This collection contains information and materials relating to Milton Thomas Garvin, his department store and the Garvin Lecture Series. The scrapbooks were complied by him through the years of 1899-1936. Other items in this collection include letters to family and business partners, several pamphlets from the Garvin Lecture Series, M. T. Garvin & Co. store information, receipts, invoices, banquet programs, and a sampling of financial records from the store.
Admin/Biographical History
Milton Thomas Garvin was born in Fulton Township around 1860. In 1874, at the age of fourteen, Garvin quit school and moved to Lancaster City. He worked various odd jobs before he was hired to work as an errand boy for R. E. Fahnestock's dry goods store in December of 1874.
At the age of sixteen, Fahnestock promoted Garvin to a salesman for the store. He continued to work there through his adolescent years and was promoted to manager at the age of twenty-one, when Fahnestock was in failing health. Garvin assumed that responsibility for twelve years and then bought the store when Fahnestock was ready to retire. Garvin renamed the store M. T. Garvin & Co.
Over the next ten years, Garvin bought the rest of the building and several surrounding buildings to expand his store to a four story and three lot property. He prospered in business and was a philanthropist throughout Lancaster County.
Other than a prominent businessman, Garvin served as a board member, trustee, director or president of the following organizations: The Shippen School for Girls, Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, Meadville Theological Seminary, A. Herr Smith and Mechanics' Libraries, Lancaster Charity Society, Joseph Priestly Conference, and People's Octoraro Meeting House.
Report on the committee appointed to participate in the exercises incident to the restoration of City Hall, Lancaster, Pa., to its original colonial design and dignity
The Church of Our Father (Unitarian), Book 1, January 1915
The Church of Our Father (Unitarian), Book 2, 1925-1926
Description
These scrapbooks commemorate the centennial celebration of the founding of The Church of Our Father, a Unitarian church located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They illustrate the beliefs within the religion and the stance on evolution and science. The volumes contain newspaper clippings, church bulletins, event invitations, and congregation letters, both typed and handwritten. The church was involved in community efforts as well education, lectures and clubs. Some of the Unitarian organizations are also mentioned such as the American Unitarian Association, National League of Unitarian Laymen, Unitarian Laymen's League, and Men's Liberal Club. Prominent people within the church and religion that were mentioned were John B. Day, Rush and Zoë Shippen, Samuel Elliot, and Earl C. Davis. Others mentioned throughout the books were Milton T. Garvin, Nicholas Jozan, Arthur Coxon, Robert Sheridan Miller, Woodrow Wilson, Joseph Priestley, Henry Shippen, Edward Howard Griggs, Earnest Adams, Edward Reeman, Charles Riedel, Charles Henry Tucker, and Earl C. Davis. Some of the articles give historical context with subjects such as woman's suffrage and Woodrow Wilson.
Note: Loose newspaper articles have been photocopied. Both the photocopies and loose ephemera have been removed from the books and placed into separate folders to prevent further damage to the items.
Church of Our Father, Unitarian Church Records (Lancaster, Pa.) (MG0597), not cataloged
M. T. Garvin Papers (MG0034)
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Box #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions. Please request these items by contacting Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to your visit.
Copyright
These items may be photographed. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-434
Other Number
MG-434, Boxes 28 and 29
Classification
MG0434
Description Level
Item
Custodial History
Cataloged by CRB, October 2007. Added to database, 28 September 2023.
Previously housed in the Scrapbook Collection, Books 26 and 27.
This project was funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, ME60112, 2007-2008.
