mums058 Northampton Cutlery Company Records, 1869-1987 Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Ken Fones-Wolf, Mike Milewski. Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA
2003

University of Massachusetts Amherst. All rights reserved.

 Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Eric Steven Cartier. 2003-08-15 Finding aid written in English. 2005-09-23 mu224 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02-5c.xsl (sy2003-10-15). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst Northampton Cutlery Company Records, 1869-1987 Finding Aid Manuscript Number 58 Compiled by Ken Fones-Wolf Accretion compiled by Mike Milewski December 1987, summer 1996 Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

2003 University of Massachusetts Amherst. All rights reserved.

 Collection Overview Northampton Cutlery Company Northampton Cutlery Company Records 1869-1987 MS 58 113 boxes (55.75 linear ft.) Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst Cutlery company located in Northampton, Massachusetts 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. English. 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.

 Organization of the Collection

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)

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.

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

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

 Search Terms Northampton Cutlery Company. Cutlery trade--Massachusetts. Northampton (Mass.)--Economic conditions. Series 1. Stockholders and Board of Directors 1 1 Company History 1951, 1975 1 2 By-Laws 1960 1 3-5 Stockholders' Ledger (volumes) 1874-1960 1 6 Stock Ledger Balance 1909 2 7 Stockholders' Certificates (volume) 1871-1942 3 8-10 Stockholders' Meeting Minutes (volumes) 1871-1970 3 11-12 Stockholders' Meeting Minutes (volumes) 1964-1966, 1971-1983 4 13-32 Stockholders' Meetings, Proxies and Votes 1942-1966 4 33 Profit-Sharing Trust 1952-1961 5 34-37 Board of Directors Minutes (volumes) 1887-1969 6 38-41 Board of Directors Minutes (volumes) 1964-1983 Series 2. Legal and Property 7 42 Clement Co. Purchase 1947-1963 7 43 Clinton Foods Inc. 1954-1955 7 44 Deed (copy, 1871) 1951 7 45 Dahlke, A.J. 1946-1956 7 46 Eyre, Albert 1955-1963 7 47 Feiker, Elizabeth 1967 7 48 Increase of Capital 1949-1950 7 49 License 1950 7 50 Merger Proposal with John Russell 1925-1927 7 51 Notes 1963 7 52 Voting Trust 1960-1963 7 53 Watrous, Jerome 1955-1963 8 54-55 Appraisal, U.S. Appraisal Co. 1906 8 56-58 Appraisal, T.L. Alborell & Assoc. 1926-1935 9 59-60 Appraisal, Standard Appraisal Co. 1949 9 61 Appraisals, Internal 1968, 1973 Series 3. Executive Subseries A. Accounting 10 62 Balance Sheet 1919-1926 10 63 Annual Operating Statements 1945-1950 10 64-66 Operating Statements & Ratios 1957-1966 11 67 Auditor's Reports 1922-1944 11 68 I.R.S. Reports 1915-1930 11 69 Request for Funds 1930 11 70-80 Tax Returns 1910-1933 Subseries B. Surveys and Reports 12 81 Preliminary Survey, George S. May Co. 1934 12 82 Industrial Survey, T.L. Alborell & Assoc. 1935 12 83 Survey Report, Douglas T. Sterling 1946 12 84 Incentive Plan, Ekholm Assoc. 