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John D. Archbold Family Papers

An inventory of his family papers at the Syracuse University Archives

Finding aid created by: Erin Lee
Date: 2011

Revision history:

Biography

John D.Archbold was born in Leesburg, Ohio, on July 26, 1848. His father, Rev. Israel Archbold, was a Methodist preacher who died and left the family practically destitute when Archbold was eleven years old. With his two elder brothers away from home and unable to assist, Archbold supported his mother and sister by doing odd jobs and studying at night. He was sixteen years old when the oil boom started in Pennsylvania, and in 1864 he went to the oil fields and worked his way up to being a refiner and buyer.

Archbold married Annie Mills in 1870, and together they had four children: Mary Lavina (b. 1871), Anne (b. 1873), Frances (b. 1875) and John Foster (b. 1877).

From 1875 until his death, Archbold was an associate of the Rockefellers and was almost as closely identified with the history of Standard Oil as John D. Rockefeller himself. He became the agent of the Acme Company, which proved to be an offshoot of the Rockefeller interests. In 1892 Archbold was elected a Director of the Standard Oil Company; in 1899 he was appointed Vice-President and then President in 1911. Of the first nine trustees of the Standard Oil Company, formed in 1882, Archbold alone remained in this capacity until its dissolution in 1911 at the order of the United States Supreme Court. He then became president of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, a position he occupied until his death.

Archbold had a close friendship with Rev. James Roscoe Day, whom he met while the latter was pastor at St. Paul’s Methodist Episcopal Church in New York. Day put Archbold's name forward to become a member of the Board of Trustees of Syracuse University and Archbold accepted in 1886, going on to be elected president of the board in 1893. Day became Chancellor of Syracuse University in 1894 at Archbold's suggestion. Archbold financially supported the University and helped to fund many building projects, such as Archbold Stadium and Sims Hall.

Archbold died on December 5, 1916. His wife, Annie Mills Archbold, remarried in 1918 to Judge Charles W. Dustin and was thereafter known as Annie Dustin.

Scope and Content Note

Spanning between 1886 and 1921, the Archbold Family Papers are split into four series: General Correspondence, Subject Files, Standard Oil Co., and Waters-Pierce Co.

The General Correspondence Series is arranged by correspondence for John D. Archbold, his wife Annie Dustin and son John F. Archbold. The series includes personal letters, business-related exchanges, and other types of correspondence with various companies, associations and individuals. Chancellor James Roscoe Day of Syracuse University and John D. Rockefeller are correspondents of significance found here. Syracuse University is mentioned in correspondence with James Roscoe Day, Frederick H. Hurdman, Louis Marshall and William Nottingham.

The Subject Files Series comprises a variety of materials. These include legal documentation, such as Archbold's will, financial materials relating to Syracuse University, biographical information and accounts of Archbold's charitable contributions. Poetry written by and for Archbold is also in this series.

Standard Oil Co. and Waters-Pierce Oil Co. make up the last two series and contain articles, correspondence and legal and financial documentation relating to these companies.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

Related correspondence can be found in the following folders from the James Roscoe Day Papers at the Syracuse University Archives:

Related collections can be found in the Syracuse University Special Collections Research Center:

Selected Search Terms

Names

Archbold family.
Archbold, Anne, 1873-1968.
Archbold, John D. (John Dustin), 1848-1916.
Archbold, John F.
Day, James Roscoe, 1845-1923.
Dustin, Annie.
Rockefeller, John D. (John Davison), 1839-1937.
Standard Oil Company.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University -- Trustees.
Syracuse University.
Waters-Pierce Oil Company.

Subjects

College trustees.
Educational benefactors.

Types of Material

Correspondence.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

John D. Archbold Family Papers,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Adrian Archbold (in 1959) along with other members of the Archbold family (in 1965) donated John Dustin Archbold’s papers to the Syracuse University Archives. In 2011 the Hufty Family donated John Foster Archbold and Annie Dustin's correspondence with Chancellor Day as well as financial documents concerning several members of the Archbold family and their contributions towards Syracuse University.

Processing Information

The materials in this collection have been placed in acid-free folders.

Arrangement

The folders are arranged alphabetically within each series.

Table of Contents

General Correspondence

Standard Oil Company

Subject Files

Waters-Pierce Oil Company

Inventory