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3. Provenance 5. Inventory 6. Subjects |
Sayles Bleacheries
Business records, 1847 - 1906 Size: 48 ft. Catalog number: MSS 6 sg 1 Processed by: Harold E. Kemble, Jr., October 1977 ©Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscripts Division |
Historical note:
The Sayles Bleacheries were the foundation for all the subsequent manufacturing activities of the Sayles family. The profits from this highly successful operation fueled the acquisition of the scores of companies whose records now make up the Sayles Collection. Thus the Sayles Bleacheries were in every sense the “parent” organization of the Sayles empire.
The Sayles Bleacheries originated when William F. Sayles, in December 1847, bought at auction the plant of the Pimbly Print Works, lying along the Moshassuck River in the town of Lincoln, Rhode Island. Twenty-three years old at the time, Sayles was the son of Clark Sayles, a “prominent Pawcatuck merchant,” and had worked for several years in a commercial house before making this purchase. With “little capital” Sayles began operations in the handful of wooden buildings that Joseph Pimbly had erected on the site. In the spring of 1848, Sayles converted the plant from a print works to a bleachery. Under the various styles of “Moshassuck Bleachery,” “W. F. Sayles,” and “Sayles’ Bleachery,” Sayles slowly expanded the output of the facility - from one ton of cloth per day in 1848 to four tons daily by 1854. Throughout this early period, Sayles limited his operation to bleaching cotton sheetings and shirtings of not more than 45 inches in width. In June 1854, a fire destroyed all the original wooden buildings of the bleachery (re: fire, see Thomas Allen Jenckes' legal file titled: W. F. Sayles / Moshassuck Bleachery, Metropolitan Insurance Co.). Within ninety days, Sayles had replaced them with a substantial brick structure with a capacity of bleaching six tons of cloth per day. Increasing demand for his product led Sayles, as early as 1855, to put up the first of numerous additions to this building, in a process that has resulted in the present sprawling complex in Saylesville.
In 1853, Sayles took on his younger brother, Frederic C. Sayles, as an apprentice in the bleachery. After ten years’ apprenticeship he accepted his brother as full partner. Thereafter, until William’s death in 1894, the bleaching of cloth was conducted under the style of “W. F. and F. C. Sayles.” After weathering the depression in cotton manufacturing caused by the Civil War, the brothers responded to booming conditions in the post-war period with a further expansion of their operations. By August 1868, they had put the finishing touches on the “New Bleachery” or “Lower Bleachery,” which they erected on land adjoining the original complex. This structure greatly increased their capabilities, allowing them to bleach, for the first time, such classes of cotton goods as wide sheetings and fancy lawns and nainsooks. The addition of the tenter machines, a few years later, also brought them into the “white goods” field, which grew to become an important branch of their business. By 1879, the daily output of the bleacheries at Saylesville had grown to forty tons, or 325,000 yards of fine shirtings and sheetings, and 20,000 yards of lawns. With a further increase in their capacity, over the next decade, to fifty tons a day, William and Frederick Sayles were able to boast that they operated the largest bleachery in the world.
The death of William F. Sayles in May 1894 brought an end to the partnership of “W. F. and F. C. Sayles.” William’s share in the bleacheries passed on to his son, Frank A. Sayles. For the next two years, ownership of the business was split between Frank and his uncle Frederick, with Frank running the “Upper Bleachery” and Frederick the “Lower Bleachery.” In 1896, Frank bought out his uncle’s holdings in Saylesville. Thereafter, he operated both bleacheries in the styles of “F. A. Sayles” and “Sayles Bleacheries.” In the decade after 1906, however, the bleacheries ceased to function as separate units, as their operations were increasingly merged into the larger entity of Sayles Finishing Plants.
Throughout his tenure as sole proprietor of the bleacheries, Frank A. Sayles was ably assisted by his superintendent, Charles O. Read. Having joined the company as a bookkeeper in 1863, Read gradually came to manage more and more aspects of the business, until he was appointed over-all superintendent upon William F. Sayles’ death in 1894. It was Read who provided the essential element of continuity as Frank A. Sayles consolidated his control over the bleacheries.
