J.P. Stevens & Co.

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The company, located in New York City, was founded in 1899 by John P., Nathaniel and Samuel Stevens as the family-controlled selling agent for fabrics produced by M.T. Stevens & Sons Co., North Andover, Mass. It sold woolen goods of M.T. Stevens and cotton fabrics from other mills and invested in a number of southern mills, including producers of synthetics. After John P.'s death in 1929, sons Robert T. and John P., Jr. took charge, with Robert T. as president from 1929 to 1942. In 1941 he entered the Army, was promoted to colonel and served to 1945 in the Quartermaster General's procurement division. He returned to J.P. Stevens Co. as chairman of the board, 1945-1953, and served as Sec. of the Army, 1953-July 1955. He defended the Army against charges of Communist influence and infiltration by Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy during hearings held in 1953-1954. He returned to the company as president from 1955-1959 and chairman of the executive committee, 1969-1974.

After the death of Nathaniel Stevens in 1946, M.T. Stevens & Sons and 8 other mills merged with J.P. Stevens & Co. to become a public stock company. From 1946-1972, J.P. Stevens acquired several other New England woolen mills. Economic conditions led to the closing of all of its New England Woolen and Worsted Division mills by 1972. In 1988, J.P. Stevens & Co. was acquired by West Point-Pepperell, Inc. of West Point, Ga. In 1989, West Point-Pepperell was taken over by Chicago investor William Farley, chairman and chief executive officer of Fruit of the Loom, Inc. Farley was eventually forced to resign and the company was reorganized. A new company, Valley Fashions Corp., was formed which held 95% of West Point-Pepperell. In 1993, Valley Fashions and West Point-Pepperell announced a refinancing plan which allowed Valley Fashions to acquire the remaining shares of its 95% owned subsidiary, forming a new company, WestPoint Stevens, Inc. WestPoint Stevens filed for bankruptcy protection in 2003. In 2005 it was forced to lay off over 2,000 employees and close 2 plants.

From the description of [Business records] 1852-1982. (American Textile History Museum Library). WorldCat record id: 60548658

