The University of Massachusetts Amherst
Robert S. Cox Special Collections & University Archives Research Center
CredoResearch digital collections in Credo

American Writing Paper Company

American Writing Paper Company Records

1851-1960
19 boxes 9.5 linear feet
Call no.: MS 062

Paper company based in Holyoke, Massachusetts that at one time controlled 75% of the total United States fine paper output. Records include board of directors’ minutes, by-laws, blueprints, land transactions, merger agreements, and publications. Labor files (1936-1960) comprise the bulk of the collection and include contracts, correspondence, grievances, and negotiations.

Historical Note

The American Writing Paper Company in Holyoke, Massachusetts incorporated and began operations in 1899. Sixteen of its mills were in Holyoke, comprising over half of the mills owned and operated by the newly-formed trust. At the time of its incorporation, the trust controlled 75% of the total United States fine paper output. During its history, the American Writing Paper Company twice declared bankruptcy, experienced labor strikes, and reorganized. In 1962, it was re-named the Holyoke Shares Incorporated and, in 1970, was completely liquidated.

Mills began appearing along the banks of the Connecticut River after the Holyoke dam and canal system implementation in 1848. The first paper mill was established in Holyoke in 1853. In 1873, 15 paper mills operated with capacity of 48.5 tons per day and by 1897, 26 mills operated with increased capacity of 320 tons per day. Holyoke became known as the “Paper City of the World.” The paper making industry flourished in Holyoke due to several factors, including a steady and plentiful water supply for powering the mills, access to water that did not require chemical treatment to be used in the manufacturing process, and the presence of textile mills nearby providing regular supplies of rags necessary for the manufacture of rag content papers.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Records in this collection pertain primarily to the corporate history, operations, business transactions, labor concerns, and organizational structure of the American Writing Paper Company Records include board of directors’ minutes, by-laws, blueprints, land transactions, merger agreements, and printed material, with the bulk of the collection comprised of labor files (1920-1966) including contracts, correspondence, grievances, and negotiations. The principle strengths of the collection are in areas of labor relations and collective bargaining. Absent in this collection are labor records from the first twenty years of American Writing Paper Company during which several strikes occurred.


Information on Use
Terms of Access and Use
Restrictions on access:

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Cite as: American Writing Paper Company Records (MS 62). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

History of the Collection

Acquired from Bill Casamo, 1985.

Processing Information

Processed by Ken Fones-Wolf, 1986.


Additional Information

Sponsor
Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Language
English.


Series Descriptions

1899-1937

Official documents. legal papers, certificates, property descriptions and locations, board of directors votes and minutes, executive and advisory minutes, correspondence, and reincorporation minutes comprise this series.

1900-1941, 1951

Series 2 is comprised of annual reports, legal and property records, official documents, legal papers, correspondence, real estate transfers, foreclosures, blueprints, and insurance forms. Notable in this series are the drawings and diagrams of dandy rolls and property blueprints.

1936-1960
Arrangement:

Chronologically arranged.

Scope and content:

Divided into Master Labor files chronologically arranged and Labor Subject files, Series 3 comprises newspaper clippings, correspondence, labor agreements, contracts, and grievances. Material related to labor relations, union negotiation, and collective bargaining is notable in this series.

1919-1938

Pamphlets, publications, sales catalogs, and a postage stamp comprise Series 4. Of note are the “Eagle A” pamphlets that contain names, photographs, company history, and social events, and black and white photographs of paper mills and machinery.

Contents List
Series 1. Organization and Administration
1899-1937
Incorporation and By-Laws:
Plan of Incorporation
1899
Box 1:1
Founding meeting
1899
Box 1:2
Certificate of Incorporation
1899
Box 1:3
Amended Certificate of Incorporation
1902
Box 1:4
Certificate of Incorporation
1927
Box 1:5
Amendment
1928
Box 1:6
By-laws
1899
Box 1:7
Charter and By-laws
1914-1918
Box 1:8-9
By-laws
1927, 1935
Box 1:10-11
Board of Directors:
Votes and minutes
1899-1917
Box 2:12-30
Letters of resignation
1901-1912
Box 2:31
Executive and Advisory Committee:
Minutes
1917-1923
Box 3:32-38
Board of Directors:
Reincorporation meeting minutes
1927
Box 4:39-43
Minutes
1927-1933
Box 5:44-50
Minutes
1933-1937
Box 6:51-56

