Letter: Brookline, Massachusetts, to D. Thomas Davies, Seattle, Washington, 1914 March 24, 1914

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Sprague, Frank William, b. 1842
Title
Letter: Brookline, Massachusetts, to D. Thomas Davies, Seattle, Washington, 1914 March 24
Dates
1914 (inclusive)
Quantity
Collection Number
4658 (Accession No. 4658-001)
Summary
Letter of a ship captain
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Open to all users.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Frank William Sprague (born 1842) was the member of a prominent New England family. He wrote several works on New England genealogy and history.

D. Thomas Davies was the Port Warden of Seattle during the tenure of Mayor George F. Cotterill (1912-1914). The Port Warden was an official appointed by Seattle's mayor to serve as the head of the Harbor Department.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The 1914 letter from Frank William Sprague to Captain D. Thomas Davies is written in response to an apparent inquiry made by the Port Warden of Seattle to reproduce material from Sprague's privately printed book, "Barnstable and Yarmouth, sea captains and ship owners" (1913). Sprague comments that he is able to grant permission to use an image from the book (an 1851 painting of the ship, Joseph Balch) because the painting had belonged to William F. Gorham, the ship's captain and Sprague's cousin. He encloses a photograph of the painting showing the brig-schooner (which Sprague claimed transported oranges and lemons from the Mediterranean) leaving the port of Malta. Also included is the envelope addressed to Davies, whose name is misspelled "Davie" on both the letter and envelope. This letter once may have been in the possession of prominent Seattle attorney, William H. Gorham (1861-1935), although it is not clear how his name came to be associated with the letter.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Purchased from Shorey's, 9/12/1963.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Genealogists--Massachusetts--Correspondence
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Shipping--Massachusetts--Boston

Personal Names

  • Davies, D. Thos. (D. Thomas)
  • Sprague, Frank William, b. 1842--Correspondence

Corporate Names

  • John Balch (Ship)

Geographical Names

  • Boston (Mass.)--Commerce
  • Seattle (Wash.)--Officials and employees--Correspondence

Form or Genre Terms

  • Correspondence
  • Releases (permissions)

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Gorham, William H., 1861-1935.  Former owner (creator)