As many large companies sustained the employment base in Holyoke, there were also many lesser-known shops with fewer than 30 employees. Taken in the aggregate, these many small plants, all operating, contributed greatly to Holyoke’s workforce. One of these mid-20th-century businesses was the James J. Hendron Manufacturing Company.
Before striking out on his own, James J. Hendron had spent 36 years working for the West Springfield unit of the New England Box Company. At the age of 50, he decided to form and operate his own box company.
The James J. Hendron Manufacturing Company was formed in June 1939. Rose and Ella Hendron were also mentioned as incorporators. With many years of experience in the box industry, James Hendron’s company would produce high-grade cabinets, displays, and wooden boxes for industrial use.
The company was located at 58 Canal Street in the Hadley Mills building owned by the Holyoke Gas & Electric Department. 6,000 feet of floor space was available to the company for its use. At its inception, 15 to 20 workers were needed.
During the 1940s, the company outgrew its space and, in 1950, moved to 642 South Summer Street, in the former Goetz Silk Co. mill, which was then owned by the Pratt & Austin Company.
In 1961, the company moved to Chicopee after purchasing the former Savage Arms Complex at 50 East Street. At the time, 32 employees were working for the box maker. The company operated until 1976 when James J. Hendron retired.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Price & Lee Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
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