Haven Family Records, c. 1792-1870 – MS106
Provenance: Gifted to the Portsmouth Athenaeum in 2010 by Jean Sawtelle.
Citation: Haven Family Records (MS106), Manuscript Collections, Portsmouth Athenaeum
Size: 1 Hollinger Box and 15 bound volumes
Access: No restrictions
Processed by: Courtney MacLachlan in 2011
Scope and Content
Material covers various aspects of the business dealings of John (1766-1845) and Nathaniel (1762-1831) Haven and John Haven’s son George Wallis Haven (1808-1895). Their interests primarily included shipping, trade, and real estate in the Portsmouth area. Books 1 through 11 include correspondence and account books of the brothers John and Nathaniel Haven, who were business partners. Books 12 through 15 reflect the business interests of George W. Haven.
Biographical Notes
John Haven (1766-1845), born in Portsmouth, son of Mehitable Appleton and Reverend Samuel Haven. Shipmaster and later merchant in partnership with his brother Nathaniel Haven. Athenaeum proprietor. Married in 1791 to Ann Woodward. Father of ten children, the youngest of whom was George Wallis Haven.
Nathaniel A. Haven (1762-1831), also born in Portsmouth, was the brother and business partner of his brother John Haven. Graduated in medicine from Harvard in 1779. Was a physician in Portsmouth and also a merchant and shipowner. Married Mary Tufton Moffatt and had thirteen children. Served as a member of the 11th US Congress as a Federalist (1809-1811). Proprietor at the Portsmouth Athenaeum.
George Wallis Haven (1808-1895), born in Portsmouth, son of John Haven and Ann Woodward. Married 1. Susan Bell, which whom he had four children, and 2. Mrs. Susan Halliburton. Director of the Rockingham Bank for forty years. Athenaeum proprietor. Travelled extensively and lectured in the Portsmouth area. Books 13, 14 and 15 in this collection are records of the estate of Joseph Bell, George W. Haven’s father-in-law.
Folder List
(Contents of Box 1 are arranged chronologically)
Box 1 FF01: Mousam Canal / Mousam Harbor Society, 1792-1795
Box 1 FF02: Clearance paper, Ship Industry, Capt. Robert Oram, 1794
Box 1 FF03: Shipping papers, Ship Industry, Capt. Robert Oram, 1796
Box 1 FF04: Shipping papers, Ship Industry, Capt. Robert Oram, 1797
Includes protest (claim) regarding the British impressment of sailor Peter Gruard in Grenada, claim against French for capture of the Industry, and a claim against the British for burning the Industry.
Box 1 FF05: Court Street, widening of, 1803-1805. Includes
signatures of prominent businessmen.
Box 1 FF06: Insurance policy and claims list, 1804 and n.d.
Box 1 FF07: Deeds: Samuel Morey to J. & N.A. Haven, 1806-1807
Box 1 FF08: Deeds: Pierce & McClintock to John Haven, 1808-1809
Box 1 FF09: Straightening the fence between NA & J. Haven, 1809
Box 1 FF10: Account of James Greenough, 1811-1820 & n.d.
Box 1 FF11: Clement March, 1812-1814
Box 1 FF12: Portsmouth Library shares, 1813
Box 1 FF13: Jacob Sheafe’s note for loss of ship Horace, 1813
Box 1 FF14: Deeds: Evans, Haven, & Halliburton, 1813-1820
Box 1 FF15: Tax for Nathaniel Haven’s chaise, 1814
Box 1 FF16: Gifts of John Haven to his children, 1814-1832
Box 1 FF17: Lease: John & N.A. Haven to William Boyd, 1814
Box 1 FF18: Taxes & donations, South Parish Church & parish
house, 1814-1844
Box 1 FF19: Receipt from NH Fire & Marine Insurance Co., 1815
Box 1 FF20: Taxes paid by Havens, 1815-1822 & 1835
Box 1 FF21: Bill of sale: Portsmouth Marine Society buildings to N.A.
