The University of Iowa Libraries
Special Collections and University Archives
Finding Aid
|
Reords of the Curtis Companies, Inc. Access and Restrictions: This collection is open for research. Digital Surrogates: Except where indicated, this document describes but does not reproduce the actual text, images and objects which make up this collection. Materials are available only in the Special Collections Department. Copyright: Please read The University of Iowa Libraries' statement on Property Rights, Copyright Law, and Permissions to Use Unpublished Materials. Use of Collections: The University of Iowa Libraries supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted by their fragile condition or by contractual agreement with donors, and it may not be possible at all times to provide appropriate machinery for reading, viewing or accessing non-paper-based materials. Please read our Use of Manuscripts Statement. Acquisition and Processing Information: These papers were given to the University of Iowa Libraries by George Curtis in 1959. Photographs: |
|
Scope and Contents
The bulk of the collection consists of financial ledgers, cashbooks, stock books, and similar detailed financial records. The following inventory of the ledgers is as they are arranged on the shelf. They are not in chronological or alphabetical order. The relatively small number of more general documents – two boxes of them – complete this finding aid .
Historical Note
Founded in 1866 by George Martin Curtis (later U.S. Representative from Iowa), the Curtis Companies were a conglomerate of associated sash, door, and millwork companies that eventually consolidated into a single corporation based in Clinton, Iowa.
Box Contents List
Collection Inventory
Ledgers
JOURNALS
"F" July 1880 - June 1882"E" April 1878 - July 1880
"G" July 1882 - December 1884
March 1894 - September 1902
January 1882 - November 1886
May 20, 1897 - April 1, 1907
"A" May 1906 - November 1908
"B" December 1908 - February 1914
"I" November 1877 - November 1879
May 1897 - July 1900
"B" January 1914 - September 1915
"A" January 1912 - December 1914
"D" June 1917 - March 1919
"C" October 1915 - May 1917
"E" April 1919 - November 1921
"F" December 1921 - May 1924
"A" August 1916 - November 1919
January, 15 1890 - December 30, 1893
December 2, 1902 - July 30, 1904
April 2, 1901 - December 1, 1902
1914 - 1917
"D" December 31, 1915 - August 30, 1919
"C" December 30, 1911 - December 31, 1915
"B" January 5, 1871 - September 30, 1873
"B" November 1908 - December 1911
"A" March 1, 1906 - November 12, 1908
"A" July 1869 - November 24, 1870
September 25, 1902 - January 7, 1905
"D" December 20, 1875 - March 29, 1878
"E" September 8, 1919 - February 28, 1923
"F" March 1, 1923 - December 1, 1926
#7 October 31, 1892 - January 4, 1896
#6 June 25, 1889 - October 29, 1892
#5 April 10, 1886 - June 24, 1889
#4 December 4, 1883 - April 9, 1896
#3 April 15 1882 - December 2, 1883
#2 November 11, 1879 - April 14, 1882
January 2, 1888 - December 31, 1889
March 1914 - January 1918
COMPANY PAPERS
Lincoi
Sioux City
Chicago
Illegible
Wausaj
Farmer Building Co.
Detroit
Dayton
Minn.
Curtis Bros.
FICTITIOUS LEDGER
"B" December 1906 - 1911
HANDS LEDGER
"A" December 1871 - August 1886
PURCHASE RECORD
"A" March 3, 1906 - September 1, 1909
"B" September 1909 - January 1913
"C" February 1913 - December 1913
Ledger
"A" 1906-1909
-A" January 1912 - April 1915
"C" 1912 - 1918
"A" July 1911 - 1916
"C" 1870 - 1871
"D" 1871 - 1875
"E" 1876 - 1880
"F" 1880 - 1883
"G" 1884 - 1886
"H" 1881 - 1889
"I" 1890 - 1891
"J" 1881 - 1893
"A" 1882 - 1889
"B" 1890 - 1896
1908 - 1916
PAYROLL
#2 May 1875 - November 1881
CHECK REGISTER
January 1923 - October 1924
October 1924 - September 1926
"E" December 1918 - April 1921
"D" February 1917 - November 1918
"C" November 1915 - January 1917
April 1914 - October 1915
January 1912 - March 1914
"A" May 1911 - March 1917
February 1899 - July 1915
"K" October 1926 - July 1928
"D" June 1914 - October 1916
"C" October 1911 - June 1914
