QUILT HISTORY STORIES
ELGIN, ILLINOIS
Collingbourne Mills and Virginia Snow Studios Story
Book 1 and Book 2
Susan Wildemuth, Atkinson, IL
Collingbourne Mills, Inc. Elgin, Illinois
History of Collingbourne Mills, Inc. and Virginia Snow Studios
Elgin, Illinois
Western Thread and Dye Works
Chicago, Illinois
Western Thread and Dye Works of Chicago, Illinois (Cook County) filed for incorporation on November 24, 1902 and was incorporated on December 13, 1902 by Benjamin Hinman, Jr., John H. Jameson, and Edwin B. Bodley. (31) The initial investment of $15,000.00 was forwarded by stockholders Warren F. Purdy ($2000.00), Granville Kimball ($2000.00), Martin Kimman ($1000.00), J. Nelson Wilbur ($8000.00), and Howard E. Troutman ($2000.00). (32) The Board of Directors were Granville Kimball – President, Martin Kimman – Secretary, and Howard E. Troutman – Treasurer.(33) The purpose of this thread and dye company was the manufacture of and the buying, selling, and dealing in silk and cotton threads, yarns, tapes, braids, and cords; the dyeing of cotton, silk, and woolen threads and yarns; and the mercerizing of threads and yarns.
Western Thread Company
Elgin, Illinois
In an attempt to attract new industry to their community, the Commercial Club, a forerunner of the present Elgin (Illinois) Area Chamber of Commerce, approached Western Thread and Dye Works in 1908 to see if they would be interested in moving their base of operations to Elgin. (34) A deal was laid on the table by which the Commercial Club would pay the moving expenses of the Chicago-based company to relocate to Elgin, Illinois. In 1908-1909 it was voted on and passed that Western Thread and Dye Works would change their name to Western Thread Company and the principal office of the corporation moved from Chicago, Illinois (Cook County) to Elgin, Illinois (Kane County). (35) The purpose of Western Thread Company was to manufacture, buy, sell, and deal in threads, yarns, tapes, braids, cords, and all articles in the manufacture of which the foregoing are used, and all kindred articles; and to dye, mercerize and treat by other processes the foregoing articles.
What lured this successful company to leave Chicago and build at the Bluff City Boulevard location in Elgin? Pure spring water, five springs to be exact at the site east of the Fox River Switch, making it possible for them to eventually develop boil-proof colors in pastel and floral hues. (36) This breakthrough established new dyeing ideals and the Western Thread Company of Elgin, Illinois plant was built at the Bluff City Boulevard location, which “consisted of two – one story buildings” and opened its doors for business for the first time in 1910. (37) W.R. Swartwout was President of Western Thread Company at the time of the Elgin move and would remain in that capacity until around 1913-14 when he stepped down from that position to become Western Thread’s Manager and later Secretary-Treasurer at the same time Albert B. Collingbourne stepped up to the helm.
Oral history states Albert Collingbourne approached his employers about purchasing Western Thread Company, but they were not interested. (38) Seeing the potential for the company, Mr. Collingbourne left his salesman position and came to work at Western Thread Company sometime around 1912. (39) There is no documented primary source description of what his job duties were, but family history states that he came to the company to work as a salesman. Collingbourne acquired controlling interest in the company because he had discovered that the Elgin plant could duplicate certain colors in yarns obtainable only from abroad. (40) The Elgin City Directory lists Walter Swartwout as President in 1912. (41) By 1913 the same directory had changed his title to manager Western Thread Company, S.E. Corner of Bluff City Blvd and Raymond. (42) The Collingbourne name first starts appearing on Western Thread documents in the capacity of President on September 29, 1914. (43) By the mid 1910s, business was booming and a second story was added to the Bluff City plant about 1915.(44)
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