Title: John Plankinton Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1864-1960

Creator:

• Plankinton, John, 1820-1891

Call Number: Local History Manuscript Collection 62

Quantity: 0.7 cubic ft. (2 boxes)

Repository:

Milwaukee Public Library, Frank P. Zeidler Room

Archival Location:

Milwaukee Public Library (Map)

Abstract:

Personal and business related materials of John Plankinton, a prominent Milwaukee, Wisconsin businessman.

Note:

To request materials from this collection, create/login to your Special Collections Account.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.mwpl-lhmc0062

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John Plankinton began a meat packing operation in Milwaukee in 1849. In 1852, Plankinton partnered with Frederick Layton, creating the Layton and Plankinton Company. Layton withdrew from the business in 1861, and for two years, Plankinton ran the business alone. In 1863, Philip Armour joined Plankinton to form Plankinton, Armour and Company. The company grew with branches in Kansas City, Chicago, and an export house in New York City. When the partnership ended in 1884, Armour kept the branches and the export house. Plankinton again took on a partner, Patrick Cudahy. Plankinton retired in 1888 and Cudahy purchased his shares of the business and moved operations to Cudahy, Wisconsin.

When John Plankinton died in 1891, his son William administered the Plankinton estate and organized the Plankinton Packing Company in 1893 to operate the plant, vacant after the removal of operations to the Cudahy plant. William Plankinton was president of Plankinton Packing Company until his death in 1905. After William’s death, Horace Upham and George P. Miller oversaw financial affairs for the estate, hired employees to care for the business, and managed the Plankinton House hotel.

The company reorganized again in 1912 and was purchased by Swift and Company, a meat packing company founded in 1855 by Gustavus Franklin Swift in Chicago, Illinois.

This collection consists of materials related to both personal and business. There are financial records, photos, newspaper clippings, scrapbook pages and meeting minutes.

Materials are organized by size.

Plankinton, John, Papers, 1864-1960, Collection 62. Local History Manuscript Collections, Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The voices of friends concerning John Plankinton, Milwaukee's foremost citizen, father of the west side

• Plankinton House restaurant menu (April 29, 1880). Local History Pamphlet Collection.

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials. The collection is open to all in accordance with state law. The public may view Local History Manuscript Collections by appointment at the Central Library. To request an in-person appointment, create/login to your Special Collections Account. If you have any questions, please contact the Archives and Special Collections Department at mplarchives@milwaukee.gov.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

Acquisition Information

This collection was combined in 2018 from two small collections related to John Plankinton. Acquisition information is currently unavailable. Materials were accessioned as Local History Manuscripts.

Processing Information

Inventory by Rachel Arndt, 2013. Final processing by Casey Lapworth, 2018.

Box   1 Folder   1	Miscellaneous, 1888
Box   1 Folder   2	Scrapbook pages - Brief business history, newspaper clippings, photographs, 1915-1919, undated
Box   1 Folder   3	Scrapbook pages - Newspaper clippings, 1943-1960
Box   1	Trustee meetings - Meeting minutes for the Trustees for the Estate of John Plankinton, 1905-1910 Physical Description: 1 volume
Box   2 Folder   1	Trial balance sheets, 1868-1881
Box   2	Cash book, 1864-1884 Physical Description: 1 volume