, but it was primarily ships and cargoes that concerned the company. In 1803 a building designed by Bradbury Johnson of Pepperrellborough, Maine, was constructed on Market Square. It was completed in 1805.

In 1806 the company voted not to insure ships more than ten years old unless repaired top the satisfaction of the company. In 1808, the proprietors began to use the front hall of the building as a Reading Room: newspapers from New York, Boston, Newburyport, Concord, Portland, and Philadelphia were made available to subscribers for a $4 membership and $4 annual assessment.

In 1813 the proprietors elected that, because of their heavy losses due to the War of 1812, the directors “ sell from time to time such number of their bank shares as they may find necessary to free the company from debt.” The salaries of the president and secretary were substantially decreased.

Because of its losses, in 1819 the company began to consider discontinuing the business of underwriting. In 1822 it was voted by the stockholders to bring the business to a close at the end of its 20-year charter in 1823. The building, furniture, maps, and land were sold at auction; the Portsmouth Athenaeum moved in, collected outstanding debts, and used the money to purchase books.

William Gardner (1751-1834), whose insurance policy books are included in the collection, began as an apprentice to Joshua Wentworth in the mercantile trade. During the Revolution he did commissary work; afterwards he was appointed Loan and Pension officer for New Hampshire by George Washington. President John Adams replaced Gardner in that post with John Peirce, but Gardner regained the job with the presidency of Thomas Jefferson. Gardner lived in the Wentworth-Gardner House.

Historical Timeline

1801-1806 William Gardner and others are involved in insuring ships

1803 New Hampshire Fire and Marine Insurance Company is incorporated. Samuel Ham, president; John Wardrobe, secretary. Soon after Wardrobe is elected president, and Thomas Sparhawk, secretary.

1803-1805 Construction of company building.

1804 Thomas Thompson is elected president, John B. Sewell continues as secretary.

1808 Proprietors vote on regulations for a Reading Room, and sign up subscribers.

1809 Nathaniel Haven is elected president, John B. Sewell continues as secretary.

1813-1816 John B. Sewell is charged with embezzlement.

1814 Edward J. Long is elected secretary.

1819 Report on whether to abandon the company.

1822 Vote to close the company.

1823 Sold at auction the building, office furniture, maps and land in Tamworth, NH. A group purchased the building and gave it to the Portsmouth Athenaeum in return for membership.

1825 Dissolution of the company; the Portsmouth Athenaeum assumes the company’s claims in return for a percentage of the profits.

Series List

I. New Hampshire Fire and Marine Insurance Company Papers

A. Ships

B. Insurance

C. Financial

D. Correspondence

E. Administrative

F. Legal

G. Miscellaneous

H. Share Certificates

I. Reading Room Papers

J. Oversize

II. Reading Room Papers

III. William Gardner Policy Books

I. New Hampshire Fire and Marine Insurance Company Papers

A. Ships, 1803-1823

Protests and claims, for losses to ships and cargo, from the United States, Havana, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Demerary, and other countries. Includes correspondence from captains and owners, bills, receipts, and accounts. Arranged alphabetically by ship’s name.

