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Summary
- Abstract:
- The collection consists of 157 volumes of business books and three boxes of financial materials, correspondence, books, scrapbooks and diaries relating to the Bell Family and the Abraham Bell and Son Company.
- Extent:
- 22 cubic ft.
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, Abraham Bell and Son Collection, 1809-1917. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the Abraham Bell and Son Collection).
Background
- Scope and Content:
The collection consists of 157 volumes of business books and three boxes of financial materials, correspondence, books, scrapbooks and diaries relating to the Bell Family and the Abraham Bell and Son Company.
Includes thirty-one letter press copybooks kept daily by Abraham Bell and Son, 1837-1854; 39 volumes of account books, journals, correspondence, and other business records, 1809-1888; a record book of Irish immigrants and other passengers to the United States from Derry and Belfast, 1832-1857. There are also correspondence, diaries, and financial records of other members of this Quaker family, James W. Bell and James C. Bell, 1832-1917; record books of Elizabeth Bell, 1858; and records of Bell Brothers, a money-lending business in Yonkers, New York, 1889-1895.
Related collections of Bell family and business materials are found at Duke University, Harvard University, Louisiana State Unviersity, New-York Historical Society, Northeatern Unviersity, Tulane University, University of Michigan, University of South Carolina and the Winterthur.
- Biographical / Historical:
Abraham Bell and Son was a New York City merchant shipping firm, that specialized in the export of Southern cotton to the British Isles. The Bell family were Quakers and often did trade with people groups in England, Ireland, and Liverpool. In the 1840's the Bell's helped transport thousands of immigrants from Ireland. Abraham Bell had seven children with his first wife, and several more with his second wife. The company was said to have been on Fulton Street in New York City.
- Acquisition information:
The items in this manuscript group were acquired by the University Libraries in 1969 . These were purchased at an auction.
Two additional ledgers were purchased from a dealer and an additional accession of financial papers, two account books, and a receipt book were purchased from Syracuse University, all in 1971 .
Richard Wiles donated business correspondence and leases for the Maryland Property in 1990 .
- Processing information:
Processed in 2003 by M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives staff.
- Arrangement:
The collection is organized alphabetically, first by ledgers and then by foldered/boxed materials. There are no series.
- Physical location:
- The materials are located onsite in the department.
Subjects
- Subjects:
- Women
Travel
Ethnic Groups
Business and Industry
Agriculture
Banks and banking--Ireland
Ireland--Emigration and immigration
England--Emigration and immigration
Correspondence
Account books - Names:
- Abraham Bell and Son
Bell Brothers (Yonkers, N.Y.)
Bell, James W.--(James Winfred), 1929- - Places:
- New York (N.Y.)--Commerce
Contents
Access
Using These Materials
- ACCESS:
- The archives are open to the public and anyone is welcome to visit and view the collections.
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
Access to this record group is unrestricted.
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
-
This page may contain links to digital objects. Access to these images and the technical capacity to download them does not imply permission for re-use. Digital objects may be used freely for personal reference use, referred to, or linked to from other web sites.
Researchers do not have permission to publish or disseminate material from these collections without permission from an archivist and/or the copyright holder.
The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright. Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) and/or by the copyright or neighboring-rights laws of other nations. More information about U.S. Copyright is provided by the Copyright Office. Additionally, re-use may be restricted by terms of University Libraries gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks.
The Department of Special Collections and Archives is eager to hear from any copyright owners who are not properly identified so that appropriate information may be provided in the future.
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, Abraham Bell and Son Collection, 1809-1917. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the Abraham Bell and Son Collection).