H.H. King Flour Mills Co., Faribault, Minnesota. Papers, 1855-1975. SMHC Manuscript Collection 142. 4 Hollinger boxes, 3 Archives boxes, 1 double oversized cartons, 2 oversized blueprint tubes, 72 volumes, and 27 oversized folders.

Abstract:

The H.H. King Flour Mills Co. collection contains information concerning the company between 1855 and 1975. The H.H. King Flour Mills Co. began in 1923 as an outgrowth of several earlier flour milling businesses in Faribault including those of Milledge Sheffield in the 1890s and later his son B.B. Sheffield. Henry H. King partnered with B.B. Sheffield to form the Sheffield-King Milling Co. in 1902. King bought Sheffield's remaining interest in 1906 and continued to use the former named until changing it in 1923 to the H.H. King Flour Mills Co. The collection is divided into eight series: Blueprints, 1895-1954; Customer Coupons, 15 April-1 November 1932; Correspondence, 1911-1949; Employee Timecards, 1934-1943; Equipment Catalogs, 1914-1955; Legal Documents, 1855-1969; Miscellaneous, 1915-1975; and Volumes, 1896-1958.

Historical Note:

The H.H. King Flour Mills Co. was an outgrowth of a long-standing flour milling business in Faribault, that made the city one of Minnesota's most important outstate flour milling centers for years. The company's principal mill was located at the west edge of Faribault on a site first used by pioneer millers along side the Cannon River. The first mill on the site was erected in 1862 by Alexander Faribault and Henry Melhorn who soon sold it to the firm of Sater and Bangs. On 16 March 1870, S. Bean bought out Sater's half interest in the mill and the firm became Bean, Bangs and Co., again changing ownership in 1873 when it became the Bean Bros. Mill and in 1874 when the ownership was turned over to Bean Bros. and Tennant. On 9 December 1876, the flour mill burned with the damages estimated at $25,000.

Under the name of Polar Star Milling Co., incorporated in February 1877 by F.A. Bean, William Tennant, T.B. Clement, L.R. Weld, G.W. Lewis, D.W. Humphrey, Miles Hollister, R.A. Mott, G.G. Gunhus, A.P. Story, and H.W. Bingham, a new mill was erected and began ruing 6 June 1877. It was a three-story brick building with a stone basement, sixty by sixty-two feet, using both water and steam power. In 1878, the company leased the mill to Bean and Tennant, who in 1881 added a rolling mill to the complex. In August 1883, Tennant sold all his stock and interest in the Polar Star Milling Co. to S.L. Bean and all the business of the former firm of Bean and Tennant was assumed by the new firm of F.A. and S.L. Bean. During the 1890s, the company experienced reverses and the firm lost the business, the property, and the credit, and also went $100,000 in debt. In March 1892, the Polar Star Mill property was sold to R.G. Weatherston and W.H. Cheney.

M.B. Sheffield secured the option on the Polar Star Mill property in November 1895 and proceeded to construct a one thousand barrel mill, a one hundred thousand bushel elevator, a brick office building, and a packing house. In May of that year, Polar Star Mills began operating under Sheffield's ownership, with the name being changed to Sheffield Milling Co., incorporated by M.B. Sheffield, B.B. Sheffield, A. Blodgett Jr., D.W. Grant, and E.R. Thatcher. In 1898, an elevator was moved to the site.

In 1899, M.B. Sheffield died and control of the company passed to his son B.B. Sheffield. The same year a colony emerged around the mill site with a hotel, store, and houses. A cooper shop was added to the complex in 1901.

On 21 May 1902, B.B. Sheffield sold half interest in the mill to H.H. King of Minneapolis. Sheffield remained president of the company but the main offices were moved to Minneapolis. At the time, the mill employed over one hundred men and had a capacity of 2,800 barrels a day. Effective 1 July of that year, the company was incorporated as the Sheffield-King Milling Co. with Sheffield as president and King as vice-president. At the same time, the partners organized the Central Minnesota Elevator Co. for the purpose of buying, storing, and selling grain in Minneapolis and other unspecified places.

On 7 February 1906, Sheffield sold his remaining half interest to King. However, the business continued under the name of Sheffield-King Milling Co. until 1923 when it changed to H.H. King Flour Mills Co. During much of the 1920s and 1930s, the mill operated jointly by Arthur W. Quiggle and L. George Truesdale Jr. (son-in-law of H.H. King). In 1941, Quiggle bought out his partner's share and ran the mill until it closed in 1956. From 1956 through 1969, Quiggle used the mill for government contract grain storage and also produced and sold a flour additive. In 1969, he sold the mill to Elwood Gilbertson and George R. Johnson.

The mill, warehouse, office building, and three garages burned to the ground on 19 June 1975.

