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Records of the Althouse, Bates, and Crompton Chemical Companies

Notifications

Held at: Science History Institute Archives [Contact Us]315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Science History Institute Archives. 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:
012.001
Repository:
Science History Institute Archives
Extent:
3.0 linear feet (8 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Records of the Althouse, Bates, and Crompton Chemical Companies, 1903-2000, Science History Institute Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Date:
1903-2005 (inclusive) and 1930-1999 (bulk)
Creator:
Althouse Chemical Company, Bates Chemical Company, Crompton & Knowles Corporation, Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, and Feeman, James, 1922-2017
Form:
Stock certificates, Archival materials, and Technical drawings
Abstract:
The Records of the Althouse, Bates, and Crompton Chemical Companies consist mainly of the corporate records of Althouse Chemical Company, Bates Chemical Company, and Crompton Corporation (including its corporate predecessors Crompton & Knowles Loom Works and Crompton & Knowles Corporation). The files in these records contain annual reports, newsletters, appraisal materials, design plans, and other miscellaneous materials. The records were collected by James Feeman, a longtime employee of Althouse Chemical Company, Incorporated.

The Crompton Loom Works was founded in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1837 by George Crompton. Following the Civil War, Crompton Loom Works became one of the largest and best-known American machine shops. The Crompton Loom Works is credited with improving several aspects of the loom and with inventing several new textile fabrics during this time.

L.J. Knowles & Brothers Loom Works was founded in 1862 by Lucius James Knowles. After a handful of textile-related ventures, Knowles established a cotton mill and a manufacturing plant where he manufactured experimental looms among other machinery. In 1866, L.J. Knowles & Brothers Loom Works moved to Worcester, Massachusetts. In 1897, L.J. Knowles & Brothers Loom Works merged with Crompton Loom Works to become Crompton & Knowles Loom Works.

The Althouse Chemical Company was founded in 1915 by C. Scott Althouse as a family-owned firm based in Reading, Pennsylvania that specialized in fabric dyes. The company was founded to counteract England's blockade of German-manufactured chemicals during World War I. Althouse was the primary supplier for the associated Neversink Dye Company.

After expanding into multiple locations, Crompton & Knowles Loom Works decided to diversify its holdings. In 1954, the firm purchased the Althouse Chemical Company. This merger laid the groundwork for Crompton & Knowles Loom Works to primarily become a manufacturer of dyestuff. In 1956, Crompton & Knowles Loom Works officially changed its name to Crompton & Knowles Corporation.

Bates Chemical Company was founded in 1924 by Joseph S. Bates in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, and primarily manufactured food and cosmetic dyes. Althouse Chemical Company, Incorporated, now a division of Crompton & Knowles Corporation, acquired Bates Chemical Company in 1960. In 1965, Bates Chemical Company was liquidated, and its operations were combined with Althouse Chemical Company, Incorporated and moved to Gibraltar, Pennsylvania. Following a 1999 merger with Witco Corporation, Crompton & Knowles Corporation became Crompton Corporation and ultimately ceased producing dyes before becoming a part of the Chemtura Corporation in 2005.

Sources

MS020: Crompton & Knowles Loom Works Collection, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Manuscript Collections, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Photographs from the Records of the Althouse, Bates, and Crompton Chemical Companies, Science History Institute Image Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Records of the Althouse, Bates, and Crompton Chemical Companies, Science History Institute Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Records of the Althouse, Bates, and Crompton Chemical Companies were compiled by James Feeman, a longtime employee of the Althouse Chemical Company, Incorporated. The records are primarily corporate in nature and document the evolution of Crompton Corporation and its corporate predecessors. Many of the records came from a safe in the Reading, Pennsylvania offices of Althouse Chemical Company, Incorporated. The materials in these records include publicity materials, in-house employee publications, memos, annual reports and to a lesser extent, proxy materials relating to mergers with Uniroyal and Witco Corporation. Also included in the records are the records of Bates Chemical Company, although the information in these records is limited. The Records of the Althouse, Bates, and Crompton Chemical Companies are arranged into the following four series:

  1. Bates Chemical Company, Incorporated
  2. Althouse Chemical Company, Incorporated
  3. Crompton & Knowles Loom Works/Crompton & Knowles Corporation/Crompton Corporation
  4. Plans and Schematics

The Records of the Althouse, Bates, and Crompton Chemical Companies were donated to the Science History Institute (formerly known as the Chemical Heritage Foundation) by James Feeman in 2004.

