Maine Historical Society Coll

Maine Historical Society Coll. 1922 Deering Lumber Company Records, 1869-1990

Accession: 1997.434, 2005.224, 2005.257, 2006 369, 2006.370, 2007.155 Processed: April 1998 by Nancy Noble, Archivist; updated and added to in 2007-2008 by Susan Flaherty, volunteer. Updated (format of finding aid, no change to collection) Jamie Kingman Rice, 2012. Material added Dec. 2017 by Linell Slaktowicz, Library volunteer. Size: 4 linear feet, plus 51 volumes + O.S. Box 8

Administrative note: These records are from the J.G. Deering Company, and its successors. Joseph G. Deering (1816- 1892) built a sawmill on Spring Island in Biddeford in 1866, and founded his lumber company as J.G. Deering. His son, Frank Cutter Deering (1866-1939), joined the business (now called J.G. Deering & Son Lumber Company) and continued to run it after his father died in 1892. Joseph Godfrey Deering (1894-1987), grandson of the original founder, was general manager in 1920, and upon his father's death in 1939, became president of the company. The Saco River Driving Company was the wood operation and river driving subsidiary of J. G. Deering & Son, the manufacturing company. The Biddeford saw mill was shut down in 1948. Godfrey Company (owned by Joseph Godfrey Deering personally) was formed June 25th 1958, after the sale of the J.G. Deering and Son name to Thomas Armstrong. The Godfrey Company finished up the timber and lumber operations, which were pretty well done by 1960. The Saco River Driving Company was liquidated December 4th, 1959. Bob Whittemore took over when Erwin Warren left as bookkeeper for J.G. Deering & Son to work at the Diamond Match Co. The Deering Lumber Company is an adjunct retail lumber company.

Scope and content note:

Manuscript and print collection: This collection includes correspondence, documents, record books (1869 - 1959), and photographs. The record books are generally arranged chronologically. Much of the correspondence revolves around the 1939 court case: Cumberland County Power and Light vs. J.G. Deering & Son. This case involved a dispute over rights of using the Saco River for power purposes vs. using the Saco River for driving logs. Asa Cunningham (1875-1968) was Deering's woods and river drive boss from 1926 to 1945. His logbook is included in the collection. Documents of a 1901 court case: George Demers vs. Frank C. Deering (transcript, charge, and photographs) are also included. George Demers was an employee of Frank Deering and had an accident at his sawmill. Demers sued Deering for damages.

Maine Historical Society Coll. 1922 Deering Lumber Company Records, 1869-1990

White Pine on the Saco River: An Oral History of River Driving in Southern Maine by Michael P. Chaney (published in Northeast Folklore, XXIX: 1990), a copy of which is included here, gives an excellent history and background on the Deering Lumber Company.

Oral History collection: In 1980 J. Deering undertook, with the assistance of the New England Folklore Association, an attempt to collect and preserve the oral histories of many of the J. G. Deering employees. The project started with the river drivers and soon included the men and woman who worked in the lumberyard and office. These histories offer fascinating insight not only into the story of J.G. Deering, the history of the lumber industry as well as life in Saco/Biddeford over the past half- century. This collection preserves the transcript of the original interviews as well as some of the tapes.

Photograph collection: The J.G. Deering collection includes an extensive collection of photographs. Some are of the J.G. Deering plant in Biddeford as well as the employees who have worked there over the years. The collection also includes photos of lumber camps, working in the woods, working on the river and equipment that offers unique historical insight into the Maine lumbering industry.

Provenance/Acquisition: Thomas Armstrong, former owner of Deering Lumber Company, donated the collection. Other Deering materials can be found at the Dyer Library/York Institute in Saco, Maine.

