Guide to the Pennsylvania Salt Company Records 1857-1859

Repository
Heinz History Center
Title
Pennsylvania Salt Company Records
Creator
Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company.
Collection Number
MSS 901
Extent
0.75 linear feet (2 boxes)
Date
1857-1859
Abstract
The Pennsylvania Salt Company Records contain correspondence from clients to treasurer George Thompson. The company manufactured industrial chemicals in beginning in the 1850s. The letters are dated from 1857-1859 and pertain to orders from clients, and include information about the price of salt cakes and casks of caustic soda.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
The guide to this collection was written by Gloria Hendrickson.
Sponsor
This collection has been made accessible as part of an NHPRC-funded Basic Processing grant.
Publisher
Heinz History Center
Address
1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org

History

The Pennsylvania Salt Company was located in East Tarentum, Pennsylvania, and manufactured industrial chemicals. It was chartered on September 1, 1850 as a salt works because there was no provision at the time for chartering a chemical company. The company produced a variety of materials, namely caustic soda, and shipped to companies in Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky. Several clients were soap and candle producers, including Hollidays Soap and Candle and A.G. Cheever Company. George Thompson was treasurer to the Pennsylvania Salt Company and was in charge of orders, managing bank balances and corresponding to various clients.

Scope and Content Notes

The Pennsylvania Salt Company Records contain correspondence from clients to treasurer George Thompson. The collection contains general written correspondence to the company between 1857 and 1859 and pertain to orders from clients, payment details, and pricing information for the material, such as casks of caustic soda and salt cakes.

Conditions Governing Access

None

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchase from Arney Spandle in 2003.

Archives accession # 2003.0057

Preferred Citation

Pennsylvania Salt Company Records, 1857-1859, MSS 901 , Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Gloria Hendrickson on 01/16/13.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company.

    Personal Names

    • Thompson, George.

    Geographic Names

    • East Tarentum (Pa.)

    Other Subjects

    • Chemical industry--Pennsylvania--Allegheny County.

Container List