Subject: Nurseries (Horticulture) - Philadelphia Area Archives Search Results

Extent:: 5.0 linear feet
Abstract:: The Joseph W. Thomas and Sons Nursery in Chester County was one of the oldest and longest running horticultural enterprises in the state of Pennsylvania. It operated from 1853 to 1990, and was owned by three successive generations of the Thomas family. The Thomas nursery actually began in 1828 as a small farm and orchard called “Maple Farm,” which was owned by Charles and Ruth Thomas. It was their son, Joseph Williams Thomas, who formally established the nursery on a small portion of the farm around 1853. He named his burgeoning business, Chester Valley Nursery. Later, he changed the company’s name to Joseph W. Thomas and Company. Around 1888, Joseph’s sons, Edwin and Charles Lincoln, joined him in business and the name of the firm was changed once more to Joseph W. Thomas and Sons, reflecting the new partnership. The Joseph W. Thomas and Sons Nursery records contains documents created by that business from 1884 to 1993. Researchers will find financial records; general business...(see more)

Held at: Chester County Historical Society [Contact Us]

Extent:: 2.75 linear feet
Abstract:: Thomas Meehan (1826-1901) was a horticulturalist and nursery owner in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His nursery shipped plants across the globe, and his writings on horticulture influenced taste and design. The Jeannette Meehan Anderson collection on Thomas Meehan, 1890-1994, is comprised almost entirely of photocopies (primary source materials, contemporary articles on Meehan, and more recent scholarly articles). There are also drafts of articles by Anderson about Meehan, Anderson's correspondence about Meehan, Sotheby's appraisals of original Meehan papers and objects, and small number of original Thomas Meehan documents.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

Extent:: 3.0 linear feet
Abstract:: The Joseph Heacock Company, founded by former Pennsylvania State Senator Joseph Heacock, Jr. (1846-1918) and located in Lower Makefield Township (Bucks County, Pa.), served as one of the area's largest employers during the first half of the 20th century. Growers of palms, roses, orchids, and carnations, the company gained international fame, particularly for its roses; its dairy farm served as a significant provider in the surrounding area. The company closed its doors in 1974. The Joseph Heacock Company records, 1887-1930, consist primarily of financial ledgers, such as expense books, account books, and cash books, as well as a few other items including a deed, ephemera, and bylaws.

Held at: Lower Makefield Historical Society [Contact Us]

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