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| COLLECTION INFORMATION | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|---|---|
Size:12 boxes, 14 ledgers (12 linear feet) Acquisition: Gift, 1987 Access: Open for research Processed by: Pam Palmer, 1989, Robert Sherer, 1992 |
H. C. (Hugh Clete) and R. L. (Robert Lee) Edwards ran sawmills in Marion and Arcadia, Louisiana, before they moved to Bastrop, Texas in 1928. In July, 1936 they organized the Edwards Brothers Lumber Company, purchased the land of the defunct New Birmingham Development Company near Rusk, Texas, and moved their sawmill operations there, soon becoming Cherokee County's largest lumber manufacturing company. R. L.'s son, Billie (Robert Lavalle), and the bookkeeper, C. F. Mehner, were active in the company as were Ada Jane Pace (Mrs. R. L.) Edwards who ran the commissary, her assistants (first, Rosalie Byrum Kitchens; then Kitchen's sister, Eula May Byrum Daniels), and J. C. Banks (assistant bookkeeper). Soon after the move to Rusk, R. L.'s older son, Arthur Nathan, returned to Bastrop where he ran a retail lumber store. R. L.'s daughter, Hazel Lee (Mrs. Henry Pinkney) Townsend of Bastrop, then Austin, Texas was never active in the company.
In addition to the sawmill, the company operated a commissary (which sold groceries, dry goods, work clothes, and gasoline), a school bus, and rental houses for the workers. Since it ran a store and a sawmill, the company bought goods from a wide variety of vendors. It sold its goods directly, through lumber agents, and through other companies, especially the W. H. Norris Lumber Company, with which it had a special relationship. The partners, especially R. L., held oil and gas leases in Louisiana, but these and other investments seemed to be individual ventures.
R. L.'s death in 1951 and H. C.'s serious illness from about then until his death in 1953 caused the company to close in 1952. In addition to several jobs, including running a service station and managing the E & E Ranch, Billie sold off the company's assets and kept its name active through the late 1950s.
The 14 ledgers and 12 boxes of Edwards Brothers Lumber Company Records contain correspondence, collective financial records (audits, ledgers and ledger sheets, price lists, inventories, tax bills and receipts), daily financial records (inspection reports, bills invoices, receipts), and legal documents of the Edwards Brothers Lumber Company (1936-52), records of the company's partners (Hugh Clete and Robert Lee Edwards), their and their wives' (Ada Jane Pace (Mrs. R. L.) and Dorothy "Dolly" May Davis (Mrs. H. C.) estate settlements, and records of R. L.'s son, Billie (Robert Lavelle) Edwards, and the E & E Ranch which he managed, 1928 (1948-52) 1967, arranged into four series--Company Correspondence, Company Financial Records, Employees' Records, and Family Financial Records--which are variously arranged as noted below.
Perhaps because the company was a small business operated by brothers, there are no records to indicate its internal organization and operation, except that R. L. seems to have been more active in its purely business activities. The records, however, do document the company's relations with employees, customers, suppliers, governmental bodies, and trade associations. The estate settlements and other records after 1953 show the dissolution of a partnership and the liquidation of a company's assets after the partners' deaths.
BOX 1-2: Audits and Correspondence, 1937 (1948-52) 1960
The company's audits, 1947-52, 1954, arranged chronologically, give a good overview of its operations during its last years. The correspondence, 1937 (1948-42) 1960, arranged alphabetically by correspondent (then chronologically) reveals the company's relations with the many groups with which it dealt from suppliers to customers. Governmental regulations during and after World War II, along with cooperative, industry-wide attempts to deal with them, are indicated in the folders of the Offices of Defense Transportation and Price Administration along with those of the Southern Pine Association and its War Committee. The extensive correspondence with the W. H. Norris Lumber Company (and comments about it in letters to other companies) shows the Edwards brothers' special ties with this company. Most of the groups of continuing correspondence concern legal matters. The bulk of this series deals with individual, day-to-day business transactions
BOX 3-10, 8 ledgers and 1 Day Book: Financial Records, 1928 (1948-52) 1963
While bookkeeper, C. F. Mehner, kept ledgers and bound records in chronological
order, he put individual items, e.g. Lumber Sales Invoices, that accumulated,
in reverse chronological order until the company closed in 1952. Thereafter,
Billie arranged all items in straight chronological order.
