Collection Summary
Walter Tips Company
Walter Tips Company Records
1875-1952.
1900-1935.
The Walter Tips Company of Austin was founded in 1857. The papers of this collection contain correspondence, minutes, legal and financial documents, and printed material. The material is arranged in five main categories concerned with the purchase of land and building the warehouse, employee and employer concerns, a stock dispute, estate management, and wholesale catalogs.
2 linear feet, 4 boxes, 278 items.
AR.X.021
Archives and Manuscripts Collection.
Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, 810 Guadalupe, Austin, Texas, 78701.
Administrative Information
Custodial History:
The bulk of the collection was donated in 1985 by a former president of the Walter Tips Company, one of the catalogs was given by another donor, and company blank stationary was given by another.
Preferred Citation:
Walter Tips Company Records, 1875-1952 (AR.X.021). Austin, TX: Austin History Center, Austin Public Library.
Acquistion Information:
Donor #: DO/1985/037; DO/1995/025; DO/1968/012.
Donation Date: May, 1985; March, 1987; January, 1994.
Processing Information:
Initial Inventory and Preliminary Processing By/Date: Holley White / Nov. 1987.
Final Processing and Finding Aid By/Date: Ruth Baker / Feb. 2002.
Restrictions
Restrictions on Access
None.
Restrictions on Use
None.
Index Terms
Persons:
Schmidt, Fox.
Wattinger, H. E.
Fristoe, H. M.
Younger, A. H.
Merrem, E. L.
Flynn, Thomas.
Smith, Roy.
Groos, George.
Smith, O. W.
Creighton, J. O.
Searight, Dan.
Fisher, Ed. J.
Kluge, Tom.
McSwain, J. M.
Posey, Frank
Goeth, A. C.
Tips, Kathryn S.
Tips, Walter H.
Oatman, Sneed [Bush].
Hampton, C. R.
Organizations:
Page Brothers.
Brown Brothers.
Johnson Brothers.
National Hardware Association of United States.
Subjects:
Architects-Texas-Austin.
Contractors-Texas-Austin.
Business.
Hardware industry.
Places:
Austin (Tex.).
Document Types:
Certificates.
Correspondence.
Financial documents.
Legal documents.
Printed material.
Titles:
Profit Sharing with Employees.
Administrative History of Walter Tips Company
The Walter Tips Company of Austin was founded in 1857 by Edward Tips, who owned the business until his death in 1872. His brother, Walter Tips, bought the business after his death and incorporated it into his own business in New Braunfels. In 1881 Walter Tips sold his interests in his original business to his partners and devoted himself to the hardware business in Austin. The hardware store eventually branched out into other areas such as heavy machinery and leather and wood trappings for horse drawn vehicles. The Tips Foundry & Machine Company was created to service machinery. In the 1900s a division started building engines. Walter Tips served as chief administrator until his death in 1911. Today the Walter Tips Company still exists in Austin.
Scope and Contents of the Records
The papers contain correspondence, minutes, legal and financial documents, printed, and general material related to the Walter Tips Company of Austin. Arranged into four main categories concerned with the purchase of land and building the warehouse, employee and employer concerns, a stock dispute, estate management, and wholesale catalogs, the bulk of the material covers the period of 1900-1935 with a small amount of pre-1900 items and one 1958 item. The company's procedures for compensation of its travelling salesmen are especially well documented. The material related to the warehouse details the purchase of the land for the warehouse site and the actual construction of the warehouse, giving estimates on construction costs.
Organization of the Records
Theses records are organized into five series:
- Warehouse - Land purchase and Construction.
- Employees/Employers.
- Stock Dispute.
- Hampton Estate.
- Wholesale Catalogs.
Walter Tips Papers AR.X.22
AF - Biography. Scherding Family. Austin Files.
AF - Biography. Tips Family. Austin Files.
HB - Congress Avenue 708-712. Austin Files.
HB - 7th Street, West, 315. Austin Files.
A 725.2109764 Fr.A History of the Tips Building. Frankling Savings Association. Austin, TX: The Association, 1981.
A 338.76 GO AA.One Hundred Years of Tips in Texas. Goeth, Ralph Conrad. Austin, TX: s.n., 1957.
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Series 1: Warehouse - Land Purchases and Construction
Land Purchases
1
1
Legal documents - Deeds, 1897-1941.
(14 items).
1
2
Legal documents - Abstracts of title, 1880-1927.
1
2
Agreements, 1898-1927. Marriage certificates, 1914-1921.
(14 items).
1
3
Correspondence, 1917-1921.
(5 items).
Construction
1
4
Correspondence, 1926-1927.
(18 items).
1
5
Minutes, Board of Directors' meetings, 1927.
1
5
Contracts, releases and agreements, 1927-1929.
(13 items).
1
6
Cost estimates, 1927. Bills & receipts, 1926-1929.
(18 items).
1
7
Bills and estimates, 1926-27, 1929.
(16 items).
Series 2: Employees/Employers
1
8
Correspondence-Letters sent by company to employees - Re: Salaries. 1915, 1916, 1918-21, 1930.
(28 items).
1
9
Correspondence - Letters received from salesmen and others - Re: Salaries. 1916, 1919-21, 1923.
(12 items).
1
10
Employee/employer agreements. n.d., 1916, 1920-23, 1925-27, 1934.
(41 items).
1
11
General, n.d., 1919.
1
11
Printed material, n.d. Profit Sharing with Employees.
(5 items).
1
12
Insurance policy on employees. 1944.
(1 item).
Series 3: Stock Dispute
1
13
Correspondence and related material, 1935-37, 1952.
(17 items).
1
14
General material - Patents. 1886, 1890, 1891, 1892.
(5 items).
1
15
Company stationary - blank. n.d.
(12 items).
Series 4: Hampton Estate
1
16
Correspondence and receipts relating to the Hampton Estate. Austin(Tex.). n.d., 1875, 1877-79.
(56 items).
Series 5: Wholesale catalogs
2
Catalog. 1971.
(1 item).
3
Catalog. 1970-1976.
(1 item).
4
Catalog - Automobile supplies. 1918.
(1 item).
(Item is in fragile condition).