Kingsbury, Inc.

Collection number: MC 250
Size: (25 boxes) (17 cu.ft.)

About Albert Kingsbury and Kingsbury, Inc.

Albert Kingsbury (1863-1943) was born in Goose Lake, Illinois. He graduated from Union High School, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, in 1880. After working as an apprentice and machinist in Ohio, he began studying at Cornell University, and graduated in 1889. He eventually became a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at New Hampshire College (later the University of New Hampshire), and at Worcester Polytechnic College. During this time, Kingsbury carried out much of his research into lubrication and bearings. After working for Westinghouse Electric and Mfg. Company, Kingsbury became an independent consulting engineer.

Kingsbury Machine Works was established in 1912, following the independent success of Albert Kingsbury’s design for a new type of mechanical thrust bearing. This year also marked the successful implementation of a Kingsbury bearing at McCall’s Ferry (Holtwood). Through the First and Second World Wars, and even today, U.S. Navy ships contain Kingsbury bearings.

In 1966, Kingsbury moved its main plant to a different location in Philadelphia, PA. This also included changing the name of the company from Kingsbury Machine Works to Kingsbury, Inc. The 1970s also saw significant additions to the Kingsbury plant, and in 1986 Kingsbury, Inc. purchased Pine-Ihrig Machine Company based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

About the Kingsbury, Inc. Papers

The collection consists primarily of the financial and business documents and correspondence of Kingsbury Machine Works and Kingsbury, Inc. There are also personal notes, correspondence, and invoices from Albert Kingsbury, particularly during his early career. Multiple photos are included, depicting company picnics, Albert Kingsbury, and engineering equipment. Finally, there are DVDs of a US Navy training film and of video interviews conducted with Kingsbury employees.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

This collection is open.

Copyright Notice

Contents of this collection are governed by U.S. copyright law. For questions about publication or reproduction rights, contact Special Collections staff.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], [Folder], [Box], Kingsbury, Inc., 1880-2012, MC 250, Milne Special Collections and Archives, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, NH, USA.

Acquisitions Information

Gift from Kingsbury, Inc. 1/27/2014, 2/14/2014.

Related Material

MC 251 Kingsbury Family Papers, 1889-1982 (Milne Special Collections, University of New Hampshire)

Collection Arrangement

Arrangment of the papers were created during processing.

Collection Contents

Series 1: Business Papers, 1902-1987

(8 boxes)

This series includes business correspondence, corporate materials, patents and patents applications, Kingsbury catalogs and advertisements, documentation and correspondence from the purchase of Pine-Ihrig Machine Company and the construction of the new factory. There are also materials relating to U. S. Navy security and defense.

Box 1
Box 1, Folder 1		Correspondence to Albert Kingsbury (3 letters), 1902-1914
Box 1, Folder 2		Corporation Service Company, materials relating to certificate of incorporation, 1921-1927
Box 1, Folder 3		Employee "Thank you" letter to A. Kingsbury, Dec. 1931
Box 1, Folder 4		Business correspondence, Dec 1941-Feb. 1942
Box 1, Folder 5		Business correspondence, March 1942
Box 1, Folder 6		Business correspondence, April-August 1942
Box 1, Folder 7		Business correspondence, Sept.-Dec. 1942
Box 1, Folder 8		Correspondence with A. Kingsbury, 1937-1945
Box 1, Folder 9		Corporation Service Company Bylaws update, 1965
Box 1, Folder 10		Bylaws and commentary, stock purchase agreement, 1965
Box 1, Folder 11		Certification of Incorporation (change of name), 1967
Box 1, Folder 12		Restated bylaws; certificate of authority from state of Pennsylvania, 1979
Box 1, Folder 13		Annual stock holders meetings, 1966, 1967, 1973, 1974
Box 1, Folder 14		Duties of Directors (2 versions), undated
Box 1, Folder 15		Employees Manual, Kingsbury Machine Works,Inc., c. 1960
Box 1, Folder 16		Correspondence with Alison Kingsbury Bishop, Director of KMW, 1945-1975
Box 1, Folder 17		Correspondence with Alison Kingsbury Bishop re: official changes in organization, 1975
Box 1, Folder 18		Correspondence with Alison Kingsbury Bishop re: Kingsbury, Inc., 1980-1983
Box 1, Folder 19		Report for Annual Stockholders meeting, 1987
Box 2
Box 2, Folder 1		Pine-Ihirg Machine Company, 1979
Box 2, Folder 2		Pine-Ihirg Machine Company, 1980
Box 2, Folder 3		Pine-Ihirg Machine Company, 1981
Box 2, Folder 4		Kingsbury Catalogs, 1925, 1952
Box 2, Folder 5		Kingsbury Catalogs, 1954-1966
Box 2, Folder 6		Kingsbury Catalogs, 1966-1969
Box 2, Folder 7		Kingsbury Catalogs, 1974-1987
Box 2, Folder 8		Kingsbury Catalogs, 2004-2009
Box 2, Folder 9		Kingsbury Catalogs, 2009-2010
Box 2, Folder 10-13		Kingsbury Catalogs, undated
Box 2, Folder 14		Kingsbury Newsletters (6), 1983-1985
Box 2, Folder 15		Internal memos from J. R. Prairie (marketing), 1977-1979
Box 3
Box 3, Folder 1-6		Miscellaneous invoices and cash disbursements, 1912-1920
Box 3, Folder 7		Fire insurance, 1945
Box 3, Folder 8-11		Directors' and Officers' liability insurance, 1977-1982
Box 3, Folder 12		Workers' houry wages, 1931
Box 3, Folder 13		Kingsbury Machine Works bank book, 1942
Box 3, Folder 14		National Storage Co., 1962-1966
Box 3, Folder 15		Shareholders certificate (after name change), 1975
Box 3, Folder 16-17		Corporation Service Co.: Delaware Corp. law literature
Box 3, Folder 18		Letter from tax consulatant, 1943
Box 3, Folder 19-20		Income and tax statements, 1982
Box 3, Folder 21		Temporary denial order for product shipment to Italy, 1982
Box 4
Box 4, Folder 1		Patent Record Book, 1927-1053
Box 4, Folder 2		Patents: table of contents
Box 4, Folder 3-17		Patents
Box 5
Box 5, Folder 1-7		Patents
Box 5, Folder 8		List of awarded and pending patents, 1931-1940
Box 5, Folder 9		Certificate and report for U.S. Patent #4,501,505, 1985
Box 5, Folder 10		U.S. Patent #4,568,204, 1986
Box 5, Folder 11		Certificate for patent #7,237,957, 2007
Box 5, Folder 12-13		Invoices from patent lawyers, 1911-1918
Box 5, Folder 14		Correspondence with patent lawyer, 1938
Box 5, Folder 15		International patent, 1959
Box 5, Folder 16		Patent certificate written in Japanese
Box 5, Folder 17-26		Business advertisements, 1937-1962
Box 6
Box 6, Folder 1-2		U.S. Navy general specification for machinery
Box 6, Folder 3		Emergency Defence Measures, 1950
Box 6, Folder 4		U.S. Navy instructions for classified materials, 1957
Box 6, Folder 5-11		Security and defense: correspondence and documents, 1957-1967
Box 6, Folder 12		Security and classified informantion procedures, 1967-1968
Box 6, Folder 13		Security and classified informantion procedures, 1969
Box 7
Box 7, Folder 1-11		New Plant: construction documents, 1965-1967
Box 7, Folder 12-16		New test facility: construction documents, 1971-1975
Box 8
Box 8, Folder 1-2		Factory additions, 1978-1979
Box 8, Folder 3-10		Articles on thrust bearing mechanics and lubrication, 1938-1986
Box 8, Folder 11		"The Virginia Class Submarine Program: A Case Study", 2002
Box 8, Folder 12		Literature on U.S. submarines, 2002
Box 8, Folder 13		"Major Sites with Kingsbury Bearings" (powerpoint presentation)
Box 8, Folder 14		Powerline Magazine, Kimura Corporation, July/August 2002
Box 8, Folder 15		"Kingsbury Bearings", Sound & Vibration, October 2003

Series 2: Albert Kingsbury: Personal Materials, 1897-1983

(2 boxes)

Box 9
Box 9, Folder 1-3		AK order cards (3x5 notecards)
Box 9, Folder 4		"Experiments with an Air-lubricated Journal" by Prof. Albert Kingsbury, 1897
Box 9, Folder 5		Handwritten notes on thrust bearings, 1909-1920
Box 9, Folder 6		Handwritten notes on thrust bearings, 1924-1930
Box 9, Folder 7		"Aftermath" Worcester Polytechnic Institute yearbook, 1900
Box 9, Folder 8		Cornell alumni news, 1940
Box 9, Folder 9		“A Bearing on Fame”: article about Albert Kingsbury in Oilways Magazine, 1941
Box 9, Folder 10		Typed article on Albert Kingsbury and Kingsbury thrust bearing (unidentified author), 1941
Box 9, Folder 11		“Recollections”, by Albert Kingsbury, 1942
Box 9, Folder 12		“Development of the Kingsbury Thrust Bearing” in Mechanical Engineering, by Albert Kingsbury, 1950
Box 9, Folder 13		“Some highlights and data about Albert Kingsbury and Kingsbury, Inc.”, by W. Rowell Chase, 1983
Box 10
Box 10, Folder 1-12		AK Field Notebooks Nos. 18-31, 1907-1918

Series 3: Awards and Commendations

Box 11
Box 11, Folder 1	Franklin Institute of Pennsylvania - Elliott Cresson Medal, 1923
Box 11, Folder 2	Patron Membership in American Red Cross (Mr. and Mrs. Kingsbury), 1930
Box 11, Folder 3	John Scott Medal and Gold Medal of the ASME, 1931
Box 11, Folder 4	Certificate: A.S.M.E. Medal, 1931
Box 11, Folder 5	25th Anniversary of "Kingsbury" thrust bearing at Holtwood, 1937
Box 11, Folder 6	Army-Navy "E" Award: Invitation, 1942
Box 11, Folder 7	Army-Navy "E" Award: Photo album, 1942
Box 11, Folder 8	Commendation from U.S. Coast Guard, 1943
Box 11, Folder 9	Commendation from Bureau of Ships, 1945
Box 11, Folder 10	Dedication of Kingsbury Hall, UNH, 1950
Box 11, Folder 11	Kingsbury Hall, UNH, correspondence, 1949-1950
Box 11, Folder 12	Newcome Society pamphlet on Kingbury Hall, 1950
Box 11, Folder 13	U.S. Department of Defense recognition, 1985
Box 11, Folder 14	First Kingsbury Thrust Bearing: International Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark, 1987
Box 11, Folder 15	Export Archievements, 2002
Box 11, Folder 16	Kingsbury Centennial Celebration, 2012
Box 11, Folder 17	Certificate: Emeritus Life Membership in American Association for the Advancement of Science , 1938

Series 4: Audio-Visual Materials, 1914-2001

(3 boxes)

