Howland-Kirby Family Papers
Scope and Contents
The collection contains primarily transcripts and photocopies of the papers of George Kirby (1794-1882), farmer and local official, of Dartmouth, Mass.; his wife, Abigail H. (Smith) Kirby (1825-1895); their daughter, Rebecca (Kibry) Howland (1825-1895); her husband, Weston Howland (1815-ca. 1901), businessman and merchant, of Fairhaven and New Bedford, Mass.; and their children, Weston, Jr. (1852-1878), Rachel (1853-1934), and Abby S. (1861-1950) Howland, and Alice H. (Howland) Garrett (b. 1867). Chiefly includes personal diaries (1820-1891) of Howland family members and Abigail H. (Smith) Kirby, containing observations on the weather, trips taken, social activities, and daily and family affairs. Diaries of Weston Howland, Jr., include notes on the arrival of whaling ships in New Bedford and details of a controversy over the New Bedford-Fairhaven bridge; those of Abby S., and Rachel describe a trip taken by Abby to New York, N.Y., and Washington, D.C. (1888) and women preaching at Friends meetings; and diaries of Abigail H. (Smith) Kirby reflect her philosophical and religious life as well as involvement in the Dartmouth Friends meeting. Also contains correspondence, diaries, poems, property records, and other papers of Weston Howland, his wife, daughter, Alice H. (Howland) Garrett, and his mother, Abigail (Hathaway) Howland (1774-1867); papers of George Kirby including town records (1827-1849) of Dartmouth, Mass., particularly relating to his duties as town treasurer; and genealogical materials.
Dates
- Creation: circa 1790-circa 1973
Creator
- Howland, Weston, 1852-1878 (Contributor, Person)
- Howland, Abigail Hathaway, 1774-1867 (Contributor, Person)
- Howland, Rebecca Kirby, 1825-1895 (Contributor, Person)
- Howland, Weston, 1815-ca. 1901 (Contributor, Person)
- Kirby, Abigail H. Smith, 1798-1861 (Contributor, Person)
- Howland, Rachel, 1853-1934 (Contributor, Person)
- Garrett, Alice H. Howland, b. 1867 (Contributor, Person)
- Kirby, George, 1794-1882 (Contributor, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Some of the items in this collection may be protected by copyright. The user is solely responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns to reuse, publish, or reproduce relevant items beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to the law. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/.
Biographical / Historical
Weston Howland (1815-ca. 1901) was a birthright Quaker and a prominent businessman involved in the whale oil industry. The Howland Family lived in and around New Bedford, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven, MA. The collection includes his will, correspondence, as well as papers related to his business. Weston married Rebecca Kirby (1825-1895), the daughter of George and Abigail Kirby. George Kirby (1794-1882) was both treasurer and tax collector for the town of Dartmouth. His financial and personal papers are included in the collection. Weston Howland, Jr. (1852-1878), son of Weston and Rebecca Howland, joined the family whale oil business. His correspondence with his parents as well as his journals are included in the papers. The journals of his sister, Rachel (1853-1934), are also included in the collection. One of his other sisters, Alice (b. 1867) was the mother of the donor of the collection, Elizabeth Howland Jordan.
Extent
1.5 linear ft. (3 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Howland and Kirby families were Quakers of Dartmouth, Fairhaven, and New Bedford, Mass. The collection contains primarily transcripts and photocopies of their papers. Of particular interest are dairies of Weston Howland, Jr., with notes on the arrival of whaling ships in New Bedford and details of a controversy over the New Bedford-Fairhaven bridge; those of Abby S., and Rachel, which describe a trip taken by Abby to New York, N.Y., and Washington, D.C. (1888) and women preaching at Friends meetings; and papers of George Kirby including town records (1827-1849) of Dartmouth, Mass., particularly relating to his duties as town treasurer; and genealogical materials.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into six series:
- Biographical and genealogical
- Weston Howland
- Howland family
- Hathaway family
- Kirby family
- Miscellaneous
Physical Location
For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donor: Elizabeth Howland Jordan, 1990, 1993
Donor is a descendent of Weston and Rebecca (Kirby) Howland.
Subject
- Howland family (Family)
- Kirby family (Family)
Geographic
- Massachusetts -- Climate
- Massachusetts -- Politics and government
- New York (N.Y.) -- description and travel
- Washington (D.C.) -- description and travel
Topical
- Bridges -- Massachusetts
- Lay ministry -- Society of Friends
- Local finance -- Massachusetts
- Local government -- Massachusetts
- Quaker women -- Massachusetts
- Quakers -- Massachusetts
- Quakers -- Massachusetts
- Quakers -- Social life and customs
- Real property -- Massachusetts
- Voyages and travels
- Weather
- Whaling -- Massachusetts
- Whaling ships -- Massachusetts
- Title
- An Inventory of the Howland-Kirby Family Papers, circa 1790-circa 1973
- Author
- FHL staff
- Date
- 1993
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
- Sponsor
- Encoding made possible by a grant by the Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation to the Philadelphia Consortium of Special Collections Libraries
Find It at the Library
Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting repoductions from Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College Library
