Lobdell Car Wheel Company Account Books
Scope and Content
This collection contains account books relating to the southwestern Virginia business concerns of the Lobdell Car Wheel Company. Most of the records seem to have originated with the White Rock Furnace in Smyth County. Included are customer account records from the company's store, payroll ledgers, invoices, correspondence, and furnace operation records and reports. Much of the correspondence is addressed directly to Jacob W. Lantz, who managed Lobdell's farm and conducted other business for the company.
Dates
- 1881 - 1902
Creator
- Lobdell Car Wheel Company (Organization)
- Lantz, Jacob W., 1868-1940 (Correspondent, Person)
Language of Materials
The materials in the collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.
Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
Administrative History
The Lobdell Car Wheel Company had its beginnings in 1830, when Jonathon Bonney and Charles Bush established a small foundry in Wilmington, Delaware. By 1867, the year it was incorporated as the Lobdell Car Wheel Company, the business had added partner George Lobdell and become the world's largest manufacturer of wheels for railroad cars.
White Rock Furnace, located five miles from Rural Retreat and near the head of Cripple Creek in Smyth County, was among the Lobdell Car Wheel Company's operations in Virginia. Built in 1875, and originally known as the Panic Furnace, the White Rock was purchased in 1880 by Lobdell, which also bought Brown Hill Furnace in neighboring Wythe County. The White Rock ceased operation in the early 20th century, when the company found it more cost effective to purchase, rather than mine and manufacture, its iron.
Extent
2.9 Cubic Feet (9 boxes)
Abstract
This collection contains the records of a Smyth and Wythe County, Virginia furnace and store operations of the Lobdell Car Wheel Company, including customer store accounts, payroll records, and furnace operation reports.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by ledger type, then chronologically.
Source of Acquisition
The Lobdell Car Wheel Company Account Books were donated to the university in 1939 or 1940 and transferred to Special Collections and University Archives in 1955.
Existence and Location of Copies
This collection has been digitized and is available online.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Lobdell Car Wheel Company Account Books by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your- work/public-domain/cc0/).
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the Lobdell Car Wheel Company Account Books commenced and was completed in January 2013. Initial description was completed in or prior to May 1970.
- Title
- Lobdell Car Wheel Company Account Books, 1881-1902
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- John M. Jackson, Archivist
- Date
- 2020 (CC0 1.0)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu