Nicholson Whaling Collection Logbooks

The Nicholson Whaling Collection is one of the nation’s most important resources for whaling research. At the heart of the collection is the world’s second largest collection of whaling logbooks, recording more than 1,000 voyages. Within their pages, the logbooks hold records of whales captured and lost; accounts of shipwrecks, mutinies and other nautical misfortunes; poetry and paintings made by crew members in their spare time; and a wealth of data for researchers. The collection was donated to the Library in 1956 by Paul C. Nicholson, grandson of the founder of the Nicholson File Company, and it now includes more than 15,000 items, ranging from prints, photographs, scrimshaw and other artifacts to an extensive collection of manuscripts and account books. The earliest materials date from the 1700s and include a contract in which a Native American whaler agrees to be part of the crew of a 1723 whaling voyage. Hundreds of logbooks document the 19th-century high point of the whaling trade. This important collection continues to grow, thanks to an endowment provided by the Nicholson family

This collection is part of Providence Public Library Digital Collections, hosted by Providence Public Library.

Items in this collection

Showing 481 to 510 of 783 results

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Journal of the Jefferson (Ship) out of Wilmington, DE, mastered by Ezra T. Howland and kept by Ezra T. Howland, on a whaling voyage between 1841 and 1844.

Providence Public Library

Contains whale stamps, two charts. At end: list of oil taken.

Journal of the Java II (Bark) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by George W. Raynor and kept by Albert N. Buel, on a whaling voyage between 1857 and 1860.

Providence Public Library

In ink, erased, on flyleaf: "Gus D Parker's Book October 22nd 1857 Barque Java Fairhaven". In pencil on preliminary page: "Bark Java Log Book By Albert N. Buel of Stonington, Conn."

Journal of the Jasper (Bark) and Pleiades (Bark); mastered by Joseph Shockley, Jr., Isaac John Sanford and Albert Allen; and kept by Jonathan H. Danforth; on whaling voyages between 1838 and 1841.

Providence Public Library

Contains 3 voyages: Bark JASPER, New Bedford. (Sherman 420). Bark JASPER, New Bedford (Starbuck p. 354). Bark PLEIADES, Wareham. (Sherman 657) Contains whale stamps. At end: a poem.

Journal of the Janus II (Ship) and Java (Ship) and Rousseau (Ship), mastered by James K. Turner and Walter Hillman and kept by Benjamin perhaps Hillman, on whaling voyages between 1830 and 1844.

Providence Public Library

Contains whale stamps. At front: poetry. Contains 4 voyages: Probably on the ship JAVA, New Bedford. (Sherman 424). Ship JAVA, New Bedford. Homewar voyages from Cape of Good Hope. (Sherman 425) Probably on the ship ROUSSEAU, New Bedford. (Sherman 689) On the ship ROUSSEAU, New Bedford. (Sherman 689) Contains whale stamps. At end: the "last will and testament" of Jacob Clifford, Nob. 19, 1845; crew accounts; seaman's prayer. With this: Hillman, Benjamin. Journal April 16-July 12, 1844.

Journal of the James Arnold (Ship) and Ocean Steed (Bark) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Thomas Sullivan and Elisha E. Russell and kept by Manuel G. Sylvia, on whaling voyages between 1867 and 1872.

Providence Public Library

Contains sketches of whales. At front: signals for whale boats. With this: OCEAN STEED (Bark) New Bedford. May 22, 1870-Jan. 9, 1872. In JAMES ARNOLD (ship) New Bedford. Contains sketches of whales, fish. At end: personal slops account; list of provisions used; whale boat signals.

Journal of the James Allen (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Harvey Shearman and kept by John Howland, on a whaling voyage between 1844 and 1848.

Providence Public Library

Contains whale stamps; profile view.

Journal of the Isabella (Bark) and Petrel (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Moses G. Tucker and kept by Moses G. Tucker, on whaling voyages between 1853 and 1863.

