Page Milling Company Ledgers
Scope and Content
This collection contains ledgers documenting the business transactions of the Page Milling Company of Luray, Virginia. Consisting of a day book, a journal, a cash book, and a sales journal, the ledgers provide details on the company's sales of corn, wheat, and screenings and its operating expenses, including labor.
Dates
- Creation: 1904 - 1935
Creator
- Page Milling Company (Luray, Va.) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish material from the Page Milling Company Ledgers must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
Biographical / Historical
Located in Luray, Virginia, the Luray Mill and Elevator Company was built by C. W. Carter in 1895. In 1898, E. C. Harnsberger purchased the mill and renamed it the Page Milling Company. Operating in conjunction with the mill was the Luray Electric Company, a plant converting steam power to operate the mill.
According to at least one source, the product today sold by General Mills under the trade name Bisquick was invented by Robert C. Harnsberger at Page Milling. In its history of Bisquick's development, however, General Mills makes no mention of Harnsberger or Page Milling.
The mill, remodeled in 1929, was capable of producing 300 barrels of flour per day by the 1950s. Page Milling Company continued to operate as late as 1955.
Full Extent
1.2 Cubic Feet (4 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Four ledgers documenting sales and expenses of the Page Milling Company of Luray, Virginia.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by material type.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Page Milling Company Ledgers were acquired by Virginia Tech prior to 1989.
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the Page Milling Company Ledgers commenced and was completed in March, 2018.
- Title
- A Guide to the Page Milling Company Ledgers, 1904-1935
- Status
- Completed
- Subtitle
- A collection in Special Collections
- Author
- John M. Jackson
- Date
- ©2018 By Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. All rights reserved.
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu