MSS 3: Pierce Manufacturing Corporation Records, 1868-1948 - New Bedford Whaling Museum
Inventory of the Pierce Manufacturing Corporation Records In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research LibraryProcessed by: Patricia J. Albright; machine-readable finding aid created by: Robbin SmithFunds for processing this collection were provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities.Inventory of the Pierce Manufacturing Corporation Records In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Table of Contents

Historical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Separations List

Administrative Information

Description

Subject Headings

Inventory of the Pierce Manufacturing Corporation Records

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library



Title:
Pierce Manufacturing Corporation Records
Date Span:
1868-1948
Creator:
Pierce Manufacturing Corporation
Mss Number:
Mss 3
Extent:
18 linear feet
Abstract:
Business records of Pierce Manufacturing Corporation and Pierce Brothers, limited to New Bedford, Mass. textile mills, and personal papers of Pierce family members, 1868-1948.
Repository:
New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library
Phone: (508) 997-0046

Historical Note

Both Pierce Manufacturing Corporation and Pierce Brothers, Limited, the textile firms represented by records in this collection, were essentially family business ventures typical of mills established at New Bedford, Mass., between 1880-1910. The former firm was established in 1892 by Andrew Granville Pierce (1829-1903), a former city mayor and leading New Bedford businessman. Other officials of Pierce Manufacturing Corporation included Andrew Granville Pierce Jr. (1864-1950), treasurer and manager, and his brother, Albert Russell Pierce (1869-1948). The firm principally manufactured fine cotton and silk goods, although a leading product of the mill during World War I was a coarse cotton developed by Albert Russell Pierce for use in airplane wings. At the peak of its prosperity between 1909-1919, Pierce Manufacturing Corporation was one of the largest textile firms in New Bedford, employing 1,200 people in two mills boasting a total of 3,600 looms and 116,000 spindles. Like most New England cotton mills, however, this corporation experienced increasing competition from textile companies in the southern United States after 1925 and ultimately closed down in 1944.

Pierce Brothers, Limited, was founded in 1909 by Andrew Granville Pierce Jr., with Albert Russell Pierce and a third brother, Edward Taber Pierce (1855-1937) as manager and treasurer, respectively. This organization supplemented the output of Pierce Manufacturing Corporation by producing silk, rayon, and fine cotton yarn cloth. Always smaller than the parent firm, the company at its peak around 1928 employeed about 500 people in one mill with 1,200 looms and 53,000 spindles. Pierce Brothers, Limited, continued to operate until the early 1950s. The mill property was sold to the Cresent Corporation of Fall River, Mass., in 1952.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection contains business records of Pierce Manufacturing Corporation and Pierce Brothers, Limited, as well as personal papers of several Pierce family members.

Predominant among the records of both organizations are volumes containing swatches representing cloth produced by each firm. The sixty-two sample books for Pierce Manufacturing Corporation in Sub-group 1, dating from ca. 1892-1944, include very little information concerning the manufacture of the material; however, those sample books in Sub-group 2 for Pierce Brothers, Limited, provide complete statistics relating to cloth produced by that company between 1919-1939. The remainder of Pierce Manufacturing Corporation records in Sub-group 1 consist of minutes of directors' meetings, 1892-1935, reflecting the firm's administrative affairs throughout most of its history; stock records, 1893-1944; account books and bills and receipts for 1892-1919 and 1933-1944; memoranda concerning wages and duties of company employees, ca. 1923-1941; several additional cloth samples; and the corporation's letter book for 1939-1944. Sub-group 2, devoted to Pierce Brothers, Limited, records, consists of a report on machinery and buildings, 1941; memoranda concerning cloth manufacture, supplies, equipment, and employees, 1938; samples of cloth finished for the company by firms in New York and Rhode Island, ca. 1915-1939; and the fifteen sample books for 1919-1939. The Pierce family papers in Sub-group 3 relate to Andrew Granville Pierce, his sons, Andrew Granville Pierce Jr., and Albert Russell Pierce, and his grandson, Albert Russell Pierce Jr. Most notable are papers of the family head, particularly a letter book, 1868-1888, 1900, containing copies of outgoing correspondence relating to Andrew Granville Pierce's interest in the New Bedford, Vineyard, and Nantucket Steamboat Co., New Bedford and Fairhaven Street Railroad Co., Morse Twist Drill Co., Potomska Mills, Grinnell Mills, and various banks in New Bedford and Boston. His papers also contain lecture notes of Henry Howard Jr. (1874-1944), compiled in about 1899 as a student at New Bedford Textile School--an institution that the elder Pierce served as a trustee. Papers for other family members chiefly consist of personal correspondence, notes, memoranda, bills, and related documents, ca. 1886-1948.

