Barre Cheese Company records

The collection consists of 23 volumes which represent the records of the “doings of the Barre Cheese Company to be kept by their clerk.” The handwritten account books and journals not only document the daily activities of the company, but also its inception and eventual dissolution. Included are the articles of agreement for the partnership, stockholder and annual meeting minutes, account books with credits and debits, expenses and labor on the buildings and grounds, and expenses of manufacturing and selling cheese to milk contributors (such as milk used, wood, boxes, bandage cloth, wager, rennet, salt, soap, etc.). Also included are letters to the company which reflect the variety of its business activities. Topics include purchases of cheese, requests from merchants and customers, and praise from customer on the quality of the cheese purchased. Of particular interest is an annual report for the Massachusetts Cheese Manufacturers’ Association which reports on a several cheese factories in Massachusetts.