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Chester H. Brown Collection |
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| Title | Chester H. Brown Collection |
| Creator | Chester H. Brown |
| Identifier | http://toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/mss/brown_chester/default_brown_chester.htm |
| Keyword Subject |
Chester H. Brown ; Nehi Bottling Co. ; Biltmore Forest real estate ; R. C. Cola ; colas ; Asheville, NC ; Boylston Gold Mine ; gold mining ; utilities ; carbonics ; soft drinks ; coal power ; Flat Iron Building ; Rhododendron Festival |
| Subject LCSH |
Brown, Chester H., Royal Crown Cola Company. Soft Drink industry -- United States -- History |
| Description | This collection contains a variety of personal and business documents from one Chester H. Brown Jr., manager of the Nehi Bottling Co. of Asheville during the 1930's and 1940's. Documents include personal correspondence and bills as well as business and financial records. Also included are a small selection of external publications and ephemera, as well as documents related to insurance, the Boylston Gold Mine, and utilities. Coverage: 1930-1950. |
| Publisher | D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, University of North Carolina Asheville |
| Contributor | Hugh Lamb |
| Date original | 1930's - 1950f |
| Date digital | 2012-02-09 |
| Type | Collection ; Text ; Map |
| Format | 1 Carton ; 2 Boxes |
| Source | M2012.15.01-02 M2011.14.01-02 |
| Language | English |
| Relation | Lyda Collection ; Jim Brown papers, 1945-1959. ; COTTON CLUB BOTTLING AND CANNING CO. |
| Coverage temporal | 1930's-1950's |
| Coverage spatial | Asheville, NC ; Western North Carolina |
| Rights |
Any display, publication, or public use must credit the
D.H. Ramsey
Library,
Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville. Copyright retained by the creators of certain items in the collection, or their descendents, as stipulated by United States copyright law. |
| Donor | Donor number 416 |
| Acquisition | |
| Citation | Chester H. Brown Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, University of North Carolina Asheville |
| Processed by | Special Collections staff, CN, 2012 |
| Biography |
Chester Brown Jr. was the manager of the Royal Crown Bottling Co. of
Asheville in the late 30's and 40's. He was also President of the
Asheville Rotary Club, Chairman of the Post-War Planning Committee for
the Chamber of Commerce of the City of Asheville and Secretary of the
Smoke Abatement Committee for the City of Asheville. Chester was also
Chairman of the American Red Cross campaign for Asheville and Buncombe
county in 1946. He was chosen by the Jaycees of Asheville as
"Outstanding Citizen" of the year for 1945.
Chester Brown Jr. was born in Grenada, Mississippi in February 26, 1910, fourth of five children. He moved to Asheville at age two. He later attended UNC until the "banks broke" and began to work up from the bottom at Nehi Bottling where his father worked. He began sweeping floors and ended as a regional manager. He was director of the North Carolina Bottlers Association and Secretary of the North Carolina Nehi Bottlers Association, director of the Asheville Chamber of Commerce, the Asheville Junior Chamber of Commerce, and the Asheville Merchants Association. He was a staple of the community, an avid golfer and bridge-player and a deacon in the First Presbyterian Church of Asheville. |
| History | Royal Crown Cola was launched in 1905 by Claude Hatcher when he created his first cola product, Chero-Cola. In 1912 what was a basement bottling project grew into the Chero-Cola Co. Sixteen years later Hatcher renamed his company Nehi Corporation after the fruity beverages he had developed. Hatcher died in 1933 and the chemist Rufus Kamm created the company's new flavor of Cola, released under Hatcher's original name - Royal Crown. By 1940, RC products were available in 47 states. RC Cola later used the first can, the first aluminum can, the first sixteen ounce bottle, the first diet cola, and the first caffeine-free cola. Today RC Cola is part of the Dr. Pepper Snapple group. International RC Cola brands are handled by Cott Beverages and the US distribution is handled by the Dr. Pepper Snapple group. |
ITEM LIST
| Box | Folder | Description | Thumbnail |
| 1 | 1 | Biographical Information - Auto-Biography and Newspaper Article | |
| 1 | 2 | Business and financial documents, including sales charts and annual statements. | |
| 1 | 3 | Continuation of folder #2 | |
| 1 | 4 | Business and loan correspondence | |
| 1 | 5 | Liquid Carbonic Corporation packing receipts | |
| 1 | 6 | Liquid Carbonic Corporation packing receipts | |
| 1 | 7 | Thomas & McKinnon investment documents | |
| 1 | 8 | Wachovia and First National bank documents; deposit slips etc. | |
| 1 | 9 | Personal finance and tax documents | |
| 1 | 10 | Insurance documents, esp. New York Life Insurance and Green & Goodman insurance | |
| 1 | 11 | Miscellaneous insurance documents | |
| 1 | 12 | Personal correspondence, budgets | |
| 1 | 13 | Personal correspondence | |
| 1 | 14 | Royal Brigade of Guards, Rhododendron Brigade of Guards, The Mace | |
| 1 | 15 | Boylston Gold Mine - status reports, checks | |
| 1 | 16 | Flat Iron building - bills from doctors, Flat Iron Flower Shop receipts | |
| 1 | 17 | Flower and clothing receipts | |
| 1 | 18 | Miscellaneous recurring bills: dairy, country club, etc.. | |
| 1 | 19 | Miscellaneous recurring bills: First Presbyterian Church, Asheville Citizen Times, Cody Mortgage & Realty | |
| 1 | 20 | Utilities bills: water, gas, electric | |
| 1 | 21 | Utilities bills: coal, phone, etc. | |
| 1 | 22 | Carbonic equipment diagrams and blueprints |
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| 1 | 23 | External publications:
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| 1 | 23 | The Grand Tour of Historic Virginia [Map] |
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| 1 | 24 | Unsorted miscellaneous documents | |
| 1 | 25 | Unsorted miscellaneous documents | |
| 2 | 1 | Electric power agreement for Nehi dated 1948 ; Nehi statements for 1941 and 1942 | |
| 2 | 2 | Financial ledger containing extensive financial records for Nehi Bottling Co. covering 1931 - 1937. | |
| 3 | 1 | Business Financial ledger: 1936-1937 | |
| 3 | 2 | Business Financial ledger: 1937-1939 | |
| 3 | 3 | Business Financial ledger: 1935-41 | |