Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Co.

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In 1833, the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company (P & R) was established to serve the burgeoning anthracite coal industry and its customers throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. The railroad also supported iron making, canal and sea-going transportation, and shipbuilding, establishing itself as a transportation industry giant for over a century. During the American Industrial Revolution, the P & R provided trackage to the most densely industrialized parts of America in all four directions, becoming America's largest corporation by the 1870s. Shortly thereafter, the P & R attempted to expand its ownership beyond transportation, creating the subsidiary, the P & R Coal and Iron Company. A confrontation with financier J. P. Morgan caused the P & R to resume its original role as simply a transporter of anthracite coal. Following the 1890s, despite its creation of a new holding company called the Reading Company, the Pennsylvania & Reading Railroad was forced to break up its various entities by order of the Supreme Court.

From the description of Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company letters, 1887-1891. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 276937516

The Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road Company, chartered in 1833, operated a railroad alongside the west side of the Schuylkill River with later extensions to the Anthracite mines in northeast Pennsylvania. The initial portion of the road from Reading to Norristown opened in 1838, the remainder opened in 1839.

From the description of Property survey of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company, 1858-1912. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 637040965

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Wilson, William Hasell, 1811-1902. Notebook, 1831-1836. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Sarah Cooper Tatum Hilles family papers, Bulk, 1840-1882, 1791-1930 Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections
referencedIn Plymouth Railroad Company. Construction documents, 1836-1839. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines. Office of Secretary-Treasurer. Secretary's record papers, 1866-1976. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Office of Secretary. Board files, 1843-1950 [microform]. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Co. Property survey of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company, 1858-1912. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
referencedIn Chandler, Theophilus P. (Theophilus Parsons), 1845-1928,. Philadelphia & Reading Railroad collection, 1859-1889. University of Pennsylvania, Architectural Archives
creatorOf Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Co. Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Co. deed, 1896. Camden County Historical Society
creatorOf Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Co. [Pamphlets. Economic aspects.]. Yale University Library
referencedIn Papers, 1734-1934. Bucks County Historical Society
creatorOf Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Co. Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company records, 1853-1922. Southern Methodist University DeGolyer Library
referencedIn Danville and Pottsville Rail Road Company. Minute book, 1831-1841. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Black, Wiliam, fl. 1865. [Collection of legal cases involving Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company, and other railroad companies in Pennsylvania]. Library of Congress
referencedIn Harris, Joseph S. (Joseph Smith), 1836-1910. Autobiography [photoprint]. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Northern Liberties Gas Company. Records, 1686-1958 (bulk 1838-1956). Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Reading Company. Office of Secretary-Treasurer. Wilmington and Northern Railroad Company's secretary's record papers, 1849-1959. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Allyn Fuller Collection., undated, 1836-1979 Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Center.
creatorOf Beech Creek, Clearfield & South Western Railroad Company. Railroad ephemera, 1862-1921. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
referencedIn Fuller, Allyn. Allyn Fuller collection, 1836-1979. University of Connecticut, Homer Babbidge Library
referencedIn Kaighn's Point and Philadelphia Ferry Company. Records, 1855-1888. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Reading Company. Office of Secretary-Treasurer. Records, 1836-1979 (bulk, 1945-1976). Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Co. Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company letters, 1887-1891. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
referencedIn McComb, Henry S., 1825-1881. Diary, 1880 [microform]. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Reading Company. Employee records, 1872-1910 [bulk, 1872-1887]. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Reading Company. Law Dept. Reading Company Law Dept. records, 1833-1979 (bulk, 1920-1976). Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Reading Company. Records, 1795-1979. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Hammerken, N. G. Coal frauds on Mine Hill Railroad and Reading Railroad, 1853 September 3-October 5. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
referencedIn Rockefeller, John D. (John Davison), 1839-1937,. John D. Rockefeller interview, 1917-1920 [combined text-microfiche ed.]. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad Company. Records, 1828-1951. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Metzler, Christian E., collector. Transportation miscellany, 1836-1932. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company Records National Museum of American History (U.S.). Archives Center