Series: Series I: Manuscript, printed materials, and documents including record books (Box 1, 6-8) Series II: Oral history collection (Box 2) Series III: Photograph collection (Box 3-5)

Maine Historical Society Coll. 1922 Deering Lumber Company Records, 1869-1990

INVENTORY

Box 1 Manuscript and print materials

Folder 1: Map showing Spring Island and J.G. Deering land in Biddeford. Tracing paper, folded. n.d Folder 2: George Demers v. Frank G. Deering court case, 1897-1901 charge (typescripts)(see end of inventory for photographs and court transcript). Folder 3: Driving costs, 1911-1938, 1940 Folder 4: Miscellaneous correspondence and contracts, 1933-1948 Folder 5: Power company correspondence and documents : Cumberland County Power and Light lease from J.G. Deering & Son, 1936 Correspondence is mainly between William F. Wyman, president of CMP and Herbert Locke, of Locke, Campbell, & Reid, (a law firm that represented J.G.Deering & Son), and Joseph G. Deering. Much of this correspondence is regarding a lawsuit: Cumberland County Power and Light (predecessor to Central Maine Power) vs. J.G. Deering & Son. Folder 6: Power company correspondence and documents,1936-1939 Folder 7: Power company correspondence and documents, 1940 Folder 8: Power company correspondence and documents ,1941-1948 Folder 9: Power company correspondence and documents: Cumberland County Power and Light vs. J.G. Deering & Son. Legal document, 1939 Folder 10: Document and clipping relating to lawsuit (?). Folder 11: 10 blueprints showing log drive improvements at various dams. Two show Saco River pond elevations and flows. Produced by NEPSCO Services, Inc., an engineering firm in 1939. Includes West Buxton, Bar Mills, and Bonny Eagle. May possibly be related to the lawsuit. Folder 12: Report on White Pine tributary and adjacent to the Saco River Valley in Maine and New Hampshire, 1943, for Mr. Joseph G. Deering. From the office of James W. Sewall, Old Town, Maine, Port Arthur, Ontario.National War Labor Board. The J.G. Deering Company was in violation of the Wage Stabilization Law during World War II. Folder 13: General information Folder 14: List of job classifications, wages, and employees Folder 15: Correspondence Folder 16: White Pine on the Saco River: An Oral History of River Driving in Southern Maine, by Michael P. Chaney (Northeast Folklore, XXIX, 1990)

Maine Historical Society Coll. 1922 Deering Lumber Company Records 1869-1990

Record books: All record books are from J.G. Deering (and successors) unless noted differently.

Customer ledger Book 1: 1869 through 1887 Book 2: 1887-1892

Car loads Book 3: March 1887-Aug 1889 (shipping book, J.G. Deering & Son) Book 4: March 1919-Aug 1927 Book 5: July 1927-April 1931

Book 6: April 1931-Jan 1933

Wholesale order book Book 7: March 1894-July 1899

Wood books Book 8: 1880's-1890's Book 9: May 1887-Nov 1888 includes list of names and orders Book 10: October 1, 1888 through December 31, 1889 paid, date of delivery, name, address, amount of wood in bulk, name of driver, kind of wood ordered, amount of wood ordered. Divided by days. Book 11: Jan 1, 1890-1896 Book 12: December 7, 1896 - 1900

Wood sale ledger Book 13: 1892-1898

Stock account: Book 14: 1893-1897 describes types of wood bought

Cash receipts Book 15: Nov. 13, 1894-August 15, 1895-

Payroll Book 16: October 3, 1894 through March 7, 1896

Various operations Book 17: 1895 through 1897

Cash, personal account Book 18: January 1, 1895-March 31, 1898

Checkbook, J.G. Deering & Son 4

Maine Historical Society Coll. 1922 Deering Lumber Company Records 1869-1990

Book 19: April 10, 1896 - June 15, 1887 Book 20: June 15, 1897 - August 17, 1898 Book 21: August 18, 1898 - March 21, 1900 Book 22: February 16, 1901 - November 23, 1901

Lumber deliveries: Book 23: September 13, 1897 through March 31, 1899 Book 24: May 27, 1904 through October 28, 1905

Retail deliveries: Book 25: April 1, 1899 through September 19, 1900

Wood lots Book 26: 1906-1936 pine, hemlock, spruce, h. & n. pine

Deering & Gilpatrick Book 27: 1926-1931

Cash book and journal: Book 28: September 1929 through August 1930; January 1935 through August 1936 Book 29: July 14, 1921 through 1927; May 19, 1933 through 1934?

