Special Collections
Item
Country
US
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
eng
Contact information: postal address
82 Touro Street, Newport, RI 02840
Contact information: phone number
001 401 846 0813
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
research@newporthistory.org
Title (official language of the state)
Special Collections
Language of title
eng
Creator / accumulator
Newport Historical Society
Date note
17th century/20th century
Language(s)
eng
heb
por
spa
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Special Collections of the Newport Historical Society contain valuable materials regarding the history of Newport and, in particular, its colonial time.
Numerous items are related to Sephardic Jews settled in Newport, such as the following:
3031: Papers related to Nathaniel Mumford, Aaron Lopez (shipping), Samuel Cranston (will), 1726-1809.
3032, 3035, 3090, 3100: Aaron Lopez's Disbound Letter Books, 1737-1782.
3033 and 3088: Business papers relating to Aaron Lopez, 1744-1812.
3034, 3076: Aaron Lopez Letter Books, 1751-1757, 1767.
3037, 3041-3042, 3044, 3055, 3057, 3061-3063, 3065, 3072, 3073-3075, 3078-3083, 3093, 3095, 3098, 3101: Aaron Lopez Store Blotters, 1755-1780.
3029: Sloop "Susanah", spermaceti candles from Moses Lopez to Abraham Abrahams, New York, 1757.
330: Order from Joseph Belcher to Aaron Lopez, 1758.
3038: Shop Blotter, Day Book, Ship Waste Book, 1758-1774.
3039: Ship Waste Books and Shop Blotters, 1759-1766.
3109, 3110, 3112 and 3113-3116: Aaron Lopez Papers.
3118-3121: Aaron Lopez Correspondence.
6710: Lopez mercantile correspondence, New York and Philadelphia, including correspondence with Aaron Isaacs of Easthampton.
3122: Correspondence concerning the sloop "Lovely George", Aaron Lopez.
3111: Papers relating to Aaron Lopez and Samuel Vinson.
3043: Agreements relating to Aaron Lopez: Ships and houses to be built, 1761-1775.
3040: Aaron Lopez's Shipping papers, 1760-1770.
3046: Petition for Aaron Lopez and Isaac Elizer to be naturalised, Newport, March 1762; naturalisation papers from Taunton, Mass., October 1762.
3045: Aaron Lopez's Waste Book, 1762-1767.
3047: Aaron Lopez's Memorandum Book, 1763-1764.
3048: Aaron Lopez's Account Book, 1763-1766.
3050: Aaron Lopez's Ledger Book, 1763-1774.
3051: Aaron Lopez Accounts unsettled, store blotter, 1763; Brig "Minerva", 1775.
3978: Lopez's Account Book, June -August 1763.
3049: Aaron Lopez's Invoice Book and Store Blotter, 1763, 1768-1770.
3258: Letters from Mayne & Co. to Aaron Lopez and Johanna Rhoderick, 1763-1775.
3052: Aaron Lopez's Ships Book, 1764-1765.
3054: Memorandum Book and Ships' Accounts, 1764, 1767.
3053, 3071, 3099: Aaron Lopez's Receipt Books, 1764-1767, 1767-1771, 1772-1777
3056: Correspondence of Aaron Lopez with John Bland, London, 1764-1770.
3036: Aaron Lopez, Joseph Lopez, Naturalisation papers, Business letters and accounts, 1754-1809; and Letter book, 1764-1765 (torn).
552: Sloop "Betsy", slaves, orders from Aaron Lopez to Captain Nathaniel Briggs, July 22, 1765.
3058: Aaron Lopez's Ledger "M", 1765-1766.
3059: Ship's Book, 1765-1772.
3060: Aaron Lopez's Shop Blotters, Account Book of "Taylors and Spinners", 1765-1775.
4702: Receipt to Aaron Lopez from Rabbi Isaac de Abraham Touro, December 1766
3064: Aaron Lopez's Ledger "N", 1766-1775.
3066: Personal and business letters relating to Aaron Lopez, 1766-1783.
3077: Power of Attorney from Aaron Lopez to James Lucena, 1767.
