HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID
RG3652.AM: M.H. Tilton Furniture Company (Lincoln, Neb.)
Records: 1905-1923
Lincoln, Lancaster County, Neb.: Furniture company
Size: 1 volume
BACKGROUND NOTE
The Tilton-Phelps Wholesale Furniture Company was established on February 6, 1905, by Mark H. Tilton, George J. Phelps and Algernon Phelps. Tilton and George Phelps had been associated with the Wisconsin Furniture and Coffin Company and the new firm was created upon their separation from that company. George Phelps relinquished the vice-presidency on February 15, 1908, and the firm’s name was changed to the M.H. Tilton Furniture Company in December of that year. The firm maintained warehouses at 6th & K Streets and an office and salesroom at 1124 N Street in Lincoln.
On August 1, 1910, the board of directors agreed that the company’s financial condition dictated transfer of control to a committee of trustees. Apparently because of problems arising from the deteriorating economic status of the M.H. Tilton Furniture Co., Earl A. Lee, Secretary-Treasurer, resigned in October, to be followed by H.F. Hackman, vice-president and salesman, in February 1911. Under direction of the trustees, the financial health of the company improved consistently after 1912. Trustee control continued through 1918.
Indebtedness of the M.H. Tilton Furniture Co. grew measurably from 1919 to 1922. Although the firm’s sales continued to increase, the apparent uncertain business conditions of the day prompted the board of directors to defer payment of dividends on common stock in 1921. On February 5, 1923, stock of the M.H. Tilton Furniture Company was transferred to the control of the Hardy Furniture Company of Lincoln. The M.H. Tilton Furniture Company was formally dissolved on May 1, 1923.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
This collection consists of one bound volume into which have been pasted the records of the Tilton-Phelps Furniture Company and its successor, the M.H. Tilton Furniture Company, spanning the years, 1905-1923. These records include the companies annual financial statements, minutes of stockholders and boards of directors meetings, records of sales personnel performance, minutes of trustees meetings, published notices of indebtedness and the instruments of dissolution of the M.H. Tilton Furniture Co.
INVENTORY
Journal, 1905-1923
Subject headings:
Lancaster County (Neb.) — Businesses
Lincoln (Neb.) — Businesses
M.H. Tilton Furniture Company (Lincoln, Neb.)
Tilton-Phelps Furniture Company (Lincoln, Neb.)
Revised 10-16-2007 TMM