Box 12
Box 12, Folder 1		Photos: Annual company picnics, 1923-1936, 1968
Box 12, Folder 2		Photos: A. Kingsbury at 25th Anniversary of Holtwood , 1937
Box 12, Folder 3		Photo and letter re: pine tree hat rack (C. M. Allen), 1943
Box 12, Folder 4		Advertisement photographs from Nordberg Manufacturing Co., 1952
Box 12, Folder 5		Chamber of commerce award, 1966
Box 12, Folder 6		William Lotz photographs of factory additions, 1971
Box 12, Folder 7		Photos: Army-Navy “E” award flag
Box 12, Folder 8		Photo: Albert Kingsbury Library, Durham, NH (cyanotype)
Box 12, Folder 9		Photos: Susquehanna River
Box 12, Folder 10		Photos: Oshkosh meeting, 1996
Box 12, Folder 11		Photos: Kingsbury, Inc. 85th anniversary, 1997
Box 12, Folder 12		Photos: Old facility, 2002
Box 12, Folder 13		Photos: Board of Shareholders, 2005, 2006, 2011
Box 12, Folder 14		Miscellaneous photographs
Box 12, Folder 15		Miscellaneous negatives
Box 12, Folder 16		Miscellaneous slides: Outside shot, Kingsbury repair and service division; Hall plaque, Professor Kingsbury; Outside shot, Kingsbury Oshkosh division; Generator #5 with original bearing
Box 12, Folder 17		Photos: 90th Anniversary of Kingsbury, Inc., 2002
Box 12, Folder 18-28		Photos: Early bearing/factory/dam
Box 13
Box 13, Folder 1		Kingsbury's First Century: Video Interviews conducted August 2011 (DVD) e. 1 Interview with Mike Brawley (2 copies) e.2 Interview with Wayne Calderon (2 copies) e.3 Interview with Bill Chambers (2 copies) e.4 Interview with Alison Chase (2 copies)
Box 13, Folder 2		Kingsbury's First Century: Video Interviews conducted August 2011 (DVD) e.5 Interview with David Chase (2 copies) e.6 Interview with Eve Clulow (2 copies) e.7 Interview with Terry Conger (2 copies) e.8 Interview with Scan Decamillo (2 copies)
Box 13, Folder 3		Kingsbury's First Century: Video Interviews conducted August 2011 (DVD) e.9 Interview with Geoffrey DeMers (2 copies) e.10 Interview with David Fields (2 copies) e.11 Interview with Anthony Gatti (2 copies) e.12 Interview with Alison Jolly (2 copies)
Box 13, Folder 4		Kingsbury's First Century: Video Interviews conducted August 2011 (DVD e.13 Interview with Skip McGinley (2 copies) e.14 Interview with Daniel Matthews (2 copies) e.15 Interview with Richard Ninomon (2 copies) e.16 Interview with Jerry Powers (2 copies)
Box 13, Folder 5		Kingsbury's First Century: Video Interviews conducted August 2011 (DVD) e.17 Interview with Charlene Schmidt (2 copies) e.18 Interview with Bill Strecker (2 copies) e.19 Interview with Gerard Vogt (2 copies)
Box 13, Folder 6		Kingsbury Thrust Bearing U.S. Navy Training Film (DVD) Declassified public domain
Box 13, Folder 7		Kingsbury Oral History Project: Joseph Caldwell Hill (9/24/2015) DVD
Box 14
Box 14, Folder 1		Photos: Albert Kingsbury, Machinery in Durham, NH, and Kingsbury factory employees
Box 14, Folder 2		Photos: bearings, mechanical plans, and factory equipment, c. 1914
Box 14, Folder 3		Photos: Company picnics, 1926, 1929
Box 14, Folder 4		Photo: Company picnic, c. 1970
Box 14, Folder 5		Photo: Company picnic with clowns, 1974
Box 14, Folder 6		Photos: ASME-International Historic Michanica Engineering Landmark ceremony, 1987
Box 14, Folder 7		Photos: Battleship New Jersey presentation, 2007
Box 14, Folder 8		Photo album: Kingsbury Inc., Christmas Party, 2001

