As promised, here are some examples of billheads for powder. I stumbled upon these billheads at a local antique mall. Every time I go back there are more. I need to make a call and try to buy the remainder of these. All of these billheads also were items bought by Austin Seeley of Reedsburg Wisconsin. Seeley is an interesting character. He was born in Ohio in either 1819 or 1820. He moved to Reedsburg in 1849, being one of the first families to permanently locate to the town. Austin Seeley was a carpenter by trade and though he owned a farm he always followed carpentry as his regular occupation. At one point he manufactured guns (the Wisconsin Historial Society is possession of one) and coffins. He was one of the substantial and highly respected citizens of his community.
EATON & ABBEY / E.E. EATON: Emma E. Eaton was the widow of Charles E. Eaton, a wholesale dealer in guns, fishing tackle, and sporting goods. Charles died in April, 1870. At the time of his death, he was a partner in the firm of Eaton & Abbey. A codicil of his will directed his wife to continue the business either under her own name or as copartner with others. Emma Eaton continued the business under Eaton & Abbey until August 1870, at which point she purchased the interest of the surviving partner for $8,000. Her entire stock of goods and other tangible property were destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire of October 9, 1871. Eaton realized $17,000 from insurance and another $6,000 from collected book accounts, she continued her business after the fire and paid off all her current liabilities at the time. She continued the business under the name “E.E. Eaton” for nearly 16 years.
HAZARD: In 1837, Col. Augustus Hazard, a successful merchandising agent from NY, bought a one-quarter interest in the Loomis, Denslow and Company powder mill. By 1843, Hazard became the principal owner and the Hazard Powder Company was incorporated. By the outbreak of the Civil War, the company was making over $1 million annually. At the end of the Civil War, the US Government dumped huge quantities of surplus powder on the market, resulting in a great drop in the price of powder, which drove many powder companies out of business. Augustus Harzard died in the market turmoil in 1868, and without leaving an heir, his son Horace had been killed in an explosion in 1855. In 1871, a major explosion destroyed several of the company’s buildings and in 1873 the company suffered through another economic panic. In 1972, Hazard, Du Pont and Laflin and Rand formed the Gunpowder Trade Association which stabilized the industry for two decades by absorbing or bankrupting their competitors. In 1876, Hazard shareholders secretly sold out to Du Pont.
THE AMERICAN POWDER-MILLS. — These mills, incorporated under the laws of Massachusetts, having their business office in Boston, are located in the corner of four towns — Acton, Sudbury, Maynard and Concord. They cover an area of 401 acres. The capital is $300,000. The annual production is in the range of $240,000. These mills were started by Nathan Pratt, in 1835, and they were run by him till 1864; then the property was sold to the American Powder Company, and that company was formed by the union of Massachusetts Powder-Mills, located at Barre, Mass., and incorporated under the name of the American Powder Company, 1864. They did a very successful business, and went out of business in 1883, and were succeeded by the American Powder- Mills. About sixty men are employed at the present time. They are doing a large and successful business. (From History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men p. 294).
WHITEHOUSE: Junot J. Whitehouse was the local Chicago agent for the E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co. In 1876, DuPont commissioned Oscar Cobb & Co. to design a residence for Whitehouse. It is an Italianate-style residence. It is a Chicago landmark.
Eleuthere Irene Du Pont was the founder of the immense works known as the “Brandywine Powder Works,” near Wilmington, Delaware. He was a native of France, and came to the United States in the latter part of 1799. . . Having been a pupil of the celebrate French chemist, Cavoisier, . . . and noticing the poor quality of the gunpowder made in this country, he resolved to engage in its manufacture. . . Mr. Du Pont commenced manufacturing gunpowder at a point on the Brandywine Creek, about four miles above the town of Wilmington, in the State of Delaware. He prosecuted the business with such success that at the time of his death, . . . in 1834, this establishment was the most extensive one of its kind in the United States, . . .
EATON & ABBEY / E.E. EATON: Emma E. Eaton was the widow of Charles E. Eaton, a wholesale dealer in guns, fishing tackle, and sporting goods. Charles died in April, 1870. At the time of his death, he was a partner in the firm of Eaton & Abbey. A codicil of his will directed his wife to continue the business either under her own name or as copartner with others. Emma Eaton continued the business under Eaton & Abbey until August 1870, at which point she purchased the interest of the surviving partner for $8,000. Her entire stock of goods and other tangible property were destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire of October 9, 1871. Eaton realized $17,000 from insurance and another $6,000 from collected book accounts, she continued her business after the fire and paid off all her current liabilities at the time. She continued the business under the name “E.E. Eaton” for nearly 16 years.
HAZARD: In 1837, Col. Augustus Hazard, a successful merchandising agent from NY, bought a one-quarter interest in the Loomis, Denslow and Company powder mill. By 1843, Hazard became the principal owner and the Hazard Powder Company was incorporated. By the outbreak of the Civil War, the company was making over $1 million annually. At the end of the Civil War, the US Government dumped huge quantities of surplus powder on the market, resulting in a great drop in the price of powder, which drove many powder companies out of business. Augustus Harzard died in the market turmoil in 1868, and without leaving an heir, his son Horace had been killed in an explosion in 1855. In 1871, a major explosion destroyed several of the company’s buildings and in 1873 the company suffered through another economic panic. In 1972, Hazard, Du Pont and Laflin and Rand formed the Gunpowder Trade Association which stabilized the industry for two decades by absorbing or bankrupting their competitors. In 1876, Hazard shareholders secretly sold out to Du Pont.
THE AMERICAN POWDER-MILLS. — These mills, incorporated under the laws of Massachusetts, having their business office in Boston, are located in the corner of four towns — Acton, Sudbury, Maynard and Concord. They cover an area of 401 acres. The capital is $300,000. The annual production is in the range of $240,000. These mills were started by Nathan Pratt, in 1835, and they were run by him till 1864; then the property was sold to the American Powder Company, and that company was formed by the union of Massachusetts Powder-Mills, located at Barre, Mass., and incorporated under the name of the American Powder Company, 1864. They did a very successful business, and went out of business in 1883, and were succeeded by the American Powder- Mills. About sixty men are employed at the present time. They are doing a large and successful business. (From History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men p. 294).
WHITEHOUSE: Junot J. Whitehouse was the local Chicago agent for the E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co. In 1876, DuPont commissioned Oscar Cobb & Co. to design a residence for Whitehouse. It is an Italianate-style residence. It is a Chicago landmark.
Eleuthere Irene Du Pont was the founder of the immense works known as the “Brandywine Powder Works,” near Wilmington, Delaware. He was a native of France, and came to the United States in the latter part of 1799. . . Having been a pupil of the celebrate French chemist, Cavoisier, . . . and noticing the poor quality of the gunpowder made in this country, he resolved to engage in its manufacture. . . Mr. Du Pont commenced manufacturing gunpowder at a point on the Brandywine Creek, about four miles above the town of Wilmington, in the State of Delaware. He prosecuted the business with such success that at the time of his death, . . . in 1834, this establishment was the most extensive one of its kind in the United States, . . .
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