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S. F. Travis Company Collection, 1921-1939

 

Summary

Abstract:
S. F. Travis Company was established in September 1885 by Colonel S. F. Travis, who served in the American Civil War. He sold various merchandise to locals mainly to the settlements along the riverbanks by traveling on a boat going up and down the St. Johns River from Jacksonville to Fort Pierce. The collection includes his business transactions from 1921 to 1935. The ledgers show each transactions reflect the sale of general merchandise, such as dry goods, notions, ladies' and gents' furnishings, groceries, and hardware.
Extent:
2.5 Linear Feet 5 Boxes
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

S. F. Travis Company Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Background

Scope and content:

One series comprises this collection.

The collection includes handwritten and carbon copies of business ledgers, book of daily transactions with customers of the S. F. Travis Company mercantile store: L. R. Rainey Dry Goods Store, Monticello, Florida between 1921 and 1935. The collection follows the original order in which it was received, delineated by tabbed markers in A to Z order by purchaser. The ledgers were originally housed in 4-ring binder notebooks. They have been removed from the binders and placed in acid-free folders.

Collection includes information about each transaction, such as date, description, charges, credits and balance. Transactions reflect the sale of general merchandise, such as dry goods, notions, ladies' and gents' furnishings, staple and fancy groceries, shelf and heavy hardware. Accounts were settled with either cash or bartering goods.

Collection also includes one business card from January 1939 produced by the Wallace Pencil Company as an advertisement for "Invader" pencils. The business card was customized for J. N. Rosolio, Business Systems - Office Equipment, Thomasville, GA.

Biographical / historical:

S. F. Travis Company was established in September 1885 by Colonel S. F. Travis (July 12, 1855-July 1, 1921), who served in the American Civil War. He sold various merchandise to locals mainly to the settlements along the riverbanks by traveling on a boat going up and down the St. Johns River from Jacksonville to Fort Pierce. During that time, there were no established roads or railways in East Central Florida and all the supplies had to be delivered by boat. Around 1892, he purchased an existing store on Delannoy Avenue near the Indian River about nine miles from the Kennedy Space Center and used it as a warehouse, later on became a permanent retail store. S. F. Travis passed away in 1921 and buried in Cocoa City Cemetery, Brevard County, Florida.

His son, S. F. Travis Jr. also known as "Fred", took over the business and served to the community for 57 years. Later on, Joseph E. Field run the company for 20 years until his death in 1983. The company is currently operated by Travis "Mac" Osborne who purchased all the existing stock in the company from other family members in 1985. He is the president of the Cocoa Village Merchants Association, head of the Cocoa Rotary Club, and active member of Georgianna Methodist Church. Mac also received the first Four Way Test award from Rockledge Rotary Club for commitment, volunteerism, and charitable support within the community. The company continues to provide industrial hardware supplies to local cities, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Patrick Air Force Base, and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. S. F. Travis Company is the oldest continually-run family company in Brevard County, Florida.

Acquisition information:
Travis "Mac" Osborne donated these materials to the University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives Department in 1990 (CFM1990_01).
Processing information:

Processed by Suphi Burak Ogreten; finding aid prepared by Suphi Burak Ogreten.

Materials have been placed in acid-free folders and housed in an acid-free boxes. All rusty items such as nails and metal paper clips have been removed so as to prevent any futher damage to the materials.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The entire collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Unpublished records are protected by copyright. Permission to publish quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Preferred citation:

S. F. Travis Company Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Location of this collection:
John C. Hitt Library
12701 Pegasus Drive, Building 2
Orlando
FL
32816-8030
USA