Scope and content:
The records of the Sayles Bleacheries are grouped according to the three major changes in their ownership, with Series A containing items labeled “William F. Sayles,” Series B items labeled “W. F. and F. C. Sayles,” and Series C those labeled “Frank A. Sayles.” Unfortunately, there is only a rough correspondence between company names printed on the records and the actual dates at which name changes occurred. For example, although William F. Sayles was the sole proprietor of the bleacheries for only the years 1847-1863, the Journals and Ledgers continue to bear his name, alone, into the 1890s (ignoring the fact that the firm’s name was changed to W. F. and F. C. Sayles when Frederick became a partner in 1863). It was not until 1868 that a series of Journals and Ledgers appeared bearing the name “W. F. and F. C. Sayles,” but these probably were limited to the “Lower Bleachery,” built in that year. Such discrepancies suggest that the user should check through all three Series in searching out the bleachery records for a particular year.
The records of the Sayles Bleacheries are very unevenly represented in this collection. They are strongest in the area of formal business records, with almost complete runs of Journals, Ledgers, and Cash Books for the years 1847-1906. The correspondence files are spotty: for outgoing correspondence, there is a strong run of letter volumes for the 1850s, 1890s, and 1900s; for incoming correspondence, there are strong holdings only for the years 1877-1881 and 1896-1904. The collection is weak in the areas of employment records, engineering records, and financial records.
Bibliography:
Biographical Cyclopedia of Representative Men of Rhode Island, National Biographical
Publishing Co., Providence, 1881. Volume II, pp. 472-473, 476-477
Hall Jr., Joseph D., Biographical History of the Manufacturers and Businessmen of Rhode Island,
J.D. Hall & Co., Providence, 1901. Pp 238-239.
Lamb's Textile Industries of the United States, E. Everton Foster, ed., James H. Lamb Co.,
Boston, 1916. Volume II, pp 50-51, 348-350.
"One Hundred Years Ago..." unpublished TD, 71 pp. Rhode Island Historical Society Library.
Rhode Island, State Bureau of Information, The Book of Rhode Island, Remington Press,
Providence, 1930. P. 220.
Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscript Collections, Inventories of Record Group 6, Sayles
Finishing Plants Collection, Sub-Groups 2, 3, and 13.
Sayles News, Saylesville, Rhode Island, September 1918 - April 1928.
* also see R.I. Department of Environmental Management, Planning and Development Department, for correspondence regarding dams, engineering reports, etc.
Provenance:
This collection was a gift of Sayles Finishing Plants on 25 December 1971 (plus two boxes, gift of George and Dolores Nazare).
Processing note:
Inventory:
Series A: William F. Sayles
Journals
Item 1. Book A Oct 1847 - April 1854
Item 2. Book B May 1855 - Nov 1856
Item 3. Book C Dec 1856 - Apr 1859
Item 4. Book D Apr 1859 - Oct 1864
Item 5. Book E Nov 1864 - Dec 1868
Item 6. Book F Dec 1868 - Mar 1872
Item 7. Book G Apr 1872 - Oct 1875
Item 8. Book H Nov 1875 - May 1879
Item 9. Book I May 1879 - Dec 1881
Item 10. Book J Dec 1881 - Nov 1884
Item 11. Book K Dec 1884 - Jul 1887
Item 12. Book L Aug 1887 - Feb 1890
Item 13. Book M Mar 1890 - Jul 1892
Item 14. Book N Aug 1892 - Dec 1892
Ledgers
Item 15. Book A Oct 1847 - Apr 1855
Item 16. Book B May 1855 - Dec 1860
Item 17. Book C Jan 1861 - Dec 1867
Item 18. Book D Jan 1868 - Mar 1872
Item 19. Book E Apr 1872 - Dec 1876
Item 20. Book F Jan 1877 - Dec 1881
Item 21. Book G Jan 1882 - Dec 1886
Item 22. Book H Jan 1887 - Dec 1891
Day Book
Item 23. Aug 1848 - Sep 1853
Cash Books
Item 24. Oct 1860 - Feb 1867
Item 25. Mar 1867 - Oct 1870
Item 26. Nov 1870 - Mar 1875
Item 27. Apr 1875 - Mar 1880
Item 28. Apr 1880 - Mar 1884
Item 29. Apr 1884 - Oct 1888
Item 30. Nov 1888 - Dec 1892
Item 31. "Petty Cash" Jan 1893 - Jan 1897
Journal Cash Book
Item 32. Book O Jan 1893 - Dec 1893
Letter Copy Book
Item 33. Sep 1855 - May 1857
Invoices
Item 34. Book A Sep 1848 - Jul 1850
Item 35. Feb 1853 - Jul 1853
Pay Records
Item 36. Time Book Oct 1854 - Jul 1860
Item 37. Settlement Book Jun 1856 - Aug 1865
Series B: W.F. & F. C. Sayles
Stock Registers
Item 38. n.d.
