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Charles F. Brannock Papers

An inventory of the collection at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: MRC
Date: 25 Feb 2019

Biographical History

Charles Brannock (1903-1992) was an American businessman and inventor, and an alumnus of Syracuse University.

Brannock was a co-owner of the Park-Brannock Shoe Store in Syracuse, New York and invented the Brannock device, the industry-standard metal plate with adjustable slides used to measure foot size. He later founded the Brannock Device Company for the manufacture and sale of Brannock Devices. Brannock was a stakeholder in the General Electric company and brother-in-law to the company’s vice president of labor and communications, Lemuel Boulware. Brannock was also involved in American conservatism at local and national levels, regularly donating to political campaigns and conservative educational groups such as the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. Numerous members of Brannock’s family, including himself and his sister Norma Boulware (née Brannock), dealt with diabetes in their lifetimes.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Charles F. Brannock Papers consist of correspondence, clippings, printed materials, purchase orders, advertising art, and miscellaneous material related to Brannock's business and personal interests.

Advertising contains photographs, drawings, print layouts, and proofs intended for use in advertising or promoting the Brannock Device, as well as a few final printed advertisement.

Correspondence is subdivided into business and personal. Business correspondence contains communications related to the Park-Brannock Shoe Store and the Brannock Device Company. Personal correspondence is largely between Brannock and his friends and family.

Notes contains product research notes, a prototype scale model of a portion of the Brannock Device, assorted receipts, and handwritten notes documenting blood glucose levels and meal plans.

Printed materials contains assorted shoe industry ephemera, along with clippings and other informational materials related to diabetes, local politics, conservatism, and the General Electric Company.

Purchase orders contains records of sales made by the Brannock Device Company to J.C Penney Co. and Sears Roebuck Inc.

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is arranged into the series indicated above. Advertising is arranged alphabetically by company. Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by correspondent within each subseries. Purchase orders are arranged chronologically within each subseries. All other series are in no particular order.

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.

Related Material

The Brannock Device Company Records are held by the Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

Subject Headings

Persons

Boulware, Lemuel R., 1895-1990.
Brannock, Charles F.

Corporate Bodies

Brannock Device Company.
General Electric Company.
Intercollegiate Studies Institute.
J.C. Penney Co.
Park-Brannock Shoe Store.
Sears, Roebuck and Company.
Syracuse University -- Alumni and alumnae.

Subjects

Conservatism -- United States.
Diabetes -- Treatment.
Footwear industry -- New York (State)
Inventors -- United States.
Shoes -- Sizes.

Places

Syracuse (N.Y.)

Genres and Forms

Advertisements.
Clippings (information artifacts).
Correspondence
Layouts (printed matter)
Order forms.
Photographs.
Sales records.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Charles F. Brannock Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Transfer from University Archives, 2019.

Table of Contents

Advertising

Correspondence

Notes

Printed materials

Purchase orders

Inventory