Carleton Doty Morse was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts on June 12, 1890 and attended Brown University, where he was an active member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity. After graduating from Brown with a Ph.B. degree in 1913, Morse spent two years as assistant New England agent for the Aluminum Cooking Utensil Company in Providence, Rhode Island. From 1915 to 1920, he held a position as a bond salesman for investment securities for Bodell & Company, investment bankers. During this time, he joined the Army during the first World War (1917-1919) where he served as a captain in the 301st Infantry Division and the 76th Division of the American Expeditionary Force. After the Armistice, he was assigned to the 90th Division- of the Army of Occupation, in Germany.
Following his return to the United States, Morse resumed his career in investment banking. From 1920 to 1922, he was promoted to sales manager for Bodell & Company's offices located in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1922, he worked as a sales manager in the Philadelphia office of the Guaranty Company of New York. He held this position until 1924 when he moved back to Massachusetts to take up the position of Manager of the Boston office of Hill, Joiner & Company. In 1926, he was able to successfully open his own investment firm, Morse & Company, where he was managing partner, alongside Frank D. Fuller, until 1935. In 1929, he was also named president and treasurer of the Clearwater Laundry Co., Inc. of Boston. He subsequently acceded to a joint appointment as both secretary and director of the Massachusetts Laundry Association.
In addition to his professional activities, Morse also sat on the planning board for the town of Needham, Massachusetts for the years 1937-1946, where he had resided since relocating in 1924. From 1946 to 1949, he served on the Needham Hospital Building Committee. He also served on the advisory board of the Boston division of the Salvation Army, dates unknown.
A devoted alumnus of Brown, Carleton D. Morse was founder and first chairman of the Friends of the Library of Brown University as well as chairman of the board of editors of the Brown Alumni Monthly. He served as the New England Regional Director of the Associated Alumni of Brown and as president of the Brown Club of Boston.
Morse's affinity for the whaling industry dates back to his childhood days in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where New England whaling had its greatest port. Carleton D. Morse died on June 2nd, 1955 at the age of 64 after succumbing to a long illness. He left a widow, Doris (Cox) Morse; a daughter, Elizabeth Ann Morse, a graduate from Pembroke College, class of 1956.
There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested..
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
The Carleton D. Morse whaling collection includes all kinds of manuscript materials pertaining to whaling (correspondence, logbooks and accounts, seaman's journals, merchant's and owner's accounts, reports and legal documents, literary works, photographs and engravings, as well as newspaper clippings, research notes, ephemera and other printed materials) collected by Mr. Morse or added to the collection after its arrival at Brown University. The materials currently in the collection date from the middle of the 18th century to the middle of the 20th, however the researcher should take note that there are several undated items.
As a manuscript collection, the Carleton D. Morse whaling collection is a subject-oriented collection, consisting of papers relating to whaling and generated by individuals connected with that industry over a period of more than two hundred years, rather than the more usual kind of manuscript collection which consists of papers generated by one individual, family, business or institution over a (usually) finite period of years.
Because of its subject orientation, and because certain items (such as the logbook of the ship Almira (entry II,A,1 of this guide)) have been added to the collection since Mr. Morse's death and since its acquisition by Brown, it seems most advisable to treat the Morse whaling collection as an "open" collection, organized so as to be able to receive any new additions in the future such as new manuscript materials on whaling that Brown acquires.
When originally processed, manuscripts for the Ms. Swift & Allen firm and a number of items then thought to be unrelated were removed from the collection. Later curatorial staff came to regret this arrangement, and recommended that the collection be reintegrated. This finding aid brings together the original Morse Whaling manuscripts (Ms. 79.22), along with related but previously separated materials from Ms. Swift & Allen and Ms. 85.16, A79.35, A79.36, and A79.37 as well as materials found laid into some of the books (processed as Ms. 63.5) and additional ephemera from the collection file.
It should be noted that, after thorough review, the correspondence of Malvina Pinkham and the Pinkham family (Ms. 85.16) and the Marshall Johnson papers (A79.38), although both were received with the Carleton D. Morse whaling collection, have been determined not to have a direct connection to whaling. These remain separate as distinct manuscript collections, with appropriate cross-references to the Whaling collection.
The bulk of the printed materials in the Carleton D. Morse whaling collection--books and pamphlets--have been individually cataloged and shelved as a unit within the John Hay Library. These can be identified through JOSIAH by the location code "Hay Whaling." While not directly related to items found in the Morse Whaling manuscript collection, they should not be overlooked.