Box 1

Folder 1 Abeona (Brig), 1812

Folder 2 Adventure (Sloop), 1804

Folder 3 Alert (Brig), 1803-1808

Folder 4 Alligator (Brig), 1805

Folder 5 Almira (Brig), 1815-1816

Folder 6 Alonzo (Brig), 1812

Folder 7 Amity (Sloop), 1805

Folder 8 Angelisey (Ship), 1805

Folder 9-11 Ann (Brig), 1817

Folder 12 Ann (Brig), 1818

Folder 13 Ann (Brig), 1816-1820

Folder 14 Ann (Schooner), 1816-1818

Folder 15 Aurora (Ship), 1806-1812

Folder 16 Balise (Brig), 1816

Folder 17 Baltic (Ship), 1805-1807

Folder 18 Betsey (Brig), 1804-1810

Folder 19 Blossom (Brig), 1805

Folder 20 Brilliant (Schooner), nd

Folder 21 Bristol Packet (Brig), 1807-1808

Folder 22 Brutus (Brig), 1816-1818

Folder 23 Brutus (Brig), 1807

Folder 24 Canton Packet (Ship), 1817

Folder 25 Cato (Ship), 1816-1817

Folder 26 Ceres (Ship), 1805-1810

Folder 27 Ceres (Ship), 1816

Folder 28 Charles (Ship), 1811

Folder 29-30 Columbia (Schooner), 1817

Folder 31-32 Concordia (Ship), 1817

Folder 33 Cordelia (Ship), 1818

Folder 34 Corromandel (Brig), 1816

Folder 35 Cyrus (Brig), 1813

Folder 36 Design (Brig), 1818

Folder 37 Dian (Brig), 1810

Folder 38 Diana (Brig), 1803-1804

Folder 39 Dolphin (Brig), 1811-1816

Folder 40 Dolphin (Schooner), 1803-1804

Folder 41-43 Doris (Ship), 1806-1808, nd

Folder 44 Dover (Schooner), 1819-1820

Folder 45 Drome (Ship), 1810

Folder 46 Durham (Brig), 1821-1822

Box 2

Folder 1 Edward (Schooner), 1805-1806

Folder 2 Elisha (Brig), 1817-1821

Folder 3 Eliza (Ship), 1806-1807, nd

Folder 4 Elizabeth Wilson (Ship), 1817-1818

Folder 5 Embargo (Sloop), 1820-1821

Folder 6 Endeaver (Brig), 1805

Folder 7 Endora (Ship), 1811

Folder 8 Enterprise (Brig), 1803-1804

Folder 9 Enterprise (Schooner), 1821-1822

Folder 10 Equator (Brig), 1806

Folder 11 Erz Engel (Ship), 1813

Folder 12 Experiment (Brig), 1819

Folder 13 Fanny (Brig), 1817

Folder 14 Fanny (Ship), 1803-1804

Folder 15 Farmer (Ship), 1820

Folder 16 Favorite (Schooner), 1818

Folder 17 Ferdinand (Brig), 1806

Folder 18 Florenzo (Brig), 1822

Folder 19 Florenzo (Ship), 1804-1806

Folder 20 Florida (Brig), 1819-1820

Folder 21 Forest (Brig), 1817-1818

Folder 22 Four Sisters (Ship), 1804

Folder 23 Franklin (Ship), 1821

Folder 24 Frederick (Ship), 1821-1822

Folder 25 Freedom (Ship), 1816-1818

Folder 26 Friendship (Schooner), 1817

Folder 27 Galen (Schooner), 1820

Folder 28 General Eaton (Ship), nd

Folder 29 George (Ship), 1804

Folder 30 George and Jane (Ship), 1804

Folder 31 George Washington (Brig), 1805

Folder 32 Gleaner (Schooner), 1818

Folder 33 Good Intent (Brig), 1816

Folder 34 Governor Strong (Brig), 1805-1806

Folder 35 Granville (Ship), 1812-1813

Folder 36 Grotus (Ship), 1813

Folder 37 Gustavus (Brig), 1817-1818

Folder 38 Hannah (Brig), 1815-1816

Folder 39 Hannah (Brig), 1817-1819

Folder 40 Hannah (Brig), 1819-1821

Folder 41 Hannah (Schooner), 1810

Folder 42 Hantonia (Ship), 1805

Folder 43 Hantonia (Ship), 1812-1817

Folder 44 Harriet (Ship), 1820-1821

Folder 45 Hero (Brig), nd

Folder 46 Hitty (Ship), 1805

Folder 47-48 Horace (Ship), 1806

Folder 49 Hybernia (Sloop), 1816

Folder 50 India Packet (Ship), 1804

Folder 51 Intercourse (Ship), 1808

Folder 52 Islington (Ship), 1812

Folder 53 Islington (Ship), 1817

Folder 54 Izette (Brig), 1807-1809

Box 3

