Burt and Brabb Lumber Company records

Abstract

Incorporated in Michigan, the Burt and Brabb Lumber Company maintained operations in the small community of Ford in Clark County, Kentucky . In addition to its Clark County properties, the company maintained several booms on the Kentucky River and its tributaries and owned property and timber rights in Madison, Leslie, Harlan, Letcher, Perry, Knott, Bell, Clay, and Breathitt Counties. This collection includes minutes of the company's Board of Directors and Stockholders, maps, instructions to a lumber foreman, rate tables, account books, check registers, sharebooks, ledgers, journals, legal papers, correspondence, and other miscellaneous materials.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Burt and Brabb Lumber Company records
Date
1890-1939
Extent
10 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Land tenure -- Kentucky.
Forests and forestry -- Kentucky.
Timber -- Kentucky.
Business records -- Kentucky -- Floyd County.
Appalachian Region.
Clark County (Ky.) -- Economic conditions.
Kentucky River (Ky.) -- Power utilization.
Lumbering -- Kentucky.
Burt and Brabb Lumber Company
Bert T. Combs Appalachian Collection
Finding Aid Author
Processed by Beth Eifler; machine-readable finding aid created by Beth Eifler
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Burt and Brabb Lumber Company records, 1890-1939, 73W4, Special Collections and Digital Programs, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
This collection is a partial record of the Burt and Brabb Lumber Company from 1890-1912. While incorporated in Michigan, the company maintained operations in Ford, Kentucky in Clark County. This small community, located where the Cincinnati-Knoxville division of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad crosses the Kentucky River, had approximately 2,500 inhabitants during this period. The Burt and Brabb Lumber Company operated two saw mills, a planing mill, a box factory, dry kilns, and a yard at the Ford site. In addition to its Clark County properties, the company maintained several booms on the Kentucky River and its tributaries and owned property and timber rights in Madison, Leslie, Harlan, Letcher, Perry, Knott, Bell, Clay, and Breathitt Counties.
Formed in 1890 as the Asher Lumber Company, the corporation subsequently changed its name in 1896 to the Burt and Brabb Lumber Company when Marvil I. Brabb and the Wellington R. Burt family assumed control. W.R. Burt, the company's largest stockholder, was at one time a receiver for the Toledo, Ann Arbor, and Northern Michigan Railroad and in 1888 was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for the office of governor of Michigan. The company ceased business gradually and liquidated itself around 1906 when it became clear that its timber holdings had become depleted. Much of the company's lumber was marketed in Great Britain.
Scope and Content
The collection includes minutes of the company's Board of Directors and Stockholders, maps, instructions to a lumber foreman, rate tables, account books, check registers, sharebooks, ledgers, journals, legal papers, correspondence and other miscellaneous materials. The correspondence is chiefly that between Charles W. Burt, the company's general manager, and other stockholders, company officials, and relatives. It treats matters of routine business, finance, foreign transactions, and family affairs.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Use Restrictions
Copyright has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky.

Contents of the Collection

BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL PAPERS, 1890-1912

MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS

Articles of Association of the Asher Lumber Company, 1890

  • Box 1, folder 1
To top

By-laws of the Asher Lumber Company and Minutes of Directors and Stockholders Meetings, 1890-1906

  • Box 1, folder 2
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Proxies and Minutes pertaining to Annual Stockholders Meetings, 1899-1903

  • Box 1, folder 3
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Proxies and Minutes pertaining to Annual Stockholders Meetings, 1904-1906

  • Box 1, folder 4
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Ice Order Book, 1899-1903

  • Box 1, folder 5
Scope and Contents note

Contains misc. production records

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Hardwood Manufacturer's booklets, 1892-1911

  • Box 1, folder 6
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Asher Lumber Company - Foreman's instructions and Abstracts of Land Tracts, pt.1, n.d.

  • Box 1, folder 7
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Asher Lumber Company - Foreman's instructions and Abstracts of Land Tracts, pt. 2, n.d.

