Receipt for Spermaceti Candles, Newport, Rhode Island, 1759

Receipt dated September 13, 1759, signed by Jacob R. Rivera of Newport, Rhode Island, to William Vernon for the purchase of 252 pounds sterling of spermaceti candles. Jacob Rodriguez Rivera (1717-1789) was a Sephardic Jew who fled the Inquisition and settled in Newport. He was involved in the manufacture of spermaceti candles and was a prominent figure in the Newport Jewish community. The Vernon brothers, William and Samuel, were Newport merchants involved in the transatlantic slave trade, making significant profits through the 'triangle trade' involving rum, slaves, and molasses. This receipt provides insight into the commercial activities and economic interactions within 18th-century Newport, highlighting the involvement of both Jewish and non-Jewish merchants in the colonial economy.

Associated People/Businesses

• RIVERA, JACOB RODRIGUEZ (1717.1789)

Geography

No geographic information available.

Subjects

• Transatlantic slave trade

Physical Location

Arc.MS.56, Box 8, Folder 9