Records of William Bond & Son and The Bond Family, 1724-1931 (inclusive), 1769-1923 (bulk).

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Records of William Bond & Son and The Bond Family, 1724-1931 (inclusive), 1769-1923 (bulk).

https://id.lib.harvard.edu/ead/hsi00001/catalog

Records of William Bond & Son document various aspects of the clock-making industry and its impact on 19th century America, particularly the railroad industry, and astronomical and geodetic sciences. Also includes some family papers; personal documents of William Cranch Bond, such as deeds, his father's apprentice indenture, 1769, and naturalization papers, 1785; and Harvard College Observatory records from Bond's directorship (1845-1859). Business records include 4 volumes of daybooks, 1833-1903, recording dealings with the Observatory and U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey; agreement with the railroads to maintain their clocks and provide standard time for them; involvement with the U.S. Chronometric Expedition to determine difference of longitude between Greenwich Observatory (England) and Cambridge, Mass.; bankruptcy of the firm in 1875; and instrument repair. Additional records are 3 volumes of account books, 1857-1917, business correspondence, 1808-1931, and letterbooks, 1816-1914; payroll and legal documents, such as U.S. Navy contract to maintain chronometers; a book of drawings for, and photographs of chronographs (astronomical recording devices); and miscellaneous materials including notes on chronometer making, testimonials and photographs of the business. Family papers contain letters, dated 1800-1909, photographs, land deeds, genealogical documents, and biographical information on William Bond by Edward Everett. Collection includes objects such as foundry patterns, medals, and watches. Records relating to the Harvard Observatory include correspondence and drafts of annual reports, 1849-1866. There are several William Bond & Son clocks also housed in the Historical Scientific Instruments collection.

5 1/2 linear ft. and 4 portfolio files.

Harvard University Archives.

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7097955

Harvard University Archives.

Related Entities

There are 12 Entities related to this resource.

Harvard College Observatory

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xj0hx1 (corporateBody)

In 1839, the Harvard Corporation appointed William Cranch Bond the first Astronomical Observer to the University, thereby taking the first step in establishing the Harvard College Observatory, after which the first telescope was installed in 1847. Scholars and students had studied astronomy at Harvard since the seventeenth century, but it wasn’t until a large comet sparked public interest in 1843 that donors began donating funds to build an observatory. During the tenure of the Harvar...

Harvard University

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w64n9x97 (person)

Harvard College was founded by a vote of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts on October 28, 1636 that allocated “400£ towards a schoale or colledge.” Subsequent legislative acts established the Board of Overseers, but it was the Charter of 1650 that created the Harvard Corporation as the College's primary governing board and defined its composition and authority. The College Charter became a contentious target for College officials, the Massachusetts Governor and General C...

Bond, William Cranch, 1789-1859

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m43ktq (person)

Bond, George Phillips, 1825-1865

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6hx1g90 (person)

Bond (Harvard, Class of 1845) was director of the Harvard College Observatory. From the description of Papers of George Phillips Bond, 1851-1865 (inclusive). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 76972763 ...

Clinch, J. Morton.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6t19pkx (person)

Cranch family.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6j76sj5 (family)

United States. Navy

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Built and launched at New York Navy Yard; commissioned Nov. 12, 1944; scraped in 1993. Served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. From the description of USS Bon Homme Richard (CV/CVA-31) photograph collection 1944-1971. (The Mariners' Museum Library). WorldCat record id: 41657866 The federal government decided in 1941 to send Supply Corps personnel to Harvard Business School for training in the business of equipping the Navy. This was effected by a transfer...

Bond, Richard Fifield, 1827-1866.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6ff8c4q (person)

William Bond & Son.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6tn486b (corporateBody)

William Bond & Son was established in 1793 in Boston, Mass. to manufacture and deal in chronometers, watches, and clocks. The firm ceased manufacturing clocks in 1889 though it did not close until 1977. From the description of Records of William Bond & Son and The Bond Family, 1724-1931 (inclusive), 1769-1923 (bulk). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 232364129 ...

Bond family.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6rk3v74 (family)

U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w65t78mp (corporateBody)

Drawn by R.D. Cutts. From the description of Pulgas base : map, 1854. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122398096 Historical Background The story of the Union Pacific Railroad's involvement with oil and the Tidelands goes back to at least 1911 when the State of California granted the City of Long Beach its tidelands properties for development of commerce, navigation, fisheries, and recreation under a public trust doctine, me...

United States exploring expedition (1838-1842)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w67d6m0v (corporateBody)

The United States Exploring Expedition under the command of Charles Wilkes left U.S.A. Aug. 1838, returning July 1842. The ships in the expedition were the Flying Fish, Oregon, Peacock, Porpoise, Relief, Seagull and Vincennes. The expedition visited the Antarctic, Sydney Harbour, Bay of Islands, N.Z., various islands in the Pacific and areas on the coast of South America and U.S.A. From the description of Records [microform]. (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 225845806 ...