  • Box 1, folder 8
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Miscellaneous checks, contract, patent, and receipts, 1898-1912

  • Box 1, folder 9
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Notebook, author and date unknown

  • Box 1, folder 10
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Weights and price schedules

  • Box 2, folder 1
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Price and weight tables for shipments to Great Britain

  • Box 2, folder 2
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ACCOUNT BOOKS, LEDGERS, AND JOURNALS

Account Book, 1890-1911, marked "suspended"

  • Box 3, folder 1
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Notes and Bills Receivable Book, 1902-1912

  • Box 3, folder 2
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Account book of C. W. Burt, inscribed "original" and dated July 1, 1905

  • Box 3, folder 3
Scope and Contents note

Contains 1903-1905 figures

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Account book of C. W. Burt, dated January 1, 1911

  • Box 3, folder 4
Scope and Contents note

Contains 1908-1911 figures

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Account Book, inscribed "C Miscellaneous Book," July 1, 1909-May 1, 1912

  • Box 3, folder 5
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Check Register, December 1907-July 1909

  • Box 4, folder 1
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Return of Annual Net Income, 1910

  • Box 4, folder 2
Scope and Contents note

Includes "Explanatory notes showing how costs of goods and gross income were arrived at"

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C.W. Burt Transaction Letterbook, August 4, 1904- February 16, 1911

  • Box 4, folder 3
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Index to unidentified volume (1)

  • Box 5, folder 1
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Index to unidentified volume (2)

  • Box 5, folder 2
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ACCOUNT BOOKS, LEDGERS, AND JOURNALS [WRAPPED VOLUMES]

Account Book, July 1909-January 1912

  • Item 6
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Check Register, February 1899-December 1902

  • Item 7
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Sharebook of the Asher Lumber Company, September 1, 1892-January 10, 1896

  • Item 8
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Sharebook of the Randall Lumber Company

  • Item 9
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Ledger A, Asher Lumber Company, 1890-1897

  • Item 10
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Index to Ledger A

  • Item 11
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Journal No.2, Asher Lumber Company, December 1892-December 1897

  • Item 12
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Journal A, Burt and Brabb Lumber Company, January 1898-December 1902

  • Item 13
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Journal B, Burt and Brabb Lumber Company, January 1903-June 1909

  • Item 14
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LEGAL PAPERS, 1894-1939

MISCELLANEOUS

Misc. Legal Papers, Abstracts of Title, and Deeds, 1894-1908, n.d.

  • Box 15, folder 1
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John L. Turner, et al. vs. Burt and Brabb Lumber Company, et al., 1904-1906

  • Box 15, folder 2
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Correspondence between Samuel Wilson and C. W. Burt Family, 1906-1939

  • Box 15, folder 3
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A. B. Cornett Litigation, 1908-1910

  • Box 15, folder 4
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Index to Patents in University Composition Book, n.d. [pre-1906]

  • Box 15, folder 5
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Index to Patents, July 1906-November 15, 1907

  • Box 15, folder 6
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Opinion as to Burt and Brabb Lumber Company's Land Titles, n.d. (copy 1)

  • Box 16, folder 1
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Opinion as to Burt and Brabb Lumber Company's Land Titles, n.d. (copy 2 - includes handwritten notes)

  • Box 16, folder 2
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Opinion as to Burt and Brabb Lumber Company's Land Titles, n.d. (copy 3 - includes handwritten notes)

  • Box 16, folder 3
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Abstracts of Title of the Burt and Brabb Lumber Company's Eastern Kentucky Lands, with handwritten notes, dated March 8, 1906 (copy 1)

  • Box 17, folder 1
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Miscellaneous papers removed from copy 1

  • Box 17, folder 2
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Abstracts of Title of the Burt and Brabb Lumber Company's Eastern Kentucky Lands, n.d. (copy 2)

