Curtis Paper Company

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The Curtis Paper Company was a small producer specializing in high-quality paper located in Newark, Del.

The Milford Paper Mill had been established on White Clay Creek near Newark by Thomas Meeteer in 1789 and remained in the Meeteer family until 1838, after which it passed to other parties, who allowed it to fall into disrepair. In 1848 the brothers S. Minot and George B. Curtis of Newton Lower Falls, Mass., purchased the property, rebuilt the mill, and began the manufacture of high-quality paper under the style of Curtis & Brother. The mills were renamed the Nonantum Mills, using the Indian name of Newton, Mass. A third brother, Frederick Augustus Curtis, came to Newark in 1850 to assume the interest of his brother, George. During the Civil War, the firm had extensive contracts for supplying paper to the government. After 1868 the business shifted to the manufacture of envelope stock, card, and fine colored paper, which was marketed in New York and Philadelphia. For many years it made all the paper for Harper & Bros., the New York publishers.

The senior partner, F. A. Curtis, died in 1884, and S. M. Curtis retired in 1887. The firm was reconstituted by Alfred A. and F. William Curtis, sons of F. A. Curtis, and Walter C. Curtis, the son of S. M. Curtis, who retired in 1893. The old mill was demolished in 1887 and a more modern plant erected. F. W. Curtis died in 1911, and the firm was incorporated as Curtis & Brother, Incorporated, with A. A. Curtis as president.

The family sold the business to Herbert W. Mason in 1926. It went into receivership in 1931 and was reorganized as the Curtis Paper Company in 1932. The company continued as a manufacturer of fine papers, particularly for the book trade. The company was merged into the James River Corporation as a division on January 1, 1977.

From the description of Records, 1823-1946. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 122547478

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Tober, Frank W., 1919-1995. Frank W. Tober papermaking and paper samples collection, circa 1050, 1850-1993, bulk 1920-1990. University of Delaware Library, Hugh M Morris Library
referencedIn Historic American Engineering Record. Records of Delaware sites, 1975. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Curtis Paper Company. Records, 1823-1946. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Frank W. Tober papermaking and paper samples collection, circa 1050, 1850–1993, 1920–1990 University of Delaware Library - Special Collections
referencedIn Curtis family. Miscellany, 1835-1991. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf C.F. Pease Company. Trade catalogs of printers' supplies, 1926-1967. University of California, Santa Barbara, UCSB Library
creatorOf American News Company. Trade catalogs of printers' supplies, 1875-1961. University of California, Santa Barbara, UCSB Library
referencedIn Hagley Museum. Research reports, 1953-1978. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Stone, Edward L. (Edward Lee), 1864-1938. Paper samples and price lists. University of Virginia. Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Paper and Pulp Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Curtis, Alfred A. 1848-1945. person
associatedWith Curtis & Bro. corporateBody
associatedWith Curtis & Brother, Incorporated. corporateBody
associatedWith Curtis family. family
associatedWith Curtis, F. Lindsey 1880-1922. person
associatedWith Curtis, Frederick W. 1858-1911. person
associatedWith Curtis, S. Minot 1818-1904. person
associatedWith E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company. corporateBody
associatedWith General Dyestuff Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith Hagley Museum. corporateBody
associatedWith Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Historic American Engineering Record. corporateBody
associatedWith Levis, Charles M. 1859-1941. person
associatedWith Mason, Herbert W. 1882-1939. person
associatedWith Nonantum Paper Mill (Newark, Del.). corporateBody
associatedWith Tober, Frank W., 1919-1995 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Delaware
Newark (Del.)
New Castle County (Del.)
Subject
Dyes and dyeing
Paper
Paper industry
Paper industry workers
Papermakers
Papermaking
Papermaking machinery
Paper mills
Wages
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1926

Active 1967

Information

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