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COLLECTION Identifier: Mss:766 1696-1757 P421

William Pepperrell papers

Overview

Sir William Pepperrell (1696-1759) was a merchant and British Army officer in Kittery, Maine (then Massachusetts). The William Pepperrell papers consist of records related to the business interests and military service of Pepperrell, and his father, also William Pepperrell (-1734), a merchant and shipbuilder, dated 1696-1757. There is also a 1795 printed circular related to navigation.

Dates

  • Creation: 1696-1795

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. Materials stored onsite. Please contact specialcollectionsref@hbs.edu for more information regarding access procedures.

Extent

.25 linear feet (1 box)

The William Pepperrell papers consist of records related to the business interests and military service of Pepperrell, and his father, also William Pepperrell (-1734), a merchant and shipbuilder, dated 1696-1757. Includes accounts, invoices, receipts, orders, letters, legal documents, and portage bills. Among the correspondents in the collection are ship masters and other merchants such as Charles Apthorp (1698-1758) of Boston and Christopher Hake & Co. in Lisbon, Portugal. There is also a printed 1795 circular related to navigation.

Biographical / Historical

Sir William Pepperrell (1696-1759) was a merchant and British Army officer in Kittery, Maine (then Massachusetts). He owned ships and traded lumber, fish, and dry goods in the West Indies and Europe.

Pepperrell commanded British land forces that captured the French garrison at Fortress Louisbourg in 1745 during King George's War (1744-1748), after which he was made a baronet. During the French and Indian War (1754-1763), Pepperrell was promoted to major general, and he helped raise and train Massachusetts troops, including his own regiment, the 51st Regiment of Foot, and the 50th regiment, commanded by Governor William Shirley (1694-1771). Pepperrell also served as a justice of the peace and representative of Kittery in the Massachusetts General Court and on the Governor's Council, and in 1757, he was briefly acting governor of Massachusetts.

Physical Location

MANU

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The William Pepperrell papers were received by Baker Library Special Collections as a transfer from Houghton Library in 1954 .

Processing Information

Processed: January 2019

By: Brooke McManus

Preservation and description were supported by the Colonial North America at Harvard Library Project.

Title
Pepperrell, William, Sir, 1696-1759. William Pepperrell papers, 1696-1795: A Finding Aid
Author
Baker Library
Date
February 2019
Description rules
dacs
Language of description
und
EAD ID
bak00815

Repository Details

Part of the Baker Library Special Collections and Archives, Harvard Business School Repository

Baker Library Special Collections and Archives holds unique resources that focus on the evolution of business and industry, as well as the records of the Harvard Business School, documenting the institution's development over the last century. These rich and varied collections support research in a diverse range of fields such as business, economic, social and cultural history as well as the history of science and technology.

Contact:
Baker Library | Bloomberg Center
Soldiers Field Road
Boston MA 01263 USA
(617) 495-6411