Folder 1 James (Brig), 1804-1805

Folder 2 James (Sloop), 1818

Folder 3 Jane (Brig), 1823

Folder 4 Jane (Schooner), 1807-1809

Folder 5 Jason (Ship), 1807, nd

Folder 6 Jefferson (Ship), 1803-1805

Folder 7 Jefferson (Ship), 1804

Folder 8-9 John Langdon (Brig), 1815-1816

Folder 10 John Vining (Schooner), 1804

Folder 11 Joseph (Brig), 1803-1804

Folder 12 Juno (Brig), 1804

Folder 13 Kitty (Brig), 1803

Folder 14 Lewis (Ship), 1820

Folder 15 Little Cerub (Brig), 1803-1804

Folder 16 Liverpool Packet (Ship), nd

Folder 17 Madeira (Brig), 1817

Folder 18 Magnet (Ship), 1807-1810

Folder 19 Mahala Windsor (Ship), 1804-1805

Folder 20 Margaret (Brig), 1822

Folder 21 Maria Jane (Brig), 1805-1806

Folder 22 Mariner (Brig), nd

Folder 23 Mars (Brig), 1810

Folder 24 Martha (Ship), 1821

Folder 25 Martha and Jane (Schooner), 1818

Folder 26 Marvin (Brig), 1812

Folder 27 Mary (Barque), 1805-1806

Folder 28 Mary (Brig), 1806-1811

Folder 29 Mary (Brig), 1821

Folder 30 Mary (Schooner), 1806-1809

Folder 31 Mary (Russian) (Ship), 1807

Folder 32 Mary and Francis (Schooner), 1812-1815

Folder 33 Mary Ann (Brig), 1822

Folder 34 May Flower (Brig), 1804-1805

Folder 35 Minerva (Brig), 1805

Folder 36 Nancy (Brig), 1803

Folder 37 Nancy (Schooner), 1804-1805

Folder 38 Nancy (Ship), 1804

Folder 39 Narcissa (Ship), 1804

Folder 40 Niagra (Ship), 1822

Folder 41 Norfolk (Brig), 1812-1813

Box 4

Folder 1 Ohio (Brig), 1811-1815

Folder 2 Olive (Brig), 1804-1805

Folder 3 Olive (Schooner), 1804

Folder 4 Olive Branch (Schooner), 1811

Folder 5 Oliver (Brig), 1821

Folder 6 Oliver (Schooner), 1812

Folder 7 Oliver Peabody (Brig), 1803-1807

Folder 8 Orb (Schooner), 1822-1823

Folder 9 Orion (Ship), 1813

Folder 10 Orozembo (Ship), 1805

Folder 11 Ossian (Ship), 1811

Folder 12 Packet (Schooner), 1807

Folder 13 Pallas (Brig), 1804-1805

Folder 14-15 Patriot (Brig), 1815

Folder 16 Patriot (Ship), 1805

Folder 17 Peace (Schooner), 1815

Folder 18 Perseverance (Schooner), nd

Folder 19 Peter (Ship), 1805

Folder 20 Phoenix (Schooner), 1804

Folder 21 Planter (Brig), 1805-1810

Folder 22 Polly (Brig), 1806

Folder 23 Polly (Schooner), 1804

Folder 24 Polly (Sloop), 1821

Folder 25 Polly Ann (Sloop), 1818

Folder 26 Prince Madoc (Ship), 1810

Folder 27 Quick Time (Schooner), 1805

Folder 28 Ram Dololl Day (Ship), 1818

Folder 29 Ranger (Schooner), 1821

Folder 30 Rapid (Ship), 1810-1819

Folder 31 Rebecca (Brig), 1804

Folder 32 Regeneration (Ship), 1807

Folder 33 Regulator (Brig), 1805

Folder 34 Resign (Brig), 1818

Folder 35 Resolution (Ship), nd

Folder 36-37 Reward (Brig), 1804-1808

Folder 38 Reward (Ship), 1812

Folder 39 Rising Sun (Brig), 1805

Folder 40 Rockingham (Brig), 1803-1804

Folder 41-42 Rolla (Brig), 1817

Folder 43 Rolla (Schooner), 1807

Folder 44 St. Cuthbert (Ship), 1806-1807

Folder 45 Sally (Brig), 1818

Folder 46 Sally (Schooner), 1804-1807

Folder 47 Sarah (Schooner), 1807

Folder 48 Sarah Ann (Brig), 1816-1819

Folder 49 Silences (Ship), 1805-1806

Folder 50 Siren (Schooner), 1816-1817

Folder 51 Struggle (Brig), 1810

Folder 52 Success (Schooner), 1822

Box 5

Folder 1 Thomas Wilson (Ship), 1810-1820

Folder 2 Tom (Ship), 1806-1807

Folder 3 Trajan (Ship), 1818

Folder 4 Triton (Ship), 1820

Folder 5 Union (Brig), 1803-1808

