Guide to the Gideon Wanton letters, 1782-1786
Redwood Library and Athenaeum
50 Bellevue Avenue
Newport, RI 02840
Tel: (401) 847-0292
Fax: (401) 841-5680
email: redwood@redwoodlibrary.org
Published in 2013
Collection Overview
| Title: |
Gideon Wanton letters |
| Date range: |
1782-1786 |
| Creator: |
Wanton, Gideon, 1766-1786 |
| Extent: |
.21 linear feet
(1 half document case)
|
| Abstract: |
This collection is comprised of letters sent by Gideon Wanton of Newport, Rhode Island, to members of his family detailing his experiences as a young man learning the mercantile trade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 1782-1786. |
| Language of materials: |
English, French |
| Repository: |
Redwood Library and Athenaeum
|
| Collection number: |
RLC.Ms.014 |
Scope & content
This collection is comprised of letters sent by Gideon Wanton detailing his experiences as a young man learning the mercantile trade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The majority of his correspondence was to his sister Polly, often written in French, in which he candidly expressed his homesickness for his family and Newport and his impressions of Philadelphia’s social life and customs. Letters sent to his parents, brother-in-law, Daniel Lyman, and other family acquaintances were often more serious in nature and describe his work with French merchant, M. LeMaigre, and his travels to West Indies and other Unites States cities to conduct business. Also present is a letter sent to Wanton from Daniel Lyman and a letter sent to Gideon’s parents from John Bringhust expressing his condolences after Gideon’s untimely death.
This collection also contains transcriptions of each letter and translations of letters written in French, which were provided by the donor.
Access Points
Subject Names
Geographical Names
Subject Topics
Document Types
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Biographical note
Gideon Wanton (1766-1786) was born in his family’s house at 17 Broadway in Newport, Rhode Island (known today as the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House). He was the son of John G. (1729-1799) and Mary Bull Wanton (1729-1821) and the younger brother of Mary “Polly” Wanton (1763-1821). His sister, Polly, married Daniel Lyman (1756-1830), an army officer during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), in 1781.
Towards the end of the Revolutionary War, Gideon’s father sent him to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to learn the mercantile trade. He found employment with M. LeMaigre, a French merchant of that city, and was soon entrusted with LeMaigre’s business affairs. LeMaigre sent Gideon abroad to the West Indies to conduct his business as supercargo, which made Gideon responsible for managing the cargo being shipped, selling the merchandise at the various ports visited, and buying and receiving goods to return to Philadelphia. In May 1785, LeMaigre offered to open a wholesale and retail store under Gideon Wanton’s name with the prospect of earning one third of the profits, but Gideon was apprehensive given the current state of the country following the end of the Revolutionary War. Unfortunately, Gideon was not given another chance to make a name for himself in business since he passed away on November 26, 1786, at the age of twenty.
Access & Use
| Access to the collection: |
Access is open to members and researchers at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. |
| Use of the materials: |
This collection is owned by the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Special Collections Librarian of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. |
| Preferred citation: |
Gideon Wanton letters, RLC.Ms.014, Redwood Library and Athenaeum. |
| Contact information: |
Redwood Library and Athenaeum
50 Bellevue Avenue
Newport, RI 02840
Tel: (401) 847-0292
Fax: (401) 841-5680
email: redwood@redwoodlibrary.org
|
Administrative Information
| ABOUT THE COLLECTION |
| Acquisition: |
Donated by Mary Brooks Harding, June 3, 2009. |
| Processing information: |
This collection was initially processed by Lisa Long in 2009. |
|
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| ABOUT THE FINDING AID |
| Author: |
Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth Delmage, 2013 July |
| Encoding: |
Finding aid encoded by Elizabeth Delmage,
2013 July 17 |
| Descriptive rules: |
Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) |
| Sponsor: |
Funding for processing and cataloging this collection was provided by the van Beuren Charitable Foundation. |
Additional Information
| Related material: |
Daniel Lyman papers, 1778-1832, Mss 546, Rhode Island Historical Society, Providence, RI. |
| Bibliography: |
Lutman, Deborah Wharton. History of the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, Newport, Rhode Island. Newport, RI: Oldport Association, 1974.
Mason, George Champlin. Reminiscences of Newport. Newport, RI: Charles E. Hammet, Jr., 1884.
|
Inventory
| Box 1, Folder 1 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
circa 1782 Apr |
| Box 1, Folder 2 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1782 Apr 12 |
| Box 1, Folder 3 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1782 May 16 |
| Box 1, Folder 4 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1782 May 30 |
| Box 1, Folder 5 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1782 Jun |
| Box 1, Folder 6 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1782 Jun 12 |
| Box 1, Folder 7 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1782 Jun 25 |
| Box 1, Folder 8 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1782 Jul 6 |
| Box 1, Folder 9 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1782 Jul 28 |
| Box 1, Folder 10 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1782 Jul 29 |
| Box 1, Folder 11 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1782 Aug |
| Box 1, Folder 12 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1782 Aug 4 |
| Box 1, Folder 13 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1782 Sep |
| Box 1, Folder 14 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1784 Jul 14 |
| Box 1, Folder 15 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1785 Feb 17 |
| Box 1, Folder 16 |
|
Letter to John G. and Mary Wanton
|
|
1785 Mar 17 |
| Box 1, Folder 17 |
|
Letter to Daniel Lyman
|
|
1785 May 8 |
| Box 1, Folder 18 |
|
Letter to John G. Wanton
|
|
1785 May 20 |
| Box 1, Folder 19 |
|
Letter to John G. and Mary Wanton
|
|
1785 Oct 7 |
| Box 1, Folder 20 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1785 Oct 25 |
| Box 1, Folder 21 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1785 Nov 18 |
| Box 1, Folder 22 |
|
Letter to Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1785 Nov 26 |
| Box 1, Folder 23 |
|
Letter to Daniel and Polly (Wanton) Lyman
|
|
1786 Mar 2 |
| Box 1, Folder 24 |
|
Letter to James Robinson
|
|
1786 Mar 5 |
| Box 1, Folder 25 |
|
Letter to Gideon Wanton from Daniel Lyman
|
|
1786 Jun 24 |
| Box 1, Folder 26 |
|
Letter to James Robinson
|
|
1786 Jul 23 |
| Box 1, Folder 27 |
|
Letter to unknown
|
|
1786 Aug |
| Box 1, Folder 28 |
|
Letter from James Bringhurst to John G. and Mary Wanton
|
|
1786 Dec 24 |