J.P. Stevens and Co. was founded in 1813 in North Andover, Massachusetts by Captain Nathaniel Stevens and later incorporated on New Year's Eve of 1923. The company started in a converted grist mill producing woolen broadcloth in 1813. When the company was taken over and divided up in 1989 by Odyssey Partners, West Point-Pepperell, Inc., and Bibb Co., it had mills from Maine to Georgia making everything from cotton and woolen yarns and fabrics to carpets and synthetics. At the time of the 1989 turnover Stevens also owned two subsidiaries: Stevens Aviation and Stevens Graphics. The 175 years between 1813 and 1989 saw many changes for J.P Stevens and Co., Inc., including several name changes. The company started as Nathaniel Stevens and Son in 1850, when Moses T. Stevens became a partner. Captain Nathaniel Stevens gave up active management of the company in 1860 and he later died in 1865. In 1885 the name of the company changed to M.T. Stevens & Sons and was later incorporated in 1901. In 1883, John P. Stevens (nephew of Moses T.) went to work for the commission house of Faulkner, Page & Company. In 1899, he formed a partnership commission house to sell the products of M.T. Stevens & Sons and A.D. Gleason. The company was named J.P. Stevens and Co., and later incorporated in 1923. By 1903, J.P. Stevens and Co. was the selling agent for the woolen mills owned by M.T. Stevens and Sons Co. located in Andover (Marland Mills, est. 1820) and North Andover, MA (Stevens and Osgood Mills, est. 1813, inc. 1901) and Franklin, N.H. (Franklin Mills, est. ca. 1863, leased by Moses T. Stevens beginning 1871) and the woolen mill owned by Stevens and Co. located in Haverhill, MA (Penntucket Mills, est. 1830, bought by Nathaniel Stevens in 1855). The Nevins Co. of Boston, MA was the selling agent for the Stevens Linen Works (est. 1846, completed 1867) in Webster, MA. Except for the linen works and the Osgood Mills, all the mills produced woolen dress goods and dyed and finished their own fabrics. Along with dress goods, individual mills produced flannels, broadcloths and carriage cloths. The linen work produced linen crash toweling, while the Osgood Mills made worsted yarns. In 1918, M.T. Stevens & Sons added mills in Peacedale, RI (Peace Dale Mills, est. 1801, completed 1848). By 1930, the company had added mills located in Dracut, MA (Merrimack Woolen Mills, Inc., 1902). Both these mills made woolen dress goods and dyed and finished their own fabrics. Also by 1930, the Pentucket Mills in Haverhill, MA were under the ownership of M.T. Stevens & Sons Co. The Hockanum Mills Company was bought in 1934 and five woolen mills in Rockville, CT were added to M.T. Stevens & Sons. In 1935, J.P. Stevens and Co., Inc., became a Delaware corporation when it merged with the Milton Corporation. J.P. Stevens and Co., Inc. was the continuing corporation. In 1946, J.P. Stevens and Co., Inc. merged with M.T. Stevens and Sons Co. and Slater-Carter-Stevens, Inc. The resulting corporation continued under the name of J.P. Stevens and Co., Inc. The shares of stock owned by Slater-Carter-Stevens, Inc., in the Carter Fabrics Corp. of Greensboro, NC and Slater Manufacturing Co. of Slater, SC would become the property of J.P. Stevens and Co. Inc. In addition, J.P. Stevens and Co., Inc. bought out cotton and rayon yarn and cloth mills in Virginia and North and South Carolina: Aragon-Baldwin Mills, Dunean Mills, Piedmont Manufacturing Co., Republic Cotton Mills, Victor-Monaghan Co., Wallace Manufacturing Co., Inc. and Watts Mills. These corporations and mills along with M.T. Stevens and Sons Co. became subsidiary corporations of J.P. Stevens and Co., Inc. According to Ron Copsey, Director of Public Relations (1981-1988) for J.P. Stevens and Co. Inc., when the company moved south in 1946, it acquired 29 new mills and became a publicly owned corporation. By 1947, J.P. Stevens and Co., Inc. had acquired woolen mills in Gleasondale, MA (originally Stowe Woolen Mills, est. 1813, inc. 1915). In 1956, the company bought the Worumbo plant in Lisbon Falls, ME. In 1957, J.P. Stevens and Co., Inc. acquired the Forstmann Woolen Company located in Passaic, NJ. By 1960, J.P. Stevens and Co., Inc. had 50 plants in 41 locations and offices in New York, NY, Greenville, SC, and Greensboro, NC. In 1975, J.P. Stevens and Co., Inc. had 82 textile plants in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The main offices remained in New York City, with administrative offices in Greenville, SC. The company also owned two subsidiaries: Stevens Aviation and Stevens Graphics. The textile plants produced cotton, wool and synthetic yarns and fabrics (woven, non-woven, and knitted) and products such as towels, carpets, hosiery, glass fabrics, and sheets. In 1989, J.P. Stevens and Co., Inc. was taken over by Odyssey Partners, Inc., West Point-Pepperell, Inc., and Bibb Co. During the takeover, J.P. Stevens and Co., Inc. was divided up and parts went to both the two corporations and the company. Also at this time the JPS Textile Group, Inc. was formed. Under this corporation were five other corporations: JPS Automotive Products Corp., JPS Carpet Corp., JPS Converter and Yarn Corp., JPS Industrial Fabrics Corp., and JPS Elastomerics Corp.

From the description of J.P. Stevens and Company, Inc. records, 1879-1989, bulk 1933-1960. (Clemson University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 70928079

