Henry and Davis Family Papers

William Henry was the Superintendent of Mines for American Molybednum Company in the Washington County town of Cooper, Maine. In an article for the Portland, Maine publication, Board of Trade Journal (Volume 19, March, 1907) Henry noted that "about three years" prior to his writing, an owner of the Cooper property suspected molybdenite was present in area rocks. The mineral was in demand internationally for strengthening steel, particularly recommended for large forgings of marine engines, large guns, boiler plates and for high-speed steel tools.

After samples sent for analysis looked promising, Boston capitalists visited the site. Crews put down a shaft of 55 feet and a cut to the south of 25 feet. Molybdenite was present the full length. The American Molybdenum Company was formed and owners purchased the property. By 1903, the Cooper mine was one of the principal deposits mentioned in Mineral Resources of the United States by J.H. Pratt. It is not clear how long William Henry served as superintendent. Many envelopes are addressed to Mr. Wm. Henry (Supt. of Mines), Lock Box 247, Calais, Maine during the years of 1903 and 1904.

Frank N. Davis was the manager of St. Croix Gas Light Company in Calais, Maine. Letters in the collection addressed to him date from 1897 to 1912, but it is not clear whether that was the full length of time he was employed by the company. A Calais business directory lists he and his wife, Inez H., as living in Calais in 1935.

The relationship between these two Calais businessmen is not apparent from materials within the collection.