COLLECTION GUIDES

1697-1894

Guide to the Collection


Collection Summary

Abstract

The Amory family papers, 1697-1894, consist of personal correspondence, merchant and shipping business records, family financial records, writings and research notes, diaries, estate papers, and genealogical information of the multi-generational and interrelated Amory, Sullivan, and Coffin families of Boston, Mass.

Biographical Sketches

Arranged by generation

Thomas Amory (1682-1728)
Thomas Amory was born in Ireland in 1682, the son of Jonathan and Rebecca Houston Amory. His parents removed to Barbados and then to South Carolina after Rebecca's death around 1685. In 1696, Thomas and his sister Anne were sent to England to be educated. Upon the death of his father, Thomas was placed under the care of his uncle Thomas Amory. He entered Nicholas Oursel's counting house and was sent to the Azores as a supercargo. In 1719 he moved to Boston and married Rebecca Holmes (1701-1770), daughter of Francis and Rebecca Holmes in 1721. He bought lands in the south end of Boston, built warehouses and wharves, bought tracks of land in Carolina, the Azores, and Maine. He died in 1728 leaving his widow, two daughters, and three sons.

Thomas Amory (1722-1784)
Thomas Amory was born 23 April 1722, the eldest son of Thomas and Rebecca (Holmes) Amory. He entered the Boston Latin School in 1735 and graduated from Harvard in 1741. He was a merchant by trade, but also ran a distillery inherited from his father and grandfather. Thomas married his cousin Elizabeth Coffin, whose family was Loyalist, in 1764, and they had nine children. During the siege of Boston, Thomas was first moved to Waltham for two months, but then returned to Boston and continued in trade with his brothers until his death in 1784.

Elizabeth Coffin Amory (1743-1823)
Elizabeth Coffin Amory was the daughter of John Coffin, Loyalist and distiller of Boston who removed to Quebec during the evacuation of Boston in 1776. She married Thomas Amory in 1764; they had nine children.

Jonathan Amory (1726-1797)
The second oldest son of Thomas and Rebecca Holmes, Jonathan was born on 19 December 1726 in Boston. He married Abigail Taylor, brother of future business partner and Loyalist Joseph Taylor, but did not have any children. He was a merchant by trade and was a partner with his brother, John Amory in the merchant house J. & J. Amory, which in 1769 became Amory's and Taylor, and then Amory, Taylor and Rogers in 1772. He built a house at the corner of Temple and Washington Streets and when he died in 1797 he his entire estate was left to his younger brother John.

John Amory (1728-1803)
The third oldest son of Thomas and Rebecca Holmes, John was born 1728 in Boston. He married Catherine Greene, daughter of Katharine Stanbridge and Rufus Greene, and they had nine children. He was a merchant by trade and was a partner with his brother Jonathan Amory in the merchant house J. & J. Amory (later Amory's and Taylor, and Amory, Taylor and Rogers). He also owned a distillery and a wharf. In May of 1775, John and his wife Catherine Greene left for England, leaving Jonathan in charge of the business. His children were under the care of both his brother Jonathan and sister Elizabeth Amory Payne. While in England his wife died. His name was placed on the banishment act list and he was not permitted to return to Boston after the war. He lived in England and Brussels during the war, Providence, R.I. for a period of time after the war, and was eventually allowed to return to Boston. He lived in Rufus Greene's house until his death in 1803.

John Amory (1759-1832)
The eldest son of John and Catherine (Greene) Amory, John Amory, Jr. was born in 1759 in Boston, Mass. He was a store keeper by trade in partnership with his brother Thomas in the merchant firm John and Thomas Amory at 41 Marlboro Street. He married Catherine Willard in 1792 and had one child. He was referred to as "Newbury-Street John." He died in Boston in 1832.

Thomas Amory (1762-1823)
The third oldest son of John and Catherine (Greene) Amory, Thomas Amory was born in 1762. He was a store-keeper and in partnership with his brother John Amory in the firm John and Thomas Amory at 41 Marlboro Street. He married Elizabeth Bowen in 1799 and they had eight children. He was referred to as "English Tom." He died in Roxbury in 1823.

Thomas C. Amory, Jr. (1767-1812)
The eldest son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Coffin) Amory, Thomas was born in 1767 in Boston. He married Hannah R. Linzee, daughter of ¬¬Captain John Linzee commander of the British sloop of war Falcon during the Battle of Bunker Hill. While his father was abroad during the Revolution, he worked with his cousin William Payne in the merchant house Payne and Amory. After 1800 he was in partnership with his brother Jonathan in the successful merchant house Jonathan and Thomas Amory and Company.

Jonathan Amory tertius (1770-1828)
The second eldest son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Coffin) Amory, Jonathan tertius was born in 1770. His first marriage was to Ann Wyer, but she died rather young. He remarried Mehitable (Sullivan) Cutler, the widow of his business partner James Cutler in 1801. She was the daughter of Mehitable and Gov. James Sullivan. After graduating from Harvard in 1778, Jonathan entered J & J Amory, the counting house of his uncle Jonathan (1726-1797). He then was in partnership with James Cutler in Cutler and Amory until Cutler's death in 1799. Afterward, he was in partnership with his brother Thomas C. Amory, Jr. in the merchant house Jonathan and Thomas Amory and Company. He was sometimes referred to as "good Jonathan."

