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Original handwritten letter dated December 16, 1850, written from Castine, Maine, to Capt. Francis Haskell (1791–1856) of Deer Isle.
The letter concerns the settlement of a Marine Hospital Fund account through the federal customs system and references both a former and current Collector of Customs, including Benjamin W. Hinkley and Charles J. Abbott.
This is an excellent piece of mid-19th-century Maine maritime history, tying together a prominent Deer Isle sea captain and merchant, the Port of Castine, federal customs administration, the U.S. Treasury Department, and the system used to fund medical care for American merchant seamen.
Content
The writer, Charles Ellis, explains that he delayed answering Capt. Haskell while waiting for former Collector B. W. Hinkley to have his accounts adjusted at the federal Department.
The letter states that once the former Collector’s accounts were settled, money connected with the Hospital account could be forwarded to Haskell. Ellis also notes that Charles J. Abbott, then serving as Collector, might be able to permit Haskell to render an account against the Hospital fund before the year closed.
The letter also contains a personal reference to R. Perkins and family, who are reported to be well. Haskell’s wife, Mary Perkins, came from the Perkins family, making this likely a reference to relatives or close family connections in the Deer Isle/Castine maritime community.
Capt. Francis Haskell
Francis Haskell (1791–1856) was a sea captain, merchant, and shipowner associated with Deer Isle, Maine.
He belonged to the prominent Haskell family of the Penobscot Bay region and participated in the maritime economy that connected Deer Isle, Castine, and other Maine ports with the wider Atlantic commercial world.
Surviving Haskell business papers and correspondence document his involvement in shipping and commercial activity during the first half of the 19th century.
His identification as the recipient gives this letter particular significance as a surviving document from Maine’s active antebellum maritime trade.
Benjamin W. Hinkley
Benjamin W. Hinkley served in connection with the federal customs administration at Castine and is the former Collector referred to in the letter.
His unsettled accounts were still awaiting adjustment by the federal government, delaying payment from the Marine Hospital account.
The wording offers an interesting glimpse into the sometimes slow process by which local customs officials had their accounts reviewed and settled through Washington.
Charles J. Abbott
Charles J. Abbott was a prominent Castine resident and served as Collector of Customs for the district of Castine/Penobscot.
In this letter he is referred to as the “present Collector.” Ellis suggests Abbott might have sufficient funds available to permit Haskell to submit a Hospital account before the close of the year.
The Marine Hospital Fund
The Marine Hospital Fund was one of the earliest federal social-welfare and public-health programs in the United States.
Established for the benefit of merchant seamen, the system collected assessments associated with sailors and shipping and used those funds to provide medical care for sick and injured mariners.
Customs collectors played an important administrative role in collecting, accounting for, and disbursing these funds.
This letter is therefore more than ordinary business correspondence. It is a primary-source document illustrating the practical operation of the federal maritime health system in an important Maine port in 1850.
Historical Significance
The letter brings together several important aspects of mid-19th-century Maine history:
- Castine and Deer Isle maritime commerce
- Capt. Francis Haskell and the Haskell shipping family
- Federal customs administration
- Benjamin W. Hinkley and Charles J. Abbott
- U.S. Treasury accounting procedures
- The Marine Hospital Fund
- Medical support for American merchant seamen
- Perkins family connections within the Penobscot Bay maritime community
An appealing original document for collectors of Maine history, Castine, Deer Isle, maritime history, merchant shipping, U.S. Customs, Treasury Department material, Marine Hospital history, or 19th-century manuscripts.
Condition
Original handwritten manuscript on period paper. Expected folds, toning, handling wear, and minor age-related imperfections consistent with a document from 1850. Please review photographs carefully for exact condition.
Date: December 16, 1850
Place: Castine, Maine
Recipient: Capt. Francis Haskell
Writer: Charles Ellis
Subject: Marine Hospital Fund / Customs and Treasury account settlement
A particularly nice piece of Maine maritime and federal customs history from the antebellum period.
