Samuel Whitcomb Papers 1704-1916; bulk: 1818-1879 Guide to the Collection

Table of Contents Collection Summary Biographical Sketch Collection Description Acquisition Information Organization Detailed Description of the Collection Preferred Citation Access Terms

Collection Summary

Biographical Sketch

Samuel Whitcomb was born in Hanover, Mass. on 14 Sept. 1792. He served in many careers throughout his life including bookseller, landowner, clerk, journalist, and education advocate. He began selling books in 1810 and served in this capacity until the 1820s. His bookselling career was interrupted only by service in the War of 1812. In 1817 Whitcomb married Mary Simmons Joy who traveled with Whitcomb as he sold subscriptions of Thomas Waits' publication, Publick Documents and State Papers. While traveling throughout the Southern states and the Midwest (primarily Illinois), Whitcomb purchased land that he later rented through an agent for profit.

Whitcomb originally settled in Cohassett and Dorchester, Mass. By 1825 he had obtained a position as a foreign entry clerk in the Boston Custom House. While working in Boston and living in Dorchester, Whitcomb became involved with various organizations such as the Dorchester Workingmen's Party, and served as its secretary from 1830-1832. As early as 1833 Whitcomb began pursuing work in Washington, D.C., and by 1837 became a revenue clerk in the U.S. Treasury.

In 1845 while still living in Washington, D.C., Whitcomb worked as a correspondent for the Boston Journal. He researched and wrote articles on politics and education, specifically advocating the high and graded school systems. His work for the Boston Journal fostered his friendships with Edward Everett and Horace Mann. While in Washington, Whitcomb also worked for the Teachers Placement Agency, 1845-1849.

As early as 1836 Whitcomb had purchased land in Springfield, Vt., but still spent most of his time in Washington. In 1850 he and Mary retired to their home in Vermont and there he pursued his personal interests in education, politics, religion, railroads, and canals; and assisted Vermont veterans of the War 1812 in obtaining bounty land from the government as payment for their service. Whitcomb died in Vermont on 5 March 1879.

Collection Description

This collection consists of seven manuscript boxes and one oversize box containing the professional and personal papers of bookseller, custom house clerk, land owner, and correspondent for the Boston Journal, Samuel Whitcomb of Cohassett and Dorchester, Mass. and Springfield, Vt., 1818-1879 (series I); and related Whitcomb and Joy family papers, 1794-1916 (series II). Series I., which contains the bulk of the collection, had been organized into six subseries: Correspondence, Writings and research, Legal and financial, Teachers Placement Agency, Diaries, and Miscellaneous.

Samuel Whitcomb's tenure as a bookseller is reflected in his correspondence with Thomas B. Wait discussing sales of subscription to State Papers and Publick Documents in various places in the South and Midwest, 1818-1822; letters from family and friends while traveling as a book salesman, 1818-v25; account books, 1819-1822; and diaries, 1818-1826. Of particular interest is an entry removed from a diary describing a visit to Monticello, Va., and a discussion with Thomas Jefferson regarding politics and books, 1824.

Whitcomb's work as a foreign entry clerk in the Boston Custom House and clerk in the U.S. Treasury is reflected through letters sent and received while in Dorchester, Mass., 1825-1832, and Washington, D.C., 1833-1843; his work as a correspondent for the Boston Journal is reflected through letters sent and received while writing from Washington in 1845, and in research notes on various topics covered in his articles, such as politics and education.

The collection also includes papers related to land purchased by Whitcomb in Illinois and rented through as agent for profit; papers related to work on behalf of Whitcomb to secure land grants in Vermont for veterans of the War of 1812; papers related to work with the Dorchester Workingmen's Party (including a letter sent by William Lloyd Garrison, 20 Feb. 1832); and papers related to Whitcomb's work as an agent for the Teachers Placement Agency.

The second series includes papers related to the Joy and Whitcomb families of Cohassett and Hingham, Mass., and include deeds, receipts, quitclaims, ships papers, correspondence, 1704-1916.

Acquisition Information

A portion of this collection was donated to the Massachusetts Historical Society by Kate H. Whitcomb (Mrs. Leslie C. Wead), Howard Whitcomb, Russell Whitcomb, and Mary Whitcomb Clark (Mrs. Alden H. Clark) in 1921 and a portion by Howard Whitcomb, Frederick W. Wead, Mary Whitcomb Clark in 1948.

Organization of the Collection

The collection is organized into the following series:

Detailed Description of the Collection

Preferred Citation

Samuel Whitcomb papers, Massachusetts Historical Society.

Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.