The firm of Dunham & Dimon, which became the firm of Thomas Dunham's Nephew & Co. upon the retirement of Frederick Dimon and Thomas Dunham, was a prosperous New York shipping agency in the middle nineteenth century with net earnings from its vessels of approximately $112,000.

The Dunham and Daggett families were prominent in the early life of Marthas Vineyard. As early settlers, they had intermarried with nearly every important family on the island, and were involved in its many sea ventues. Additionally, Albinia, one of Mary Daggett Dunham's sisters (Mary was Thomas Dunham's wife) had married into the numerous Fish Family of Falmouth, Massachusetts. It was Albinia's son, Thomas D. Fish, who became the head of the firm upon Thomas Dunham' death in 1868 - he was the "Nephew" on the letterhead. However, it was Thomas Dunham's son-in-law, Stephen W. Carey, who was Executor of Thomas Dunham's estate, and who seemed most active in the business in the later part of the nineteenth century.

Family involvement in the business is evident in the personal correspondence, and Mrs. Thomas Dunham took a lively interest in the firm's dealings until her death in 1881. One becomes aware of the closely intertwined family relationships; sisters, brothers, cousins, nieces, and nephews all had shares in the company. All become necessarily involved and very vocal when the company began to liquidate its assets in the 1890's.

Stephen West Carey (1831-1920) was the son of David Thomas Carey 91798-1838). David Carey was born in Dublin, Ireland and was sent to America in 1812 to escape conscription into the army. An unscrupulous sea captain abandoned him on Martha's Vineyard. Carey settled on the island and married Mary Chase West (1800-1843), daughter of Peter West and Sarah Daggett. Upon the death of his mother in 1843, Stephen W. Carey and his sister Sarah B. Carey (1832-1897) were made wards of Thomas Dunham, Jr. of Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts who was married to Mary Daggett (one would assume that there was some relationship between Mary Daggett Dunham and Mary West, daughter of Sarah Daggett West). At this time the shipping firm DUNHAM AND DIMON was active on South Street in New York City. The Dunhams lived in Brooklyn, New York and the Carey children were raised there. Sarah Carey attended Packer Collegiate Institute for young ladies in Brooklyn and Stephen W. Carey eventually went into the shipping business with his guardian. In 1852 he formed his own agency CAREY, YALE AND LAMBERT. He married Sarah Smith Boardman Yale (1846-1909) and made his home in Montclair, New Jersey. Sarah Carey married Charles Dimon (1826-1899), the younger brother of Frederick Dimon of DUNHAM AND DIMON.

Thomas Dunham Fish (1840-1928) was born in Quissett, Massachusetts and was the son of Joseph Crowell Fish and Albinia Daggett Fish. Albinia was the sister of Mary Daggett Dunham and one assumes that her son Thomas was named for his uncle. In a diary of 1860 and 1861, Thomas D. Fish recorded his daily life working as a clerk for his uncle at 61 and 67 South Street, New York. He also worked at various times for Stephen W. Carey. In spite of having two separate agencies, there was still a close relationship between Carey and Dunham, in business as well as on the personal level. Thomas Dunham Fish married Sarah Yale Carey's younger sister Albina in 1870. She died in 1874 one month after giving birth to their only child, a daughter, Maria Yale Fish. Upon the death of Thomas Dunham in 1868, Thomas D. Fish formed his own agency THOMAS DUNHAM'S NEPHEW & COMPANY. In later years the offices of this company were at 68 South Street, New York. The agency appears to have been active through the 1890's. Fish lived in Rutherford, New Jersey.

Presumably because of the relationship through marriage of Carey and Fish, Stephen and Sarah Carey began spending summers boarding in Quissett at the old Fish farmhouse. In the 1870's Carey began purchasing extensive pieces of land in the area and in the 1880's bought the Quissett Harbor House hotel on the opposite side of the harbor from the Fish house. The hotel was managed for Carey by George W. Fish, a cousin of Thomas D. Fish until the early twentieth century. In the 1890's Stephen W. Carey built a large shingle style summer home called Petrel's Rest on the harbor. The Yales built a smaller summer home behind the Carey's overlooking Buzzard's Bay. The Careys continued to be a major presence in Quissett through the 1970's when Stephen W. Carey's granddaughter Cornelia, who had managed the Quissett Harbor House for many years, passed away and the hotel closed.