Thomas Coffin Amory (1812-1889)
The youngest son of Jonathan and Mehitable Sullivan Cutler Amory, Thomas Coffin Amory was born in 1812. He graduated from Harvard in 1830 and became a member of the Boston bar in 1834 and served in the municipal government of Boston as an alderman. He was a lawyer, historian, and genealogist who wrote numerous works on subjects including Irish history, the poor of Boston, topics related to the Revolution, and a biography of his grandfather, James Sullivan, entitled The Life of Gov. Sullivan (1859). His family research and writings make up the bulk on this collection.

James Cutler (1767-1799)
James Cutler was born in Boston in 1767 to John and Mary Clark Cutler. He married Mehitable Sullivan, the daughter of Gov. James Sullivan in 1793. He was in business with Jonathan Amory tertius in the merchant house of Cutler and Amory until his death in 1799.

Samuel Rogers (1746-1804)
Samuel Rogers was born in Littleton, Mass., to the Rev. Daniel and Elizabeth Ruggles Dummer Rogers in 1746. After graduating from Harvard in 1765, he moved to Boston and became a commission merchant but didn't fare very well. In 1772, be became a partner in the merchant house Amory, Taylor & Rogers. A Loyalist, he evacuated to Nova Scotia in 1776. He lived in London and acted as a Loyalist claims agent before returning to Boston in 1803. He died there in 1804.

Joseph Taylor (1746-1816)
The fourth son of Colonel William and Faith Winslow Taylor, Joseph Taylor was born in Boston in 1746. He graduated from Harvard in 1765 and kept the Latin School at Westborough until January 1770 when he removed to Boston and became a partner in Amory, Taylor & Rogers. His sister Abigail Taylor married business partner Jonathan Amory. He sailed for England as an agent in 1772 and remained there through the Revolution. He died in Boston in 1816.

Merchant house lineage

J. & J. Amory
J. & J. Amory was the merchant firm of brothers Jonathan (1726-1797) and John Amory (1728-1803), sons of Thomas Amory (1682-1728). The firm is believed to be opened before 1757 and was located in Dock Square before it was removed to King Street, below the townhouse.

Amory's and Taylor
Amory's and Taylor was the merchant firm of brothers Jonathan and John Amory and Joseph Taylor, which began in 1769. The firm was originally J. & J. Amory.

Amory, Taylor & Rogers
The merchant firm of Amory, Taylor, and Rogers began in 1770 when Samuel Rogers became a partner with Jonathan and John Amory. When the Revolution began, John Amory, Joseph Taylor, and Samuel Rogers fled the country leaving Jonathan Amory in charge. John Amory returned upon the conclusion of the war at which time the firm name changed to Jonathan and John Amory.

John and Jonathan Amory and Company
In 1783, Jonathan and John Amory dissolved their partnership with Samuel Rogers and Joseph Taylor and resumed their importing merchant business in Boston. It is believed this firm as dissolved upon the death of Jonathan Amory (1728-1797).

John and Thomas Amory
John and Thomas Amory was the merchant firm of brothers John (1759-1832) and Thomas (1762-1823), sons of John Amory (1728-1803). While their father was in exile in England during the Revolution, their uncle Jonathan (1726-1797) set them up in business. Their firm dissolved in 1797. The store was located at 41 Marlboro Street in Boston. John Amory was sometimes referred to as "Newbury Street John" and Thomas was sometimes referred to as "English Tom."

Cutler and Amory
Jonathan Amory tertius (1770-1828) and James Cutler (1767-1799) were principles in the importing and merchant dry goods firm Cutler and Amory, which began sometime after the Revolution in 1783 and was dissolved upon the early death of James Cutler in 1799. Amory conducted business out of the Boston office, while Cutler acquired goods abroad and shipped them back to Boston to be sold.

Jonathan and Thomas Amory and Company
After the death of James Cutler, Jonathan Amory tertius (1770-1828) and his brother Thomas C. Amory, Jr. (1767-1812) were principles in the merchant firm Jonathan and Thomas Amory and Company, which began sometime after 1800. The shop was located on India Wharf.

Collection Description

The Amory family papers, 1697-1894, consist of business, estate, and personal papers of the Amory family and related Coffin and Sullivan families of Boston, Mass. Business papers pertain to the multi-generational family merchant establishments John and Jonathan Amory; Amory, Taylor, and Rogers; Cutler and Amory; and Jonathan and Thomas Amory and Company. Included in the collection are correspondence, shipping papers, estate inventories, wastebooks, account books, cash books, invoices, letterbooks, bills, and receipts.

