Northampton Cutlery Company – Special Collections & University Archives

Northampton Cutlery Company Records

1869-1987

113 boxes 55.75 linear feet

Call no.: MS 058

The Northampton Cutlery Company was among the major firms in a region known for high quality cutlery manufacture. Incorporated in 1871 with Judge Samuel L. Hinckley, its largest stockholder, as its first President, the company was located along the Mill River in Northampton, Massachusetts, where operations continued until its closing in 1987.

Records document company operations and technology used in the cutlery manufacturing process, as well as details about employment of immigrant and working class families in the region. Includes administrative, legal, and financial records; correspondence; personnel and labor relations files; and production schedules and specifications.

Historical Note

The Northampton Cutlery Company was incorporated in 1871 with Judge Samuel L. Hinckley, its largest stockholder, as its first President. The property was purchased from J. H. Lyman and located along the Mill River in Northampton, Massachusetts on a site in which previous manufacturing plants had operated, beginning with Northampton Papermills (1836-1848), and subsequently Hampshire Flax & Hemp Company (1848-1850), Bay State Tool Manufacturing Company (1854-1858), Bay State Hardware Company (1858-1870), and Riverside Cutlery Company (1870-1871). Cutlery production began as a sideline venture for Bay State Tool during the Civil War, a time when 81% of cutlery produced in the United States was made in plants in Massachusetts and Connecticut. In 1885, a Knights of Labor Assembly of knife grinders was established in Northampton, considered by the Northampton Tercentenary Commission to be the first union of”real significance” in the town. The company closed in 1987.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Records document company operations and technology used in the cutlery manufacturing process, as well as details about employment of immigrant and working class families in the region. Records include: company histories; by-laws; deeds; board of directors meeting minutes; stockholders’ certificates and meeting minutes; correspondence; ledgers, cashbooks, price lists, and product catalogs; auditor’s reports, annual operating statements and tax reports and returns; job surveys, reports, plans, and a wage study; payroll ledgers, lists of employees, employees’ census sheets and factory notices; production schedules; records that document labor relations including negotiations, unemployment cases, and union communications and greivances; and machinery specifications, plot and sewer plans, a scrapbook, photographs, and samples.

This collection is organized into seventeen series:

Series 1. Stockholders and Board of Directors
Series 2. Legal and Property
Series 3. Executive
Series 4. Financial
Series 5. Sales
Series 6. Personnel
Series 7. Labor Relations
Series 8. Production
Series 9. Miscellaneous
Series 1. Stockholders and Board Directors (Accretion)
Series 2. Legal and Property (Accretion)
Series 3. Executive (Accretion)
Series 4. Financial (Accretion)
Series 5. Sales (Accretion)
Series 6. Personnel (Accretion)
Series 7. Labor Relations (Accretion)
Series 8. Production (Accretion)

Information on Use

Terms of Access and Use

Restrictions on access:

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Cite as: Northampton Cutlery Company Records (MS 58). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

History of the Collection

Acquired from Harvey Finison, 1985-1986. Accretion acquired from Mrs. Harvey Finison, 03/96, accession # 96-016.

Processing Information

Processed by Ken Fones-Wolf (December 1987) and and Mike Milewski (summer 1996).

Additional Information

Sponsor

Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Language

English.

Contents List


Series 1. Stockholders and Board of Directors
Company History	1951, 1975	Box 1:1
By-Laws	1960	Box 1:2
Stockholders’ Ledger (volumes)	1874-1960	Box 1:3-5
Stock Ledger Balance	1909	Box 1:6
Stockholders’ Certificates (volume)	1871-1942	Box 2:7
Stockholders’ Meeting Minutes (volumes)	1871-1970	Box 3:8-10
Stockholders’ Meeting Minutes (volumes)	1964-1966, 1971-1983	Box 3:11-12
Stockholders’ Meetings, Proxies and Votes	1942-1966	Box 4:13-32
Profit-Sharing Trust	1952-1961	Box 4:33
Board of Directors Minutes (volumes)	1887-1969	Box 5:34-37
Board of Directors Minutes (volumes)	1964-1983	Box 6:38-41