3068: Aaron Lopez's Sailors Book and Index, 1767-1769.
3067: Aaron Lopez's Ledger "P" and Index 1767-1769.
3069: Aaron Lopez's Ledger "O", 1767-1770.
3070: Aaron Lopez's Day Book, 1767-1770.
553 and 554: Orders for the purchase of slaves; accounts for Lopez and Rivera; letter to Nathaniel Briggs from owners concerning a slave of Aaron Lopez; orders to Captain Robert Mills of Barbados, 1768.
3084: Stampless cover with imprints of Savannah La Mar, Charleston, New York, Philadelphia, from Benjamin Wright, 1768.
3133: Shipping slaves to Lucena and Lucena; shipping cocoa to Lopez, 1768.
6714: Letter from Lane Benson and Vaughn to Aaron Lopez, written from Cork, Ireland, October 30, 1768, containing information about the harvest from Ireland and England and Ireland's reliance on goods from the Americas.
3085: Letter to Aaron Lopez with postmarks from Savanna La Mar, Wilmington, North Carolina, Savannah, Charleston, New York. November 17, 1768.
3086: Aaron Lopez's Memorandum Book, 1769-1772.
3087: Aaron Lopez's Correspondence, 1769-1772.
5438: Hebrew signatures, 1769-1792.
4468: Anthony Stocker informs Aaron Lopez that a writ of attachment has been obtained. 1770.
3977: Letter from Jewish Newport merchants in response to cessation of communication by Philadelphia merchants due to Newport's refusal to place an embargo on tea, June 1, 1770. It is signed by Jacob Rivera, Aaron Lopez, Moses Seixas, Moses Levy, Jacob Polock, Hays Polock, Hiam and Simon Levy.
3089: Aaron Lopez's Ledger "N", 1770-1771.
3092: Ship papers, letters from Benjamin Wright, Aaron Lopez, 1770-1780.
3091: Day Book, "Carpenter," 1770-1780.
3097: Correspondence with George Sears, Newfoundland, 1771.
3096, 4067 and 4068: Letters between George Rome and Aaron Lopez concerning wallpaper, 1771.
4364: Letter from Thomas Smith to Aaron Lopez criticising Captain John Newdigate for his handling of the Brig "Charlotte", July 13, 1771.
2692: Letter to Aaron Lopez from Captain John Hyer, 1771-1772.
2154: Sloop "Mary", Peleg Green, Master, and Aaron Lopez, owner.
3094: Aaron Lopez's Shipping Book, 1771-1773.
3134: Letters from James Lucena to Aaron Lopez from Savannah, Georgia.
4014: Letter from Matthew Robinson to Aaron Lopez, September 21, 1772.
5275: Logbook. Ship "Nancy", Benjamin Wright, property of Aaron Lopez, December 28, 1772.
1763: Records on Captain William English, who was in service of Aaron Lopez and Jacob Rodriguez Rivera, 1773-1774.
2935 and 2936: Letter regarding Thomas Lothrop's capture and imprisonment during a whaling voyage, December 4, 1773.
4701: Letter written in Hebrew detailing a business agreement between Isaac Touro and Naphtali Hart, 1774.
3102: Letter from Aaron Lopez to Dr. R. Waugh for fitting out a medicine chest for a voyage to Guinea, April 1774.
336: Letter from Charles Bell to Aaron Lopez regarding an ocean voyage, Annamaboe, February 6, 1774.
1765: Letter to Captain William English from Jacob Rodriguez Rivera and Aaron Lopez concerning the slave trade and the Brig "Ann", April 12, 1774.
2704: Letter from Moses Isaacs thanking Aaron Lopez for assistance and courtesy to his family, Newport, April 17, 1774.
3124: Letter from Matthew Lopez Jr thanking Aaron Lopez for his assistance and hospitality, Barbados, June 10, 1774.
2178: Letter from Nathanael Greene to Aaron Lopez requesting a new mainsail for his ship because the old one had burned. September 14, 1774.
82: Letter regarding religious matters from Jacob Alvarenga to Aaron Lopez. Kingston, Jamaica, December 8, 1774.
