Securities and Investments Files,, 1865-1916

Summary: Records of Ferdinand W. Roebling's financial investment and activities in companies, organizations or institutions, while in his capacity as a stockholder or executive administrator. Documents include incoming and outgoing letters, circular flyers, memoranda, telegrams, contracts and agreements, dividend statements and stock and/or bond certificates. Ferdinand W. invested in certain types of industries: railroads and transportation; telegraph and communications; real estate, banking and insurance, state and federal securities and bonds; electricity and electric light; mining and metallurgy; and oil and coal. There are also a limited number of documents reflecting investments in the rubber and tire industries; hardware and machinery manufacturing; chemical processing; and paper manufacture.

Among the companies represented by documents in this series is the electric lighting company Vitrite & Luminoid (1882-early 1890s ), for which Roebling served as president, and in which both he and Washington A. Roebling lost a great deal of money as investors.

Other family members represented in the series whose investments Ferdinand W. managed include his daughter Margaret Roebling Perrine and his brother-in-law Frank O. Briggs, an associate of John A. Roebling's Sons Company for many years, mayor of Trenton, and U.S. Senator.

The documents in this series which relate to the Banker's and Merchant's Telegraph Co., Postal Telegraph Company, and Colonial Construction Co., Buckthom Fence Co., and Tomboy Oil and Improvement Co. concern both Roebling's personal investments as well as the investments of the John A. Roebling's Sons Company.

Two oversize items are stored separately.