1794-1912
Guide to the Collection
Portions of the Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation records are stored
offsite and must be requested at least one business day in advance. These boxes
are listed by barcode in the finding aid. Contact the Library at
library@masshist.org or (617) 536-1608 to request
materials. Please discuss your request with the reading room staff before
requesting boxes by barcode.
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| Creator: | Boston and Roxbury Mill
Corporation |
| Title: | Boston and Roxbury Mill
Corporation records |
| Dates: | 1794-1912 |
| Physical Description: | 46 boxes
(26 stored offsite), 30 vols. (1 oversize), 6 oversize boxes and 1 drawer of
plans. |
| Call Number: | Ms. N-2301(T) |
| Repository: | Massachusetts Historical Society
1154 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02215
library@masshist.org |
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Abstract:
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This collection consists of the records of the
Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation, which was formed to build a dam across the
tidal marshes of the Charles River in Boston to produce water power for mills,
and later filled in the basin to create the land that became Boston's Back Bay.
Iincluded are administrative and financial records, building accounts,
stockholders' records, maps, plans, and printed material. The personal records
of superintendent William S. Whitwell are also part of the
collection.
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1813
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(June) Isaac P. Davis, Uriah Cotting, and 144 others petition
Massachusetts legislature for incorporation as Boston and Roxbury Mill
Corporation (BRMC) for the purpose of building a dam across Charles River
marshlands to create water power for mills.
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1814
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(14 June) BRMC is officially incorporated.
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1818
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(January?) Public offer of corporate shares creates such a great demand
that street is blocked by mobs of people attempting to purchase them.
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1818
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(April) Corporation begins to build dams, with Uriah Cotting as
superintendent or "agent."
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1819
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(23 March) Uriah Cotting resigns because of ill health, and dies shortly
thereafter.
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1819
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(28 April) Col. Loammi Baldwin is hired as agent.
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1820
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(1 January) Corporation fails to meet original completion deadline for
project. Legislature extends date for two years.
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1821
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(2 July) Mill Dam Rd. (later Beacon St.) opens with great ceremony,
including a formal cavalcade of 100 carriages and chaises led by General
William H. Sumner.
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1822
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Col. Loammi Baldwin resigns as superintendent/agent.
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1824
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BRMC stockholders organize Boston Water Power Co. (BWPC) to handle
water-power issues, while BRMC controls property and road issues. Stockholders
hold equal numbers of shares in each corporation.
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1827
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(July) Samuel Nicolson becomes superintendent/agent of
B&RMC.
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1831
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Boston and Providence Railroad and Boston and Worcester Railroad are
incorporated and laid out, with lines crossing lands of BWPC. Stock in both
BRMC and BWPC decreases by 50%.
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1832
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BRMC and BWPC officially divide property between them, BWPC gaining mill
franchises, water power privileges, and all flats lying south of the Mill Dam,
and BRMC retaining roadways and flats north of the dam.
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1835-1836
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Tracks of Providence and Worcester Railroad are laid across
basin.
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1848
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BRMC builds five houses on Western Ave. (formerly Mill Dam Rd. and
later, Beacon St.)
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1849
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Boston Board of Health declares basin "a nuisance . . . offensive and
injurious to the large and increasing population residing" near it.
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1852
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State Commission is appointed to consider ways to improve basin.
Legislature resolves that basin should be filled in, roads should be toll-free,
and streets should be laid out, under state supervision.
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1854
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(9 June) BRMC agrees with Commonwealth of Massachusetts to convey land
covered by dam as a public highway.
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1855
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Samuel Nicolson resigns as superintendent after 28 years, and is
replaced by William S. Whitwell.
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1857
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Corporation begins adding landfill to basin. Ownership of land is
divided between B&RMC, BWPC, and Commonwealth.
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1865
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Western Ave. (former Mill Dam Rd.) is renamed Beacon St.
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1868
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(7 December) Beacon St. and other roadways are opened as free public
highways.
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1886
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William S. Whitwell resigns and his assistant, William Matchlett,
becomes superintendent.
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1894
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Landfill is completed.
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1909
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(13 October) Stockholders in BRMC vote to dissolve corporation.
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1912
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(22 March) After unsuccessful search for last remaining shareholder,
petition is granted by court for corporation to dissolve. Remaining dividends
are split among existing shareholders.
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The records of the Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation consist of 46 boxes,
30 cased volumes, six oversized boxes, and one drawer of plans, spanning the
years 1794 to 1912. The collection has been organized into eight series:
Administrative records; Financial records; Stockholder records; Maps and plans;
Printed material; William Whitwell papers; and B.T. Reed Trust Fund
letterbooks.
The Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation (BRMC) was incorporated in 1814 to
build a dam across the tidal marsh lands of the Charles River in Boston in
order to produce power for mills. Begun under the direction of engineer Uriah
Cotting and completed by Loammi Baldwin, the dam and the toll-road on top of it
(later to become Beacon St.) was completed in 1821. In 1824, stockholders
organized the Boston Water Power Company (BWPC) to handle mill franchises and
water rights, but after railroad tracks crisscrossed the basin in the 1830s and
1840s, the project proved impractical. By 1857, the BRMC, the BWPC, and the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts began filling in the basin, which became the Back
Bay section of Boston, and ownership of the land was divided between the three
entities. BRMC continued to build roads, houses, and other structures on their
land, which included present-day Beacon St., Brookline Ave., Commonwealth Ave.,
and Kenmore Square, until the 1890s. The records in this collection reflect the
activities of the corporation, its directors, superintendents, and
stockholders, relating primarily to its varied construction and building
projects.
Administrative records include directors' and superintendents'
correspondence and reports; meeting minutes; building contracts and agreements;
deeds and leases; and construction records, including those for the original
dam and roadway across the marsh lands, landfill operations, and house
construction from the 1850s to the 1880s. These records also include papers
that were part of the corporation's lawsuit with contractor Joseph Chesley from
1818 to 1820, which provide insight into the organization of early 19th century
construction projects.
Financial records primarily pertain to building the dam in 1818-1820 and
filling in the bay and the subsequent construction of roads and buildings from
the 1850s through the 1880s. They include ledgers, cash books, and other
general accounts; annual reports; account books for tolls on the Mill Dam Road
(later Beacon St.); account books for rents on the corporation's houses,
stores, toll house, and tavern; bank notes; insurance policies; and other
bills, checks, and financial memos. Of particular interest to genealogists and
labor historians are early payroll records (1818-1820) that list the name of
the laborer, occupation or description of work, number of days worked per week,
daily wages, and signature for receipt of wages. Some 1820 payrolls record over
200 names per week.
Stockholder records include correspondence requesting dividend payments or
authorizing power of attorney; lists of stockholders; dividend record books;
and original stock certificates. Occasionally interfiled with the stock
certificates, which are arranged alphabetically by the name of the stockholder,
are probate records certifying estate settlements of deceased stockholders. The
BRMC records also contain an extensive collection of maps and plans, which
include manuscript maps, printed maps, and blueprints illustrating the
topography of the corporation's lands, property boundaries, roads, railroads,
and building locations. A detailed list of maps is included as an appendix to
this guide. Printed material includes the 1814 act establishing the Boston and
Roxbury Mill Corporation and an 1822 set of conditions for leasing mills, as
well as numerous reports from Boston and Massachusetts government offices
regarding Back Bay lands, auction catalogs of house lots and lands, and other
briefs and reports.
The personal papers of William Whitwell (1809-1899), who served as
superintendent of BRMC from 1855 to 1887, are also among the records of this
collection, and include his personal correspondence as well as his personal
bills and receipts. Finally, the collection includes two letterbooks of
correspondence related to the B. T. Reed Trust, although their relationship
with BRMC is unclear.
Portions of the Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation records are stored
offsite and must be requested at least one business day in advance. These boxes
are listed by barcode in the finding aid. Contact the Library at
library@masshist.org or (617) 536-1608 to request
materials. Please discuss your request with the reading room staff before
requesting boxes by barcode.
The collection is organized into the following series:
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| I. Administrative records, 1794-1912 |
| | A. Directors' and Superintendents' records, 1818-1912 |
| | B. Deeds and leases, 1794-1890 |
| | C. Building accounts and memoranda, 1814-1889 |
| | D. Records related to Joseph Chesley lawsuits, 1818-1822 |
| II. Financial records, 1815-1899 |
| | A. General accounts, 1818-1891 |
| | B. Payroll records, 1818-1863 |
| | C. Tolls, 1821-1849 |
| | D. Rents, 1850-1880 |
| | E. Bills and receipts, 1815-1887 |
| | F. Promissory and bank notes, 1844-1881 |
| | G. Insurance policies, 1829-1869 |
| | H. Checks, 1818-1899 |
| | I. Miscellaneous financial memos, 1829-1886 |
| III. Stockholder records, 1818-1901 |
| | A. Stockholder correspondence and proxies, 1818-1895 |
| | B. Stockholder lists, 1818-1891 |
| | C. Stock certificates and transfers, 1818-1901 |
| | D. Dividend record books, 1825-1899 |
| IV. Maps and plans, 1828-1891 |
| V. Printed material, 1814-1882 |
| VI. William Whitwell papers, 1851-1871 |
| | A. Personal correspondence, 1851-1871 |
| | B. Personal bills and receipts, 1856-1870 |
| VII. B.T. Reed Trust Fund letterbooks, 1880-1890 |
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| Box/Vol. | Barcode | Folder | Contents |
| | | I. Administrative records,
1794-1912
Records in this series relate to the administration and management of the
corporation, as well as the administration of the corporation's various
building and construction projects. They consist of directors' and
superintendents' records, including correspondence; reports of superintendents,
treasurers and various committees; building and service contracts; property
lists; meeting minutes; and construction records. Also in this series are deeds
and leases for land held by the corporation, as well as land leased and sold by
the corporation in the newly filled Back Bay. Building accounts and memos
include records of land fill, paving stones, construction estimates, and other
plans, as well as records of scows or open barges hired by the corporation to
haul mud and ballast. Finally, this series includes records related to the
corporation's lawsuits with Joseph Chesley in 1818-1820, in which the
corporation sued Chesley for breach of contract, and Chesley countersued for
failure of payment.
