Roebling, Washington Augustus, 1837-1926. Search this
Collector:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Search this
Extent:
18.5 Cubic feet (62 boxes, 1 map-folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photograph albums
Specifications
Reports
Price lists
Photographs
Newsletters
Letterpress books
Correspondence
Blueprints
Ledgers (account books)
Genealogies
Notebooks
Patents
Date:
1836-1975
bulk 1930-1950
Summary:
Collection documents the work of the John A. Roebling's Sons Company, builders of bridges. The materials consist primarily of photograph albums documenting some of the bridges, tramways, ski lifts and chair lifts that Roebling's Sons Company was involved with. The documentation also includes specifications, patents, and reference materials about the engineering process of building bridges and bridges in general.
Scope and Contents:
The collection documents the work of the John A. Roebling's Sons Company, builders of bridges. The materials consist primarily of photograph albums documenting a variety of bridges, mostly in the United States. The documentation also includes specifications, patents, and reference materials about the engineering process of building bridges and bridges in general.
Series 1, Historical background materials, 1895-1958, is divided into two subseries: Subseries 1, John A. Roebling's and Sons Company materials, 1895-1949 and Subseries 2, Newsletters, 1929-1931.
Subseries 1, John A. Roebling's and Sons Company materials, 1895-1949, contains a variety of items related to the company such as historical narratives, correspondence, price lists, testing data, and a ledger with cost estimates. The correspondence is partially bound (pages 1 to 104) from a letter press book (handwritten and typescript) belonging to John A. Roebling's and Sons Company. William Hildebrand and Charles G. Roebling are the chief correspondents. The correspondence documents daily activities related to the design and erection of bridges as well as finances and supplies. Charles G. Roebling's notebook, undated, contains calculations and notes about various bridge projects.
Subseries 2, Newsletters, 1929-1931, contain copies of Blue Center and Wire Engineering, which were John A. Roebling's and Sons Company publications intended for employees. The newsletters were apparently used as scrapbooks, with black-and-white photographs pasted into the pages. Found among the pages of Blue Center are photographs of the Hudson River Bridge and in Wire Engineering, there are photographs of the Maysville, Kentucky Bridge.
Series 2, Photographs, 1926-1975, comprises the largest series in the collection. The photographs are primarily black-and-white and document aerial tramways, tramways for logging or mining, chair lifts, ski lifts, floods, and bridge construction projects. The latter makes up the majority. Most photographs were assembled into albums with corresponding captions and dates, and almost all of the photographs document bridges in the United States. There is one exception, the Yauricocha Tramway in Peru. In some instances, the captions are recorded on the back of the photographs, and others were recorded on album pages. The series is arranged alphabetically by name of bridge and/or project.
Series 3, Specifications, 1855-1962, consists of printed textual documents (both bound and loose) that contain information for bidders, proposals, contracts, and bonds, and the detailed specifications. This series is arranged alphabetically by bridge name.
Series 4, Reports, 1928-1938, contains bound reports (both progress and final) detailing problems, requirements, research, manufacture, plant installation, cable equipment, strand adjustments, and Roebling Company developments. This series is arranged alphabetically by bridge/and/or project.
Series 5, Patent materials, 1849-1952, consists of issued patents (to a variety of individuals) for cable and cable appliances, cables, and cable apparatus, cableways and tramways, and grips. The patents are arranged by subject area, then by patent number.
Series 6, Reference materials, 1836-1964, contains a wide range of materials—articles, biographical files, drawings, photographs, newspaper clippings, advertising, correspondence, notes—documenting all aspects of bridges. This series is arranged alphabetically by topic.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into six series.
Series 1, Historical background materials, 1895-1958, undated
Subseries 1, Biographical, 1900-1958, undated
Subseries 2, John A. Roebling's and Sons Company materials, 1895-1949
Subseries 3, Newsletters, 1929-1931
Series 2, Photographs, 1926-1975
Series 3, Specifications, 1855-1962
Series 4, Reports, 1928-1938
Series 5, Patent materials, 1849-1952
Series 6, Reference materials, 1836-1964
Biographical / Historical:
John Augustus Roebling (1806-1869) was the founder and proprietor of John A. Roebling's Sons Company. Born in Mühlhausen, Germany, he was a civil engineer famous for his wire rope suspension bridge designs, in particular, the design of the Brooklyn Bridge. Roebling married Johana Herting in 1836 and they had nine children: Washington A. Roebling (1837-1926); Laura R. Methfessel (1840-1873); Ferdinand W. Roebling (1842-1917); Elvira R. Stewart (1844-1871); Josephine R. Jarvis (b. 1847); Charles Gustavus Roebling (1849-1918); Edmund Roebling (1854-1930); William Roebling (b. 1856, d. 1860); and Hannah Roebling (died in infancy). Roebling's three sons, Washington Augustus Roebling; Ferdinand William Roebling and Charles Gustavus Roebling, worked for the company.
Roebling's Sons Company was active in the design and manufacture of wire rope used in the erection of suspension bridges since the 1840s. Roebling devised a system of spinning the wires together where weights and swivels turned the wire coils in the opposite direction from the twisting, thereby removing kinks. Method of and Machine for Manufacturing Wire Rope (US Patent # 2,720) issued on July 16, 1842. Roebling would adapt this wire rope to his suspension bridge principle. In 1848, he established a company—John Roebling's Sons Company—in Trenton, New Jersey, to manufacture his wire rope. Roebling manufacturing plants were sold in 1952 to the Colorado Fuel and Iron (CF&I) Company of Pueblo, Colorado. In 1968, the Crane Company purchased the CF& I.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center
George S. Morison Collection (AC0978)
Modjeski and Masters Company Records (AC0976)
Materials at Other Organizations
The Rutgers University, Special Collections and University Archives
Roebling family papers, cicra 1820s-1950s
Provenance:
This collection was donated by Blair Birdsall, former chief engineer at John A. Roebling's Sons Company in 1981.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Continental Div. ; Lincoln Motor Co. ; Lincoln Motor Car Div. ; Fordson Div. ; Mercury Div. ; Lincoln-Mercury Div. ; Henry Ford & Son, Inc. ; C.E. Johansson, Inc. ; Dearborn Village ; Ford Tractor Operations (Troy, MI) ; Ford Motor Co. Ltd. (Dagenham, Essex, United Kingdom) ; Upholstery Leather Group, Inc. (New York, NY) Search this
Notes content:
Ten envelopes OVERSIZE ; Organized by divisions and subject categories
Includes:
Trade catalog, price lists, manual, photographs and histories
4.82 Cubic feet (consisting of 10 boxes, 1 folder, 5 oversize folders, 2 map case folders, 1 flat box (partial).)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuals
Printed ephemera
Mail order catalogs
Manufacturers' catalogs
Trade cards
Printed material
Letterheads
Advertising fliers
Technical manuals
Advertising cards
Advertising mail
Publications
Sales catalogs
Trade catalogs
Illustrations
Sales letters
Correspondence
Advertisements
Trade literature
Commercial catalogs
Advertising
Sales records
Catalogs
Catalogues
Technical reports
Business letters
Business records
Ephemera
Invoices
Annual reports
Reports
Print advertising
Receipts
Business cards
Business ephemera
Date:
1803-1967
bulk 1830-1915
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Iron forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Subseries 1.1: Subject Categories. The Subject Categories subseries is divided into 470 subject categories based on those created by Mr. Warshaw. These subject categories include topical subjects, types or forms of material, people, organizations, historical events, and other categories. An overview to the entire Warshaw collection is available here: Warshaw Collection of Business Americana
Scope and Contents:
Iron and steel are companion industries so there is overlap in the products and goods manufactured and sold, which is evident in the documents. Iron was commonly used in construction as well as ornamental application in architecture and art, especially facades and sculptures, in addition to landscape and cemetery design, particularly in fencing. Some applications include bridges, concrete supports, joists, grating, casements, stairs, railings, trellises, doors, seats and other furniture, vases, vanes, shutters, posts, and fire escapes. Bar, plates, pig iron, cast iron, ore, and steel are commonly referred to in the collection materials. The emphasis is on products rather than production methods.
