PASSAIC COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
MAJOR COLLECTIONS
Access to PCHS Library
and
Collections Holdings
Patrons must make an appointment with PCHS office staff in order to gain access to any Society Collections regardless of type (other than those materials already on public display during regular public hours). Appointments can be made only by contacting the Director of PCHS during regular business hours. Due to limited staffing, appointments should be made as far in advance as possible
~ MAJOR COLLECTIONS ~
Harry B. Haines Collection
Letters, clippings, photographs, and miscellaneous memorabilia of Passaic County’s leading owner and publisher of the Paterson Evening News. The Collection materials include the careers of both Harry B. and his father, Edward (founder of the paper), from roughly the 1880’s-1960’s.
Andrew Derrom Collection
Letters, clippings, objects, photographs, and miscellaneous memorabilia of three generations of Andrews in the DERROM family of Paterson. Highlights include: plans and drawings of Col. Andrew DERROM, well known military and civilian architect, as well as his Civil War career. World War I equipment, maps, and drawings of Capt. Andrew DERROM, son of the Col., as well as his son’s, Andrew DERROM, World War II career.
Garret A. Hobart Collection
Photographs, documents, object, scrapbooks relating to the law, business and political career of Vice President Hobart.
Hobart was a leading businessman in Paterson who began by studying law under former city mayor Socrates TUTTLE. He became involved with numerous banks and utilities in the area by the 1880’s and turned to New Jersey state politics. His quick rise brought him to the attention of national Republican party leaders, and he was nominated with McKinley in 1896, against William Jennings BRYANT. The administrations major crisis was the Spanish-American War. Hobart died of heart failure in office in 1899. His wife, Jennie TUTTLE HOBART, lived in Paterson and became one of its most well known philanthropists.
Highlights of the collection include photographs of major Washington political figures, and, the Hobart’s Washington home, portraits of the Hobarts, memorabilia of the McKinley/Hobart campaign, the Gorham ink well commissioned by Congress for Hobart, furniture items from the family’s Paterson home, Spanish-American War items (lithographic illustrations, memorabilia) and Jennie Tuttle Hobart’s personal scrapbook.
S.U.M. Records
Documents, court case books, glass plate negatives, and photographs covering the Society for Useful Manufactures.
This company was organized in 1792 to begin manufacturing basic items (paperboard, cotton thread, etc.), leading to the founding of Paterson as American’s first, planned, industrial city. Its directors included important political, social figures such as Elias BOUDINOT. Other figures closely connected included Alexander HAMILTON and Pierre L’ENFANT. Later, the company moved to become an important water power and real estate company under Roswell COLT and his family into the 1870’s. The company was absorbed by the powerful N.J. Securities Corp. by the turn of the century and lasted as a subsidiary until 1945.
Highlights of the collection include documents and correspondence of Alexander HAMILTON, Elias BOUDINOT, and Pierre L’ENFANT in the 1790’s and hundreds of glass plate negatives showing company projects at the Great Falls of Paterson and elsewhere.
Curtis Wright Aeronautical Corp. Records
Photographs, negatives, in house publications, and documents relating to the company’s Paterson airplane engine plant and early aviation history. The collection reflects the national importance of the company as well as its major County/Paterson impact from the 1920’s-1950’s.
Highlights include photographs of the corporations Paterson plant’s construction and production, hundreds of engine and plane body types and a rare photographic volume of Lindburgh’s triumphal tour through Europe after his flight using a Wright Whirlwind J5 engine in the “Spirit of St. Louis.”
Russell B. Evans Archaeological Collection
Aboriginal artifacts and site excavation notes, maps, and drawings.
Russell EVANS created this extensive collection through his site collecting and excavation work from 1924-1930’s as well as subsequent gifts from friends and associates. He was a close colleague and sometimes severe critic of archaeological pioneer Max SCHRAIBISCH. The significance of the collection is extremely enhanced the Evan’s careful location notes, maps, and records. Evans was active throughout the North N.J. area including Passaic, Morris, Sussex, and Bergen counties. A closely allied collection is from his colleague Albert E. HEUSSER who excavated many of the same sites together with Evans and Max Schraibisch (see HEUSSER collections, below).
