The Belford Lumber Company was a well-known and respected business that operated in Georgetown, Texas, from 1891 until 1967. This company built some of the most architecturally and historically significant buildings and homes in Georgetown. C. S. Belford, the company’s founder, was known by other builders of his time as one of the best judges of construction in the state. He created a large operation of construction, building supplies, wagons, and buggies that was located on West 7th Street. While Belford supervised all construction, A. W. Sillure, Vice President, selected all building materials and managed all bookkeeping for the company.

Many meticulously crafted Belford homes and buildings still exist in Georgetown and surrounding areas. Belford would not use inferior lumber and tolerated no chimney a fraction of an inch off plumb.

C. S. Belford operated the Belford Lumber Company from 1891 until his death in 1929. The company continued operations under the direction of A. W. Sillure and Fred Belford through the depression years and stiff competition until it officially closed its doors in 1967.

This collection consists of journals, artifacts, files, and documents related to the operation of the Belford Lumber Company.

The most significant artifact is the C. S. Belford Master Carpenter’s Tool Chest. This tool chest was made by Belford for his Master Carpenter’s certification in the 1890s and was loaded on the wagon he drove to all building sites.

Other materials in this collection include Contract Ledgers 1910-1924, Minutes from the stockholder meetings 1892-1967, Journals, rent ledgers, stock sales records and certificates 1892-1968, samples and sample books, as well as spec sheets and blueprints of various homes identified only by original buyer, addition and lot number.

One item from the original accession was listed as an Expanding File and contained folded documents. The papers in this file have been flattened and placed in file folders in a document case and are organized by alphabetic letter as they were in the expanding file. The papers cover a time period of 1925-1949 with many of the liens/deeds of trust dating from the depression years. These lien/deeds indicated that property such as homes, land, farming equipment or cattle were to be given to Belford Lumber Company as collateral for home construction or supplies purchased. There are ledger pages of amounts owed/paid, sheets of figures, tax receipts, and some correspondence.

Many of the collection’s fourteen blueprints have spec sheets for the buildings contained in the files. Some plans are for unidentified buildings, and many are identified by the name of the person contracting the building or by addition and lot number; no street addresses are shown on the plans. There is a small group of artifacts that were items used in the offices such as glue pots, ink stands and tin measuring cups. The Belford Lumber Company seal and a sample of the razors sold under the title “Belford Safety Razor” are also part of the collection.

Note to researchers: In order to find the contract date or other building information about a specific Belford structure, you will need to know the name of the person who made the original contract for construction with the Belford Lumber Company.

1.1 Miscellaneous Papers: Sample Books for Mouldings, Concrete Blocks 1920 Wood Mouldings Standard Designs Southern Pine Association—New Orleans, Louisiana; Standard Moulding Book, 3rd edition Huttig Sash & Door Co.—Dallas, Texas; Hobbs Building Block Company—Austin, Texas with price list and concrete step brochure. 

1.2 Miscellaneous Papers: Sample Books, Handbooks 1918 Red Book: Describing the products manufactured by the United States Gypsum Co.; The Handbook on Painting—National Lead Company; The Brier Hill Steel Co. Weights of Sheets and Plates—Youngstown, Ohio; Waterbury Wire Rope, Armored Rope, Fibreclad Rope, Music Wire, Manila Rope, Sisal Rope, Drilling Cables general catalogue and price list [front: A. W. Sillure in gold letters]—New York . 

2.1 Tinnin-Belford Co.1903 Contains: note re: Belford materials donors, and list of artifacts; memos of requests “to pay” to E. F. Booty Treasurer from C. S. Belford President. 

2.2 Building Spec Sheets n.d. Specifications for: Sam V. Stone , A. J. Engvall, Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Eans, Mr. & Mrs. Donald Barron, Mr. & Mrs. E. L. Cooper, Sun Publishing Co., Mr. & Mrs. Harry Swenson, Mr. & Mrs. Styles Byrom. 