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| | | | A. Directors' and Superintendent's records,
1818-1912
Arranged chronologically and by record type. Because the board of directors and superintendents of the corporation often
acted in similar capacities and generated the same types of records, these
documents are filed together. The superintendent (originally called the agent)
reported to the board of directors and ran the day-to-day operations of the
company. He also often served as the corporation's treasurer.
Included in these records are correspondence; reports to the directors and
shareholders by superintendents, treasurers and committees; building and
service contracts; petitions; applications; bonds; agreements relating to land
and water rights; resignations of agents, presidents, and board members;
property lists; correspondence with Boston selectmen, and later, Boston City
Council; notices of board meetings; proposals; and building specifications.
Superintendents' reports to the board and stockholders contain particularly
detailed information, describing construction activities, problems and
successes, expenses, and plans. Early superintendent's reports are referred to
as treasurer's and agent's reports, and also include financial data. Also in
this series are applications for the position of toll gatherer (1821); writs of
attachment and other legal documents; surety bonds for treasurers and toll
gatherers; a series of proposals to fill old sluices (1834-1835); a proposal to
build a sea wall along Western Ave., later known as Beacon St. (1840); building
specifications for houses on Western Ave. (1848); and records of the
corporation's Back Bay Commission committee (1852).
Notable board members include John Lowell, Ralph Huntington, Harrison Gray
Otis, and Artemas Ward. Superintendents whose records are included in this
series include Uriah Cotting, who served from 1817 to 1819; Loammi Baldwin,
from 1819 to 1822; Samuel Nicolson, from 1827 to 1855; and William S. Whitwell,
from 1855 to 1887.
Volumes in this series include six directors' record books, spanning the
years 1823-1912, which contain meeting minutes, indentures, reports, bylaws,
committee reports, results of surveys, copies of agreements and contracts, and
copies of plans. Shareholders' meeting minutes appear at the back of each
volume. A letterbook contains copies of the correspondence of superintendents
William S. Whitwell and William Matchlett from 1859 to 1891, and includes an
index.
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| | | | | i.. Loose records, 1818-1900 |
| Box 1 | | | | | | January 1818-May 1821 |
| Box 2 | | | | | | June 1821-December 1835 |
| Box 3 | | | | | | 1836-1858 |
| Box 4 | | | | | | 1859-1877 |
| Box 5 | | | | | | 1878-1900 |
| | | | | ii. Volumes, 1823-1912 |
| Vol. 1 | | | | | | Directors' record book, 1823-1845 |
| Vol. 2 | | | | | | Directors' record book, 1845-1857 |
| Vol. 3 | | | | | | Directors' record book, 1857-1869 |
| Vol. 4 | | | | | | Directors' record book, 1869-1885 |
| Vol. 5 | | | | | | Directors' record book, 1885-1895 |
| Vol. 6 | | | | | | Directors' record book, 1895-1912 |
| Vol. 7 | | | | | | Superintendent's letterbook, 1859-1891 |
| | | | B. Deeds and leases,
1794-1890
Arranged chronologically and by record type.Records in this series that are dated earlier than 1818 are copies or
abstracts of earlier deeds related to Boston and Roxbury Mill Corp. lands.
Deeds held directly by the corporation date from 1818. This series also
includes leases and indentures held by the corporation.
By 1854, the corporation began to lease and sell their lands in the Back
Bay, specifically on Western Ave. (later known as Beacon St.) and the deeds
found here pertain to these transactions. The series also includes indentures
between the corporation and the city of Boston, as well as the commissioners of
public lands.
The Book of Deeds contains handwritten copies of deeds pertaining to the
corporation, as well as several original deeds pasted into the volume.
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| Box 6 | | | | | Loose records, 1794-1874 |
| Box 7 | | Folders 1-8 | | | Loose records, 1875-1890 |
| Vol. 8 | | | | | Book of Deeds, 1818-1862 |
| | | | C. Building accounts and memoranda,
1814-1889
Arranged chronologically and by subject.This series contains lists of measurements, estimates, and other memoranda
and accounts related to building projects conducted by the corporation.
Included are an 1814 account of tides at the South Boston Bridge, measurements
for buildings, distances between points of land, measurements for stones and
iron posts, memos of articles delivered and received, estimates and
certifications for land fill (1850s-1860s), paving stones delivered to the mill
dam (1880s), and other accounts relating to building dams, walls, fences, land
fill and paving stones.
Scow memoranda relate to the scows, or open barges, hired by the corporation
to haul loads of mud or ballast for landfill, and include the name of the owner
or skipper, the scow's identification number, and the number of loads it
carried per month.
