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3. Provenance 5. Inventory 6. Subjects |
Providence merchant and farmer Papers, 1784-1926. Bulk 1790-1845. Size: 3.75 lin. ft. Catalog number: MSS 712 Processed by: Rick Stattler, August 1995 and April 2001 ©Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscripts Division |
Historical note:
Darius Sessions (?-1809) of Providence was Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island from 1769-1775, and a prominent merchant. His son Thomas (1769-1845) became active with him in business around 1790. They formed the partnership of Darius Sessions and Son. Thomas also invested as a part-owner of the sloop Nancy, which journeyed to St. Croix in 1795. Thomas served as an officer in the Providence regiments of the militia from 1797 to 1806, reaching the rank of Colonel.
After the death of his father, Thomas Sessions went into business by himself. He owned several ships engaged in the coastal trade, most notably the sloop Henry, which he purchased in 1810 from Thomas L. Halsey, and sold in 1816 to Joshua Bicknell. This ship undertook several trips to the south, mostly under captains Elisha Barlow (from 1810-1812, and 1813-1815) and Anson Potter (from 1812-1813). Providence merchant Caleb Allen was a partner of Sessions in this venture for a time. During this time, Sessions was also a partner in the Providence Manufacturing Company, textile manufacturers.
Sessions married a daughter of prominent jurist Henry Marchant, and had several children, including Henry, Darius (1794- ), Elizabeth Bicknell and Frances (1800-1870), who married Samuel J. Cole (1803-1873). Cole was the owner of a large farm estate on the east side of Providence, near today's Cole and Sessions Streets.
Samuel and Frances Cole had three surviving children: Cyrus (1835-1886), William M. (1837- ), and Washington L. (1841-1911). Washington remained on the estate, where he farmed and operated a milk delivery service. He married Martha Stalker (1848-1916), daughter of Scottish-born mule spinner Duncan Stalker (ca. 1811- ). They had at least six children, including Francis S. (1873-1964) and Jessie L. (1875-1948).
A cousin of Martha's, Archibald "Clam Bake Archie" Stalker (?-1902) was renowned as "the only man in New York who can prepare a genuine Rhode Island clam bake." His heirs were his cousins Ophelia Stalker (1853- ) and Sandford D. Stalker of Wrentham (1839-1913). Sandford's estate in turn was resolved by his nephew Francis S. Cole.
Bibliography:
Cole, E.B. Descendants of James Cole of Plymouth, 1908.
1850 U.S. Census, Warwick, p. 123 (Stalker family)
1900 U.S. Census, Rhode Island, E.D. 14, page 16 (Cole family)
1900 U.S. Census, Massachusetts, E.D. 1087, page 18 (Stalkers)
Providence directories, 1898-1903
Rhode Island Cemetery Database
Scope and content:
Most of these papers relate to the mercantile activities of Thomas Sessions. The years 1810-1816 are particularly well documented by correspondence and shipping records, but there are various account books and files of accounts settled which cover his entire career. There are very few personal papers of Thomas Sessions in this collection. There is very little material on the Providence Manufacturing Company, other than one extensive weaving list from 1811.
The remainder of the collection is miscellaneous in nature, and deals with the families of Thomas Sessions' descendants, including all of the persons referred to above. Of particular interest are ten letters written by Sandford Stalker to his sister Mary (ca. 1835-?) at 14 Howell St., Providence, while serving on board the U.S.S. Cincinnati and U.S.R.S. Great Western during the Civil War. One mentions an effort to send money home to Providence: "i sent Six Hundred Dollars...by an Officre an he decamp with it all and nothing has benn herde of him since but i am in hopes they will kech him." Another document is the 1859 testimony of Mary Abbott Fenner, a 93-year old spinster, who explains in great detail the Fenner and Abbott family lines, and the history of the town meeting house lot.
The Washington Cole milk sales journals are of particular interest. It lists the many houses that were on Cole's delivery route on the Providence's East Side from 1889 to 1901, as well as the quantity delivered. In the rear of the later book are accounts with his laborers, who are mentioned only by their first names and the designation "Portuguese."
This collection contains no material relating to Darius Sessions' career as Lieutenant Governor, or to the Revolutionary War. The only Darius Sessions material, other than in partnership with his son, relates to his estate.
