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Hugh Nelson, Incorporated (Columbia Carpet Mills) records

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Held at: Philadelphia University: Paul J. Gutman Library, Special Collections [Contact Us]4201 Henry Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, 19144

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Philadelphia University: Paul J. Gutman Library, Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
840.n
Repository:
Philadelphia University: Paul J. Gutman Library, Special Collections
Extent:
6.0 linear feet
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Hugh Nelson, Incorporated (Columbia Carpet Mills) records, 1931-1957, Philadelphia University Paul J. Gutman Library Special Collections.
Date:
1931-1957 (inclusive)
Form:
Business records and Correspondence
Abstract:
The Hugh Nelson, Incorporated (Columbia Carpet Mills) company was one of the oldest surviving carpet manufacturers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Hugh Nelson owned the company until his son-in-law, Edward M. Schmauder became owner and president. Schmauder ran the company for 28 years before selling it in 1978. The carpet mill finally closed in 1983. The Hugh Nelson, Incorporated (Columbia Carpet Mills) records date from 1931 to 1957, with bulk dates from 1941 to 1957. This collection is mostly made up of correspondence between Hugh Nelson, Incorporated and vendors with which it did most of its business, especially from 1955 to 1957.

The Hugh Nelson-Columbia Carpet Mills, Incorporated was one of the oldest surviving carpet manufacturers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The mill was located on North 3rd Street in the Kensington neighborhood. Hugh Nelson owned the company until his son-in-law, Edward M. Schmauder became owner and president. Schmauder ran the company for 28 years before selling it in 1978. The carpet mill finally closed in 1983.

The Hugh Nelson, Incorporated (Columbia Carpet Mills) records house the papers of Hugh Nelson, Incorporated, a carpet manufacturer based in Philadelphia. The collection dates from 1931 to 1957, with bulk dates from 1941 to 1957. This collection is mostly made up of correspondence between Hugh Nelson, Incorporated and vendors with which it did most of its business, especially from 1955 to 1957. There are also invoices, carpet and yarn samples, blueprints, and pricing lists. While the records in this series do not provide the full scope of the company’s business and history, it does provide an interesting snapshot of carpet manufacturing in Philadelphia. In particular, there is correspondence with the United States Maritime Commission regarding the development of “Neldek,” a canvas deck covering for the Navy, developed during World War II.

This collection is arranged into two series: Series “I. Business records, 1931-1957, bulk dates 1941-1957,” and Series “II. Frank Dodds personal records, 1942-1953.”

Series “I. Business records” dates from 1931 to 1957, with bulk dates of 1941 to 1957. This series is primarily made up of correspondence with other textile companies, mostly regarding orders, carpet samples, and other supplies. Some of the correspondence includes invoices for orders indicated in the correspondence, reflecting the company’s status as a manufacturer and supplier for other smaller vendors. One of the more prominent companies included in this series is Painter Carpet Mills, which seemed to be a partner or supplier for Hugh Nelson. Also included in the correspondence are carpet samples, yarn samples, inventory reports, and correspondence with traveling salesman employed by Hugh Nelson.

A significant portion of the material, mostly correspondence spanning from 1941-1951, is in regards to the development of “Neldek,” a military-grade canvas developed by Hugh Nelson for the United States Maritime Commission. There are associated blueprints that document the development of this material and its intended uses. This series also includes a painting of the mill building. This series is arranged alphabetically by company or subject, with a small span of assorted materials arranged chronologically following the alphabetical materials.

Series “II. Frank Dodds personal records” dates from 1942 to 1953. This small series is made up of correspondence, invoices, and fabric samples directly related to personal activities of Frank Dodds. There are also accident and worker’s compensation reports related to an injury sustained by Dodds, and a “Football Visualizer” score book. This series is arranged chronologically.

This collection provides a broad look into the business practices of Hugh Nelson, Incorporated, specifically through correspondence with area textile vendors. Although this correspondence does not capture the full scope of the business and its history, it provides a snapshot of area textile vendors, trends in carpet production, and the development of a military-grade deck covering called “Neldek” developed by Hugh Nelson, Incorporated during World War II and continuing through 1951. Additional correspondence between traveling salesman and the corporation helps to highlight company concerns and sales practices.

The processing of this collection was made possible through generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through the Council on Library and Information Resources’ “Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives” Project.

