Glidden & Williams

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Glidden & Williams was a Boston-based clipper ship line formed in 1849 by William T. Glidden and John M. S. Williams. The company ran fast sailing ships mainly between Boston and California during the 1850s and 1860s, a busy period of westward trade. At its height, the firm owned more than 50 ships and typically sent about one ship per month to California, with voyages to other destinations such as China.

The popularity of clipper ships declined after the 1860s, and Glidden & Williams dissolved in 1877. Afterward, Glidden became an investor and director for several railroads, including the Union Pacific, while Williams went into politics and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.