E. F. Craven Company records, 1793-1991 and undated, bulk 1907-1965

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Summary

Creator:
E. F. Craven Co.
Extent:
42 Linear Feet
Approximately 33,750 Items
Language:
English
Collection ID:
RL.00353

Background

Scope and content:

The E. F. Craven Company Records document the development of a North Carolina road machinery dealership from a small family business into a multi-million dollar corporation. The material spans the years from 1793 to 1991; the bulk of the collection is dated 1907-1965.

Much of the material in the early years of the Correspondence Series consists of communication to and from equipment dealers and customers concerning the sale and repair of road machinery. The Cravens usually included information on the health and activities of family members in their business letters to each other. E. A. Craven frequently offered financial and spiritual advice to his son, writing his responses on the back of his son's letters to him, so that the letter and the reply appear on opposite sides of the same page. Between December 1912 and January 1916 there is a considerable amount of correspondence between family members regarding the execution of Eli A. Craven's will. Many letters written between 1907 and 1930 are written on stationery illustrated with detailed renderings of various types of early road-building equipment.

From the late 1920's until the 1940's, Franklin Duval Craven ran the Asheville office of E. F. Craven Company, frequently travelling on sales trips. E. F. Craven often wrote encouraging his son in his work and giving him advice on sales strategy. Letters from E. A. Craven and E. F. Craven reflect the deep religious beliefs of the two men and the importance they placed in conducting their lives and their business in a moral fashion.

During World War II, several of the company's employees served in the armed forces. Duval Craven corresponded frequently with them, and copies of his letters and their replies can be found among the correspondence from the war years.

As the organizational structure of the company increased in complexity, the amount of family correspondence in the collection decreased. Interoffice communications comprise a large amount of the correspondence after the 1960's.

The files in the Legal Papers, Financial Records, and Directors' Minutes Series combine to form a profile of the E. F. Craven Company: its sales, expansions, customer base, and its staff and leaders. Of particular interest is its relationship with the NC Highway Commission and state officials. Early materials in the Legal Papers Series relate to the business and land-holding activities of the Craven family in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Among the items in the Printed Materials Series is a nearly complete run of The Road Machinery News, a serial published by E. F. Craven Company from 1925 until 1978. This newsletter contained news about road construction, information and advertisements regarding road building machinery, and a column "A Line or Two," written by E. F. Craven. In these editorials, Craven expressed his moral and spiritual philosophies. The articles were compiled in 1975 and published as a volume entitled A Line or Two. Educational material on general sales techniques published in 1928 and 1929 is also included in the Printed Materials Series. These books and pamphlets were used in the hiring and training of E. F. Craven Company sales staff.

The Visual Materials Series includes photographs, silent motion picture films, and illustrated trade catalogs demonstrating the attributes of road construction machinery and road-building techniques of the early twentieth century. Use copies must be made of moving images before content can be accessed. Please contact the Research Services staff before coming to use this series.

Both Eli F. Craven and Eli A. Craven became members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in the 1890's. Occasional references to the Craven family's support of the Society of Friends are found in documents throughout the collection. Items specifically concerned with the Religious Society of Friends are grouped in the Subject Files under the same name.

Biographical / historical:
Date Event
1907
Eli Franklin Craven sold road building machinery built by various manufacturers
1918
Craven built his first office building (13,000 square feet) on Morehead Avenue in Greensboro, NC
1925
Craven built larger three-story building adjoining his existing one and facing on Elm Street
1926
Craven incorporated his business as E. F. Craven Company. His son Franklin Duval Craven began working for him as a salesman
1964
F. Duval Craven became President of the company after his father's death
Nov. 1975
E. F. Craven Company was sold to Brocar, Inc., retaining same officers and employees. Company's name changed to EFC Associates, Inc.
1978
F. Duval Craven retired
1993 Mar. 30
Death of F. Duval Craven

Although Eli Franklin Craven founded the company named for him, the Craven family's involvement in the sale of road-building machinery began with his father Eli Asbury Craven (1824-1912). The elder Craven, a Methodist minister, sold farm and road machinery in Causey, NC before 1895. Around the turn of the century, both he and his son represented Acme Road Machinery, a company based in Frankfort, New York. Eli F. Craven sold machines produced by other companies as well, including Studebaker Brothers, Russell Grader Manufacturing Company, and John Deere Plow Company. Soon he became known to his customers as "E. F. Craven, the Road Machinery Man."

Craven's business flourished after the 1921 issuance of North Carolina's first road bonds. In 1926, after the incorporation of the company, Craven changed the slogan to "E. F. Craven Company, the Road Machinery Men," and sales totalled over $1,000,000.00. Eli Franklin Craven was manager. His son, F. Duval Craven, worked for the company as a salesperson.

During the 1940's, Franklin Duval Craven took an increasingly active role in the management of the company. Duval served as General Manager by 1948. At his father's death in 1964, he became the president of E. F. Craven Company. At this time, his brother Edwin Asbury Craven (1909-1966) was Vice-President and Treasurer. In 1977, F. Duval Craven gave up many of the operating responsibilities of the company. Charles A. Hines, Jr. became President and Chief Operating Officer.

In November 1975, F. Duval Craven sold the company to John J. Brogan of West Chatham, Massachusetts and Charles C. Carson of New York City (Brocar, Inc.), who changed the name to EFC Associates. The company retained the same officers and staff.

Acquisition information:
The E. F. Craven Company Records were donated to the Manuscript Department in 1978 by Franklin Duval Craven, the son of Eli Franklin Craven. Mr. Craven also provided support for the processing of the collection.
Processing information:

Processed by Melissa J. Delbridge, Kelly Cottrell, Edna Riggs, and Sandra Hack

Encoded by Robin LaPasha

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open.

Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

In addition, all or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. There may be a 48-hour delay in obtaining these materials.

Also, some of the materials in this collection are not immediately accessible, because they require further processing before use.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in the records of the E. F. Craven Company have not been transferred to Duke University. For further information, see the section on copyright in the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Before you visit:
Please consult our up-to-date information for visitors page, as our services and guidelines periodically change.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], E. F. Craven Company Records, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University

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