Title |
Craig, Finley & Co. |
Date |
fl. 1867-1950 |
Description |
Craig, Finley & Co., the lithographic and printing firm established in 1867 by printer William Craig (b. ca. 1838), operated
until 1950. The firm printed pamphlets, trade cards, and commercial business ephemera, including certificates and letterhead
for patrons like Riehl Bros., manufacturer of cutting machines. Between 1867 and 1870, the firm, including partners Craig
and James Finley (1846-1932), operated under the names of Craig, Butt, Finley (1869) and Craig, Finley & Rowley (1869-1870)
from Tenth and Chestnut streets.
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In August 1870, Craig, Finley & Rowley announced their dissolution in the "Printers Circular" as a result of the retirement
of Thomas Rowley. The firm continued as Craig, Finley & Co. with the remaining partners of William Craig, James G. Finley
and James Ferguson, Jr. (b. ca. 1840). After 1870, the firm relocated to South Eleventh and Chestnut streets, and in 1875,
to 1018/1020 Arch Street. On October 31, 1877 a fire struck the firm. The blaze destroyed the establishment's stock of printing
presses, paper, and types in addition to damaging its stored lithographic stones at an estimated cost of $25,000, which was
covered by their insurance.
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The three partners remained in business into the 20th-century with increasingly larger facilities at 137-139 North Twelfth
Street by 1920 and 2218-20-22 Vine Street by 1929 where the firm remained until at least 1945.
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William Craig, born in Ireland ca. 1838, lived on Franklin Street (20th Ward) in North Philadelphia with his wife Mary (b.
ca. 1840) and six children in 1880. James G. Finley, born in Pennsylvania ca. 1846, was married to Ellen (b. ca. 1848) with
two children and lived in a household with a servant on Evergreen Avenue (Roxborough) in 1880. By 1930, Finley remained active
in the printing trade and lived in Springfield, Pa. with his second wife Anna (b. ca. 1849) and a servant. He died in June
1932. James Ferguson, Jr., born ca. 1840 in Pennsylvania, lived on 1646 Vienna, (i.e., Berks) Street in Kensington with his
three children, including step son James Alexander in 1880.
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Is part of |
Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers |
Call number |
Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers |
Bibliographic citation |
Census 1880, 1930 |
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Last, 177 |
|
Library Company of Philadelphia Research file |
|
National Lithographers (June 1932): 42. |
|
Philadelphia Business and City Directories, 1867-1945 (intermittently) |
|
Printers' Circular (August 1870): 240 |
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Lithography-Vertical Box 4, Warshaw Collection of Business Ephemera, Archives Center, Smithsonian Institution |