Vaughan, William Oliver, 1783-1826

William Oliver Vaughan (1783-1826) was the son of Benjamin and Sarah Manning Vaughan. William Oliver was a gentleman farmer, ship owner, and merchant, primarily involved in the export of lumber and fur, in exchange for various commodities from the West Indies and elsewhere. In 1806, William Oliver married Martha Agry (d. 1856) and they had seven children.

Benjamin Vaughan (1751-1835) was born in Jamaica to Samuel and Sarah Hallowell Vaughan. Benjamin resided in England and studied law and medicine, though he is most well known for his political work, particularly for his participation in the negotiations of the Treaty of Paris ending the American Revolution. In 1781 Benjamin married Sarah Manning and became involved with his father-in-law's mercantile business. Under political pressure in 1794, he left England and eventually settled in Hallowell, Maine. In Maine, Benjamin worked the land, was involved in real estate, and continued in the mercantile business.

From the guide to the Benjamin and William Oliver Vaughan papers, Vaughan, Benjamin, 1774-1830, 1774-1803, 1816, (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan)