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1987 Duke University. All rights reserved.
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[Identification of item], The Papers of George Henry Hood, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
The papers of George Henry Hood, businessman and salesman of Chelsea, Essex County, Mass., were acquired by the Rubenstein Library through three separate purchases, 1974-1986.
Processed by: Janie C. Morris
Completed February 18, 1987
Encoded by Stephen Douglas Miller
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
George Henry Hood was a resident of Chelsea, Essex County, Mass., and a rubber goods salesman and businessman during the latter half of the 19th century. Prior to the Civil War, Hood was employed at Winslow, Hood and Co. of Boston, a firm which wholesaled boots, shoes, and shoemaker's tools.
During at least part of the Civil War (1861) Hood was a travelling sales representative for Rubber Clothing Company, a firm based in Boston and New York that specialized in providing military equipment. He also sold rubber goods for a number of other firms during the war while travelling to St. Louis, New York, Washington, D.C., and other places.
After the war, Hood went into various other business ventures before founding the Boston Rubber Company in 1877, which eventually merged with the United States Rubber Company in 1892.
Hood married Henrietta ("Etta") Janvrin in Sentember 1859. They had several children, including Helen, a musical child prodigy who became a composer. In 1896, two of Hood's sons, Arthur Needham Hood (1868-1950) and F. C. Hood formed the Hood Rubber Company in Boston where Hood retained an office at least until 1912.
The papers of George Henry Hood span the years 1857 to 1895, although the bulk of the material falls in the period 1861 to 1863. It consists primarily of correspondence between Hood and his wife
The correspondence is primarily of a personal nature, dealing with family matters and the mutual concerns of a husband and wife about being separated during his business trips. A few letters relate to Hood's daughter Helen.
The papers of George Henry Hood are organized into a single, chronologically arranged file of correspondence. Miscellaneous items are so few and insignificant that they have been interfiled with the correspondence. Preceding that file is an information folder containing biographical information about several of the correspondents found in the collection, including Helen Hood, and photocopies of pages from several Boston city directories indicating Hood's business interests in that area.
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