Documents, 1776-1777

This series consists of receipts, account statements, and correspondence between and among men on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, mainly in Dorchester County, and merchants in Baltimore between November 1776 and May 1777. There are receipts for wages earned by Thomas Brumfield, John Kirby, and Cornelius Hogan. Some of the service was on the schooner "Hazzard", captained by William Trippe for voyages to Cape Francois in Hispaniola.

Many of the account statements and correspondence are to or from Robert Gilmor, a local merchant, who would eventually relocate to Baltimore and become very successful there. While he worked in Dorchester County, he managed shipments of local crops for Andrew S. Ennalls, James Sulivan, Stanley Byers, and others. In 1777, Gilmor shipped products on the "Hazzard" to the West Indies. In March 1777, William Trippe returned from Cap Francois to Chincoteague Island on the "Hazzard" with goods purchased for Robert Gilmor & Co. In April 1777, correspondence indicates that the goods bought on this voyage was sought by merchants in Baltimore. Another trip was planned on the "Hazzard" from Chincoteague Island to Cap Francois in May 1777.

In addition to the commerce, smallpox and its impact on some of the families of the merchants are mentioned in the March (William Neill) and May (Robert Harrison) correspondence. The danger of the "enemy" in the Chesapeake Bay concerns some merchants (April, James Murray). Robert Harrison warns against the May voyage to Cap Francois returning with sugar and coffee as they are prohibited from export by French Law and the ship may be seized if the cargo includes these.

The final letter in the collection is from William Trippe to Robert Gilmor. Trippe writes that Gilmor probably expected him to be half-way on his way to the West Indies but due to the late arrival of a seaman and then unfavorable winds the ship is finally underway in late May. Trippe also notes that he purchased rigging from a wrecked sloop on Assateague Island that "appeared to have been sunk by cannon."

Arrangement is chronological.