Provenance:
The bulk of this collection was a gift of Florence B. and Francis S. Cole, descendants of Thomas Sessions still living on his original East Side land, in 1992. It has been integrated with a similar, though much smaller, collection of Thomas Sessions papers donated by Ada Holding Miller in 1963 and Madeleine A. Sessions in 1969.
Washington Cole's milk sales journals were purchased from What Cheer Antiques in 2001, who had it on consignment from Lawrence DePetrillo. Cole's name does not appear in the journals. However, the same shop also offered other ephemeral items in Cole's name for sale, and the Providence directories suggest that Cole was the only milk dealer who resided in the area of the East Side suggested by these delivery routes. There seems to be little doubt that this was Cole's book.
Processing note:
When these papers were donated, the bulk of them were still organized under Thomas Session's filing system. They were folded, usually registered in Sessions' hand, and wrapped in brick-like bundles. Many of the records had been disturbed from this arrangement, due to curious descendants, and the depredations of vermin, and were scattered about in great disarray. An effort has been made to maintain (and restore) the original order to the extent practical. The large numbers of "accounts settled" bundles, for example, are kept as a separate file, though with the loose papers it was sometimes difficult to distinguish between this and other files. Those files that were found wrapped and untouched are labeled "complete" on the folders, while those compiled from loose papers are marked as incomplete.
In addition, an effort was made to distinguish between the two accessions of material. They are generally kept in separate folders, and the older accession marked as "accn x", except the militia papers, in which three newer items are marked and interfiled with the old system.
A large body of material relating to Peleg Angell of Scituate was found in the later accession. No clues were found to indicate any relation between him and the Sessions-Cole family. This material was separated to form MSS 959, the Peleg Angell Papers.
Inventory:
Correspondence:
Box 1, folder 1. Letters received, 1803, 1812
Box 1, folder 2. Letters received, 1-9/1813 (mostly August and September)
Box 1, folder 3. Letters received, 10-11/1813
Box 1, folder 4. Letters received, 12/1813
Box 1, folder 5. Letters received, 1814
Box 1, folder 6. Letters received, 1815-1816 (all from J. Bicknell); 1824, undated
Box 1, folder 7. Letters received, 1823-1825; 1836
Box 1, folder 8. Letter copies sent, 1817, 1819. See also folder 26a.
Box 1, folder 9. Letter copies sent, 1825, 1827
Box 1, folder 10. Letter copy book, 5/10/1813 - 7/22/1814
Documents:
Box 1, folder 11. Deeds, mortgages, leases, 1796-1809
Box 1, folder 12. Deeds, mortgages, leases, 1810-1825
Box 1, folder 13. Deeds, mortgages, leases, 1826-1845
Box 1, folder 14. Leases, 1833-1834
Box 1, folder 15. Home insurance, 1821-1828
Box 1, folder 16. Home insurance, 1821-1835
Box 1, folder 17. Militia papers (orders, commissions, etc,) 1798-1805
Box 1, folder 18. Mount Vernon Lodge accounts, 1800-1802
Box 1, folder 19. Writs and warrants, 1810-1817
Box 1, folder 20. Providence Manufacturing Company, 1811-1817
Box 1, folder 21. Darius Sessions estate, 1795-1809
Box 1, folder 22. Thomas sessions estate, 1845-1846
Box 1, folder 23. Misc. documents: Power of attorney from Thomas Halsey, 1804
Memo from William Marchant re mortgage, undated
"List of shanties, rents and terms", 1836
Box 1, folder 24. Misc. documents: Agreement with John Pitman, 1843
Power of attorney from Joshua Bicknell Jr. 1817
Testimony on waste water, 1834
Sale of pew at Benevolent Cong. Church, 1813
Sale of share in turnpike company, 1812
Bond to Martha Miller, 1825
Sale of sloop Henry from Caleb Allen, 1812
Bond, Darius Sessions to Elizabeth. Bicknell, 1822
Draft of will of Mary Sessions, ca. 1825?