1946 12 85 Incentive Rate Study 1947 12 86-87 Job Evaluation Plan, L.J. Brooks 1949 12 88 Revised Bonus Plan, L.J. Brooks 1951 12 89 Analytical Report, Dun & Bradstreet 1965 12 90 Job Rating Survey, NMTA 1966 12 91 Wage Study 1975 Subseries C. Correspondence 13 92-94 Letter Copy Books (volumes) 1899-1902 14 95-100 Correspondence 1940 15 101-105 Correspondence 1940 16 106-108 Correspondence 1940 17 109-113 Correspondence R-S 1941 18 114-119 Correspondence T-Z 1941 19 120-127 Correspondence A-H 1942 20 128-133 Correspondence I-O 1942 21 134-138 Correspondence P-S 1942 22 139-143 Correspondence T-Z 1942 23 144-150 Correspondence A-H 1944 24 151-156 Correspondence I-P 1944 25 157-161 Correspondence Q-V 1944 26 162-165 Correspondence W-Z 1944 27 166-173 Correspondence A-K 1945 28 174-179 Correspondence L-S 1945 29 180-185 Correspondence S-Z 1945 30 186-194 Correspondence A-G 1946 31 195-201 Correspondence H-Q 1946 32 202-207 Correspondence R-Z 1946 33 208-213 Correspondence A-G 1947 34 214-220 Correspondence H-S 1947 35 221-229 Correspondence A-F 1959-1960 36 230-238 Correspondence G-M 1959-1960 37 239-248 Correspondence M-S 1959-1960 38 249-257 Correspondence T-Z 1959-1960 38 258 Jerome Watrous Correspondence 1948-1955 39 259-275 Harvey Finison Correspondence, A-I 1968-1986 40 276-284 Harvey Finison Correspondence, I-M 1968-1986 41 285-293 Harvey Finison Correspondence, M-P 1968-1986 42 294-304 Harvey Finison Correspondence, P-Z 1968-1986 Series 4. Financial 43 305-309 Trial Balances 1887-1964 44 310-317 General Ledger 1958-1965 45 318-321 General Ledger 1966-1974 46 322-325 General Ledger 1970-1979 47 326-328 Journals (volumes) 1915-1926 48 329-330 Journals (volumes) 1926-1933 Volumes 1-7 Journals 1934-1957 49 331-336 Journals (volumes) 1959-1974 50 337-339 Journals (volumes) 1975-1977 51 340-342 Journals (volumes) 1978-1980 52 343-345 Cash Books (volumes) 1888-1894, 1901-1904 53 346-348 Cash Books (volumes) 1917-1925 Volumes 8-15 Cash Books 1926-1958 54 349 Cash Books (volume) 1962-1966 55 350 Cash Books (volume) 1970-1979 56 351-352 Petty Cash Books (volumes) 1906-1912 57 353-354 Accounts Receivable (volumes) 1919-1923, 1928-1931 58 355-358 Accounts Receivable 1960-1979 59 359-360 Bills Receivable (volumes) 1907-1922 60 361-363 Accounts Payable (volumes) 1894-1922 61-62 364-365 Accounts Payable (volumes) 1922-1955 63 366 Accounts Payable (volumes) 1959-1967 64 367-368 Accounts Payable (volumes) 1970-1977 65 369-374 Order Books (volumes) 1903-1924 66 375-381 General Inventory (volumes) 1910-1919, 1935-1948 67 382 Inventory, Carpenter Shop 1903-1943 67 383 Inventory, Forge Room 1898-1940 67 384 Inventory, Grinding Dept. 1907-1927 67 385-386 Inventory, Machine Room 1897-1928 68 387 Inventory, Machine Room 1929-1941 68 388 Inventory, Round Tang Dept. 1897-1914 68 389 Inventory, Solid Steel Knife Dept. 1911-1939 68 390 Inventory, Stainless Steel 1935-1941 68 391 Inventory, Stamping & Etching 1905-1910 69 392 Inventory, Motor Book n.d. 69 393 Inventory, Miscellaneous Inventory Sheets n.d. Series 5. Sales Vols. 16-24 Sales Books 1889-1897 Vols. 25-31 Sales Books 1902-1931 Vols. 32-40 Sales Books 1934-1958 70 394-400 Sales Books 1960-1967 Vol. 41 Sales Books 1970-1978 71 401 Sales Journal 1980-1982 72 402-412 Sales Correspondence, A-C 1962-1985 73 413-419 Sales Correspondence, D-G 1962-1985 74 420-430 Sales Correspondence, H-K 1962-1985 75 431-439 Sales Correspondence, L-O 1962-1985 76 440-447 Sales Correspondence, P-S 1962-1985 77 448-455 Sales Correspondence, S-W 1962-1985 78 456-458 Sales Correspondence, W-Z 1962-1985 79 459-466 Price Lists 1899-1984 79 467-468 Product Catalogs 1899-1960s Series 6. Personnel Subseries A. Employees 80 469-477 Employees, A-Ber. 1940-1985 81 478-485 Employees, Bes-Bz 1940-1985 82 486-493 Employees, C-Dez 1940-1985 83 494-503 Employees, Di-Gy 1940-1985 84 504-512 Employees, H-Ly 1940-1985 85 513-523 Employees, M-Pi 1940-1985 86 524-532 