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
Logbook of the Isabella (Bark) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Orrick Smalley, on a whaling voyage between 1852 and 1855.
Providence Public Library
Contains whale stamps.
Logbook of the India (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Grafton Luce, on a whaling voyage between 1832 and 1833.
Providence Public Library
Contains crew accounts at front and at end of logbook.
Logbook of the Howard (Ship) out of Nantucket, MA, mastered by William, II Worth and kept by Edward Nichols, on a whaling voyage between 1838 and 1841.
Providence Public Library
Contains whale and ocean sketches; whale stamps; list of whales raised.
Logbook of the Hopeton (Brig) out of Sippican, MA, mastered by Obed Delano, on a whaling voyage between 1857 and 1859.
Providence Public Library
At front: list of provisions.
Logbook of the Hibernia (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Nathan P. Simmons and kept by John W. Sherman, on a whaling voyage between 1844 and 1846.
Providence Public Library
At end: oil stowed; provisions used. Contains whale stamps.
Logbook of the Hibernia (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by John M. Honeywell, on a whaling voyage between 1853 and 1857.
Providence Public Library
Contains provisions used; bone and oil sent home; oil stowed; oil sold.
Logbook of the Hesper (Ship) and James Andrews (Bark); mastered by Joseph Hamblin, Jr., James Bartlett and Benjamin Kelley; on whaling voyages between 1857 and 1859.
Providence Public Library
JAMES ANDREWS (Bark) New Bedford. [#348] Contains whale stamps. At end: whales taken; personal note. Contains profile views. HESPER (Ship) Fairhaven. June 5, 1859-Oct. 4, 1859.
Logbook of the Hercules (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Albert G. Goodwin, on a whaling voyage between 1831 and 1832.
Providence Public Library
At end: stamps of whale taken by the ship ALBION, Fairhaven, in 1829.
Logbook of the Herald (Ship); mastered by Alexander H. Harlow, George Harris and Charles T. Terry; on whaling voyages between 1847 and 1854.
Providence Public Library
Contains whale stamps. At end: V. 1: List of provisions.
Logbook of the Henry Trowbridge (Brig) out of Stonington, CT, mastered by Caleb Osburn Hamblin, on a whaling voyage between 1879 and 1882.
Providence Public Library
Sealing and whaling voyage. At end: list of sperm oil stowed; supplies used.
Logbook of the Henry Trowbridge (Brig) and Mattapoisett (Bark), mastered by Caleb Osburn Hamblin and Orlando Jefferson Tripp and kept by Caleb Osburn Hamblin and William Crosby, on whaling voyages between 1873 and 1882.
Providence Public Library
MATTAPOISETT (Bark) Westport. Logbook. June 11, 1873-Sept. 22, 1874. At end: lists of oil stowed; "sperm whales seen"; Captain's expenses after brig was condemned at Fayal. At end: lists of dates whales raised and by whom; whales raised on the ship CALEDONIA in 1839-1840. With this: Hamblin, Caleb Osburn. Journal. Oct. 7, 1879-Nov. 29, 1882.
Logbook of the Hector (Ship) and Roscius (Bark) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by James Gray and Gardner Hazard, on whaling voyages between 1840 and 1846.
Providence Public Library
Contains whale stamps. At end: list of ships and masters spoken. ROSCIUS (Bark) New Bedford. Journal. Dec. 31, 1844-Jan 10, 1846. HECTOR (Ship) New Bedford. Dec. 22, 1840-Sept. 6, 1843.
Logbook of the Hattie E. Smith (Schooner) out of Edgartown, MA, mastered by Zenas E. Bourne, on a whaling voyage between 1887 and 1889.
Providence Public Library
At end: gauges of oil stowed; provisions used.
Logbook of the Hattie E. Smith (Schooner) out of Edgartown, MA, mastered by Zenas E. Bourne and John E. Johnson, Jr., on whaling voyages between 1892 and 1894.
Providence Public Library
Contains two voyages: June 2, 1892-Aug. 28, 1893. (Sherman 362) May 22, 1894-Nov. 17, 1894. (Sherman 364)
Logbook of the Hattie E. Smith (Schooner) out of Edgartown, MA, mastered by Joseph D. Silva and Frederick Plummer Taber, on whaling voyages between 1885 and 1887.
Providence Public Library
Contains whale stamps. At end: account of oil stowed down, provisions used, whales raised.
Logbook of the Hattie E. Smith (Schooner) out of Edgartown, MA, mastered by Benjamin F. Nickerson, on a whaling voyage in 1881.
Providence Public Library
At end: account of provisions used.
Logbook of the Hattie E. Smith (Schooner) out of Edgartown, MA, mastered by Benjamin F. Nickerson, on a whaling voyage between 1884 and 1885.
Providence Public Library
At end: account of provisions used.
Logbook of the Harrison (Ship) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by John H. Hathaway, on a whaling voyage between 1850 and 1854.
Providence Public Library
Contains whale stamps.
Logbook of the Hamilton (Bark) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by John B. Nye and Edwin R. Osgood, on whaling voyages between 1866 and 1869.
Providence Public Library
John B. Nye, replacement master.
Logbook of the Greyhound (Bark) out of Westport, MA, mastered by George G. Cathcart, on a whaling voyage between 1857 and 1861.
Providence Public Library
At end: account of provisions used.
Logbook of the Greyhound (Bark) out of Westport, MA, mastered by Frederick A. Wing, on a whaling voyage between 1854 and 1856.
Providence Public Library
Contains whale stamps. At end: "Actions and Conversations conserning old Gardner Manchester"; account of oil taken on board, letters for different vessels, provisions used.
Logbook of the Greyhound (Bark) out of Westport, MA, mastered by Frederick A. Wing, on a whaling voyage between 1851 and 1853.
Providence Public Library
Contains whale stamps. At end: oil taken on board; accounts; list of provisions used.
Logbook of the Greyhound (Bark) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Joseph T. Enos, on a whaling voyage between 1892 and 1897.
Providence Public Library
After entry for Mar. 20, 1893: letter with signature and seal of U.S. Consul at St. Helena dated Feb. 28, 1893 concerning investigation and arrest of seamen who refused duty. At end: account of oil taken on board and shipped.
Logbook of the Greyhound (Bark) out of New Bedford, MA, mastered by Antonio C. Corvelho, on a whaling voyage between 1913 and 1916.
Providence Public Library
Contains whale stamps.