Journals
Item 39. Book A, Lower Bleachery Aug 1868 - Apr 1875
Item 40. Book B May 1875 - Jun 1879
Item 41. Book C Jun 1879 - Aug 1882
Item 42. Book D Aug 1882 - Jul 1885
Item 43. Book E Jul 1885 - Dec 1887
Item 44. Book F Jan 1888 - Apr 1890
Item 45. Book G May 1890 - May 1892
Item 46. Book H Jun 1892 - Dec 1892
Journal Cash
Item 47. Book I Jan 1893 - Dec 1893
Item 48. Book J Jan 1894 - Dec 1894
Item 49. Book K Jan 1895 - Dec 1895
Item 50. Book L Jan 1896 - Jul 1919
Private Journal
Item 51. Feb 1887 - Oct 1895
Ledgers
Item 52. Book A, Lower Bleachery Feb 1868 - Apr 1875
Item 53. Book B May 1875 - Jan 1881
Item 54. Book C Jan 1881 - Jan 1886
Item 55. Book D Jan 1886 - Jan 1890
Item 56. Book E Jan 1890 - Dec 1892
Item 57. Book F Jan 1893 - Jul 1919
Private Ledger
Item 58. Feb 1887 - Dec 1896
Day Books
Item 59. Lower Bleachery Apr 1876-May 1877
Item 60. Book 2, Tenter Department Aug 1888 - Feb 1890
Cash Books
Item 61. Lower Bleachery Sep 1868 - Mar 1879
Item 62. Drawer Cash Account with Aug 1875 - Oct 1877
New Bleachery
Item 63. Old Bleachery (obverse) Dec 1875 - Mar 1881
Item 64. New Bleachery (reverse) Dec 1875 - Mar 1881
Item 65. Memorandum Cash Account Nov 1877 - Oct 1881
Apr 1879 - Feb 1884
Item 66. Memorandum Account, Jan 1881 - Jan 1895
New Bleachery
Item 67. Mar 1883 - Oct 1888
Item 68. Nov 1888 - Dec 1892
Letter Copy Books
Item 69. Nov 1867 - May 1869
Item 70. May 1869 - Jun 1870
Item 71. Jun 1870 - Jun 1871
Item 72. Jan 1871 - Nov 1872
Item 73. Nov 1872 - Jun 1874
Item 74. Jun 1874 - Mar 1875
Item 75. Apr 1875 - Jan 1876
Item 76. Dec 1872 - Sep 1878
Item 77. Sep 1878 - Aug 1879
Item 78. Jul 1882 - May 1883
Item 79. Includes Bills Jan 1884 - Nov 1886
Item 80. Apr 1884 - Aug 1884
Item 81. Jan 1885 - May 1885
Item 82. Main Office Jan 1886 - May 1886
Item 83. Main Office Jun 1886 - Jan 1887
Item 84. Main Office #7 Mar 1892 - Aug 1892
Item 85. Main Office #11 Jan 1894 - Jun 1894
Correspondence, Bills, Orders, 1870/71 - 1883
Item 86. Ab misc through Fu misc 1870/71 - 1883
Item 87. Forrestdale Mfg. Co. through 1870/71 - 1883
Harris Woolen Co.
