Samuel (1711-1792) and William (1719-1806) Vernon were both born in Newport, Rhode Island, the sons of silversmith, Samuel (1683-1737) and Elizabeth (Fleet) Vernon. The two entered business together and created the mercantile firm, Samuel and William Vernon, and established themselves as prominent Newport merchants prior the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Their business was active in all parts of the triangular trade, which involved purchasing slaves in Africa with rum from the colonies, selling the slaves in the West Indies for molasses, and selling the molasses in the colonies in order to buy more rum and to continue the trading cycle. The Vernon brothers were also known as the first Newport merchants to sell African slaves directly to the southern colonies, making their first sale in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1755. They were also involved in privateering during King George’s War (1744-1748). Samuel and William Vernon were in business together until Samuel’s death on July 6, 1792. Both Samuel and William were among the original forty six proprietors of the Redwood Library and William served as president of the Library from 1797 to 1801. William Vernon died on December 22, 1806.
Access is open to members and researchers at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
This collection is owned by the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Special Collections Librarian of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
Samuel and William Vernon bill of exchange, RLC.Ms.534, Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
This collection consists of one bill of exchange between the merchant firm of Samuel and William Vernon and Diederich Brameyer of Hamburg, Germany, on March 1, 1768, in which a payment is ordered to be made to Aaron Lopez (1731-1782), a merchant in Newport, Rhode Island.
This collection is arranged in chronological order.
Gift of Anne Vernon, 1936 May.
This collection was initially processed by Aimee Saunders in 2010.