  • Box 17, folder 3
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Abstracts of Title of the Burt and Brabb Lumber Company's Eastern Kentucky Lands, n.d. (copy 3)

  • Box 18, folder 1
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Abstracts of Title of the Burt and Brabb Lumber Company's Eastern Kentucky Lands, n.d. (copy 4)

  • Box 18, folder 2
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SURVEYS, MAPS, AND LAND RECORDS

Survey, January 25, 1889

  • Folder 19, item 1
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Map indicating company holdings, ca. 1890's

  • Folder 19, item 2
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Records of Land Grants and Warrants, 1906

  • Folder 19, item 3
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CORRESPONDENCE, 1895-1911

Scope and Contents note

This series contains the correspondence of Charles W. Burt.

GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1895-1911

Barton-Shreve, 1895-1904

  • Box 20, folder 1
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Simpson-Swift, 1897-1904

  • Box 20, folder 2
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1910-1911 [RESTRICTED]

  • Box 20, folder 3
Scope and Contents note

The materials in this folder have been restricted due to their poor condition. Photocopies of the materials have been made available for patron use in box 20, folder 4. Patrons must receive permission before looking at the original documents.

To top

1910-1911

  • Box 20, folder 4
Scope and Contents note

This folder contains photocopies of the damaged materials in Box 20, Folder 3, as well as other (original) correspondence from this period.

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CORRESPONDENCE WITH MARVIL I. BRABB, 1895-1900

Scope and Contents note

Marvil I. Brabb was a Romeo, Michigan bank executive and President of the Burt and Brabb Lumber Company from 1896-1902.

July 3, 1895-June 15, 1896

  • Box 21, folder 1
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July 8, 1896-December 10, 1897

  • Box 21, folder 2
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January 21-December 28, 1898

  • Box 21, folder 3
To top

January 2-December 22, 1899

  • Box 21, folder 4
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January 5 - December 11, 1900

  • Box 21, folder 5
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January 10-December 31, 1901

  • Box 22, folder 1
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January 7, December 30, 1902

  • Box 22, folder 2
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CORRESPONDENCE WITH LOUIS C. HAY, 1895-1907

Scope and Contents note

Louis C. Hay was Charles W. Burt's brother-in-law and the London Agent for the Burt and Brabb Lumber Company.

February 27, 1895-December 20, 1897

  • Box 23, folder 1
To top

January 6- March 31, 1898

  • Box 23, folder 2
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April 5-June 23, 1898

  • Box 23, folder 3
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July 1-Septmber 24, 1898

  • Box 23, folder 4
To top

October 26-December 31, 1898

  • Box 23, folder 5
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Jan 2-December 31, 1903

  • Box 23, folder 6
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January 20-December 15, 1904

  • Box 24, folder 1
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January 3-December 18, 1905

  • Box 24, folder 2
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January 2, 1906-April 27, 1907

  • Box 24, folder 3
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CORRESPONDENCE WITH WELLINGTON R. BURT, 1898-1900

Scope and Contents note

Wellington R. Burt was Charles W. Burt's Father.

January 8-December 31, 1898

  • Box 25, folder 1
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January 2-June 20, 1899

  • Box 25, folder 2
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July 21-December 27, 1899

  • Box 25, folder 3
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January 5-December 10, 1900

  • Box 25, folder 4
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Special Collections Research Center - Closed

The Breckinridge Research Room will be closed starting May 11, 2026, and anticipates re-opening Fall semester 2026 in an alternate location for the duration of the King Library renovation.

Reproduction requests will still be available during the closure.

Contact SCRC with questions.

You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.

Special Collections Research Center - Closed

The Breckinridge Research Room will be closed starting May 11, 2026, and anticipates re-opening Fall semester 2026 in an alternate location for the duration of the King Library renovation.

Reproduction requests will still be available during the closure.

Contact SCRC with questions.

Requests

No items have been requested.



Submit a request for SCRC materials.




You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.