1900 Business Advertisements

RECORD OF CORPORATIONS/ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT
1838-present

INTRODUCTION

The Record of Corporations or Articles of Agreement consist of eight (8) bound volumes that begin in 1838 and end in 1971.  Subsequent agreements are recorded on single sheets of paper that are stored in archival boxes and binders.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

Recording the creation of corporations and businesses is one of the responsibilities of the Office of the City Clerk.  The Town Clerk of Manchester also had this responsibility, and Volume I begins with the List of Stockholders of the Stark Mills in 1838. 

The number of shares owned by an individual, and the value of those shares was listed. Entries note when capitol stock was added or when an enterprise was sold.  If a business was a partnership, the list of partners was given. Companies could have numerous entries in one volume as the names of the stockholders changed.  Many women did own stock in the large manufacturing enterprises.

Smaller enterprises and partnerships are also recorded in the Record of Corporations volumes. Types of businesses included grocery and furniture stores, bakeries, printing presses, fancy goods (created in the home), and the manufacture of machine needles.

VOLUME I, 1838-1855 (with index)

The majority of the 1838 Stark Mills’ stockholders were from Boston.  On the list are the names of Francis C. Lowell, William Appleton and members of the Amory family.  D.L. Pickman of Salem, NH and Samuel Bell of Chester, NH are the only stockholders from New Hampshire.  The 1843 listing of stockholders is more diversified.  The majority of the stockholders still lived in Massachusetts but now the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company is listed as a stockholder along John A. Burnham of Manchester.  There were a total of 750 shares held with a value of $750,000. 

The Amoskeag Falls Bridge Corporation was established on January 3, 1842 and was totally owned by individuals living in Manchester and Goffstown.  Among the stockholders were prominent Manchester residents Samuel Bell, Hiram Brown, Andrew and David Bunton, Gilman Riddle, Isaac Flanders and John Burnham. 

Manchester Mills was organized on March 23, 1844.  There are two Manchester stockholders:  William A. Burke and Robert Reed. 

The Manchester Bank was organized for business on September 2, 1845 and among the stockholders were three women – Aurore Tilton who owned two shares and Mary H. Bell and Elizabeth Nichols of Litchfield, NH who each owned one share.  An individual share was worth $500. 

Other corporations that are listed in Volume I are:  Manchester Gas Company; Manchester and Lawrence Railroad; Manchester Print Works; Manchester Iron Company; Blodget Paper Company; Merrimack Mills; Amoskeag Bank; New Hampshire Central Railroad Company and the Manchester Gas Light Company.

VOLUME II, 1856-1874 (with index)

Corporations that are listed in Volume II are Blodget Edge Tool Company; City Bank; Derry Mills; Langdon Manufacturing Company; Merrimack River Bank; Manchester Locomotive Works; Manchester Shoe and Leather Company and the Suncook Valley Railroad.

As the years passed, Manchester corporations became more diversified in terms of ownership.  The banks, in particular, indicate widespread ownership by New Hampshire residents.  The Merrimack River Bank, which was created in 1855, lists individuals from Grafton, Derry, Concord, Bedford, New Boston and Pittsfield. 
 

VOLUME III, 1875-1893 (with index)

Volume III begins with the definition of “Articles of Agreement” for the Langdon Manufacturing Company in 1875.  Article I states that the corporation must be established in order to purchase or sell general merchandise in Manchester. Capitol stock was to be worth $2,000 divided into four hundred shares, each worth $5.00 each.  The Board of Directors consisted of five stockholders and all Board meetings were to take place in Manchester. The majority of the stockholders lived in Manchester. 

There are also Articles of Agreement for Manchester Steam Heating Company, the Union Publishing Company, the Manchester Opera House Association, the Evans Artificial Leather Company, Granite State Telephone Company, Electric Power and Motor Company of New England.

The Idaho Mining and Development Company’s purpose was to purchase, hold, improve and develop any mines, mining claims, quartz, gravel and lands situated in the Territory of Idaho.  But their office and principal place of business was to be in Manchester.  Shareholders in the 1883 enterprise included Lorenzo Burge, H.C. Baker, George F. Baker, D.G. Currier and Louis K. Adams. 

The Locke Cattle Company was established to raise stock in Kansas.

The Florida Investment Company was created to deal in securities and real estate, to negotiate loans, to borrow and loan money and to transact all business in any state of the United States.  The principals in this company were J.W. Fellows, Frank H. Davis, R.M. Mitchell, Bayard C. Ryder, J.G. Dearborn, A. Elliott, Charles K. Hill and A.D. Abbott. 

The Manchester Driving Park Company was established in 1882.  Its purpose was to establish suitable grounds for a fairground and trotting park.  Stockholders included James A. Weston, George W. Riddle, A.D. Gooden, Frank P. Carpenter, Moody Currier, Nathan Kidder and L.B. Bodwell.  There were a total of 63 stockholders. 
 