Providence Public Library

Two voyages: On the ship PETREL, New Bedford. Oct. 4, 1853-June 23, 1857. (Sherman 648). Also, bark ISABELLA, New Bedford. Aug. 2, 1859-May 27, 1863. (Sherman 403) Contains poetry. At end: slops records; oil records; personal and ship accounts.

Journal of the Isaac Howland (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Tristram Pinkham Swain and kept by Hugh Lloyd Akin, on a whaling voyage between 1835 and 1838.

Providence Public Library

Contains whale stamps and watercolor illustrations of ships, profile views, whales.

Journal of the Iowa (Bark) out of Fairhaven, MA, mastered by Stephen Merrihew and kept by Ellis B. Purrington, on whaling voyages between 1853 and 1856.

Providence Public Library

Contains whale and porpoise stamps; descriptive narrative.

Journal of the Indian Chief (Ship) out of New London, CT, mastered by John P. Hempstead and kept by Uriah F. Rogers, on a whaling voyage between 1844 and 1847.

Providence Public Library

Contains whale, ship stamps; sketches of ships.

Journal of the Huntress (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Edward T. Shearman and kept by Thomas Jefferson Ackerman, on a whaling voyage between 1847 and 1849.

Providence Public Library

Contains whale stamps; slop account. At end: poetry.

Journal of the Huntress (Ship) and Pacific II (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Charles S. Taber and Howland Leavitt and kept by John Kendrick, on whaling voyages between 1842 and 1844.

Providence Public Library

Two voyages: on the ship PACIFIC 2D, New Bedford. Oct. 16, 1842-Aug. 31, 1843. (Sherman 636) Also, on the ship HUNTRESS, New Bedford. Sept. 1, 1843-Mar. 6, 1844. (Sherman 396). Contains whale stamps, ship stamps. At end: poetry; list of ships spoken and whales taken on PACIFIC 2D.

Journal of the Hunter (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Asa S. Tobey, on a whaling voyage between 1863 and 1864.

Providence Public Library

Contains colored drawings of ships signalled, profile views; whale stamps. At end: itemized list of "a good whaleman's outfit"; list of whales caught, by whom, type and yield.

Journal of the Houqua (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Edward P. Mosher and kept by Asa Tobey, on a whaling voyage between 1835 and 1837.

Providence Public Library

Contains whale stamps; profile views; sketches of ships.

Journal of the Hope (Bark) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Charles H. Robbins, on a whaling voyage between 1850 and 1853.

Providence Public Library

Contains whale stamps.

Journal of the Hoogley (Ship) out of Warren, RI, mastered by John B.; Henry Townsend Nye, on a whaling voyage between 1841 and 1843.

Providence Public Library

Several leaves torn out. Contains whale stamps. Nye died before the beginning of this logbook.

Journal of the Hobomok (Ship) out of Falmouth, MA, mastered by Rowland R. Jones, on a whaling voyage between 1844 and 1848.

Providence Public Library

Contains whale, ship stamps.

Journal of the Hibernia (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Thomas Dexter and Samuel E. Cook and kept by Augustus Lawrence, on whaling voyages between 1837 and 1842.

Providence Public Library

Two voyages on ship HIBERNIA of New Bedford. July 2, 1837-April 26, 1838. (Sherman 384) and Jan. 5, 1840-April 3, 1842. (Sherman 385) Contains whale, ocean views; At end: charts of voyages of bark BRUNETTE, Falmouth, in 1842, 1843, 1849.

Journal of the Hibernia (Ship) and Young Phenix (Ship); mastered by Archelaus Baker, Jr., Charles Jeffrey and Thomas Mickell, Jr.; on whaling voyages between 1848 and 1853.

Providence Public Library

In YOUNG PHENIX (Ship) New Bedford. June 15-Oct. 16, 1848. Contains whale sketches. Homeward bound from New Holland. With this: Hibernia (Ship) New Bedford. Jan. 8, 1851-Jan 26, 1852.

Journal of the Herald II (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by John A. Gillis and John M. Honeywell and kept by George Nye Dyer, on whaling voyages between 1865 and 1866.

Providence Public Library

Contains crew list; whale stamps; ship stamps. At end: gauges of oil.

Journal of the Herald (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Frederick Ricketson, on a whaling voyage between 1835 and 1837.

Providence Public Library

Contains whale stamps, ship stamps. At front: pencil ship drawing.

Journal of the Herald (Ship) out of Fairhaven, MA, mastered by Stephen Grinnell, on a whaling voyage between 1828 and 1829.

Providence Public Library

Contains small drawings of ships spoke or seen; whales; profile views; and also contains whale stamps.

Journal of the Herald (Ship) and Martha (Ship); mastered by John Bunker, Joseph Spooner and George Whitfield; and kept by Thomas Delano; on whaling voyages between 1817 and 1820.

Providence Public Library

Contains three voyages: Ship HERALD, Fairhaven. (Sherman 374) Probably on the ship MARTHA, New Bedford. (Sherman 375-identified as Herald) On an unknown vessel. (Sherman 376 identified as HERALD). At front: exercises in logarithm problems. At end: songs and rhymes-some political; list of whales cut on the HERALD during 1817.

Journal of the Herald (Bark) and Herald (Ship) out of Fairhaven, MA, mastered by Zenas Dillingham, on whaling voyages between 1835 and 1838.

Providence Public Library

Two voyages: july 30, 1835-April 12, 1836; Aug. 12, 1836-April 11, 1838. Contains whale stamps, drawings of ships spoken and blackfish taken, two drawings of "Herald". At front: poetry; lists of ships spoken.

Journal of the Henry Taber (Bark) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Timothy C. Packard and kept by Timothy C. Packard, on a whaling voyage between 1868 and 1870.

Providence Public Library

Journal of the Hector (Bark) out of Warren, RI, mastered by William Martin and kept by Samuel Billson, on a whaling voyage in 1843.

Providence Public Library

Incomplete. Lacks beginning and end of voyage. Contains seven full-page watercolors of whaling ships and scenes; one full page pen drawing of ship. At front: list of slops received by Samuel Billson.

Journal of the Hector (Bark) out of Warren, RI, mastered by William Martin and kept by James Moore Ritchie, on a whaling voyage between 1842 and 1845.

Providence Public Library

Contains whale stamps and 8 full page watercolors. At end: poetry; oil sold. Last 8 pages written on different stock of lined paper. What appear to be the wings of a flying fish pasted in.

Journal of the Hecla (Bark), Sarah Sheafe (Bark) and Addison (Ship); mastered by Eben Nickerson, Henry O. Loper and Samuel Lawrence; and kept by Ebenezer Nickerson; on whaling voyages between 1856 and 1861.

Providence Public Library

Contains two voyages: Addison of New Bedford. Sarah Sheafe of New Bedford. Oct. 26, 1858-May 27, 1859. Henry O. Loper, Master. At end: accounts of bark Hecla, 1860-1861; "list of some whalers and their catchings"; "ships heard from and spoken"; "gauges of oil on board ship Addison."

Journal of the Harlequin (Sloop) and Leviathan (Schooner), mastered by [?] Clark and Jonathan Worth and kept by Nicholas Bailey, on whaling voyages between 1768 and 1769.

Providence Public Library

In addition to recording his whaling voyages, Bailey used the journal for over a decade, documenting his flour mill business and other transactions.

Journal of the Hanover (Ship) and Little William (Brig), mastered by Griffin Barney and kept by Cyrus Williams, on whaling voyages between 1802 and 1805.

Providence Public Library

Contains two voyages: Ship HANOVER, New Bedford. Aug. 19, 1802-May 9, 1804. Sealing voyage to the Falkland Island and SP; then to Canton, Canton to NY. Also on brig LITTLE WILLIAM. Jan 30, 1805-May 13, 1805. NY to Lisbon; Lisbon to Boston. Trading voyage. At end: account of cargo on the HANOVER, list of signals, letter signed Cyrus Williams.

Showing 481 to 510 of 783 results

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