Adams Express Company

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The Adams Express Company was founded in Boston in 1839. Originally called Burke and Company, its name was changed to Adams and Company after only two weeks when Alvin Adams agreed to buy out his partner. By 1850, the company had spread throughout the south, southwest, and north. Much additional capital was invested at that time and the company's name was again changed to the Adams Express Company. During the Civil War, the company made a substantial amount of money shipping packages to and from the Union troops. In World War I, the government seized the railroad cars used by the express companies and they lost money. The companies were merged into one large company, the Consolidated Express Company. Adams continued to exist but only as an investment company.

From the description of Adams Express Company Journal, 1855-1863. (University of Kentucky Libraries). WorldCat record id: 32635870

Adams & Company, a subsidiary of its Boston-based parent company of the same name, opened in San Francisco in 1849 as an express company and expanded its services in 1850 to include banking. The company failed in the Panic of 1855, and its assets were taken over by the banking house of Palmer, Cook, and Company.

From the description of Adams & Co. signature book : ADS, 1849-1854. (California Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 145416713

From the description of Adams & Co. deposit slips : ADS, 1853-1854. (California Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 122499126

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Boyd, E. E., b. ca.1828 Mrs. Letter, 1861 Mar. 10, Haunted Castle, S.C., from Bro[ther] Andrew, Columbia, S.C. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Seymour family. Letters of the Seymour family 1846-1847. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Norfolk & Western Financial Documents, 1882-1954, (Bulk, 1884-1916) Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
referencedIn Virginia. Board of Public Works. Adams Express Company records, 1886-1900. Library of Virginia
referencedIn Virginia railway certificates. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Reading Company. Records, 1795-1979. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Doram, Dennis, Jr. ca. 1797-1869. Doram-Rowe Family Collection, 1829-1975 (Bulk 1829-1901). Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Adams Southern Express Company. Records, 1861. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
creatorOf J.P. Morgan & Co. Loan to Adams Express Co. : syndicate records, 1916 Apr. 1. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rand, Charles Edward, 1833-. Letters, 1852-1857. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Hankla Family. Hankla family documents, 1879-1886. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
referencedIn Day, C. M. (Cassius Marion), 1864-1940. C.M. Day collection 1894-1949. Denver Public Library, Central Library
creatorOf Massachusetts Military State Agency (Washington. D.C.). Courier company receipts, 1863-1870. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Office of First Vice President (Finance and Accounting). Records, 1900-1909. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Adams Express Company. Miscellaneous records, 1863-1903. York County Historical Trust
referencedIn McCullough, Hall Park, 1872-1966. Hall Park McCullough papers, 1867-1938. Bennington Museum
referencedIn Wilmington Trust Company. Trust Dept. Investment analysis files ("A"), 1909-1959 (bulk 1931-1954). Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Adams Express Company. Adams & Co. signature book : ADS, 1849-1854. California historical society
referencedIn McHarg, D. P. Correspondence of D. P. McHarg, 1852-1923. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Peale-Sellers family collection, 1686-1963 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. Correspondence, 1865-1891 Smithsonian Institution Archives
referencedIn Smithsonian Archives. Ru 52: Assistant Secretary, Incoming Correspondenc.
creatorOf Adams Express Company. Manifest via Panama : manifest of merchandise, shipped by Adams & Co. on board the steamer [Georgia], [Porter] master, for Chagres intended to be transported, via the Isthmus of Panama to San Francisco, Cal., New-York [December 23] 185[1], 1851 Dec. 23. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Union soldier Townsend Civil War letters, 1863-1864. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
referencedIn Bullock, Rufus B. (Rufus Brown), 1834-1907. Papers of Rufus B. Bullock, 1851-1895 (bulk 1868-1876). Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf Adams Express Company. Adams & Co. records, 1852-1854. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Records of the U.S. Coast Guard. National Archives at College Park
referencedIn U.S. Congress, Office Of The Architect Of The Capitol. File: Smithsonian Institution, General Information.
referencedIn Van Houten, Charles. Charles Van Houten papers, circa 1851-1868. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Colorado express companies : [collection] : 1860-1982 ; manuscript. History Colorado
creatorOf Adams Express Company. Adams Express Company Journal, 1855-1863. University of Kentucky Libraries
referencedIn Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Financial Dept. Records of Vice President Henry Tatnall, 1897-1940 (bulk 1909-1940). Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. Correspondence, 1863-1879 Smithsonian Institution Archives
creatorOf Adams Express Company. Adams & Co. deposit slips : ADS, 1853-1854. California historical society
referencedIn Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Office of Secretary. Board files, 1843-1950 [microform]. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Probert, David, 1836?-. Papers of David Probert [manuscript], 1863-1871 (bulk 1864). University of Virginia. Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Adams Southern Express Company. corporateBody
correspondedWith Agassiz, Alexander person
correspondedWith Alberquerque, Frederico person
