Thomas Rotch Letter Book, 1791-1810

The first section of this letter book includes Thomas Rotch's ongoing business and personal correspondence while in New Bedford as clerk in William Rotch's candle factory, including such diverse subjects as shipment, trade and payment in pounds sterling for oil, candles and other goods, also money transfers to Rotch accounts. There also accounts of Rotch settlement in Hartford from 1800 through 1810. The second section of the book, paged 1 through 106 from New Bedford, 9 mo 8, 1791 through 1 mo 10, 1793 are invoices for large quantities of spermaceti whale oil and spermaceti candles primarily bound for American ports (New York, Newport, Providence, Boston, Philadelphia), (with their weight and sale price) plus whale bone, groceries, tea,china ware, shoes, wine glasses, gloves, tumblers, silk stockings, silver watches, hats, fans, cloth, candle sticks, hair ribbons, umbrellas, iron ware, tea kettles, salt, thermometers on board Rotch ships from New Bedford to Havre, France, London, Nantucket, and the West Indies where merchandise "was consigned to [merchants] for sale on acct. of Wm Rotch & Sons." 8.25" x 13.5