Lindenwood Grain Co-Op Records

Collection

Identifier: RHC-RC-011

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Lindenwood Collection traces the economic development of an agricultural co-operative from 1919 to 1956. The materials are arranged in a series of three record groups all providing a comprehensive account of the co-op’s fiscal operations. The first series consists of the co-operative’s general business files, 1921-1947; included in this series are correspondence, receipts, tax returns, and annual reports. Also included are several folders of material concerned with the implementation of the War Food Administration and other governmental agencies during World War II. The Co-operative’s bound business volumes, dating from 1919 to 1949, make up the second series of records. In the series are journals of daily entries from sales and other operating income to total operating expenses. The third series, contains loose ledger sheets. The ledgers date from 1920 to 1956. This last series of records provides both weekly and monthly summaries of financial transactions including an analysis of general business accounts and expenses. The researcher should note that portions of the Lindenwood Collection are incomplete. Missing are Board of Director’s minutes, stock records, articles of incorporation, and by-laws. There remains with the Lindenwood Co-op Exchange a sizeable amount of records that complete this collection.

Dates

created: 1919-1956
Other: Date acquired: 06/23/1978

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access to materials in the collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights in the collection belong to the Regional History Center; literary rights are dedicated to the public.

Biographical or Historical Information

The Farmer’s Cooperative Grain Elevators grew as a safeguard against abuses in the grain distributing system as handled by local grain dealers and the line elevator companies. The unregulated predatory combination of dealers and their fixed prices forced the farmer to meet competition by forming cooperatives. In 1889, the first Farmer’s Elevator Company was organized in Rockwell, Iowa, where farmers leased an elevator and proceeded to buy and sell grain. The Lindenwood Grain Elevator was first organized in the late 1880’s as a privately owned company operated by three individuals at different times. In 1920, the elevator company became the Lindenwood Co-operative Exchange, Incorporated. The objectives of this agricultural co-operative were to carry on the business of buying, selling, and storing seeds, coal, lumber and other commodities. During the early years of its existence, the cooperative was supervised by President, James F. Elliot; Secretary, D. D. Carmichel; Treasurer, Joe Holmes and a board of four directors. Because of their success in developing a comprehensive marketing system, the Lindenwood Co-operative Exchange, Incorporated, built up a capital structure which supported its success to the present day.

Note written by