Materials represent a sampling of business records such as invoices, financial sheets, correspondence and a small number of advertising and promotional circulars. There are price sheets and a few product catalogs. Several company/foundry histories and prospectus documents are present. There is a large volume of import/export documents (European) present.
No extensive runs or complete records exist for any single company or brand, and no particular subtopic is represented in detail, although for any singular subtopic though some publications may provide general and historical overviews of a person, company, or facet of industry.
Arrangement:
The materials are arranged into three series.
Business Records and Marketing Materials
Genre
Subject
Forms Part Of:
Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.
Missing Title
Series 1: Business Ephemera
Series 2: Other Collection Divisions
Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers
Series 4: Photographic Reference Material
Provenance:
Iron is a portion of the Business Ephemera Series of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Accession AC0060, purchased from Isadore Warshaw in 1967. Warshaw continued to accumulate similar material until his death, which was donated in 1971 by his widow, Augusta. For a period after acquisition, related materials from other sources (of mixed provenance) were added to the collection so there may be content produced or published after Warshaw's death in 1969. This practice has since ceased.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Iron, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft ; Daimler-Benz, AG ; Daimler Mfg. Co. and Daimler Motor Co. (Long Island City, NY) ; Chrysler Corp.: Marine Div. ; Marine and Industrial Div. ; Industrial Products Div. ; Airtemp Div. ; Amplex Div. ; Amplex Mfg. Co. ; Export Div. ; Fargo Div. ; Automotive Sales Div. Chrysler Boat Corp. ; Chrysler Motors Corp. ; Chrysler Corp. ; Plymouth Motor Corp. (Div. of Chrysler Corp.) ; Chrysler Corp. of Canada, Ltd. - Dodge Div., De Soto Div. ; Amplex Mfg. Co. - Marine Engine Div. (Div. of Chrysler Corp.) ; Mopar ; Dodge Brothers ; Dana Corp., Salisbury Div. (Fort Wayne, IN) ; East Coast Vans, Inc. (distributor?) ; DaimlerChrysler AG ; Chrysler Canada Ltd. ; DaimlerChrysler Corp. ; See also American - La France, Freightliner ; Global Electric Motorcars Search this
Notes content:
Five envelopes OVERSIZE. Mercedes-Benz cars and motors (German language materials) ; trucks ; marine motors ; buses ; racing and touring cars ; automobiles ; operating cost per mile for O309D buses . "Forward" magazine of the Daimler-Chrysler museum includes family tree and chronology. Marine motors, launches, yachts, and automobiles. Boats ; automobiles - Dodge, LeBaron, Cordoba, New Yorker, Fifth Avenue, Grand Wagoneer, E Class, Mopar, Imperial ; engines ; "Oilite" powdered metal products ; air conditioners ; Airtemp room air conditioners ; air cooled condensers ; gravity coal-fired furnaces ; boilers ; refrigeration equipment ; "Peacetime Enterprise put to War Work" ; railroad freight trucks ; etc. Dodge: Shadow, Diplomat, Lancer, Charger, 600, 400, Daytona, Ramcharger, Mirada, Dakota, Aspen, Omni, Aries, St. Regis. Vans, wagons, trucks, pickups. Plymouth: Voyager, Arrow, Trailduster, Fury, Reliant, Champ, Sapporo, Gran Fury, Horizon, Turismo/Scamp, Volare, Horizon America, Caravelle, Gran Fury Salon, Sundance, Plymouth Six. Plymouth Comparative handbook of automobiles. Fargo trucks. Chrysler minivans ; "Chrysler Group Celebrates 20th Anniversary of the Minivan" 3-dimensional catalog in shape of minivan with accompanying small disc labeled "20th Anniversary of the Minivan Press Release & Photography" - UNIQUE.