Personal family papers pertain to Thomas Amory (1682-1728), Thomas Amory (1722-1784), Rebekah Holmes Amory, Elizabeth Coffin Amory; Jonathan Amory (1726-1797), John Amory (1728-1803), Jonathan Amory tertius (1770-1828), Thomas C. Amory, Jr. (1767-1812), James Cutler, Mehitible Sullivan Cutler Amory, Thomas Coffin Amory (1812-1889), and members of the Amory, Coffin, Sullivan, Austin, and Deblois families. The collection includes extensive papers detailing family trusts and the division of estates; descriptions of family real estate holdings; wills and deeds; account books; commonplace-books; and newspaper clippings; and diaries of Mehitible Sullivan Cutler Amory and Thomas Coffin Amory. Family correspondence includes letters written from John Coffin to his daughter Elizabeth Coffin Amory; James Sullivan to his daughter Mehitable Sullivan Cutler Amory; and Civil War letters written by Thomas J.C. Amory and Charles B. Amory to their father Jonathan Amory and uncle James S. Amory. The writings of Thomas Coffin Amory (1812-1889) make up the bulk of the collection. His writings include poetry, rough drafts of his books, and lectures given on various topics. Some of these topics include Irish history, the poor of Boston, old houses and architecture in New England, specific persons including George Washington Warren, Sir Isaac Coffin, John Winthrop, Gov. James Sullivan, and Gen. John Sullivan.

Also included are copied transcriptions of materials, of which the location is unknown, including letters of Amory family descendants, John and Jonathan Amory, Gen. John Sullivan, Gov. James Sullivan. Also includes extensive genealogy of the Amory family, including 19th century transcriptions of early family papers and correspondence; material gathered in Europe in 1871; genealogical notes; a biography of Amory, Sullivan, and Coffin family members; and a diagram of the Amory family tree (in Box OS 5).

Acquisition Information

Gift of the descendants of Hugh Amory, in memory of Thomas Coffin Amory, December 1902.

Detailed Description of the Collection

I. Business papers, 1710-1890

Series one consists of loose and bound business papers of the Boston, Mass. merchant establishments Jonathan and John Amory; Amory, Taylor, and Rogers; Cutler and Amory; and Thomas and Jonathan Amory & Company from 1710-1890. Materials related to J. & J. Amory and Amory, Taylor, and Rogers are of particular importance as they document the struggle Boston merchants had with the Stamp Act, British taxation, non-importation, and parliamentary encroachments on the colonies and trade.

A. Loose business papers, 1752-1890

Loose business papers of Amory family merchant houses and importing businesses, 1752-1890, consist of correspondence, accounts, receipts, and transactions with English, French, and Massachusetts merchants including Samuel Whittemore, Enoch Greenleaf, Katherine Codman, Obadiah Curtis, Cotton Tufts, Matthew Mansfield, John Rowe, Charles Bullfinch, Harrison & Ansley, and Forsyth, Smith & Company. Included are insurance policies written by the New England Marine Insurance Company. Also contains correspondence between Amory family members and business associates including Thomas Amory, John Amory, Jonathan Amory, Thomas C. Amory, Jr., Jonathan Amory tertius, John Amory, and James Cutler. The loose papers were originally tipped into larger volumes; they have been removed for preservation purposes and are arranged chronologically. Materials removed from bound volume #14 consisting of ship and shipping information are also located here.

Box OS 1

1752-1797

Box OS 2

1798-1802

Box OS 3

1803-1890 and undated

B. Bound business volumes, 1710-1846

Bound business papers of Amory family merchant houses and importing businesses from 1710-1846 include account books, ledgers, wastebooks, cashbooks, invoice books, and journals. Also included are miscellaneous wastebooks and account books kept by unidentified merchants. Business transactions with merchants both local and from areas outside of Boston include Samuel Whittemore, Enoch Greenleaf, Katherine Codman, Obadiah Curtis, Cotton Tufts, Matthew Mansfield, and John Rowe.

1. Jonathan and John Amory (J. & J. Amory), 1765-1768, 1784-1789

The counting house and dry goods importing firm of J. & J. Amory owned by brothers Jonathan and John Amory opened in 1757 with an office at Dock Square in Boston and in 1761 another office in Salem, Mass. In 1769, Joseph Taylor entered the partnership, bringing an end to J. & J. Amory. It was succeeded by Amory's & Taylor.

See also Series III (Transcribed letterbooks of Jonathan and John Amory.)

