1800s ARCHIVE of BOSTON MERCHANT THOMAS LEWIS Letters Docs Genealogy LEWIS WHARF

Description: Archive of 33 letters, documents and genealogies pertaining to the early Boston, Massachusetts merchant family of THOMAS LEWIS, b.1750 d.1813, his descendants, and their notable merchant business activities. Most are from 1802, others from 1803 to the mid-1800, and a few items from the early 1900s. Thomas Lewis owned Boston's LEWIS WHARF. With his son Thomas III (aka Thomas Jr.), b.1771 d.1824, Thomas Lewis operated the merchant firm of Thomas Lewis & Son. In 1802 Thomas Lewis III was abroad to conduct sales, purchases, and safe transport of goods. Many of the letters are from him during this period and provide an "I was there" look at business transactions between New England and Europe in the early 1800s. *************************************************** The letters / documents are: 1-20 (1802): Twenty (20) handwritten letters from Thomas Lewis III, detailing his 1802 merchant business activities in Le Havre, France and Cadiz, Spain, for Thomas Lewis & Son. The letters are addressed variously to his father, brother John, and family, and pertain to the purchase and sale of goods and ships, relocation of crew, etc. 21 (1803): Handwritten letter sent from Boston apparently by a merchant wondering about a ship whose Captain died in Puerto Rico while loading rice. It seems he is asking Thomas Lewis III, who he heard was in Havana, if he had any information on the vessel. 22-23 (1804-1805): Two letters from Thomas Lewis Jr. to his father and brother. Mentions a miller's debt and some other matters. Sent from New London and Baltimore. 24 (1808): Four page handwritten: "Journal of occurrences on a Journey from Dorchester to Warwick in Massachusetts" by James Pierce, May 1808. A detailed account of routes taken, house locations, farm owners as well as impressions of early 19th Century Massachusetts towns including: Roxbury, Brookline, Brighton, Waltham, Weston, Sudbury, Lancaster, etc. James Pierce, b.1754 d.1826, married Lydia Clapp, b.1770 d.1814, relative of Polly (Clapp) Lewis. (James Pierce was a descendant of one the first settlers in Dorchester, Robert Pierce and Ann Grenway.) 25 (1845): Letter of November 27, 1845 from Abiel Lewis, b.1814 d.1895, (son of Thomas Lewis III and Polly Clapp Lewis) to his mother, regarding his decision to leave Polly all his properties in his will, as she was "the only one that has done much for me; you trusted me with all your property and had I been unfortunate in my business you would have lost much if not all..." Abiel Smith Lewis continued in his father's merchant business until the late 19th Century. 26 (1852): Document recording the approval of William B. Trask to the Dorchester Antiquarian and Historical Society, Dorchester, Mass, January 30, 1852; the meeting was held at the home of Ebenezer Clapp, Jr. 27 (1865): Handwritten transcription of the Eulogy given by Rev. Samuel D. Robbins at Mary (Polly Clapp) Lewis' funeral at First Parish Unitarian Church, Framingham, December 24th, 1865. 28 (1914): Typewritten letter dated August 28, 1914 from Archibald Hopkins (Chief Clerk, US Court of Claims) to Georgina L. Weis regarding the final dismissal of the petition filed to reclaim money owed to the Lewis family by the French Government for commandeering one of the Lewis' ships and cargo. The Lewises claimed restitution of $23,736.37 for the ship, cargo, and legal expenses incurred when the ship were seized in 1880. Thomas Lewis at one point wrote to President James Mdison seeking his help (transcriptions of that letter can be found online). This letter dismisses all claims. 29 (1945): Typewritten 14 page document containing a genealogy of Thomas Lewis III and Polly Clapp Lewis and their descendants, plus transcripts of letters written by Thomas III from France and Spain in 1802. Likely compiled by Robert Lewis Weis, 1945. 30: CDV of a sketch portrait of Thomas Lewis III, referenced in the accompanying genealogy as having been done in France in 1802. 31-32 (1945): Two (2) typewritten copies of "Recollections of the Lewis Family of Framingham, Mass, 1850-1922, A paper read before the Framingham Historical Society, April 25, 1939 by the Reverend Frederick Lewis Weis". Staple bound inside orange paper covers with title label, 14 pages. A personal, in-depth look at the Lewis Family of Farmingham. A note at the rear reads "typed and mimeographed by Robert Lewis Weis" 1945. 33 (1838): January 19th 1838, document pertaining to a $500 land transaction between David Kellogg, b.1755 d.1843, of Framingham, Mass. and Sarah Hooper (widow of Nathaniel Hooper) of Beverly, Mass; signed by each. Reverend David Kellogg attended Dartmouth and Yale, before accepting a position with First Parish (Unitarian) of Framingham, which he held for 50 years. His daughters Nancy and Martha are named in the document as well. *************************************************** ALL THE LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS are in plastic sleeves bound in a binder, except the 14 page genealogy (item 29) which is laid in. CONDITION: One letter from Thomas Jr. to his father has some major tears, however it is all present and could be carefully repaired; the document pertaining to Reverend David Kellogg is torn neatly in half along horizontal fold, it is completely present and legible; otherwise all the items are in generally GOOD condition, with expected age toning, stains, small chips, creases, edgewear, signs of handling, etc. About the LEWIS WHARF, BOSTON (from Wikipedia): ******Boston was the trade center of the colonial Province of Massachusetts Bay. Waterfront property was developed for the selling of goods unloaded from adjoining wharfs. Lewis Wharf was within an area known at the time as Clark's Wharf. In 1764 John Hancock inherited the Wharf from his uncle, Thomas Hancock. Thomas Lewis of Lynn, Massachusetts, was a successful merchant during the years following the American Revolution. In 1793 he acquired much of the Wharf and renamed it the Lewis Wharf. Thomas Lewis had three sons: Thomas, David and John. Thomas assumed control of the wharf when his father died in 1809. John became heir to the property when his brother died in 1824. John and his cousin Samuel G. Lewis established the Lewis Wharf Company in 1834, and upgraded the property with stores which were among the earliest granite masonry buildings in Boston. Lewis Wharf stores represented the apex of New England marketplace architecture in the age of water transport. Merchandise arrived at the wharf in watercraft of all sizes from Middlesex Canal boats to oceangoing schooners. As railroads expanded inland from port cities like Boston, wharves became locations for transfer of freight and new marketplaces were built near population centers. The most efficient freight transfer wharves were those designed for bulk cargoes; so demand for wharf warehouse space declined through the 20th century and practically disappeared as intermodal containerized freight transport became standardized. In 1973, the old granite and timber warehouses were renovated by Carl Koch. The two lowest floors were designated for commercial occupancy while the upper four stories became residential condominiums.******

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