Arrangement of Collection

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Access to the Collection

Unrestricted. Consult librarian for an appointment.

Preferred Citation

New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library Mss 3 [sub-group, series, sub-series, folder/volume as appropriate], [item]

Copyright Notice

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 United States Code 552a) governs the use of materials that document private individuals, groups, and corporations.

Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a reproduction if the document does not infringe the privacy rights of an individual, group, or corporation. These specified conditions of authorized use include:

- non-commercial and non-profit study, scholarship, research, or teaching
- criticism or commentary
- as a NBWM archives preservation or security copy for research use
- as a research copy for deposit in another institution

If the researcher later uses a copy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," the researcher is personally liable for copyright. privacy, or publicity infringement and agrees to indemnify the New Bedford Whaling Museum from any legal action as a result of the error. Permission to obtain a photographic, xerographic, digital, or other copy of a document does not indicate permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, sell, distribute, or prepare derivative works from the document without permission from the copyright holder and from any private individual, group, or corporation shown or otherwise recorded.

Permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, prepare derivative works from, sell, or otherwise distribute the item must be obtained separately in writing from the holder of the original copyright (or if the creator is dead, from his/her heirs) as well as from any individual(s), groups, or corporations whose name, image, recorded words, or private information (e.g. employment information) may be reproduced in the source material. The holder of the original copyright is not necessarily the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The New Bedford Whaling Museum is not legally liable for copyright, privacy, or publicity infringement when materials are wrongfully used after being provided to researchers for "fair use."

This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if fulfillment of the order is judged in violation of copyright or federal or state privacy law. This institution also places restrictions on the use of cameras, photocopiers, and scanners in the research room.

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Removed to Photographs Collection

- Photograph of Andrew Granville Pierce, ca. 1892
- Photograph of Edward Taber Pierce, n.d.
- Three photographs of airplanes used by the U.S. in World War I, ca. 1917-1918, probably with Pierce Manufacturing Corporation cotton in wings.
- Twelve photographs and blueprints of loom manufactured by Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., 1921.
- Blueprint for Union (Ship), A. R. Pearce, 1815.

Removed to Printed Collection

- Comparison of the Cost of Manufacturing Cotton in the New England Mills for the Years 1875-1939, n.d.
- Dobson & Barlow, Ltd. Machinery Calculations . . ., 1897
- Forbes, Allan. Other Indian Events of New England, 1941
- Frank P. Bennett & Co., Inc. Cotton Fabric Glossary, 1907
- Haswell, Charles H. Mechanics' and Engineers' Pocket-Book, 1885
- Hyde, James. Science of Cotton Spinning, n.d.
- Nasmith, Joseph. Students' Cotton Spinning, 1893
- Old Colony Railroad. Time Table . . ., 1888
- Pierce Manufacturing Corp., New Bedford, Mass. Specifications for Building a Mill . . ., 1892
- Scovell, Clinton H. Textile Cost Methods, 1913
- Walmsley, Herbert E. Cotton Spinning and Weaving, 1893
- World Premiere Program, "Down to the Sea in Ships," 1922
- Yates, Thomas. Practical Treatise on Yarn and Cloth Calculations . . ., 1901

Removed to Objects Collection

- Linen measuring gauge used by Albert Russell Pierce
- Three combs used in weaving machinery

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Provenance

Records and papers in this collection were presented to the Old Dartmouth Historical Society on 14 April and 26 May 1978 by Mrs. A. Russell Pierce as part of a larger group of manuscript and printed material. A complete list of the items in the Pierce gift is available in the Society's accession records, AR 78.8.