Vol. 1

Wastebook, 1 October 1765-13 October 1766

Vol. 2

Wastebook, 22 April-30 November 1768

Vol. 3 (XT)

Wastebook, 1 May 1784-April 1789

2. Amory, Taylor, & Rogers, 1769-1784

The business records of Boston-based merchant establishment Amory, Taylor, and Rogers--principles Jonathan Amory, John Amory, Joseph Taylor, and Samuel Rogers--date from 1769-1783. In 1769, Jonathan and John Amory took on Joseph Taylor as a partner, briefly forming the merchant importing house of Amory's and Taylor. In 1770, Samuel Rogers came on board, changing the name to Amory, Taylor, and Rogers. With the evacuation of Boston in 1776, Loyalists John Amory, Joseph Taylor, and Samuel Rogers fled America leaving Jonathan Amory in charge of the merchant house. At the end of the Revolution, Jonathan and John Amory resumed business without Joseph Taylor and Samuel Rogers, at which point they became Jonathan and John Amory and Company. See Jonathan and John Amory above. Jonathan Amory tertius was employed at Jonathan and John Amory and Company in his teenage years. Records include journals, wastebooks, account books noting business transactions, credits, and the importation of dry goods for wholesale to New England merchants, particularly cloth; and letterbooks containing business correspondence about imports and the shipment of goods from Europe to Boston for resale.

See also Series III. (Transcribed letterbooks of Jonathan and John Amory).

Vol. 4 (XT)

Account book, 1 May 1769-15 August 1771

Vol. 5

Ledger, 1772-1775

Vol. 6

Wastebook, July 1770-31 December 1771

Vol. 7

Wastebook, 3 April-7 November 1771

Vol. 8

Journal, 22 January 1772-1 May 1784

Vol. 9

Wastebook, 22 January-4 November 1772

Vol. 10

Wastebook, 4 November 1772-8 June 1773

Vol. 11

Wastebook, 9 June-15 November 1773

Vol. 12

Wastebook, 16 November 1773-31 August 1774

Vol. 13

Wastebook, 1 September 1774-19 March 1784

Vol. 14

Wastebook, 29 September 1774-24 May 1777

3. John and Thomas Amory and Company, 1778-1795

The merchant firm of John and Thomas Amory and Company was established by their uncle Jonathan (1726-1797), while their father, John (1728-1803) was in exile in England.

Vol. 15

John and Thomas Amory and Company distilling account book, 1778-1779

Vol. 16

John and Thomas Amory and Company letterbook, 1789-1795

4. Cutler and Amory, 1783-1803

Business records pertaining to the merchant house of Cutler and Amory from 1783-1803 include letterbooks, cashbooks, account books, wastebooks, and invoice books. Letterbooks include business correspondence between Cutler and Amory and merchants regarding accounts, dry goods, and other business-related subjects. Invoice books record export shipments handled by James Cutler and others while in France purchasing goods to re-sell in Boston. This merchant establishment was a partnership between James Cutler and Jonathan Amory tertius. It is unclear when this partnership began, but it probably emerged when Jonathan and John Amory and Company was dissolved, allowing Jonathan Amory's subsequent departure.

Vol. 17

Account and invoice book, 1783-1791

Vol. 18

Wastebook, 25 September 1783-11 November 1788

Vol. 19

Invoice book, 17 November 1783-10 August 1791

Vol. 20

Account book/Cashbook, 1784-1791/1788-1799

Vol. 21

Invoice book, 1788-1793

Vol. 22

Wastebook, 1 September 1790-7 May 1792

Vol. 23

Cashbook, March 1791-February 1794

Vol. 24

Wastebook, 9 May-15 November 1792

Vol. 25

Wastebook, 16 November 1792-20 June 1793

Vol. 26

Wastebook, 21 June 1793-27 June 1794

Vol. 27

Wastebook, 28 June 1794-20 April 1795

Vol. 28

Cashbook, 1 March 1794-March 1796

Vol. 29

Wastebook, 21 April 1795-18 March 1796

Vol. 30

Wastebook, 22 March 1796-March 1801

Vol. 31

Cashbook, 1796-1799

Vol. 32

Cashbook, June 1797-October 1801

Vol. 33

Cashbook, November 1801-July 1803

5. Miscellaneous financial records, 1710-1846

Miscellaneous financial records consist of a record book kept in Portuguese from 1713-1720; a shipping ledger from 1777-1779; an unidentified account book containing bills of exchange from 1791-1797; a property rental book from 1828-1832; an attorney's financial docket possibly belonging to Thomas Coffin Amory from 1833-1846; and an index of various stores and individuals listed by town. Also included is an account book of London-based merchant Nicholas Oursel from 1710-1719 noting business transactions and shipments of dry goods, food, and wine. This was probably Thomas Amory's (1682-1728) account book when he was sent to the Azores as a super-cargo for Oursel's merchant house.

Vol. 34

Record book written in Portuguese, 1713-1720

Vol. 35

Shipping ledger, 1777-1779

Vol. 36

Account book, 1791-1797

Vol. 37

Property rental book, 1828-1832

Vol. 38

Attorney's financial docket, 1833-1846

Vol. 39

Nicholas Oursel's account book, 1710-1719

Vol. 40 (XT)

Index of various stores and individuals listed by town

II. Personal papers, 1725-1890

The Amory family personal papers from 1725-1890 include family correspondence, diaries, receipt books, and account books. The loose personal papers were originally tipped into larger volumes. They have been removed for preservation purposes and are arranged chronologically.