Information obtained from: History of Rice County. . . . Minneapolis: Minnesota Historical Co., 1882, pp. 333-34; Central Republican (Faribault), 16 March 1870; various issues of the Faribault Republican, 1873-1911; The Northwestern Miller, 21 May 1902, 7 February 1906, and 13 June 1923; St. Paul Pioneer-Press, 9 September 1934; Minneapolis Tribune, 30 January 1948; Faribault Daily News, 20 June 1975; Mankato Free Press, 20 June 1975; and from the collection.

Scope and Content:

The H.H. King Flour Mills Co. collection is divided into eight series: Blueprints, 1895-1954; Customer Coupons, 15 April-1 November 1932; Correspondence, 1911-1949; Employee Timecards, 1934-1943; Equipment Catalogs, 1914-1955; Legal Documents, 1855-1969; Miscellaneous, 1915-1975; and Volumes, 1896-1958.

Blueprints, 1895-1954: This series contains a wide variety of blueprints related to the numerous mills located on the site of the H.H. King complex. These prints contain information on the various buildings, machines, the area's geography, lumber specifications, electrical systems, engines, and other miscellaneous prints.

Customer Coupons, 15 April-1 November 1932: These items were coupons given to customers by the company with a redemption value of twenty-cents per sack of flour. Each coupon contains the name of the individual who it was given to and the store it was redeemed.

Correspondence, 1911-1949: The correspondence centers mainly on the years of ownership of the Sheffield-King company and is basically concerned with value appraisals, proposals, and specifications for the sprinkler system, building proposals, machinery estimates, and the problem of drainage of the Cannon River. Two letters dated in April 1911 deal entirely with the legal right of Sheffield-King to dam the Cannon River above their mill site.

Employee Timecards, 1934-1943: This series contains an incomplete set of employee timecards.

Equipment Catalogs, 1914-1955: The catalogs, pamphlets, and flyers included in this series pertain to machines and tools used in the milling industry.

Legal Documents, 1855-1969: incorporation and building specifications. The abstract of titles is for outlots 1, 2, and 3 in the King Addition and is a photocopy of the original retained by Elwood Gilbertson of Farmington, Minnesota. The appraisals and insurance summaries are primarily from 1914-1917 and include numerous appraisals, building specifications, and insurance summaries. There is also an undated recapitulation sheet of the total value of the yard and outside area. Information on the articles of incorporation concerns the Sheffield-King Milling Co., 1902; the Central Minnesota Elevator Co., 1902; and Certificate of Amendment of Articles of Inc. of the Sheffield-King Milling Company dated 24 May 1923 when the company's name was changed to H.H. King Flour Mills Co.

Miscellaneous, 1915-1975: These documents range from items concerning the mill to a Faribault city map, a World War II supplemental mileage ration form, miscellaneous drawings and sketches, unused office supplies, a plat map of the mill area, and promotional materials and labels.

Volumes, 1896-1958: This series contains seventy-two volumes pertaining to the company's cashbooks, time books, payroll records, various wheat records, and other miscellaneous records.

Restrictions:

There are no restrictions on use of this collection for research purposes. The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property and libel laws as they apply.

Collection Citation:

H.H. King Flour Mills Co., Faribault, Minnesota. Papers, 1855-1975. SMHC Manuscript Collection 142, Southern Minnesota Historical Center, Memorial Library, Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Acquisition:

Arthur Quiggle, George Johnson, and Elwood O. Gilbertson donated the majority of this collection in December 1974. Arthur Quiggle donated additional items in the Fall of 1976.

Processed By:

The MSU Archives staff processed this collection in January 1977. Jeff A. Jenson developed the finding aid in April 2002.

Related Collections:

It has been determined that there are no similar manuscript collections about the H.H. King Flour Mills Co. available elsewhere.

LCSH Subject Headings:

Quiggle, Arthur W., 1890-1977.
King (H.H.) Flour Mills Company (Faribault, Minn.).
Sheffield King Milling Company (Minneapolis, Minn.).
Central Minnesota Elevator Company (Minneapolis, Minn.).
Flour mills--Minnesota--Faribault.

