Abstract
Abel K. Shearer started a lumber company in North Wales, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in 1861. The A. K. Shearer Lumber Company was still active as of 2012. The A. K. Shearer & Son Lumber Company records, 1868-1966 [bulk 1868-1913], are comprised of daybooks, ledgers, and cashbooks.
Biography/History
Abel K. Shearer was born in Gwynedd/New Wales, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in 1838. His parents, Jacob and Elizabeth Shearer, were wealthy farmers who owned much land in the area. Abel started a lumber company in 1861, which quickly became so successful that Shearer built a steam planing-mill in 1870. Shearer's customers ranged throughout the county, his success due in part to easy access to the newly-completed railroad.
The company was known by several names over the ensuing century-and-a-half, including A. K. Shearer & Son, Moyer and Shearer, and Shearer Lumber Company. As of 2012, A. K. Shearer Company was still active in Lansdale, Pennsylvania.
Bibliography
Bean, Theodore W., ed. History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Everts and Peck, 1884. Pages 779-780.
Scope and Contents
This collection is comprised of daybooks (1868-1913), ledgers (1868-1891), cash books, invoice books (1902-1966), a book of estimates, and miscellaneous loose records (circa 1900-1960) of the lumber company A. K. Shearer & Son. There are also several bank deposit bags for different banks.
Finding aid prepared by Celia Caust-Ellenbogen and Michael Gubicza through the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories.