Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Smith Brothers (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.)
Title:	Smith Brothers Records
Inclusive Dates:	1908-1964
Quantity:	6 linear ft.
Abstract:	Records of the cough drop company founded in 1847 in Poughkeepsie, New York. Collection includes minute books (1922-1964), stock records (1920-1964), and executive reports (1919-1957).
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Smith Brothers Cough Drop Company was founded in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1847 by brothers William Wallace Smith (1830-1913) and Andrew Smith (1836-1895). Their father, James Smith, had emigrated from Scotland and settled in New York, where he started a small candy business. Upon purchasing the formula for a "cough candy" from a traveling man, James added the items to his product line. Menthol cough drops were added in 1922, a cough syrup in 1926, and the wild cherry flavor, the firm's most popular and best known, in 1948. The business continued to be owned and operated by the Smith family until 1963 when it merged with Warner-Lambert (a subsidiary of Pfizer Corp.); as of 1964 the Smith Brothers Cough Drop line was acquired by F & F Foods of Chicago, who continues to manufacture it today (2010).

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Smith Brothers Records consist of minute books, legal material, financial material, stock books, executive reports, sales books, and general records. The bulk of the material is in bound volumes.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The material remains in original order, as received.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Places

Genres and Forms

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Smith Brothers (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) Records
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Smith Brothers Division of Warner-Lambert Pharmaceutical Co., 1966.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: [Summit record]
Date: 1968
Revision history: 22 Sep 2010 - converted to EAD (MRC); 19 Jul 2017 - inventory added (MRC)

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Inventory

	Corporate records
		Minute books 1922-1964 (7 volumes)
Box 1		Bylaws 1952
Box 1		Original bylaws
Box 1		Certificate of amendment 5 Jan 1953
		Legal correspondence and documents 5 Jan 1953 (1 box)
		Stock books (21 volumes)
		Executive reports 1919-1939, 1942-1944, 1946-1957 (13 volumes)
		Consolidated sheets 1951-1961 (3 volumes)
		Ledgers, expense 1956-1957 (1 volume)
		Ledgers, inventory (3 volumes)
		Bank statements (1 volume)
		Accounts payable (1 volume)
		Sales brokers 1916-1917 (6 volumes)
		Sales analysis 1908-1958 (4 volumes)
		General records 1918-1934 - cash received, cash analysis (7 volumes)
		Cash received registers 1934-1956 (13 volumes)
		California, sales analysis 1952-1964 (3 volumes)
		California, detailed distribution 1962-1964 (1 volume)
		Restaurant, accounts payable index 1915 (1 volume)
		Restaurant, invoices supporting fixed capital charges 1915 (1 volume)
		Delaware corporation, account distribution 1962-1964 (1 volume)
		Accounts receivable and payable 1917-1926 (1 volume)
		Recipes (1 envelope)
		Corporate seals (4 items)

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