"C" December 1919 - November 1921
"F" July 1918 - February 1920
PRIVATE LEDGER
"A" 1912 - 1917
"B" 1910 - 1914
"A" 1906 - 1909
1929 - 1930
1915 - 1916
APPRAISAL BOOK
Inventory
1900 - 1910
Cennial Millwork, Chicago, 1912
JOBBERS LEDGER
1911 - 1917
CASH BOOK
May 1900 - February 1902
January 1892 - December 1892
#1 December 1877 - October 1879
#2 October 1879 - August 1881
#3 August 1881 - December 1882
#4 December 1882 - July 1884
#6 December 1885 - February 1887
#7 February 1887 - March 1888
# 8 March 1888 - July 1889
"A" July 1911 - November 1921
#10 January 1891 - January 1892
July 1889 - July 22, 1897
#12 December 20, 1892 - September 26, 1894
#13 September 27, 1894 - July 28. 1896
#14 July 29, 1896 - March 12, 1898
#15 March 14, 1898 - Aug 4, 1899
August 20, 1910 - January 20, 1915
CASH BOOK AND JOURNAL
#3 May 1895 - July 1896
January 1894 - May 1895
"G" May 1905 - May 1906
"H" May 1906 - December 1907
#4 August 1896 - October 1897
#5 October 1897 - November 1898
#6 November 1898 - October 1899
#7 October 1899 - August 1900
PRIVATE AND GENERAL LEDGER
1919 Transfer
1918 Transfer
1921 Transfer
1926 - 1927 Transfer
1916 - 1917 Transfer
1922 Transfer
FACTORY CHARGES
"A" January 1914 - June 1915
CASH RECEIVED
"A" March 1906 - July 1910
"B" July 1910 - December 1914
"F" October 1924 - December 1927
"C" January 1915 - January 1918
December 1928 - July 1931
VOUCHER PURCHASE RECORD
"A" Jan 9, 1914 - December 31, 1015
AMERICAN FARM BUILDINGS COMPANY LEDGER
1920 - 1922
AMERICAN FARM BUILDINGS COMPANY CASH AND JOURNAL
Jan 1920 - Dec 1922
Voucher Record
"B" Jan 11, 1916 - November 30, 1917
"C" December 6, 1917 - December 20, 1919
"D" December 27, 1919 - December 13, 1921
"F" August 7, 1923 - December 31, 1924
"E" December 15, 1921 - July 31, 1923
STOCK LEDGER
July 1902
CERTIFICATE BOOK
November 1919 Curtis Dayton
November 1919 Curtis Detroit
April 1920 American Farm Building Co.
January 1893 Curtis and Dale
1893 - 1906 Bloomington
Obituary of George L. Curtis, The Clinton Herald, March 17, 1956. GLC, son of George M. Curtis, was born in 1878 and joined the firm in 1899. He organized Curtis Companies, Inc. in 1911 and was president of the firm until 1947 when he became chairman of the board.
Curtis Bros. & Co. Sash, Doors, Blinds, Mouldings, Stair Work, Mantels, and All Kinds of Interior and Exterior Finish. Chicago: Rand, McNally, 1893. 332p. Illustrations have been cut from many pages, apparently for re-use in a later publication.
Curtis, Bro.& Co. Doors, Sash, Blinds. Rand McNally Co., Printers. February 1873, Catalogue of Prices
“The Evolution of Modern Architectural Woodwork, A History of the Curtis Companies, Incorporated, from the Founding in 1886 to the 75th Anniversary in 1941.” Ditto. 61p.
Preliminary notes and memoranda on “The Evolution of Modern Architectural Woodwork.”
“Outline of Curtis Notes on Curtis History (Result of Interview … 1940 … with G.L. Curtis and C.K. Paine).” Ditto. 16. “Labor Relations.” Ditto. 4p.
“Articles of Incorporation Curtis and Van Henberg Co.,” 1893. With documents and notes of board meetings to June 11, 1913. 66p. Pages removed from ledger.
Curtis Detroit Co. Proxies and Other Papers Pertaining to Meetings. 1920, 1922.
Curtis Towle & Paine Co. Proxies and Other Papers Pertaining to Meetings. 1916 --1932.
Curtis & Bentley Co. Proxies and Other Papers Pertaining to Meetings. 1921 -- 1922.
“Minutes of General Meetings.” 1913-1934. Removed from post binder.
Box 2
“Miscellaneous, Including Communications from G.L.C. to Dept. Heads.” 1913 -- 1933.
“Reports from Research Dept. / Traffic Dept. / Pricing Dept. / G.O. Purch. Dept.” 1933 -- 1937.
“Miscellaneous / E. J. Curtis.” Sheets removed from ring binder. Appears to be detailed information on production matters.
Letterpress book. November 17, 1900 to July 20, 1901.
----. April 4 to June 16, 1902.
----. July 1 to November 10, 1902.
----. November 10, 1902 to January 21, 1903.
----. May 7 to October 10, 1903.
----. October 12, 1903 to April 28, 1904.