W.R. Grace & Co. records, 1828-1986, bulk 1861-1960
W.R. Grace & Co. records, 1828-1986, bulk 1861-1960
Summary Information
At a Glance
- Call No.:
- MS#1414
- Bib ID:
- 4078823 View CLIO record
- Creator(s):
- W.R. Grace & Co.
- Repository:
- Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Physical Description:
- 90 linear feet (167 boxes)
- Language(s):
- English .
- Access:
- You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
-
This collection has no restrictions.
The following boxes are located off-site: 1-164. You will need to request this material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
Description
Summary
The records of W.R. Grace & Co. cover the rise of the Grace shipping business from 1864 until World War II. The early correspondence concerns all aspects of the shipping business in New York and South America, mining interests in Peru and Chile, the railroad in Costa Rica, the inter-ocean canal planned for Nicaragua, and political interests throughout Central and South America. There are letter books, correspondence, and scrapbooks of clippings for all aspects of W.R. Grace's career. There are minute books and other documents for more than 50 subsidiary companies owned by W.R. Grace & Co. or by family members. The papers of Joseph Peter Grace (1872-1950) continue the business, family, and philanthropic activities until 1942. There are also 20 reels of motion picture film about the Grace Co. South American interests in the 1950s.
This wide-ranging collection of correspondence, administrative records, motion pictures, scrapbooks, and other materials details the development of the W.R. Grace & Co. shipping business as well as more than fifty other companies owned by the company or the Grace family. Apart from merchant and trade activities, prominent topics covered in the collection include mining, railroads, the construction of a trans-Isthmian canal, and South American, Central American, and United States politics.
Arrangement
Selected materials cataloged, remainder arranged. Cataloged correspondence, A-Z; Boxes 1-8: Unbound correspondence & documents, 1861-1918; Boxes 9-97: Letterbooks, contract books, etc., 1864-1917; Boxes 98-103: Nicaragua Canal, 1897-1900; Boxes 104-122: Scrapbooks, 1884-1920; Boxes 123-146: Subsidiary companies, Minute books, etc., 1869-1939; Boxes 147-153: Joseph Peter Grace, Correspondence & documents, 1919-1942; Boxes 154-155: Printed books & atlases; Boxes 156-157: Photographs; Box 158-162: Misc. & additions; 35 Oversize items.
Using the Collection
Restrictions on Access
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
This collection has no restrictions.
The following boxes are located off-site: 1-164. You will need to request this material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); W.R. Grace & Co. records; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Accruals
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Alternate Form Available
Microfilm available.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Source of acquisition--W.R. Grace & Co. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1980. Accession number--M-80.
Historical Report, 1963-1972: Source of acquisition--Harper Collins. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--12/14/1990. Accession number--M-90-12-14.
Gift of W.R. Grace & Co., 1980 & 1985.
Gift of Harper Collins, 1990.
Publications About Described Materials
Clayton, Lawrence A. GRACE: W.R. GRACE & CO. THE FORMATIVE YEARS, 1850-1930. (Ottawa, Ill.: Jameson Books, c1985) 403 p.
About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Processing Information
Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 06/--/1989.
Historical Report, 1963-1972 Processed HR 08/20/1992.
Revision Description
2009-07-07 File created.
2014-02-07 XML document instance created by Catherine C. Ricciardi
2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.
Biographical / Historical
William Russell Grace (1832-1904) and Michael Paul Grace (1842-1920) emigrated from Ireland during the 1850s and set up in business respectively in New York and Callao, Peru as ship's chandlers (boat supplies). They soon developed into shipping brokers and later owned their own fleet, the beginning of the present-day Grace Line. Grace companies were established in San Francisco and London. W.R. Grace was active in New York City politics (Mayor, 1881-1882, and 1885-1886), banking and insurance, real estate interests, and Catholic charities.
Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
All links open new windows.