Series 2. Legal and Property
Clement Co. Purchase	1947-1963	Box 7:42
Clinton Foods Inc.	1954-1955	Box 7:43
Deed (copy, 1871)	1951	Box 7:44
Dahlke, A.J.	1946-1956	Box 7:45
Eyre, Albert	1955-1963	Box 7:46
Feiker, Elizabeth	1967	Box 7:47
Increase of Capital	1949-1950	Box 7:48
License	1950	Box 7:49
Merger Proposal with John Russell	1925-1927	Box 7:50
Notes	1963	Box 7:51
Voting Trust	1960-1963	Box 7:52
Watrous, Jerome	1955-1963	Box 7:53
Appraisal, U.S. Appraisal Co.	1906	Box 8:54-55
Appraisal, T.L. Alborell & Assoc.	1926-1935	Box 8:56-58
Appraisal, Standard Appraisal Co.	1949	Box 9:59-60
Appraisals, Internal	1968, 1973	Box 9:61


Series 3. Executive
Subseries A. Accounting
Balance Sheet	1919-1926	Box 10:62
Annual Operating Statements	1945-1950	Box 10:63
Operating Statements & Ratios	1957-1966	Box 10:64-66
Auditor’s Reports	1922-1944	Box 11:67
I.R.S. Reports	1915-1930	Box 11:68
Request for Funds	1930	Box 11:69
Tax Returns	1910-1933	Box 11:70-80
Subseries B. Surveys and Reports
Preliminary Survey, George S. May Co.	1934	Box 12:81
Industrial Survey, T.L. Alborell & Assoc.	1935	Box 12:82
Survey Report, Douglas T. Sterling	1946	Box 12:83
Incentive Plan, Ekholm Assoc.	1946	Box 12:84
Incentive Rate Study	1947	Box 12:85
Job Evaluation Plan, L.J. Brooks	1949	Box 12:86-87
Revised Bonus Plan, L.J. Brooks	1951	Box 12:88
Analytical Report, Dun & Bradstreet	1965	Box 12:89
Job Rating Survey, NMTA	1966	Box 12:90
Wage Study	1975	Box 12:91
Subseries C. Correspondence
Letter Copy Books (volumes)	1899-1902	Box 13:92-94
Correspondence	1940	Box 14:95-100
Correspondence	1940	Box 15:101-105
Correspondence	1940	Box 16:106-108
Correspondence R-S	1941	Box 17:109-113
Correspondence T-Z	1941	Box 18:114-119
Correspondence A-H	1942	Box 19:120-127
Correspondence I-O	1942	Box 20:128-133
Correspondence P-S	1942	Box 21:134-138
Correspondence T-Z	1942	Box 22:139-143
Correspondence A-H	1944	Box 23:144-150
Correspondence I-P	1944	Box 24:151-156
Correspondence Q-V	1944	Box 25:157-161
Correspondence W-Z	1944	Box 26:162-165
Correspondence A-K	1945	Box 27:166-173
Correspondence L-S	1945	Box 28:174-179
Correspondence S-Z	1945	Box 29:180-185
Correspondence A-G	1946	Box 30:186-194
Correspondence H-Q	1946	Box 31:195-201
Correspondence R-Z	1946	Box 32:202-207
Correspondence A-G	1947	Box 33:208-213
Correspondence H-S	1947	Box 34:214-220
Correspondence A-F	1959-1960	Box 35:221-229
Correspondence G-M	1959-1960	Box 36:230-238
Correspondence M-S	1959-1960	Box 37:239-248
Correspondence T-Z	1959-1960	Box 38:249-257
Jerome Watrous Correspondence	1948-1955	Box 38:258
Harvey Finison Correspondence, A-I	1968-1986	Box 39:259-275
Harvey Finison Correspondence, I-M	1968-1986	Box 40:276-284
Harvey Finison Correspondence, M-P	1968-1986	Box 41:285-293
Harvey Finison Correspondence, P-Z	1968-1986	Box 42:294-304