Hester Cappio / R.J. Walter Postcard Collection
This collection represents the lifetime activities of two county residents. The collections include Passaic County scenes and NJ generally as well as scenes from throughout the United states and the world, various holiday themes, humorous, and novelty items. The bulk of the collection dates from the 1890s-1940’s, during the golden are of postcard production.
Ida B. Ward Collection
Many Passaic County residents were travel and history enthusiasts during the 1920’s-1950’s as they are today. The WARD collection reflects this souvenir hunting craze. The collection includes relics of historical sites, native handicrafts, and natural history specimens.
Helen Sterret McBurney Collection
Fine art, textiles, photographs, and account books. The STERRET family were residents of Passaic County area since at least the 1830’s. This collection includes paintings and photographs of three generations of them through the 1800’s-1950’s. Of particular significance are materials relating to Charles Nelson STERRET, who was part of the Paterson silk elite and later partner of Dexter/Lambert with Catholina LAMBERT (Lambert Castle’s builder/owner).
Highlights of the collection include fine portraits of all three generations of Sterrets, two letter books, and a petty cash record of the Dexter/Lambert silk mill, and a fan quilt made of silk from the same company.
Pelgram and Meyer Silk Sample Books
Swatches of silk glued into account books as a record of production, ca 1900-1915.
Pelgram and Meyer was one of the pioneer mills in the jacquard process of weaving. Most mill’s records have not survived from the height of this crucial industry to Paterson’s identity/personality.
United Ribbon Company Silk Sample Books
Swatches of silk glued into ledger books as a record of production, ca 1920’s.
The United Ribbon company books reflect this important segment of Paterson’s silk production, including hair and furniture, trimmings, etc.
Guthrie Mill Silk Sample Books
Swatches of silk glued into ledger books as a record of production, ca 1920’s.
The Guthrie Mill books reflect many of the smaller mill’s productions in a city of many varying size operations.
Joseph Apfel Textile Design Collection
Drawings/original art works, ca. 1910-1930’s of Joseph APFEL, Paterson. The collection show the process of designing Paterson’s silk fabrics from the original artists conception to its reduction into mathematical sequences for jacquard loom and other production processes.
Frederick Charcot Textile Design Collection
Drawings/original art works, certificate awards, some papers ca. 1905-1930’s of a well known French immigrant textile designer, Frederick CHARCOT. The collection show the process of designing Paterson’s silk fabrics from the original artists conception to its reduction into mathematical sequences for jacquard loom and other production processes.
The Forstman Mills Samples Collection
Loose and bound textile samples from wool mill of Passaic, the sister textile industry of Passaic county, ca. 1930-1950’s. A rare group of a significant industry, seldom examined.
Quinn Brothers Ledger Collection
Ledger account books, ca. 1860-1910.
Quinn Bros. was a well known steam and plumbing business serving many of Passaic county’s mills and homes. They reflect the rapid technological changes in both private homes and industry by the turn of the century.
Peerless Plush Collection
Industrial objects, textile samples, textile production books, ca. 1900-1920.
W.W. Scott Collection
Newspaper clippings, photographs, pamphlets, historical notes, ephemera, ca 1870-1920’s.
SCOTT was Passaic’s best known historian. His work centered mainly on researching his town’s growth and development.
Schroer Collection
Mounted newspaper clippings, ca. 1930’s-1940’s. Largely Paterson events, some wider county/NJ events.
Quackenbush Genealogical Sheet Collection
Files of individual sheets, arranged by family name, documenting Passaic County’s early Dutch, English, and other families from the 1600’s-1800’s. A unique and invaluable research tool.
Mattie Bowman Genealogical Sheet Collection
Files of individual sheets, arranged by family name, documenting Passaic County’s early Dutch, English, and other families from the 1600’s-1800’s. A unique and invaluable research tool.
PCHS Genealogical File Collection
Files of research sheets of Passaic County Families, shared by individual researchers from all backgrounds who wish to see their family history preserved and accessible for future researchers.
The Great Falls Archaeological Collection
Objects/artifacts, documentary slides and photographs, field notes. The Great Falls site project of the 1970’s documents the mill and nearby residential district from early settlement to the 1970’s. An important collection for urban history.