6454: Whaling, Lopez papers.
5454: Synagogue documents, signed by Walter Channing, Aaron Lopez, 1775-1780.
345: Lopez papers, 1776.
1223: Letters from Silas Cooke to Aaron Lopez, headed from Whitehall, on October 16 and November 7, 1776. Also, letters from Silas Cooke regarding runaway slaves. 1776.
3103: Correspondence while in Providence, 1776.
3105: Letters from David Lopez to Aaron Lopez, 1780.
3106: Papers regarding Aaron Lopez and Benjamin Seixas & Co. Philadelphia, 1780.
5124: Letters from John Wiley to Aaron Lopez from Fishkill, New York, 1780.
3104: Aaron Lopez's Letters, 1780-1781.
3107: Estate of Aaron Lopez, 1782.
3123: Joseph Lopez's Shipping Book, 1785.
4228-4230: Moses Seixas' records.
4697: Letter concerning the Touro Monument, unsigned, 1848.
Numerous items are related to Sephardic Jews settled in Newport, such as the following:
3031: Papers related to Nathaniel Mumford, Aaron Lopez (shipping), Samuel Cranston (will), 1726-1809.
3032, 3035, 3090, 3100: Aaron Lopez's Disbound Letter Books, 1737-1782.
3033 and 3088: Business papers relating to Aaron Lopez, 1744-1812.
3034, 3076: Aaron Lopez Letter Books, 1751-1757, 1767.
3037, 3041-3042, 3044, 3055, 3057, 3061-3063, 3065, 3072, 3073-3075, 3078-3083, 3093, 3095, 3098, 3101: Aaron Lopez Store Blotters, 1755-1780.
3029: Sloop "Susanah", spermaceti candles from Moses Lopez to Abraham Abrahams, New York, 1757.
330: Order from Joseph Belcher to Aaron Lopez, 1758.
3038: Shop Blotter, Day Book, Ship Waste Book, 1758-1774.
3039: Ship Waste Books and Shop Blotters, 1759-1766.
3109, 3110, 3112 and 3113-3116: Aaron Lopez Papers.
3118-3121: Aaron Lopez Correspondence.
6710: Lopez mercantile correspondence, New York and Philadelphia, including correspondence with Aaron Isaacs of Easthampton.
3122: Correspondence concerning the sloop "Lovely George", Aaron Lopez.
3111: Papers relating to Aaron Lopez and Samuel Vinson.
3043: Agreements relating to Aaron Lopez: Ships and houses to be built, 1761-1775.
3040: Aaron Lopez's Shipping papers, 1760-1770.
3046: Petition for Aaron Lopez and Isaac Elizer to be naturalised, Newport, March 1762; naturalisation papers from Taunton, Mass., October 1762.
3045: Aaron Lopez's Waste Book, 1762-1767.
3047: Aaron Lopez's Memorandum Book, 1763-1764.
3048: Aaron Lopez's Account Book, 1763-1766.
3050: Aaron Lopez's Ledger Book, 1763-1774.
3051: Aaron Lopez Accounts unsettled, store blotter, 1763; Brig "Minerva", 1775.
3978: Lopez's Account Book, June -August 1763.
3049: Aaron Lopez's Invoice Book and Store Blotter, 1763, 1768-1770.
3258: Letters from Mayne & Co. to Aaron Lopez and Johanna Rhoderick, 1763-1775.
3052: Aaron Lopez's Ships Book, 1764-1765.
3054: Memorandum Book and Ships' Accounts, 1764, 1767.
3053, 3071, 3099: Aaron Lopez's Receipt Books, 1764-1767, 1767-1771, 1772-1777
3056: Correspondence of Aaron Lopez with John Bland, London, 1764-1770.
3036: Aaron Lopez, Joseph Lopez, Naturalisation papers, Business letters and accounts, 1754-1809; and Letter book, 1764-1765 (torn).
552: Sloop "Betsy", slaves, orders from Aaron Lopez to Captain Nathaniel Briggs, July 22, 1765.
3058: Aaron Lopez's Ledger "M", 1765-1766.
3059: Ship's Book, 1765-1772.