The collection is divided into the following series:
Carleton D. Morse whaling collection, Ms. 79.22, Brown University Library.
Parts of Series 1, 2, 3, and 4 have been scanned.
Received from Doris G. Morse (widow of Carleton D. Morse) in four installments between 1957 and 1962.
Printed materials from the Carleton D. Morse whaling collection (books and pamphlets) have been cataloged individually and shelved as a separate unit within the John Hay Library. These can be identified in JOSIAH by the location code "Hay Whaling".
This collection remains open to future additions.
Brown University Library catalog record for this collection
RESOURCES AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS:
Published books and periodicals on whaling collected by Carleton D. Morse have been
cataloged as the
Two sets of papers, originally affiliated with the Carleton D. Morse whaling
collection, have been processed, cataloged, and housed separately from the remainder
of the collection:
14 items.
Correspondence between the Pinkham family members as well
as correspondence with acquaintances.
Collection number: Ms. 85.16.
Ca. 100 items.
Business and
family papers. Includes letters and accounts as well as correspondence between
the Johnson brothers.
Collection number: A79.38.
Ship Spartan of Nantucket (Nehemiah C. Fisher, Master) to Pacific: 1844 May 4-1847 Feb 3
Incomplete. Partial record of voyage which lasted from 1843 Nov to 1847 Jul. Logbook kept by Allen Hopkins.
Entries not consecutive. Additions include record of whales taken, poetry, ink and pencil sketches of ships and whales, whale stamps.
Bark Wade of New Bedford (George W. Downs, Master) to Indian Ocean: 1845 Nov 7-1846 Apr 11
Incomplete. Partial record of voyage which lasted from 1844 Jun 28 to 1846 Apr 15 (Starbuck). Titled: Homeward bound. Bound with journal from Ship Uncas (see Series 2, Subseries A. Journals).
Ship Almira of Edgartown (John L. Jenks, Master) to Pacific and Arctic: 1851 Jun 20-1852 Nov 31 [sic]
Incomplete. Partial record of voyage which lasted from 1851 Jun 11 to 1855 Mar 5 (Starbuck). Added to collection in 1962 by gift of Harold Tinker.
In addition to daily logbook, includes whale stamps, miscellaneous accounts.
Bark Pioneer of New Bedford (Frederick R. Billings, Master) to Atlantic and Pacific: 1851 Jun 24-1854 Apr 8
Complete. Logbook kept by R.D. Eldridge. In addition to daily entries, includes provision list, pencil sketch of vessel, ink drawings of whales and flukes.
Bark California of San Francisco (W.F. Joseph, Master) to Japan: 1901 Nov 20-1902 Oct 28
Complete. Additions include lists of whales taken, crew members, stories. Pencil sketches of whales and whaling scenes.
Bark Coral of New Bedford (James E. Potter, Master) to New Zealand: 1868 Sep 9-1872 Jul 19
Complete. Additions include accounts of provisions, and oil stowed and shipped. Loose records of provisions, receipts, blank printed invoice. Ink sketches and stamps of whales and flukes, sketches of islands.
Schooner William A. Graber of New Bedford (J.T. Gonsalves, Master) to North Atlantic: 1914 Apr 25-1914 Aug 21
Complete. Includes whale stamps and sketches.
Bark Nye of New Bedford and Dartmouth: 1851 Apr 10-1861 Apr 10
Disbursements and crew accounts covering 4 voyages under 3 masters:
Bark Aurora of Westport, MA (Joseph Marshall, Master) Pacific Ocean: 1856 Dec 20-1861 Jun 3
Kept during voyage which lasted from 1856 Nov 10 to 1861 Jul 12 (Starbuck). Disbursements, crew accounts.
Ship Kingfisher of New Bedford New Bedford, MA: 18--?
Undated. Blank printed form with manuscript additions.
Ship Christopher Mitchell of New Bedford (Frederick Slocum, Master) New Bedford, MA: 1853-1856?
For voyage 1853-1856? (Starbuck). Blank form printed by W. & G.D. Watkins, New Bedford. Manuscript additions.
Bark King of Tyre (of New Bedford?) New Bedford, MA: 1853-1856?
Blank form printed by A. Taber & Brothers, New Bedford. Manuscript additions.
Record of whaling grounds kept on bark Europa of New Bedford (G.A. Baker, Master): 1840-1880
Date on cover: April, 1880. Records of whales seen, of taken, on various grounds by various vessels.