Series I: Cataloged Correspondence
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
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Box C1
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Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C1
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
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Box C2
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Box C2
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Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Box C2
Series II: Unbound Correspondence and Documents, 1828, 1861-1918
Flat Box 553
Box 1
Box 2
Box 3
1875-1876
Box 4
1877-1879
Box 5
1880-1889
Box 6
1890-1893
Box 7
1894-1908
Box 8
1909-1918
Series III: Letterbooks, 1868-1917
Letterbinders of incoming letters and documents and letterbook copies of outgoing letters, as numbered and arranged by W.R. Grace & Co.
Box 9
Box 10
Box 10
Box 11
(No Index)
Box 11
Box 12
Box 12
Box 13
Box 13
Box 14
Box 14
Box 15
Box 15
Box 16
Box 16
(No Index)
Box 17
Box 17
Box 18
Box 18
Box 19
Box 19
Box 20
Box 20
Box 21
(No Index)
Box 21
(No Index)
Box 22
(No Index)
Box 22
(No Index)
Box 23
Box 23
Box 24
Box 24
Box 25
Box 25
(No Index)
Box 26
(No Index)
Box 26
(No Index)
Box 27
(No Index)
Box 27
(No Index)
Box 28
(No Index)
Box 28
(No Index)
Box 29
(No Index)
Box 29
(No Index)
Box 30
(No Index)
Box 30
(No Index)
Box 31
(No Index)
Box 31
(No Index)
Box 32
(No Index)
Box 32
(No Index)
Box 33
(No Index)
Box 33
(No Index)
Box 34
Box 34
(No Index)
Box 35
(No Index)
Box 35
(No Index)
Box 36
Box 36
Box 37
Box 37
(No Index)
Box 38
(No Index)
Box 38
(No Index)
Box 38A
Box 39
Box 39
Box 40
Box 40
Box 41
Box 41
Box 42
Box 42
Box 43
Box 43
Box 44
Box 44
Box 45
Box 45
Box 46
Box 46
Box 47
Box 47
Box 48
Box 48
Box 49
Box 49
Box 50
Box 50
Box 51
Box 51
Box 52
Box 52
Box 53
Box 53
Box 54
Box 54
Box 55
Box 55
(and 1872-1875 re: sugar)
Box 56
Box 56
Box 56
Box 56
Box 57
Box 57
Box 57
Box 57
Box 58
Box 58
Box 58
Box 58
Box 59
Box 59
Box 59
Box 59
Box 60
(No Index)
Box 60
Box 60
Box 61
Box 61
Box 61
Box 61
Box 62
Box 62
Box 62
Box 63
Box 63
Box 63
Box 64
Box 64
Box 64
Box 64
Box 65
Box 65
Box 65
Box 65
Box 66
Box 66
Box 66
Box 66
Box 67
Box 67
Box 67
Box 67
Box 68
Box 68
Box 68
Box 68
Box 69
Box 69
Box 69
Box 69
Box 70
Box 70
Box 70
Box 70
Box 71
Box 71
Box 71
Box 71
Box 72
Box 72
Box 72
Box 73
Box 73
Box 73
Box 74
Box 74
Box 74
Box 74
Box 75
Box 75
Box 75
Box 75
Box 76
Box 76
Box 76
Box 77
Box 77
(Arranged chronologically)
Box 78
Box 78
Flat Box 663
Cmi Box 165
Box 78
Box 78
Box 79
Box 79
Box 79
Box 80
Box 80
Box 80
Box 81
Box 81
Box 81
Box 81
Box 82
Box 82
Box 82
Box 82
Box 83
Box 83
Box 84
Box 84
Box 84
Box 85
Box 85
Series IV: Contract Books, Agreements, Receipts, Reports, etc., 1877-1916
(Arranged chronologically)
Box 86
Box 86
Box 86
Box 87
Box 87
Box 87
Box 88
Box 88
Box 88
Flat Box 668
Box 89
Box 89
Box 89
Series V: John William Grace, 1879-1889
(Letterbooks and Letterbinders)
Box 90
Box 91
Box 92
Box 93
Box 94
Box 94
Box 94
Box 95
Box 95
Box 95
Box 96
Box 96
Box 96
Box 96
Box 97
Box 97
Box 97
Box 97
Series VI: Nicaragua Canal, 1897-1900
(Correspondence, documents, and printed materials)
Box 98
Box 98
Box 98
Box 99
Box 99
Box 99
Box 99
Box 100
Box 100
1898-1899
Box 101
1899-1900
Box 102
Box 103
Series VII: Scrapbooks, 1884-1920
(Newspaper clippings and printed memorabilia)
Box 104
Box 104
Box 105
Box 105
Box 106
Box 106
Box 107
Box 107
Box 108
Box 108
Box 109
Box 109
Box 110
Box 110
Box 111
Box 111
Box 112
Box 112
Box 113
Box 113
Box 114
Box 114
Box 115
Box 115
Box 116
Box 116
Box 117
Box 117
Box 118
Box 118
Box 119
Box 119
Box 120
Box 120
Box 121
Cmi Box 167
Flat Box 663
Box 122
Box 122
Series VII: Subsidiary Companies, 1869-1939
(Minutebooks, incorporation papers, receipts, printed materials, etc.)
Flat Box 555
Box 123
Box 123
Box 123
Box 124
Box 124
Box 124
Box 125
Box 125
Box 126
Box 126
Box 126
Box 126A
Box 127
Box 127
Box 127
Box 127
Box 126A
Box 128
Box 128
Box 128
Box 128
Box 129
Box 129
Box 129
Box 129
Box 129
Box 130
Box 130
Box 130
Box 131
Box 131
Box 131
Box 132
Box 132
Box 132
Cmi Box 166
Flat Box 663
Box 133
Box 133
Box 133
Box 133
Box 133
Box 134
Box 134
Box 134
Box 135
Box 135
Box 135
Flat Box 664
Box 136
Box 136
Box 136
Box 136
Box 137
Box 137
Box 137
Box 138
Box 138
Box 138
Box 139
Box 139
Box 139
Box 140
Box 140
Box 140
Box 140
Box 141
Box 141
Box 141
Box 142
Box 142
Box 142
Box 142
Box 142
Box 143
Box 143
Box 143
Box 144
Box 144
Box 144
Box 145
Box 145
Box 145
Box 145
Box 146
Box 146
Series VIII: Joseph Peter Grace (1872-1950), 1919-1942
(Correspondence and documents)
Box 147
1919-1921
Box 148
1922-1926
Box 149
1927-1930
Box 150
1931
1932
Box 151
Box 152
Box 153
1933-1942
Series IX: Grace Pedigree, 1911
(Genealogical scrolls documenting pedigree from 1027-1910)
Tube Box 5
Tube Box 11
originally in Scroll Box 13
Series X: Printed Books and Atlases, 1865-1948
Flat Box 553
Flat Box 554
Flat Box 555
Flat Box 553
Box 154
Box 154
Box 154A
Flat Box 554
Flat Box 664
Flat Box 664
(Volume II only)
Box 155
(Unpublished. Plates for illustrations and book jacket. Lists used by James)
Series XI: Photographs, circa 1880-1950
Grace family members and friends, houses, horses, ships, South American scenes, W.R. Grace & Co. personnel and offices
Box 156
Box 157
Flat Box 534
Flat Box 664
Series XII: Motion Pictures Films
Box 163
Box 163
Box 163
Box 163
Box 163
Box 163
Box 164
Box 164
Box 164
Box 164
Box 164
Box 164
Box 164
Box 164
Box 164
Series XIII: Addenda, 1918-1986
(Printed materials and miscellaneous materials)
Box 158
Box 158
Box 158
Flat Box 553
Flat Box 554
Box 159
(Lacking volumes: 2, no. 1-11; 3, 2-11; k9 1-3, 5, 6;.7, 1, 2, U-6; 8, 1-6; 9, 1-6; 10, 1-6; 11, 1-U, 6; 12, 1-6; 13, 1-6; lU, 1-6; 15, 1-6; 16, 1-6; 17, 1, 2, k-69 18, 2-6; 19, 1-6; 21, U.)
Box 160
(Lacking volumes: 32, no. 5, 6)
Box 161
(Lacking volumes: 34, no. 1, 3-6.)
Box 161
(Complete Set)
Box 162
Box 162
(1 volume)