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| Box 7 | | Folders 9-25 | | | Building records, 1814-1889 |
| Box 7 | | Folders 26-38 | | | Scow memos, 1845-1847 |
| Box 8 | | Folders 1-11 | | | Scow memos, 1848-1849 |
| | | | D. Records related to Joseph Chesley lawsuits,
1818-1822
Arranged chronologically and by subject.In February 1818, Joseph Chesley 3rd of Durham, New Hampshire contracted
with the corporation to build three scows and deliver them to Boston. Later,
the corporation hired Chesley to break out and deliver 10,000 perches of stone
for walls, paying part of the contracted amount to Chesley in advance. In
August 1818, the corporation issued writs of attachment related to Chesley's
non-performance of contract, suing him in November 1818.
In March 1820, Chesley countersued the corporation for back wages.
Depositions in this series pertain to the 1820 trial. Other records include
writs of attachment, correspondence, accounts and receipts, undated memos, and
superintendent Loammi Baldwin's case notes.
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| Box 8 | | Folders 12-19 | | | Correspondence, accounts, and memoranda, 1818-1822 |
| Box 8 | | Folders 20-21 | | | Loammi Baldwin's case notes, 1818-1822 |
| Box 8 | | Folders 22-30 | | | Depositions, 1820-1822 |
| Box 9 | | Folders 1-6 | | | Depositions, 1820-1822 |
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| | | II. Financial records,
1815-1899
The bulk of financial records covers the years 1819-1820, representing the
building of the dam across the Back Bay, and the 1850s through the 1880s,
representing the filling in of the bay and subsequent construction of roads and
buildings. Included in this series are general accounts, consisting of ledgers,
cash books, journals and other account books that list corporate receipts and
expenditures, as well as treasurers' accounts and annual reports. Payroll
records were kept separately from general accounts and list weekly labor costs
for constructing roads and dams, recording wages of individual laborers from
1818-1821. Other financial records include receipts and income from tolls
collected on the corporation's road across the dam, and after 1850, rents from
houses and other structures built on the corporation's filled land. Also in
this series are bills and receipts reflecting the corporation's daily
activities, promissory and bank notes, insurance policies, bank checks, and
other financial memoranda.
For treasurers' reports dated before 1831, see Directors and Superintendents
records (Series IA.)
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| | | | A. General accounts,
1818-1891
Arranged chronologically and by record type.Included here are the corporation's accounts with individual agents, balance
sheets, disbursements, quarterly and monthly statements, trial balances and
ledgers listing receipts and expenditures. Early records (1818-1821), which
comprise the bulk of this series, largely consist of expense reports from
project managers Charles Blaney, Enoch Moody, and Amos Cotting, including labor
and materials. Beginning in 1831, the series also includes monthly treasurer's
accounts and annual reports presented to corporate stockholders.
Journals and daybooks record the sequential daily account of all financial
transactions. Ledgers list accounts by person, firm or product, including
tolls, house rents, land rents, road expenses, house expenses, iron work and
hardware, notes payable and receivable, interest, stock, stables, toll houses,
salaries, boat houses, bathing houses, profit and loss statements, and balance
statements. Cash books record all cash payments and receipts, including bills,
labor (but not payroll accounts), dividend payments, salaries, and building
materials.
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| | | | | i. Loose records, 1818-1887 |
| Box 9 | | Folders 7-30 | | | | 1818-1841 |
| Box 10 | | Folders 1-18 | | | | 1842-1887 |
| | | | | ii. Volumes, 1818-1891 |
| Vol. 9 | | | | | | Journal, 1818-1822 |
| Box 10 | | Folder 19 | | | | Ledger, 1819 |
| Box 10 | | Folder 20 | | | | Daybook, 1819 |
| Vol. 10 | | | | | | Cash book, 1819-1820 |
| Box 10 | | Folder 21 | | | | Daybook, 1820 |
| Vol. 11 | | | | | | Cash book, 1834-1845 |
| Vol. 12 | | | | | | Ledger, 1842-1856 |
| Box 10 | | Folder 22 | | | | Cash book, 1855-1856 |
| Vol. 13 | | | | | | Cash book, 1856-1865 |
| Vol. 14 | | | | | | Ledger, 1856-1887 |
| Vol. 15 | | | | | | Cash book, 1861-1863 |
| Vol. 16 | | | | | | Cash book, 1864-1870 |
| Vol. 17 | | | | | | Cash book, 1865-1880 |
| Vol. 18 | | | | | | Cash book, 1870-1883 |
| Vol. 19 | | | | | | Cash book, 1881-1891 |
| | | | B. Payroll records,
1818-1863
Arranged chronologically and by record type.Records in this series include both loose records and several softbound
account books, the bulk of which date from 1818 to 1821. Loose payroll records
are recorded by week, and include the name of the worker, number of days per
week he has worked, daily wages, total wages for the week, and the worker's
signature verifying that he has received his pay. Most payrolls also list the
occupation or work description of the laborer. Some 1820 payroll records list
over 200 men per week. Between 1824 and 1855, payroll records consist only of
individual receipts for wages. Later records (1855-1863) include both laborers
and tollmen.