SMHC Manuscript Collection 142	Box	Folder
Blue Prints, 1895-1954
A & D Mills Plan, undated	6
Bag Stacker, Three Prints, 1915	Oversize	19
Bin & Cupola Plan, March 1907	5	20
Blue Prints of Sheffield-King Milling Co., Fifteen Prints, 1915	Oversize	2
Bulk Loading, Hopper Cars, Three Prints, 1954	Oversize	23
Cannon River Elevation, undated	6
Cannon River Survey, 3 plans, 1909	5	1
Cannon River Survey, 19 August 1949	5	2
Chart of Sprinkling System and Fire Alarm, undated	5	6
Cleaning House, Five Prints, 8 February 1918	Oversize	9
Clutch, Three Prints, 1921 and 1930; Assembly Drawing, 1928; and Price Page Notes, 1944	Oversize	22
Copper Shop, Two Prints, 1915	Oversize	3
Conveying System, Four Prints, including one, Wheat and Barley Flow, 18 March 1918 and December 1929	Oversize	8
Engines, Engine Room and Engine House, Sixteen Prints, 1904 – 1934	Oversize	24
Electrical System, Wiring, Six Prints, 1914 - 1918	Oversize	21
Elevator, undated	5	18
Elevator, Fourteen Prints, 1915 – 1917	Oversize	11
Flour Mill Elevation, Two Prints, 10 May 1918	Oversize	5
General Shields Lake and Shieldsville, undated	6
Grain Elevator Plan, undated	5	4
Grain Storage, September 1915	5	10
Grain Storage, Seven Prints, 1914 – 1931	Oversize	12
Grain Storage and Wheat Heater, 1915-1917	5	16
Lumber Specifications, Three Prints, June 1916	Oversize	18
M.B. Sheffield, 26 November 1895	6
Machinery Plans, May 1918	5	19
Machinery Plans for Packing House, 3 plans, 28 June 1918	5	5
Machinery Plans for Packing House, Five Prints, 28 June 1918	Oversize	7
Mill Building , Six Prints, undated	Oversize	4
Mill Site, Drawing, undated	6
Mill Plan, M.B. Sheffield, 18 December 1895	7
Miscellaneous and Details, Fourteen Prints, 1903 – 1918	Oversize	17
Miscellaneous Grain Elevator Plans, June 1917	5	14
Miscellaneous Grain Elevator Plans, June & August 1917	5	15
Miscellaneous Packing House Plans, undated	5	13
Motor Truck Dumps, Seven Prints, 1925 – 1946	Oversize	25
Office, Three Prints, 1917	Oversize	6
Packing Floor, 30 November 1929	6
Packing House, 1 st and 2 nd Floors, 8 April 1918	5	11
Packing House, 2 plans, 23 May 1918	5	7
Plan and Elevation of Steel Flumes, 10 November 1897	6
Proposed Grain Storage, 10 October 1929	5	8
Railroad Track Scale, undated	5	9
Scales, All Kings, Seven Prints, 1916 – 1947 and Instruction Booklet, undated	Oversize	27
Sheffield-King Warehouse, undated	5	3
Shifters and Separators, Instructions and Correspondence, Seventeen Prints, 1910 – 1941	Oversize	26
Site Plans, Six Prints, 1921 – 1931	Oversize	1
Sketches, undated	Oversize	16
Steel Tower , Steel Joist Balcony, Six Prints, 1909 – 1915	Oversize	20
Timber Foundation, Track Scale, undated	5	12
Underground, Four Prints, 1915	Oversize	14
Unidentified, undated	5	21
Warehouse, undated	5	17
Warehouse, Twelve Prints, 1915 - 1918	Oversize	13
Wheat Cleaning Building, Four Prints, November – December 1917	Oversize	10
Customer Coupons, 15 April – 1 November 1932
15-18 April 1932	3	1
20-25 April 1932	3	2
27 April – 1 November 1932	3	3
Correspondence, 1911 – 1949
1911 – 1917	1	1
1918 – 1949	1	2
Employee Timecards, 1934 – 1943
Timecards, 1-15 February 1935	4	2
Timecards, 1-15 February 1938	3	4
Timecards, Incomplete, 15 January – 31 October 1934	4	1
Timecards, Incomplete, 15 January – 30 June 1936	4	3
Timecards, Incomplete, 15 August – 31 January 1937	4	4
Timecards, Incomplete, 1 July 1937 – 31 January 1938	4	5
Timecards, Incomplete, 1 March 1938 – 30 November 1939	3	5
Timecards, Incomplete, 16 December 1939 – 15 August 1943	3	6
Equipment Catalogs, 1914 – 1955
Catalogs, undated and 1947	2	4
Catalogs and Pamphlets, undated	1	11
Catalogs and Pamphlets, undated	2	1
Catalogs and Pamphlets, undated	2	3
Catalogs and Pamphlets, 1914 – 1955	2	2
Singer Sewing Machines, Catalogs, 1931 – 1944	2	5
Legal Documents, 1855 – 1969
Abstract of Titles, 1855 – 1969	1	4
Appraisals and Insurance Summaries, 1914 - 1917	1	8
Articles of Incorporation, 1902 and 1923	1	5
Building Specifications, undated	1	7
Miscellaneous, 1915 – 1975
Document and Freight Car drawing, undated	2	6
Gold Mill Four Sack, undated	Oversize	15
Newspaper Clippings, 1975	1	6
Office Supplies, unused, undated	1	12
Office Supplies, unused, undated	2	7
Office Supplies, unused, undated	3	7
Plat Map, Mill Area, undated	1	3
Promotional Materials and Labels, undated	1	10
Sketches and Documents, 1915 - 1956	1	9
Volumes, 1896 – 1958	Box	Volume
Appraisal, Sheffield-King Milling Co., 15 October 1915	12	1
Appraisal Summaries, Sheffield-King Milling Co., 1 December 1917	12	2
Cashbook, 1898 – 1899		14
Cashbook, July 1955 – October 1956		61
Central Mill Records, 1911 – 1933		7
Central Minnesota Elevator Co. [?], Ledger, 1903 – 1904	12	72
Claims Register, January 1936 – August 1956		70
Coal Record, 1905 – 1914	9	52
Coal Used, 1914 – 1927	9	51
Daily Grain Yield Reports, 1906 – 1912		8
Day Book, 1898 – 1902		55
Estimated Value of Buildings and Plant Equipment, 20 February 1909	12	4
Expense Journal of M.B. Sheffield Co., 1895 – 1899; Beginning with page 208, the volume was used to records sales 1926 – 1928		13
Expense Journal, 1923 – 1925		56
Faribault Accounts Journal, July 1949 – September 1956		66
Faribault Mill Sales Statements, July 1955 – November 1956,		67
General Journal, December 1940 – September 1956		58
Grain Tickets Surrendered and Purchased, 1898 - 1899		6
Grain Weights, 1910 – 1917	9	46
Inventories of Grain, 1903 - 1906		57
Inventory, 1913 – 1923 (FRAGILE)	12	53
Ledger, #10, with index, 1937 – 1943	12	59
Ledger, #12, with index, 1948 – 1952	12	60
Packing and Loading Time Book, 1940 – 1943	9	49
Payable Records, 1914	9	47
Plant Appraisal, Sheffield-King Milling Co., 15 November 1915		3
Profit & Loss Statements Resources, & Liabilities, 1896 – 1898	9	50
Record of Wheat Ground, 1925 – 1929		9
Reports of Bags Received, July 1952 – October 1956		69
Reports of Bags Used, July 1952 – October 1956		68
Sales Journal, 1896		5
Sales Register, January 1949 – September 1956		64
Time Book and Payroll, Loaders, 1904 – 1906	12	15
Time Book and Payroll, Engineers, 1905 – 1907	12	16
Time Book and Payroll, Loaders, 30 April 1907 – 15 June 1910	8	17
Time Book and Payroll, 16 December 1907 - January 1911	8	18
Time Book and Payroll, Loaders, 1910 – 1913	8	19
Time Book and Payroll, October 1919 – December 1924	8	20
Time Book and Payroll, Packers, August 1913 –August 1920	8	21
Time Book and Payroll, Engineers, April 1914 – April 1917	8	22
Time Book and Payroll, Loaders, August 1913 – 15 August 1916	8	23
Time Book and Payroll, Packers, June 1914 – July 1917	8	24
Time Book and Payroll, Loaders, September 1916 – August 1919	8	25
Time Book and Payroll, Engine Room, 15 January 1918 – July 1927	8	26
Time Book and Payroll, Loaders, 15 September 1919 – 15 October 1923	8	27
Time Book and Payroll, 15 October 1923 – November 1926	8	28
Time Book and Payroll, 15 October 1923 – November 1926	8	29
Time Book and Payroll, January 1925 – December 1928	8	30
Time Book and Payroll, Loaders, December 1926 – 15 November 1929	8	31
Time Book and Payroll, Packers, December 1926 – 15 November 1929	8	32
Time Book and Payroll, October 1927 – November 1940	8	33
Time Book and Payroll, December 1928 – 15 December 1931	8	34
Time Book and Payroll, Packers, 1919 – 1932	9	35
Time Book and Payroll, Loaders, 1929 – 1932	9	36
Time Book and Payroll, 1932 – 1933	9	37
Time Book and Payroll, Packers and Loaders, 1932 – 1933	9	38
Time Book and Payroll, 1934 – 1936	9	39
Time Book and Payroll, 1935 – 1938	9	40
Time Book and Payroll, Packers and Loaders, 1935 – 1938	9	41
Time Book and Payroll, 1937 – 1940	9	42
Time Book and Payroll, 1938 – 1941	9	43
Time Book and Payroll, 1941 – 1944	9	44
Time Book and Payroll, 1953 – 1956	9	45
Transit Wheat Received, 1948 – 1958		10
Voucher Register, July 1955 – September 1956		71
Weekly Summary Journal, 1911 – 1929		12
Wheat and Feed Ground Record, 1919 – 1925		11
Wheat Purchases, June 1949 – August 1956		62
Wheat Purchases and Storage, 1897 – 1898		54
Wheat Received, 1955 – 1958	9	48
Wheat Received Journal, September 1952 – August 1958	12	63
Wheat Received and Sold [?], November 1952 – August 1956	12	65