E. & T. Fairbanks & Co. Records, 1830-1888 Doc 436 & MSA 459 Introduction This collection contains business records from E. & T. Fairbanks & Co., manufacturers of scales in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, during the period 1830-1888. The Vermont Historical Society purchased this collection from Steve Finer – Rare Books in 2007. The collection is housed in one document storage box and one archival flip top box and consumes 1.5 linear feet of shelf space. Agency Sketch Erastus and Thaddeus Fairbanks, natives of Brimfield, Massachusetts, settled in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, in 1815. The brothers entered into business in the manufacture of stoves and farm implements. By the 1830s the company was concentrating on scale manufacturing. Thaddeus Fairbanks concentrated on manufacturing for fifty-five years while Erastus managed the business. During the course of his life, Thaddeus was issued over forty patents. While most of these were related to scales, they also included an icebox, stoves, ploughs, radiators, and feed-water heaters. The company manufactured a reliable and accurate platform scale of its design that utterly transformed that industry in America during the 1830s. The company contracted with agents and reputable mechanics, at great distances from St. Johnsbury, to have them assigned defined territories within which to assemble and sell, and to repair scales. Erastus Fairbanks served as Governor of Vermont from 1852-1853 and 1860- 1861. Horace Fairbanks, his son, was made partner in the business and in 1865 he assumed his father’s role as senior partner of E. & T. Fairbanks and Company. During Horace Fairbanks’ leadership, the company grew to annual sales of two million dollars and employed over five hundred men. Horace Fairbanks also served as Governor of Vermont from 1876-1878. Erastus and Thaddeus Fairbanks founded the St. Johnsbury Academy in 1843. In 1871, Horace Fairbanks founded the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum with eight thousand volumes as the community’s library. An art gallery was attached in 1873. Scope and Content Note The collection contains business records, correspondence, invoices, and testimonials pertaining to the operation of the company. Inventory I. Testimonials Doc 436:1 Testimonials Vermont Historical Society • Barre, VT 05641-4209 Fairbanks Company Records 2 II. Correspondence 2 1830-1833 3 1834 4 1835, Jan.-Apr. 5 _____, May-July 6 _____, Aug.-Dec. 7 1836 III. Accounts 8 1831-1832 9 1833 10 1834 11 1835 12 1836, Jan.-Feb. 13 _____, Mar.-Apr. 14 _____, May-June 15 _____, July-Dec. 16 1837, Jan-June 17 _____, July-Dec. 18 1838 19 1839 20 1840 21 1841 22 1842 23 1843 24 1844 25 1845 MSA 459.1 1846 2 1847 3 1848 4 1849 5 1850 6 1851 7 1852 8 1853 9 1854-1858 10 1861-1863 11 1865-1869 12 1877 13 1880-1881 14 1884, 1887-1888 15 Undated 16 _____ Judy Safford & Paul Zeller Vermont Historical Society • Barre, VT 05641-4209 Fairbanks Company Records 3 March 2012 FairbanksCompanyRecords.doc Vermont Historical Society • Barre, VT 05641-4209 .