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| Box 11 | | Folders 1-21 | | | Loose records, 1818-1819 |
| OS Box 1 | | | | | Loose records, 1818 |
| OS Box 2 | | | | | Loose records, 1819 |
| Box 11 | | Folder 22 | | | Memorandum of labor done at Roxbury, April-November 1819 |
| Box 11 | | Folder 23 | | | Monthly account book, April 1819-March 1820 |
| Box 11 | | Folder 24 | | | Monthly account of work at Five Sluices, June-December
1819 |
| Box 12 | | Folders 1-10 | | | Loose records, 1820 |
| OS Box 3 | | | | | Loose records, 1820 |
| Box 12 | | Folder 11 | | | Monthly account book, April-October 1820 |
| Box 12 | | Folder 12 | | | Monthly account of work at Five Sluices, April 1820-June
1821 |
| Box 12 | | Folders 13-25 | | | Loose records, 1821 |
| Box 13 | | Folders 1-19 | | | Loose records, 1822-1863 |
| | | | C. Tolls,
1821-1849
Arranged chronologically.This series includes two volumes listing daily receipts for tolls collected
on the corporation's road. Originally known as Mill Dam Rd., it later became
Western Ave. and in 1865, Beacon St. The first volume contains lists of
receipts for tolls collected by James Willson from July 1821 through March
1823, recorded by treasurer Samuel McCleary. The second book contains receipts
for tolls collected from Janaury 1835 through December 1849, recorded by
treasurer Samuel Nicolson.
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| Box 13 | | Folder 20 | | | Toll receipt book, 1821-1823 |
| Box 13 | | Folder 21 | | | Toll receipt book, 1835-1849 |
| | | | D. Rents,
1850-1880
Arranged chronologically.Beginning about 1850, the corporation began constructing houses and other
structures on their land to rent to tenants. Rent books list renters, date rent
is paid, and the amount of rent for structures including the Old Toll House,
Tavern Estate, Store and House on the Wharf, and Houses #1-5. The later two
rent books are organized as ledgers, with accounts listed by renters' names.
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| Box 13 | | Folder 22 | | | Rent book, 1850-1860 |
| Box 13 | | Folder 23 | | | Rent book, 1860-1879 |
| Vol. 20 | | | | | Rent book, 1879-1880 |
| | | | E. Bills and receipts,
1815-1887
Arranged chronologically.Bills and receipts reflect the general activities of the corporation. These
transactions were usually also recorded in the treasurers' cash books and
ledgers. Most of the bills and receipts are individual receipts for services
such as advertising, printing, general labor, stone splitting, transportation,
construction contracts, carpentry, legal expenses, and water. Receipts for
supplies include nails, gunpowder, groceries, rum, cordage, timber, ballast,
hay, cast steel, office supplies, coal, oil, and materials for constructing
houses such as wallpaper and window sashes.
This subseries is stored offsite and must be requested by barcode at least
one business day in advance.
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| Box 14 | SH17WBA | | | | February 1815-July 1818 |
| Box 15 | SH17WCB | | | | August-October 1818 |
| Box 16 | SH17WDC | | | | November 1818-April 1819 |
| Box 17 | SH17WED | | | | 1 May-20 July 1819 |
| Box 18 | SH17WFE | | | | 21 July-30 September 1819 |
| Box 19 | SH17WGF | | | | October 1819-March 1820 |
| Box 20 | SH17WHG | | | | April-July 1820 |
| Box 21 | SH17WIH | | | | August-December 1820 |
| Box 22 | SH17WJI | | | | January-November 1821 |
| Box 23 | SH17WKJ | | | | December 1821-December 1826 |
| Box 24 | SH17WLK | | | | 1827-1831 |
| Box 25 | SH17WML | | | | 1832-1838 |
| Box 26 | SH17WNM | | | | January 1839-May 1851 |
| Box 27 | SH17WPO | | | | June 1851-December 1854 |
| Box 28 | SH17WQP | | | | January 1855-July 1858 |
| Box 29 | SH17WRQ | | | | August 1858-December 1862 |
| Box 30 | SH17WSR | | | | 1863-1887 |
| | | | F. Promissory and bank notes,
1844-1881
Arranged chronologically and by record type.This series includes promissory and bank notes signed by the treasurer to
various banks, insurance companies, and individuals, using shares of stocks and
bonds as collateral. The values of the notes range from $300 to $30,000, with
the bulk dating from 1860-1865. The bound volumes entitled "Notes and Bills
Payable and Receivable" list the date of the note, from whom it was received,
the amount, length of loan, date due, and the endorsers.