A. Loose papers, 1725-1890

Loose personal papers of the Amory, Sullivan, Cutler, and Coffin families consist of correspondence between Thomas and Rebekah Holmes Amory with Thomas's sister Ann Ramsey; letters from Quebec distiller and Loyalist John Coffin to his daughter Elizabeth Coffin Amory and son-in-law Thomas Amory; correspondence between Mehitable Sullivan Cutler and her husband James Cutler, father Mass. gov. James Sullivan, brother William Sullivan, and daughter Mary Ann Appleton. Also included are letters from James Cutler to his brother-in-law and rector of Trinity Church in Boston, Dr. Samuel Parker; letters from Maria Foster to her aunt Mary Ann Appleton; and Civil War letters from Col. Thomas J.C. Amory of the 17th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment and his brother Capt. Charles B. Amory of the 24th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment to their father, Jonathan Amory and uncle James Sullivan Amory. Other correspondents include Rufus Greene Amory, Stephen Deblois, Elizabeth Amory Deblois, Benjamin Cutler, Thomas Coffin Amory (1812-1889) and Coffin, Austin, and Deblois family members. Also included is a short description of Susan Dexter (removed from bound volume 179) and a letter from Loyalist James Murray in Halifax, Nova Scotia, about the progress of the Revolutionary War, 3 Oct. 1778.

Box 1

1725-1890

See also transcribed material in Thomas Coffin Amory's writings and research notes.

B. Bound volumes, 1811-1871

Bound personal papers include Mehitable Sullivan Cutler Amory's diaries from 1811-1834; Mehitable's memoranda books containing religious poetry and thoughts; a letterbook containing letters written in diary form by Mehitable Amory to her son Thomas Coffin Amory from 1830-1838 containing her daily reflections; and James Sullivan Amory's passport. Also includes those of Thomas Coffin Amory kept sporadically from 1829 to 1871, and an unidentified Amory family member from 1831-1836.. Diary entries describe reading, writing, social engagements with family and friends, trips to Boston, Cambridge, and Watertown.

1. Mehitable Sullivan Cutler Amory diaries and memoranda books, 1811-1838

The diaries of Mehitable Sullivan Cutler Amory, kept from 1811-1834, contain sporadic entries pertaining to her daily life in Boston, Mass. and time spent with her husband Jonathan Amory tertius, sons, daughters, grandchildren, and other Amory, Cutler, and Sullivan family members. Diary entries also include descriptions of her health and mood; visits with friends, including members of the Appleton, Lowell, and Frothingham families; social engagements such as balls, tea parties, and dinners; summers spent in Brookline and Newton, Mass.; short trips taken by coach to Plymouth, Mass., Providence, Rhode Island, and Cape Cod; church attendance; prayers; and the weather.

Vol. 41

Diary, September 1811-1812

Vol. 42

Diary, 1812-12 July 1813

Vol. 43

Diary, 25 July 1813-August 1814

Vol. 44

Diary, September 1814-8 June 1815

Vol. 45

Diary, 9 June 1815-18 September 1815

Vol. 46

Diary, 1816

Vol. 47

Diary, 21 October 1817-November 1817

Vol. 48

Diary, November 1817-10 November 1818

Vol. 49

Diary, 1818-1819

Vol. 50

Diary, 1819-1820

Vol. 51

Diary, 1820-1821

Vol. 52

Diary, 1 November 1823-3 November 1825

Vol. 53

Diary, 5 June 1827-12 March 1828

Vol. 54

Diary, 1829-September 1834

Vol. 55

Mehitable Sullivan Cutler Amory letters to Thomas Coffin Amory, 1830-1838

Vol. 56

Mehitable Cutler memoranda book

Vol. 57

Mehitable Cutler memoranda book

2. Thomas Coffin Amory diaries, 1829-1871

Box 2

Diaries, 1829-1837

Vol. 58

Travel diary, 1843

Vol. 59

Diary and notebook, 14 October -21 November 1844

Vol. 60

Diary and notebook, June-November 1846

Vol. 61

Diary and notebook kept while on a trip to Liverpool, England, July-October 1852

Vol. 62

Diary and notes of a trip to Italy, 1871

Vol. 63

3. Unidentified Diary, 9 July 1831-1836

Vol. 64

4. Passport of James Sullivan Amory

C. Family financial records, 1732-1845

Financial records of Amory family members from 1732-1845 consist of account books, receipt books, and cashbooks. Records include Rebekah Amory's receipt book, Elizabeth Coffin Amory's account book, Thomas Prince's account book, Cutler family invoice book, and Jonathan Amory's grocery account and account book, and Mrs. J. Amory's account book.