2.3 Building Spec Sheets n.d. Spec Sheets for moving a house to new lot, new residence Mr. & Mrs. A. O. Engelbrecht and Mr. & Mrs. Horace Harrison. 

3.1 Expanding File, A 1925-1936 Customers whose last names start with an “A”; Credit receipts; Scrap paper with calculations; Responses from customers to letters re: payments; file primarily concerns Lee O. Allen. 

3.2 Expanding File, B 1928-1941 Customers whose last names begin with “B”; Scrap paper with calculations; Receipts from purchases; Credit receipts; Beckman, Brown, Barrera. 

3.3 Expanding File, C-E 1927-1942 Customers whose last names start with “C” through “E”; Letters to customers regarding due payments; Credit receipts; Receipts from purchases; Scrap paper with calculations; Cooke, Collins, Estes, Carvel, Cobb, Carter, Davis, Davidson. 

3.4 Expanding File, F-G 1933-1942 Customers whose last names start with “F” through “G”; Credit receipts; Note of interest: account closed because of death; Frymite, Ford, Green, Fain, Fabio. 

3.5 Expanding File, G-N 1928-1949 Customers whose last names start with “G” through “N”; Credit receipts, Receipts re: purchases; Deeds of Trust for Land; Letters regarding overdue due payments. Delinquent Tax Notice; Mercer, Gholson, Nelson. 

3.6 Expanding File, H 1928-1941. Customers whose last names start with “H”; Deed of Trust for Land; Credit receipts; Hardin, Hanson, Harringal, Hurt, Hutte, Hall. 

3.7 Expanding File, J 1929-1936. Customers whose last names start with “J”; Credit receipts; Scrap paper with calculations; Johnson, Jenkins, Johns, Ichy. 

3.8 Expanding File, K-M 1927-1944 Customers whose last names start with “K” through “M”; Credit receipts; Letter, Laughlin; Scrap paper with calculations; Kelly, Laughlin, Lawson, Lindholm, Lockhart, Merray, Montgomery, Mitchell, Marshall, Neinast, Oman, Osgood, Rice, Rogan, Martin. 

3.9 Expanding File, P 1930-1935. Customers whose last names start with “P”; Credit receipts; Scrap paper with calculations; Letter, Steins Agency; Pulliam, Peterson, Pospesil, Palm, Mercer. 

3.10 Expanding File, R 1922-1944. Customers whose last names start with “R”; Credit receipts; Letters regarding overdue payments; Scrap paper with calculations; Tomlinson, Weer, Tanksly, Trammell, Snowden, Redard, Robertson, Ryden, Johnson, Reagor, Sandberg, Stewart, Sherman, Shofner, Schneider, Stajanik, Smarr, Sedwick, Sedberry. 

3.11 Expanding File, V-W 1922-1937 Customers whose last names start with “V” through “W”; Credit Receipts; overdue payment reminders; Copies of checks; Letters from customers regarding overdue payments; Scrap papers with calculations; Voss, Bieles, Weir, Zimmerman, Walker, West. 

3.12 Expanding File, W 1927-1940. Customers whose last names start with “W”; Credit receipts; Receipts from purchases; Scrap Paper with calculations; Account information for various customers; Deed of Trust for Cattle, “Emergency Cattle Agreement”; Reminders of overdue payments; Woods, Micken, Wierman, Nunn, Robinson, McInnis, Patterson, Schlather. 


Ledgers/Journals/Minutes (on shelves, not boxed)
Contract Book, Index to Contract Book
1910-1919.
Leather bound

Contract Book 
1916-1924.
Leather bound; spine labeled ‘Contract Book B. L. Co.’.

Ledger
1902-1903
Contains sales to Southwestern and Ladies’ Annex; with list of existing Belford homes made by Clara Scarbrough in 1983.

Ledger 
1903-1904
Leather bound double entry ledger; spine labeled ‘Ledger 12 1903-4 B. L. Co.

