Consists of correspondence written or received by Thomas Child (1731-1787), a merchant and Custom House official at Falmouth, Me., four of his children, and several relatives by marriage between 1771-1819. Most notable among these materials are letter book drafts of Thomas Child correspondence to Arthur Savage (1731-1801), Francis Waldo (1728-1784), John Wentworth (1737-1820), and other colonial officials. Dating from 1771-1787, these letters reflect Child's service as a Custom House official before and during the American Revolution as well as after the war, when customs regulations were adjusted to meet the needs of an independent nation. Thomas Child, Jr. (1782-1851) is represented by correspondence written between 1802-1807 which principally concerns his numerous mercantile ventures at Falmouth and Portland, Me. This correspondence is complemented by personal letters, 1800-1815, from two uncles, Enoch Freeman (1750-1832) and Samuel Freeman (1742-1831), both prominent merchants and magistrates in the state.