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Spacer Wood County Monumental Works (Bowling Green, Ohio) - MS 10 Spacer
 

Introduction | Agency History | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

Introduction

The Wood County Monumental Works collection spans the period from the founding of the business in 1907 until 1954. The collection was donated by Mr. Clarence W. Dick, one of the proprietors, in 1971. At this time,the business was located at 121 East Court Street, Bowling Green, Ohio. The records documenting the business from 1954 until its closing in 1974 are unavailable at this time.

The collection, consisting of five linear feet, is housed at the Center for Archival Collections, Bowling Green State University, with no restrictions in its use for research. The register was prepared by Lesley Dick, graduate assistant at Bowling Green State University during March 1981.

Agency History

The Wood County Monumental Works was established in 1907 as the Frank E. Smith's Marble and Granite Works, occasionally called Frank E. Smith's Granite and Marble Monuments, situated at 202 South Main Street, Bowling Green, Ohio. In the early 1930's the business merged with the Wood County Monumental Works of 119 East Court Street, Bowling Green, which had previously taken over the premises of B.G. Marble and Granite Co., Inc., situated at 121 East Court Street. Although Frank E. Smith still worked for the business, he then worked from his home at 619 Ridge Avenue, Bowling Green, until he retired in the early 1950s.

The proprietors of Wood County Monumental Works were Clarence W. Dick and A. J. Carr. J. W. Underwood also worked for the business from 1928 to 1930. Clarence W. Dick was also mayor of Bowling Green from 1948 to 1960, director of the Bank of Wood County from 1952 to 1966, and was chairman of Wood County Democratic Executive Committee during the late 1950s. He served as proprietor of the business until 1967 when he retired leaving A. J. Carr in charge until 1969. Glen Federke took over in 1974, and the business was closed in that year. The last known address of the business was 119 East Court Street, Bowling Green, Ohio.

The function of the business was to supply Wood County and the surrounding districts with different types of monuments--mostly gravestones--but also monuments for schools and other establishments.

Scope and Content

This collection (October 1907-December 1954) consists primarily of business contracts and correspondence between the Wood County Monumental Works, previously Frank E. Smith's Granite and Marble Monuments, and both their customers and suppliers. Until December 1928, the collection consists of contracts and correspondence of Frank E. Smith's Granite and Marble Monuments. After 1928, and the business' merger with Wood County Monumental Works, the records are of both companies.

The collection consists of three record series--contracts and correspondence, purchase and check records, and cash books and sales records. They are all arranged chronologically into eleven boxes (5 linear feet). During the period of the merger of the Wood County Monumental Works and Frank E. Smith's Marble and Granite Monuments, two sets of contracts were kept for the two businesses. These contracts are filed separately and arranged chronologically. Considering the age of the collection, it is in very good condition; however, occasionally the corner of the contracts which contain the signature of the proprietor have been torn off.

The bulk of the material covers the period between October 1907 and December 1928. There are scattered materials for the years 1929 and 1930, then complete coverage for the period between January 1931 and December 1938. After this, the material is incomplete. There are some noticeable gaps in the collection in both the earlier and later records. The gaps include the following: in the contracts and correspondence between January 26,1911 and November 30, 1914; between January 23, 1915 and June 16, 1915; between July 3, 1915 and December 6, 1919; and between January 19, 1916 and December 21, 1917. Gaps in the other record series are more serious as the purchase and check records and the cash book and sales records cover only January through December 1953.

This collection has numerous uses. The information given on the contracts such as birth and death dates and cemetery positions provides useful statistics for population and demographic studies, local historians, genealogists, and social scientists. It is of special use to genealogists investigating family or community histories because often groups of stones are ordered for whole families. It is also of architectural importance. The contracts provide drawings showing the design of the monuments to be built, the type of lettering, and the markers used. Occasionally photographs of the stones appear in the correspondence. It is also of literary use in that studies are being done on the phrases engraved on monuments throughout different periods in history. The cost of monuments also are given on the contracts, and this would be useful in determining the social and economic status of the customers.

Series Description

LEGAL DOCUMENTS

CONTRACTS AND CORRESPONDENCE
October 1907-December 1939; January, April 1951; December 1953
Arranged chronologically by date of contract or correspondence
The contracts and correspondence are between customers and suppliers. Topics covered include the design of monuments and information concerning both the customer and the person for whom the monument is being designed.

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

PURCHASE AND CHECK RECORDS
January-December 1953
Arranged chronologically by date of transaction
These records cover general office expenses and customer payments.

CASH BOOK AND SALES
January-December 1953
Arranged chronologically by date of sales or payments.
Provides information on name, amount of sale, and date.

Inventory

Box 1

  1. Contracts and correspondence, October 8, 1907-December 27, 1910
  2. Contracts and correspondence, January 26, 1911-December 16, 1911
  3. Contracts and correspondence, January 2, 1912-December 16, 1912
  4. Contracts and correspondence, January 2, 1913-May 15, 1913
  5. Contracts and correspondence, June 3, 1913-August 28, 1913
  6. Contracts and correspondence, September 4, 1913-December 27, 1913
  7. Contracts and correspondence, January 7, 1914-March 31, 1914
  8. Contracts and correspondence, April 9, 1914-June 29, 1914
  9. Contracts and correspondence, July 6, 1914-September 28, 1914
  10. Contracts and correspondence, October 6, 1914-November 30, 1914
  11. Contracts and correspondence, January 23, 1915-June 16, 1915
  12. Contracts and correspondence, July 3, 1915-December 6, 1915
  13. Contracts and correspondence, January 19, 1916-June 29, 1916
  14. Contracts and correspondence, July 1, 1916-December 21, 1916