Processing Information

Processed by: Patricia J. Albright, ca. 1982

Encoded by: Robbin Smith, 02 June 2011; box list amended by Mark Procknik, 07 October 2011

Funds for processing this collection were provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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Description

Sub-group 1: Pierce Manufacturing Corporation Records, 1892-1944 [17 linear feet]
Sub-group 1 contains administrative records, general accounts, bills and receipts, memoranda, production records, and business correspondence relating to the textile firm Pierce Manufacturing Corporation.
Series A: Administrative Records, 1892-1944
Sub-series 1: Director's Records, 1892-1935
Box 1
Volume 1
Minutes of meetings, including balance sheets and accounts, 1892-1935
Sub-series 2: Stock Records,
Volume 1
Stockholders' register, 1893-1943
Volume 2
Stock dividend record, 1925-1931
Volume 3
Stock transfer record, 1927-1944
Box 2
Folder 1
Stock certificates: Abrahamson-Allen, 1892-1944
Folder 2
Stock certificates: Almy-Atkinson, 1892-1944
Folder 3
Stock certificates: Baines-Boucher, 1892-1944
Folder 4
Stock certificates: Bowen-Burnham, 1892-1944
Folder 5
Stock certificates: Cabot-Clark, 1892-1944
Folder 6
Stock certificates: Coffin-Creamer, 1892-1944
Folder 7
Stock certificates: Doran-Fraser, 1892-1944
Folder 8
Stock certificates: Gardner-Grinnell, 1892-1944
Folder 9
Stock certificates: Hall-Hawes, 1892-1944
Folder 10
Stock certificates: Hawkes-Hobbs, 1892-1944
Folder 11
Stock certificates: Holcomb-Howland, 1892-1944
Folder 12
Stock certificates: Hunt-Hyde, 1892-1944
Folder 13
Stock certificates: Jenney-Luther, 1892-1944
Folder 14
Stock certificates: McCarthy-Moors, 1892-1944
Folder 15
Stock certificates: Newton-O'Keefe, 1892-1944
Box 3
Folder 16
Stock certificates: Paine-Pierce, 1892-1944
Folder 17-18
Stock certificates: Pierce, 1892-1944
Folder 19
Stock certificates: Pierce-Porter, 1892-1944
Folder 20
Stock certificates: R.L. Day-Ryder, 1892-1944
Folder 21
Stock certificates: Sanford-Silva, 1892-1944
Folder 22
Stock certificates: Smith-Sylvia, 1892-1944
Folder 23
Stock certificates: Tanner-Vera, 1892-1944
Folder 24
Stock certificates: Wareing-Winsper, 1892-1944
Folder 25
Stock certificates: Wood-Yaeger, 1892-1944
Sub-series 3: Surveys, 1939
Folder 1
Fire and insurance survey and appraisal, 1939
Series B: General Accounts, 1892-1944
Sub-series 1: Daybooks, 1940-1942
Folder 1
1940-1942
Sub-series 2: Ledgers, 1892-1944
Box 4
Volume 1
1892-1905
Volume 2
1906-1919
Volume 3
1936-1944
Sub-series 3: Cash books, 1933-1944
Volume 1
1933-1944
Series C: Purchasing and Receiving Records, 1941-1944
Sub-series 1: Bills and Receipts, 1941-1944
Box 5
Folder 1
1941
Folder 2
1942-1943
Folder 3
1943
Folder 4
1943-1944
Series D: Production Records, ca. 1892-1944
Sub-series 1: Labor Records, ca. 1923-1941
Folder 1
Job descriptions and memoranda regarding wages for plant employees, ca. 1923-1941
Sub-series 2: Cloth Samples, ca. 1892-1944
Box 6
Volume 1-2
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 7
Volume 3-4
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 8
Volume 5-6
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 9
Volume 7-8
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 10
Volume 9-10
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 11
Volume 11
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 12
Volume 12
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 13
Volume 13
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 14
Volume 14-15
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 15
Volume 16
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 16
Volume 17
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 17
Volume 18
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 18
Volume 19-20
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 19
Volume 21
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 20
Volume 22
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 21
Volume 23
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 22
Volume 24
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 23
Volume 25
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 24
Volume 26-27
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 25
Volume 28-29
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 26
Volume 30
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 27
Volume 31
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 28
Volume 32
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 29
Volume 33
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 30
Volume 34
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 31
Volume 35
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 32
Volume 36
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 33
Volume 37
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 34
Volume 38
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 35
Volume 39
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 36
Volume 40
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 37
Volume 41
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 38
Volume 42
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 39
Volume 43
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 40
Volume 44
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 41
Volume 45
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 42
Volume 46
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 43
Volume 47
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 44
Volume 48
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 45
Volume 49
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 46
Volume 50
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 47
Volume 51
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 48
Volume 52
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 49
Volume 53
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 50
Volume 54
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 51
Volume 55
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 52
Volume 56
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 53
Volume 57
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 54
Volume 58
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 55
Volume 59
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 56
Volume 60
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 57
Volume 61
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Box 58
Volume 62
Sample books, ca. 1892-1944
Folder 1
Cloth samples, ca. 1917-1939
Series E: Correspondence, 1939-1944
Box 59
Volume 1
Letter book, 1939-1944
Series F: Certificate, ca. 1918
Folder 1
Citation from U.S. War Department for service rendered during World War I, ca. 1918
Sub-group 2: Pierce Brothers, Limited, Records, ca. 1919-1941 [2 inches]
Sub-group 2 consists of a report, memoranda, sample books, and cloth samples relating to the company Pierce Brothers, Limited.
Series A: Administrative Records, 1941
Box 60
Folder 1
Report on machinery and buildings, 1941
Series B: Production Records, ca. 1919-1939
Volume 1-15
Cloth samples books, 1919-1939
Box 61
Folder 1-2
Samples of cloth finished by firms in New York and Rhode Island, ca. 1919-1939
Folder 3
Memoranda concerning cloth manufacture, supplies, equipment, and employees, 1938
Sub-group 3: Pierce Family Papers, 1868-1948 [4 inches]
Sub-group 3 contains correspondence, notes, memoranda, bills, and certificates of the Pierce family.
Series A: Andrew Granville Pierce Papers, 1868-1902
Box 62
Volume 1
Letter book, 1868-1888, 1900
Folder 1
Incoming business and personal correspondence, 1887, 1894, 1897-1898
Volume 2
Lecture notes of Henry Howard Jr. as a student at New Bedford Textile School, ca. 1899
Folder 2
Certificate of appointment as a trustee of New Bedford Textile School, 1902
Series B: Andrew Granville Pierce Jr. Papers, ca. 1899, 1921
Folder 1
Memorandum concerning cloth, ca. 1899
Folder 2
Letter relating to Crompton & Knowles loom, 1921
Series C: Albert Russell Pierce Papers, ca. 1886-1948
Folder 1
Memoranda book, ca. 1886
Folder 2
Two letters from William H. Bassett, a chemist at Swain Free School, New Bedford, Mass., 1889
Volume 1
Notes on textile machinery, 1895
Folder 3
Telephone service contract, 1900
Folder 4
Obituary, 1948
Series D: Albert Russell Pierce Jr. Papers, ca. 1930
Folder 1
Paper on cost finding, ca. 1930

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Subject Headings

Account books--New Bedford, Mass.--1892-1944
Business records--Mass.--New Bedford
Businessmen--Mass.--New Bedford
Cotton manufacture--Mass.--New Bedford
Cotton textiles
Cotton trade--Mass.--New Bedford
Cotton yarn
Howard, Henry Jr., 1874-1944
New Bedford Textile School, New Bedford, Mass.
New Bedford, Mass.--Industries
Pierce Brothers, Limited, New Bedford, Mass.
Pierce family
Pierce, Albert Russell Jr.
Pierce, Albert Russell, 1869-1948
Pierce, Andrew Granville Jr., 1864-1950
Pierce, Andrew Granville, 1829-1903
Pierce, Edward Taber, 1855-1937
Rayon industry and trade--Mass.--New Bedford
Students--Mass.--New Bedford
Textile fabrics--Mass.--New Bedford--Sample books
Textile industry--Mass.--New Bedford
Textile schools--Mass.--New Bedford
Wages--Textile workers--Mass.--New Bedford

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