Journal by Theodore D. Bartley on ship California of New Bedford (D.D. Wood, Master) to North Pacific: 1851 Oct 22-1854 Feb 16
Incomplete. Voyage ended May 24, 1854 (Starbuck). Ink and pencil. Feded, partially illegible. Fragile. Vol. I: 1851 Oct 22-1853 May 29. Vol. II: 1853 Jun 4-1854 May 24.
Journal by Amos Rogers on bark Alto of New Bedford (Angeles Snell, Master) to Indian Ocean: 1854 Jun 1-1856 Sep 15
Incomplete. Voyage ended 1857 Apr 8 (Starbuck). Entries daily for first month, then only when whales sighted. Additions include accounts of whales taken or sighted, oil raised, ships spoken. Poetry. Whale stamps, watercolors of ships and a large whale.
Memorandum book by Daniel G. Tinker, Master of bark John P. Westto North Pacific: 1863 Dec 6-1868 Apr 14
Journal by James H. Alford on bark Abraham Barker of New Bedford (Alden T. Potter, Master) to Pacific: 1871 May 16-1875 May 3
Incomplete. Voyage ended 1875 Sep 21 (Starbuck). Includes list of crew, poetry, ink sketches of whales and flukes.
Journal by George Comer on bark Canton of New Bedford (Charles W. Fisher, Master) to Hudson's Bay: 1893 Jun 24-1893 Nov 9
Incomplete. In pencil. Small notebook, fragile.
Acquisition of supplies at the island frustrated by natives. Author requests a governmental representative, (namely, Henry Ellis), to resolve such issues.
unspecified
Dabney offers a visitation, receives no response from Mrs. Baker and gives addressee the gift of a breastpin.
unspecified
unspecified
Joseph W. Marshall makes request for allocation of the will.
unspecified
Authors write of their disregard by "Helen". Dr. Cushing treats Harry's cold. Authors inquires after a "Mr. Harper" and enjoy time spent with Mr. and Mrs. John Paddack.
unspecified
unspecified
unspecified
unspecified
Receipt for provisions.
unspecified
Wages received by recipient.
unspecified
Record of payment for Nathaniel's son, William.
unspecified
Awaits return of cargo to Port Rico and mentions sending home flour by Capt. Lewis.
unspecified
Receipt for wages.
unspecified
Falmouth town tax record.
unspecified
1845 town, county, state and district taxes.
unspecified
Record of town, county and state taxes.
unspecified
Agreement documenting Hiram Baker's acquisition of the Cinderella.
unspecified
Receipt for payment for work aboard the Cinderella.
unspecified
Receipt for purchase of provisions.
unspecified
Record of payment for commutation of passengers.
unspecified
Receipt of provisions.
unspecified
Receipt for purchase of cotton.
unspecified
Agreement documenting Hiram Baker's acquisition of the Osceola.
unspecified
Receipt of payment for provisions.
unspecified
Validation of commutation of alien individual.
unspecified
Record of insurance payments on the Osceola.
Invoice of provisions.
unspecified
Receipt of payments to various people and crew.
unspecified
Receipt of payment for [cassis].
unspecified
unspecified
Payment for sugar.
unspecified
Receipt of payment for labor.
unspecified
De Forest & Company requests that Osceola proceed on to Teneriffe Island. It includes Misses Lebrun and Davidson in its address, also entreating Baker to get Osceola a berth at Macy's Wharf in New York.
Invoice of provisions.
unspecified
Letters and documents, in Spanish as well as English, relating to the brig Osceola. Many printed forms with manuscript insertions. Cargo included: sugar, molasses, cloves, pepper, giner, fruit, almonds, earthenware, etc.
unspecified
Receipt of town and country annual tax payment.
unspecified
Payments made from Barnabas's estate.
unspecified
Payments for making of 3 bonds and 1 deed.
unspecified
Receipt for medical services.
unspecified
Receipt of provisions.
unspecified
Receipt indicating payment for work for a Cape Cod Branch [M]ail [M]ead.
unspecified
Receipt for medical services.
unspecified
unspecified
Receipt for burial of Barnabas Baker.
unspecified
Note of receipt of payment for postage.
unspecified
Note of receipt of payment for postage.
unspecified
Author relates Goodhue & Co.'s instructions from arrival at coast of Nicaragua: lading of cargo for San Blas, with financial details; Goodhue & Co. bill at Realejo; and Barron Forbes and Co. bill on Goodhue & Co. Further instructions in the event of delay at Realejo.
unspecified
Record of payments to Mayor of Brooklyn and others.
unspecified
Receipt of payment for provisions.
unspecified
Receipt for county and town tax payment.
unspecified
Payment for peach orchard coal.
unspecified
Receipt of payment for labor.
unspecified
Request for response to letter. Anticipation of shipment. Sending of provisions, goods to ship.
unspecified
Receipt of payment for state, county and town taxes for 1854.
unspecified
Merritt, having returned from New York too late, regrets missing Baker in Boston. Merritt will return to New York to see about an offer for a "situation," and will not be able to visit Sandwich. He hopes to resolve obligations to Baker with the new situation, and suggests to Baker, upon his next visit to Boston, to call on Merritt's father.
unspecified
Munlay offers services under Baker's command and expresses his wishes to visit Baker in New Bedford.
