Repository

ULS Archives & Special Collections

Title

James Bonar Papers

Creator

Bonar, James

Collection Number

AIS.1965.13

Extent

0.31 Linear Feet (42 pieces, 1 folder, 2 scrapbooks)

Date

1886-1924

Abstract

James Bonar was a late nineteenth and early twentieth century Pittsburgh businessman born in Dunfermline, Scotland, the birthplace of Andrew Carnegie. Bonar migrated to the United States where he was employed for a time by the Carnegie Steel Co. and later formed his own steam appliance company. Bonar was also an artist and served for a number of years as president of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh. This collection contains correspondence, scrapbooks, and photographs. Included in the correspondence are several letters to and from Andrew Carnegie and one from H.C. Frick.

Language

English .

Author

Archives Service Center Staff. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process on June 21, 2000.

Publisher

ULS Archives & Special Collections

Address

University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Biography

James Bonar was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, the birthplace of Andrew Carnegie, and was educated in London, England. Bonar came to the United States in 1884 and was employed in the machine shop of the Carnegie Steel Company for twelve years. When the Pittsburgh Gage and Supply Company was organized in 1893, Bonar, along with William Rogers, was a principal organizer and was selected to act as secretary of the company.

Several years later, Bonar organized the firm of James Bonar and Company for the handling of all kinds of steam appliances and conducted this business for fifteen years. After the outbreak of World War I, he was made superintendent of expediting with the U.S. Steel Corporation. In 1919, Bonar was selected as Superintendent of Buildings by the Pittsburgh Board of Public Education.

James Bonar was also an artist and served for many years as President of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh. His paintings were exhibited at the Corcoran Art Gallery, St. Louis Museum of Art, the Memorial Hall in Philadelphia, and in Pittsburgh. Among his paintings were those entitled Eliza Furnaces, Clinton Furnace, Hubbard Furnace, October in the Alleghenies, Ligonier Fall Scene, and Across Sixth Street Bridge. In the forward to the program note for the 1920 Bonar Exhibition of Painting at the J.J. Gillespie and Company Gallery in Pittsburgh, John L. Porter wrote, "but some there were of such undaunted courage and perseverance, that by steady, unrelenting effort, they were able to turn the thoughts of some of these people into seeing a weird beauty in the great steel plants with their ever-changing halos of steam and smoke, in bridges, river activities, cliffs, inclines and hillside frescoes."

Scope and Content Notes

The papers of James Bonar contain correspondence, scrapbooks, and memorabilia. The contents of the collection are arranged into six series.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Arrangement

Series I. Correspondence, 1886-1924

Series II. Material relating to Andrew Carnegie

Series III. Material relating to art and artists in Pittsburgh

Series IV. Memorabilia

Series V. Scrapbooks, 1916-1920

Series VI. Material relating to James Bonar & Company

Acquisition Information

Gift of Mrs. Bonar, daughter-in-law of James Bonar on June 11, 1965

Existence and Location of Copies

The scrapbook in this collection has been microfilmed and is available on one reel ais197711 Reel 2.

Previous Citation

James Bonar Papers, 1886-1924, AIS.1965.13, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Preferred Citation

James Bonar Papers, 1886-1924, AIS.1965.13, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Archives Service Center Staff on March 16, 1970.

Copyright

Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Subjects

Corporate Names

• Associated Artists of Pittsburgh
• Carnegie Steel Company

Personal Names

• Bonar, James
• Frick, Henry Clay -- Correspondence
• Carnegie, Andrew -- Correspondence

Genres

• Correspondence
• Scrapbooks
• Personalia
• Photographs

Other Subjects

• Businessmen -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh -- Biography
• Personal papers
• Business and Industry

Container List

Series I. Correspondence, 1886-1924

Scope and Content Notes

Among the letters is a copy of one sent to Andrew Carnegie in December of 1896 in which James Bonar is responding to Andrew Carnegie's request for a comparison prices of goods in Pittsburgh and Dunfermline, Scotland. In a ALS (Autographed Letter Signed) dated January 22, 1902, Andrew Carnegie thanks James Bonar for his letter of January 20, 1902 in which James Bonar asserted that he was the first to reap the benefits of Andrew Carnegie's contributions to education since he, in 1876, received the first award that Andrew Carnegie had set up at Rolland School, Dunfermline, Scotland.

Correspondence, 1886-1924

Containers

box 1

Container Summary

15 items

Series II. Material relating to Andrew Carnegie

Scope and Content Notes

Includes a 12 page typed manuscript of an article on Andrew Carnegie and pictures of Andrew Carnegie and buildings and sites in Dunfermline, Scotland.

Andrew Carnegie Material

Container Summary

13 Items

Series III. Material relating to art and artists in Pittsburgh

Scope and Content Notes

Includes a typed manuscript of an article on early art in Pittsburgh, a typed manuscript concerning an exhibition of paintings by deceased Pittsburgh artists and a typed manuscript on the Museum Extension Project of the Works Project Administration in Pittsburgh. Contains v.l #6 (undated) on interest of local art by the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh.

Art and Artists in Pittsburgh

Container Summary

4 items

Series IV. Memorabilia

Scope and Content Notes

Includes: A pass dated July 23, 1892, to the guards at the Carnegie Steel Company which allowed James Bonar and men through the guard lines. A signed memorandum, dated May 17, 1888, indicating James Bonar was a witness to the signature of Andrew Carnegie to the codicil of his will. Program of James Bonar's exhibition of paintings,1920. Program of a testimonial dinner in honor of Mr. John S.Oursler, [1923]. Dinner program in honor of David Brown Oliver, 1921. Glimpses into the Realm of Vulcan (includes a reproduction of the James Bonar painting Clinton Furnace from Water Street, Pittsburgh)A letter dated February 1, 1862 from James M. Harrison to "Friend Meskimeno." The letter was written aboard the U.S.S. Narragansett at Acapulco Harbor.

Memorabilia

Container Summary

8 Items

Series V. Scrapbooks, 1916-1920

Scope and Content Notes

Includes newspaper clippings, articles and material relating to art in Pittsburgh and the Artists Association of Pittsburgh.

Scrapbooks, 1916-1920

Series VI. Material relating to James Bonar & Company

Scope and Content Notes

Includes: advertising, clippings, 1 folder and 1 scrapbook, periodical articles and company catalogs of a company of steam engineers and manufacturers of steam appliances.

James Bonar & Company Material