Guide to the French River Textile Company Records, 1897-1928


Rhode Island Historical Society
121 Hope Street
Providence, RI 02906
Tel: 401-273-8107
Fax: 401-751-7930
email: reference@rihs.org

Published in 2008

Collection Overview

Title: French River Textile Company records
Date range: 1897-1928
Creator: French River Textile Company
Extent: 15 linear feet
Abstract: The French River Textile Company was incorporated first in Rhode Island in 1897 by Frank A. Sayles, Alfred M. Coats, John Simson, and James B. Kirkaldy. Although the mill itself was located in Mechanicville, the business seat was in the Slater Trust Company in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The records reflect manufacturing costs, sales, and finances of a Rhode Island and Connecticut firm manufacturing worsted cloth, silk cloth, cotton cloth, remnants and waste. The mill also sold water-generated electric power to the Putnam Light & Power Company, serving communities in northeast Connecticut.
Language of materials: English
Repository: Rhode Island Historical Society
Collection number: MSS 6 SG 12

Scope & content

The records in this sub-group reflect manufacturing costs, sales, and finances of a Rhode Island and Connecticut firm manufacturing worsted cloth, silk cloth, cotton cloth, remnants and waste. The mill also sold water-generated electric power to the Putnam Light & Power Company, serving communities in northeast Connecticut.

Access Points

Subject Names Subject Organizations Subject Topics Subject Topics

Arrangement

The records are arranged in one series.

Historical note

The French River Textile Company was incorporated first in Rhode Island in 1897 by Frank A. Sayles, Alfred M. Coats, John Simson, and James B. Kirkaldy. Although the mill itself was located in Mechanicville, the business seat was in the Slater Trust Company in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. A charter of incorporation was granted in September, 1916, by the State of Connecticut to Charles O. Read, Andrew E. Jencks, and Edward E. Dodge, all officers of the company in Rhode Island. Frank A. Sayles was the principal shareholder and was president of the company until his death in 1920.

Like most large textile companies, French River maintained a sales office in New York City. The company also owned and operated the French River Inn and the Sayles Farm, both of which were also located in Mechanicsville and were run as adjuncts of the mill. The mill was sold in 1920, with other properties, to meet state and federal tax liabilities arising on the death of F.A. Sayles. The inn and the farm were sold, along with some inventory goods, in April 1923, to the Beachmont Worsted Company of Guerin Mills, Inc., of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Remaining assets after the sales were assigned to the TARSCO Corporation of Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Access & Use

Access to the collection: There are no restrictions on access.
Use of the materials: Researchers are advised that express written permission to reproduce, quote, or otherwise publish any portion or extract from this collection must be obtained from the Rhode Island Historical Society.
Preferred citation: French River Textile Company records, MSS 6 SG 12, Rhode Island Historical Society.
Contact information: Rhode Island Historical Society
121 Hope Street
Providence, RI 02906
Tel: 401-273-8107
Fax: 401-751-7930
email: reference@rihs.org

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION  
Acquisition: This collection was a gift from the Sayles Finishing Plants on 25 December 1971.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID  
Author: Finding aid prepared by Harold E. Kemble, Jr., August 1977.
Encoding: Finding aid encoded by Mark Chepkwony 2008 November 18
Descriptive rules: Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Bibliography:
  • Rhode Island Historical Society, Manuscript Collections. Inventories of record group MS 6, Sayles Finishing Plants, sub-groups 1, 3, 12A, 12B, and 33.
  • Inventory