Employees, Po-Tz 1940-1985 87 533-536 Employees, U-Z 1940-1985 87 537 Employees Census Sheet 1920 87 538 Factory Notices 1947-1951 Subseries B. Labor Accounts 88 539 Grinding 1869-1872 88 540 Hafting & Wheel Dept. 1902 88 541 Piecework 1887 88 542 Piecework 1897-1898 88 543 Piecework 1909-1910 88 544 Teamster 1887 89 545 Workmen's Cash Book 1887-1893 89 546 Seniority List 1970-1985 89 547 Wages 1972-1979 90 548-549 Payroll Ledgers (volumes) 1886-1898 91 550 Payroll Ledgers (volumes) 1910-1913 92 551-552 Payroll Ledgers (volumes) 1935-1936 93 553-555 Payroll Ledgers (volumes) 1937-1939 94 556-557 Payroll Ledgers (volumes) 1940-1941 95 558-559 Payroll Ledgers (volumes) 1954-1955 96 560-562 Payroll Ledgers (volumes) 1956-1958 97 563-565 Payroll Ledgers (volumes) 1960-1962 98 566-569 Payroll Ledgers (volumes) 1963-1966 99 570 Payroll Ledgers (volumes) 1974-1980 Subseries C. Accident Reports 100 571-577 Reports 1942-1950 101 578-589 Reports 1950-1961 102 590-600 Reports 1962-1986 Series 7. Labor Relations 103 601-612 Negotiations 1965 104 613-624 Negotiations 1967-1976 105 625-631 Negotiations 1977-1984 105 632 Tuperkizsis v. Cutlery 1970-1973 105 633-634 Unemployment Cases 1947-1950, 1966-1968 105 635 Union Communications 1972-1985 105 636 Union Grievances 1969-1985 Series 8. Production 106 637-641 Customer Job Specifications 1949-1976 106 642 Grinding Specifications n.d. 106 643-649 Job Specifications, R1F-R199F n.d. 107 650-657 Job Specifications, R202F-R341F n.d. 107 658 Steel Weights and Sizes n.d. 107 659 Weekly Production Schedules 1949-1950 108 660-665 Piece Rates 1966-1976 108 666-667 Process Sheets n.d. Series 9. Miscellaneous 109 668-670 Machinery Specifications n.d. 109 671 Plot Plan n.d. 109 672 Sewer Plan n.d. 109 673 Scrapbook 1960-1983 110 674-676 Photos and Samples circa 1900-1985 Series 1. Stockholders and Board of Directors 111 1 Annual Meeting--Agenda, Correspondence, Reports, etc. 1977-1986 111 2 Articles of Amendment 1966 111 3 Board of Directors, List of 1985, n.d. 111 4 Board of Directors--Meetings, Minutes, etc. 1965-1968 111 5 Board of Directors--Meetings, Minutes, etc. 1970-1979 111 6 Board of Directors--Meetings, Minutes, etc. 1980-1986 111 7 By-Laws and Amendments 1960 111 8 Company History 1974, n.d. 111 9 Company History--Newsclips 1978-1986, n.d. 111 10 Correspondence on Stock Certificates 1958, 1969-1970 111 11 Director's Correspondence, etc. 1969 111 12 Director's Meeting Agenda 1969 111 13 Director's Meeting Proxies 1949 111 14 Stockholders, List of n.d. 111 15 Stockholder's Meetings 1966 111 16 Stockholder's Meetings 1968 111 17 Stockholder's Meeting Agenda 1969 111 18 Stockholder's Meetings, Proxies and Votes 1969-1970 111 19 Stockholder's Meetings, Proxies and Votes 1971-1974 111 20 Stockholder's Meetings, Proxies and Votes 1975-1978 111 21 Stockholder's Meetings, Proxies and Votes 1979-1982 111 22 Stockholder's Meetings, Proxies and Votes 1982-1986 Series 2. Legal and Property 111 23 Appraisal--American Industries Appraisers 1981 111 24 Appraisal Report--Robert A. Borawski 1974 111 25 Appraised Valuation, Notice of 1978 111 26 Articles of Amendment for Adjusting Capitalization 1965 111 27 Attorney--Settlements, etc. 1986-1987 111 28 Automobile--Insurance, Invoice, etc. 1960 111 29 Contract Correspondence 1955 111 30 Contract, Machinery 1947 111 31 Foreclosure Deed 1951 111 32 Goodwin, Proctor & Hoar--Counselors at Law 1978 111 33 Insurance Policy, Hartford Steam Boiler 1985 111 34 Land Purchase from D.E. White 1969 111 35 Letterhead, Blank --- 111 36 Mortgage