Haven, 1821
Box 1 FF22: Promissory note: Duties on Schnr Olive Branch, 1821
Box 1 FF23: Records: Ship Hamilton, Capt. James Greenough, 1821
Box 1 FF24: Estate of Capt. James Greenough, ship Hamilton, 1822
Box 1 FF25: Deeds: Brick store on Fore Street, 1822
Box 1 FF26: Salmon Falls Manufacturing Company, 1822-1847
Box 1 FF27: Estate of Capt. James Greenough, 1823-1824
Box 1 FF28: Power of Attorney Reuben Shapley to J. & NA Haven 1823
Box 1 FF29: Shares in Portsmouth Bank, 1823-1850
Box 1 FF30: Shares in Exeter Bank, 1825
Box 1 FF31: Louisville and Portland Canal Company, 1825-1834
Box 1 FF32: Waterfall and dam, Lee, New Hampshire, 1825 & 1838
Box 1 FF33: Accounts: James Noble, 1826
Box 1 FF34: Correspondence: Ship Hamilton, 1826-1830
Box 1 FF35: Agreement: John Haven and A.W. Bell, 1836
Box 1 FF36: Records: Ship Ann Parry, Capt. Kennard, 1839-1845
Box 1 FF37: Records: Ship Bolivar, 1840
Box 1 FF38: Statement of account: John Haven & Haven & Co., 1844
Box 1 FF39: Statement of account: Haven and Ladd Wharf, 1844
Box 1 FF40: Insurance claim for fire damage, 1840
Box 1 FF41: Deed: Hammond to Haven & Cheever, 1846
Box 1 FF42: Grant of right-of-way: Freeman to John Haven et.al. 1848
Box 1 FF43: Spalding Lyman: Proprietor’s Share #75, Portsmouth
Athenaeum, 1850
Box 1 FF44: Bonds relating to Haven farm in Lee, NH, 1842 & 1870
Box 1 FF45: Miscellaneous
Book 1: John and N.A. Haven Letterbook, 1797-1801.
Business correspondence to individuals, shipmasters, and trading companies regarding purchase and sale of goods. Includes orders for freight, orders to captains, and letters to customers and shipping agents. Names include: Thomas Wilson, Peter Turner, John Appleton, James Prince, William Haven, Nathaniel Appleton, Thomas Perkins, Captain John Adams, George Appleton, Robert Lenox, Captain Robert Oram, Captain Keyron Walsh, Peter C. Brooks, John Parker, Captain George Huntress, Joseph Dearborne, John Rowe, Francis Thompson, Captain Matthias Rich, Salmon Chase, Captain Moses Brown, Jacobn Winchester, Joseph Ripley, William Wilson.
Book 2: John and N.A. Haven Letterbook, 1801-1807
Correspondence to Haven shipmasters, shipping agents and others regarding the business enterprises of John and N.A. Haven. Names: John Appleton, N.W. Appleton, Jonathan Barrell, Capt. Lewis Barnes, Samuel Briard, Salmon Chase, Phineas Dana, Luther Dearborn, James Greenough, Thomas Haven, William Haven, Eleazer Johnson, Robert Lenox, Joseph Manson, Ann Naismith, James Prince, Thomas Perkins, Joseph Ripley, N.P. Russell, William Stavers, John H. Seaward, Peter Turner, Charles Treadwell, Francis Thomason, Thomas Wilson, Isaac Winslow, jr.
Book 3: John and N.A. Haven Financial Records, 1825-1837
Shows value of the Haven’s farms and lands, rents, profit and loss from their businesses, wharves and shops, and shares they owned in such enterprises as the Eastern Stage, Sanbornton Turnpike, and the Portsmouth Pier. Last entry covers the estate of N.A. Haven, who died in 1831.
Book 4: John and N.A. Haven Account Book, 1825-1840
Shows rents collected from houses and shops, sundry expenses, suspended debts, some taxes, sales of vessels, bank shares, cash to the petty ledger, bills payable, and loans. N.A. Haven died in 1831, so last part of the account book is solely in John Haven’s name. Mentions ship Hamilton.
