Bradner Smith Co

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Bradner Smith & Co.
Life Span: 1853-1871
Location: 133 S. Water, between Dearborn and Clark
Architect: TBD

D. B. Cooke & Co.’s City Directory for the Year 1859

Bradner Smith & Co.

Halpin & Bailey’s City Directory for the Year 1863
Bradner Smith & Co., (Alonzo Bradner, George C. Smith and J. Bradner Smith) paper dealers, 133 S. Water

Halpin’s Chicago City Directory for 1864
Bradner Smith & Co., (Alonzo Bradner, J. Bradner Smith and Geo. C. Smith,) mnfr. and whol. paper dealers, 133 S. Water

Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1867
Bradner Smith & Co., (Alonzo Bradner, John B. Smith and George C. Smith,) whol. paper mnfrs, 133 S. Water

Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1870
Bradner, Smith & Co. (J. B. Smith and F. P. Elliott), whol. paper dealers, 133 S. Water

Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1871
Bradner, Smith & Co. mnfrs. and dlrs. in paper, 110 and 112 Madison

The Western Rural, August 1, 1868

PAPER WAREHOUSE OF BRADNER, SMITH & CO.—We would call the attention of publishers and all consumers of paper, etc., to the card in our columns of Messrs. Bradner Smith & Co., of the “Winnebago Mills,” whose depot is at 133 South Water street, Chicago. From personal knowledge of the good system of dealing practiced by this firm, we can commend their house.

Chicago’s First Half Century, 1833-1883, The Inter-Ocean, 1883

MANUFACTURERS AND DEALERS IN PAPER.
The firm of Bradner Smith & Co., manufacturers and dealers in paper, is just twenty years younger than the city of Chicago, having been established in 1853 at No. 12 La Salle street (between Lake and South Water streets) in a little store 20×60 feet in size. It was a small beginning, but the firm has kept even pace with the development of Chicago, and has kept growing each year as the city has grown until it is now the largest in Chicago, and one of the largest in the world, doing a business of $2,000,000 a year. The firm has now three establishments in the city of Chicago, branch houses at Kansas City, Minneapolis, and St. Paul, and operates six paper mills, manufacturing and selling every sort and size of news, book, wrapping, writing, blotting, and other papers, card board, envelopes, twines, wood pulp, and paper manufacturers’ supplies.

There was very little paper manufactured in the West when Bradner Smith & Co. commenced business, and most of their stock was brought from Eastern mills, but now they not only make their own stock, but supply hundreds of other houses with their manufactures, shipping paper by the train load from their several mills.

Bradner Smith & Co. commenced manufacturing in 1854 at Rockton, Ill., having that year purchased the Winnebago mill, which now makes ten tons per day of express, manilia, rag, and straw wrapping paper. They continue to operate this mill, and their other manufactories are the Ledyard Pulp Mill, at Ledyard, Wis., which makes four tons of dry ‘pulp per day; the Rozet Mill, at Three Rivers, which produces four tons per day of print and book paper; the Tippecanoe Paper Mill, at Monticello, Ind.. which makes two tons of print paper daily. The Marinette Mill, at the place of the same name in Wisconsin, manufactures five tons of print paper, and the mill at Menoimnee, Mich., produces four tons of manilla paper and six tons of wood pulp daily.

Besides their own manufactories, Bradner Smith & Co. carry all varieties of fancy goods, wedding and other stationery, imported and domestic, the Hurlbut plate paper, Crane’s pure linen flats, the Germanic flat and ledger papers, and all other classes of goods used by stationers, printers, book-binders, and publication houses. Regular sizes and standard weights are always in stock, but special sizes and weights can be made to order and furnished promptly at mill prices, the facilities of the firm for supplying the trade being unequaled by any house in the West. A full stock of colored papers is always on hand, ana fancy papers for special purposes will be made to order in quantities to suit. They are also manufacturers of the very best map paper, ana will furnish any weight or size desired at short notice. In cover papers Bradner Smith & Co. have the larirest and best-assorted stock in the country, East or West.