    Item 1 Company record - Minutes, by-laws, etc.
    1897 Nov-1928 Jun
    Item 2 Stock Register - Capital stock issued.
    1897 Dec-1915 Mar
    Item 3 Stock Register - Common and preferred stock issued
    1917 Nov-1922 May
    Item 4 Abstract Balance Sheets
    1903 Sep-1906 Sep
    Item 5 Trial Balance - Profit and Loss - Annual Reports
    1911 Feb-1912 Sep
    Item 6 Trial Balance - Profit and Loss - Annual Reports
    1912 Dec-1913 Mar
    Item 7 Trial Balance - Profit and Loss - Annual Reports
    1917 Dec-1921 Jun
    Item 8 Journal
    1905 May-1915 Jan
    Item 9 Journal
    1913 Dec-1915 Nov
    Item 10 Journal
    1915 Feb-1917 Jun
    Item 11 Journal
    1917 Jul-1917 Dec
    Item 12 Journal Voucher
    1918 Jul-1918 Dec
    Item 13 Journal Voucher
    1919 Jan-1919 Dec
    Item 14 Journal Voucher
    1920 Jan-1920 Dec
    Item 15 Journal Voucher
    1921 Jan-1921 Dec
    Item 16 Journal Voucher
    1922 Jan-1923 Dec
    Item 17 Ledgers - Book A
    1897 Dec-1903 Jun
    Item 18 Ledgers - Book B
    1903 Jul-1904 Aug
    Item 19 Ledgers
    1904 Aug-1911 Aug
    Item 20 Ledgers
    1909 Jan-1911 Apr
    Item 21 Ledgers - Transfer Ledger #1
    1911 Oct-1918 Dec
    Item 22 Ledgers - Current Ledger #2
    1919 Jan -1919 Dec
    Item 23 Ledgers - General Ledger
    1920 Jan-1920 Dec
    Item 24 Ledgers - General Ledger
    1921 Jan-1921 Dec
    Item 25 Ledgers
    Jan 1922 - Dec 1923
    Item 26 Ledgers - Transfer Ledger
    1910 Sep-1906 Jun
    Item 27 Cash Records
    1907 Jan-1909 Jan
    Item 28 Cash Records
    1911 Jul-1916 Feb
    Item 29 Cash Records
    1914 May-1916 Feb
    Item 30 Cash Records - Cash Transfer
    1916 Mar-1919 Dec
    Item 31 Cash Records
    1919 Dec-1921 Dec
    Item 32 Cash Records
    1922 Jan -1923 Dec
    Item 33 Journal Cash - Book A - Mechanicsville
    1897 Dec-1901 Oct
    Item 34 Journal Cash - Book B - Mechanicsville
    1901 Nov-1904 Mar
    Item 35 Journal Cash - Book C - Mechanicsville
    1904 Apr-1905 Aug
    Item 36 Petty Cash Disbursements - New York Office
    1919 Sep-1921 Oct
    Item 37 Petty Cash Disbursements - New York Office
    1921 Nov-1923 Jun
    Item 38 Transfer Cloth Sales Credits - Mechanicsville
    1916 Nov-1918 Dec
    Item 39 Transfer Miscellaneous Invoices
    1913 Jan-1915 Jun
    Item 40 Miscellaneous Credit Bills - Mechanicsville
    1916 Dec-1918 Dec
    Item 41 Miscellaneous Credit Bills - Mechanicsville
    1919 Jan-1919 Dec
    Item 42 Miscellaneous Credit Bills - Mechanicsville
    1920 Jan-1920 Dec
    Item 43 Miscellaneous Credit Bills - Mechanicsville
    1921 Jan-1921 Dec
    Item 44 Miscellaneous Credit Bills - Mechanicsville
    1922 Jan-1922 Dec
    Item 45 Credit Bills - Mechanicsville
    1919 Jan-1919 Dec
    Item 46 Credit Bills - Miscellaneous assigned to TARSCO Corp
    1923 Jan-1923 Dec
    Item 47 Cloth Credits - Mechanicsville
    1920 Jan-1920 Dec
    Item 48 Cloth Credits - Mechanicsville
    1921 Jan-1921 Jul
    Item 49 Cloth Credits - Mechanicsville
    1921 Aug-1921 Dec
    Item 50 Cloth Credits - Mechanicsville
    1922 Jan-1922 Jun
    Item 51 Cloth Credits - Mechanicsville
    1923 Jan-1923 Jun
    Item 52 Cloth Credits - Pawtucket
    1923 Jul-1925 Feb
    Item 53 Voucher Register - Including analysis of payrolls, etc
    1916 Jan-1918 Dec
    Item 54 Voucher Register - Including analyses of earlier years
    1919 Jan-1920 Mar
    Item 55 Voucher Register
    1920 Apr-1922 Dec
    Item 56 Voucher Register
    1923 Jan-1923 Dec
    Item 57 Check Register - Re payment of loans
    1922 May-1933 Nov
    Item 58 Miscellaneous Charges
    1915 Jul-1916 Dec
    Item 59 Miscellaneous Charges
    1916 Jan-1918 Dec
    Item 60 Miscellaneous Charges
    1919 Jan-Dec
    Item 61 Miscellaneous Charges
    1920 Jan-1920 Dec
    Item 62 Miscellaneous Charges
    1921 Jan-1921 Dec
    Item 63 Miscellaneous Sales
    1922 Jan-1922 Feb
    Item 64 Miscellaneous Sales
    1923 Jan-1924 Apr
    Item 65 Annual Reports to the State of Connecticut - Domestic and foreign
    1918 Mar
    Item 66 Inventories and Appraisals - mostly from Mechanicsville, including the French River Inn
    1913 Jan, 1916-1919
    Item 67 Inventories and Appraisals - mostly from Mechanicsville, including the French River Inn
    1922 Jul, 1923 Apr, 1923 Dec
    Item 68 Inventories and Appraisals - mostly from Mechanicsville, including the French River Inn - Segregation of Cloth in Process between Beachmont Worsted Co. and French River Textile Co.
    1923 Apr
    Item 69 Inventories and Appraisals - mostly from Mechanicsville, including the French River Inn - Appraisal
    1913 Jan
    Item 70 Inventories and Appraisals - mostly from Mechanicsville, including the French River Inn
    1917 Jan-1919 Jun, 1920 Jan- 1920 Mar, 1920 Jul, 1921 Jan, 1921 Jul, 1921 Dec