Inventory of the Oxford Paper Company Records, 1915 - 1983
What is this document?
Descriptive Summary
| Abstract: | Through sales and mergers, the Oxford Paper Company of Rumford and Mexico, Maine, came under the control of Mead Corporation, which formed MeadWestvaco. |
| The collection includes materials related to the forestry and paper milling operations of the formerly independent Oxford Paper Company of Maine, which Mead Corporation acquired in the mid-1990s prior to merging with Westvaco. The collection includes resource survey reports containing numerous charts of land inventory data with executive summaries conducted by the James W. Sewall Company for the Oxford Paper Company; records pertaining to Oxford Paper Company forestry operations in New Brunswick (Canada), Alaska, New Hampshire, Maine, and other northeastern states; statistical data on pulpwood production costs and wood usage; and topographical maps, most likely of company properties. | |
| Title: | Oxford Paper Company Records, 1915 - 1983 |
| Creator: | Oxford Paper Company |
| Repository: | Forest History Society Library and Archives |
| Call Number: | 7340 |
| Language of Material: | Material in English |
| Extent: | 1.5 linear feet (1 record carton, 1 map tube) |
Historical Note
In 1888, William Luke and three of his sons founded the Piedmont Pulp and Paper Company in West Piedmont, West Virginia, with the intention to produce wood pulp using the sulphite process. Over the next few years, they acquired more land in West Virginia and Maryland and constructed additional mills for manufacturing both wood pulp and paper. In 1897, the various operations were consolidated to form the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company. Over the 20th century the company acquired timberlands and mills in Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, the Carolinas, Kentucky, Texas, and Brazil, often by purchasing smaller companies. In 1919, the company hired its first industrial forester, and over time expanded its forest management research. In 1929, the company opened a headquarters office in New York City. In 1969, West Virginia Pulp and Paper changed its name to Westvaco to represent its diversified interests; by then it was producing not only a wide range of pulp and paper products, but also many specialty chemicals derived from pulp and papermaking processes.
In 1967, Oxford Paper Company of Rumford and Mexico, Maine, was sold to Ethyl Corporation of Virginia that produced gas, chemicals and oil. In 1976, the Oxford paper mill in Rumford was sold to Boise Cascade. In 1996, the Rumford mill and accompanying woodlands were sold to the Mead Corporation of Dayton, Ohio.
In January 2002, Westvaco merged with the Mead Corporation, to form MeadWestvaco.
Note: Historical sketch drawn from the following sources: (1) Dadisman, Don, ed. A History of Westvaco's First HUNDRED Years 1888-1988. S.l.: Southern Woodlands, Timberlands Division, Westvaco Corporation, 1989; (2) "The Story of West Virginia Wood: Westvaco (West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co.) Lights 100 Candles." A four-part series printed in The West Virginia Hillbilly (29 December 1988, p. 5; 5 January 1989, pp. 6-7; 12 January 1989, pp. 18-19; 19 January 1989, pp. 16-17); (3) Beckley, "Thomas M. Pluralism by Default: Community Power in a Paper Mill Town."Forest Science 42 (1) 1996: 35-45.
Collection Overview
The collection includes materials related to the forestry and paper milling operations of the formerly independent Oxford Paper Company of Maine, which Mead Corporation acquired in the mid-1990s prior to merging with Westvaco. The collection includes resource survey reports containing numerous charts of land inventory data with executive summaries conducted by the James W. Sewall Company for the Oxford Paper Company; records pertaining to Oxford Paper Company forestry operations in New Brunswick (Canada), Alaska, New Hampshire, Maine, and other northeastern states; statistical data on pulpwood production costs and wood usage; and topographical maps, most likely of company properties.
Collection Arrangement
1. James W. Sewall Company Reports, 1929-1976
2. Public Land Swap Documents, 1982-1983
3. Oxford Paper Company Wood Usage and Production Cost Documents, 1915-1962
4. Maps
Subject Headings
- Atkinson (N.H.) -- Maps
- Forests and forestry -- Northeastern States -- History
- Franklin County (Me.) -- Maps
- Gilmanton (N.H.) -- Maps
- Mead Corporation
- MeadWestvaco (Firm)
- Oxford County (Me.) -- Maps
- Oxford Paper Company
- Pulp mills -- Maine -- History
- Pulpwood industry -- Alaska -- History
- Pulpwood industry -- Maine -- History
- Pulpwood industry -- New Brunswick -- History
- Pulpwood industry -- New Hampshire -- History
- Pulpwood industry -- Northeastern States -- History
Detailed Description of the Collection
1. James W. Sewall Company Reports, 1929-1976.
2. Public Land Swap Documents, 1982-1983.
3. Oxford Paper Company Wood Usage and Production Cost Documents, 1915-1962.
4. Maps, undated.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Copyright Notice
The nature of the Forest History Society's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Forest History Society claims only physical ownership of most archival materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Oxford Paper Company Records, Library and Archives, Forest History Society, Durham, NC, USA.
Acquisitions Information
Received from Sidney E. Balch in November 2003. Sidney "Si" E. Balch was the Technical/Planning Superintendent of the New England Region Forestry Division of MeadWestvaco Corporation in Rumford, Maine. The materials include items of a historical nature collected by the division that were not subject to the company's records management retention policy.
Processing Information
Processed by Emily Wakild, June 2004
Encoded by Amanda Ross, February 2009
These materials were initially described as the MeadWestvaco Records, Sidney E. Balch Collection. The collection has been renamed the Oxford Paper Company Records, per provenance principles.
Funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission supported the encoding of this finding aid. Support for digitization and outreach provided by the Alvin J. Huss Endowment.