HC5 North America
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It should be noted that in 1926 thousands of documents relating to Barings’ relationship with Canada and North America in the period c.1830 to 1870 were removed by Dr Adam Shortt and presented by Barings to the Canadian Government. The documents removed cover the period 1836 to 1850 and are held by Library and Archives Canada at Ottawa. The microfilm of the records (including a guide) has been digitised and can be viewed online.
Boston [HC5.1; 18 boxes]
The most significant groups comprise correspondence received from local agents and merchants. There are letters of the firm’s main agent, Thomas W Ward, covering the years 1828 to 1850 [HC5.1.2]; correspondence relating to the trading activities, 1826-28, of the firm of Joshua Bates & John Baring prior to its ‘merger’ with Baring Brothers in 1828 [HC5.1.10]; the letters, 1878-1905, of Kidder Peabody, successors to Ward at the end of the century [HC5.1.27]; papers relating to a bond issue for the American Telephone & Telegraph Co in 1905 [HC5.1.30].
New York [HC5.2; 71 boxes]
Once again the most important papers comprise correspondence with agents and merchants. There are papers relating to the Merchants Exchange Co, owners of an exchange building in New York, 1850 [HC5.2.23]; a very large run of letters received form SG & GC Ward between 1870 and 1896 which relates to issuing and trade finance, as well as market conditions and the development of US railways. [HC5.2.30]; similar correspondence from Baring Magoun & Co 1895-1903 [HC5.2.39]; papers relating to the Rubber Goods Manufacturing Co. 1899-1901 [HC5.2.41]; Commercial Cable Co, 1900-01 [HC5.2.43]; Northern Securities Co, 1904-05 [HC5.2.48]; and papers relating to the winding up of this firm’s affairs, 1900-18 [HC5.2.52].
Jamaica [HC5.3; 1 box]
Correspondence dating from the 1820s through to the 1840s with Andrew Bogle, Atkinson & Hosier, Adams Robertson & Co and Nathaniel Clayton.
Martinique [HC5.4; 1 letter]
Letter from James Mahon to Barings dated July 1823.
St Croix [HC5.5; 2 boxes]
A substantial group of papers relate to the management of sugar producing estates, 1825-76, which the firm acquired through foreclosing on mortgages [HC5.5.1].
Trinidad [HC5.6; 1 letter]
Statement of the debts and assets of the late Patrick O’Brien dated November 1924.
Louisiana [HC5.7; 5 boxes]
The firm’s work in financing cotton planters and cotton shipments of the southern states is reflected in these papers. Correspondence received from agents is again important, in particular that sent by EJ Forstall & Sons, 1830-90 [HC5.7.6]; and by Matthias Purton, later of Barings’ Liverpool house, 1842-48 [HC5.7.8].
Washington DC [HC5.8; 1 box]
This is a small group of important papers relating to work undertaken for the US government covers subjects such as arms purchases during the American Civil War [HC5.8.4–HC5.8.5]; and the United States Funded Loan of 1873 [HC5.8.6].
Philadelphia [HC5.9; 3 boxes]
An important group of papers relates to the affairs of the Bank of the United States, 1817-36 [HC5.9.1].
Massachusetts [HC5.10; 1 folder]
Correspondence with Benjamin Pickman, Jonathan Neal and Frederick William Paine dating from the 1820s and 1830s.
Baltimore [HC5.11; 3 boxes]
Here there are papers concerning the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, but mostly for the 1880s. Others relate to the Bolivar Mining Association 1826-32 [HC5.11.1]; and to the merchants Morton Stewart & Co [HC5.11.5].
HC5.12 – Not used
Virgin Islands [HC5.13, 1 letter]
Letter from Julius Price, Saint Thomas Island to Barings dated April 1847.
Tennessee [HC5.14, 1 folder]
Correspondence dating from 1840s with E Padelford and Mr Watson.
Canada [HC5.15; 13 vols & 2 boxes]
Virtually all the pre-1870 Canadian papers were taken to Canada in the 1920s. The only significant ones remaining relate to the finance of the Canadian Grand Trunk Railway, Canada’s first major railway, in the 1850s and 60s, and are of great importance [HC5.15.2-102]; for the post-1870 period papers relate to the Nova Scotia Railroad, 1881-83 [HC5.15.111]; the Western Counties Railroad of Nova Scotia, 1887-88 [HC5.15.117]; the Canadian Pacific Railway, 1884-90 [HC5.15.125-135]; and the Alberta Railway & Coal Co, 1892-98 [HC5.15.138]. There is also correspondence and other papers relating to bond issues for the Canadian government.
Alabama [HC5.16; 1 folder]
Letters from W H Robinson dated 1835-1836
Virginia [HC5.17; 1/2 box]
The papers mostly concern the state’s sterling debt in the 1870s.
Ohio [HC5.18, 1 folder]
Letters dating from 1840s through to 1870s mainly concerning canal and railroad finance.
Missouri [HC5.19, 1 folder]
Letters dating from 1870s mainly relating to railway finance
Kentucky [HC5.20, 1 folder]
Letters dating from 1850s through to early 1900s mainly relating to railways.
Texas [HC5.21, 1 letter]
Letter from EL Plumb dated August 1876 relating to railways.
California [HC5.22, 1 folder]
Letters from George J Theobald, merchant of San Francisco dated 1877 to 1881.
Kansas [HC5.23, 1 box]
Letters dated 1889 relating to Aitchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad.
Minnesota [HC5.24; 2 boxes]
There are several groups of papers relating to finance of the state’s railways the St Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railroad, 1890, 1904-05 [HC5.24.1]; and, in particular, the Great Northern Railroad, 1893-1904 [HC5.24.3].
Montana [HC5.25, 1 letter]
Letter relating to Anaconda Mining Co dated December 1879.
Georgia [HC5.26, 1 letter]
Letter from John Parker to Barings dated December 1833.