Box 2

  1. Contracts and correspondence, January 6, 1917-March 26, 1917
  2. Contracts and correspondence, April 4, 1917-June 30, 1917
  3. Contracts and correspondence, July 5, 1917-September 25, 1917
  4. Contracts and correspondence, October 10, 1917-December 21, 1917
  5. Contracts and correspondence, February 23, 1918-April 29, 1918
  6. Contracts and correspondence, May 3, 1918-July 29, 1918
  7. Contracts and correspondence, August 6, 1918-March 29, 1919
  8. Contracts and correspondence, April 12, 1919-May 31, 1919
  9. Contracts and correspondence, June 9, 1919-September 27, 1919
  10. Contracts and correspondence, October 6, 1919-December 29, 1919
  11. Contracts and correspondence, January 3, 1920-April 30, 1920
  12. Contracts and correspondence, May 8, 1920-June 30, 1920
  13. Contracts and correspondence, July 1, 1920-August 23, 1920
  14. Contracts and correspondence, September 7, 1920-December 29, 1920

Box 3

  1. Contracts and correspondence, January 13, 1921-March 30, 1921
  2. Contracts and correspondence, April 2, 1921-July 26, 1921
  3. Contracts and correspondence, August 8, 1921-December 29, 1921
  4. Contracts and correspondence, January 10, 1922-March 29, 1922
  5. Contracts and correspondence, April 4, 1922-June 30, 1922
  6. Contracts and correspondence, July 1, 1922-December 30, 1922
  7. Contracts and correspondence, January 5, 1923-March 30, 1923
  8. Contracts and correspondence, April 4, 1923-June 26, 1923
  9. Contracts and correspondence, July 3, 1923-December 18, 1923

Box 4

  1. Contracts and correspondence, January 2, 1924-March 31, 1924
  2. Contracts and correspondence, April 7, 1924-June 24, 1924
  3. Contracts and correspondence, July 1, 1924-September 25, 1924
  4. Contracts and correspondence, October 6, 1924-December 16,1924
  5. Contracts and correspondence, January 5, 1925-March 31, 1925
  6. Contracts and correspondence, April 7, 1925-June 27, 1925
  7. Contracts and correspondence, July 1, 1925-September 28, 1925
  8. Contracts and correspondence, October 1, 1925-December 31, 1925
  9. Contracts and correspondence, January 20, 1926-March 31, 1926
  10. Contracts and correspondence, April 2, 1926-June 28, 1926
  11. Contracts and correspondence, August 28, 1926-September 29, 1926
  12. Contracts and correspondence, October 7, 1926-December 30, 1926

Box 5

  1. Contracts and correspondence, January 1927-March 1927
  2. Contracts and correspondence, April 1927-June 1927
  3. Contracts and correspondence, July 1927-September 1927
  4. Contracts and correspondence, October 1927-December 1927
  5. Contracts and correspondence, January 1928-March 1928
  6. Contracts and correspondence, April 1928-June 1928
  7. Contracts and correspondence, July 1928-September 1928
  8. Contracts and correspondence, October 1928-December 1928

Box 6

  1. Contracts and correspondence, January 1929-March 1929
  2. Contracts and correspondence, April 1929-June 1929
  3. Contracts and correspondence, July 1929-September 1929
  4. Contracts and correspondence, October 1929-December 1929

Box 7

  1. Contracts and correspondence, January 1930-March 1930
  2. Contracts and correspondence, April 1930-June 1930
  3. Contracts and correspondence, July 1930-September 1930
  4. Contracts and correspondence, October 1930-December 1930

Box 8

  1. Contracts and correspondence, January 1931-March 1931
  2. Contracts and correspondence, April 1931-June 1931
  3. Contracts and correspondence, July 1931-September 1931
  4. Contracts and correspondence, October 1931-December 1931
  5. Contracts and correspondence, January 1932-March 1932
  6. Contracts and correspondence, April 1932-June 1932
  7. Contracts and correspondence, July 1932-September 1932
  8. Contracts and correspondence, October 1932-December 1932
  9. Contracts and correspondence, January 1933-March 1933
  10. Contracts and correspondence, April 1933-June 1933
  11. Contracts and correspondence, July 1933-September 1933
  12. Contracts and correspondence, October 1933-December 1933

Box 9

  1. Contracts and correspondence, January 1934-March 1934
  2. Contracts and correspondence, April 1934-June 1934
  3. Contracts and correspondence, July 1934-September 1934
  4. Contracts and correspondence, October 1934-December 1934
  5. Contracts and correspondence, January 1935-March 1935
  6. Contracts and correspondence, April 1935-June 1935
  7. Contracts and correspondence, July 1935-September 1935
  8. Contracts and correspondence, October 1935-December 1935
  9. Contracts and correspondence, January 1936-March 1936
  10. Contracts and correspondence, April 1936-June 1936
  11. Contracts and correspondence, July 1936-September 1936
  12. Contracts and correspondence, October 1936-December 1936

Box 10

  1. Contracts and correspondence, January 1937-March 1937
  2. Contracts and correspondence, April 1937-June 1937
  3. Contracts and correspondence, July 1937-September 1937
  4. Contracts and correspondence, October 1937-December 1937
  5. Contracts and correspondence, January 1938-March 1938
  6. Contracts and correspondence, April 1938-June 1938
  7. Contracts and correspondence, July 1938-September 1938
  8. Contracts and correspondence, October 1938-December 1938

Box 11

  1. Contracts and correspondence, January 1939-March 1939
  2. Contracts and correspondence, April 1939-June 1939
  3. Contracts and correspondence, July 1939-September 1939
  4. Contracts and correspondence, October 1939-December 1939
  5. Contracts and correspondence, January, April 1951; December 1953
  6. Purchase and check record, January-December 1953
  7. Cash book and sales, January-December 1953

Manuscripts by Subject | Business & Commerce

  
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