Series 2. Executive
1900-1941, 1951
Annual report
1900-1941, 1951
Box 7:57-64
Legal and Property:
Agreement with George LaMonte
1909
Box 8:65
Application for NYSE List
n.d.
Box 8:66
Appraisal
1917-1940
Box 8:67-70
Authority of Transact Business, Ohio & Michigan
1899
Box 8:71-72
Bondholders
1923
Box 8:73
Certificate of Decrease in Capital Stock
1908
Box 8:74
Certificate of Reduction of Capital
1933-1934
Box 8:75
Closed Mills
1943-1949
Box 8:76
Crocker Mfg. Co.
1885-1895
Box 8:77-78
Crocker-McElwain
1907
Box 8:79
Deed Transfer-AWP Divisions
1899
Box 8:80-87
Deposit Agreement
1918
Box 8:88
Division Assessments
1909
Box 8:89
Division Descriptions
n.d.
Box 8:90-94
Foreclosure
1926
Box 8:95
Goodnow v. AWP
1905
Box 8:96
Incorporation Correspondence
1899-1903
Box 8:97
Increase of Capital Stock
1922
Box 8:98
Insurance
1899
Box 8:99
International Paper Co.
1898
Box 8:100
Issuance of Securities
1899
Box 8:101
Linden Dandy rolls
1951-1952
Box 9:102
McCorkindale Co.
1930-1952
Box 9:103
Mortgage
1899-1936
Box 9:104-107
Mortgage Bonds
1899
Box 9:108
Parson’s Paper Co.
1851-1929
Box 9:109
Plan of Capital Rearrangement
1903
Box 9:110
Plan of Capital Reduction
1904
Box 9:111
Plan of Reorganization
1936
Box 9:112
Real Estate-Divisions
1859-1953
Box 9:113-117
Real Estate-Divisions
1859-1953
Box 10:118-121
Receivership Indenture
1927
Box 10:122
Reorganization Agreement
1927
Box 10:123
Reorganization Report
1934
Box 10:124
Salaried Employees
1913
Box 10:125
Sales of Machinery
1950-1951
Box 10:126
Supplemented Mortgage
1930
Box 10:127
Trial Balance
1911-1915
Box 10:128-129
Trust Indenture
1927
Box 10:130
Voting Trust Agreement
1927
Box 10:131

Series 3. Labor
1936-1960
Arrangement:

Chronologically arranged.

Master Labor Files
1937-1939
Box 11:132-139
Master Labor Files
1939-1941
Box 12:140-146
Master Labor Files
1942-1944
Box 13:147-152
Master Labor Files
1945-1948
Box 14:153-159
Master Labor Files
1949-1954
Box 15:160-167
Master Labor Files
1955-1960
Box 16:168-171
CIO Petition
1941
Box 17:172
CIO Raid
1951
Box 17:173
Conditions of Work
1920-1921
Box 17:174
Grievances
1939-1940
Box 17:175-76
Labor Laws
1939-1946
Box 17:177
Labor Relations Group formation
1939
Box 17:178
Overtime
1948-1958
Box 17:179
State Minimum Wage Law
1939-1948
Box 17:180
Wage and Hour Investigation
1944-1945
Box 18:181
Wage and Hour Law, Exemptions
1945-1956
Box 18:182
Wage and Hour Legislation
1938-1953
Box 18:183-89
Agreements
1938-1956
Box 19:190-200
Agreements
1957-1963
Box 20:201-205
Agreements Analysis
1940-1942
Box 20:206-207

Series 4. Publications and Photographs
1919-1938
Eagle A. Outing
1919-1920
Box 21:208
Eagle A. Unity
1918-1921
Box 21:209-210
Holyoke Postage Stamp
1938
Box 21:211
How Paper is Made
1935
Box 21:212
Paper Facts
n.d.
Box 21:213
Paper Mill Locations in Mass.
1938
Box 21:214
Parson’s Mercantile Record
n.d.
Box 21:215
Progressive Papers
1911
Box 21:216
Sales Catalogs
1919
Box 21:217
Trade Customs
1928
Box 21:218
Union Watermarked Papers
n.d.
Box 21:219
Photos
n.d.
Box 21:220
Gift of Bill Casamo, Oct. 1985 (1985-094)

Subjects

Collective bargaining--Paper industry--Massachusetts--HolyokeHolyoke (Mass.)--Economic conditions--19th centuryHolyoke (Mass.)--Economic conditions--20th centuryLabor unions--Massachusetts--HolyokePaper industry workers--Labor unions--MassachusettsPaper industry--Massachusetts--HolyokeStrikes and lockouts--Paper industry--Massachusetts--Holyoke

Contributors

American Writing Paper Company

Types of material

BlueprintsPhotographs