ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION    

Title
Jacob Mott Kirby Collection

Collection Number
SC 499

OCLC Number
1527188746

Creator
Jacob Mott Kirby (1804-1880)

Provenance 
Acquired in 1983.

Extent, Scope, and Content Note
1 ledger; 21 cm

This handwritten ledger, titled "Jacob M. Kirby’s Book – May 16, 1828," spans the years 1827 to 1836 and documents the expenses and cargo for two sloops, The Dash and George Washington. Carefully recorded in handwritten script, it offers a rare glimpse into the business operations of Jacob Mott Kirby, a mariner and merchant whose life would leave a lasting mark on the village of Roslyn, Long Island. 

Kirby began his career on the waters, captaining sloops and schooners that sailed between Roslyn and New York City. His vessels, including the ones chronicled in this ledger, transported produce, lumber, sugar, manure, and other goods from Long Island to the city, returning with vital supplies such as fertilizer, dry goods, and farming tools. These transactions, methodically recorded, reflect not only the nature of coastal trade at the time but also the diligence and organization that defined Kirby's operations.

As his maritime ventures prospered, Kirby expanded into landownership. By the 1870s, he had acquired a significant portion of central Roslyn, in an area that became known as “Kirby’s Corners,” near the intersection of Main Street and East Broadway. His holdings included a Greek Revival mansion, a tenant house dating back to the 1790s, a modest cottage, and a small commercial office. These properties, central to the town’s historic district, underscored his influence both economically and socially.

When Jacob Mott Kirby passed away in 1880, his legacy was inherited by his son, Reverend William Wallace Kirby, and later passed through other family members. Though much of the land was eventually sold and redeveloped, many of Kirby’s buildings have been preserved or restored.

Arrangement and Processing Note
Finding aid by Kristen J. Nyitray, July 2025.

Language
English 

Restrictions on Access
The collection is open to researchers without restriction.

Rights and Permissions 
Stony Brook University Libraries' consent to access as the physical owner of the collection does not address copyright issues that may affect publication rights. It is the sole responsibility of the user of Special Collections and University Archives materials to investigate the copyright status of any given work and to seek and obtain permission where needed prior to publication.  

Citation 
Jacob Mott Kirby Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, Stony Brook University Libraries.

Subjects
Account books -- Specimens.
Shipping -- New York (State) -- Roslyn.
Shipping -- New York (State) -- New York.
Transportation -- New York (State) -- Roslyn.
Transportation -- New York (State) -- New York.
New York (State) -- Commerce -- 19th century.