Shipping records:
Box 1, folder 25. Sloop Nancy, 1795
Box 1, folder 26. Sloop Henry - Crew lists 1812-1813; bill of sale, 1810
Box 1, folder 26a. Sloop Henry - Letters to captains, 1810-1816
Box 1, folder 27. Sloop Henry - Elisha Barlow receipts, 1810-1815
Box 1, folder 28. Sloop Henry - Miscellaneous receipts, 1810-1815
Box 1, folder 29. Sloop Henry - Ship repair accounts, 1814-1819
Box 1, folder 30. Miscellaneous ships, 1794-1825
Box 1, folder 31. Miscellaneous ships, 1822-1823
Box 1, folder 32. Marine insurance, 1810-1815
Box 1, folder 33. Marine insurance, 1825-1826
Account books:
Box 1, folder 34. Expense books / cash books, 1812-1827
Box 1, folder 35. Expense books / cash books, 1828-1835, 1842
Box 1, folder 36. Milk books / Account books, 1824-1828
Box 1, folder 37. Account books, 1791, 1802
Box 1, folder 38. Misc. volumes:
Memo books, 1815, 1820; team expenses, 1808; rye and coal book, 1814
Box 1, folder 39. Account book fragments
Box 1, folder 40. Inventory, 1790-1799
Box 1, folder 41. Inventory, 1800-1815
Box 5 (oversized), folder 2. Cash book fragments, 1789-1792
Box 5 (oversized), folder 3. Waste book, 1789-1790
Box 5 (oversized), folder 4. Waste book, 1798-1799
Box 5 (oversized), folder 5. Waste book, 1806-1808
Box 5 (oversized), folder 6. Waste book, 1809
Box 5 (oversized), folder 7. Waste book, 1809-1813
Accounts settled (loose)
Box 2, folder 1. 1790, 1795 (3 it.)
Box 2, folder 2. 1796
Box 2, folder 3. 1797
Box 2, folder 4. 1798
Box 2, folder 5. 1799
Box 2, folder 6. 1800 (Jan.-Feb. only)
Box 2, folder 7. 1801
Box 2, folder 8. 1802
Box 2, folder 9. 1803
Box 2, folder 10. 1804
Box 2, folder 11. 1805
Box 2, folder 12. 1806
Box 2, folder 13. 1807
Box 2, folder 14. 1808
Box 2, folder 15. 1809 (water-damaged)
Box 2, folder 16. 1809
Box 2, folder 17. 1809-10 (Darius Sessions estate)
Box 2, folder 18. 1810
Box 2, folder 19. 1810
Box 2, folder 20. 1811
Box 2, folder 21. 1811
Box 2, folder 22. 1812
Box 2, folder 23. 1813
Box 2, folder 24. 1813, loss by the storm
Box 2, folder 25. 1814
Box 2, folder 26. 1815
Box 2, folder 27. 1816 (only Jan.-June)
Box 2, folder 28. 1817
Box 2, folder 29. 1818-1819
Box 2, folder 30. 1820
Box 2, folder 31. 1821 (none 1822-1823)
Box 2, folder 32. 1824
Box 2, folder 33. 1825
Box 2, folder 34. 1826
Box 2, folder 35. 1827
Box 3, folder 1. 1828
Box 3, folder 2. 1829
Box 3, folder 3. 1830
Box 3, folder 4. 1831 (none 1832-1833)
Box 3, folder 5. 1834
Box 3, folder 6. 1835
Box 3, folder 7. 1836 (none 1837)
Box 3, folder 8. 1838
Box 3, folder 9. 1839
Box 3, folder 10. 1840 (none 1841-1843)
Box 3, folder 11. 1844
Box 3, folder 12. 1845
Box 3, folder 13. Notes paid, 1810-1813
Box 3, folder 14. Notes paid, 1813-1819
Box 3, folder 15. Notes paid1820-1839
Box 3, folder 16. Uncollected notes, 1784-1812
Box 3, folder 17. Miscellaneous financial, 1790-1808
Box 3, folder 18. "Old unsettled accounts" (incoming and outgoing) 1799-1810
Box 3, folder 19. Highway accounts, 1804-1809
Box 3, folder 20. Bad debts, 1808-1816
Box 3, folder 21. Receipts and orders, 1808-1817
Box 3, folder 22. Miscellaneous financial, 1809-1819
Box 3, folder 23. Miscellaneous financial, 1809-1819
Box 3, folder 24. "Notes of hand and due bills" 1810-1837; "Old accts", 1810-1828
Box 3, folder 25. Miscellaneous financial, 1820-1829
Box 3, folder 26. Miscellaneous financial, 1820-1829 and 1835
Box 3, folder 27. Milk memorandum, ca. 1825
Box 3, folder 28. Milk accounts, 1832
Box 3, folder 29. Miscellaneous financial, 1830-1843
Box 3, folder 30. Miscellaneous financial, undated
Series 2: Sessions Family
Anna M. and Rebecca Sessions
Box 3, folder 31. Receipts, 1891-1896
Darius Sessions II
Box 3, folder 32. Commonplace book, ca. 1850, w/ fam. record
Henry M. Sessions
Box 3, folder 33. Deeds, 1845
Box 3, folder 34. Letters from Thomas Sessions, 1823, 1825
Box 5 (oversized), folder 1. Plat map, 1849
Mary Sessions
Box 3, folder 35. Notes paid, 1836
Rebecca C. Sessions
Box 3, folder 36. Cash book, 1878-1890
Miscellaneous Sessions
Box 3, folder 37.