The firm are sole agents for the sale of Weston’s pure linen ledger and record papers, which were awarded the gold medal at the Paris Exposition and the highest award at the Centennial Exposition for a combination of all the desirable qualities. They are also sole agents for the celebrated “commercial safety paper.” for checks, notes, bills of exchange, bonds, letters of credit, etc.. which has been officially indorsed and recommended by the clearing-house authorities of the principal cities of the country. This is really a safety paper, combining positive security from fraudulent alterations, either by the use of chemical agents or mechanical means.

This paper is made from the very best materials, treated chemically in its manufacture with agents which give positive results. Any attempt at alteration by chemical means immediately destroys the color in the body of the paper, also the surface tinting or lining, which, being once destroyed, cannot be restored.

Bradner Smith & Co. make a specialty of fancy ruling, using: only the very best inks, which, for brilliancy of color and durability, are not excelled. They also carry a full line of all colors, sizes, and styles of envelopes, and will make odd sizes to order. All kinds of fancy stationery and stationers’ sundries are kept in stock, and also a full line of illustrated advertising’ cards, manufactured by Marques, Gair & Bailey, of Paris, London, and New York.

The reputation of the firm and the character of their goods needs no indorsement. A record of thirty years of active business places them at the ‘head of the trade in the West, and their references are their customers.

Chicago Tribune, Match 7, 1893

J. BRADNER SMITH PASSES AWAY.
He Dies of Heart-Disease at His Residence—Other Mortuary Matters.
After a three weeks’ illness caused by heart trouble John Bradner Smith, for thirty-five years a member of the firm of Bradner Smith & Co., died at 3 o’clock yesterday morning at his residence, No. 401 La Salle avenue. though he had been ailing for some time those nearest to him did not think that the end was so near, and when he passed away only the immediate relatives watched at his bedside.

Through his connection with the firm in which he was a director Mr. Smith has been one of the best known men in the paper trade in the West. He had an unlimited number of friends both in business and social circles.

The funeral services will take place Thursday afternoon from the residence. The time has not been decided finally, but it will be between 1 and 2 o’clock. The remains will be interred in Graceland, in the family lot where Mr. Smith’s brother, Lester Smith, who died thirty years ago, lies.

The following are to be the honorary pall-bearers:

The active pallbearers, selected from the employés of the firm, are to be:

The day of the funeral the doors of the business establishment will be closed.

John Bradner Smith was born in Ogdensburg, N. Y., seventy-six years ago. His father, John
Smith, gave him a good business training and in his early days he was engaged in the banking business in an Eastern town. Afterwards he became interested in the paper business in Dansville, N. Y., where he owned a mill, and in this vocation he gradually grew until at the time of his death he was a member of one of the largest firms in that line in the West. From Dansville he moved to Buffalo, N. Y., where he remained until 1858, when he came to Chicago and entered the firm of Bradner, Smith & Co. The head of that firm, Josiah Bradner, was Mr. Smith’s cousin. At the time when Mr. Smith located in Chicago the firm, like all others, was doing a comparatively small business. Through his constant attention to details he had the satisfaction of seeing the business grow into large returns each year. The firm now owns two mills in Brockton, Ill., and controls the output of several other mills in the United States.

Mr. Smith was a widower. His wife died long before he came to Chicago. One child, a girl, died at the age of 7. Mr. Smith made his home with his sister, Miss Sarah P. Smith, at No. 404 La Salle avenue. He leaves besides his sister two brothers, Charles M. Smith, President of the firm of Bradner, Smith & Co., and George C. Smith, who is at present traveling for bis health in the South. Those who knew Mr. Smith best during his long and active business life speak of him as a modest and unpretentious man. In manner he was plain and simple, always warm-hearted and generous toward the deserving poor. In politics Mr. Smith was a Democrat, and a member of the Iroquois club. He never held an office in that organization. and although urged on several occasions to accept such positions he always declined. Mr. Smith was not a member of any other organization or secret society. His faith was Presbyterian. He attended for many years the Rev. Dr. Breed’s Church of the Covenant.

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