Item 88. Hawkins, Gardner Co. through 1870/71 - 1883
Hu misc
Item 89. Minot, Hooper & Co. through 1870/71 - 1883
Ru misc
Item 90. Va misc through Wamsutta Mills 1878
Item 91. Wamsutta Mills, 1879 through 1881
Wauregan Mills
Item 91A. Letters received, A-Z 1877
Item 91B. Letters received 1888
Item 92. We misc through Y misc 1870/71 - 1883
Petty Cash
Item 93. Nov 1882 - Jun 1884
Item 94. Jun 1884 - Jun 1885
Item 95. Mar 1886 - Sep 1887
Item 96. New Bleachery Jan 1893 - Feb 1897
Trial Balance
Item 97. Jan 1886 - May 1886
Miscellaneous Unsorted Financial
Item 98. Jun 1887 - Aug 1893
Engineering Records
Item 99. Examination of boilers Feb - Mar 1884
and engines
Shipping Records
Item 100. Shipping Book - Sayles New Jan 1869 - Dec 1876
Bleachery
Item 101. Misc. Shipping Records Aug 1874 - Jan 1876
Payrolls
Item 102. Settlement Aug 1868 - Jan 1878
Item 103. Misc. Pay Lists Nov 1877 - Jan 1884
Item 104. Automatic Time Register Jul 1888 - Apr 1890
Assignment of Wages
Item 105. Sep 1877 - Apr 1879
Trustee Writs
Item 106. May 1876 - Dec 1877
Item 107. Jan 1878 - May 1879
Series C: F. A. Sayles
Journals - Lower Bleachery
Item 108. Book 16 Oct 1895 - Feb 1897
Item 109. Book 17 Mar 1897 - Jun 1898
Item 110. Book 18 Jul 1898 - Nov 1899
Item 111. Book 19, Shirting Dept. Nov 1899 - Sep 1900
Journal - Upper Bleachery
Item 112. Book 12, F.A. Sayles Apr 1899 - Jun 1900
Journals
Item 113. Apr 1901 - Mar 1907
Item 114. Book 1, Sayles Bleacheries Jan 1901 - Nov 1901
Item 115. Book 2 Nov 1901 - Oct 1902
Item 116. Book 3 Oct 1902 - Sep 1903
Item 117. Book 4 Oct 1903 - Jan 1905
Item 118. Book 5 Feb 1905 - Apr 1906
Ledgers
Item 119. Book A, F. A. Sayles Sep 1894 - Dec 1896
Item 120. Book A, F. A. Sayles, Jul - Dec 1896
Lower Bleachery
Item 121. Book A, F. A. Sayles, Sayles Jan 1897 - Dec 1898
Bleacheries
Item 122. Book B, Sayles Bleacheries Jan 1899 - Dec 1900
Item 123. Book C, Sayles Bleacheries Jan 1901 - Dec 1902
Item 124. Book D, Sayles Bleacheries Jan 1903 - Dec 1904
Item 125. Book E, Sayles Bleacheries Jan 1905 - Jun 1906
Expense Ledgers, Sayles Bleacheries, F. A. Sayles
Item 126. Book A Jan 1897 - Dec 1900
Item 127. Book B Jan 1901 - Dec 1902
Item 128. Book C, Repair Dept. Jan 1903 - Dec 1904
Item 129. Book D Jan 1904 - Jun 1906
Day Book
Item 130. No. 4, Tenter Department Jan 1906 - Jun 1900
Petty Cash Books, Sayles Bleacheries, Frank A. Sayles
Item 131. Book A Jan 1897 - Dec 1898
Item 132. Book B Jan 1899 - Sep 1900
Item 133. Book C Oct 1900 - May 1902
Item 134. Book D May 1902 - Sep 1903
Item 135. Book E Oct 1903 - Dec 1904
Item 136. Book F Jan 1905 - Jun 1906
Journal Cash, Sayles Bleacheries, Frank A. Sayles
Item 137. Book A Sep 1894 - Nov 1895
Item 138. Book B Dec 1895 - Dec 1896
Item 139. Lower Bleachery Jul - Dec 1897
