Rare Book & Manuscript Library
 

Isaac Bell papers, 1787-1940

Summary Information

At a Glance

Call No.: MS#0098
Bib ID 4079828 View CLIO record
Creator(s) Bell, Isaac, 1768-1860
Title Isaac Bell papers, 1787-1940
Physical Description 0.5 linear feet (1 box); 11 items
Language(s) English .
Access You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection is located on-site.

This collection has no restrictions.

Arrangement

Arrangement

Selected materials cataloged; remainder arranged.

Description

Summary

There is a letter book / account book of 347 p., 1790-1856, containing 466 draft copies of his commercial and social correspondence with shipping agents in Great Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Germany, China, Canada, as well as in the United States. The correspondence concerns Bell's business arrangements, the various cargos he shipped and their disposal, political affairs affecting the shipping trade, laws and treaties of various countries to be dealt with, taxes, embargoes, piracy, threats of war, and other pertinent events. A second account book of 84 p. (many are blank), 1787-1852, for the Ship Stephania and others contains ships' records for 1799 to 1828 and miscellaneous accounts up to 1857. There is a one volume carbon typescript (113 p.) of genealogical notes and reminiscences by Gordon Knox Bell (Regent of the University of the State of New York and grandson of Isaac Bell) and others, ca.1940. There is also an essay and lists of the residents of Greenwich Street (including the Bell and Rogers families) by Elizur Yale Smith with related correspondence, 1940.

Using the Collection

Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Restrictions on Access

You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection is located on-site.

This collection has no restrictions.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Isaac Bell papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Accruals

Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.

Ownership and Custodial History

Gift of Gordon Knox Bell, Jr., 1957.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Papers: Source of acquisition--Bell, Gordon Knox, Jr. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--11/08/57. Accession number--M-57-11-08.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Papers Processed HR 10/27/93.

Revision Description

2020-07-09 EAD document created by CCR.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form

Heading "CUL Archives:"
"Portal"
"CUL Collections:"
"CLIO"
"Nat'l / Int'l Archives:"
"ArchivedGRID"
Account books Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Bills of lading Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Drawings (visual works) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Essays Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Genealogies (histories) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Invoices Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Lists (document genres) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Manifests (shipping records) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Receipts (financial records) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Reminiscences Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Shipping records Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID

Subject

Heading "CUL Archives:"
"Portal"
"CUL Collections:"
"CLIO"
"Nat'l / Int'l Archives:"
"ArchivedGRID"
Anderson, Joseph, 1757-1837 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Bell, Gordon Knox, 1871-1955 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Boss, John L. (John Linscom), 1780-1819 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Boston (Mass.) -- Commerce Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Brown, James, 1766-1835 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Businessmen -- Canada Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Businessmen -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Cambreleng, Churchill Caldom, 1786-1862 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Canada -- Commerce -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Carrington, Edward, 1775-1843 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Charleston (S.C.) -- Commerce Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
China -- Commerce -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Clay, Henry, 1777-1852 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Clipper ships Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Coffee industry Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Commission merchants -- New York Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Coster, John G., 1762 or 1763-1844 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Cotton trade Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
DePeyster, Frederick, 1758-1834 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
East Asia -- Commerce -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
East Indies -- Commerce -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Export marketing Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Exports -- China Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Forsyth, John, 1780-1841 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
France -- Commerce -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Freight and freightage Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Gallatin, Albert, 1761-1849 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Germany -- Commerce -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Gracie, Archibald, 1755-1829 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Great Britain -- Commerce -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Hussey, Josiah, 1768?-1839 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Indiamen Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
International trade Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Jones, Thomas K (Thomas Kilby) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Lenox, Robert, 1759-1839 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Madeira Islands -- Commerce -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Marine insurance Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Marketing Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Mediterranean Region -- Commerce -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Merchant marine Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Merchant ships Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Merchants -- New York Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Merchants -- New York (State) -- New York Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Netherlands -- Commerce -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
New Orleans (La.) -- Commerce Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
New York (N.Y.) -- Commerce Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
New York (N.Y.) -- Social life and customs Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Osborn, Gardner Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Pirates -- Mediterranean Region Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Portugal -- Commerce -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Rogers, Moses Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Rogers, Nehemiah Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Rope trade Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Sailing ships Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Saint John (N.B.) -- Commerce Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Sands, Comfort, 1748-1834 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Ship captains Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Ship captains -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Shipping Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Ships -- Cargo Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Ships -- New York (State) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Silk industry Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Smith, Elizur Yale Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Smith, Nathan, 1770-1835 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Spain -- Commerce -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Sugar trade Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Supercargos Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Tea trade Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Textile industry Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Tudor, William, 1779-1830 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
United States -- Commerce Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
United States -- Foreign relations Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Voght, C, Freiherr von (Caspar), 1752-1839 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Wine trade Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Wolcott, Oliver, 1760-1833 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Wright, William Henry DeCourcy, 1795-1864 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

Isaac Bell, an East India merchant, was born in Stamford CT in 1768. His Loyalist family brought him to New York City in 1776 and to St John, New Brunswick in Canada for the duration of the Revolutionary War. He entered the shipping business, returned to New York in 1792 and sailed as supercargo in 1798 on the first of three voyages to China which would secure his fortune. He was associated in business with Archibald Gracie and with Moses, Nehemiah, and Fitch Rogers. His fortune later declined due to both the Panic of 1837 and to disastrous fires. He died in 1860.