Request to collect from Samuel Ford of Bay of Islands, New Zealand.
unspecified
Provision of goods for Ship Illinois.
unspecified
Receipt of payment to Pocassett Parsonage.
unspecified
Notes sending of letter, care of Adam Mackee, to Hiram Baker.
unspecified
Interview with the Indian Webfish. Other hiring arrangements, including pay.
unspecified
Hiring arrangements for Mr. Lombard, others.
unspecified
Employment for Lombard and Parker.
Report on search for Hiram Baker.
unspecified
Baker's brother's letter.
unspecified
Record of payment for wages.
unspecified
unspecified
Finances from patenting versus whaling.
unspecified
Excise tax document.
Sundry accounts including vessels commanded by and in which William Delano [of Fairhaven, MA] was interested as part owner: 1802 Apr il 29 - 1819 January 30
Lists of 8 vessels with dates on front cover:
Mentions the following vessels:
Also mentions the following individuals:
Purchased 1981.
Includes instructions to masters of whaling vessels, sales of oil and candles, insurance, and outfitting of vessels. Includes
Documents belonging to the whaling firm of Swift & Allen (New Bedford, Mass.), consisting mainly of reports from employees in foreign ports.
Formerly shelved as: VM470.5 S9 Morse Whaling Collection.
Daily transactions of this firm of marine painting contractors.
unspecified
Request for casks.
unspecified
Kirby awaits direction by addressee during delay of Mr. Kidder's response to author's earlier letter.
unspecified
Hirlbut makes remarks on religion and the current weather. He additionally reports business as usual on Commercial Wharf, and promises to send a particular set of papers to Davis, and notes that the Oearen Bill has left port.
unspecified
Ship of America, Bay of Islands. Bills of loading enclosed.
No. 32-18. Typescript, 8 pages with carbon copy.
Unsigned. One-page typescript and one carbon copy.
Two copies of blank printed form. No manuscript additions.
Issued to Stephen Conklin at Nantucket by Martin R. Morton, Collector. Not dated. Numbered with number crossed out. Printed blank form with manuscript additions.
Two sets of carbon copies of typed notes, attached to cover reading "Legation of the United States, The Hague, Netherlands." Two pages each. Not dated. Information on legal points, on whaling and sealing seasons, on ship Cape Horn Pigeion, on Russian-American Treaty of 1857, required in a case of arbitration.
unspecified
Legal document with multiple signatures.
Account of the loss of Bark Sooloo and whaling master, J.B. Eames, during her trip from Macao to Ningpo in 1862 with statement of salvage loss.
Statement probably prepared at the Navy Department for use of legal counsel in arbitration of loss-claims. Undated, unsigned. Sixteen double pages of tables organized according to type of vessel taken, giving name and master, port, destination, date of capture, name of privateer, tonnage and estimated value of vessel plus cargo.
Contains "letter of advice... to Captain Thomas Warren, who was about to start on a fur-seal voyage to the Bounty Rocks...contains valuable information concerning the habits of the Antarctic fur seal, the methods employed for its capture, and the care of the skins." Note attached with date, 19 April 1983.
Typescript, with one carbon copy. Written in the early 1930's by a former shipbuilder. On construction of whaling ships, boats, rigging. Appendix, p. 85, "Size and shape inrelation to safety and speed".
Transcript and 1 carbon copy. Subject: Whaling voyage in schooner Carrie W. Clark of Provincetown, spring and summer, 1876, and voyage home in mark Modesta, autumn, 1876.
Carbon copy of typescript. Subject: whaling voyage as Master of the bark Josephine of Boston. This transcript was made in December 1950 by Carleton D. Morse from Captain Howard's account book.
Transcript and 1 carbon copy. Subject: voyage as Master of brig Rosa Baker of Boston starting July 1879.
Carbon copy of 7-page transcript.