Series 4. Financial
Trial Balances	1887-1964	Box 43:305-309
General Ledger	1958-1965	Box 44:310-317
General Ledger	1966-1974	Box 45:318-321
General Ledger	1970-1979	Box 46:322-325
Journals (volumes)	1915-1926	Box 47:326-328
Journals (volumes)	1926-1933	Box 48:329-330
Journals	1934-1957	Box Volumes 1-7
Journals (volumes)	1959-1974	Box 49:331-336
Journals (volumes)	1975-1977	Box 50:337-339
Journals (volumes)	1978-1980	Box 51:340-342
Cash Books (volumes)	1888-1894, 1901-1904	Box 52:343-345
Cash Books (volumes)	1917-1925	Box 53:346-348
Cash Books	1926-1958	Box Volumes 8-15
Cash Books (volume)	1962-1966	Box 54:349
Cash Books (volume)	1970-1979	Box 55:350
Petty Cash Books (volumes)	1906-1912	Box 56:351-352
Accounts Receivable (volumes)	1919-1923, 1928-1931	Box 57:353-354
Accounts Receivable	1960-1979	Box 58:355-358
Bills Receivable (volumes)	1907-1922	Box 59:359-360
Accounts Payable (volumes)	1894-1922	Box 60:361-363
Accounts Payable (volumes)	1922-1955	Box 61-62:364-365
Accounts Payable (volumes)	1959-1967	Box 63:366
Accounts Payable (volumes)	1970-1977	Box 64:367-368
Order Books (volumes)	1903-1924	Box 65:369-374
General Inventory (volumes)	1910-1919, 1935-1948	Box 66:375-381
Inventory, Carpenter Shop	1903-1943	Box 67:382
Inventory, Forge Room	1898-1940	Box 67:383
Inventory, Grinding Dept.	1907-1927	Box 67:384
Inventory, Machine Room	1897-1928	Box 67:385-386
Inventory, Machine Room	1929-1941	Box 68:387
Inventory, Round Tang Dept.	1897-1914	Box 68:388
Inventory, Solid Steel Knife Dept.	1911-1939	Box 68:389
Inventory, Stainless Steel	1935-1941	Box 68:390
Inventory, Stamping & Etching	1905-1910	Box 68:391
Inventory, Motor Book	n.d.	Box 69:392
Inventory, Miscellaneous Inventory Sheets	n.d.	Box 69:393


Series 5. Sales
Sales Books	1889-1897	Box Vols. 16-24
Sales Books	1902-1931	Box Vols. 25-31
Sales Books	1934-1958	Box Vols. 32-40
Sales Books	1960-1967	Box 70:394-400
Sales Books	1970-1978	Box Vol. 41
Sales Journal	1980-1982	Box 71:401
Sales Correspondence, A-C	1962-1985	Box 72:402-412
Sales Correspondence, D-G	1962-1985	Box 73:413-419
Sales Correspondence, H-K	1962-1985	Box 74:420-430
Sales Correspondence, L-O	1962-1985	Box 75:431-439
Sales Correspondence, P-S	1962-1985	Box 76:440-447
Sales Correspondence, S-W	1962-1985	Box 77:448-455
Sales Correspondence, W-Z	1962-1985	Box 78:456-458
Price Lists	1899-1984	Box 79:459-466
Product Catalogs	1899-1960s	Box 79:467-468


Series 6. Personnel
Subseries A. Employees
Employees, A-Ber.	1940-1985	Box 80:469-477
Employees, Bes-Bz	1940-1985	Box 81:478-485
Employees, C-Dez	1940-1985	Box 82:486-493
Employees, Di-Gy	1940-1985	Box 83:494-503
Employees, H-Ly	1940-1985	Box 84:504-512
Employees, M-Pi	1940-1985	Box 85:513-523
Employees, Po-Tz	1940-1985	Box 86:524-532
Employees, U-Z	1940-1985	Box 87:533-536
Employees Census Sheet	1920	Box 87:537
Factory Notices	1947-1951	Box 87:538
Subseries B. Labor Accounts
Grinding	1869-1872	Box 88:539
Hafting & Wheel Dept.	1902	Box 88:540
Piecework	1887	Box 88:541
Piecework	1897-1898	Box 88:542
Piecework	1909-1910	Box 88:543
Teamster	1887	Box 88:544
Workmen’s Cash Book	1887-1893	Box 89:545
Seniority List	1970-1985	Box 89:546
Wages	1972-1979	Box 89:547
Payroll Ledgers (volumes)	1886-1898	Box 90:548-549
Payroll Ledgers (volumes)	1910-1913	Box 91:550
Payroll Ledgers (volumes)	1935-1936	Box 92:551-552
Payroll Ledgers (volumes)	1937-1939	Box 93:553-555
Payroll Ledgers (volumes)	1940-1941	Box 94:556-557
Payroll Ledgers (volumes)	1954-1955	Box 95:558-559
Payroll Ledgers (volumes)	1956-1958	Box 96:560-562
Payroll Ledgers (volumes)	1960-1962	Box 97:563-565
Payroll Ledgers (volumes)	1963-1966	Box 98:566-569
Payroll Ledgers (volumes)	1974-1980	Box 99:570
Subseries C. Accident Reports
Reports	1942-1950	Box 100:571-577
Reports	1950-1961	Box 101:578-589
Reports	1962-1986	Box 102:590-600


