Series: Outgoing Correspondence
Scope and Content Note: The outgoing correspondence is subdivided into four subseries: executive correspondence, administrative correspondence, correspondence of miscellaneous employees, and letterbooks of related companies. Except for a few incidental pages, this entire section was converted to 35mm microfilm with the support of a preservation grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the deteriorated originals destroyed.

Subseries: Executive Correspondence
Scope and Content Note

This section consists of letterbooks used by company presidents, vice-presidents, officers, and by others acting for them during their absences from the New York headquarters. Included are letterbooks of George McKenzie; miscellaneous pages from a series of early management correspondence; “management letterbooks” (a series apparently begun about the time of McKenzie's retirement), which incorporates letters from the presidencies of Bourne and Alexander; travelling letterbooks; special letterbooks; executive summaries; and personal letterbooks.

These letterbooks are indexed alphabetically by company, office, or individual name. Branch offices are usually designated in the indexes by city name. When they existed, indexes have been filmed preceding the volumes to which they relate. Access to this material is also facilitated by the fact that each letter was marked by Singer clerks to indicate the page numbers of the most recent and next letters addressed to the same correspondent. Within each category the volumes have been arranged by the volume number on the spine. In most cases this sequence reflected chronological order. If the volume number was missing because of deterioration of the binding, identification that was supplied by archivists based on internal evidence has been indicated in the list below by the use of brackets.

McKenzie correspondence
Scope and Content Note

For the period 1877-1885, McKenzie was vice-president. In the letterbooks of this period McKenzie articulated management decisions for domestic and foreign agents, commented on news from various offices, and gave directions and advice. S.A. Bennett, an attorney whose correspondence is also included here, handled legal and patent matters. (This correspondence is very similar to his activities documented in the LEGAL RECORDS described below.) Bennett also assumed McKenzie's correspondence when the latter was in Europe. Edward Clark, president of Singer during this time, appears only infrequently.

For the period 1885-1888, he was president. McKenzie appears infrequently in the correspondence of this period apparently because of the ill health which eventually resulted in his retirement in 1889. Instead, Bennett, Frederick G. Bourne, T.E. Hardenburgh, and Alexander McKenzie handled most of the correspondence with U.S. and foreign agents, offices, and factories. They also sent lengthy reports to McKenzie while he was traveling. The advice of U.S. agents common in this correspondence series includes suggestions on supervising branch managers, approval of proposed circulars, and settling of territorial disputes. McKenzie's final volume (only 45 pages) consists of letters of a more personal nature such as Christmas greetings and gifts. However, there is a detailed and relatively frank letter here discussing business with Vice-President William F. Procter and a letter to Edgar Allen expounding his personal philosophy.

Vol. 1: , 1877 April-1878 November

Vol. 2: , 1878 November-1879 April

Vol. 3: , 1879 August-1880 June

Vol. 4: , 1880 June-September

Vol. 5: , 1880 September-1881 March

Vol. 6: , 1881 March-September

Vol. 7: , 1881 September-1882 January

Vol. 8: , 1881 January-August

Vol. 9: , 1882 August-December

Vol. 10: , 1883 January-May

Vol. [11]: , 1883 May-October

Vol. [12]: , 1883 October-1884 February

Vol. 13: , 1884 February-May

Vol. 14: , 1884 May-November

Vol. [15]: , 1884 November-1885 February

Vol. 16: , 1885 February-July

Vol. [17]: , 1886 August-1888 February

Early management correspondence
Scope and Content Note: Filed here are some loose pages removed from their respective letterbooks by an unidentified Singer employee prior to donation to the Historical Society. These pages confirm the existence of a series of letterbooks probably dating from the 1860s and 1870s which is probably no longer in existence. One volume of this type was received intact by the Historical Society. This volume contains 1864 correspondence of Julius Voight, apparently a New York clerk, regarding orders and shipments, outstanding debts, and corrections required on weekly reports. A few letters of Inslee Hopper concerning more important management matters are also included. The loose pages have not been filmed.

Loose pages from missing letterbooks, 1860-1869

Voigt letterbook, 1863

Management Correspondence
Scope and Content Note

This correspondence is described below by chronological period.

Frederick G. Bourne, 1888-1893, President : This is Bourne's correspondence to U.S. and foreign agents, offices, and factories. S.A. Bennett again handled the correspondence while Bourne was on European trips, sending him detailed reports, while Charles Miller and T.E. Hardenburgh handled more routine matters.

Bourne, 1893-1899, President. (Douglas Alexander, second vice-president; Charles Miller, secretary; W.F. Procter, vice-president; E.W. Church and T.E. Hardenburgh, acting secretaries) : The correspondence of this period continues as above, except that it is increasingly directed to foreign agents and factories at Kilbowie, Glasgow, Podolsk, and Canada. Here Alexander handled executive correspondence while Bourne was abroad. After Bennett retired in 1894 Alexander assumed increasing responsibility for communication with American and foreign agents, offices, and factories.

Bourne, 1899-1905, President. (Alexander, second vice-president; Hardenburgh, treasurer; and Foster, personal secretary?) : This section is largely correspondence to foreign agents and offices containing executive decisions and advice on problems brought to the attention of the executive office via regular reports or other correspondence, with Foster signing routine matters.

Douglas Alexander, 1905-1924, President. (Foster and Hardenburgh, treasurer; Oscar Graham, assistant treasurer, eventually treasurer) : This is largely correspondence to foreign agents, offices, and factories. Alexander handles all correspondence pertaining to the direction of the branches abroad, and prior to 1915 his correspondence with Hamburg is especially detailed and extensive. There is evidence that the Hamburg office under W.S. Church supervised other European offices, a task which had earlier fallen to the London Office. In this section Foster handled brief acknowledgements, enclosures, and routine matters, while Hardenburgh and Graham answer inquiries regarding tax matters and other routine financial questions. These patterns of correspondence remain unchanged while Alexander was absent on European trips.

Vol. [1]: , 1885 July-1886 January

Vol. [2]: , 1886 January-August

Vol. [3]: , 1886 August-1887 May

Vol. [4]: , 1887 May-1888 May

Vol. [5]: , 1888 May-1889 June

Vol. [6]: , 1889 June-1891 May

Vol. [7]: , 1891 May-1893 May

Vol. [8]: , 1893 May-1895 December

Vol. [9]: , 1895 December-1897 September

Vol. [10]: , 1897 September-1898 Sept

Vol. [11]: , 1898 Sept-October

Vol. 12: , 1899 October-1900 July

Vol. 13: , 1900 July-1901 January

Vol. 14: , 1901 January-1901 November

Vol. 15: , 1901 November-1902 August

Vol. 16: , 1902 August-1903 January

Vol. 17: , 1903 January-1903 September

Vol. 18: , 1903 September-1904 January

Vol. 19: , 1904 January-1904 September

Vol. 20: , 1904 September-1905 February

Vol. 21: , 1905 February-1905 August

Vol. 22: , 1905 August-1906 January

Vol. 23: , 1906 January-1906 July

Vol. 24: , 1906 July-1906 December

Vol. 25: , 1906 December-1907 June

Vol. 26: , 1907 June-1907 October

Vol. 27: , 1907 October-1908 May

Vol. 28: , 1908 May-1908 November

Vol. 29: , 1908 November-1909 May

Vol. 30: , 1909 May-November

Vol. 31: , 1909 November-1910 August

Vol. 32: , 1910 August-1911 July

Vol. 33: , 1911 July-1912 November

Vol. 34: , 1912 November-1913 October

Vol. 35: , 1913 October-1914 August

Vol. 36: , 1914 August-1915 May

Vol. 37: , 1915 May-1916 September

Vol. 38: , 1916 September-1917 June

Vol. 39: , 1917 June-1918 February

Vol. 40: , 1918 February-December

Vol. 42: , 1919 December-1921 February

Vol. 43: , 1921 February-1922 July

Vol. 44: , 1922 July-1923 June

Vol. 45: , 1923 June-1924 June

Traveling Letterbooks
Scope and Content Note: This group of volumes consists of correspondence of Singer executives while abroad. Included are reports to New York offices and letters to various European agents and offices. During the period 1882-1884 McKenzie spent considerable time at Kilbowie, and his books contain references to construction of the new factory there. The volume dated August 29-September 22, 1885 contains four sets of minutes of the Kilbowie Factory. The traveling letterbooks of Douglas Alexander as second vice-president and F.G. Bourne as president (1896; 1897-1900) include pencil copies and drafts of outgoing correspondence. Some of Alexander's letters deal with periods when he was traveling in the United States.

