John Jay Johnson Collection
Scope and Contents
The 8½"x14" document in the booklet is an agreement that John Johnson is giving Jacob Laudenslager the sole right to have full rights to the process in Marlboro Township in Starke County, Ohio and a John Bentz is acquiring an interest for $5.00 and also will be allowed to use the process to tan his own hides at his home. This document, signed on February 14, 1866 also has a federal revenue stamp on the right side of the document. The booklet contains the process for tanning a variety of skins. There is text and sketches of various animals. In addition to the booklet, there are two separate pages, one giving the recipe for soaking, taming, suds, sulfuric acid and borax. These pages, due to their appearance look to be more recent.
Dates
- Creation: 1863
Creator
- Johnson, John Jay (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The booklet is fragile. Care should be taken if handled.
Biographical / Historical
According to the 1860 Census, John Johnson originally born in Pennsylvania, was a 21-year-old farm laborer living with the Divan family in Kalamazoo. He is not listed in the city directories in the 1860s.
Extent
0.05 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The collection is composed of one document giving directions for the Excelsior Tanning Process patented by John Jay Johnson, Kalamazoo, Michigan, published in 1863.
Source of Acquisition
Originally had belonged to Joseph Bentz, grandson of John Bentz, Randolph Township, Ohio. Originally had been in A-500 Waldo Library but had been removed to its own collection.
Physical Description
The collection amounts to .05 cubic feet and is composed of one booklet, 8 ½” x 5 ½” with one page that is 8 ½”x14”. The 16-page booklet is titled, "Directions for Using the Patent Excelsior Tanning Process" Patented March 18, 1862 by John Jay Johnson, Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was published by J. Jay Johnson, Patentee, 1863. The booklet is in fragile condition. The 8 ½”x14” page is worn along the edges and very weak where it had been folded. It has been spread out and placed between two pieces of a clear negative envelope. The paper is cluttered with small brown spots and worn along the cover. Care should be taken if this is handled.
Topical
- Title
- John Jay Johnson Collection Finding Aid
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Lynn Houghton
- Date
- 2012-06-11
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Western Michigan University Archives & Regional History Collections Repository
Charles C. and Lynn L. Zhang Legacy Collections Center
1650 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5307 US
(269) 387-8490
arch-collect@wmich.edu