Martha's Vineyard Museum

Table of Contents

Summary Information

Biography/Historical Note

Scope and Content of Collection

Administrative Information

Index Terms

Collection Contents

Descriptive Summary

Repository	Martha's Vineyard Museum, Gale Huntington Research Library 59 School Street P.O. Box 1310 Edgartown, MA 02539 (508)627-4441
Call Number	RU 419
Creator	Dukes County Boot and Shoe Company
Title	Dukes County Boot and Shoe Company records
Date	1859-1865
Extent	1/2 box
Language	The materials are in English.
Abstract	Records document the short-lived and financially unsuccessful, Dukes County Boot and Shoe Company which manufactured shoes in an Edgartown factory.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use and Reproduction Restrictions

Requests to reproduce material from this collection should be directed to the library's staff. Reproduction fees may apply.

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Official Board of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Edgartown in 1938. (Accession no. 1938.009)

Custodial History

Records were found in a closet in the Methodist Episcopal Church of Edgartown.

Publication Information

Martha's Vineyard Museum

Gale Huntington Research Library
59 School Street
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA 02539
(508)627-4441

Processing Information

Finding aid prepared by Insley Julier October 2012. Machine-encoded by Nathaniel Janick April 2014.

 Processing of this collection and creation of this finding aid was sponsored by the towns of Aquinnah, Chilmark, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, and West Tisbury through the Massachusetts Community Preservation Act. Machine-encoding of the finding aid was sponsored by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Biography/Historical Note

Founded in 1859, the Dukes County Boot and Shoe Company was located on Dock Street in Edgartown. A July 1859 advertisement announced: "The Dukes County Boot and Shoe Company, hereby give notice that they have commenced manufacturing men's, boy's and youth's buff, kips, and split brogans, which they will sell on as favorable terms as can be bought elsewhere. They will also make to order, calf, goat, enameled, imitation goat and patent leather goods…" Under the leadership of president, Nathaniel M. Jernegan the company manufactured over 16,000 pairs of shoes in its first year. The business had enlisted over 20 investors by 28 March 1859. Members of the board included; S. W. Crosby, Edgar Marchant, Samuel Osborn, Jr., Henry Pease, Kilborn Smith and William Munroe among others. By 1861 it was clear that the company was struggling financially; Jernegan resigned as president and a committee was appointed to settle the affairs of the company. Records indicate that the company's debts were not fully resolved until 1865.

Scope and Content of Collection

The collection consists of the official records of the Dukes County Boot and Shoe Company of Edgartown, Massachusetts, dated 1859-1865. Materials include board of director meeting minutes, company bylaws, an 1863 audit from New Bedford, accounts and a financial report.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.