Saco River Driving Company woods and river operationscash book and journal Book 30: Sept. 1936 - August 1938 Book 31: 1954 to 1959 Book 31A: 1933-1959 Articles of Association

Saco River Driving Company Book 32: Daily Log Book April 8 to August 13, 1940 1940 Log Drive, Saco River and Tributaries kept by Asa Cunningham [reproduced in White Pine on the Saco, published 1993. Transcript included]

Biddeford Lumber Company Book 33: Record book , Includes certificate of corporation, articles of association, etc.

Price Lists Book 34: 1920’s Book 35: 1930’s Book 36: 1934 Book 37: 1940’s Book 38: 1950’s

Customer Lists Book 39: 1940’s 5

Maine Historical Society Coll. 1922 Deering Lumber Company Records 1869-1990 Misc. Book 40: “One Hundred Years of the York National Bank of Saco, Maine” 1931 Book 41: Contractor Handy Book 1925 Book 42: “Truss facts from your hydro-air fabricator 1975 Book 43: Commemorative Journal (Northern Retail Lumber Ass.) 1994 Book 44: The Lumber Co-Operator-July 1986

Saco Boom Company Records Book 45: Log 1805 Book 46: Record Book 1894-1947 Book 47: Record Book 1800’s

J.G. Deering & Son Book 48: Incorporation Records-1903-1968

JG Deering & Son Book 49: Sawing Records-1953-1954

Book 50: Tree Lot Information-1960-1962

Book 51: Transcript Demers v. Deering 1901

Box 2 Oral History Project

Folder 1: Bell, Leo-Transcript Folder 2: Bennett, Ralston- Transcript Folder 3: Blaney, Ken- Transcript Folder 4: Brown, Clarence- Transcript Folder 5: Burrill, Ed- Transcript Folder 6: Chappell, Arlene Transcript and tape Folder 7: Coker, Alan- Transcript Folder 8: Deering, Joseph G. - Transcript Folder 9: Deschambeault, Phyllis- Transcript Folder 10: Foran, Charles- Transcript Folder 11: Leonard, Chester- Transcript Folder 12: Littlefield, Robert- Transcript Folder 13: Maher, Irene- Transcript Folder 14: Morin, Ralph- Transcript Folder 15: Smith, Clyde- Transcript Folder 16: Smith, Roy- Transcript Folder 17: Warren Erwin- Transcript and Tape

Maine Historical Society Coll. 1922 Deering Lumber Company Records 1869-1990

Box 3 Photographs

Folder 1: Aerial Photos of the Saco River Folder 2: Bar Mills, Maine Folder 3: Biddeford Box Co. Folder 4 Biddeford- Saco, Maine Folder 5: Bonney Eagle, Maine Folder 6: Diamond Match Folder 7: E. Limington Saw Mills Folder 8: Equipment Misc. Folder 9: Fire, Southern Maine (1947) Folder 10: Flood, Biddeford-Saco, Maine (1936) Folder 11: Goodwin Mills (Lumber Mills) Folder 12: Group Photos (1890-1910) Folder 13: Hollis, Maine Folder 14: Individual Photos (1900-1945) Folder 15: J.G. Deering Employees (1900-2001)

Box 4 Photographs (cont.)

Folder 1: J.G. Deering Yard Folder 2: Logging Camps (1893-1894) Folder 3: Log Piles Folder 4: Misc. Postcards Folder 5: Misc. Sawmills Folder 6: Saco Fire (Sept. 15, 1908) Folder 7: Saco Fire (April 20, 1963) Folder 8: Saco River Lumber Company (1905-1910) Folder 9: Saco River Views (1870-1990) Folder 10: Spring Island Folder 11: Transportation of Lumber (1853-1960) Folder 12: Union Falls Maine Folder 13: West Buxton, Maine Folder 14: Working in the Woods (1920-1999) Folder 15: Working on the River (1880-1941)

Box 5 Oversized photographs (now located in O.S. Box 8) Oversized photos of Maine rivers showing logging operations on the river from the 1940’s

