Christopher Champlin. Records and Correspondence, 1762-1797

Item

Nota de estado

Finalizado

Country

US

Name of institution (official language of the state)

New York State Library

Language of name of institution

eng

Contact information: postal address

222 Madison Avenue, Albany, NY 12230

Contact information: phone number

001 518 474 6282 (Reference Desk - Manuscripts and Special Collections)

Contact information: web address

https://www.nysl.nysed.gov

Contact information: email

Contact form

Reference number

SC529

Type of reference number

Call number

Title (official language of the state)

Christopher Champlin. Records and Correspondence, 1762-1797

Language of title

eng

Creator / accumulator

Christopher Champlin

Date(s)

1762/1797

Language(s)

eng

Extent

1 box (198 items)

Type of material

Textual Material

Scope and content

This collection consists chiefly of correspondence relating to the business affairs of Christopher Champlin and Aaron Lopez, merchants in Newport, Rhode Island. The correspondence mainly consists of incoming letters from importers and merchants in New York City and Long Island concerning goods imported from England, other countries, and domestic locations. These papers also include plans for overseas voyages, announcements of available goods, arrangements for orders, discussions of prices, and debit-credit accounts. Correspondence includes letters exchanged between Lopez and Joseph Reply, Henry Van Vleck, Solomon Simson, Aaron Isaacs, William Hubbard, Uriah Rogers, Joseph Jacobs, Robert Griffith, Hannah Louzada, Stiles & Brasher, George Folliott & Co., Samuel Flake, Cullen Pollock, Joseph Spencer, Henry Hart, Cornelius Ter Bush, and Joseph Lopez.

(source: Cohen, Laura. 1994. Christopher Champlin Records and Correspondence, 1762-1797. SC529. New York State Library online catalogue)

Archival history

The collection was purchased from Merwin Clayton on May 7, 1912.

Administrative / Biographical history

Christopher Champlin (1731-1805) was a Newport, Rhode Island, merchant, shipowner and financier. He was born in Charlestown, Rhode Island, the oldest son of Colonel Christopher Champlin (1707-1766) and Hannah (Hill) Champlin. Earlier generations of the Champlin Family had moved from Newport to the Narragansett Country. However, Christopher and his brothers Robert and George Champlin chose to move back to Newport in the 1750s.
Christopher's merchant career led him to engage in various trades. He and his brother George often worked together. Their first ventures included illegal trade with Spain and France. Depending on the financial climate, Christopher dabbled in privateering, the slave trade, and the West Indies trade.
During the War, Champlin fled Newport and supported the colonies. He continued trading during Newport's occupation and expanded his trade with the West Indies, Northern Europe and Holland. After the Paris Peace Treaty, he continued to ship flaxseed to Ireland in partnership with Samuel Fowler.

(source: Kemble, Harold et al. 1992. Christopher Champlin Papers. Rhode Island Historical Society. Manuscripts Division)

Access points: locations

Newport, Rhode Island (USA)

Access points: persons, families

Lopez, Aaron (Duarte Lopes)

Lopez, Joseph

Louzada, Hannah

Access points: subject terms

Sephardim in North America

Trade and commerce

18th century

Access points: document types

Commercial correspondence

System of arrangement

Items are arranged chronologically.

Links to finding aids

https://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc529.htm

Author of the description

Carla Vieira, 2022

Bibliography

Chyet, Stanley. 1963. “Aaron Lopez: A Study in Buenafama.” American Jewish Historical Quarterly 52 (4): 295–309.

Published primary sources

Marcus, Jacob Rader. 1959. American Jewry: Documents: Eighteenth Century. Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press.

Item sets

WSD Roadmap

WSD Roadmap finais

WSD Roadmap USA