In this episode of Inspired by History, Nathan Raab shares the story of his recent discovery and acquisition of a large archive of documents acquired from the heirs of the Crowninshields, a prominent early American merchant family from Salem, Massachusetts. This remarkable archive contains an unpublished trove of documents detailing the family’s shipping business; a privateer’s commission signed by James Madison and James Monroe during the War of 1812; and a privateer’s capture booklet. We meet several members of the Crowninshield family who navigated international shipping and political arenas, with one brother in Congress, and another becoming Secretary of the Navy under President Madison.
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