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The Brimblecom family papers are made up of letters that Massachusetts preacher Samuel Brimblecom and his son, Samuel A. Brimblecom, wrote in the early and mid-19th century. The elder Brimblecom discussed his studies at Harvard in the late 1810s, and his son often wrote of his voyages with the merchant marine to India and China in the 1840s.

The Brimblecom family papers are made up of letters that Massachusetts preacher Samuel Brimblecom and his son, Samuel A. Brimblecom, wrote in the early and mid-19th century. The elder Brimblecom discussed his studies at Harvard in the late 1810s, and his son often wrote of his voyages with the merchant marine to India and China in the 1840s.

The earliest items primarily consist of letters from Samuel Brimblecom to his sister Mary, which he wrote during his time as a student at Harvard University and during the decade following his graduation. He often included his philosophical musings about a variety of topics, including metaphysics and religion, and described his life at school, as a private tutor in South Carolina, and a young preacher in Massachusetts and Maine. Brimblecom continued to write to Mary over the years with updates on his family, but after 1840 his son, Samuel A. Brimblecom, wrote the majority of the correspondence.

Though he often discussed his daily life and acquaintances in Lynn, Massachusetts, Samuel A. Brimblecom also wrote to his parents and siblings about his travels to Asia. In one letter, he copied a poem dedicated to his mother: "Mother, I'm for the Indies Bound" (January 4, 1841). In letters written throughout 1844, he related his experiences in East Asian cities such as Whampoa, Canton, Macao, Singapore, and Calcutta, and noted the practices of businessmen and local customs. On June 27, 1844, for example, he shared his impressions of the region surrounding Bombay, India.

The Henry B. Seely logbook documents the voyage of the U.S. Steam Frigate Minnesota from Hampton Roads, Virginia, around the Cape of Good Hope to East Asia and back to Boston between 1857 and 1859. Seely commented on American diplomat William B. Reed, encounters with other ships, and everyday events on the ship.

The Henry B. Seely logbook, "Journal of a cruise in the U.S. Steam Frigate 'Minnesota'" (333 pages), documents the Minnesota's voyage from Hampton Roads, Virginia, around the Cape of Good Hope to East Asia and back to Boston between 1857 and 1859.

The volume begins with a list of the ship's officers under the command of Captain Samuel Francis Du Pont. Seely began writing daily entries on June 24, 1857, and the Minnesota departed for Asia on July 1, 1857. Entries focus primarily on topics such as rigging, encounters with other vessels, and crew deaths. While in port at the Cape of Good Hope and in the Far East, the Minnesota received ambassadors and other dignitaries and frequently met with friendly ships, usually from the United States and Great Britain. Seely also mentioned provisions taken on in different ports and witnessed a military action by British and French vessels against forts on the Pei-ho (Hai) River on May 20, 1858. He sometimes mentioned American diplomat William B. Reed. Captain Du Pont regularly inspected the log and entered his signature at the end of each month.

• June 25, 1857-July 1, 1857: Hampton Roads, Virginia
• September 7, 1857-September 20, 1857: Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
• October 17, 1857-October 23, 1857: "New Bay," Sunda Strait
• November 5, 1857-February 26, 1858: Hong Kong and Canton (Pearl) River, China
• March 2, 1858-March 13, 1858: Manila, Philippines
• March 23, 1858-April 22, 1858: Yangtze River, China
• April 25, 1858-July 6, 1858: Gulf of Pechili (Bohai Sea), China
• July 12, 1858-August 6, 1858: Woosung River, Shanghai, China
• August 11, 1858-August 31, 1858: Nagasaki Harbor, Japan
• September 3, 1858-September 16, 1858: Yangtze River, China
• September 20, 1858-October 7, 1858: Nagasaki Harbor, Japan
• October 10, 1858-November 9, 1858: Woosung River, Shanghai, China
• November 10, 1858-November 11, 1858: Yangtze River, China
• November 15, 1858-December 8, 1858: Hong Kong, China
• December 16, 1858-December 20, 1858: Singapore
• December 20, 1858-December 22, 1858: Straits of Malacca
• December 23, 1858-December 29, 1858: Penang Harbor, Malaysia
• January 4, 1859-January 11, 1859: Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
• January 16, 1859-February 14, 1859: Bombay (Mumbai), India
• February 19, 1859-February 21, 1859: Muscat, Oman
• April 3, 1859-April 21, 1859: Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
• May 29, 1859-June 2, 1859: Boston, Massachusetts

The Robert B. Ackerburg correspondence consists of a series of letters Ackerburg wrote to his friend, Suki Rochford, during his time in the merchant marine immediately following the Second World War.

The Robert B. Ackerburg correspondence consists of 32 letters written by Ackerburg to his friend, Suki Rochford, during his time in the merchant marine immediately following the Second World War. Ackerburg wrote in a lighthearted tone throughout his correspondence to Suki, and described everyday occurrences during the Cape Beale's journey to East Asia in 1946. Ackerburg often focused on news of upcoming destinations, but occasionally admonished Suki for not writing often enough. On June 9, 1946, he asked Suki, "Not to be dramatic but haven't you heard how important mail was supposed to be during the war? The war may be over but everyone I know out here still thinks it's damned important." The letters implied a carefree tone throughout his service following the war, and the sailors on board the Cape Beale appeared to be of a jovial sort; Ackerburg reported the following exchange: "I spelled another stupid one tonight. We were in the chart room and he popped out with 'The Cape Palmas is going to Capetown and Ceylon.' I thought he said sail on. 'Sail on where?-' 'Ceylon-' 'Yes, but sail on where?'" (February 6, 1946). Ackerburg also focused on leisure time pursuits; these often focused on acquiring beer but occasionally involved other substances: "We had a chance to buy some marijuiana [sic] in Santos but gave up the idea because I would have had to roll my own cigarettes and if I mixed that the way I mix drinks I probably wouldn't be writing this now" (March 10, 1946). Throughout his time on board, Ackerburg read and spent much time lying about the deck, often reading. In April, he reflected on his experiences in the service, exposing anambivalence toward post-war patriotism: "Three years ago this month I turned patriotic. Have been thinking lately of turning something else when this trip is over but guess I'll have to wait until I return and see how things are" (April 12, 1946). Other letters also allude to Ackerburg's desire to leave the service, and he often mentioned his plans for seeing Suki once he returned to the United States. Though the status of their relationship was unclear, Ackerburg did ask Suki to clarify her feelings toward him, saying, "It's been 5 months and three days since we kissed goodnight … I imagine the reason you are glad you had will power is the same reason that I wish you didn't" (June 16, 1946). Ackerburg's letters provide insight into the life of merchant marine sailors in the post-World War II era.