Vol. 65

Rebekah Amory receipt book, July 1732-1740

Vol. 66

Elizabeth Coffin Amory account book, 1784

Vol. 67

Thomas Prince account book, 1781-1788; Cutler invoice book, 1788-1791

Vol. 68 (XT)

Jonathan Amory account book, 1 January 1814-February 1820

Vol. 69

Jonathan Amory grocery account, 1828-1829

Vol. 70

Mrs. J. Amory account book, 1834-1835

III. Thomas Coffin Amory writings and research notes

Thomas Coffin Amory's writings and research notes encompass a variety of topics including specific persons, places, and things. Topics include Irish history and the transfer of Erin (the acquisition of Ireland by England), the poor of Boston, old houses in New England, his family and extended family's history, George Washington Warren, John Winthrop, Sir Isaac Coffin, Gov. James Sullivan, and Gen. John Sullivan and topics such as the American centennial in 1876, the siege of Newport, R.I. in 1778, English Parliament, and heraldic titles. Also included are transcriptions of correspondence, sketches, and notes relating to the memorial window in Trinity Church in Boston, Mass., real estate transactions and notes regarding property on Lynn Street from 1659-1855 copied from the Boston registry of deeds, and early Amory family documents.

Some of Thomas Coffin Amory's writings appeared in newspapers such as The Boston Evening Transcript and The Boston Pilot. Also included is extensive genealogical information, writings, research notes, and lectures regarding the Amory family and the related Coffin and Sullivan families.

Documents transcribed by Thomas Coffin Amory include letters written during the Revolutionary War to Maj. Gen. John Sullivan from military and political leaders including Alexander Hamilton, Henry Knox, Nathanael Greene, Ezekial Cornell, and John Adams; certificates awarded to regiments and soldiers and testimonies regarding Gen. Sullivan's command of the Staten Island Expedition in 1777; and letters written by James Sullivan mostly to Gen. Henry Dearborn, 1783-1808.

Transcribed letterbooks of Thomas Amory from 1711-1728 include correspondence with Arthur Middleton, James Ramsey, William Rhett, and Nicholas Oursel regarding family news, business transactions and ventures, and his removal to Boston from South Carolina in 1720.

Transcribed letterbooks of John and Jonathan Amory from 1765-1786 include correspondence with merchant firms regarding shipments and imports, John's children while he was abroad during the war, news from home regarding the war and how it was affecting business, family news, and John's estate in Boston. These letterbooks are of particular importance as they document the struggle Boston merchants faced with the Stamp Act and parliamentary encroachments on the colonies and trade. The location of the originals is unknown.

A. Various writings

Vol. 71

Letterbook containing personal, business, and estate-related correspondence, 1837-1839

Vol. 72

Memoranda book, 1856

Vol. 73

"Ana" I. Writings and speeches, February 1861-February 1866

Vol. 74

"Ana" II. Poetry, Count Rumford, science, political morality, reform

Vol. 75

"Ana" III. Scituate harbor, Irish, logic, money, charities, nepotism, Old South

Vol. 76

"Ana" IV. Gardens of Boston, a play entitled "The River Charles"

Vol. 77

"Ana" V. Bunker Hill and Rev. War, a play "The River Charles"

Vol. 78

"Ana" VI. Poems

Vol. 79

Various writings

Vol. 80

Various writings, poetry and notes

Vol. 81

Letter de la Luzerne a M. de Vergennes, Philadelphia, writings in French, Rev. War writings

Vol. 82

Letter de la Luzerne a M. de Vergennes, Philadelphia, writings in French, Rev. War writings

Vol. 83

Letter de la Luzerne a M. de Vergennes Philadelphia, 1871

B. People

Vol. 84

Life and letters of John Winthrop

Vol. 85

Characters of distinguished personages, 1877. Richard Boyle, Earl of Kildare, Earl of Ormond

Vol. 86

Pepperell family history

Vol. 87

Memoir of Hon. Richard Sullivan

Vol. 88

Sir Isaac Coffin

Vol. 89

Memoir of George Washington Warren

Vol. 90

Scrapbook of Richard Steele, Durham, NH

Vol. 91

Selections of Richard Steele

Vol. 92

Biography of William Blackstone for the Bostonian Society, 1886

C. Topical

Vol. 93

Address given for the American Centennial

Vol. 94

Lecture on heraldry

Vol. 95

Notes taken by Thomas C. Amory, Jr. on Ticknor's lecture about Old English Drama, Harvard University, 1830

Vol. 96

The Siege of Newport, 1778

Vol. 97

Boston Common

Vol. 98

Paper money and the New Hampshire president, 1786

Vol. 99

Social Science--Law of Settlements, 1887

Vol. 100

Poetry, German grammar, and German literature

Vol. 101

Lists of Native American tribes and names

D. Poor

Vol. 102

Lecture or writing comparing poverty in Boston and London

Vol. 103

Boston Poor

Vol. 104

Writings concerning the poor

E. Irish

Vol. 105

Irish history

Vol. 106

Irish history

Vol. 107

The races of Ireland read before the Celtic

Vol. 108

Notes on the history of Scotland and Ireland

Vol. 109

Transfer of Erin

Vol. 110

Transfer of Erin II

Vol. 111

Transfer of Erin III

Vol. 112

Transfer of Erin IV

Vol. 113

Transfer of Erin V

Vol. 114

Transfer of Erin VI

Vol. 115

Transfer of Erin VII

Vol. 116

Transfer of Erin

Vol. 117

Writings on Ulster

Vol. 118

Writings on Ulster

Vol. 119

Parliament of 1613

F. Houses

Vol. 120

Pencil sketches of houses

Vol. 121

Dimensions and descriptions of old homes including the Hancock, Craddock, Frankland, and Hutchinson estates