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| Box 31 | | Folders 1-9 | | | Loose records, 1844-1890 |
| Box 31 | | Folder 10 | | | Record book, 1848-1852 |
| Box 31 | | Folder 11 | | | Record book, 1852-1881 |
| Box 31 | | Folders 12-30 | | G. Insurance policies,
1829-1869
Arranged chronologically.This series includes fire insurance policies purchased by the corporation
for the buildings and structures that they owned. They describe the property,
its location, and its usage, as well as the property's value. In 1829, a policy
for $13,000 included the "building and fixtures of City Mill for grinding grain
and on four blocks of wooden buildings on the easterly side of the mill." In
1831, a $5,500 policy for a tavern house and stables was added. By 1847,
insured property included a sawmill and machinery; a machine, forge and pattern
shop; a foundry; a boiler house; a blacksmith shop; a locomotive shop; and a
mill for sawing mahogany, as well as all tools, machinery and other contents.
In 1850, the corporation began to insure the dwelling houses they were renting
to tenants.
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| Box 32 | | Folders 1-26 | | H. Checks,
1818-1899
Arranged chronologically.This series includes individual checks written by the corporation's
treasurer, the bulk of which date from 1818-1821. A check register dating from
1891-1898 lists the check numbers, payees, and amount of payment.
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| Box 32 | | Folders 27-29 | | I. Miscellaneous financial memos,
1829-1886
Arranged chronologically.These records include lists, accounts, and memoranda related to various
financial topics. The bulk are short memos dating from 1875 to 1886 written by
superintendent William Matchlett in regard to dividends, indentures, cash
settlements, and other financial matters
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| | | III. Stockholder records,
1818-1901
Although the Boston and Roxbury Mill Corp. was incorporated in 1814, it did
not publically trade its stock until early in 1818, when it met with great
demand. Records in this series include shareholder correspondence requesting
dividend payments or authorizing power of attorney for annual stockholders'
meetings; lists of stockholders; stock certificates that were returned when the
stock was sold back to the corporation, with related correspondence; and
dividend record books containing the date and amount of stock dividends as well
as the signatures of each stockholder upon receipt.
|
| | | | A. Stockholder correspondence and proxies,
1818-1895
Arranged chronologically.This series primarily consists of letters to the corporation's treasurer
requesting dividends to be paid, inquiring about dividends, or authorizing
powers of attorney for proxies to vote at the annual stockholders' meeting.
|
| Box 32 | | Folders 30-39 | | | 1818-1857 |
| Box 33 | | Folders 1-20 | | | 1859-1895 |
| | | | B. Stockholder lists,
1818-1891
Arranged chronologically and by record type.Loose records include alphabetical lists of stockholders from the years
1818, 1831 through 1857, which include only the stockholders' names and the
number of shares owned. The bulk of the records, however, date from 1871-1891,
and are printed with stockholders' names and place of residence as well as the
number of shares owned. They date from May of each year.
Volumes in this sub-series include a shareholders' record book which
contains alphabetical lists of stockholders in February 1818, December 1819,
December 1820, and July 1832, as well as all transactions related to the sale
and transfer of stock from 1818 to 1856. Beginning in 1835, the number of the
stock certificate is also included. The shares book also covers the years 1818
to 1856, but it is organized alphabetically, listing shares held by each
stockholder with an index in the front. The record of stockholders dates from
1849 to 1858, and contains an alphabetical list of stockholders with the number
of shares they own for each year.
|
| Box 33 | | Folders 21-36 | | | Loose records, 1818-1891 |
| Vol. 21 | | | | | Shareholders' record book, 1818-1856 |
| Vol. 22 | | | | | Shares book, 1818-1856 |
| Vol. 23 | | | | | Record of stockholders, 1849-1858 |
| | | | C. Stock certificates and transfers,
1818-1901
Arranged alphabetically.The bulk of this series is stock certificates originally issued between
1818-1901 that were returned to the corporation when it bought back the shares.
They contain the name of the stockholder, number of shares, certificate number,
and signature of the board president and treasurer. Information on the verso
records the subsequent sale or transfer of the stock. Certificates are filed
alphabetically under family name. Also included here is correspondence related
to lost certificates or requests for a duplicate certificate, as well as
probate court records certifying the estate settlements of deceased
stockholders.
This subseries is stored offsite and must be requested by barcode at least
one business day in advance.
|
| Box 34 | SH17WTS | | | | Adams-Brazier |
| Box 35 | SH17WUT | | | | Brewer-Cutter |
| Box 36 | SH17WVU | | | | Dalton-French |
| Box 37 | SH17WWV | | | | Fullam-Henshaw |
| Box 38 | SH17WXW | | | | Higginson-Loring |
| Box 39 | SH17WYX | | | | Lovering-Palmer |
| Box 40 | SH17WZY | | | | Parker-Sanderson |
| Box 41 | SH17X11 | | | | Sargent-Touro |
| Box 42 | SH17X22 | | | | Tracy-Wyman |
| | | | D. Dividend record books,
1825-1899
Arranged chronologically.These five books list each dividend paid by the corporation, and contain the
name of stockholders, the amount of each dividend, dates, and signatures of
stockholders verifying their receipt of the dividend. Together, they create a
fairly complete record of stockholders, except for a gap during the years
1865-1867.
|
| OS Vol. | | | | | Dividend record book, 1825-1854 |
| Vol. 24 | | | | | Dividend record book, 1854-1864 |
| Vol. 25 | | | | | Dividend record book, 1868-1890 |
| Vol. 26 | | | | | Dividend record book, 1890-1894 |
| Vol. 27 | | | | | Dividend record book, 1895-1899 |
|
|
| | | IV. Maps and plans,
1828-1891
Arranged chronologically and by size.Documents in this series consist of manuscript maps, printed maps, and
blueprints. They illustrate the topography of the corporation's lands, property
boundaries and locations, the original shoreline, roads, railroads, and
building locations. Some documents also include the names of property owners.
