The Log Book and Manuscripts Collection consists of material that represents daily life and maritime work from 1797 to 1891. Within the digitized Log Book and Manuscripts Collection are logbooks from the John H. Jones, Splendid, Dawn, Alice, Sheffield, Edgar, and Richmond representing a span from 1821 to 1862, a log from the Lloyd Harbor Lighthouse (1872-1891), and the Divine Hewlett Account Book (1797-1799).
Logs, journals, and ledgers were meticulously kept records detailing daily occurrences. Whaling logs were typically kept by the captain or a high ranking mate. Standard entries for these types of records included weather, activities, and expenditures; whaling ships would include the vessel’s latitude and longitude and any whales sighted or captured. Small stamps placed beside the entries in a whaling log marked successful hunts, with markings indicating the species of whales sighted or captured, and the amount of raw oil and bone that was harvested. These logs provide valuable information on the industries that fueled local industry, ships activities and crew, as well as environmental data.
Scope of Collection
The Log Book and Manuscripts Collection consists of 11 digitized records and accounts ranging from 1797-1891 with whaling logs making up the bulk of the material. This collection represents a portion of our complete Logbook, Ledger, and book collection, containing material between 1784-1907. Whaling logs from the Cold Spring Whaling Company date from the golden age of American whaling, from the mid-1830s to late 1850s. The fleet consisted of 9 ships in operation during this period, making a combined 43 voyages across the world’s oceans and bringing in an estimated 1.5 million dollars worth of whale bone and oil.