The Records of the Althouse, Bates, and Crompton Chemical Companies were processed by Andrew Mangravite in 2004. This finding aid was revised by Birch Mezzaroba in 2022.

There is one known archival collection of Crompton & Knowles Loom Works records preserved at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Manuscript Collection in Worcester, Massachusetts.

The Photographs from the Records of the Althouse, Bates,, and Crompon Chemical Companies are preserved at the Science History Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

People
Organization
Subject

Publisher
Science History Institute Archives
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid created by Andrew Mangravite and encoded into EAD by Birch Mezzaroba.
Finding Aid Date
2004
Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions on materials and the collection is open to the public.

Use Restrictions

The Science History Institute holds copyright to the Records of the Althouse, Bates, and Crompton Chemical Companies. The researcher assumes full responsibility for all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Collection Inventory

Series Description

Arranged in its original order, this series contains Bates Chemical Company, Incorporated's legal and financial records. The amount of information in this series is limited. The contents of the files in this series include property deeds, appraisal materials, and bonds.

Legal Papers of the Bates Chemical Company (These are mostly property deeds.), 1903, 1924-1965.
Box 1 Folder 1
Debenture Bonds (The total value is $40,000 and is payable to Joseph S. and Jennie L. Bates.), 1950.
Box 1 Folder 2
Appraisal, 1953.
Box 1 Folder 3

Series Description

Arranged in its original order, this series contains materials concerning Althouse Chemical Company, Incorporated and its close associate Neversink Dye Company. The contents of the files in this series mainly consist of financial documents, including appraisal materials, bills of sale, and ledgers. To a lesser extent, this series also contains historical materials, blueprints, and materials related to Althouse Chemical Company's incorporation.

Neversink Dyeing Company — Stock Certificate Ledger, 1906-1949.
Box 2 Folder 1
Neversink Dyeing Company — Tax Reports, 1929-1935.
Box 2 Folder 2
Neversink Dyeing Company — Appraisal, Part A, 1947.
Box 2 Folder 3
Neversink Dyeing Company — Appraisal, Part B, 1947.
Box 2 Folder 4
Neversink Dyeing Company — Indenture of Lease, 1952.
Box 2 Folder 5
Althouse Chemical Company — Historical Material (This includes material on the Althouse Family.), 1946-2004, undated.
Box 3 Folder 1
Althouse Chemical Company — Articles of Incorporation (Photostat) , 1933.
Box 3 Folder 2
Althouse Chemical Company — Certificate of Incorporation, 1947.
Box 3 Folder 3
Althouse Chemical Company — Minute Book, 1947-1954.
Box 3 Folder 4
Althouse Chemical Company — Bill of Sale (This is from C. Scott Althouse to Althouse Chemical Company.), 1948.
Box 3 Folder 5
Althouse Chemical Company — Assignment of U.S. Copyright Registration (This is from C. Scott Althouse to Althouse Chemical Company for a book entitled "Dyestuffs."), 1948.
Box 3 Folder 6
Althouse Chemical Company — Bill of Sale (This is from C. Scott Althouse to Althouse Chemical Company for plant machinery and equipment.), 1949.
Box 3 Folder 7
Althouse Chemical Company — Trademarks and Copyrights (This includes lists of U.S. and foreign registrations.), 1950-1966.
Box 3 Folder 8
Althouse Chemical Company—Dyestuff Computer, circa 1954 (Downloaded Image), 2005.
Box 3 Folder 9
Althouse Chemical Company — Stock Certificate Ledger, 1950-1954.
Box 4 Folder 1
Althouse Chemical Company — Appraisal, 1954.
Box 4 Folder 2
Althouse Chemical Company — Blueprints for Sprinkler System (This includes the Building Permit.), 1958.
Box 4 Folder 3