PCHS Photograph Archives
Approximately 40,000 prints documenting Paterson and Passaic County history through portraits, landscape views, and object photo from Daguerreotypes of the pre-Civil War period into the 1960’s. Extensively represented is the work of photographers John REID, ROYLE, and HEINRICHS, and DOREMUS from the Paterson area.
PCHS Silk Sample Collections
Distinct from PCHS silk sample books, which reflect individual mill productions, this collection largely includes the novelty ribbons (produced for organizational events, celebrations, etc.), and silk pictures, swatches of loose silk pieces from Paterson’s industry as well as samples of trimmings, etc.
PCHS Map / Building Plan Collections
Individual maps, atlases, Sandbourne Co. insurance maps, some hand drawn maps. Areas covered: Passaic county, Paterson, Passaic, New Jersey generally, individual estates, businesses, and public buildings (schools, etc.).
Bertha Schaeffer Koempel Spoon Collection
Souvenir spoon collection, ca 1890’s-1950’s. A rare collection of 5,000+ examples from the golden age of the spoon collecting craze (c. 1895-1925) accumulated by former Passaic County resident Bertha KOEMPEL.
Highlights of the collection include rare, Czarist Russian Cloisonne, Dutch 17th c., Apostle spoons, Chinese mother of pearl spoons as well as superb European enamel scenes and virtually all American states, cities, and special events (such as the St. Louis Exposition, etc.).
Isabelle V. Haywood Watercolor / Pastel Collection
Works of art on paper and paperboard, ca 1880’s-1960’s, photographs.
HAYWOOD was a late Victorian artist from Haledon. She began exhibiting her works in her early teens and continued till her death at age 98. Haywood specialized in delicate watercolors of flowers, miniatures of friends and relatives, pastel landscapes, and interiors. The Society’s collection includes over 100 items.
Julian Rix Paintings Collection
Oil paintings on canvas and board, burned wood art works, photographs.
Julian RIX was Passaic County’s premier landscape artist during the 1880’s-1900’s. Originally making his name in California, he was persuaded by William RYLE of Paterson to come to this area where he portrayed the natural beauty of the Pompton and Paterson areas. He experimented with a number of techniques, including gray (Grisaille) shades and playful works on unusual surfaces such as musical instruments. The Society owns and displays over 20 of his works.
Gaetano Federici Sculpture Collection
Sculpture modellas (models for large scale works), marble sculpture, plaster reliefs, photographs of the artist, family and works, extensive archive of interviews with family members/friends, news clippings, and research materials.
Gaetano FEDERICI is acknowledged as Passaic County’s public sculpture, ca 1895-1950’s. His famous works include life size statues of political figures such as Mayor Nathan BARNERT of Paterson and Father Dean MCNULTY as well as numerous religious and public building reliefs and sculptural ornamentation. His numerous small sculptures are masterwork quality. Currently, PCHS owns over 20 of his finished works and models for larger commissions.
PCHS Newspaper Collections
Bound volumes of continuous runs from ca. 1820’s-1960’s. The PCHS newspaper collections cover all areas of the County including Paterson, Passaic, Wayne, etc. Though many are extremely fragile for research (most are microfilmed for this type of daily use), they are still valuable for photographic use and, if necessary, microfilming projects.
Justice of the Peace Docket Collection
Notebooks, ledger dockets of Northern Passaic County Circuit Judges, ca 1800’s.
The Labaw Collection
Papers; unprocessed.
Twitchell Collection
Papers, photographs. Paterson School Principal, ca 1880’s-1900’s.
Grozzi Collection
Clippings, photographs, memorabilia, ca 20th century. Covers the career of politician Anthony GROZZI.
PCHS Historical Clothing / Bedding, and General Textile Collections
Clothing: male, female, and children, with examples covering 1850’s-1940’s, plus accessories and jewelry.
Uniforms: Civil War, Spanish/American War, World War I and II, plus equipment accessories.
Flags and Banners of USA and local organizations.
Quilt and coverlet collection, ca 1820’s-1900’s.
Table linens and accessories, 1870-1900’s.
Carpets: late 1800’s-1900’s.
Grinwis Family Collection
The GRINWIS family are descended from German and Dutch immigrants to Paterson during the late 1800’s. The family is allied by marriage to the ABERT family of 163 Graham Avenue, Paterson. John Grinwis and Florence Abert Grinwis lived at 234 8th Ave., Paterson. John worked for the Paterson firm of Silk City Diners (Paterson Vehicle Corporation). The Grinwis’s were closely involved with the Presbyterian church of the Messiah (United Presbyterian Church), Paterson.