3060: Aaron Lopez's Shop Blotters, Account Book of "Taylors and Spinners", 1765-1775.
4702: Receipt to Aaron Lopez from Rabbi Isaac de Abraham Touro, December 1766
3064: Aaron Lopez's Ledger "N", 1766-1775.
3066: Personal and business letters relating to Aaron Lopez, 1766-1783.
3077: Power of Attorney from Aaron Lopez to James Lucena, 1767.
3068: Aaron Lopez's Sailors Book and Index, 1767-1769.
3067: Aaron Lopez's Ledger "P" and Index 1767-1769.
3069: Aaron Lopez's Ledger "O", 1767-1770.
3070: Aaron Lopez's Day Book, 1767-1770.
553 and 554: Orders for the purchase of slaves; accounts for Lopez and Rivera; letter to Nathaniel Briggs from owners concerning a slave of Aaron Lopez; orders to Captain Robert Mills of Barbados, 1768.
3084: Stampless cover with imprints of Savannah La Mar, Charleston, New York, Philadelphia, from Benjamin Wright, 1768.
3133: Shipping slaves to Lucena and Lucena; shipping cocoa to Lopez, 1768.
6714: Letter from Lane Benson and Vaughn to Aaron Lopez, written from Cork, Ireland, October 30, 1768, containing information about the harvest from Ireland and England and Ireland's reliance on goods from the Americas.
3085: Letter to Aaron Lopez with postmarks from Savanna La Mar, Wilmington, North Carolina, Savannah, Charleston, New York. November 17, 1768.
3086: Aaron Lopez's Memorandum Book, 1769-1772.
3087: Aaron Lopez's Correspondence, 1769-1772.
5438: Hebrew signatures, 1769-1792.
4468: Anthony Stocker informs Aaron Lopez that a writ of attachment has been obtained. 1770.
3977: Letter from Jewish Newport merchants in response to cessation of communication by Philadelphia merchants due to Newport's refusal to place an embargo on tea, June 1, 1770. It is signed by Jacob Rivera, Aaron Lopez, Moses Seixas, Moses Levy, Jacob Polock, Hays Polock, Hiam and Simon Levy.
3089: Aaron Lopez's Ledger "N", 1770-1771.
3092: Ship papers, letters from Benjamin Wright, Aaron Lopez, 1770-1780.
3091: Day Book, "Carpenter," 1770-1780.
3097: Correspondence with George Sears, Newfoundland, 1771.
3096, 4067 and 4068: Letters between George Rome and Aaron Lopez concerning wallpaper, 1771.
4364: Letter from Thomas Smith to Aaron Lopez criticising Captain John Newdigate for his handling of the Brig "Charlotte", July 13, 1771.
2692: Letter to Aaron Lopez from Captain John Hyer, 1771-1772.
2154: Sloop "Mary", Peleg Green, Master, and Aaron Lopez, owner.
3094: Aaron Lopez's Shipping Book, 1771-1773.
3134: Letters from James Lucena to Aaron Lopez from Savannah, Georgia.
4014: Letter from Matthew Robinson to Aaron Lopez, September 21, 1772.
5275: Logbook. Ship "Nancy", Benjamin Wright, property of Aaron Lopez, December 28, 1772.
1763: Records on Captain William English, who was in service of Aaron Lopez and Jacob Rodriguez Rivera, 1773-1774.
2935 and 2936: Letter regarding Thomas Lothrop's capture and imprisonment during a whaling voyage, December 4, 1773.
4701: Letter written in Hebrew detailing a business agreement between Isaac Touro and Naphtali Hart, 1774.
3102: Letter from Aaron Lopez to Dr. R. Waugh for fitting out a medicine chest for a voyage to Guinea, April 1774.
336: Letter from Charles Bell to Aaron Lopez regarding an ocean voyage, Annamaboe, February 6, 1774.
1765: Letter to Captain William English from Jacob Rodriguez Rivera and Aaron Lopez concerning the slave trade and the Brig "Ann", April 12, 1774.
2704: Letter from Moses Isaacs thanking Aaron Lopez for assistance and courtesy to his family, Newport, April 17, 1774.
