Fairfield Business Papers
Ms B34

Summary Information

Repository
Fairfield Museum and History Center
Title
Fairfield Business Papers
ID
Ms B34
Date [inclusive]
1785-1994
Extent
0.5 Linear feet (1 Box)
Language
English
Abstract
This artificial collection is made up of items from various Fairfield businesses.

Preferred Citation note

Item, Collection Title, Collection number (Box #, Folder #). Fairfield Museum and History Center, Fairfield, Connecticut.

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Biographical/Historical note

This collection contains items from various Fairfield businesses starting in the late 1700's up through present day. Biographical information specific to some of the companies can be found further in the finding aid.

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Scope and Contents note

This is an artificial collection made up of small collections from various Fairfield businesses. The collection is arranged by company. Companies represented include the Fairfield Trust Company, Wolverine Motor Works, Fairfield Post Office, W. O. Burr Corporation, The Great A & P Company, McKesson & Robbins, the Fairfield Rubber Company, the Kennel Food Supply Company and others.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Fairfield Museum and History Center

370 Beach Rd.
Fairfield, CT
203-259-1598

Conditions Governing Access note

There are no restrictions on access to this collection.

Conditions Governing Use note

Use of the material requires compliance with the Fairfield Museum and History Center regulations.

Accruals note

Additional accruals are anticipated with the last addition being made in November 2011.

Processing Information note

This collection was processed by Martha Rockwell in September 1989 but has been added to over the years.

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • Andrew Tucker Studios (Fairfield, Conn.) .
  • Fairfield Philatelic Society (Fairfield, Conn.) .
  • Fairfield Post Office (Fairfield, Conn.) .
  • Fairfield Rubber Company (Fairfield, Conn.) .
  • Fairfield Trust Company (Fairfield, Conn.) .
  • Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company.
  • Howard Johnson Co..
  • J.M. Wilson & Bro. (Fairfield, Conn.) .
  • John E. Boyle (Fairfield, Conn.).
  • Kennel Food Supply Company.
  • McKesson and Robbins, inc. .
  • McKesson Corp. .
  • Mercurio (Fairfield, Conn.).
  • Pepperidge Farm, inc. .
  • Perry's Pharmacy (Fairfield, Conn.) .
  • W.O. Burr Corporation .
  • Wolverine Motor Works.

Personal Name(s)

  • Musica, Philip, 1884-1938

Subject(s)

  • Account books--Connecticut--Fairfield.
  • Advertising.
  • Business--United States.
  • Commercial catalogs.
  • Correspondence.
  • Fairfield--Burning by the British, 1779
  • Merchants
  • Postmasters
  • Price lists.
  • Stock certificates

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Collection Inventory

McKesson & Robbins 

Biographical/Historical note

McKesson & Robbins, established in 1833 in New York City, was a successful national pharmaceutical company. They were bought in 1924 and resold in 1926 retaining the original name. The new buyer, F. Donald Coster, also known as Philip Musica, moved the manufacturing department to Fairfield, CT into a former gas mask factory. Coster, accused of fraud, committed suicide in 1938. The company continued under new leadership until 1967 when it was again bought and called the McKesson Corporation. The Fairfield building was resold and razed in 1989. For more information, a copy of The Road to Market, 1833-1958 is available in the library (658.7 M156r). It chronicles the history of the company and the pharmaceutical industry.

 Folder A Miscellaneous items 1933 

Letter to Roclock Inc. Southport from F. Donald Coster 1933 

Photocopies of news articles about Frank Coster and the company 1956 

Photograph of factory circa 1940 

Enlarge copy of photograph of company baseball team poster 1932 

 Folder A1 Catalogues and books   5 items

McKesson & Robbins price list 1908 

Related Archival Materials note

A similar 1891 price list is available in the library (658.87 m156).

Custodial History note

Gift of Robert Ometer, 1973

McKesson & Robbins cost book n.d. 

General note

Accession number 87.July.4

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Fairfield Rubber Company 

 Folder B Insurance specifications 1889-1926 

General note

This was accession number L82.D.2

Biographical/Historical note

The Fairfield Rubber Company was later known as the I. E. DuPont De Nemours Company.

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The Kennel Food Supply Company 

Biographical/Historical note

The Kennel Food Supply Company was started in 1890 by Simon C. Bradley. It was located on Mill River below Sturgis Road Bridge. The plant was destroyed by fire in 1917 & rebuilt in the same year. The company was among the first to sell canned dog food. It was closed in 1959 and operations moved to Ohio.

 Folder C Miscellaneous items   5 items

List prices 1929 

Pamphlet 

Invoice 1927 

Blotter 

Envelope 1929 

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Miscellaneous businesses 

 Folder D Items 

John E. Boyle, druggist and chemist--calendar 1925 

Custodial History note

Donated by Richard Perry in 1945.

Howard Gray, antique building material dealer--letterhead, 

Howard Johnson's menu circa 1950 

Mercurio, food shop--advertisement circa 1933 

Pepperidge Farm--anniversary card 

Perry's Pharmacy--advertisement 

Andrew Tucker Studios--advertisement 

J. M. Wilson & Bro., dealers in ice and wood--blank bill 

C. O. Jelliff Mfg. Corp.--letter to Elizabeth Banks 1959 

Account book pages from unidentified Fairfield shop circa 1785   2 items

General note

Accession number L2006.25

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The Great A & P Company 

Biographical/Historical note

The A & P was located in Fairfield on the Post Road.

 Folder E Menus 1936-1937   3 items

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The W. O. Burr Corporation 

General note

Items in this series are from accession number L94March8.

 Folder F W. O. Burr Corporation Minute Book 1961-1982 

 Folder G Miscellaneous items 

Appraisal report of property 1973 

Map 1935 

Budget for beach property n.d. 

 Folder H Property appraisal by Scott, Fitton & Co. including 14 house listings and land maps 

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Fairfield Post Office 

 Folder I Miscellaneous items 

Photocopy of letter re: moving post office 1861 
Oversize

Postmaster's certificate of appointment 1892 

 Manuscript Drawer IX

Letter re: Greenfield Hill post office 1923 

Lists of postmasters in Fairfield County n.d. 

First day cover, 200th anniversary of the Burning of Fairfield, issued 1979 by the Fairfield Philatelic Society 

General note

This is from accession number L1999.18.

Inauguration program for new postmaster 1994 

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Wolverine Motor Works, Inc. 

 Folder J Stock certificate 1960 

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Fairfield Trust Company 

Biographical/Historical note

The Fairfield Trust Company opened for business May 20, 1920 in the former house of Dr. William Donaldson, located at the corner of Post Rd. and Old Post Rd. In 1927, on the same site, it built a new structure designed specifically as a bank. In 1937 the bank became a branch of the Bridgeport Trust Company.

Custodial History note

These materials were donated by the estate of Helen Dunbar Venman on September 28, 1998. She served as the bank's assistant treasurer.

Related Archival Materials note

This donation also included photographs of Dr. Donaldson's house on the Post Road which stood where the bank is now; these are filed under the street address in the photograph collection. Other materials related to the trust Company are located in the advertising collection.

 Folder K Miscellaneous items 

Quarterly statements 1932, 1936 

History brochure 1937 

Stockholders' letter 1937 

Blank letterhead 

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