The collection is an extensive one donated by their daughter, Marilyn Grinwis. Highlights of the collection include: 1935 doll house, made by John Grinwis and complete with all toy furniture, extensive games and children’s toys ca 1930’s; Clothing, largely women’s and girls spanning three generations of Grinwis women’s wardrobes, 1890’s-1960’s such as a 1925 wedding gown (and wedding related articles), fur coats, silk and/or rayon dresses, auto dusters, holiday costumes, etc.; papers, largely family letters, school assignments of donor (1930’s) and church programs from the church of the Messiah; family photographs, including relative’s store, photo albums, etc.
PCHS Decorative Arts Collections
Furniture, ceramics, silver, glass, ca 1700’s-1900’s, marble decorative items. Society collections have heaviest concentration on the post Civil War, Victorian era, and reflect the middle and upper class elite of the County.
PCHS Decorative Arts Collections
Furniture, ceramics, silver, glass, ca 1700’s-1900’s, marble decorative items. Society collections have heaviest concentration in Post Civil War era arts but also maintains a fine folk art collection of portraits and landscapes from Passaic County.
PCHS Manuscript/Documents Files
Individual letters, official documents, ephemera, small collections, ca 1790-1970. Small and individual documents collections on all aspects of historical interest in Passaic County but which is too small to form their own special collection.
PCHS Scrapbook Collection
Newspaper clippings and ephemera collections mounted on paper and bound in books or binders, ca 1880’s-1950’s. A series of individual collections on various topics or miscellaneous groupings, some indexed.
Highlights in this group is the Belcher scrapbooks which are fully indexed and focus exclusively on Passaic County History in the 1920’s-1940’s period.
PCHS Pamphlet Files
Published tracts, reports, ephemera, etc. of Passaic County groups (private and public) and beyond, ca 1820-present.
PCHS Local History Library
Approximately 1800 volumes, ca 1830’s-present. Library available by appointment. Volumes concentrate on primary and secondary sources for study of Passaic County History. Primary source highlights include: Paterson, Passaic, Clifton, etc. City Directories, from ca. 1850’s-1960’s as well as Shriner’s 1890 “Paterson Illustrated.” Important secondary sources include Scott’s “History of Passaic County and its Environs,” L.R. Trumble’s 1880 “History of Industrial Paterson,” and Albert Heusser’s 1924 “The History of the Silk Dying Industry in the United States.” The library also includes hundreds of published and unpublished Genealogical works on individual family history, church, and cemetery records, etc.
Gledhill Ceramics Collection
Ceramic dish ware, basins, tureens, bowls, etc., ca 1750-1860. Donated by collector and County resident Mary GLEDHILL. The collections contains Colonial wares, English, blue staffordshire and transfer wares, Wedgewood Jasperwares, etc.
PCHS Rock and Mineral / Natural History Collections
Various specimens from the Passaic County / New Jersey region and America generally. Largely unprocessed.
Riverside Turn Verein Collection
Photographs, records, banner, ca 1890’s-1940’s.
Turn Vereins were an important part of German and Swiss immigrant culture in American by the turn of the century. Based on song and athletic competition, they were centers of these communities, especially in small, industrial cities like Paterson which attracted thousands to settle in the area. The Riverside Turn Verein of Paterson at one time had over two hundred members and its own building. As ethnic demographics changed in the area, membership dwindled after World War II.
John G. Zabriskie Music / Manuscript Collection
Musical scores for operettas and individual songs, plays, etc. composed by ZABRISKIE ca 1880-1910. Zabriskie was a well known local composer in Paterson, who reflected popular musical tastes in the area.
Chiswell Map / Family Papers and Business Records Collection
Richard CHISWELL was an active real estate developer and entrepreneur in Paterson from the 1860’s-1890’s. He collected maps, some hand drawn, detailing sales of lots, farms, and various estate properties throughout the area. Many of these reflect the growth of the city as business rapidly expanded in the later 1800’s, especially the Manchester district above the Falls. Documents include family correspondence and business, land transaction agreements.