| COLLECTION INFORMATION | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|---|---|
Size: 2 boxes, 112 ledgers Acquisition: Gift, Access: Open for research Processed by: |
The Foster Lumber Company, under founder John McCullough Foster, established its first retail lumberyard at Randolph, Kansas, in 1879. By 1894, the Foster Lumber Company had acquired land in Montgomery County, Texas, near the present day town of Fostoria, formerly known as Clinesburg. Most of the company's Texas business was concerned with timberlands and sawmill operations to support their retail yards.
In 1905, the company constructed a big saw mill at Fostoria and began operations there the next year. At the time of its construction the mill was said to be the fastest one in the South. The company town was cleaner and better equipped than the average milltown at that time. Continuing to add to its holdings of Texas timberland, the company eventually expanded to include land in Polk, Harris, San Jacinto and adjoining counties in addition to its Montgomery County holdings.
[Forest History - Foster Lumber Company]
Box 1
Folder 1: Specifications for Foster Lumber Company, Clinesburg, Texas, ca. 1905.
Folder 2: Specifications [revised] for Foster Lumber Company, Clinesbug, Texas, ca. 1905.
Folder 3: Letter regarding furnishing of machinery according to specifications from McDonough Manufacturing Company, 1905.
Folder 4: Bill of material, estimate and specifications for Standard No. 1 Depot, 1905; with related correspondence, 1909.
Folder 5: Specifications for engine for Foster Lumber Company from H. M. Strait Manufacturing Company, 1906.
Folder 6: Specifications [some differences from above] for engine from H. M. Strait Manufacturing Company, 1906.
Folder 7: Packing list for shipment of engine, 1906.
Folder 8: Specifications and correspondence relating to purchase of a boiler for Foster Lumber Company, 1914-1915.
Folder 9: Miscellaneous: letter from Lumbermen's Underwriting Alliance; unsigned statement re storage tanks; dimension sheet for machinery, 1909-ca. 1916.
Folder 10: Statement regarding a fire at the mill, 1917.
Folder 11: Deed for land in Montgomery County, with plat, 1932.
Folder 12: Correspondence, notes, deeds, title opinions, related to purchases of timber, 1935.
Folder 13: Correspondence, notes, deeds, title opinions, related to purchases of timber, 1936.
Folder 14: Correspondence, notes, deeds, title opinions, related to purchases of timber, 1936.
Folder 15: Correspondence, notes, deeds, title opinions, related to purchases of timber, 1937.
Folder 16: Correspondence, notes, deeds, title opinions, related to purchases of timber, 1937.
Folder 17: Correspondence, notes, deeds, title opinions, related to purchases of timber, 1938.
Folder 18: Correspondence, notes, deeds, title opinions, related to purchases of timber, 1938.
Folder 19: Correspondence, notes, deeds, title opinions, related to purchases of timber, 1939.
Folder 20: Correspondence, notes, deeds, title opinions, related to purchases of timber, 1940.
Folder 21: Correspondence, notes, deeds, title opinions, related to purchases of timber, 1941.
Folder 22: Correspondence, notes, deeds, title opinions, related to purchases of timber, 1942-1945.
Folder 23: Southern Pine Association statement of costs for 1954.
Folder 24: Graphs showing expenses/profits of different company operations from 1946-1957.
Folder 25: Speech: "Sentiments of the Negroes of Fostoria to the Executive Board of the Foster Lumber Company," made by Landy Parham, Dec. 3, 1940.
Folder 26: Pamphlet: "Copy of letter, Benjamin B. Foster to Innis R. Palmer (Texas Operations)," with history of the company in Texas, May 25, 1940.
Folder 27: Pamphlet: "Retail Yard Operations, recollections of Benjamin B. Foster, 1879-1941, Foster Lumber Company," June, 1941.
Folder 28: Newspaper clippings relating to the closing of the mill at Fostoria, 1957.
Box 2
Folder 1: HE&WT Railroad combination depot at Burke, to be built at Goodrich, blueprint, 1905.
Folder 2: HE&WT Railroad proposed location of combination depot at HF&N RR junction, near Midline, Texas, blueprint, 1909.
Folder 3: Plan of combination passenger and freight depot, KCM and O Railroad of Texas, blueprint, 1909.
Folder 4: Mill details for standard no. 1 depots, both Northern and Southern divisions, blueprint, 1907.
Folder 5: The Kansas City Southern Railroad standard plan, no. 1 depot, in Arkansas and Louisiana, blueprint, 1900.
Folder 6: Caldwell Company, dimensions and bill of material of R.R. tank outlet, Foster Lumber Company, Clinesburg, Texas, blueprint, 1906.
Folder 7: Marshall Car Wheel and Foundry Company, standard-gauge hoo hoo logging cars, Clinesburg, Texas, blueprint, 1905.
Folder 8: G. W. Dubes' pocket-less standard [logging car], blueprint, 1906.
Folder 9: Clinesburg spur for Trinity River Lumber Co., blueprint, 1902.
Folder 10: Rod Brasses Eng. 1, 2 blueprints, ca. 1905.
Folder 11: Logging Cars for FLC, Fostoria, Texas, blueprint, ca. 1905.
Folder 12: Caldwell Company, extended top for all iron [water] tower, blueprint, ca. 1905.
Folder 13: Caldwell Company, "sectional" all iron [water] tower, blueprint, patented 1892.
Folder 14: Texas State Highway Department, Montgomery County, Texas, map, with hand-colored sections, 1940.
Folder 15: Plan of rough lumber shed for FLC, Clinesburg, blueprint, 1905.
Folder 16: Plan of boiler house for FLC, Clinesburg, blueprint, 1905.
