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Nelson and Rice : Original Billhead - Nelson and Rice, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

Original billhead on beige paper with printed text and handwriting in black ink. Datelined April 20, 1857 in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. 7" x 4 3/4." Billhead is very clean and intact. Paper has a few horizontal and vertical fold lines. A Fine copy. The handwritten portions include the name of the buyer, the item(s) purchased, and the price of the item(s). "2 Rolls, 12 Belt Sides" were purchased. "Sent this doz via R. R. [railroad]" is also handwritten on the billhead. The printed text reads, "[Buyer name] Bought of Nelson & Rice, Dealers in Hides and Rough Leather, and Manufacturers of Calf Skins, Wax, Kip, Grain, Belt, Splits, and Lace Leather." Nelson & Rice was a leather dealer and manufacturer established in 1839 in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts by Jonathan Nelson (1812-1872) and Thomas Rice (1814?-1888). Nelson & Rice was built off of the tanning and currying business of Colonel Nymphas Pratt, who had apprenticed both Rice and Nelson. Nelson & Rice became a well-respected leather company and was a supplier of leather products for the Union Army during the Civil War. After Nelson's passing in 1872, Rice continued the business under the name, Thomas Rice & Company, and worked with Charles Green. Rice remained head of the company until his passing in 1888. Both he and Nelson were prominent figures of Shrewsbury. At one point, Nelson was the wealthiest man in the town. Rice was also a politician and had several leadership roles in different financial institutions. Rice's positions included State Senator in 1869, Director and President of the Northboro' Bank, and Director of the First National Bank of Worcester. The buyer, P. Whitin & Sons, was a cotton manufacturing company in Northbridge, Massachusetts. Paul Whitin (1767-1831) was a pioneering businessman and blacksmith who helped establish the Northbridge Cotton Manufacturing Company in 1809. The Whitinsville village of Northbridge is named after him. Paul and his relatives founded another cotton manufacturing company in 1815 called Whitin & Fletchers. Paul gained sole ownership of Whitin & Fletchers in 1826, and together with his sons Paul, Jr. and John, renamed the company P. Whitin & Sons. After the passing of their father in 1831, Paul, Jr. and John bought the Northbridge Manufacturing Company. Paul's two other younger sons, Charles and James, would later join P. Whitin & Sons. In 1864, the four brothers dissolved P. Whitin & Sons and sold the company store to their cousin, Paul Whitin Dudley, which was renamed P. W. Dudley & Company. Paul, Jr., John, Charles, and James went on to form their own companies. P. Whitin & Sons had also manufactured cotton machinery. James had invented a cotton picker machine that outperformed previous models. This invention helped propel his business, Whitin Machine Works (WMW), into prominence as one of the world's largest textile machinery companies. WMW, or "The Shop" as known to locals, was a mainstay in Whitinsville until 1966 when it was sold to White Consolidated Industries (WCI; formerly White Sewing Machine Company). In 1986, WCI was acquired by Electrolux, which operates to this day as a leading appliance manufacturer.. Ephemera. Book Condition: Collectible-Fine. Binding: No Binding

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