Vol. 122

Old homes

Vol. 123

Old Houses in New England I

Vol. 124

Old Houses in New England II

Vol. 125

Old Houses in New England

Vol. 126

Old homes of New England

Vol. 127

Old Homes of New England

Vol. 128

History of Boston houses

Vol. 129

History of Boston houses

Vol. 130

Newsclippings and writings of Boston houses

G. Transcriptions

Vol. 131

Transcriptions of letters written to Maj. Gen. John Sullivan, 1777-1779 Also includes a memoir of Gen. Sullivan

Vol. 132

Transcriptions of letters written to Maj. Gen. John Sullivan. Also includes letters written by James Sullivan and Theophilus Parsons and letters about Sullivan genealogy and peerage

Vol. 133

Transcriptions of letters written by Maj. Gen. John Sullivan, 1775-1879. Also includes letters written by other military leaders and letters written by TCA Jr. regarding genealogy

Vol. 134

Transcriptions of letters written by Gov. James Sullivan, 1783-1808 mostly to Gen. Henry Dearborn

Vol. 135

Index to a volume containing letters written by Gen. Sullivan

Vol. 136

Letters written by J. Morris Meredith,1871

Vol. 137

Transcribed letterbooks of Thomas Amory (1672-1728),1711-1728

Vol. 138

Transcribed letterbooks of Thomas Amory (1672-1728), 1711-1728

Vol. 139

Amory Ana I. Transcribed Thomas Amory correspondence 1711-1728

Vol. 140

Amory Ana II. Genealogical material and copies of Jonathan and John Amory letters, 1765-1786

See also Series I (Jonathan and John Amory business papers) and Series IV (Genealogical material).

Vol. 141

Letters of Jonathan and John Amory. Book 1

See also Series I (Jonathan and John Amory business papers).

Vol. 142

Letters of Jonathan and John Amory. Book 2

See also Series I (Jonathan and John Amory business papers).

Vol. 143

Letters of Jonathan and John Amory. Book 3

See also Series I (Jonathan and John Amory business papers).

Vol. 144

Letters of Jonathan and John Amory. Book 4

See also Series I (Jonathan and John Amory business papers).

Vol. 145

Copies of letters of Jonathan and John Amory, 1765-1786

See also Series I (Jonathan and John Amory business papers).

Vol. 146

Copies of correspondence regarding Elizabeth Amory's will and the division of her estate, 1867-1868

See also Series V (Estate papers).

Vol. 147

Transcribed early Amory family documents and deeds

See also Series IV (Genealogical material).

Vol. 148

Transcribed early Amory family documents

See also Series IV (Genealogical material).

Vol. 149

Transcriptions regarding real estate transactions on Lynn Street

Vol. 150

Notes regarding real estate transactions on Lynn Street

Vol. 151

Transcribed correspondence, sketches, notes relating to memorial window in Trinity Church, 1875-1878

Vol. 152

Madam Wood's account of Sir William Pepperell and his contemporaries

IV. Genealogical material

Genealogical and research materials relate to the Amory, Sullivan, and Coffin families, the family coat-of-arms, biographies of family members, research notes, and includes transcribed copy of Gertrude Meredith's The Descendants of Hugh Amory, 1605-1805 by Thomas Coffin Amory.

A. Loose genealogical material

Box 3

Genealogical materials removed from volumes

B. Bound genealogical material

Vol. 153

Amory Ana III. Genealogical material, transcribed letters regarding genealogical inquiries, and biographies of family members

Vol. 154

Amory Ana IV. Genealogical material, biographies of family members

Vol. 155

Amory Ana V. Amory family ancestry and material gathered in Europe by Thomas C. Amory, Jr., 1871

Vol. 156

Amory Ana VI. Genealogical notes

Vol. 157

Amory Ana VII. Genealogy, transcribed letters regarding genealogical inquiries

Vol. 158

Amory Ana VIII. Genealogy, short biographies, transcribed letters regarding genealogical inquiries

Vol. 159

Amory Ana IX. Genealogy, history of Mountfort, transcribed letters regarding genealogical inquiries

Vol. 160

Amory Ana X. Genealogy, transcribed letters regarding genealogical inquiries

Vol. 161

Materials for the Amory family history vol. I, 1850

Vol. 162

Materials for the Amory family history vol. II, 1850

Vol. 163

Lecture on the early history of the Amory name

Vol. 164

Writings on Amory family ancestors

Vol. 165

Genealogical writings and transcriptions

Vol. 166

Genealogical notes and list of books

Vol. 167

Genealogy

Vol. 168

Amory family genealogy and history

Vol. 169

Amory, Channing, Ellery, Coil, Fiedler, Speakman, and Inman family genealogy

Vol. 170

Elizabeth Amory Austin writing on Amory family from Thomas Coffin Amory's notes, 1893-1894

