Thatcher Magoun and Sons was a highly successful mercantile firm operating out of Boston, Mass, and actively trading in ports throughout the world for much of the nineteenth century.

Born in 1775, the company's founder, Thatcher Magoun began his career as a shipbuilding in Medford, Massachusetts. Retaining partial interest in the vessels he built, Magoun quickly accumulated a large estate. In 1838, Magoun firmly established himself in his role as merchant by opening the company of Thatcher Magoun & Sons in Boston. With the assistance of his son, Thatcher Magoun, Jr. and eventually Thatcher Magoun III, the company continued in maritime trade until the late 1870s.

Magoun's ships were noted for their speed and dependability. The most noteworthy of these include the ARCHIMEDES, DEUCALION, ELECTRIC SPARK, GREENWICH, HERALD OF THE MORNING, MANLIUS, MEDFORD, PHARSALIA, SWALLOW, TALMA, THATCHER MAGOUN, TIMOLEON, and WITCHCRAFT.

Trade routes of the company mirror those of a typical New England merchant. Routes in the 1840-1860 running between Boston and New York to New Orleans and the Caribbean and from there to European ports such as Liverpool, Cronstadt or Marseilles before returning home. Cargos typically included cotton, sugar, molasses, hemp and Spanish specie.

After the 1850's Magoun's ships began working in the New York to San Francisco trade routes, as profits from the California gold rush enticed many merchants. The Witchcraft and the Thatcher Magoun both held records for completing the voyage from New York to San Francisco. Often times vessels would include an oriental port in their voyage in order to load popular in the China Trade goods.

After the height of the gold rush trade continued to center on the route between east and west coast but now often included a stop in foreign ports in China and England. Magoun continued to operate vessels into the declining years of the sailing merchant fleets at which time the typical cargos include coal, guano, and flour.