While researching industrial concerns in Holyoke, one may come across lesser-known companies that contributed to the local economy and have a story to tell. Today's feature tells the story of the Stedman Paper Company, which operated for many years in the 20th century.
William Sheldon Stedman was born in Freeport, Illinois, on September 21, 1856. He moved to Northampton, Massachusetts, before relocating to Holyoke in 1880. Shortly after his arrival, he went to work with J. K. Judd in the paper jobbing business. A paper jobber is essentially a salesperson who wholesales paper products to retailers and other businesses. During his 19 years at the Judd Paper Company, he rose to company Treasurer.
After leaving Judd Paper, he worked for the United Box Board and Paper Company and then the Paper Products Company. In 1904, he established his own business office at 350 Broadway in New York, where he wholesaled paper and board products. At the time, he and his family resided in Mt. Vernon, New York.
Soon after, he returned to Holyoke, where he worked as assistant treasurer of the Barlow Manufacturing Company.
He also sold insurance for the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Co. His office was located in the Whiting Street building at 32 Main Street, where many upstart businesses located before moving on to larger facilities or deciding not to move forward at all.
It was here that Mr. Stedman started his wholesale paper business around 1910. The business remained at that location until 1915, when it relocated to 9 Suffolk Street, Room #31, in the Rackliffe Building, also known as the Suffolk Theater Building.
The business was incorporated as William S. Stedman, Inc. in 1916. The business continued in the Rackliffe Building until 1936.
After William S. Stedman died in March 1935, his son, William S. Stedman, Jr., continued the business as its President. In 1936, the company relocated to 79 Sargeant Street, to property owned by the Gas & Electric Company. This was formerly the George Dickinson Paper Co. mill. Within one year, four additional businesses rented the remaining space. The company was rebranded as the Stedman Paper Company.
In 1957, William S. Stedman, Jr. died, having suffered a medical emergency while driving his car on Pleasant Street.
Albert H. and Ethel (Becher) Guenther then bought the business in 1958. The Guenthers continued to operate the business and later relocated to the former Crocker-McElwain Paper Mill at 102 Cabot Street in the mid-1960s. The company had 8,000 square feet of mill space and manufactured roll edge protectors for paper rolls.
Shortly before Ethel Guenther's death in February 1979, the Stedman Paper was sold to Judd Paper Company, completing a circle back to William S. Stedman, Sr.'s employment in the late 1800s.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Genealogy Records and Price & Lee, Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
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