Folder 6 Union (Schooner), 1815

Folder 7 Union (Schooner), 1821

Folder 8 United Kingdom (Brig), 1816-1817

Folder 9 Venetia (Ship), 1805

Folder 10 Washington (Schooner), 1804

Folder 11 Watson (Ship), 1817

Folder 12 White Oak (Brig), 1805

Folder 13 White Oak (Ship), 1810

Folder 14 William Henry (Ship), 1813

Folder 15 William and Thomas (Brig), 1821-1822

Folder 16 Wonalanset (Ship), 1805-1806

Folder 17 Young Hornet (Sloop), 1822

Folder 18 Zephyr (Schooner), 1816

Folder 19 Zephyr (Ship), 1804-1805

Folder 20 List of insured ships, nd

B. Insurance, 1803-1823

Insurance policies and proposals, some bound into volumes. Some volumes have indexes. Houses, stores, and merchandise were insured, but the bulk of policies were acquired for ships and cargoes.

Box 5

Folder 21 Insurance Policy book, 1803

Folder 22-23 Insurance Proposals, 1803-1804

Folder 24-25 Insurance Proposal books, 1804-1806

Folder 26 Insurance Proposals, 1805-1810

Folder 27 Insurance Proposal book, 1806-1809

Folder 28 Insurance Policies, 1812-1813

Folder 29 Insurance Proposal book, 1815-1816

Box 6

Folder 1-3 Insurance Proposal book, 1816-1823

Folder 4-5 Insurance Policy book, 1821-1823, indexes

Folder 6 Insurance Proposals, nd

Folder 7 Insurance Miscellaneous, 1803-1805

C. Financial, 1803-1824

Account books of the company secretaries (Thomas Sparhawk, John B. Sewell, and Edward J. Long), monthly statements, cash accounts, list of notes and notes due, risks taken, bills for building the office, check stubs, and the 1824 summation of accounts. Filed in oversize folders are monthly exhibits from 1803-1822, a list of sales at auction in 1817, and balance sheets.

Box 7

Folder 1 Account Book, 1803-1817

Folder 2 Thomas Sparhawk Account book, 1804-1810

Folder 3 John Sewall Account book, 1810-1815

Folder 4-5 Ledgers, 1803-1804

Folder 6 Accounts ledger, nd

Folder 7-22 Monthly Statements, 1803-1820

Box 8

Folder 1-2 Monthly Statements, 1821-1822

Folder 3-8 Cash Accounts, 1816-1822

Folder 9-12 Cash Books, 1816-1823

Folder 13 List of Premium Notes book, 1803-1824

Folder 14-19 List of Notes, 1803-1822

Folder 20-23 Notes, 1806-1818

Box 9

Folder 1-3 Notes, 1819-1824

Folder 4-11 Risks Taken/Notes Due, 1809-1823

Folder 12 Risks Taken book, 1820-1822

Folder 13-16 Bills for Building Office, 1803-1805

Folder 17 Building Account book, 1803-1805

Folder 18-24 Bills and Receipts, 1803-1809

Box 10

Folder 1-12 Bills and Receipts, 1810-1824

Folder 13 Summation of Accounts, 1824

Folder 14 Dividends Paid, 1803-1821

Folder 15 Dividend Orders, 1820-1825

Folder 16 Loses, Premiums, and Misc. Financial, 1805-1821

Folder 17-18 Portsmouth Bank Account books, 1803-1821

Folder 19-21 Order Check Stubs book, 1806-1821

Box 11

Folder 1-6 Order Check Stubs book, 1812-1820

D. Correspondence, 1803-1823

Correspondence from investors and shareholders, usually discussing premiums, payment of notes, inability to pay, the embargo and blockade situations, the financial situation of the company, etc. Correspondents include W. Woart of Newburyport, E.L. Davenport, John Langdon and John Gilman Jr., Walton Simonton, James Neal, David Green, and Ichabod Nichols. One letter, from Nathaniel A. Haven in 1809, is his acceptance of the office of president. Also included is a letterbook for 1803-1819.

