This collection contains bills, receipts, cargo invoices, charter parties, articles of agreement, bills of lading, and crew lists, in addition to a lesser amount of correspondence received by Larabee from various agents, charterers, merchants, etc. There are also several papers and documents regarding an Alabama Claims case filed by Larabee and the owners of the bark AMANDA, in addition twenty-one seamen's protection certificates issued between 1845 and 1861, seven of which were issued to black seamen.

The bulk of the material is concentrated between the years 1855 and 1889, and it is this portion which produces a comprehensive look at the life and activities of this ship master from Winterport, Maine. Records of the Barks AMANDA and MONITOR, and the Brigs EUGENIA, CAROLINE EDDY, and HARRY STEWART are well represented.

There are some family papers, including a property deed, fire insurance polices, tax receipts, grocery bills, estate papers, and numerous miscellaneous items relative to Larabee's descendants into the 1900's.