This collection was minimally processed in 2013-2014, as part of an experimental project conducted under the auspices of the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries to help eliminate processing backlog in Philadelphia repositories. A minimally processed collection is one processed at a less intensive rate than traditionally thought necessary to make a collection ready for use by researchers. When citing sources from this collection, researchers are advised to defer to folder titles provided in the finding aid rather than those provided on the physical folder.

Employing processing strategies outlined in Mark Greene's and Dennis Meissner's 2005 article "More Product, Less Process: Revamping Traditional Processing Approaches to Deal With Late 20th-Century Collections," the project team tested the limits of minimal processing on collections of all types and ages in 16 Philadelphia area repositories. A primary goal of the project, the team processed at an average rate of 4 hours per linear foot of records, a fraction of the time ordinarily reserved for the arrangement and description of collections. Among other time saving strategies, the project team did not extensively review the content of the collections or complete any preservation work.

Subject
Place

Publisher
Philadelphia University: Paul J. Gutman Library, Special Collections
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by Annalise Berdini
Finding Aid Date
2014 December 1
Sponsor
The creation of the electronic guide for this collection was made possible through generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through the Council on Library and Information Resources’ “Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives” Project.
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

Use Restrictions

Copyright restrictions may apply. Please contact the Archives with requests for copying and for authorization to publish, quote or reproduce the material.