Rent Ledger
1957-1959

Journal 
1903-1904
Leather bound journal; spine labeled ‘Journal 12 1903-4 B. L. Co.’.

Stock Record
1892
Contains stock certificates and other legal documents (signatures of William Wiess, Carothers, T. S. Snyder, C. S. Belford, Lee Taylor, W. A. Sillure, etc).

Stock Record
1938-1967
Contains stockholder lists, certificates.

Stock Record
1938-1968
Stock certificates (some blank), correspondence, indemnity agreements, transfer tax stamps, blank forms to order stock transfer stamps, testamentary letters.

Stock Record
1982
3 stock certificates.

Minutes
1892-1931
Book contains stockholder lists, income statements.

Minutes
1903
Minutes for only a few meetings (entries signed by C. S. Belford).

Minutes
1932-1967
Leather bound book; contains minutes, loose sheets and adding machine tapes, proxy forms, resolutions, profit & loss statements.

Time Book
1919-1925.
Leather bound; spine labeled ’18 B. L. Co.’.

Time Book
1925-1937.
Leather bound; spine labeled ’19 B. L. Co.’.

Day Message Telegraph
1911-1913.
Contains hand-written copies of Western Union telegrams sent by Belford Lumber and City Ice & Bottling.

Deposit Book and Pouch 
1951-1967
1st National Bank zippered deposit envelope/pouch; book in pouch
Easy Rider Knee Pad Co. Check Book
1921

Blueprints
Charles Roundtree Residence
n.d.

Dairy Barn
n.d.
Dr. Hobson Martin Residence
n.d.

Horace Harrison Residence
n.d.
7 pages.

Ira Thomas Residence Remodeling 
n.d.
On Lampasas Hwy., Georgetown.

Modern Plan Service
Shreveport, LA
n.d.
Unidentified residence.

Mr. & Mrs. James Manning Residence
n.d.
Proposed plans.

O. R. King Residence
n.d.

Paul Morgan Residence
n.d.
Contractor & builder Joe McMahon.
Tom Lundblad Residence
n.d.
2 sets spec sheets and one small floor plan drawing 

Unidentified Residence
n.d.
4 sets; Eddie Stachy Co., designer.

Walter Barker Dairy Barn
n.d.

A. C. Engelbrecht Residence
n.d.
5 sheets; architect, Corgan & Moore of Dallas.

SU President’s Home
n.d.
One sheet, house footprint only.



Artifacts/Miscellany
C. S. Belford - Master Carpenter’s Tool Chest1890s
Tool chest built by C. S. Belford and used when building homes and businesses in Georgetown from the 1890s to the 1920s.

Belford Lumber Company Seal
n.d.

Desk Supplies
n.d.
Glue pot, white glass, black lid with center extension, separate brush inside lid; c) ink stand, 2 clear glass with metal “well” lid, one packed inside e) tin measuring cup (5” high x 4 1/2” dia., lip labeled ‘for household use only’), one packed inside f) tin drinking cup (2 1/2” high x 3 3/4” dia.).

Shipping Tag
n.d.
In green metal box; also a flyer for Dibold Safe and Lock Co.; 5 ration cards from 1944.

Railroad Spike
n.d.
2 from railroad that serviced Belford Lumber yard.

Razor
1909
Silver metal; green box 1 x 2 x 3 1/2”, labeled in gold lettering “Price $1.00 The ‘Belford’ Safety Razor, The Belford Lumber Co., Lumber, Wagons, Buggies, Grain, Contractors & Builders, Georgetown, Texas”; with 1 unaccessioned razor.

Keys
n.d.
a) 27 sets tagged; b) City Ice & Bottling Works key; c) 60 loose Yale keys, no tag; d) 72 odd keys; all are in a green metal box Commercial Hotel Key tag, inside green metal box.

Balusters
n.d.
Six stair posts from Belford Lumber Co.; with one unaccessioned Belford Lumber Company nail apron (2 pouch apron that ties around the waist).