Maine Historical Society Coll. 1922 Deering Lumber Company Records 1869-1990

Box 6 Documents Folder 1 Accounting Sheets (1949-1957) Folder 2 “Averages”-New/Old (1931-1933) Folder 3 Blank Office Forms Folder 4 Board Foot Vol. Rules Folder 5 Brief history of J.G. Deering and Son (1940-1980) Folder 6 Contracts/Leases/Job Classifications Folder 7 Correspondence Folder 8 Cost Sheets (1955-1958) Folder 9 Deering Proctor Box Company (1899-1902) Folder 10 Diamond Match (1920-1977) Folder 11 History of Biddeford and Saco Mills Folder 12 Incorporation Records and Notes (1900-1968) Folder 13 Invoices/Receipts/Lists of Officers Folder 14 “The Log Haulers” 1967 Folder 15 Lumberjack figure-Saco Valley Shopping Center Folder 16 Lumber Mutual (1966) Folder 17 Maine Sawmills-a history Folder 18 Mills and Mill Hands etc. 1988 Folder 19 Northeastern White Pine its Grade and Uses

Box 7 Documents Folder 1 Photos/Measurements for a saw Folder 2 Proposals Folder 3 Proposed Deering Timber Purchase Folder 4 Recollections of J. Vaughn Dennett (1959) Folder 5 Reports on Timber lots (1924-1946) Folder 6 Reports on Timber lots (Alphabetical) Folder 7 Saco Boom/Saco River Driving Co.

Box 8 Documents Folder 1 Saco Mills Invoices (1888) Folder 2 “A short story on Saco River” etc. Folder 3 Silas Hubbard Company Log Cabins Folder 4 Spring House history Folder 5 Specifications Boiler, Mill (1893) Folder 6 Stencil Folder 7 Surveyor’s Daily Report (1944-1947) Folder 8 Weyerhoeuser (1966-1981) Folder 9 Wholesale markets-mailing lists.

Box 9 Documents, photos & negatives Folder 1 Sales ledger, Profit & Loss statements, 1958-1965 Folder 2 Slolly, Sprinklers, and Mackinawed Men Dr. Edward H. Risley; Northern Woodlands Magazine article, 2010 8

Folder 3 Logs purchased price lists, 1897-1905 Folder 4 Logs purchased price lists, 1905-1915 Folder 5 Logs purchased price lists, 1915-1929 Folder 6 Logs purchased price lists, 1929-1935 Folder 7 Logs purchased price lists, 1935-1944 Folder 8 Negatives, John Marshall photos for J.G.D. and Son, 1913-1940 Unidentified boys on logs, n.d.; sawmill, ca. 1920s; “Picturemen”, 1940 (2 copies); unidentified horse team pulling logs, n.d. (2 copies); unidentified men on logs in river, n.d. (2 copies); unidentified men in bateau on river, n.d. (2 copies); unidentified men in bateau & men poling logs, n.d.; J.G. Deering sawmill (brow), ca. 1920s; J.G.D. and Son filing room, ca. 1920s; Louis Beaulieu and group, ca. 1913; unidentified 2 teamsters standing on logs, n.d. (2 copies); unidentified man felling pine, n.d. (2 copies); Frank Burn, So. Standish-River Boss Deering drive, 1910-1923; Merle Cunningham on logs, n.d. (2 copies); Babe Day with tractor and scoot, n.d. (2 copies); Lovewells Pond, Fryeburg, log rafts on pond, n.d. (2 copies); Lovewells Pond, Fryeburg, logs on Pond and horse team pulling logs on sled, n.d. (2 copies); Saco River driving, Frank Burn’s time, ca.1923 (5 views); unidentified men using crosscut saw, ca. 1940 (2 copies); Unidentified men and skidway, n.d. (2 copies); unidentified man driving 2 horse team between pines, n.d. (2 copies); river scene, unidentified men working logs, n.d.; drive scene, unidentified men working logs, n.d. (2 copies); skidway, unidentified men with horse team, n.d. (2 copies); Lovewells Pond, unidentified men with horse team pulling logs, n.d. (2 copies); unidentified man poling logs on river, n.d. (2 copies); unidentified men felling tree, n.d. (2 copies); unidentified men poling log rafts-Hiram Falls, n.d. (2 copies); unidentified men poling log rafts under bridge at Hiram Falls, n.d. (2 copies); unidentified man with pipe poling logs, n.d.; unidentified men poling logs, n.d.; unidentified men poling log rafts, n.d. (2 copies); unidentified group of men at sawmill, n.d. (2 copies).