Box 11

Folder 7-14 Letters, 1803-1823

Box 12

Folder 1 Letter Book, 1803-1819

E. Administrative, 1803-1825

Includes letters from the underwriters of the company in 1803, the authorization for purchase of land on Market Square, record books of meetings and the administration, list of stockholders, and papers on the 1825 dissolution of the company.

Box 12

Folder 2 Authorization for Purchase of Land, 1803

Folder 3 Underwriters of the Company, 1803

Folder 4 Record Book of Meetings, 1803-1825

Folder 5 Administrative Record Book, 1805-1813

Box 13

Folder 1 Committee Reports after Examining the Books, 1816-1825

Folder 2 Meeting Minutes, 1821-1824, nd

Folder 3 List of Stockholders, 1806-1821

Folder 4 Report of Whether to Abandon the Company, 1819

Folder 5 Committee of Acts Report, 1820

Folder 6 Dissolution of the Company, 1825

F. Legal, 1804-1822

By-laws and riles, litigation, powers of attorney, the John P. Lord and Samuel Lord debt and stock transfer in 1821, and the John B. Sewell embezzlement case papers from 1814-1816.

Box 13

Folder 7 By-Laws, Rules and Regulations, 1813

Folder 8 Power of Attorney, 1804-1822

Folder 9 Litigation, 1805-1822

Folder 10 J. B. Sewell Embezzlement Case, 1814-1816

Folder 11 John P. and Samuel Lord Debt and Stock Transfer, 1821

G. Miscellaneous

Includes an unexplained list of names, bookcase dimensions, insurance questions, and the NH State election vote count of 1810-1811.

Box 13

Folder 12 Insurance Questions

Folder 13 10 th of June, Celebration

Folder 14 Bookcase Dimensions

Folder 15 N.H. State Election Vote Count, 1810-1811

H. Share Certificates

Arranged alphabetically by shareholder.

Box 14

Folder 1-15 Haven-Young

II. Reading Room Papers, 1803-1824

Contains lists of subscribers, correspondence concerning the reading room, bills and receipts (usually newspaper subscriptions), and the Subscription Room Book.

Box 15

Folder 1 Subscription Room book, 1808-1820

Folder 2 Subscribers to the Reading Room, 1810-1814, nd

Folder 3 Rules

Folder 4 Letters, 1813-1820

Folder 5-8 Bills, 1808-1824

III. William Gardner Policy Books, 1801-1806

Three insurance policy books from the office of William Gardner in Portsmouth. One of the most frequent underwriters was John Langdon; another was Daniel Webster.

Phase box 1 William Gardner Policy Record Book, 1801-1802, index

Phase box 2-3 William Gardner Policy Record Books, 1802-1807

Phase box 4-5 Policy Record Books, 1809-1812, indexes

Phase box 6 Account of Policies Book, 1803-1809

Oversize

OV53 Alligator (Brig), 1805; Ann (Brig), 1812-1820; Aridne (Ship), 1811

OV54 Blossom (Brig), 1806; Ceres (Ship), 1805; Concordia (Ship), 1817

OV55 Diana (Brig), 1804; Erz Engel (Ship), 1812; Fanny (Ship), 1806

OV56 Hannah (Brig), 1815-1819; Gleanor (Schooner), 1818; Governor Strong (Brig), 1806

OV57 Ferdinand (Brig), 1806; James (Brig), 1805; Jefferson (Ship), 1804

OV58 Martha (Brig), 1821; Mary (Barque), 1805-1806; Ohio (Brig), 1821

OV59 Oliver Peabody (Brig), 1807-1810; Pallas (Brig), 1804; Reward (Brig), 1808

OV60 Sarah Ann (Brig), 1815; Thomas Wilson (Ship), 1819; Union (Schooner), 1816; Watson (Ship), 1806

OV61-68 Ship Insurance Policies, 1803-1823

OV69 House Insurance Policies, 1804-1805

OV70 Monthly Exhibits, 1803-1822, nd

OV71 Balance Sheets, 1813-1824

OV72 Sales at Auction, 1817

OV73 Blank Forms