American Historical Ephemera & Photography

Approx. 23 letters spanning 1835-1850 (bulk 1850), most addressed to "Fisher & Co." in Boston from correspondents in East Coast shipping, manufacturing, or port locations including New York, Petersburg, Lynchburg, and Savannah.

Fisher & Company importers and commission merchants was founded by Francis B. Fisher (1794-1871), who in 1819 was admitted into partnership with Henry Hovey & Company at Central Wharf, Boston. Originally established in 1810 for the purpose of importing cotton cloths from Calcutta and as commission merchants in Virginia flour and tobacco, this later would became the firm of Fisher & Co. Documents offered here reflect the business transactions and relationships held by the firm throughout the United States, and particularly in the American South, and include discussion of tobacco, flour, and cotton markets, prices, shipping, and more.