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Justin H. McCarthy Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-2023-03-10

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of materials related to the mercantile business operated by Justin H. McCarthy as Bond-McCarthy Co, Inc. in Taos, New Mexico, beginning in 1904. Included are ledgers, pay records, checkbooks, correspondence, receipt books as well as documents pertaining to business with the First State Bank, Taos, and the First National Bank of Trinidad, Trinidad, Colorado. The Bond-McCarthy Company was deeply involved in the sheep and wool business, and the collection contains material pertaining to those enterprises, including such items as a Telegraphic Cipher Code Book for sheep and wool transactions. The collection also includes a one-page narrative of Bond-McCarthy Company Notes compiled by Justin McCarthy’s grandson, John “Jack” McCarthy, Jr. and a two-page biographical sketch written by Eileen McCarthy, eldest child of Justin and Emma McCarthy. The collection is currently unprocessed; please consult with CSWR reference staff with any questions and for access.

A digital copy of a photograph entitled "Partners in Bond Companies, 1929" is available on New Mexico Digital Collections.

Dates

  • 1904 - 2023

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Biographical / Historical

Justin Henry McCarthy was born in Harlem, Illinois on August 6, 1873. In 1894-1895, Justin left Illinois to join his brother Timothy’s Paint & Paper Co. in Pueblo, Colorado, as a bookkeeper. After eight months, Justin took a bookkeeper job with the Bond & Nohl company’s general store operated by George and Frank Bond in Española, New Mexico. In 1902, Justin traveled back to Illinois to marry Emma De Gan and their first child, Eileen, was born in 1903. The McCarthys eventually had five other children, Justin, John, Loretta, Harry and George. In 1904, the McCarthy family moved to Taos, New Mexico. On September 12, 1904, George and Frank Bond, Gerson Gusdorf and Justin H. McCarthy purchased Alexander Gusdorf’s general merchandise inventory and the next day they opened Bond, Gusdorf, McCarthy Company on the Taos plaza. The company conducted a general merchandise business, including the sale of coffins and rental of a horse-drawn hearse. Gerson Gusdorf sold his interest in the business in 1907, and in 1908 the name of the corporation was changed to the Bond-McCarthy Company. Justin McCarthy and the Bonds continued their association until 1935, when Justin and his son John purchased the Bonds’ interests. Justin H. McCarthy died on August 12, 1944. The Bond-McCarthy Company continued until it was dissolved on March 2, 1961.

Extent

6 boxes : Also inlcudes 16 oversized ledgers.

Language of Materials

English

Physical Location

The collection is shelved on B3-4A.
Title
Finding Aid of the
Status
In Progress
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository

Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451