COLLECTION GUIDES

1872-1969

Offsite Storage Inventory

Restrictions on Access

The Godfrey Lowell Cabot papers are stored offsite and must be requested at least two business days in advance via Portal1791. Researchers needing more than six items from offsite storage should provide additional advance notice. If you have questions about requesting materials from offsite storage, please contact the reference desk at 617-646-0532 or reference@masshist.org.


Collection Summary

Abstract

This collection consists of the papers of businessman, inventor, and aviation pioneer Godfrey Lowell Cabot, including correspondence, diaries, and financial records documenting his involvement in the New England Watch and Ward Society, his service as U.S. Navy pilot during WWI, and his philanthropy.

Biographical Sketch

Godfrey Lowell Cabot (1861-1962) was born in Boston on 26 February 1861, the son of Samuel and Hannah Lowell (Jackson) Cabot. He graduated from Harvard College in 1882 and did post-graduate work at Zurich Polytechnicum, the University of Switzerland, Harvard, and Norwich University. He married Maria B. Moors on 23 June 1890; she died in 1934. They had one daughter, Eleanor C. Bradley, and three sons, Thomas D. Cabot, John Moors Cabot, and James Jackson Cabot.

Cabot became a successful businessman and manufacturer of carbon black. He was active in community affairs and served as secretary of the New England Watch and Ward Society and as trustee of many institutions. He facilitated and commanded the aviation section of the Massachusetts Naval Militia in 1916 and was inducted from the militia into the Navy Reserves as a lieutenant in April 1917 at the start of the United States' involvement in World War I, serving until March of 1919. During his service, he patrolled the Boston Harbor and was in command of a school for flying cadets at Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead, Mass. from April to August of 1917. He founded the National Aeronautical Association and served as president of the organization in Washington for 3 years. He died on 2 November 1962, an honorary officer of both the National Aeronautical Association and the Federation Aeronautique Internationale.

Collection Description

Papers of businessman, inventor and aviation pioneer Godfrey Lowell Cabot of Boston, Mass. include personal correspondence, 1870-1962, diaries, 1872-1922, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and writings (including typescripts) related to various organizations and activities, including the Harvard Class of 1882 Alumni Association, 1927-1941, New England Watch and Ward Society, 1913-1921, and the Maria Moors Cabot Foundation; and correspondence and cash accounts of Godfrey L. Cabot, Inc. regarding the manufacture of carbon black, 1934-1962. The largest collection of papers relate to Cabot's involvement in aviation, including correspondence and subject files related to patents, the Aero Club of New England, the Aero Pickup Service Corps, 1892-1959; and papers related to Cabot's role as U.S. Navy pilot during World War I, 1917-1918.

Processing Information

This collection is PARTIALLY PROCESSED.

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated by Ralph Bradley in 1969.

Restrictions on Access

The Godfrey Lowell Cabot papers are stored offsite and must be requested at least two business days in advance via Portal1791. Researchers needing more than six items from offsite storage should provide additional advance notice. If you have questions about requesting materials from offsite storage, please contact the reference desk at 617-646-0532 or reference@masshist.org.

Detailed Description of the Collection

Expand all

X. Aviation papers, 1892-1959

Arranged alphabetically by year.

Close X. Aviation papers, 1892-1959

Preferred Citation

Godfrey Lowell Cabot papers, Massachusetts Historical Society.

Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.

Organizations:

Aero Club of New England.
Aero Pickup Service Corps.
Godfrey L. Cabot, Inc.
Harvard College (1780- ). Class of 1882.
Harvard University--Alumni and alumnae.
Maria Moors Cabot Foundation.
Watch and Ward Society (Boston, Mass.).

Subjects:

Aeronautics.
Air pilots--Diaries.
Businessmen--Diaries.
Carbon-black.
Diaries--1872-1899.
Diaries--1902-1908.
Diaries--1910-1922.
Inventors.
World War, 1914-1918--Aerial operations.

Materials Removed from the Collection

Photographs from this collection have been removed to the Godfrey Lowell Cabot photographs (Photo. Coll. 218).

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