Item 140. Book A Jan - Dec 1897
Item 141. Book B Jan - Dec 1898
Item 142. Book C Jan -Dec 1899
Item 143. Book D Jan - Dec 1900
Item 144. Book E Jan - Dec 1901
Item 145. Book F Jan - Dec 1902
Item 146. Book G Jan - Dec 1903
Item 147. Book H Jan - Dec 1904
Item 148. Book I Jan - Dec 1905
Item 149. Book J Jan - Dec 1906
Weekly Accounts of Goods Received
Item 150. Upper Bleachery Jan 1899 - Mar 1907
Item 151. Lower Bleachery Jan 1901 - Mar 1907
Letter Copy Books
Item 152. Letters, Main Office, Nov 1897 - Mar 1898
Sayles Bleachery
Item 153. Letters #4, Sayles Bleacheries Oct 1902 - Mar 1904
Item 154. Letters, Sayles Bleacheries Apr 1903 - Oct 1905
Item 155. Letters, Confidential, Mar 1904 - Dec 1906
C.O. Read
Item 156. Jan 1907 - Apr 1914
Item Correspondence, Bills, Orders
Item 157. Ab misc through Ber misc 1896 - 1904
Item 158. Bi misc through Conrad, 1896 - 1904
W.B. & Co.
Item 159. Coo misc through Fa misc 1896 - 1904
Item 160. Fe misc through Foster, F.A. 1896 - 1904
Item 161. Fr misc through Harris 1896 - 1904
Item 162. Hart misc through 1901
Lane, J.H., and Co.
Item 163. Lane, J.H. and Co., 1902 1896 - 1904
through Loomis-Pettibone Co.
Item 164. Lorraine Mfg. Co. through Minot, Jan 1901
Hooper, & Co.
Item 165. Minot, Hooper & Co. through Feb 1902
Paw misc
Item 166. Pe misc through Ponemah Mills 1899
Item 167. Ponemah Mills, through Ro misc 1900
Item 168. Starkweather & Shepley through 1900
Wamsutta Mills
Item 169. Wamsutta Mills, through 1901
Westinghouse Electric
Item 170. Wha misc through Whitman, May 1902
Clarence, & Co.
Item 171. Whitman, Clarence & Co. Jun 1902
through Willis,Grinnell, & Co. Sep 1903
Item 172. Willis, Grinnell, & Co., Oct 1903
through Woodruff, Henry G. & Co. Jun 1897
Item 173. Woodruff, Henry G. & Co., Mar 1897
through Z misc
Engineering Records
Item 174 K.F. Wood notebook Mar 1893 - 1899
Inventories
Item 175. Jun 1894 - Dec 1895
Item 176. Jan 1896 - Dec 1897
Item 177. Jan 1898
Trial Balance
Item 178. Jun 1900
Item 179. Feb 1902 - Dec 1902
Item 180. Mar 1903 - Dec 1903
Item 181. Jan 1904 - Dec 1904
Item 182. Jan 1905 - Dec 1905
Employment Records
Item 183. Automatic Time Register Feb 1898 - Apr 1899 , 183
Sayles Lower Bleachery
Item 184. Special Pay Roll, Sayles Dec 1905 - Oct 1917
Bleacheries
Item 184A. Blank Payroll Envelope n.d.
Accident Reports
Item 185. Sayles Bleacheries May 1901 - Jun 1905
Subjects:
Bleaching.
Business records - Rhode Island - Saylesville.
Moshassuck Bleachery.
Read, Charles Otis, 1846-1926.
Sayles, Clark, 1797-1885.
Sayles, Frank Arthur, 1866-1920.
Sayles, Frederic Clark, 1835-1903.
Sayles, William Francis, 1824-1894.
Textile industry - Rhode Island - Saylesville.
Textile machinery - Rhode Island - Saylesville.
End of finding aid - return to top
RIHS1822