referencedIn Austin, William Liseter, 1852-1932. Notebooks, 1879-1892. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Amherst and Belchertown Railroad Company. Trade catalogs of railroads, 1855-1945. University of California, Santa Barbara, UCSB Library
creatorOf Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Co. [Pamphlets. Financial history.]. Yale University Library
referencedIn Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (U.S.). Division 90 (Pottsville, Pa.). Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers membership applications and receipts, 1902 and 1907. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
referencedIn Austin, William Liseter, 1852-1932. Papers, 1855-1932, (bulk 1870-1932). Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Osborne, Richard B. (Richard Boyse), 1815-1899. Journals, 1829-1857 [microform]. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Pyke, Grant. En-Ar-Co. Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee County Federated Library System
referencedIn Franklin Institute (Philadelphia, Pa.). Committee on Science and Arts. Records, 1824-1900 [microform]. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Phoenix Steel Corporation. Records, 1827-1963. (bulk 1856-1949). Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Andrews, D. E., stove dealer. [Collection of business papers relating to boating and maritime commerce in the United States.]. Library company of Philadelphia
referencedIn Pennsylvania Hospital (Philadelphia, Pa.). Financial records, 1724-1971 (bulk 1751-1920). Pennsylvania Hospital
referencedIn Delaware and Bound Brook Railroad Company. Records, 1872-1979. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Brown, J. Crosby (James Crosby), 1929-1990. Research notes on steam-navigation on canals. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Kindred, Charles F., b. 1847. Papers, 1811-1914 (bulk 1890-1914). Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Vertical file collection on railroads, 1824-1935 (inclusive). Harvard Business School, Knowledge and Library Services/Baker Library
creatorOf A.J. Poston (Firm). Trade catalogs of railroads, 1920-1948. University of California, Santa Barbara, UCSB Library
referencedIn Schuylkill Navigation Company. Records, 1815-1947 [microform]. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Sayre, Robert H. (Robert Heysham), 1824-1907. Diaries, 1851-1905 [microform]. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn North Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Records, 1836-1982. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn University Railroad Collection, undated, 1841-1993. Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Center.
referencedIn Baldwin Locomotive Works. Baldwin Locomotive Works records, 1825-1869. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Austin, William Liseter, 1852-1932. person
associatedWith Balderston family. family
associatedWith Baldwin Locomotive Works. corporateBody
associatedWith Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (U.S.). Division 90 (Pottsville, Pa.) corporateBody
associatedWith Brown, J. Crosby (James Crosby), 1929-1990. person
associatedWith Coster, Charles H. person
associatedWith Coster, Emily P. person
associatedWith Danville and Pottsville Rail Road Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Delaware and Bound Brook Railroad Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Franklin Institute (Philadelphia, Pa.). Committee on Science and Arts. corporateBody
associatedWith Fuller, Allyn. person
associatedWith Fuller, Allyn. person
associatedWith Harris, Joseph S. (Joseph Smith), 1836-1910. person
associatedWith Hilles, Sarah Cooper Tatum person
associatedWith Kaighn's Point and Philadelphia Ferry Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Kindred, Charles F., b. 1847. person
associatedWith McComb, Henry S., 1825-1881. person
associatedWith Metzler, Christian E., collector. person
associatedWith Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Northern Liberties Gas Company. corporateBody
associatedWith North Pennsylvania Railroad Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Osborne, Richard B. (Richard Boyse), 1815-1899. person
associatedWith Pennsylvania Hospital (Philadelphia, Pa.) corporateBody
associatedWith Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Office of Secretary. corporateBody
associatedWith Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines. Office of Secretary-Treasurer. corporateBody
associatedWith Phoenix Steel Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith Plymouth Railroad Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Reading Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Reading Company. Law Dept. corporateBody
associatedWith Reading Company. Office of Secretary-Treasurer. corporateBody
associatedWith Reading Company. Office of Secretary-Treasurer. person
associatedWith Rockefeller, John D. (John Davison), 1839-1937, person
associatedWith Sayre, Robert H. (Robert Heysham), 1824-1907. person
associatedWith Schuylkill Navigation Company. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Connecticut (Collector). corporateBody
associatedWith Wilson, William Hasell, 1811-1902. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Pennsylvania--Schuylkill River Valley
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania--Glen Moore
Pennsylvania--Yardley
Pennsylvania--Montgomery County
Delaware River (N.Y.-Del. and N.J.)
Pennsylvania--Chester County
Subject
Bridges
Industries
Land owners
Real property
Railroads
Railroads
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1920

Active 1948

Information

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SNAC ID: 48264457