ARCHIVE: HANDWRITTEN LETTER, SIGNED, FROM PRAM PRAM [ACCRA, GHANA], ALONG WITH FIVE (5) OTHER HANDWRITTEN DOCUMENTS WRITTEN ca. 1857 FROM COASTAL AFRICA

1857. Original manuscripts. Very Good. Six documents in all. The Hudson letter, addressed to E.D. Kimball, Esq., recommends James R. Stray for second mate aboard the ship "Buckeye," in part: "...[he's] been in your employ on this coast five voyages...he's a temperate and hard working man..., Yours respectfully, Sam'l H. Hudson. Together with the letter are four handwritten receipts for Capt. Hudson's maritime trade in Accra, signed by Henry Richers, William Johnston and John Mullen. Also present is a two-page accounting manuscript of African cargoes sold by Edward Kimball: ivory, palm oil, camwood, &c., from the Barks "Buckeye" and "Louisa." All six documents in this small archive are from March-December, 1847. Five are datelined Pram Pram and Accra. The largest is 8" x 10"; the smallest 4" x 5". // Edward D. Kimball was a noted Salem, Massachusetts maritime merchant and shipping magnate. Although the focus of his trade was with the west coast of Africa, Kimball's vessels also sailed to the East Indies, the Pacific Islands, South America, Australia, and Asia.