McKenzie

Vol. 1: , 1879 December-1880 January

Vol. 2: , 1880 January-1880 February

Vol. 3: , 1880 February-April

Vol. [4]: , 1881 April-1881 May

1882 March-1882 April

1882 April-1882 June

1883 January-1883 February

1883 September-1883 October

1883 October-1883 November

Vol. 1: , 1884 May-1884 June

Vol. 2: , 1884 June-1884 July

Vol. 3: , 1884 July-1884 August

Vol. [4]: , 1884 September

Vol. 1: , 1885 June-1885 July

Vol. 2: , 1885 July-1885 August

Vol. 3: , 1885 August-1885 September

Vol. [4]: , 1885 September

Alexander

1896 May-October

1896 October-November

1897 May-June

1897 July-1898 May

1898 May-1899 April (pp. 101-149)

1899 April-May (pp. 151-208)

1899 May-1900,May (pp. 1-50)

1900 May-June (pp. 51-73)

Special Letterbooks
Scope and Content Note: Arranged here is outgoing correspondence from Singer executives, including Bourne, Alexander, C.C. Foster, Oscar Graham, and T.E. Hardenburgh. Except for their distinctive binding it was unclear what distinguished these volumes from the regular Management series. These books contain advice to American and foreign agents that is similar to the management letterbooks, but they also contain more references to stocks and dividends. Also, about 1917, Foster and Alexander begin to sign the correspondence as officers of the International Securities Corporation. They also sign under the name of the International Fidelity Insurance Company, Bourne and Company, and Hexigon Sewing Machine Company. Much of this correspondence is routine. In the last volume, most of the International Securities Corporation correspondence of Alexander, Foster, and Graham concerns stocks, investments, and dividends.

Vol. 1: , 1900 March-1902 September

Vol. 2: , 1902 September-1905 September

Vol. 3: , 1905 September-1907 July

Vol. 4: , 1907 July-1910 November

Vol. 5: , 1910 November-1917 May

Vol. 6: , 1917 June-1924 June

Executive Summaries
Scope and Content Note: These useful volumes contain abstracts of correspondence, both foreign and domestic, circulated to Singer executives for their information. Between 1892 and 1906 the series was a single chronological run, although there are many gaps in the SHSW holdings. Later there is a single volume for Bennett and separate volumes for correspondence concerning Russia and Wittenberg.

1892 October-1893 September

1893 September-1894 May

1894 May-December

1894 December-1895 July

1895 December-1896 May

1898 November-1899 December

1903 January-1904 January

1904 November-1905 November

1905 November-1906 December

Special summaries

1909, Bennett

1904-1914, Podolsk

1907-1911, Wittenberge

Personal Letterbooks
Scope and Content Note: Filed here is correspondence of several Singer executives to family members, friends, and other business associates and vice-presidents. Two volumes (1893-1896) of Bourne's correspondence contain letters regarding personal business matters (real estate, investments, and a stable of horses, etc.). There are only a few letters to family members, and even these are not of a true personal nature. Also included is a nineteen-page volume containing balance statements and disbursements of the Clark Family trust. Douglas Alexander's personal correspondence as vice-president and president, 1900-1924, consists of letters to acquaintances, family members, and other Singer executives. Topics treated include real estate, stock, home improvements, employment of servants, and some matters relating to Singer Manufacturing Company.

Bourne, F.G.

Vol. 135: , 1893 May-1896 July

1898-1902, Clark Trust

Alexander

Vol. 1: , 1900 January-1909 July

Vol. 2: , 1909 September-1924 June

Subseries: Administrative Correspondence

General Correspondence
Scope and Content Note

This main section of the OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE consists of letters to domestic and foreign agents, factories, and others regarding invoices, payments, shipments of orders, territorial disputes between agents, accounting transactions between offices, prices, inventories, and business reports. Although similar to the executive correspondence, these letters are more routine and generally consist of matters handled by clerks and lower level company employees. This material is described below by chronological period.

1872-1876 : During this period J. Hewlett handled routine correspondence regarding shipments, orders, and monetary transactions, while Inslee Hopper appears only occasionally. George E. Bacon and S.F. Allen, who also appear in the correspondence, were Singer clerks.

1876-1885 : Here T.E. Hardenburgh replaced Hewlett and S.A. Bennett assumed Hopper's functions while Bennett also handled patent matters (as in the LEGAL RECORDS). C.S. Groesbeck handled correspondence concerning shipping details, including freight rates and routes. In general, the correspondence in these volumes is even more routine than in the previous set, and it includes whole sections of credit and debit notes and listings of lease accounts for the various regional offices. Much of the remaining correspondence consists of brief acknowledgments and statements. Other clerks whose functions are documented are Bacon and Hugh Cheyne.

