Beschreibung:

LOPEZ, AARON, colonial merchant . Autograph letter signed ("Aaron Lopez, for self and Mr. Jacob Rod[erique] Rivera") with paraph, to Captain William Pinniger, Newport, 17 July 1764. One and 1/2 pages, one folio leaf, address panel and docket on verso, split across central fold with tear at one side affecting a couple of words, a few other folds partly separated, dampstaining . Aaron Lopez, a Portuguese Jew, had emigrated to the American colonies at the age of 21, with a family to support and very little capital. Beginning as a local Newport trader, he built up over the next 20 years a vast international trading network. His ventures into the new markets of the West Indies were particularly successful, and by the 1770's he was full or part owner of over thirty ships, and had become one of Newport's most highly respected citizens. In this letter he instructs one of his captains to set sail for Africa: "...our orders to you are, that you embrace the first fair wind w[hic]h God shall send, and proceed with her to sea, & there make the best of your way to the coast of Africa, & when please God you arrive there, dispose of your cargo at any part of the coast you may judge most for our advantage, and with it purchase us a cargo of such slaves as are most suitable for the Jam[aic]a Market... "When you have finished your Trade on the coast, proceed with what slaves & other effect you may have purchased with your cargo, to the Island of Jamaica, & when you arrive there, dispose of your slaves to our best advantage, either for good bills of exchange or cash; & it is our present desire, that if after your arrival at Jam[ai[ca, you see no prospect of finishing your sales...in any reasonable time, in that case that you dispatch the Sloop to the Mosquito Shores, with as much cash or effects as you may judge suffciient to purchase there a load of Mahogany... order her directly from there to this port, provided nothing presents that you may judge more for the advantage of the concernes, in which case, as you are part owner with us, we give you discretionary orders, to act as you may see fit for our Interest, and you are then to stay at Jam[ai]ca... [ with ] Two partly printed ship's cargo bills ordered by Lopez, signed by the ships' captains, 1767 and 1770, 2 leaves, oblong 8vo ; and a manuscript pay order, one page, 12mo , "Mr. Aaron Lopez to Mary James. To my Negro man 3 days work...", signed and in the hand of said Mary James. (4)