Darius Sessions II, deed to railroad, 1847
Letter, D.R. Staples to Miss Sessions, 1890
Receipts of Mary Sessions, 1874-1875 (2)
Indenture of Sessions to Cole family, 1837
Receipt to Miss Sessions, 1874
Receipt to heirs of Mary Sessions, 1880
Unidentified inventory, ca. 1880
Exhibition at the Kent Academy, 1807 (list including Darius Sessions II)
Anna Sessions building inspection certificate, 1898
Sarah Sessions Walden funeral account, 1916
Series 3: Stalker Family
Archibald Stalker (of N.Y.C.)
Box 3, folder 38. Clambake clippings, undated, and miscellaneous, 1873-1902
Duncan Stalker
Box 3, folder 39. Receipts, 1848-1867
Ophelia Stalker
Box 3, folder 40. Correspondence, 1896-1904
Sandford D. Stalker
Box 3, folder 41. Miscellaneous, 1905-1922
Box 3, folder 42. Pension and Civil War, 1861-1909
Box 3, folder 43. Letters written in Naval service, 1864-1865
Miscellaneous
Box 3, folder 44. Stalker family miscellany, 1873-1928
Series 4: Miscellaneous Families
Box 3, folder 45. Religious commonplace book, unidentified, undated, very fragile
Box 3, folder 46. Letters, Ray G. Greene from George G. Hopkins, 1851
Box 3, folder 47. Sermon by Edward S. Remington, undated
Box 3, folder 48. Testimony and petitions regarding "Providence Town House Lot", including testimony on Abbott and Fenner genealogy by Polly Fenner. 1859-1861.
Box 3, folder 49. Miscellaneous: Inventory of estate of Jeremiah Dexter, 1808
Will of Samuel Jackson, 1806
John Whipple's memorandum from gaol book, 1806
Daily labor log of Newport ___, 1794
Power of attorney, Cato Vernon of Newport to Cato Mumford of Providence, 1795
Memorandum from Theodore Foster re same, 1798
Series 5: Cole Family
Frances S. Cole
Box 4, folder 1. Estate, 1871; letters from Mary Sessions, ca. 1864
Francis S. Cole
Box 4, folder 2.
Canceled checks, 1911-1913
Scholfield's Commercial College receipts, 1869
Stalker farm receipts, 1922-1923
Box 4, folder 3. Correspondence, 1904-1926
Box 4, folder 4. Sandford Stalker estate, 1913-1914
Box 4, folder 5. Brown University reunion, 1902
Jessie L. Cole
Box 4, folder 6. Miscellaneous, 1913-1921
Martha (Stalker) Cole
Box 4, folder 7. Miscellaneous, 1915-1916
Samuel L. Cole
Box 4, folder 8. Letters received, 1850-1858
Box 4, folder 9. Receipts, etc., 1849-1869
Washington L. Cole
Box 4, folder 10. Letters received, 1881-1909
Box 4, folder 10a. Milk / farm sales journal, 1889-1891
Box 4, folder 10b. Milk sales journal, 1898-1901
Box 4, folder 11. Receipts, etc., 1861-1911
Box 4, folder 12. Highway receipts, 1895-1902
Box 4, folder 13. Canceled checks, 1902-1904
Box 4, folder 14. Canceled checks, 1905-1909
Box 4, folder 15. Canceled checks, 1910-1911
Box 4, folder 16. Canceled checks, estate, 1911-1912
Cole family
Box 4, folder 17. Deeds, 1849-1926
Box 4, folder 18. Unidentified account book, 1888-1889
Box 4, folder 19. Miscellaneous unidentified
Subjects:
Allen, Caleb
Barlow, Elisha
Cincinnati (naval vessel)
Clam bakes
Cole, Washington L. (1841-1911)
Cole Family
Farms - Rhode Island - Providence
Fenner, Mary Abbott (1766-?)