VOLUME IV 1889-1906 (with index)

There are many mercantile agreements in this volume.  In March of 1890, there is a partnership agreement between Abram Higgins and Rose Ann Higgins to manufacture, sell and repair leather belting.  Mr. Higgins paid $300 and Rose Ann Higgins paid $900 to begin the enterprise.  The terms of the agreement stipulated that he could not settle or release any debt without her written consent. 

Charles Guillette and J.R. LaFlamme signed a partnership agreement on October 23,1893 to sell blood pudding. 

Other types of businesses and their partnerships included:

•  Lewis and John Adams:  blacksmithing, May 2, 1891
•  Daniel McAuliffe and Benjamin Charnley:  Chimney plasters, July 8, 1891
•  Mary Gauthier and Mary Rivard:  fancy goods and ladies hats, October 28, 1891
•  G.W. Pierce and Bertie Smith:  selling boots, shoes and rubbers, May 4, 1892
•  G.A. Demers and Alphonse Remillard:  Bakery business on the Sullivan-Sheehan
   land, (Amory Street), Sept. 6, 1893    
•  Merecie Girardin, Oliver Archambeault and J.B. Archambeault:  millinery
   and fancy   goods business called “The Beaver Store”, February 3, 1895

VOLUME V April 1906-1932 (with index)

Edwin A. Stratton and H. Pearl Rollins formed a partnership on June 7, 1906 under the name of the E. Stratton Company.  Their business was buying and selling stationery, books, jewelry, pictures, watches, clocks, office supplies and bric a brac.

On May 9, 1907, Albert and Carrie Wells formed a partnership to sell cigars. Each individual had an equal number of shares.  Either party could terminate the partnership by giving the other partner thirty days notice in writing.

The White Way Airdrome Company, located at 86 Hanover Street, was dissolved on May 8th, 1912 by partners George G.P. Dickinson, Charles F. Nettleton and William H. Irvine.  The purpose of the company had been to conduct out-door theatre and amusements.

A partnership between Edward A Lomer and Charles H. Dors was set up on August 10, 1912.  Their business was the buying, selling and repairing of rubber tires.
 

VOLUME VI 1950-1959 (no index)

The partnership agreements in this volume are typewritten, photostat copies. 

On May 26, 1950, the Pan-Thessalian Society, “Thessalia”, was formed to assist and prepare its membership for United States citizenship. 

The Articles of Agreement of the Missionary Rosebushes of Saint Therese were signed by Bishop Matthew F. Brady and others on April 23, 1949. Their goal was to help educate native seminarians for the priesthood in foreign missions.

On November 8, 1950, the Justice Club changed its name to the Riviera Club.

The Queen City Casting Club, located on Smyth Road in Hooksett, was formed to protect and propagate fish and to disseminate knowledge of angling on April 18, 1954.

Articles of Agreement for the Spiritual Temple of Truth and Inspiration were signed on January 22, 1953.  The organization was located at 16 Parker Street, and their goals were to preach and teach the science and philosophy of spiritualism. 

The Goffe’s Falls Civic Association was formed in 1957 to promote the civic betterment of school, public health and community recreation in Goffe’s Falls.
 

VOLUME VII 1960-September 1968 (no index)

Interesting facts included in this volume are:

• In 1960, the Carpenter Hotel was called the Carpenter Motor Hotel.
• The Adath Yeshurun Brotherhood was formed in 1960.  The goal was to stimulate Jewish religious activities.  
• The McIninch Foundation was founded on September 26, 1961.  The foundation was established to furnish financial assistance to worthy charitable, educational, religious and scientific organizations.
• The Derryfield School was incorporated on July 27, 1964.
• Mary Sidore, Gene Sidore, Rabbi Samuel Umen, Albert Alter and Sara Mae
  Berman created the Saul O. Sidore Memorial Foundation in 1964.  The goal of the foundation was to engage in charitable, religious, educational and social purposes.
• The Hundred Club of N.H. Inc. was founded by Morris Silver, Henry Pariseau, William Loeb, Bernard J. McQuade, Charles S. Nims, Thomas A. Kelley and Henry R. Silver in 1966 to aid widows and dependents of policemen, firemen and conservation officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
       

VOLUME VIII, September 26, 1968-August 3, 1971 (no index)

Educational organizations, religious entities, professional associations and special interests groups filed articles of agreement with the State of New Hampshire.
 
They include the following:

• The Ft. William Endowment for Behavioral Research and Education, 1968
• Manchester Association of Retired Municipal Employees Incorporated, 1969
• 1969 Veterans of World War I Convention Corporation
• Brotherhood Society of Saints Peter and  Paul Russian Orthodox Church, 1969
• Latin American Club, 1970
• Hellenic Athletic Association, 1971

ADMINSITRATIVE INFORMATION
 
The collection was processed and described by Sally Fellows.

ACCESS

The records are open for research without restrictions under the conditions ofthe Manchester City Archives’ access policy.  Records may be copied for use in administrative, scholarly or personal research.  Researchers are responsible for obtaining copyright permission to the use material from the archivist.

CITATION

Records of Corporations/Articles of Agreement, City of Manchester, New Hampshire.
Accession 2008.2

1920 Business Advertisements