Series 5: Oversize Material

Oversize Box 1
Oversize Box 1, Item 1	Letter book: Albert Kingsbury correspondence, 1898-1912
Oversize Box 1, Item f. 1	Scans from letter book, TIFF files (6 DVDs)
Oversize Box 1, Item f. 2	Scans from letter book, PDF files (2 CDs)
Oversize Box 2
Oversize Box 2, Folder 1	Newspaper clippings, 1918-2013
Oversize Box 2, Folder 2	Published articles from "Engineering", clipped by AK, 1940-1943
Oversize Box 2, Folder 3	Photos: Kingsbury company picnics, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976 and undated
Oversize Box 2, Folder 4	Boys Town: Honorary citizenship certificate for Albert Kingsbury, 1943
Oversize Box 2, Folder 5	Tribute for Kingsbury, Inc. from city of Philadelphia,
Oversize Box 2, Folder 6	United States Dept. of Defense Quality Excellence Award, 1985
Oversize Box 2, Folder 5	Program for Kingsbury, Inc. 90th anniversary, 2002
Oversize Box 3
Oversize Box 3, Item 1	Kingsbury Inc. binder: "The Best Support In The Industry", photos of Kingsbury products
Oversize Box 3, Item 2	"Champions of Industry" (VHS)
Oversize Box 3, Item 3	Micrometer set
Oversize Box 3, Item 4	Name plates: Margaretta M. Clulow and Quentin F. Clulow
Oversize Box 3, Item 5	ASME lapel pin
Oversize Box 3, Item 6	Engraving plates, business cards
Oversize Box 3, Item 7	Dresser-Rand certificate for Kingsbury, Inc., (wooded plaque) 1995
Oversize Box 3, Item 8	DOD certificate designating Kingsbury, Inc. a Commemorative "E" Company, (wooded plaque) 1995
Oversize Box 3, Item 9	Quality Management System Approval certificate, (wooded plaque) 2000
Oversize Box 4
Oversize Box 4, Item 1	Annotated scrap book, containing photographs and drawings of bearings, scientific data, Kingsbury logos, Kingsbury advertisements, powerhouses and ships
Oversize Box 4, Item 2	Albert Kingsbury’s drafting set
Oversize Box 4, Item 3	Albert Kingsbury's Micrometer set
Oversize Box 4, Item 4	Miscellaneous photographs taken from a display, including Kingsbury anniversaries, employees, and factory additions
Oversize Box 4, Item 5	Kingsbury Machine Works Order Book, #2, 1935-1943
Oversize Box 4, Item 6	Framed certificate of Albert Kingsbury’s diploma from Cuyahoga-Falls High School, (loose item)1880
Oversize Box 4, Item 7	Framed certificate of Albert Kingsbury’s membership in The Sigma Xi Society, 1882
Oversize Box 5
Oversize Box 5, Item 1	Kingsbury Machine Works Order Book, #3, Nov 1942-Aug 1946
Oversize Box 6
Oversize Box 6, Item 1	Kingsbury Machine Works Order Book, #4, Aug 1946-Dec 1950
Oversize Box 7
Oversize Box 7, Item 1	Kingsbury Machine Works Order Book, #5, Dec 1950-Dec 1953
Oversize Box 8
Oversize Box 8, Item 1	Kingsbury Machine Works Order Book, #6, Dec 1953-Dec 1956
Oversize Box 9
Oversize Box 9, Item 1	Kingsbury Machine Works Order Book, #7, Sept 1956-Jan 1957
Oversize Box 10
Oversize Box 10, Item 1	Kingsbury Machine Works Order Book, #8, June-Sept 1958
Oversize Box 11
Oversize Box 11, Item 1	Cloth E-Award banner (manufactored by Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot, US War Dept.)
Oversize Box 11, Item 2	3x6' nylon E-Award with star banner
Map Drawer C-4	Blueprints Thrust bearing blueprints, No. 46067 and No. 260680, drawn by Alison Mason Kingsbury, Jr. Aug. 19, 1918 Auto lunch case table, No. 360871, Kingsbury Machine Works, June 9, 1922 Plan of parcel for new plant, 1966