This series, by far the largest in the record group, is arranged into
four sub-series--
1. Records of the company's general activities (ledgers, day books, ledger
sheets, price lists, inventories) arranged chronologically (reverse chronology
within most folders) except that the Accounts Ledger Sheets are arranged
in a reverse alphabet (as Mehner had them);
2. Specific records of the company's main activity, Lumber Sales Invoices,
are arranged chronologically (reverse chronology within each folder) except
that the groups for specific, named customers are arranged in reverse
chronological order;
3. The largest sub-series (bills, invoices, receipts, reports) is arranged
alphabetically by the company with whom Edwards Brothers did business,
then chronologically if a company or letter had more than one folder,
and in reverse chronology within each folder;
4. Legal Documents, almost entirely timber leases, are arranged chronologically.
While sub-series 1, 2, and 4 need to remain in their present forms to
give a good coverage of the company's activities, sub-series 3 might be
reduced someday by sampling; although it does contain useful materials
such as business cards, Dunn & Bradstreet Reports on Texas companies,
reports of inspections of the company's lumber and its steam boiler, and
records of its log and timber estimates and purchases, school bus, Social
Security requirements, and taxes.
BOX 11, 3 Ledgers and 1 Day book: Employees' Records, 1936 (1947-52) 1956
Edwards Brothers kept extensive records on employees as individuals and as a group. These records ranged from detailed payroll lists, through unemployment compensation and injury claims, separation notices, time sheets, physical examination forms, bad debt cards, withholding certificates, group insurance enrollment and record cards, and house rental records, to stamped notices which, temporarily, had to be put on sales invoices to inform the buyer that the company did not pay minimum wages. Almost all of these records are arranged alphabetically except the unemployment claims filed with the Texas Employment Commission.
BOX 12, 1 Ledger: Family Financial Records, 1946 (1948-53) 1967
Family Financial Records are arranged alphabetically by name of the Edwards brothers or of R. L.'s children, then chronologically within each of those categories. Only 3-4 folders of this material is about H. C., the rest is on R. L. and his children, especially Billy and the E & E Ranch which he began about the time of the Edwards Brothers closing, possibly with his share of the inheritance. While this material documents possibly typical events after a company's closing, very little deals directly with the Company, itself.
[Forest History--Edwards Brothers Lumber Company]
BOX 1: Audits and Correspondence, A-Mc
1. Audits, 1947-52, 1954
Correspondence:
2. A, 1940, 1945-46
3. American Lumberman, 1943-44
4. B, 1944-46
5. B, 1947-48
6. B, 1949-53, 1956
7. C, 1942, 1944-46
8. C, 1947
9. C, 1948
10. C, 1949-53, 1956
11. County Clerks, 1942-52
12. D, 1944-53
13. E, 1944-53
14. John Edwards, 1954-56
15. H. C. (Hugh Clete) Edwards, 1942, 1944-49
16. R. L. (Robert Lee) Edwards, 1943-53
17. R. L. (Robert Lee) Edwards: Ouachita National Bank, 1943-60
18. F, 1937-41, 1944-54
19. G, 1944-48
20. H, 1940-48
21. H, 1949-50
22. H, 1951-56
23. I, 1950, 1952
24. J, 1943-53
25. K, 1939,1941,1944-52, 1955
26. L, 1942-53, 1955, 1957-58
27. M, 1937-39, 1941, 1943-47
28. M, 1948-56
29. Mc,1946
BOX 2: Correspondence, N-Y
1. N, 1945-53
2. W. H. Norris Lumber Company, 1942-45
3. W. H. Norris Lumber Company, 1946-48
4. W. H. Norris Lumber Company, 1949-52
5. O, 1944-51, 1953
6. Office of Defense Transportation, 1945
7. Office of Price Administration, 1945-46
8. P, 1938-42, 1944-49
9. P, 1949-52, 1955
10. Provident Life Insurance Company, 1945-49, 1951-52
11. Q, 1949, 1951
12. R, 1945-53, 1960
13. James A. Riley, 1941
14. Rusk Presbyterian Church, 1954-55
15. S, 1940, 1943-48
16. S, 1949-51
17. S, 1952-53
18. Southern Pine Association, 1946-52
19. Southern Pine War Committee, 1942-45
20. T, 1940-42, 1947-52, 1955-56
21. Texas Manufacturers Association, 1944, 1946-48
22. U, 1945-47
23. V, 1944-51
24. W, 1943-53
25. Y, 1942-43, 1945-53
26. National American Wholesale Lumber Association, Membership Directory
1956-57
27 Maps: Hardin and Marion Counties
28. Appointment Book, 1952
BOX 3: Financial Records: Ledger Sheets, 1934 - Lumber Sales Invoices, 1951
1. Ledger Sheets: Accounts, A-F, 1934-53
2. Ledger Sheets: Accounts, G-Q, 1934-53
3. Ledger Sheets: Accounts, R-Z, 1934-53
4. Accounts Receivable, 1938-58
5. Ledger Sheets: Accounts, Special Funds, 1948-57
6. Inventories: Lumber Yard, 1948, 1950-52
7. Inventories: Store, 1950-52
8. Store Price Lists, 1950-51
Lumber Sales Invoices:
9. 1946-51
10. 1951, January
11. 1951, February
12. 1951, March
13. 1951, April
14. 1951, May
15. 1951, June
16. 1951, July
17. 1951, August
18. 1951, September
BOX 4: Financial Records: Lumber Sales Invoices (cont.)