1886-1889 : Letters from this period are missing.

1889-1901 : While the volumes of this period continue the routine correspondence to U.S. agents, offices, and factories regarding shipping, orders, invoices, credits, and debits, there are also more important matters such as general circulars, advice to agents, and decisions in disputes between offices. Hardenburgh and E.W. Church shared routine responsibilities here, while Alexander appears in some correspondence with agents in Australia, Canada, Mexico, and Latin America. His correspondence with London is particularly extensive. After 1898, Alexander also commented on reports from European agents as well as those from Capetown, Paris, and Bombay, although he appears less frequently after 1900 when he took over the executive correspondence. S.A. Bennett appears in this section with regard to some general management and patent-related correspondence, although he does not appear after September, 1893.

1901-1905 : The content here is similar to the above material, with E.D. Cummings handling more important decisions, Mark Dunnell handling patent matters, and J. Laird Busk noting technical problems with reports.

1905-1911 : The emphasis during this period shifts to foreign offices regarding shipments, response to inquiries from outside individuals and companies, and matters of construction and building maintenance. There are also large amounts of correspondence between Charles P. Coleman and Ernest Flagg, chief architect of the Singer Building and subsequent additions and alterations to the building, regarding construction details. By 1908, this series is almost exclusively concerned with construction. Oscar Graham handled the tax matters that are documented here.

Loose pages from missing letterbooks, 1869-1872

Vol. [51]: , 1872 December-1873 March

Vol. [52]: , 1873 March-1873 June

Vol. [53]: , 1873 June-1873 October

Vol. [54]: , 1873 October-1873 December

Vol. [55]: , 1874 January-1874 March

Vol. 56: , 1874 March-1874 June

Vol. [57]: , 1874 June-1874 September

Vol. 58: , 1874 September-1874 December

Vol. 59: , 1874 December-1875 March

Vol. 60: , 1875 March-1875 May

Vol. 61: , 1875 May-1875 August

Vol. [62]: , 1875 August-1875 November

Vol. 63: , 1875 November-1876 January

Vol. 64: , 1876 January-1876 March

Vol. 65: , 1876 March-1876 June

Vol. 66: , 1876 June-1876 September

Vol. 67: , 1876 September-1876 December

Vol. 68: , 1876 December-1877 March

Vol. 69: , 1877 March-1877 July

Vol. 70: , 1877 July-1877 November

Vol. [71]: , 1877 November-1878 February

Vol. [72]: , 1878 February-1878 June

Vol. [73]: , 1878 June-1878 November

Vol. [74]: , 1878 November-1879 March

Vol. [75]: , 1879 March-July

Vol. [76]: , 1879 July-November

Vol. [77]: , 1879 November-1880 January

Vol. [78]: , 1880 February-April

Vol. [79]: , 1880 April-July

Vol. [80]: , 1880 July-October

Vol. 81: , 1880 October-December

Vol. 82: , 1880 December-1881 February

Vol. 83: , 1881 February-May

Vol. [84]: , 1881 May-July

Vol. [85]: , 1881 July-September

Vol. [86]: , 1881 September-December

Vol. 87: , 1881 December-1882 February

Vol. [88]: , 1882 February-May

Vol. [89]: , 1882 May-July

Vol. 90: , 1882 July-September

Vol. [91]: , 1882 September-November

Vol. 92: , 1882 November-1883 January

Vol. 93: , 1883 January-April

Vol. 94: , 1883 April-July

Vol. 95: , 1883 July-October

Vol. 96: , 1883 October-1884 January

Vol. 97: , 1884 January-April

Vol. 98: , 1884 April-June

Vol. 99: , 1884 April-October

Vol. 100: , 1884 October-1885 February

Vol. 101: , 1885 March-July

Vol. 102: , 1885 July-September

, 1885 January-August (Groesbeck)

1885 September-November

1885 November-1886 January

1886 January-February

1890 March-April

Vol. 126: , 1890 March-1891 June

Vol. 127: , 1891 June-1892 March

Vol. 128: , 1892 March-September

Vol. 129: , 1892 September-1893 March

Vol. 130: , 1893 March-September

Vol. 131: , 1893 September-1894 February

Vol. 132: , 1894 February-July

Vol. 133: , 1894 July-December

Vol. 134: , 1894 December-1895 May

Vol. 135: , 1895 May-August

Vol. 136: , 1895 August-December

Vol. 137: , 1895 December-1896 March

Vol. 138: , 1896 March-July

Vol. 139: , 1896 July-November

Vol. 140: , 1896 November-1897 March

Vol. 141: , 1897 March-July

Vol. 142: , 1897 July-December

Vol. 143: , 1897 December-1898 April

Vol. 144: , 1898 April-October

Vol. 145: , 1898 October-1899 February

Vol. 146: , 1899 February-July

Vol. 147: , 1899 July-November

Vol. 148: , 1899 November-1900 April

Vol. 149: , 1900 April-October

Vol. 150: , 1900 October-1901 March

Vol. 151: , 1901 March-July

Vol. 152: , 1901 July-November

Vol. 153: , 1901 November-1902 April

Vol. 154: , 1902 April-September

Vol. 155: , 1902 September-1903 January

Vol. 156: , 1903 January-May

Vol. 157: , 1903 May-October

Vol. 158: , 1903 October-1904 January

Vol. 159: , 1904 January-July

Vol. 160: , 1904 July-December

Vol. 161: , 1904 December-1905 June

Vol. 162: , 1905 June-1906 March

Vol. 163: , 1906 March-October

Vol. 164: , 1906 October-February

Vol. 165: , 1907 February-March

Vol. 166: , 1907 March-July

Vol. 167: , 1907 July-October

Vol. 168: , 1907 October-1908 January

Vol. 169: , 1908 February-April

Vol. 170: , 1908 April-July

Vol. 171: , 1908 July-October

Vol. 172: , 1908 October-1909 February

Vol. 173: , 1909 February-1910 January

Vol. 174: , 1910 January-1911 November

“A Series,” 1907-1915
Scope and Content Note: The purpose of this small section is not clear. It briefly parallels the administrative correspondence, but it also contains three volumes of different material--the cables of C.C. Foster. The cables, which are filmed in chronological order rather than according to the spine number, are coded and translated, and chiefly addressed to foreign offices. Most concern shipments; prices for machines and parts; acknowledgments of checks, reports, and orders; and international bank transfers.

Vol. 166A: , 1907 March-December

Vol. 167A: , 1907 December-1908 August

Vol. 168A: , 1908 August-1909 August

Vol. 170A: Cables 1, 1911 January-1915 August

Vol. 169A: Cables 2, 1915 August-1919 September

Vol. 176?: Cables 3, 1919 September-1924 July

Vol. 171A: , 1917 February-1918 May

Vol. 175?: , 1918 June-1924 May

Reports and Construction, 1890-1904
Scope and Content Note: This section of the OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE consists of correspondence from T.E. Hardenburgh and E.W. Church to Singer agents and offices in the U.S. regarding consignments and business reports. The content is extremely routine, chiefly concerning technical errors in reporting and problems with machines on consignment. The correspondence in this series was initially handled by Hardenburgh and then gradually assumed by Church. At the end of the section is a volume primarily consisting of correspondence with Bombay, Capetown, and Kilbowie and a volume similar to the general reports and construction series, but which was not part of the prevailing numbering sequence for that group.

Vol. 125: , 1889 December-1890 September

Vol. 126: , 1890 September-1891 February

Vol. 127: , 1891 February-August

Vol. 128: , 1891 August-December

Vol. 129: , 1891 December-1892 March

Vol. 130: , 1892 March-June

Vol. 131: , 1892 June-November

Vol. 132: , 1892 November-1893 March

Vol. [133]: , 1893 March-July

Vol. 134: , 1893 July-December

Vol. 135: , 1893 December-1894 April

Vol. 136: , 1894 April-October

Vol. 137: , 1894 October-1895 April

Vol. 138: , 1895 April-1896 February

Vol. 139: , 1896 February-May

Vol. 140: , 1896 May-September

Vol. 141: , 1896 September-1897 February

Vol. 142: , 1897 February-September

Vol. 143: , 1897 September-1898 March

Vol. 144: , 1898 March-August

Vol. 145: , 1898 August-1899 April

Vol. 146: , 1899 April-1900 February

Vol. 147: , 1900 February-1901 April

Vol. 148: , 1901 April-1902 January

Vol. 149: , 1902 January-November

Vol. 150: , 1902 November-1903 June

Vol. 151: , 1903 June-1904 February

1898-1903 (Bombay, Capetown, Kilbowie reports by Church/Hardenbaugh)

1902 March 28-1904 January 27

Subseries: Letterbooks of Miscellaneous Employees
Scope and Content Note

This section of the OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE consists of letterbooks created by Singer employees which did not fit into the other series of outgoing correspondence. These volumes are arranged alphabetically by employee name.