Includes:
Trade catalog, price lists, manual, samples, photographs and histories
Black and white images
Color images
Types of samples:
Color swatches for interior and exterior finishes for automobiles .
Lead lined iron pipe, fittings, and valves ; tin lined iron pipe and fittings ; lead centrifugal acid pumps ; "Wakefield Amalgamated" products ; other lead or tin lined products
National Radiator Co. ; Continental Heater Corp. ; Utica Heater Co. ; Gurney Heater Mfg. Co. ; Niagara Radiator & Boiler Co. ; Union Radiator Co. ; National Air Conditioning Inc. ; National-U.S. Radiator Corp. ; Plastic Metals Search this
Notes content:
Some items very brittle, in need of special enclosures ; Radiators ; Boilers ; convectors ; air conditioners ; metal powders ; gray iron alloy condensing and cooling sections ; "Aerographic" issues ; "National Art" radiators
A worldwide multimarket company with many divisions organized into aerospace, consumer, industrial, metal product, and creative capital groups. Information on company's divisions and products. Ball bearings, ball bearing power transmission units, milling machines and attachments, drilling and boring equipment and attachments, grinding machines, tracing machines, numerical control systems for these machines, and accessories. Bostitch pneumatic staplers and nailers...this comprises the uncataloged portion.
Zinc base die castings ; power transmission equipment ; fruit juice extractors ; adjustable shop spotlights for office and factory ; pulleys ; couplings ; die cast hand wheels ; joints ; flanges ; miter gears ; hand wheels ; motor arbor attachments ; mandrels for farm, home, and factory ; etc.
Includes:
Trade catalog and price lists
Black and white images
Physical description:
11 pieces; 1 box
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Date:
1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Foods and beverage products and processing equipment (including brewing; distilleries; beer; wine; etc.) Search this
Keystone Saw, Tool, Steel and File Works ; Disston Co. (Danville, VA) Search this
Notes content:
Files and rifflers. Rasps ; saws ; tools ; knives ; steel and file works ; hand tools ; power tool accessories ; lawn and garden tools ; firewood and forestry tools ; chain saws ; tool boxes ; "The Saw in History" ; "The File in History" ; Disston Co. 150th Anniversary catalog...this comprises the uncataloged portion.
Includes:
Trade catalog, price lists, manual and histories
Black and white images
Color images
Physical description:
56 pieces; 5 boxes
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Date:
1800s
Topic (Romaine term):
Garden and lawn equipment and supplies Search this
High grade iron, Ni-resist, semi-steel, brass, bronze, aluminum and alloy castings, machine work, plating, porcelain enameling ; Sani food and drink equipment ; "Favorite" and "saniware" cookware and Sani electric hand driers ; stools and tables, employee lunch room tables with attached seats ; "Keep 'Em Flying, Keep 'Em Sailing, Keep 'Em Rolling, Keep 'Em Fed" catalog about their war efforts during WWII.
Columbia Motor Vehicle Co. (Boston, MA) ; Middleton Motor Car Co. (San Francisco, CA) ; Washington Electric Vehicle Transportation (Washington) Search this
Notes content:
Columbia electric commercial vehicles ; Columbia special chrome nickel steel ; Columbia electric carriages
Includes:
Trade catalog and price lists
Black and white images
Physical description:
5 pieces; 1 box
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Date:
1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Automobiles and automotive equipment (including trucks and buses) Search this
Iron and steel products (castings; sheet steel; steel wire; wire rope; pig iron and structural steel products ) Search this
water softening and purifying systems for household use, mining, textile manufacturing and railraods ; water filters ; iron removal filters ; swimming pool filtering and recirculating equpment ; range boilers and tanks ; steel structures ; gasoline storage tanks for motor boats ; gasoline storage outfits for private garages
Includes:
Trade catalog and price lists
Black and white images
Physical description:
68 pieces; 2 boxes
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Date range:
1800s-1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Boats and ships (including marine hardware and supplies) Search this
Business services (advertising; marketing; organizational management; etc.) Search this
Fuel (includes oil; petroleum; gas; coal; etc.) Search this
