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Maine Slate Company of Monson Records

 Collection
Identifier: SpC MS 0320

Scope and Contents

The collection contains records of the Maine Slate Company of Monson as well as personal papers of Walter L. Johnson, superintendent of the company, and his wife Harriet F. Johnson. This small collection contains a few folders of material from Walter Johnson's work as superintendent of the Maine Slate Company of Monson, including correspondence with C.N. Fay, the company president, and a group of reports to Fay of daily operations at the quarry, all from 1915. Also included are ten undated photographs showing quarry workers, the mining operation, and the mine buildings. The collection also contains personal papers of Walter and Harriet Johnson, most having to do with their business investments. One folder contains Harriet Johnson's correspondence after the death of her husband and concerns primarily her investments and business interests in logging and other activities.

Dates

  • 1915-1941
  • Majority of material found within 1915-1924

Creator

Restrictions on Access

Kept at Fogler Library's offsite storage facility. One week's notice required for retrieval.

Use Restrictions

Information on literary rights available in the repository.

Historical Note

Slate was discovered in Monson, Maine, in 1870, and the town became home to several slate quarries over the next half-century. The Maine Slate Company of Monson opened its quarry in 1903, producing black slate used for roofing and other slate products. At the company's quarry, located 3 1/2 miles west-southwest of the village, there were about 30 feet of slate and interbedded quartzite exposed. The thickest bed of slate measured about 8 feet and the quarry measured about 100 feet across. The headquarters for the company was in Boston; in 1915 C.N. Fay was president; H.H. Fay, vice president; Charles E. Phippen, secretary; and Henry H. Mathews, treasurer.

Biographical Note

Walter L. Johnson was superintendent of the company at Monson. He also seems to have owned land which contained a slate vein and may have operated this vein on a royalty basis. He also appears to have bred and sold White Orpington chicks in Monson. Walter Johnson died in 1923.

Extent

0.8 cubic feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The collection contains records of the Maine Slate Company of Monson as well as personal papers of Walter L. Johnson, superintendent of the company, and his wife Harriet F. Johnson. Also included are ten undated photographs showing quarry workers, the mining operation, and the mine buildings.

Title
Guide to the Maine Slate Company of Monson Records
Status
Box And Folder List Available
Date
2012
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for uncoded script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Raymond H. Fogler Library Special Collections Repository

Contact:
5729 Raymond H. Fogler Library
University of Maine
Orono ME 04469-5729 United States
207-581-1686