associatedWith American Philosophical Society corporateBody
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correspondedWith Avery, J. A. person
correspondedWith Baird, Spencer F. person
correspondedWith Bayne, William H. person
correspondedWith Benziger Brothers corporateBody
correspondedWith Bland, G. person
correspondedWith Bland, Thomas person
correspondedWith Bolton, Henry Carrington person
associatedWith Boyd, E. E., b. ca.1828 Mrs. person
correspondedWith Browine, Robert H. person
correspondedWith Brown, Solomon G. person
associatedWith Bullock, Rufus B. (Rufus Brown), 1834-1907. person
correspondedWith Burgess, Edward person
correspondedWith Campbell, C. T. person
correspondedWith Cary, T. G. person
correspondedWith Cauly, William M. person
associatedWith Centennial Exhibition (Philadelphia, 1876) corporateBody
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correspondedWith Clark, Henry James person
correspondedWith Collins, T. K. person
associatedWith Cooke & LeCount. corporateBody
associatedWith Cowan, Robert Ernest, 1862-1942. person
associatedWith Crocker, Templeton, 1884-1948. person
correspondedWith Curtis, Moses Ashley person
correspondedWith Custom House, Boston corporateBody
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associatedWith Day, C. M. (Cassius Marion), 1864-1940. person
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associatedWith Doram, Dennis, Jr. ca. 1797-1869. person
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correspondedWith Gorton, Anson person
correspondedWith Green, Jesse C. person
associatedWith Greenwood, G. G. B. person
correspondedWith Hall, C. F. person
associatedWith Hankla Family. family
correspondedWith Harrison, Joseph person
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correspondedWith Hawkins & Wales corporateBody
correspondedWith Heidemann, Otto person
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correspondedWith Hemenway, A. person
correspondedWith Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 person
correspondedWith Hillier, George person
associatedWith Horan, Henry person
associatedWith Howell Bros, (Phil.) person
correspondedWith Huff, J. W. person
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correspondedWith Jacobi, J. A. person
correspondedWith James, William person
correspondedWith Jefferis, William W. person
associatedWith J.P. Morgan & Co. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky University corporateBody
associatedWith Kimball, Charles P. 1821-1894. person
correspondedWith Klippart, John H. person
correspondedWith Lawrence, George N. person
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correspondedWith Lyon, Sidney corporateBody
correspondedWith Mabie, H. person
associatedWith Mallett, E. J. person
correspondedWith Marsh, F. H. person
correspondedWith Mason & Hamlin Organ Co. corporateBody
associatedWith Massachusetts Military State Agency (Washington. D.C.) corporateBody
associatedWith Mathews, G. F. person
correspondedWith Matthew, G. F. person
associatedWith McCullough, Hall Park, 1872-1966. person
associatedWith McHarg, D. P. person
associatedWith Mohr, Charles (Dr.) person
correspondedWith Morris, L. W. person
correspondedWith Mosier, Jonathan L. H. person
correspondedWith Moss, George W. person
correspondedWith National Express Co. corporateBody
associatedWith Norris, Thomas W. person
associatedWith Orleans County Society Of Natural Sciences corporateBody
correspondedWith Peale, Franklin person
associatedWith Peale-Sellers families. person
associatedWith Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Financial Dept. corporateBody
associatedWith Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Office of First Vice President (Finance and Accounting). corporateBody
associatedWith Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Office of Secretary. corporateBody
correspondedWith Perot, W. H. person
associatedWith Probert, David, 1836?- person
associatedWith Rand, Charles Edward, 1833- person
correspondedWith Rau, Charles person
associatedWith Reading Company. corporateBody
correspondedWith Rhees, William J. person
correspondedWith Richards, C. B. person
correspondedWith Russell, Thomas person
correspondedWith Sachs, Herman person
correspondedWith Sanford, Henry person
correspondedWith Schmidt, H. D. person
correspondedWith Schmidt, Leopold person
correspondedWith Schneider & Pachtman corporateBody
associatedWith Seymour family. family
correspondedWith Shepherd, C. M. person
correspondedWith Shoemaker, S. M. person
correspondedWith Smith, E. S. person
correspondedWith Smithsonian Institution corporateBody
correspondedWith Stearns, C. A. person
correspondedWith Stearns, Robert E. C. person
correspondedWith Sternberg, George Miller person
correspondedWith Stevenson, John J. person
correspondedWith Tayloe, Edward T. person
associatedWith Thompson, D. (Rev.) person
correspondedWith Tinker, James person
associatedWith Tryon, George W. person
associatedWith United States. Army. Ohio Infantry Regiment, 35th (1861-1864) corporateBody
associatedWith University Of Wooster corporateBody
associatedWith Van Houten, Charles. person
correspondedWith Van Naine, Addison person
associatedWith Van Valkenburgh, Henry. person
associatedWith Virginia. Board of Public Works corporateBody
correspondedWith Wagner, William person
correspondedWith Whitall Tatum & Co. corporateBody
associatedWith Wilmington Trust Company. Trust Dept. corporateBody
correspondedWith Wolde & Degener corporateBody
associatedWith Woods, Isaiah Churchill, 1825-1880. person
correspondedWith Woods, W. H. person
correspondedWith Wyckoff, R. M. person
correspondedWith Yates, L. G. (Dr.) person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Pennsylvania--York
New York (State)--New York
Chagres (Panama)
California
Kentucky
California--San Francisco
California
Panama
Subject
Banks and banking
Exchanges Of Publications
Exposition
Express service
Express service
Freight and freightage
Interstate commerce
National Museum
Natural history
Shipping
Smithsonian Exchange
Smithsonian Publications
Transportation
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Information

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SNAC ID: 242445