Folder 17: Plan of machinery floor of sawmill for FLC, Clinesburg, blueprint, 1905.
Folder 18: Ground plan of the FLC plant at Clinesburg, blueprint, 1905.
Folder 19: Plan of sorting works for FLC, Clinesburg, blueprint, 1905.
Folder 20: Plan and side elevation of rolls and shafts in planing mill, FLC, blueprint, 1905.
Folder 21: Wood slasher, built for FLC, blueprint, ca. 1905.
Folder 22: Loader and connections for double cutting, blueprint, 1906.
Folder 23: Stackers, blueprint, ca. 1905.
Folder 24: Arrangement of stackers and dry kilns showing transfer system, for FLC, Clinesburg, 2 blueprints, 1905.
Folder 25: Details of bar cushion, 3 blueprints, 1903.
** For more information, see the book in the East Texas Research Center, Thru the Years with Fosters. 1879-1954 75th Anniversary, Foster Lumber Company.
FOSTER LUMBER COMPANY LEDGERS
Located on Range 24A-9,10,11
2 Ledgers - Insurance - v.1 Oct. 1908-Jan. 1909; v.2 Oct -Feb. 1910?
3 Volumes - Record Books
Records of expenses, including salaries and bonuses, trial balances,
balance sheets, inventories, shipments.
v.1 1947-1953
v.2 1953-1955
v.3 1956-1957
1 Volume - Outstanding Time Memos. 1938-June, 1941
1 Volume - Expense Record. 1906-1908
Record of expenses including rent, log cutting, loading, hauling, etc. Each day's expense listed.
2 Volumes - Lumber Sales - Jan. 1903-Apr. 1904
Lumber Report- Jan. 1903-APR 1904
2 Binders - Social Security Record
Lists the names of employees, their wages and the amount of tax. Jan.
1937-Dec. 1939 and Jan. 1940 June 1941
2 Volumes - Inventory
For Clinesburg merchandise and store fixture values December 31, 1902 and
January 1, 1907 and for July 1, 1907
2 Volumes - Daily Transactions
1. Clinesburg, Texas Dec. 19, 1904-July 31, 1905
2. Leonidas, Texas Apr. 1, 1905 - Aug. 1, 1905
5 Binders - Lumber Invoices - 1947-1951
1 Volume - Record Book of Rolo Switch Planning Mill. August 1893 - January 1895. Closed Jan. 22, 1895.
3 Volumes - Records of Payment
1. January 1908-July 1908 (725 pages)
2. July 1908 - November 1908 (496 pages)
3. November 1908- December 1908 (314 pages)
6 Volumes - Receipts
Names and amounts "to be deducted from any amount that may now or hereafter
be due" them - March 1906- March 1913.
4 Volumes - Ledgers
Contain accounts (both individual and operating expenses, etc.). Practically
no explanations given for most entries.
1. 1900-1903 (362 pages)
2. Dec. 1902-Feb. 1906 (451 pages)
3. 1906-1909 (489 pages)
4. 1910-1913 (516 pages)
1 Volume - Advanced Wages- Individual accounts of advances on wages with very few notations as to what the advances are for. 1917-1922 (106 pages)
1 Volume - Payroll
Names and wages for each month are given. (Jobs or duties not given) About
1919 and 1920.
1 Volume - Labor Record- Jan. 1. 1934 - Dec.1949.
Each day's labor expense is recorded under separated divisions, such as, Logging,
Loader, Shipping, Machine Shop, etc.
2 Volumes - Day Books (Payroll)
1. March 1922 - May 1923- Lists names and amounts. No further explanations.
2. May 1933 - June 1937 - Same as above.
4 Volumes - Ledgers. 1914-1951.
Accounts are grouped under separate headings such as Investment Accounts,
Banks, Advanced Wages, Accounts Payable, Miscellaneous Accounts, and others.
1 Volume - Record of 1918 Wages
Record of salaries and wages paid out in 1918. The name and amount is given
and in some cases, the department.
5 Volumes - Sales Registers. 1916 - 1954. Gives date of sale, invoice number, car initial and number consignee, destination, grade of lumber, number of feet, and total value.
5 Volumes - Payroll. 1902 - 1906.
These books list the workers' names, number of dates worked each month, rate.
Date paid is given also.
1 Volume - Payroll Ledger. July, 1906.
20 Volumes - Letters. October 1902 - January 1912.
Correspondence of Foster Lumber Company. Also, some lumber invoices.
5 Volumes - Journals (small), 1902-1905.
These journals are earlier than the ten larger journals. Double entries for
accounts which include Payroll, other Expenses, Purchases, and Sales.
(Tagged with letters A-E)
4 Volumes - Cash Books. August 1905 - August 1925.
Record cash, both debit and credit. Debit is on left-hand page, and includes
sales, etc. Credit is on right-hand page and includes payroll, general
expenses, etc. (In August, 1925, accounts transferred to Cash Journal)
10 Volumes - Journals. August 1905 - August 1925.
Expenses, including wages, are entered in these journals. The total
amount of expenses is given in the column on right and is broken down individually
in the column on left.
11 Volumes - Merchandise Purchases Journals. October 1915 - February
1957.
List date of invoice, from whom bought, date of settlement, and distribution
of purchases.
4 Volumes - Voucher Registers. July 1905-August 1925.
Record the names of whom the voucher favors, their addresses. Also tells what
it is for, whether for merchandise, feed, sundries, etc.
3 Volumes - Commissary Accounts. 1903-04.
Purchases made at commissary with purchasers' names and prices for items bought.
(Called "Ledger," "Journal," and "Day Book").
Last Revised:
