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Boott Cotton Mills

 Organization

Biography

The Boott Cotton Mills, located in Lowell, Massachusetts, was incorporated in 1835 by Abbott Lawrence, John Amory Lowell and Nathan Appleton for the purpose of producing "drillings, sheetings, shirtings, linens, fancy dress goods, and yarns." Between 1836 and 1839, four mill buildings were built along the Merrimack River, each operating independently from the other. A three-story counting house located in front of the mills housed the administrative and accounting functions. The complex grew in 1846-1847 with the addition of a fifth mill. A central picker house was added in 1860 and a cotton storehouse in 1865. Mill #6, built in 1871-72, not only contained carding, spinning and weaving machinery, it included a blacksmith shop, a large machine shop, a paint shop and carpenter shop.

Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:

Boott Cotton Mills account book

Collection Identifier: Mss: 442 1898-1916 B751
Scope and Content:

The collection consists of one volume of semi-annual accounts, May 1898-November 1905. Included in this volume are additional loose papers concerning the liquidation of the company.

Boott Cotton Mills papers, 1838-1843

File — Box MSS VF 3: [Barcode: HB9TUT], Folder: 25Identifier: Mss:44 1811-1949, F-4-8
Scope and Contents:

The Boott Cotton Mills papers include a report of committee appointed to investigate the company, 1843 and a letter to Mr. George Brownell at the machine shop from B.F. Frank, 1838 with instructions for setting up machinery.

Greenleaf and Hubbard business records

Collection Identifier: Mss:761 1850-1860 G814
Overview:

Records of a cotton commission firm of New Orleans, mainly correspondence with treasurers of New England cotton mills.