Perhaps the most important are the travelling letterbooks of John Mitchell, the head of Singer's London office. These volumes consist of letters written while on inspection trips in Brussels, Paris, Madrid, Lyon, etc. Also notable is a volume which includes 1851 correspondence of Singer's little-known New York partner (Barzillan Ransom) and 1853-1854 correspondence of two employees (Richard and Burgess), whose precise positions within the company are not clear. This volume was greatly deteriorated due to water damage, and it was difficult to microfilm satisfactorily. Because of the rarity of correspondence from this period in company history this volume was not destroyed after filming. Also grouped here is a book of letters (1874-1878) of George E. Bacon sent to agents regarding discrepancies in sales, suggestions for better results, and general advice on improved management, and a letterbook of C.S. Groesbeck, another New York clerk. (The Bacon volume is similar to material in the INCOMING CORRESPONDENCE.)

Bacon, George E., 1874 June-1878 December

Brown, George T., Letterbooks and loose pages, 1898-1905

Graham, Oscar R., 1890-1893 January

Mitchell, John

Synopses, 1894 September-1896 May

“Private letterbooks”

1894 May-September

1894 September-1895 July

1895 August-1896 January

1896 January-1897 May

New York, 1896 February-1897 October

“Home use,” 1896 January-1897 January

Ransom/Richard/Burgess New York letterbook, 1851-1854

Original volume

Microfilm copy

Subseries: Letterbooks of Related Companies
Scope and Content Note: This section of the OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE incorporates miscellaneous correspondence of Singer's subsidiary corporations and companies taken over by Singer. These volumes are arranged alphabetically by company name and chronologically thereunder.

Bourne & Co. Ltd. (South Africa), 1902 April-September
Scope and Content Note: The correspondence of Bourne and Company, Ltd., Singer's South African subsidiary, 1902-1920, consists of outgoing correspondence of Douglas Alexander, C.C. Foster, Coleman, and E.W. Church. These letters are primarily routine acknowledgements and routine financial inquiries. The final item in the volume is a report concerning business conditions in the Middle East in 1920.

Mathison Button Company (Boston), 1892? March-1894? May

National Sewing Machine Company
Scope and Content Note: The National Machine Company letters refer to a manufacturer of buttonhole machines which were mounted on Singer sewing machine heads and sold by Singer as the exclusive agent. The correspondence appears to relate almost entirely to the business this company did with Singer. Although the volumes may relate to two types of correspondence (one containing routine matters and the other containing letters of greater importance) the holdings are not sufficiently complete to establish the fact. As a result, the volumes are arranged together chronologically by beginning date.

Vol. 1: , 1887 February-1888 March

Vol. 2: , 1887 September-1889 March

Vol. 3: , 1888 November-1899 April

Vol. 4: , 1888 August-1899 December

Vol. 5: , 1889 December-1890 September

Vol. 6: , 1891 June-1892 December 2

Vol. 7: , 1892 August-1893 August

Vol. 8: , 1893 April-December

Singer Sewing Machine Company, Management letters Vol. 1, 1903 June-1924 January
Scope and Content Note: This volume of correspondence of the Singer Sewing Machine Company contains outgoing letters of Douglas Alexander, C.C. Foster, and Oscar Graham from the Singer office at New York to agents around the world and to other companies and individuals. Alexander signs these letters as president. The correspondence is weighted toward U.S. agents and primarily deals with prices, policies, shipments, and patents.

Wheeler & Wilson
Scope and Content Note: The Wheeler and Wilson Company correspondence consists of two volumes, 1905-1907, from the period after Singer had assumed control, together with one isolated volume from an earlier time. In the later volumes is outgoing correspondence of Douglas Alexander, circa Coleman, Oscar Graham, and C.C. Foster to Singer agents abroad, patent lawyers, and various other individuals and companies. Douglas Alexander signs these letters as president, with Coleman and Foster as secretary and Graham as treasurer of Wheeler and Wilson Company. The letters deal largely with patent and trademark matters, shipments, arrangements with agents abroad, and contracts with other companies.

1873 November-1874 May

1905 December-1906 July

1906 July-1907 August