3124: Letter from Matthew Lopez Jr thanking Aaron Lopez for his assistance and hospitality, Barbados, June 10, 1774.
2178: Letter from Nathanael Greene to Aaron Lopez requesting a new mainsail for his ship because the old one had burned. September 14, 1774.
82: Letter regarding religious matters from Jacob Alvarenga to Aaron Lopez. Kingston, Jamaica, December 8, 1774.
6454: Whaling, Lopez papers.
5454: Synagogue documents, signed by Walter Channing, Aaron Lopez, 1775-1780.
345: Lopez papers, 1776.
1223: Letters from Silas Cooke to Aaron Lopez, headed from Whitehall, on October 16 and November 7, 1776. Also, letters from Silas Cooke regarding runaway slaves. 1776.
3103: Correspondence while in Providence, 1776.
3105: Letters from David Lopez to Aaron Lopez, 1780.
3106: Papers regarding Aaron Lopez and Benjamin Seixas & Co. Philadelphia, 1780.
5124: Letters from John Wiley to Aaron Lopez from Fishkill, New York, 1780.
3104: Aaron Lopez's Letters, 1780-1781.
3107: Estate of Aaron Lopez, 1782.
3123: Joseph Lopez's Shipping Book, 1785.
4228-4230: Moses Seixas' records.
4697: Letter concerning the Touro Monument, unsigned, 1848.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Newport Historical Society was chartered in 1854 to collect and preserve books, manuscripts, and objects relating to Newport’s history. The Society’s collections originated 30 years earlier as the “Southern Cabinet” of the Rhode Island Historical Society. By 1853, several prominent Newporters recognised the need for a separate organisation specifically devoted to preserving the history of Newport County, and the collections of the Southern Cabinet were reorganised under the auspices of the Newport Historical Society.
By 1884, the Society purchased the old Seventh Day Baptist Meeting House (1730). Soon, this building became too small for the increasing number of materials held by the Society. In 1887, the Society purchased a site on Touro Street and, in the fall of that year, moved its building there.
As the holdings of the Society continued to increase, the need for more space and security became apparent. Ground was broken in 1902 for a brick library building on the Touro Street side of the lot. The new building provided office space for the Society, a fireproof vault for historical documents, and a library. In 1915, the meeting house was detached from the library and moved to the rear of the lot. A three-story brick building was constructed between the library and the meeting house.
The collections of the Newport Historical Society have continued to grow and have outgrown every structure provided for them within a decade or less of the ground-breaking. The result is one of the finest local historical society collections in New England. Its manuscripts, portraits, silver, furniture, decorative arts, and genealogical collection are widely recognised.
By 1884, the Society purchased the old Seventh Day Baptist Meeting House (1730). Soon, this building became too small for the increasing number of materials held by the Society. In 1887, the Society purchased a site on Touro Street and, in the fall of that year, moved its building there.
As the holdings of the Society continued to increase, the need for more space and security became apparent. Ground was broken in 1902 for a brick library building on the Touro Street side of the lot. The new building provided office space for the Society, a fireproof vault for historical documents, and a library. In 1915, the meeting house was detached from the library and moved to the rear of the lot. A three-story brick building was constructed between the library and the meeting house.
The collections of the Newport Historical Society have continued to grow and have outgrown every structure provided for them within a decade or less of the ground-breaking. The result is one of the finest local historical society collections in New England. Its manuscripts, portraits, silver, furniture, decorative arts, and genealogical collection are widely recognised.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The formal processing of Newport Historical Society's manuscript collections is underway. The index available on the website is incomplete.
Links to finding aids
Existence and location of copies
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2023
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron Lopez Papers | Existence and location of originals | |
| Wetmore collection on Rhode Island commerce | Existence and location of originals | |
| Aaron Lopez Papers | Existence and location of originals | |
| Aaron Lopez letters (Small Collections) | Existence and location of originals | |
| Samuel Oppenheim Papers | Existence and location of originals | |
| Gershom Mendes Seixas Papers | Existence and location of originals |
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Newport Historical Society | Collections (official language of the state) |