Book 5: John Haven Daybook, 1826-1839.
Includes farm expenses, ship expenses, costs for cargo, rents, and shares in businesses. Names ship Milo, brig Elvira, Bark Isabella, ship Hamilton, brig Margaretta, ship Apollo, Piscataqua Bridge Company, Salmon Falls Manufacturing Company.
Book 6: John Haven Account Book, 1826-1845
Accounts of ships owned or partially owned by John Haven and their cargoes and stock records, real estate, shares in Rockingham Bank and other banks, shares in manufacturing business, and value of stock in his stores. Many of the farms and houses were owned 50/50 with Nathaniel Haven. Includes patrimonial accounts. Lists Portsmouth Academy, ship Ann Parry, ship Pontiac, ship Apollo, ship Milo, ship Hamilton, brig Elvira, bark Isabella, ship Howard, brig Margaret, ship Martha, ship Arabella.
Book 7: John and N.A. Haven Letterbook, 1827-1842 (bulk dates 1827-1830)
Business correspondence to various business connections including several other members of the Haven family. Names: Nathaniel Appleton; Charles Bulkeley; D.A. Buck; Daniel Cressey, jr.; Charles Drake; Samuel Emerson, C.W. Faber; Jeremiah Goodwin; David Greene; Haven and Smith; John A. Haven; Samuel Harding; Joshua Haven; Thomas Haven; Jonathan Locke, Samuel Lang; Moses Neal; James Noble; John Shackford; Thomas Wilson.
Book 8: John Haven Letterbook, 1833-1845
Business correspondence to various business connections including several other members of the Haven family. Correspondence to Thomas Albert Haven, John Shackford, Henry Thatcher, Briard Appleton, Charles Bradbury, Captain Woodbury Langdon, Daniel R. Rogers, John Appleton Haven, John Porter, Rufus Davenport, William W. Stickney, Thomas Burley, Charles C. Haven, David Ellis, Charles Vaughan, William Emerson.
Book 9: John Haven Daybook, 1839-1845,
This is a continuation of Book 5. Includes expenses paid out for rent, stocks, land purchases, ship repairs, store repairs, disbursements to ship captains and sundry expenses. Names ship Apollo, ship Milo, ship Arabella, ship Pontiac, Robert Rice.
Book 10: Estate of John Haven, Ledge A, 1845-1852
Includes bank stock, bonds and mortgages, partial ownership of distillery, docks and wharves, farms in Greenland & Brookfield, dividends, stores, notes receivable, notes payable, church pews, shares in Portsmouth Academy, railroads, ships, Portsmouth Steam Factory, New Hampshire Turnpike, Portsmouth Aquaduct and the Portsmouth Bathhouse.
Book 11: Account Book, 1846-1849.
Expense accounts regarding the estate of John Haven, accounts in Portsmouth Exchange Bank and other accounts. Estate of Ann Haven, deceased January 3, 1849, begins on page 23.
Book 12: George Wallis Haven, Ledger A, !840-1852.
Variety of business records includes notes receivable, bank shares, income and expenses from real estate, shares in railroads, canal companies and manufacturing companies, dividents from Portsmouth Academy, expense accounts, estate of John Haven, estate of Mrs. John Haven, and balances for Haven and Co., New York. Names Robert Rice, Joseph Bell, Rufus Choate, Benjamin Cheever, J. Woodward Haven, John Haven, Geore Pendexter, Mrs. Sarah Rand, Samuel Shackford, Meshach Trundy, Edward Winslow, Gideon Walker.
Book 13: George Wallis Haven, Journal A, 1840-1852
Expenses, as well as accounts of farm income, income from other real estate, stocks and loans.
Book 14: Estate of Joseph Bell, G.W. Haven, Guardian, 1851-1854.
‘Being the interests of my two wards of the value of all the personal property of the late Hon. Joseph Bell, as ascertained and entered upon the books of the Administrators.’
Book 15: Estate of Joseph Bell, G.W. Haven, Guardian, 1851-1855. Continuation of Book 14.