The company, located in New York City, was founded in 1899 by John P. Stevens and his brothers Nathaniel and Samuel Stevens. It was the family-controlled selling agent for fabrics produced by the mills of M.T. Stevens & Sons Co. In addition to selling the woolen goods of M.T. Stevens, it began to sell cotton fabrics from other mills. It also invested in a number of southern textile mills, including producers of synthetics. After the death of John P. in 1929, his son Robert T. became president; he later served as Secretary of the Army from 1953-1955. After the death of Nathaniel Stevens in 1946, M.T. Stevens & Sons and eight other mills merged with J.P. Stevens & Co. and became a public stock company. From 1946 to 1972, J.P. Stevens acquired several other New England woolen mills. However, economic conditions led to the closing of all of the company's New England Woolen and Worsted Division mills by 1972. In 1988, J.P. Stevens & Co. was acquired by West Point-Pepperell, Inc. of West Point, Ga. In 1989, West Point-Pepperell was taken over by Chicago investor William Farley, chairman and chief executive officer of Fruit of the Loom, Inc. In 1999, Fruit of the Loom filed for bankruptcy. A new company, Valley Fashions Corp., was formed, and in 1993, its name became WestPoint Stevens, Inc. This company filed for bankruptcy protection in 2003 and in 2005 was forced to lay off several thousand workers and close two plants due to the end of U.S. textile quotas on imports from low-wage countries.

Whitney Stevens, son of Robert T. Stevens, became a vice president in 1957, a member of the executive committee in 1962, and president of J.P. Stevens in 1969. In 1980 he became chairman and chief executive officer.

From the description of [Records] 1870-1987. (American Textile History Museum Library). WorldCat record id: 60527636

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn AFL-CIO. Civil Rights Dept. Southeastern Office records, 1974-1984. Georgia State University
referencedIn Stevens Linen Works. [Business records]. American Textile History Museum Library
referencedIn ACTWU. Presidential Papers (Murray Finley). Correspondence. Microfiche, 1973-1983 Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives
referencedIn Roper family. Roper family papers, 1936-1973. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Joint Board, Fur, Leather & Machine Workers Union. Joint Board, Fur, Leather & Machine Workers Union. Additional photographs, 1919-1988. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Stevens Companies. [Business records]. American Textile History Museum Library
referencedIn Monk, Fred. Fred Monk papers, 1970-1996. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
creatorOf J.P. Stevens & Co. [Records] American Textile History Museum Library
referencedIn Guide to the Sol Stetin Papers, 1935-1992, bulk 1972-1989 Rutgers Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Maverick Mills. [Business records]. American Textile History Museum Library
creatorOf Furman, Alester G. (Alester Garden). Alester Furman Company Records, 1918-1977, (bulk) 1950-1970. Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
referencedIn Wharton School. Industrial Research Unit. Records, 1941-2001 (bulk, 1968-1988). Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Martínez, Jaime, 1946-. Oral history interview with Jaime Martínez, 1997 [videorecording]. University of Texas at Arlington, Central Library
referencedIn AFL-CIO. Region 5. AFL-CIO Region 5 records, 1976-1978. Georgia State University
creatorOf J.P. Stevens & Co. Institutional file. Brooklyn Museum Libraries & Archives
referencedIn E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company. Advertising Dept. Organic Chemicals Dept. files, 1934-1967. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Appleton Company. [Business records]. American Textile History Museum Library
referencedIn Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union. Amalgamated Clothing Workers Union. Newsclipping file re J.P. Stevens Boycott. Cornell University Library
creatorOf J.P. Stevens & Co. J.P. Stevens and Company, Inc. records, 1879-1989, bulk 1933-1960. Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
referencedIn Textile Workers Union of America. [Minutes]. American Textile History Museum Library
referencedIn Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union. ACTWU's Microfilm of Murray Finley's Correspondence from the President's Office, 1973-1983. Cornell University Library
referencedIn AFL-CIO. Region 5. AFL-CIO Region 5 records, 1947-1981. Georgia State University
creatorOf Camp, Wofford B. (Wofford Benjamin), 1894-. Wofford Benjamin Camp papers, 1919-1983, (bulk 1943-1983). Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
referencedIn Textile Workers Union of America. Records, 1915-1990. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Von Bergen, Werner, 1897-. [Business records]. American Textile History Museum Library
referencedIn Rogers, Ray, 1944-. Ray Rogers speech at AFL-CIO Staff Training Institute [manuscript]. 1981. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
referencedIn Brown Lung Association. Brown Lung Association records, 1973-1983 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Stevens Linen Works. [Business records]. American Textile History Museum Library
referencedIn Textile Workers Union of America. South Region. Textile Workers Union of America. South Region records, 1947-1991 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Dupree, Franklin Taylor, 1913-1995. Franklin Taylor Dupree papers, 1970s-1995 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
creatorOf J.P. Stevens & Co. [Business records] American Textile History Museum Library
referencedIn Shuping, Hampton. Hampton Shuping papers, 1976-1980 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union. Jack Sheinkman. Additional books, memorabilia, and files. Cornell University Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith AFL-CIO. Civil Rights Dept. corporateBody
associatedWith AFL-CIO. Region 5. corporateBody
associatedWith AFL-CIO. Region 5. corporateBody
associatedWith Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union corporateBody
associatedWith Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union. corporateBody
associatedWith Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union. corporateBody
associatedWith Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union. corporateBody
associatedWith Appleton Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Aragon-Baldwin Cotton Mills. corporateBody
associatedWith Art Gundersheim person
associatedWith Bibb Manufacturing Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Brown Lung Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Burns, Ward. person
associatedWith Camp, Wofford B. (Wofford Benjamin), 1894- person
associatedWith Carter Fabrics Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith Carter Fabrics Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith Cheney Brothers. corporateBody
associatedWith Cleveland Cloth Mills (Shelby, N.C.) corporateBody
associatedWith Dunean Mills (Greenville, S.C.) corporateBody
associatedWith Dupree, Franklin Taylor, 1913-1995. person
associatedWith E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company. Advertising Dept. corporateBody
associatedWith Farley, Inc. corporateBody
associatedWith Finley, James D. person
associatedWith Forstmann Woolen Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Furman, Alester G. (Alester Garden) person
associatedWith Joint Board, Fur, Leather & Machine Workers Union. corporateBody
associatedWith Lamitex Fabrics, Inc. corporateBody
associatedWith Martínez, Jaime, 1946- person
associatedWith Maverick Mills. corporateBody
associatedWith McCarthy, Joseph, 1908-1957. person
associatedWith Monk, Fred. person
associatedWith M.T. Stevens & Sons Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Odyssey Partners. corporateBody
associatedWith Piedmont Manufacturing Company (Piedmont, S.C.) corporateBody
associatedWith Republic Cotton Mills, Inc. (Great Falls, S.C.) corporateBody
associatedWith Rogers, Ray, 1944- person
associatedWith Roper family. family
associatedWith Shuping, Hampton. person
associatedWith Slater Manufacturing Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Slater Manufacturing Company (Slater, S.C.) corporateBody
associatedWith Stetin, Sol person
associatedWith Stevens Companies. corporateBody
associatedWith Stevens family. family
associatedWith Stevens, John P. person
associatedWith Stevens, J. P. person
associatedWith Stevens Linen Works. corporateBody
associatedWith Stevens Linen Works. corporateBody
associatedWith Stevens, Nathaniel, 1857-1946. person
associatedWith Stevens, Robert T. person
associatedWith Stevens, Robert T. person
associatedWith Stevens, R. T. 1899- person
associatedWith Stevens, Samuel Dale. person
associatedWith Stevens, Whitney. person
associatedWith Stevens, Whitney. person
associatedWith Stockton, William T. person
associatedWith Textile Workers Union of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Textile Workers Union of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Textile Workers Union of America. South Region. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army corporateBody
associatedWith Utica & Mohawk Cotton Mills. corporateBody
associatedWith Utica Steam Cotton Mills. corporateBody
associatedWith Victor-Monaghan, Inc. corporateBody
associatedWith Von Bergen, Werner, 1897- person
associatedWith Wallace Manufacturing Co., Inc. corporateBody
associatedWith Watts Mills. corporateBody
associatedWith West Point Pepperell (Firm) corporateBody
associatedWith Wharton School. Industrial Research Unit. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
New York (State)--New York
United States
Southern States
New England
New York (State)--Utica
Subject
Advertising
Army
Communism
Condolence notes
Cotton manufacture
Industry
Manufacturers' agents
Subversive activities
Textile industry
Woolen and worsted manufacture
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1879

Active 1989

Active 1918

Active 1977

Active 1919

Active 1983

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