Vol. 171

Coffin family genealogy and transcribed letters of Thomas Coffin Amory

Vol. 172

Writings on Coffin family members mostly during Revolutionary War

Vol. 173

Genealogical notes on the name of Coffin

Vol. 174

Material for the preface to The Descendants of Hugh Amory, 1605-1805 (1901) by Gertrude Meredith includes family trees, genealogical information

Vol. 175

Gertrude Meredith, 1891. Book of facts for writing the second book of Sullivan family history includes family trees, genealogical information

Vol. 176

Sullivan Genealogy

V. Estate papers, 1697-1848

Estate papers consist of both bound and loose papers containing correspondence and account books regarding the division of family estates, wills, and deeds. Included are estate accounts, invoices, and account books for Thomas Amory, John Coffin, Thomas Amory, Ann Coffin, Elizabeth Coffin Amory, Jonathan Amory tertius, John Amory, and William Sullivan. Elizabeth Coffin Amory was the administrator of her husband's estate and in his place the estate of her mother. The loose estate papers were originally tipped into larger volumes. They have been removed for preservation purposes.

A. Loose estate papers, 1697-1848

Box OS 4

1697-1848

Box OS 5

Elizabeth Coffin Amory estate accounts, 1784-1788

Box OS 5

Elizabeth Amory administrator accounts, 3 May 1788

Box OS 5

Elizabeth Amory administrator accounts for Thomas Amory

Box OS 5

Account book, 1788-1791

B. Bound estate papers, 1749-1832

Vol. 177

Mrs. Ann Coffin estate account book, 1749-1784

Vol. 178

Thomas Amory estate account book, 1784-1787

Vol. 179

Memoranda of real estate belonging to W. Sullivan

Vol. 180

Cashbook of William Sullivan and William Appleton, administrators of the estate of Jonathan Amory, 1828-1832

Preferred Citation

Amory family papers, Massachusetts Historical Society.

Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.

Persons:

Amory family--Genealogy.
Amory, Elizabeth Coffin, 1741-1822.
Amory, John, 1728-1803.
Amory, John, 1759-1832.
Amory, Jonathan, 1725 or 6-1797.
Amory, Jonathan, 1770-1828.
Amory, Mehitable Sullivan Cutler, 1772-1847.
Amory, Rebekah Holmes, 1701-1770.
Amory, Thomas, 1682-1728.
Amory, Thomas, 1722-1784.
Amory, Thomas, 1762-1823.
Amory, Thomas C. (Thomas Coffin), 1767-1812
Amory, Thomas C. (Thomas Coffin), 1812-1889.
Amory, Thomas J. C., 1828-1864.
Appleton, Mary Ann Cutler, 1794-1860.
Austin family.
Coffin family.
Coffin family--Genealogy.
Coffin, Ann, 1730-1808.
Coffin, John, 1729-1808.
Cutler, James, 1767-1799.
Deblois family.
Meredith, Gertrude Euphemia, b. 1852.
Murray, James, 1713-1781.
Parker, Samuel, 1744-1804.
Rogers, Samuel, 1746-1804.
Sullivan family.
Sullivan family--Genealogy.
Sullivan, James, 1744-1808.
Sullivan, John, 1740-1795.
Sullivan, William, 1774-1839.
Taylor, Joseph, 1746-1816.
Warren, George Washington, 1813-1883.

Organizations:

Amory, Taylor, & Rogers (Boston, Mass.).
Amory's and Taylor (Boston, Mass.).
Cutler and Amory (Boston, Mass.).
Forsyth, Smith & Company (London, England).
Great Britain--Stamp Act (1765).
Harrison & Ansley (London, England).
John and Thomas Amory (Boston, Mass.).
Jonathan and John Amory (Boston, Mass.).
Jonathan and Thomas Amory and Company (Boston, Mass.).
United States--Army--Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, 17th (1861-1865).
United States--Army--Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, 24th (1861-1866).

Subjects:

Account books.
American loyalists.
Boston (Mass.)--Social life and customs.
Commonplace-books.
Decedents' estates.
Family history--1650-1699.
Family history--1700-1749.
Family history--1750-1799.
Family history--1800-1849.
Family history--1850-1899.
Historians--Massachusetts--Boston.
Historic buildings--Massachusetts.
History--Research.
Inventories of decedents' estates--Massachusetts--Boston.
Ireland--History--Sources.
Liquor industry--Massachusetts--Boston.
Merchants--Massachusetts--Boston.
Non-importation agreements, 1768-1769.
Poor--Massachusetts--Boston.
Real property--Massachusetts--Boston.
Shipping--Massachusetts--Boston.
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives.
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Regimental histories--Massachusetts Infantry, 17th Volunteers.
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Regimental histories--Massachusetts Infantry, 24th Volunteers.
United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Causes.
United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Economic Aspects.
Women's commonplace-books.