Maps and plans are stored in oversize boxes and map drawers according to their
size, but they are listed chronologically in the appendix, "List of Maps."
Smaller, undated sketches and plans of streets, houselots and other parcels of
land are foldered in Box 43.
|
| OS Box 4 | | Folders 1-11 | | Maps and plans, 1828-1891 |
| OS Box 5 | | Folders 1 | | Maps and plans, 1847-1888 |
| Map Drawer | | Folders 1-27 | | Maps and plans, 1850-1890 |
| Box 43 | | Folder 1 | | Plans and sketches, n.d. |
|
|
| Box 43 | | Folders 2-17 | V. Printed material,
1814-1882
Arranged chronologically.Early printed material includes the 1814 Act to
Establish the Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation and the 1822 set of
conditions for leasing mills and mill power from the corporation. The bulk of
printed material dates from 1850 to 1873 and consists of reports of the
Committee of Public Lands related to the Public Garden and land auctions;
reports of the Massachusetts Senate, House of Representatives, and City of
Boston related to Back Bay lands; reports of the directors of the Boston Water
Power Company; auction catalogs of Back Bay house lots and lands; legal briefs;
Massachusetts General Court acts and resolves; and annual reports of the
comissioners of public lands.
|
|
|
| | | VI. William Whitwell papers,
1851-1871
William Scollay Whitwell (23 May 1809 - 31 October 1899) was superintendent
of Boston and Roxbury Mill Corp. from 1855 to 1887. Included in this series is
Whitwell's personal correspondence, bills, and receipts.
|
| Box 44 | | Folders 1-11 | | A. Personal correspondence,
1851-1871
Arranged chronologically.The bulk of Whitwell's correspondence are letters to and from his
brother-in-law, William Parker, in relation to Whitwell's candidacy for
superintendent of the New Jersey Railroad and Transportation Co. in Jersey
City, New Jersey. Also included is correspondence with his sister, Lucy Cushing
Parker, his son William S. Whitwell junior, other family members, and business
associates.
|
| | | | B. Personal bills and receipts,
1856-1870
Arranged chronologically.Personal bills and receipts include those for groceries and sundries;
medical fees; clothing; household furnishings; tuition; gas and water bills;
rent and tax payments; home repairs; and other expenses.
|
| Box 44 | | Folders 12-44 | | | 1856-1866 |
| Box 45 | | | | | 1867-1869 |
| Box 46 | | Folders 1-14 | | | 1870 |
|
|
| | | VI. B. T. Reed Trust Fund letterbooks,
1880-1890
This series contains two letterbooks of correspondence related to the B. T.
Reed Trust. The first contains copies of letters written by trustees J. Avery
Richards and J. P. Putnam from 1880 to 1889. The second letterbook contains
copies of letters written by B. C. Vose between 1881 and 1890. B. T. Reed
served as a treasurer of the Bay State Iron Company of South Boston in the
1850s, and a trust was formed from his shares of stock in the company after his
death. Subsequent treasurers continued to serve as trustees. Letters in these
volumes consist of correspondence with beneficiaries of the trust regarding
dividends, payments, and other financial matters. The trust's relationship with
Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation is unclear.