to Northampton Bank 1963 111 37 Notes (Loan Balances) 1975 111 38 Quitclaim Deed--Jona H. Lyman (1951 copy) 1871 111 39 Retired Loans 1958, 1963-1968 111 40 Safe Deposit Box 1986 111 41 Surrender of Lease 1951 111 42 Warranty Deed - Doris L. White 1969 111 43 Warranty Deed - Ellery C. Clapp 1950 111 44 Watrous, Jerome - Promissory Note and Corr. 1974-1984 Series 3. Executive Subseries A. Accounting 111 45 Annual Operating Statements 1969-1971 111 46 Annual Statistics of Manufacturers 1971-1979 111 47 Audit 1985-1986 111 48 Auditor's Report 1971 111 49 Balance Sheet 1974 111 50 Balance Sheet 1978 111 51 Bank Reconciliation 1985 111 52 Depreciation Schedule 1965-1976 111 53 Don and Bradstreet, Inc. 1986 111 54 Employer's Quarterly Report of Wages Paid 1986 111 55 Estimated Tax Rate 1968 111 56 Financial Statements 1982-1984 111 57 Income Statements, Estimated & Forecast 1967-1968 111 58 Job Insurance 1981-1985 111 59 Operating Results, Ten Years 1961-1971 111 60 Real Estate Taxes 1979-1982 111 61 Tax Declaration 1985 111 62 Tax Return--Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment 1981-1985 111 63 Tax Return - Employers Quarterly Federal 1983-1986 111 64 Tax Return - Massachusetts 1970-1981 111 65 Tax Return - Massachusetts 1982-1986 111 66 Tax Return - U.S. 1965 111 67 Tax Return - U.S. 1969-1981 111 68 Tax Return - U.S. 1982-1986 111 69 Tax Return - U.S. and Mass. 1986 111 70 Ten Year Record 1961-1971 112 71 Year End Audit 1975 112 72 Year End Audit 1976-1977 112 73 Year End Audit 1977 112 74 Year End Audit 1978 Subseries B. Surveys and Reports 112 75 Financial History and Current Projections 1977 Series 4. Financial 113 76 Cash Book (oversize) 1985-1986 112 77 Chart of Accounts 1986 112 78 Check Book 1958 112 79 Deposit Book 1958-1962 113 80 Expense Journal (oversize) 1985-1986 113 81 General Ledger (oversize) 1984 113 82 General Ledger (oversize) 1985-1986 112 83 Income Statement 1979 112 84 Income Statement 1975 112 85 Income Statement 1983 112 86 Income Statement 1985 112 87 Income Statement 1986 112 88 Inventory 1974 112 89 Inventory Valuation 1974 112 90 Monthly Journal Entries, Listing of 1986 113 91 Purchase Journal (oversize) 1985-1986 113 92 Purchases - Accounts Payable 1970-1986 112 93 Summary Inventory 1975-1976 112 94 Transactions 1985 112 95 Trial Balance 1967-1968 112 96 Trial Balance 1970 112 97/98 Trial Balance 1971 112 99 Trial Balance 1972 112 100 Trial Balance 1973 112 101 Trial Balance 1974 112 102 Trial Balance 1975 112 103 Trial Balance 1976 112 104 Trial Balance 1977 112 105 Trial Balance 1978 112 106 Trial Balance 1984 112 107 Trial Balance 1985 112 108 Trial Balance 1986 Series 5. Sales 112 109 Advertisement for Bottle Screw n.d. 112 110 Product Catalog n.d. 112 111 Product Catalog #404, #5-53n.d. 112 112 Product Catalog 1955, n.d. 112 113 Sales History 1961-1972 113 114 Sales Journal (oversize) 1970-1986 113 115 Sales Journal - Retail (oversize) 1986 112 116 (number not used) Series 6. Personnel Subseries A. Personnel - Employees 112 117 Position Offers--Chief Engineer 1964 Subseries B. Labor Accounts 112 118 Payroll Accounts 1963-1966 112 119 Payroll, Factory 1986 113 120 Payroll Register (oversize) 1983 113 121 Payroll Register (oversize) 1984 113 122 Payroll Register (oversize) 1985 113 123 Payroll Withholdings (oversize) 1985-1986 Series 7. Labor Relations 112 124 Agreement Between - N.C.C. & U.E. Local 259 1967 112 125 Agreement Between - N.C.C. & U.E. 1977, 1979 Series 8. Production 112 126 Invention Disclosure 1976 112 127 Product Cost 1974-1977