1. 1951, October
2. 1951, November
3. 1951, December
4. 1952, January
5. 1952, February
6. 1952, March
7. 1952, April
8. 1952, May
9. 1952, June
10. 1952, July
11. 1952, August
12. 1952, September
13. 1952, October
14. 1952, November
15. 1952, December
16. 1953, January-May
17. James O'Byrne, 1951-52 [Names are in original order.]
18. James O'Byrne, 1951, January-April
19. James O'Byrne, 1951, April-August
20. James O'Byrne, 1951, August-November
21. James O'Byrne, 1951, 1950, October-December
22. Doyle Bagley, 1950, September
23. K. M. Posey, 1950, July-August
24. C. P. Grounds, 1950, July-November
BOX 5: Financial, Employee, and Family Financial Records, 1935-61
Financial Records:
1. Ledger Balance Sheets, 1935-42
2. Ledger Balance Sheets, 1944-52
3. Ledger Balance Sheets, 1951-61
4. Lumber Price Lists, 1938-51
5. Statements, 1938-41
6. Check Stubs, 1940-51
7. Ledger Sheets: Lumber Sales, 1940-43
8. Ledger Sheets: Timber Owner's Accounts, 1946-47
9. Ledger Book: Timber Payments, 1947-51
10. Ledger Sheets: Food, 1952
11. Ledger Sheets: Liquidation of the Company, 1952
Employees' Records:
12. Ledger Payroll Sheets, 1937-43
Family Financial Records:
13. H. C. and R. L. Edwards' Estates, Oil and Gas Leases, 1937, 1954,1960,
1964
14. H. C. Edwards, 1947, 1951, 1953
15. R. L. Edwards, Oil and Gas Leases, 1944-58
16. E & E Ranch Ledger Sheets: Accounts, 1953-59, 1961
17. Family Legal Documents: Ada Jane Pace Edwards' Estate, 1948
18. Family Legal Documents: Arthur Edwards, 1956
19. Family Legal Documents: Dolly Edwards, 1942, 1964-65
BOX 6: Financial Records: Business Cards-G, 1938 (1946-53) 1959
1. Business Cards (approximately 400)
2. A, 1947-53 1955, 1957-59
3. Armour & Company, 1951-53
4. B-1, 1948-49
5. B-2, 1948-56
6. L. R. Barron Co., 1948-52
7. Browning-Ferris Machine Co., 1944-50
8. C-1, 1946-50
9. C-2, 1948-50
10. C-3, 1951-54
11. Conningham Machinery Corp., 1947-50
12. D-1, 1948-49
13. D-2, 1949-52
14. Dunn & Bradstreet Reports, 1947-52
15. E, 1939-53
16. R. L. Edwards: Mineral Deeds, 1938-44
17. R. L. Edwards: Mineral Deeds, 1948-49
18. F, 1938, 1948-54
19. G-1, 1942, 1946-49
20. G-2, 1950-55
BOX 7: Financial Records: H-M, 1945-58
1. H-1, 1945-58
2. H-2, 1945-58
3. H-3, 1948-49
4. Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection Reports, 1938-48, 1950-52
5. E. B. Hayes, 1948-52
6. Higginbotham-Bailey, 1948-49
7. Higginbotham-Bailey, 1950-57
8. I, 1946-52, 1959
9. Insurance Policies, 1948, 1958-66
10. J, 1946-52
11. Jacksonville Grocery & Produce Co., 1949-52
12. K, 1948-52
13. L-1, 1946-56
14. L-2, 1948-50
15. Log Tally Book, 1951
16. Lufkin Foundry and Machine Co., 1947-49
17. Lufkin Foundry and Machine Co., 1950-57
18. M, 1947-53
BOX 8: Financial Records: C. F. Mehner-Swift & Co., 1941 (1948-52) 1958
1. C. F. Mehner, Appointment Books, 1945-47, 1950, 1952
2. C. F. Mehner, Notary Public Book, 1941-53
3. N, 1945-55
4. W. C. Nabors Co., 1945-52
5. Names and addresses, undated
6. O, 1944, 1946-47, 1949-53
7. P, 1948-53
8. Planer, 1951
9. Q, 1948
10. R-1, 1946-53
11. R-2, 1948-50
12. R-3, 1950-53
13. S-1, 1945-52
14. S-2, 1948
15. S-3, 1949
16. S-4, 1950-58
17. School Bus, 1941-48
18. Social Security, 1944-48, 1953
19. Southern Pine Inspection Bureau Reports, 1945-52
