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Biographical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Administrative Information

Description

Subject Headings

Inventory of the Charles Foster Batchelder Papers

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Biographical Note

Charles Foster Batchelder was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1898. He received his degree in civil engineering from Harvard in 1922 and eventually formed a company that developed shoe-lasts. He was active in town politics for the town of Milton, Mass., where he served as selectman for fifteen years, as well as holding other offices. Batchelder also served as overseer of Old Sturbridge Village from 1953, president of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities from 1961, and trustee of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society from 1969 until his death in 1973. However, he was perhaps best known for his knowledge of whaling history and for his library of whaling books, pamphlets, and journals, both of which he pursued as a hobby.

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Scope and Content Note

Materials of note in the papers of Charles Foster Batchelder include incoming and outgoing personal correspondence from the years 1922 to 1973. These letters principally consist of requests for or an exchange of information on whaling vessels, captains, whaling terms, whaling grounds, and ports of call with museum professionals, an author, and researchers. The correspondents include Ernest Stanley Dodge (1913-1980), Edouard Alexandre Stackpole (b. 1905), and Marion Vernon Brewington (1902-1974). Additional letters concern his collection of books and articles on whaling or request that he review works on whaling for the American Neptune or the American Activities in the Central Pacific, 1790-1870, series. Batchelder arranged his incoming correspondence either by subject or by writer and usually attached his response and notes to the letter. In most instances, this arrangement has been retained. The incoming letters have been arranged chronologically by year and then alphabetically arranged by writer with Batchelder's responses or initial inquiries attached.

Other materials in this collection include bills for books, 1922-1926, and Old Dartmouth Historical Society material consisting of incoming and outgoing correspondence, 1923-1973; treasurer's reports, 1969-1973; trustee meeting minutes, 1970-1972; budgets, 1970-1972, material concerning a whaling symposium, 1972; and notices, notes, lists, flyers, and similar materials, 1944-1973. In addition, this collection contains substantial reading and research notes kept by Batchelder, probably between 1952 and 1973. These notes, primarily about whaling vessels, their locations on the ocean, and ports of call, were taken from information in books, serials, and pamphlets both within and outside of Batchelder's collection and have been arranged alphabetically by author. This material is supplemented by research notes, which do not appear to be taken from a single specific source; bibliographic material, ca.1950; an annotated index to American Activities that Batchelder was compiling, 1968-1969; lists of rare books, 1967; clippings and a picture, ca.1925, 1960-1971; and original documents or copies of originals, 1712, 1830-1869, ca.1880, 1922, such as pages from an account book, a bill of lading, a Seamen's Protection Paper, and a letter, presumably used by Batchelder in his research.

The materials in this collection were given to the Old Dartmouth Historical Society as part of Batchelder's larger collection of books, serials, and pamphlets. The reading notes were removed from this collection, and some may still be in the volumes.

Arrangement of Collection

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Information for Researchers

Access to Collections

Unrestricted. Consult librarian for an appointment.

Preferred Citation

New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library Mss 67, [sub-group, series, sub-series, folder/volume as appropriate], [item]

Copyright Notice

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 United States Code 552a) governs the use of materials that document private individuals, groups, and corporations.

Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a reproduction if the document does not infringe the privacy rights of an individual, group, or corporation. These specified conditions of authorized use include:

If the researcher later uses a copy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," the researcher is personally liable for copyright, privacy, or publicity infringement and agrees to indemnify the New Bedford Whaling Museum from any legal action as a result of the error. Permission to obtain a photographic, xerographic, digital, or other copy of a document does not indicate permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, sell, distribute, or prepare derivative works from the document without permission from the copyright holder and from any private individual, group, or corporation shown or otherwise recorded.

Permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, prepare derivative works from, sell, or otherwise distribute the item must be obtained separately in writing from the holder of the original copyright (or if the creator is dead, from his/her heirs) as well as from any individual(s), groups, or corporations whose name, image, recorded words, or private information (e.g. employment information) may be reproduced in the source material. The holder of the original copyright is not necessarily the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The New Bedford Whaling Museum is not legally liable for copyright, privacy, or publicity infringement when materials are wrongfully used after being provided to researchers for "fair use."

This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if fulfillment of the order is judged in violation of copyright or federal or state privacy law. This institution also places restrictions on the use of cameras, photocopiers, and scanners in the research room.

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Administrative Information

Provenance

Materials in this collection were given to the Old Dartmouth Historical Society by Mrs. Charles F. Batchelder on 22 December 1975.

Processing Information

Processed by: Barbara E. Austen, ca. 1982

Encoded by: Kermit Dewey, 26 June 2012; box list appended by Timarie Malo, 13 December 2012

Funds for processing this collection were provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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Description

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Subject Headings

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