Collection Inventory

Abrams Brothers, Incorporated correspondence and invoices, 1956-1957.
Box 1 Folder 1
Adam H. Bartel Company correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 2
American Rug and Carpet Company note, 1955.
Box 1 Folder 3
Aridye Corporation invoices, 1945-1946.
Box 1 Folder 4
Arnold and Simpson, Incorporated correspondence, 1956.
Box 1 Folder 5
Art-Ryte Floor Covering Company, Incorporated correspondence, 1956.
Box 1 Folder 6
"A" correspondence and invoices, 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 7
"A-B" lithograph form letter, 1948 June.
Box 1 Folder 8
"A-F" correspondence and invoices, 1954-1955.
Box 1 Folder 9
Balfred Floor Covering Company correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 10
Bartlett and Lapine letters, 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 11
Belknap Hardware and Manufacturing Company correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 12
Boaz Mills correspondence (rug sample), 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 13
Boyer and Traa Company, Incorporated correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 14
"B" correspondence and invoices, 1952.
Box 1 Folder 15
"B" correspondence, invoices, and photographs (rug sample), 1955-1957.
Box 1 Folder 16
Candalon Nylon Carpeting sample, undated.
Box 1 Folder 17
Capitol Floor Covering Company, Incorporated letters and orders, 1956.
Box 1 Folder 18
Carl Nelson, Incorporated correspondence, 1955.
Box 1 Folder 19
Carpet Institute, Incorporated addresses and minutes, 1949, undated.
Box 1 Folder 20
Carpet Institute, Incorporated letters, newsletters, "ABC" Conference materials, and case studies, 1951-1953, undated.
Box 1 Folder 21
Carpet Institute, Incorporated newsletter, 1953 February 4.
Box 1 Folder 22
C.C. Bailey Company, Incorporated letters, 1954-1955.
Box 1 Folder 23
Department of the Navy supply correspondence, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 24
Distributors, Incorporated correspondence and invoices, 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 25
Don Slossman letters, 1952-1953.
Box 1 Folder 26
Edson, Moore and Company correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 27
E.J. Roberts correspondence, 1951-1952, 1954.
Box 1 Folder 28
Eli Rose correspondence, 1949-1951.
Box 1 Folder 29
Enterprise Wholesale, Incorporated letter and notes, 1955.
Box 1 Folder 30
Everett Walsh correspondence, 1945-1953.
Box 1 Folder 31
E.V. Kraus Company correspondence, 1953-1955.
Box 1 Folder 32
"E" letters and invoices, 1952-1953.
Box 1 Folder 33
F.E. Buck Sales Incorporated correspondence (rug sample), 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 34
Fitts Dry Goods Company correspondence, 1956.
Box 1 Folder 35
Fones Brothers Hardware Company correspondence and invoices, 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 36
Frank Dodds internal correspondence, 1954.
Box 1 Folder 37
Frank S. Nelson and Company, Incorporated invoices, 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 38
Fred Miller and Company correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 39
Furniture Distributors correspondence, 1954.
Box 1 Folder 40
"F" correspondence and invoices, 1952-1954.
Box 1 Folder 41
"F-H" correspondence and invoices (rug sample), 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 42
George W. Snaman Company correspondence, 1954-1955.
Box 1 Folder 43
George W. Snaman Company correspondence and invoices, 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 44
George Tepe letters, 1953-1954.
Box 1 Folder 45
George S. Watt correspondence, 1953.
Box 1 Folder 46
"G" correspondence and invoices, 1950, 1952-1953.
Box 1 Folder 47
Heirloom Carpet Mills correspondence and invoices, 1954-1956.
Box 2 Folder 1
Heirloom Carpet Mills correspondence and invoices ("Tufted file"), 1955-1956.
Box 2 Folder 2
Heirloom Carpet Mills daily shipping memoranda, 1955-1956.
Box 2 Folder 3
Heirloom Carpet Mills letters, order notes, and invoices ("Tufted file"), 1955-1956.
Box 2 Folder 4
Heirloom Carpet Mills receiving reports, letters, 1955-1956.
Box 2 Folder 5
Henry A. Schmitt complaint letter, 1953 June 13.
Box 2 Folder 6
Herman Silverman letters and route lists, 1949-1953.
Box 2 Folder 7
"H" correspondence and invoices, 1952-1954.
Box 2 Folder 8
"H-I" correspondence, notes, and pamphlets, 1951, 1955-1956.
Box 2 Folder 9
"H-L" correspondence and invoices, 1954.
Box 2 Folder 10
Illinois and Indiana maps, undated.
Box 2 Folder 11
"I" correspondence and invoices, 1949-1954.
Box 2 Folder 12
Jaeger and Branch correspondence, 1952, 1954-1955.
Box 2 Folder 13
John J. Foster Company correspondence and fabric samples of "Fiberfrax", 1952.
Box 2 Folder 14
John "Jack" Heierle correspondence and notes, 1948-1953.
Box 2 Folder 15
Joseph Mandell and Company Incorporated correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 2 Folder 16
Joseph Mandell and Company Incorporated correspondence and invoices, 1954.
Box 2 Folder 17
Kreyling and Company correspondence, 1954-1955.
