Howland & Aspinwall
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Maritime trade, Shipping |
| Founded | 1832 in New York City, United States |
| Founder | Gardiner Greene Howland, Samuel Shaw Howland, William Henry Aspinwall |
| Defunct | 1848 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | Pacific Ocean trade |
Key people | Gardiner Greene Howland, Samuel Shaw Howland, William Henry Aspinwall |
| Products | Tea, silk, porcelain, clipper ships |
Howland & Aspinwall was a merchant enterprise based in New York City during the 1830s and 1840s, concentrating on trade across the Pacific Ocean. The company specialized in importing luxury items such as tea, silk, and porcelain from China. It gained recognition for pioneering the financial backing of American clipper vessels, including the Rainbow and Sea Witch.
History
Initially established as G.G. & S.S. Howland by siblings Gardiner Greene Howland and Samuel Shaw Howland, the business was renamed Howland & Aspinwall in 1832 when clerk William Henry Aspinwall became a partner. The firm focused on bringing upscale Chinese products to wealthy American clientele. Duties collected on imports by companies like this played a significant role in funding the U.S. federal government during the 1840s. Additionally, the company was involved in exporting opium to China.
Pacific Mail Steamship Company
After the United States acquired California in 1848, partners G.S. Howland, S.S. Howland, and William Henry Aspinwall redirected their efforts from Chinese commerce toward transportation linked to California. As steam engine technology advanced and clipper ships lost their competitive edge, they collaborated with other New York entrepreneurs to form the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. This enterprise later developed into American President Lines, which is currently part of Neptune Orient Lines.
Legacy
A segment of the Aspinwall family wealth was passed down through maternal grandmother Mary Aspinwall Roosevelt to Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States.
External links
- Articles with short description
- 1832 establishments in New York (state)
- American companies established in 1832
- 1848 disestablishments in New York (state)
- American companies disestablished in 1848
- 1830s in New York City
- 1840s in New York City
- Defunct shipping companies of the United States
- Defunct companies based in New York City
- History of foreign trade in China
- Howland family
- History of opium