Preston, Samuel Truman, Capt. Papers

Capt. Samuel Truman Preston Papers Collection finding aid

Samuel Truman Preston (1840-1912), a sea captain from Boston, MA, settled in Greenport, N.Y., in the latter part of the 19th century. Preston founded S.T. Preston & Son Ship’s Chandlery, which supplied nautical gear to local shipyards. Among other types of vessels, these shipyards serviced the yachts of the Vanderbilt family. Preston also served as the harbormaster of Greenport and was an agent for the sale of various types of vessels.

The collection is composed largely of letters written to Preston between 1881 and 1898 from men looking for work on fishing boats.