Box 2 Folder 18
Kreyling and Company correspondence (rug sample), 1955-1956.
Box 2 Folder 19
"K" correspondence, 1952-1953.
Box 2 Folder 20
Lasher Carpet and Linoleum Company correspondence and invoices, 1953-1955.
Box 2 Folder 21
Lasher Carpet and Linoleum Company correspondence and invoices (rug sample), 1955-1956.
Box 2 Folder 22
Lawtex Corporation correspondence, 1956-1957.
Box 2 Folder 23
Ludlow Manufacturing and Sales Company Jute-Bak contract and letters (fabric sample), 1956-1957.
Box 2 Folder 24
Ludlow Manufacturing and Sales Company letters and orders, 1955-1956.
Box 2 Folder 25
"L" correspondence, invoices, and fabric samples, 1953-1954.
Box 2 Folder 26
Manco Distributors correspondence, 1954.
Box 2 Folder 27
M.J. Whittall Associates, Incorporated invoices, 1955.
Box 2 Folder 28
"M" correspondence, 1951, 1953-1954.
Box 2 Folder 29
"M" correspondence, 1954-1955.
Box 2 Folder 30
The National Rose Company correspondence, 1955.
Box 2 Folder 31
Nelco, Incorporated correspondence (1 of 2), 1956.
Box 2 Folder 32
Nelco, Incorporated correspondence (2 of 2), 1956.
Box 2 Folder 33
Nelco, Incorporated correspondence and invoices, 1955-1956.
Box 2 Folder 34
Nelco, Incorporated correspondence, invoices, and fabric samples (1 of 2), 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 1
Nelco, Incorporated correspondence, invoices, and fabric samples (2 of 2), 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 2
Nelco, Incorporated correspondence, invoices, and photographs, 1955.
Box 3 Folder 3
"Neldek" coating development specifications and letters, 1943, 1945, 1950-1951.
Box 3 Folder 4
"Neldek" coating specifications, order forms, and correspondence, 1950-1951.
Box 3 Folder 5
"Neldek" and Navy Department correspondence, invoices, and samples, 1949-1951.
Box 3 Folder 6
New York office invoices, 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 7
"N-O" correspondence, 1954-1955.
Box 3 Folder 8
"N-P" correspondence, 1954-1955.
Box 3 Folder 9
Oklahoma Wholesale Floor Covering Company correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 10
Painter Carpet Mills, Incorporated correspondence, invoices, and photographs, 1954-1956.
Box 3 Folder 11
Painter Carpet Mills, Incorporated correspondence and shipment records ("Tufted file"), 1955.
Box 3 Folder 12
Painter Carpet Mills, Incorporated letters, 1954.
Box 3 Folder 13
Patcraft Mills, Incorporated correspondence and invoices (yarn), 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 14
Patcraft Mills, Incorporated correspondence and invoices (yarn), 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 15
Patcraft Mills, Incorporated invoice, 1957.
Box 3 Folder 16
Paxton and Gallagher Company correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 17
Plymouth Wholesale Dry Goods letters and invoices, 1956.
Box 3 Folder 18
Proffitt Textile Company correspondence and invoices, 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 19
Proffitt Textile Company correspondence and invoices (yarn sample), 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 20
Pugh Furniture Company correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 21
Pugh Furniture Company correspondence and invoices, 1954-1955.
Box 3 Folder 22
"P-Q" correspondence, 1954-1955.
Box 3 Folder 23
Rosenfeld-Kent Company correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 24
Rosenfeld-Kent Company correspondence and invoices, 1954-1955.
Box 3 Folder 25
R. Rudick Company, Incorporated letter, 1956 October 17.
Box 3 Folder 26
"R" correspondence, 1949, 1952-1953.
Box 3 Folder 27
"R" correspondence, 1953-1955.
Box 3 Folder 28
Slonim Distributors Incorporated correspondence, 1954-1955.
Box 3 Folder 29
Slonim Distributors, Incorporated correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 30
Southern Furniture and Rug Company correspondence, 1956.
Box 3 Folder 31
Southwest Wholesale Floor Coverings, Incorporated correspondence, 1954-1955.
Box 3 Folder 32
Southwest Wholesale Floor Coverings, Incorporated correspondence, 1954-1956.
Box 3 Folder 33
Swindal-Powell Company correspondence, 1953-1955.
Box 3 Folder 34
Swindal-Powell Company correspondence and invoices, 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 35
"S" correspondence, 1952-1953, 1954-1955.
Box 3 Folder 36
"S" correspondence and invoices, 1950, 1952-1953.
Box 3 Folder 37
Ten-Tex Corporation letters and notes, 1954.
Box 3 Folder 38
"T" correspondence, 1952, 1955.
Box 3 Folder 39
"T" correspondence, 1952-1953.
Box 3 Folder 40
United States Maritime Commission blueprints, 1942, undated.
Box 3 Folder 41
United States Maritime Commission blueprints, undated.
Box 3 Folder 42
"U" correspondence, 1951-1953.
Box 3 Folder 43
Val J. Roesel Company correspondence, 1954-1955.
Box 3 Folder 44
Val J. Roesel Company correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 3 Folder 45
Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft blueprint, 1943.
Box 3 Folder 46
Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft blueprint, "Neldeck" samples and letter, 1943.
Box 3 Folder 47
"V" correspondence, 1952.
Box 3 Folder 48
"V" correspondence, 1954-1955.
Box 3 Folder 49
Walton N. Moore Dry Goods Company, Incorporated invoices and letters, 1949-1951.
Box 4 Folder 1
Watts, Ritter and Company, Incorporated correspondence, 1954.
Box 4 Folder 2
Wholesale Furniture Company correspondence, 1954-1955.
Box 4 Folder 3
Wholesale Furniture Company correspondence and invoices, 1955-1956.
Box 4 Folder 4
Wichita Building Material Company, Incorporated correspondence (rug samples), 1955-1956.
Box 4 Folder 5
William Volker and Company correspondence, 1945-1947, 1950.
Box 4 Folder 6
William S. Boal correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 4 Folder 7
Williams and Reed Incorporated letters, 1955.
Box 4 Folder 8
Williams and Reed Incorporated correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 4 Folder 9
W.D. Wilkins and Company correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 4 Folder 10
"W" correspondence, 1954-1955.
Box 4 Folder 11
"W' letters and catalogs (rug sample), 1952-1953.
Box 4 Folder 12
"X-Y-Z" correspondence, 1951-1952.
Box 4 Folder 13
ZCMI Wholesale Distributors correspondence, stock sheets, 1955-1956.
Box 4 Folder 14
ZCMI Wholesale Distributors letters and invoices, 1954-1955.
Box 4 Folder 15
Price books, 1931-1933.
Box 4 Folder 16
Pricing charts, 1941-1942, 1946-1952.
Box 4 Folder 17
"Canvas for Shipboard Use-USMC New Construction" charts, circa 1942.
Box 4 Folder 18
Notes, clippings, and United States Maritime Commission procurement requests regarding "Duck" fabric and World War II, 1942-1943, undated.
Box 4 Folder 19
Correspondence and invoices for "Nelduck" and other military-grade fabric, 1943.
Box 4 Folder 20
Correspondence regarding Navy "Duck" fabric development, 1943.
Box 4 Folder 21
Correspondence regarding "Nelduck," including United States Maritime Commission, 1943.
Box 4 Folder 22
Assorted notes, letters, and invoices, some regarding "Neldek", 1943-1944, undated.
Box 4 Folder 23
Salesman application letters, 1943-1956.
Box 4 Folder 24
Assorted letters, 1944, undated.
Box 4 Folder 25
Frank Dodds travel expenses, 1946-1950, 1953.
Box 4 Folder 26
Assorted air and rail ticket stubs, 1946-1954.
Box 4 Folder 27
Assorted business correspondence, invoices, and photographs, 1949, 1951.
Box 4 Folder 28
Correspondence, notes, and invoices regarding "Neldek" and other Naval materials (1 of 2), 1949-1951, 1953.
Box 4 Folder 29
Correspondence, notes, and invoices regarding "Neldek" and other Naval materials (2 of 2), 1949-1951, 1953.
Box 4 Folder 30
Assorted business correspondence and invoices, 1950, 1953.
Box 5 Folder 1
Salesman applications, 1950, 1956-1957.
Box 5 Folder 2
Letters to distributors, 1950-1953.
Box 5 Folder 3
"Economic Stabilization" regulations and clippings, 1951.
Box 5 Folder 4
Assorted business correspondence and invoices (yarn and rug samples), 1953, 1955-1956.
Box 5 Folder 5
"Fall line" design cards and letters, 1954.
Box 5 Folder 6
Internal correspondence and competitor price lists, 1954-1955.
Box 5 Folder 7
Catalogs, press kits, and special event invitations (product showcases)(photograph), 1954-1956.
Box 5 Folder 8
Assorted correspondence and invoices (1 of 2), 1954-1957.
Box 5 Folder 9
Assorted correspondence and invoices (2 of 2), 1953-1957.
Box 5 Folder 10
Assorted completed orders, 1955.
Box 5 Folder 11
Assorted invoices, 1955.
Box 5 Folder 12
Internal price list and design cards, 1955.
Box 5 Folder 13
Tufted and synthetic carpeting clipping and notes, 1955.
Box 5 Folder 14
Textile Workers Union of America arbitration and earnings report, circa 1955.
Box 5 Folder 15
Assorted correspondence and invoices, 1955-1956.
Box 5 Folder 16
Assorted invoices, 1955-1956.
Box 5 Folder 17
Assorted invoices (1 of 3), 1955-1956.
Box 5 Folder 18
Assorted invoices (2 of 3), 1955-1956.
Box 6 Folder 1
Assorted invoices (3 of 3), 1955-1956.
Box 6 Folder 2
Company mill correspondence, 1955-1956.
Box 6 Folder 3
Letters from company mill, 1955-1956.
Box 6 Folder 4
Letters to company mill (1 of 2), 1955-1956.
Box 6 Folder 5
Letters to company mill (2 of 2), 1955-1956.
Box 6 Folder 6
Mill price lists and other invoices, 1955-1956.
Box 6 Folder 7
Supplier catalogs and pamphlets, 1955-1956.
Box 6 Folder 8
Carpet catalogs and price lists, 1956.
Box 6 Folder 9
Assorted invoices (1 of 2), 1956-1957.
Box 6 Folder 10
Assorted invoices (2 of 2), 1956-1957.
Box 6 Folder 11
Blueprints, undated.
Box 6 Folder 12
Artistic rendering of mill building, undated.
Item 1

Correspondence regarding Civil Service and New York University (rug sample), 1942.
Box 6 Folder
Correspondence, invoices, and fabric samples (1 of 2), 1942-1953.
Box 6 Folder 14
Correspondence, invoices, and fabric samples (2 of 2), 1942-1953.
Box 6 Folder 15
Accident and worker's compensation reports, letters, 1945.
Box 6 Folder 16
"Football Visualizer" score book, circa 1947.
Box 6 Folder 17

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