Series 7. Labor Relations
Negotiations	1965	Box 103:601-612
Negotiations	1967-1976	Box 104:613-624
Negotiations	1977-1984	Box 105:625-631
Tuperkizsis v. Cutlery	1970-1973	Box 105:632
Unemployment Cases	1947-1950, 1966-1968	Box 105:633-634
Union Communications	1972-1985	Box 105:635
Union Grievances	1969-1985	Box 105:636


Series 8. Production
Customer Job Specifications	1949-1976	Box 106:637-641
Grinding Specifications	n.d.	Box 106:642
Job Specifications, R1F-R199F	n.d.	Box 106:643-649
Job Specifications, R202F-R341F	n.d.	Box 107:650-657
Steel Weights and Sizes	n.d.	Box 107:658
Weekly Production Schedules	1949-1950	Box 107:659
Piece Rates	1966-1976	Box 108:660-665
Process Sheets	n.d.	Box 108:666-667


Series 9. Miscellaneous
Machinery Specifications	n.d.	Box 109:668-670
Plot Plan	n.d.	Box 109:671
Sewer Plan	n.d.	Box 109:672
Scrapbook	1960-1983	Box 109:673
Photos and Samples	circa 1900-1985	Box 110:674-676


Series 1. Stockholders and Board of Directors
Annual Meeting–Agenda, Correspondence, Reports, etc.	1977-1986	Box 111:1
Articles of Amendment	1966	Box 111:2
Board of Directors, List of	1985, n.d.	Box 111:3
Board of Directors–Meetings, Minutes, etc.	1965-1968	Box 111:4
Board of Directors–Meetings, Minutes, etc.	1970-1979	Box 111:5
Board of Directors–Meetings, Minutes, etc.	1980-1986	Box 111:6
By-Laws and Amendments	1960	Box 111:7
Company History	1974, n.d.	Box 111:8
Company History–Newsclips	1978-1986, n.d.	Box 111:9
Correspondence on Stock Certificates	1958, 1969-1970	Box 111:10
Director’s Correspondence, etc.	1969	Box 111:11
Director’s Meeting Agenda	1969	Box 111:12
Director’s Meeting Proxies	1949	Box 111:13
Stockholders, List of	n.d.	Box 111:14
Stockholder’s Meetings	1966	Box 111:15
Stockholder’s Meetings	1968	Box 111:16
Stockholder’s Meeting Agenda	1969	Box 111:17
Stockholder’s Meetings, Proxies and Votes	1969-1970	Box 111:18
Stockholder’s Meetings, Proxies and Votes	1971-1974	Box 111:19
Stockholder’s Meetings, Proxies and Votes	1975-1978	Box 111:20
Stockholder’s Meetings, Proxies and Votes	1979-1982	Box 111:21
Stockholder’s Meetings, Proxies and Votes	1982-1986	Box 111:22


Series 2. Legal and Property
Appraisal–American Industries Appraisers	1981	Box 111:23
Appraisal Report–Robert A. Borawski	1974	Box 111:24
Appraised Valuation, Notice of	1978	Box 111:25
Articles of Amendment for Adjusting Capitalization	1965	Box 111:26
Attorney–Settlements, etc.	1986-1987	Box 111:27
Automobile–Insurance, Invoice, etc.	1960	Box 111:28
Contract Correspondence	1955	Box 111:29
Contract, Machinery	1947	Box 111:30
Foreclosure Deed	1951	Box 111:31
Goodwin, Proctor & Hoar–Counselors at Law	1978	Box 111:32
Insurance Policy, Hartford Steam Boiler	1985	Box 111:33
Land Purchase from D.E. White	1969	Box 111:34
Letterhead, Blank	—	Box 111:35
Mortgage to Northampton Bank	1963	Box 111:36
Notes (Loan Balances)	1975	Box 111:37
Quitclaim Deed–Jona H. Lyman (1951 copy)	1871	Box 111:38
Retired Loans	1958, 1963-1968	Box 111:39
Safe Deposit Box	1986	Box 111:40
Surrender of Lease	1951	Box 111:41
Warranty Deed – Doris L. White	1969	Box 111:42
Warranty Deed – Ellery C. Clapp	1950	Box 111:43
Watrous, Jerome – Promissory Note and Corr.	1974-1984	Box 111:44


