44

(Elkins, New London, New Hampshire, 1830-1905)

Scythe & Axe Business Archive, Manuscript Records of Phillips, Messer, and Colby [Tools - YMCA - Scytheville]

A group of more than thirty [30] ledgers and related manuscript materials documenting the manufacturing village of Scytheville, New Hampshire, from 1830 to 1905. Most items are associated with Joseph E. Phillips (1811-1869), co-founder of the Scythe Factory, which gave the village of Scytheville (now Elkins) its name and industrial identity. Phillips established the enterprise in partnership with Richard Messer and Governor Anthony Colby.

Highlights include several early account and record-keeping books documenting the operations of Phillips, Messer & Colby from the 1830s through the 1840s. These records detail financial transactions and daily business activities, including the production of scythes, axes, and other edged tools, as well as employee listings, references to the company boarding house, and other aspects of village life and industry.

Also included is an 1854 ledger of the New Hampshire State Council for New London, of which Phillips served as president (6 pages), along with a ledger of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), Scytheville, dated 1879. Additional volumes represent other local enterprises, including the New London Scythe Company, W. Brownell & Co., and related businesses.
Largest: 13 3/4 x 9 in. (34.9 x 22.9 cm.)

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April 25, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
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