Fenner Family
Foster, Theodore
Frost & Rogers
Great Western (naval vessel)
Greene, Ray G. Of East Greenwich.
Henry (sloop)
Ladd, William
Marchant, Henry
Marchant, William
Merchant marine - Rhode Island - Providence
Merchants - Rhode Island - Providence
Milk trade - Rhode Island - Providence
Nancy (sloop)
Portuguese Americans - Rhode Island - Providence
Potter, Anson
Providence, R.I. - Commerce
Providence Manufacturing Company
Providence Town House Lot
Remington, Edward S.R.
Second Regiment of Providence, Rhode Island Militia
Sessions, Darius & Son
Sessions Family
Stalker, Sandford D. (1839-1911)
Stalker Family
Textile industry - Rhode Island - Providence
United States - History - War of 1812
United States - History - Civil War (1861-1865)
Index to the Thomas Sessions Correspondence
Includes all letters in box 1, folders 1 through 10, and 26a.
Does not include correspondence in the papers of family members.
Adams, Joseph
1827: 1 copy sent
Barlow, Elisha
1813-1814: 7 rec'd
1810-1813: 9 copies in Sloop Henry file
Bicknell, Joshua Jr. Of Savannah
1815-1816: 10 rec'd
Brattel, James Of Pawtuxet
1814: 1 rec'd
Brewer, John of Providence
1813: 1 rec'd
Bucklin, John C. Of Baltimore.
1813: 1 rec'd
Bucklyn & Olyphant Of Baltimore
1814: 1 rec'd
Carpenter, Willet Of North Kingstown, RI
1813: 1 rec'd
Case, Benjamin W.
1814: 1 rec'd
Channing, E.
Undated: 1 rec'd
Channing, Henry
1813-1814: 2 rec'd
Currie, James
1813: 14 rec'd
1813: 2 in letter book
Curtis, Joseph
1813: 2 rec'd
Dean, John Of Newburyport
1813: 1 rec'd
Dinnies, J.C. Of N.Y.
1813-1814: 4 rec'd
1813: 1 in letter book
Frost, Isaac
1813: 2 rec'd
Frost & Rogers Of N.Y.
1813-1814: 18 rec'd
1813-1814: 6 in letter book
Hoppin, B. & C.T.
1825: 1 copy sent
Jones & Harris
1813: 1 rec'd
Jones and Rathbone
1813: 1 rec'd
Ladd, William
1813-1814 and undated: 14 rec'd
1814: 1 in letter book
1817, 1819: 2 letter copies
Loomis, Lebbeus Of N.Y.
1812: 1 rec'd
Marchant, Henry
1814: 4 rec'd
Marchant, William
1813-1814; 12 rec'd
Marcy, Edward
1803: 1 rec'd
Munson & Barnard Of Boston
1813: 1 rec'd
Patten, C.J.
1823-1825: 7 rec'd
Potter, Anson
1813: 7 in letter book
1812-1813: 3 copies in Sloop Henry file
Potter, Rouse T. Of Newport
1813: 1 rec'd
Pratt, Peter
1836: 1 rec'd
Rhodes, Charles
1816: 1 copy in Sloop Henry file
Rogers, Charles W.
1813: 3 in letter book
Sessions, Darius II
1813: 16 rec'd
Sessions, Henry M.
1823: 1 rec'd
Also 9 letters, Thomas Sessions to Henry Sessions, in ser. 2.
Sheffield, J.B. Of New London
1813: 1 rec'd
Stanton & Spilman Of Boston
1813: 1 rec'd
Throop, William Jr.
1812: 1 rec'd
Tillinghast, Nicholas. Of Cumberland.
1813: 1 rec'd
Townsend & Dunbar
1813: 1 in letter book
Townsend & Rogers
1813-1814: 10 rec'd
1814: 2 in letter book
Waterman, Nathaniel Of Providence
1813: 1 rec'd
West, John L. Of Richmond.
1813: 1 rec'd
Westcott, Thomas
1813: 4 rec'd
Whitney & Dorr Of Boston
1814: 1 rec'd
End of finding aid - return to top
RIHS1822