1 Reply Latest reply on Dec 30, 2020 2:15 PM by Holly Rivet

    Seeking records about tobacco & match contracts from Lorillard

    john anderson Newbie
    john anderson Dec 17, 2020 2:24 PM

      Did Lorillard's tobacco contracts with the US Army between 1878-1922 ask for specific type of matches or did the company who was awarded the match contract get its supply of matches from Lorillard? Did Lorillard have business partnerships with Cuban landowners of the period? If so, what were the names of the Cubans?  Are there records available about the volume of Cuban tobacco imported into the USA for the same period? Answers will help shape the nomination of NJ's Rancocas Creek as a possible National Water Trail.

        • Re: Seeking records about tobacco & match contracts from Lorillard
          Holly Rivet Tracker
          Holly Rivet Expert Dec 30, 2020 2:15 PM (in response to john anderson)

          Dear Mr. Anderson,

           

          Thank you for posting your question to the History Hub!

           

          The National Archives typically would not have information about a company’s private business exchanges unless it was under a regulation that had to be reviewed by a federal agency.

           

          According to Army disposition schedules, contracts prior to November 1966 were systematically destroyed by the Army once their administrative use ended.  The National Archives has custody of correspondence between contractors and Army ordnance or quartermaster units, especially if there was a problem during production or with the contract.  They rarely include copies of the contract as an enclosure or specific information concerning the contractor.  Records of private contractors remained in the custody of the contractor.  Please contact that company or corporation for access to these records.

           

          The Library of Congress catalog contains 107 results for “Lorillard tobacco.”  They may have more information regarding any private sector contracts Lorillard may have had.

           

          We also checked the University of California San Francisco’s Truth Tobacco Industry Documents Archive and have located the following results for “Lorillard and military” prior to 1950.  This catalog contains a wealth of documents created by tobacco companies about their advertising, manufacturing, marketing, scientific research and political activities.

           

          We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your research!

           

          Sincerely,

          Holly Rivet