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George Stratford Oakum Company
| Name | George Stratford Oakum Company |
| Ortssitz | Jersey City (N.J.) |
| Straße | Cornelison Avenue |
| Art des Unternehmens | Wergfabrik |
| Anmerkungen | Lage: bis 1870 (Brand): Hudson Street zwischen Morris und Essex Streets, dann Cornelison Avenue. |
| Quellenangaben | [Jersey City of to-day (1907) 90] |
| Zeit |
Ereignis |
| 16.06.1830 |
Geburt von George Stratford in England |
| 1845 |
George Stratford wandert in die USA aus. |
| 1863 |
Die Fabrik George Stratford (vorher mit Mr. Fountain als Partner) im Bereich Fifty-fifth Street und Second Avenue, New York City, brennt ab. |
| 09.05.1870 |
Die Fabrik an der Hudson Street brennt ab. |
| 1870 |
Neubau einer Fabrik an der Cornelison Avenue als Ersatz für die abgebrannte Fabrik |
| 1876 |
Bau einer Papierfabrik an der Ecke Wayne und Brunswick Streets (dort steht um 1909 die Public School No. 9). - Stratford nimmt später F. J. Mallory und James Tompkins als Teilhaber auf und trägt das Unternehmen als "Jersey City Paper Company" ein, verbunden mit der Verlegung der Fabrik zur Cornelison Avenue, in die Nähe seiner Werg-Fabrik. |
| Anfang 1880er |
Der Gründer nimmt seinen Sohn Robert John Stratford und einige Jahre später einen anderen Sohn, William George Stratford, in die Wergfabrik auf. |
| 1885 |
Eintragung mit George Stratford und seinen Söhnen Robert John Stratford und William George Stratford als Leiter des Unternehmens |
| 1890 |
Es kommt Hanf für Sanitär-Zwecke heraus |
| 18.02.1891 |
Die Fabrik brennt ab |
| 1894 |
Robert J. Stratford zieht sich aus gesundheitlichen Gründen aus dem Unternehmen zurück |
| 1899 |
Tod von Robert J. Stratford. Sein Nachfolger wird Herbert Ridley Stratford, der zu dieser Zeit sein Examen an der Lehigh University abgelegt hatte. |
| 20.04.1905 |
Nach dem Tod seines Vaters am 20. April wird Herbert Ridley Stratford Präsident und Finanzleiter und ein anderer Sohn, Arthur G. Stratford, tritt als Direktor und Sekretär ein, und Frank Burnett Stratford und Edwin H. Stratford werden Teil des Direktoriums. |
| 27.02.1907 |
Tod von Herbert Ridley Stratford an den Folgen einer Blinddarmoperation |
| Produkt |
ab |
Bem. |
bis |
Bem. |
Kommentar |
| Werg |
1868 |
Beginn in Jersey City |
1907 |
tätig |
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| ZEIT | um 1907 |
| THEMA | Beschreibung |
| TEXT | The history of the George Stratford Oakum Company is a most interesting one. George Stratford, founder of the concern, was born in England, June 16, 1830, and came to this country fifteen years later, where he immediately found employment in one of the two oakum mills then in Jersey City. Learning all he could of the business at this place, he secured a better position at the other mill, but soon left the latter place to become superintendent of a small plant of the same kind in the Brooklyn navy yard. While in the employ of the government there, an opportunity came to form a partnership with a Mr. Fountain, and together they bought about a block of land at Fifty-fifth
Street and Second Avenue, New York City. His partner always wore a linen duster in the factory, and one day an
unusual commotion was heard by Mr. Stratford. Turning around he found that his partner was being whirled around, his duster having caught in the machinery. Mr. Stratford released him as quickly as possible, but his partner's injuries were fatal. Mr. Stratford bought out the Fountain interest from the latter's widow and continued the business alone, but in 1863 had the misfortune or being burned out. The New York land Mr. Stratford sold for about ten times what it cost, and bought a site on Hudson Street between Morris and Essex Streets, Jersey City. Here he brought what machinery was saved from the New York fire. He became a partner ot Benjamin Mills, who had an oakum factory on Wayne
Street, in the purchase of the McCormack oakum mill on West Forty-second Street, New York, which was run only two or three years when the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Stratford buying all the machinery of the New York mill. Later on Benjamin Mills failed and Mr. Stratford bought all the machinery from the Wayne Street plant. Soon after this Mr. Stratford formed a partnership with W. O. Davey, and this continued until the Hudson Street mill burned down May 9, 1870, when Mr. Stratford decided to try it alone once more, and buying the site on Cornelison Avenue where the present mill is located, had a new plant erected and running in the fall of that year. In 1876 Mr. Stratford started the manufacture of paper at the corner of Wayne and Brunswick Streets, where Public School No. 9 now stands, later taking as partners F. J. Mallory and James Tompkins and incorporating under the name of the Jersey City Paper Company, at the same time moving the plant next to the oakum factory on Cornelison Avenue. He became its president and business manager, and so remained, as he did in the oakum company, to the time of his death. Early in the eighties his son, Robert John Stratford, entered the oakum mill, and a few years later another son, William George Stratford, joined his father. In 1885 the business was incorporated under its present name with the above three as officers. In 1890 the grade of plumbers' oakum was originated, and the firm also put out an especially prepared hemp for upholstery purposes. On February 18, 1891, the factory was again burned out. This, however, could not stop the progress of the concern, and in a short time another new factory was built in the most approved and modern way, brick buildings supplanting those of frame and corrugated iron, with heavy timbers, thick floors and the best fire protection equipment known. This new mill was so constructed as to have four times the capacity of the old one. In 1894 Robert J. Stratford was forced to retire from active business by reason of ill health, and died five years
later, never having been sufficiently well to return to the office. In the meantime, however, he spent much of
his time abroad, and was of great help in the buying of raw material while there. His place in the office was
taken by Herbert Ridley Stratford, who at this time had just graduated from Lehigh University. Having been made secretary of the company he held this position until the death of his father, April 20, 1902, when he became its president and treasurer, and another son, Arthur G. Stratford, entered the firm as director and secretary, and Frank Burnett Stratford and Edwin H. Stratford were added to the directory. Only five years later another change was necessitated by the sudden death of Herbert R. Stratford on February 27, 1907, after an operation for appendicitis, the company thereby losing the services of a most valuable man. During his thirteen years of business he had found time to serve his city for two terms on the Board of Education, and also honored the directories of the Second National Bank, the Jersey City Trust Company and the University Club of Hudson County. Arthur C. Stratford was then advanced to the presidency, and Frank B. Stratford made secretary and treasurer. From the foundation of the business to the present time, on every occasion when the plants were burned or moved have larger ones taken their place, and since the disastrous fire of 1891 many new buildings, new machines and labor-saving devices have been added. In fact, the work has never stopped, and at present writing the firm is erecting a large brick building which will make this plant not only the greatest in this country but the largest in all English-speaking iands. This building, 60 by 75 feet in size, will be devoted to the preparation of the raw material. |
| QUELLE | [Jersey City of to-day (1907) 90] |
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