Essex Institute Historical Collections (Volume 39) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1903. Excerpt: ... SHIP REGISTERS OF THE DISTRICT OF SALEM AND BEVERLY. 1789-1900. COMMUNICATED BY A. FRANK HITCHINGS, WITH ADDITIONAL NOTES BY STEPHEN WILLARD PHILLIPS. In presenting this work the intention has been to arrange, in alphabetical order, a fairly correct list of all those vessels that have been registered and engaged in the foreign trade at this port, commencing with the first register record that appears in the Salem Custom House, which is dated October 6, 1789, and continuing to the present time. The district of Salem and Beverly comprises the ports of Salem, Beverly, and Danvers, and, prior to the Act of March, 1799, included also the port of Ipswich. The list also includes all those vessels belonging to this district that have been documented at other ports for the foreign trade, but have never sailed into Salem harbor. Possibly there were vessels the names of which do not appear in this list, but an effort has been made to include them all. In some instances the name of the same vessel may appear more than once, as a great many vessels during the latter part of the 18th and early part of the 19th centuries, have been traced with much difficulty. During that period there were 45 vessels named Betsey, 33 named Sally, 26 named Polly, and many others which appear many times although not so frequently as those mentioned. If the present system of giving to each vessel an official number to identify her had been in vogue at that time, this difficulty of tracing a vessel which had changed her rig and tonnage, would have been avoided. Under these circumstances, no claim can be made that the list presented is absolutely correct or that the names of all the vessels engaged in such trade have been obtained. It is, however, believed to be substantially correct and may...