Loose sheets, with xerox copy. Undated. Narrative describes adventures on two whaling voyages: in bark Noble of Sag Harbor (Captain Hawes, Master), 1846 Aug-1848 Jun, to South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; and in brig Charlotte of Sag Harbor (Captain Winters, Master), 1850 Jul-1852 May to South Pacific. Fragile. Advise use of xerox copy.
Loose sheets, with xerox copy. Undated. Another version of the same two voyages as above entry (bark Noble, 1846-1848 and brig Charlotte, 1850-1852). Fragile. Use xerox copy.
Typescript, with one carbon copy. Subject: boyhood whaling voyage from New Bedford to Pacific and Arctic beginning 1844 Feb 20. [Starbuck gives voyage as 1844 Dec 20-1847 Apr 8.] "Deciphered from his handwritten account", dated June 1906, written at age 79.
Photograph of vessel Andrew Hicks
Black and white ; 26 x 21 cm.
Photograph of vessel Constitution (model)
Black and white ; 21 x 26 cm.
Photograph of vessel Bark C.W. Morgan
Black and white ; 15 x 10 cm.
Photograph of vessel Bark Greyhound
Black and white ; 14 x 9 cm.
Photograph of vessel Kathleen
Black and white ; 14 x 17 cm.
Photograph of vessel Morning Star
Black and white ; 19 x 25 cm.
Photograph 1 of vessel Platina
Black and white ; 10 x 12 cm.
Photograph 2 of vessel Platina
Black and white ; 20 x 26 cm.
Photograph 3 of vessel Platina
Black and white ; 18 x 15 cm.
Photograph of unidentified vessel
Black and white ; 11 x 17 cm.
Photograph 1 of salt works
Black and white ; 10 x 13 cm.
Photograph 2 of salt works
Black and white ; 10 x 13 cm.
Photograph 3 of salt works
Black and white ; 10 x 13 cm.
Photograph 1 of whaling implements
Black and white ; 16 x 21 cm.
Photograph 2 of whaling implements
Black and white ; 16 x 21 cm.
Photograph 3 of whaling implements
Black and white ; 16 x 21 cm.
Photograph 4 of whaling implements
Black and white ; 14 x 21 cm.
Photograph 5 of whaling implements
Black and white ; 15 x 20 cm.
Photograph 6 of whaling implements
Black and white ; 21 x 15 cm.
Right whaling, attaching chain to head
Color ; 14 x 9 cm.
Sperm whaling, hoisting on lower jaw
Color ; 14 x 9 cm.
Sperm whaling, junk nearly clear
Color ; 14 x 9 cm.
The Niger
Black and white ; 9 x 14 cm.
Merrill's Wharf
Black and white ; 9 x 14 cm.
Man standing near landed whale
Black and white ; 9 x 14 cm.
Two famous old whalers, New Bedford, Mass.
Color ; 9 x 14 cm.
Whaling Bark Josephine at Wharf, New Bedford, Mass.
Black and white ; 9 x 14 cm.
Whaling Bark Sunbeam, ready to sail
Black and white ; 14 x 9 cm.
Vessel Platina
Black and white ; 14 x 9 cm.
Unidentified vessel
Black and white ; 9 x 14 cm.
Vessel Morning Star
Black and white ; 9 x 14 cm.
Whalers fitting out, New Bedford, Mass.
Color ; 9 x 14 cm.
View of wharf, New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Black and white ; 9 x 18 cm.
View of wharf, New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Black and white ; 9 x 18 cm.
J. Freeman, Nantucket.
Black and white ; 9 x 18 cm.
Vessel Mary Frazier, New Bedford, Mass.
Black and white ; 9 x 18 cm.
View of the Stone Fleet which sailed from New Bedford Nov. 16, 1861
Black and white ; 21 x 26 cm.
Souvenirs, notices, postcards, programs: bulk 1930s-1950s
The oil and colour trades journal1915 Jul 10
Pages 117-118. Types of fish and whale oils.
Provides background information on the Kendall Whaling Museum in Sharon, MA as well as providing details regarding the museum's collection.
Lists of sailings of ten whaling vessels: 1830-1878
Includes dates of sailings and returns, destinations, masters for each voyage. Gives date built, port, agent, and tonnage of each vessel. Vessels and dates are:
Reprinted from
Iron, men and wooden ships. Salvo two1920
Sea chanties. Another copy in the Harris Collection.
Two copies of a sales brochure for a reprint of the
The whaling industryPeabody Museum1908
Exhibition catalogue. Another copy in the Morse Whaling Book Collection.