20. Southern Pine Inspection Bureau Reports, 1948-50
21. Steadley-Herring Dry Goods Co., 1950-51
22. Swift & Co., 1950-52
BOX 9: Financial Records: T-Z, 1937 (1948-52) 1963
1. T-1, 1945-55
2. T-2, 1948-49
3. Taxes-1, 1940-53, 1959, 1963
4. Taxes-2, 1940-53, 1959, 1963
5. Tax Receipts, 1938, 1940, 1944-52
6. Tax Receipts, 1953-63
7. Taxes, R. L. Edwards, 1947
8. Texas Company, 1945-50
9. Texas Company, 1951-52, 1956
10. Texas Employers Insurance Association, 1943-51
11. Timber Estimates-1, 1935, 1946-51
12. Timber Estimates-2, 1946-51
13. Timber Estimate Books, 1941-46
14. Timber Purchases, 1936
15. Tyler Machinery Co., 1947-52
16. U, 1946-47, 1949
17. Utilities-1, 1948-52
18. Utilities-2, 1951-54
19. V, 1944-52
20. W, 1946-48
21. W, 1949
22. W, 1950-52
23. Watchman's Record, 1951-52
24. Yates-American Machine Co., 1937-51
25. Z, 1950
BOX 10: Financial Records: Legal Documents, 1936-55
1. Release of Judgment, 1937
2. Removal of Legal Disability as a Minor, 1942
Timber Leases:
3. 1936
4. 1937
5. 1938
6. 1939
7. 1940 (Folder 1)
8. 1940 (Folder 2)
9. 1941 (Folder 1)
10. 1941 (Folder 2)
11. 1942
12. 1943
13. 1944-46
14. 1946 vs. T. A. Sherman
15. 1947-49
16. 1950-52
17. 1950-55: Forest Grogan
BOX 11: Employees' Records, 1941 (1947-52) 1956
1. House Rental Cards, 1944-51
2. Withholding Exemption Certificates, 1945-51
3. Group Insurance Records Cards, 1947-51
4. Bad Debts Charged Off Cards, 1948-51
T. H. Mastin & Co. (workmen's insurance):
5. 1941, 1944-46
6. 1947
7. 1948
8. 1949
9. 1950
10. 1951
11. Physical Examinations, 1951
Texas Employment Commission Claims (Texas Unemployment Compensation
Commission to 1947):
12. 1941-42, 1945-48
13. 1949-51
14. 1952-56
Texas Employment Commission: Separation Notices, 1948-52
15. A-G
16. H-R
17. S-Y
18. Time Sheets, 1952, January-March
19. Time Sheets, 1952, April-June
20. Time Sheets, 1952, July-December
BOX 12: Family Financial Records, 1946 (1948-53) 1967
1. H. C. Edwards' Estate, 1950, 1952-54
2. H. C. Edwards, undated
3. R. L. Edwards, 1946, 1948, 1955-56
4. R. L. Edwards, 1948-50
5. R. L. Edwards' Estate, 1948-53
6. R. L. Edwards' Estate, 1951
7. R. L. Edwards' Estate, 1953
8. R. L. Edwards' Estate, 1956-61
R. L. Edwards' Children
9. Arthur Edwards (Bastrop), 1933-36
10. Billie (Robert Lavelle) Edwards (Rusk), 1942-61
11. Billie (Robert Lavelle) Edwards (Rusk), 1958-59, 1966-67
12. E & E Ranch (managed by Billie), 1953-56, A-D
13. E & E Ranch (managed by Billie), 1953-56, E-J
14. E & E Ranch (managed by Billie), 1953-56, K-Z
15. E & E Ranch (managed by Billie), 1950-58
16. E & E Ranch (managed by Billie), 1959-61
17. Hazel Edwards Townsend (Austin), 1964
LEDGERS
Financial Records
Ledger # 1 All Accounts, 1928-32
Ledger # 2 All Accounts, 1928-52
Ledger # 3 Bills Payable, 1928-37
Day Book # 4 Bills and Invoices, 1938 (1950) 1952
Ledger # 5 Life Insurance Company Payments, 1939-42
Ledger # 6 All Accounts, 1950-51
Ledger # 7 All Accounts, 1951-52
Ledger # 8 All Accounts, 1952-56
Ledger # 9 Logging by Tracts, 1950-61
Employee's Record
Ledger # 10 Payroll, 1936-47, 1950-51
Day Book # 11 Payroll, 1943-48
Ledger # 12 Payroll, 1946-52
Ledger # 13 Payroll, 1952-53
Family Financial Records: E & E Ranch
Ledger # 14 All Accounts, 1952-61
Last Revised:
