Collections : [Connecticut Museum of Culture and History]

Order books, sales records, payroll, scrapbook, correspondence, invoices, advertisements, and photographs of a Hartford, Connecticut bookbindery, founded by Fred Otto Becher. Later partner was Emil Eitel .

This collection was initially divided into four categories: correspondence, financial papers, stock papers and documents pertaining to the sale of the company to the American Bridge Company. Those four categories have, for the most part, been retained. The bulk of the collection covers the period roughly between 1892 and 1902. The handful of earlier documents, having to do with the Corrugated Metal Company, date back to 1878 and there are also some documents from the period 1903-1905. Some entries in the stock ledger are from 1871.

John Bolles received letters from his brother Nathan, a Baptist deacon who lived in West Springfield, Mass., between 1792 and 1794. The bulk of their correspondence dealt with their feelings of unworthiness before God, the importance of conversion, and their respective states of mind. Nathan evidently traded with John as he mentions purchasing rye, corn and peas for John and needing tea, molasses and rum in return. Letters from John Rathburn in New York City, 1794-1795, deal exclusively with trade, primarily about the markets for salt, flaxseed and beef. John Bolles received letters from his brother Nathan, a Baptist deacon who lived in West Springfield, Mass., between 1792 and 1794. The bulk of their correspondence dealt with their feelings of unworthiness before God, the importance of conversion, and their respective states of mind. Nathan evidently traded with John as he mentions purchasing rye, corn and peas for John and needing tea, molasses and rum in return. Letters from John Rathburn in New York City, 1794-1795, deal exclusively with trade, primarily about the markets for salt, flaxseed and beef.

To the extent possible, the papers in this collection are organized by family group. For example, Abraham had son Daniel, who had sons Stephen and Daniel, so Abraham’s papers are first, followed by those of his sons.

The donor originally arranged the collection by type of document. They are now arranged by generation and then by family. For example, William Brainard, the son of Stephen comes after his father and his older brother Stephen. William’s children and then grandchildren follow.

The collection contains thirteen folders, each with letters written to or received by: Jerusha (Brooks) Brainard (ca. 1781-1852), Messrs. Brainard, Woodruff & Company (ca. 1833-1834), Cornelius Brainard business correspondence, Cornelius Brainard personal correspondence, an expenditures book owned by Cornelius Brainard, William Brainard correspondence, Abraham Brainard correspondence, letters belonging to other area manufacturers and persons (the carriage-makers Barnes and Darrow Co. of Bristol, Messrs. Brewster and Ingraham of Bristol and a personal letter from a Brainard L. Peck to Mr. Austin Case of Hamburg, South Carolina), Celestia Jerome (Lettie) Brainard correspondence, Kate Amelia Brainard correspondence, Morgan Bulkeley Brainard correspondence, Newton Case Brainard correspondence, Florence Maynard correspondence and fragmentary letters or letters with unknown authors.

The collection of more than 360 items includes the account book of George S. Smith; individual bills and receipts; correspondence; legal papers; and other material formerly in the possession of George S. Brainerd (GSB).

The collection was initially processed by Ruth Blair and re-processed in 2005 to provide improved storage conditions. The records remain in the order originally processed.

The collection consists of tax records, business correspondence, minutes of various meetings, financial statements, and other reports. Of the twelve boxes, three contain general ledgers of assets, liabities, and revenues. The collection also contains a picture file of the Broad Brook Company and the surrounding area. Finally, the collection contains phonograph albums of radio broadcasts.

The Bronson and Munsill family papers contain correspondence and papers relating to most of the people named above. The folders have been organized by person in chronological order. They contain mostly letters received and written, though there are miscellaneous deeds, receipts, and a lock of hair.