Series 3. Executive
Subseries A. Accounting
Annual Operating Statements	1969-1971	Box 111:45
Annual Statistics of Manufacturers	1971-1979	Box 111:46
Audit	1985-1986	Box 111:47
Auditor’s Report	1971	Box 111:48
Balance Sheet	1974	Box 111:49
Balance Sheet	1978	Box 111:50
Bank Reconciliation	1985	Box 111:51
Depreciation Schedule	1965-1976	Box 111:52
Don and Bradstreet, Inc.	1986	Box 111:53
Employer’s Quarterly Report of Wages Paid	1986	Box 111:54
Estimated Tax Rate	1968	Box 111:55
Financial Statements	1982-1984	Box 111:56
Income Statements, Estimated & Forecast	1967-1968	Box 111:57
Job Insurance	1981-1985	Box 111:58
Operating Results, Ten Years	1961-1971	Box 111:59
Real Estate Taxes	1979-1982	Box 111:60
Tax Declaration	1985	Box 111:61
Tax Return–Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment	1981-1985	Box 111:62
Tax Return – Employers Quarterly Federal	1983-1986	Box 111:63
Tax Return – Massachusetts	1970-1981	Box 111:64
Tax Return – Massachusetts	1982-1986	Box 111:65
Tax Return – U.S.	1965	Box 111:66
Tax Return – U.S.	1969-1981	Box 111:67
Tax Return – U.S.	1982-1986	Box 111:68
Tax Return – U.S. and Mass.	1986	Box 111:69
Ten Year Record	1961-1971	Box 111:70
Year End Audit	1975	Box 112:71
Year End Audit	1976-1977	Box 112:72
Year End Audit	1977	Box 112:73
Year End Audit	1978	Box 112:74
Subseries B. Surveys and Reports
Financial History and Current Projections	1977	Box 112:75


Series 4. Financial
Cash Book (oversize)	1985-1986	Box 113:76
Chart of Accounts	1986	Box 112:77
Check Book	1958	Box 112:78
Deposit Book	1958-1962	Box 112:79
Expense Journal (oversize)	1985-1986	Box 113:80
General Ledger (oversize)	1984	Box 113:81
General Ledger (oversize)	1985-1986	Box 113:82
Income Statement	1979	Box 112:83
Income Statement	1975	Box 112:84
Income Statement	1983	Box 112:85
Income Statement	1985	Box 112:86
Income Statement	1986	Box 112:87
Inventory	1974	Box 112:88
Inventory Valuation	1974	Box 112:89
Monthly Journal Entries, Listing of	1986	Box 112:90
Purchase Journal (oversize)	1985-1986	Box 113:91
Purchases – Accounts Payable	1970-1986	Box 113:92
Summary Inventory	1975-1976	Box 112:93
Transactions	1985	Box 112:94
Trial Balance	1967-1968	Box 112:95
Trial Balance	1970	Box 112:96
Trial Balance	1971	Box 112:97/98
Trial Balance	1972	Box 112:99
Trial Balance	1973	Box 112:100
Trial Balance	1974	Box 112:101
Trial Balance	1975	Box 112:102
Trial Balance	1976	Box 112:103
Trial Balance	1977	Box 112:104
Trial Balance	1978	Box 112:105
Trial Balance	1984	Box 112:106
Trial Balance	1985	Box 112:107
Trial Balance	1986	Box 112:108


Series 5. Sales
Advertisement for Bottle Screw	n.d.	Box 112:109
Product Catalog	n.d.	Box 112:110
Product Catalog	#404, #5-53n.d.	Box 112:111
Product Catalog	1955, n.d.	Box 112:112
Sales History	1961-1972	Box 112:113
Sales Journal (oversize)	1970-1986	Box 113:114
Sales Journal – Retail (oversize)	1986	Box 113:115
(number not used)		Box 112:116


Series 6. Personnel
Subseries A. Personnel – Employees
Position Offers–Chief Engineer	1964	Box 112:117
Subseries B. Labor Accounts
Payroll Accounts	1963-1966	Box 112:118
Payroll, Factory	1986	Box 112:119
Payroll Register (oversize)	1983	Box 113:120
Payroll Register (oversize)	1984	Box 113:121
Payroll Register (oversize)	1985	Box 113:122
Payroll Withholdings (oversize)	1985-1986	Box 113:123


Series 7. Labor Relations
Agreement Between – N.C.C. & U.E. Local 259	1967	Box 112:124
Agreement Between – N.C.C. & U.E.	1977, 1979	Box 112:125


Series 8. Production
Invention Disclosure	1976	Box 112:126
Product Cost	1974-1977	Box 112:127

Subjects

Cutlery trade--MassachusettsNorthampton (Mass.)--History

Contributors

Northampton Cutlery Company