Series Description

Arranged in its original order, this series contains materials concerning Crompton Corporation and its corporate predecessors Crompton & Knowles Loom Works and Crompton & Knowles Corporation. The contents of the files in this series include annual reports, newsletters, and publicity materials. Also included in this series is the deed to Crompton's property in Reading, Pennsylvania and proxy statements related to Crompton's mergers with Uniroyal and Witco Corporation.

Crompton — Deed to 133 Hudson Street, Reading, Pennsylvania, undated.
Box 5 Folder 1
Crompton — Annual Reports — (1958, 1962, 1963, 1971 are missing.), 1955-1979.
Box 5 Folder 2
Crompton — Annual Reports — (1982, 1985 are missing.), 1980-1989.
Box 5 Folder 3
Crompton — Proxy Statements — (Mergers with Uniroyal and Witco Corporation.), 1996-1999.
Box 6 Folder 1
Crompton — Annual Report, 2000.
Box 6 Folder 2
Crompton — Newsletters — (The newsletters were published under various names and some numbers are missing.), 1960-1979.
Box 6 Folder 3
Crompton — Newsletters, 1983-1989.
Box 6 Folder 4
Crompton — Newsletters, 1991-1999.
Box 6 Folder 5
Crompton — Publicity Materials, 1962-1978, undated.
Box 7 Folder 1

Series Description

Arranged in its original order, this series contains materials concerning the plans and schematics from Neversink Dyeing Company and the Althouse Chemical Company, Incorporated. The contents of the files in this series include schematics, plans, tracings, and drawings concerning machinery and plant alterations. Also included in this series are miscellaneous materials, such as news stories and articles, in which Crompton & Knowles is mentioned.

Crompton — miscellaneous news stories, articles, financial reports, etc. in which Crompton and Knowles is mentioned or discussed, 1961-1979.
Box 7 Folder 2
Crompton — miscellaneous material as noted above, 1980-1996.
Box 7 Folder 3
Laboratory Dyeing Apparatus — Neversink Dyeing Company — Tracings (3 Sheets), 1908 April 2, 1909 December 17.
Box 8 Folder 1
Dyeing Machine Type B — Drawing, 1908 August 12.
Box 8 Folder 2
Double-Color Printing Machine — Symbol E, Neversink Dyeing Company — Tracings (13 Sheets — Pages 1-9, 11-14), 1909 August 14.
Box 8 Folder 3
New Double-color Printing Machine — Symbol F, Neversink Dyeing Company — Tracings (4 Sheets — Complete), 1910 April 12.
Box 8 Folder 4
Artificial Silk Machine plans — Neversink Dyeing Company — 2 sheets (This was C. Scott Althouse's invention for the production of Bemberg rayon.), 1914 February 28.
Box 8 Folder 5
Artificial Silk Machine Frame — Plan, 1914.
Box 8 Folder 6
First Revolving Nozzle — Assembled and Detailed Drawings, undated.
Box 8 Folder 7
Stainless Steel Dyeing Machine for Low Liquor/Fabric Ratio Dyeing Gas Heated — Plans (This was used in Althouse Custom Service Laboratory for most of the 20th century.), undated.
Box 8 Folder 8
Althouse Chemical Company Plant — Alterations (Offices, Rest Rooms, Locker Room, Shipping Room and Loading Dock), 1950 April 4.
Box 8 Folder 9
Althouse Chemical Company Plant — Plot Plan, 1959.
Box 8 Folder 10
Neversink Dyeing Company — Bronze Hangers — Tracings, undated.
Box 8 Folder 11

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