Box 10 Negatives & photos Folder 1 Fryeburg; Herbert Kimball, Buzzell & Betty Bell Barker collections, 1991 Folder 2 Arnold Foster photos, 1990 Folder 3 White Mt. logging, 1893 Folder 4 Saco River, 1990-1991 Folder 5 Postcard photo; river drivers on the Little Ossipee River, E. Limington, 1910-1915 Folder 6 Saco boom, 1947-1948 & proprietors list, 1805 Folder 7 Coolidge picnic, 2002 Folder 8 Segabo Lake, 1991 Folder 9 McArthur Library, 1991 Folder 10 Lumber yard, ca. 1940s; 1920s Packard truck, Biddeford Folder 11 Unidentified postcards, n.d. Folder 12 Dyer Library collection: Deering house, 1937, aerial view of Biddeford & Saco and Factory Island Bridge to Biddeford, 1880 Folder 13 Framed photos: Sid first at landing above Cornish Bridge, 1934-1935 and portable mill at Lovell, n.d. Folder 14 River driver close-ups, [1920-1040s] Folder 15 Chase Snow Roller & Bonny Eagle under construction, ca. 1911 Folder 16 Mill building from across river on Saco side, ca. 1930s Folder 17 Portrait of Albert E. Whitehurst and group (Whitehurst, Chas. Fran & Joseph G. Deering II) in front of mill brow with 1866 saw blade & photo of same and copies, n.d. Folder 18 Photos of Feb. 6, 1913 first at 1893 Deering Saw Mill and negatives of same Folder 19 Negatives & photos: People, 1930-1989 Diamond Match Brow 19, 1934-1935; Ralph Morin & father, n.d.; picnic at Moose 9

Pond, n.d.; Clarence Brown & Bob Littlefield, 1989; Charles Fran, n.d.; unidentified man standing on logs (brow) & horse team held by Stanley Harnett-Pool Rd., n.d.; unidentified groups, n.d.; Asa Cunningham topping spruce at Deering Woods, n.d.; Winifred W. Roberts portrait, ca. 1930; Annie Gray Wiggin (mother of J.G. Deering II print) & Negatives of Katherine & J.G.Deering II in navy uniform & family: Elise & [Carlo]. Also Geo. Hermans, ca. 1970s; A.C. Cunningham – wedding & 50th anniversary, n.d. Folder 20 Logging & lumbering, 1893-1972, various locations & subjects: J.G.D. Mill from across river, 1893 (Burned 1913); loons with check & unidentified Location logging crews, n.d.; postcard – bateau over Falls, 1918 & 3 log landing at Kezar Falls, n.d.; Harold Gain photos – Fryeburg, n.d.; Steep Falls Dam, ca. 1920s-1930s Clarence Brown photos, n.d.; Saco River Landing, Cornish Sta., 1934-1935-prints & negs; Diamond Match, n.d.; Jean Cousins photos – Standish, n.d.; David Tripp photos – Hollis, n.d.; for Springs [Taver] scenes, n.d.; 14 unidentified prints, n.d.; yard contracts-prints & negs., 1972; Thomas Hammond photo – E. Hiram, 1938; log scale stack, n.d.; River View Sawmills, n.d. – 1914; Flat Car Lumber – So. Portland, n.d.; unidentified logging crews, n.d.; yard & buildings, 1980; 3 logging horses, n.d.; Bob Littlefield photos – Lovell, n.d.; W.B. Deering Sawmill, n.d.; unidentified scenes of houses, river & bridge, n.d.; unidentified building renovations, n.d.