|
| Vol. 28 | | | | Letterbook, 1880-1889 |
| Vol. 29 | | | | Letterbook, 1881-1890 |
| | | | | | | |
| Box/Drawer | Folder | Contents |
| OS Box 4 | Folder 1 | Plan of Tavern Estate of J. Lowell on the Mill Dam, 1828 |
| OS Box 5 | Folder 1 | [Plan of Boston and Roxbury Mill Corp. lands in Back Bay,]
1847 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 1 | Plan of Back Bay and vicinity, 1850 |
| OS Box 4 | Folders 2-3 | Plan of Back Bay and vicinity, accompanying Senate Document #45,
1852 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 1 | Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation lands, 1854 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 1 | Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation lands, 1855 |
| OS Box 4 | Folder 4 | Sketches of Brighton and Brookline branches of Mill Dam,
1857 |
| OS Box 4 | Folder 5 | South Boston flats, ca. 1860 |
| OS Box 5 | Folder 2 | Brookline Avenue, 1861 |
| OS Box 4 | Folder 6 | Plan of lands to be sold at public auction, 1863 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 2 | Corey Marsh, 1866 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 3 | Plan recorded with license to build seawall, 1872 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 3 | Plan of Burnt District (Fire of 1872), 1873 |
| OS Box 5 | Folder 3 | Brighton Avenue, 1873 |
| OS Box 4 | Folder 7 | Jamaica Park and Bussey Farm Parkway, 1876 |
| OS Box 5 | Folder 4 | Brookline Avenue, 1876 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 4 | Brighton Park, 1876 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 4 | South Bay and Savin Hill Parks, 1876 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 4 | Charles River embankment, 1876 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 4 | City Point Battery, 1876 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 5 | Proposed parks and parkways, 1876 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 6 | Back Bay Park, 1877 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 7 | Plan of river with embankments on Boston and Cambridge sides,
1878 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 7 | Beaver and Beacon Streets, 1879 |
| OS Box 5 | Folder 5 | Parker Street, 1879 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 8 | Proposed improvement of Back Bay, 1879 (3) |
| OS Box 5 | Folder 6 | Plan of house lots belonging to Boston and Roxbury Mill Corp.,
1880 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 9 | Plan of house lots, Back Bay Park, 1880 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 10 | Beacon Street and Charles River, 1880 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 11 | Plan of house lots, Back Bay Park, 1880 (multiple
copies) |
| OS Box 5 | Folder 7 | Charles River/Beacon Street, 1880-1887 |
| OS Box 4 | Folder 8 | Proposed plan of terminal grounds for the New York and Boston Inland
Railroad, 1882 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 12 | Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation lands, 1882 (2) |
| Map Drawer | Folder 12 | Land of Brighton Avenue (Richards's Marsh), 1882 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 13 | Beacon Street between Kenmore Square and Hereford Street,
1883 |
| OS Box 5 | Folder 8 | Plan of Harvard Bridge, 1884 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 13 | Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation lands, 1884 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 13 | Beacon Street and Commonwealth Avenue, 1885 |
| OS Box 4 | Folder 9 | Map of portions of Boston and Cambridge, 1885 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 14 | Commonwealth Avenue between Kenmore Square and West Chester,
1886 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 15 | Beacon Street entrance to park, 1886 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 16 | Beacon Street between Hereford St. and Adams's March, 1886
(4) |
| OS Box 4 | Folder 10 | Beacon Street grades, 1887 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 17 | Plan of Lots B and E, 1887 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 18 | Detailed Block B lots, 1887 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 18 | Plan widening Beacon Street and Brighton Avenue, 1887 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 18 | Plan widening Brighton Avenue, 1887 (2) |
| OS Box 5 | Folder 9 | Kenmore Square, 1888 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 19 | Beacon Street, between Kenmore Square and Hereford Street,
1888 |
| OS Box 4 | Roll | Architectural plans for Beacon Street house, 1889 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 20 | Land on Commonwealth Avenue, 1889 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 21 | Commonwealth Avenue, 1889 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 22 | Architectural plans for Bay State Road house, 1889 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 23 | Commonweath Avenue between Essex Street and Kenmore Square,
1890 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 24 | Commonweath Avenue, Beacon Street, and Bay State Road,
1890 |
| OS Box 4 | Folder 11 | Beacon Street sewer system, 1891 |
| Map Drawer | Folder 25 | "Rail Punch," n.d. |
| Map Drawer | Folder 26 | Architectural plans for Beacon Street house, n.d. |
| Map Drawer | Folder 27 | Plan of Public Garden, n.d. |
Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation records, Massachusetts Historical
Society.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in
ABIGAIL,
the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers
desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should
search the catalog using these headings.
| | |
| Persons: |
| | Baldwin, Loammi, 1780-1838. |
| | Cotting, Uriah, d. 1819. |
| | Nicolson, Samuel, 1791-1868. |
| | Whitwell, William S., 1809-1899. |
| | |
| Organizations: |
| | Boston Water Power Company. |
| | |
| Subjects: |
| | Account books. |
| | Back Bay (Boston, Mass.) |
| | Beacon Street (Boston, Mass.) |
| | Boston (Mass.) -- Buildings, structures,
etc. |
| | Boston (Mass.) -- Environmental
conditions. |
| | Boston (Mass.) -- History. |
| | Boston (Mass.) -- Maps. |
| | Business enterprises -- Massachusetts --
Boston. |
| | City planning -- Massachusetts --
Boston. |
| | Commonwealth Avenue (Boston, Mass.) |
| | Dams- Massachusetts -- Boston. |
| | Engineers -- Massachusetts -- Boston. |
| | Industries -- Massachusetts -- Boston. |
| | Labor -- Massachusetts -- Boston. |
| | Maps, Manuscript. |
| | Real estate development -- Massachusetts --
Boston. |
| | Real property -- Massachusetts --
Boston. |
| | Roads -- Design and construction --Massachusetts
-- Boston. |
| | Stocks -- Massachusetts -- Boston. |
| | Toll roads -- Massachusetts -- Boston. |
|
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