Henry Company

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Ira L. Henry Company

Established 1896

Moved to Watertown in 1901

1908

09 04 An order from one firm for 1,500,000 paper boxes has been received by the I. L. Henry Co. of this city. WG

1921 Watertown High School Orbit

The Ira L. Henry Company engaged in the manufacture of paper boxes on February 1, 1896, at Waupun, Wisconsin. During the first few years of its existence, the plant produced plain paper boxes, such as shoe, folding, plain candy boxes, glove, hosiery, handkerchief and other boxes for dry goods and department stores suitable for the holiday trade.

In February, 1901, the company changed its location to Watertown, Wisconsin, which offered better advantages in regard to shipping and to the securing of employees. The company was incorporated on February 20, 1900, and has shown a steady growth and development. The business affords employment to about 150 persons. The plant's daily output is about 20,000 boxes and its yearly output numbers about 5,500,000 boxes.

During the last few years, the company specialized in the manufacture of high grade candy boxes, and its products also included perfume and face powder boxes. The greater proportion of its products are sold in the state of Wisconsin, although the selling territory covers the middle west, and a part of the eastern and southern states. One shipment of candy boxes is made each year to Fairbanks, Alaska, and is in transit several months.

A paper candy box is principally made of board stock, such as chip, straw and news board, and a cover paper. The board stock is lined with either book or print paper, and then scored and corner-cut. The scoring operation, which dents the stock just enough to permit bending, determines the size of a box. A plain box, which consists of a box proper and a cover, is then stayed and covered with paper. The box proper is usually covered with plain paper, while the cover is wrapped with a paper of better quality which usually has the customer's name and design printed thereon. After the lace paper is attached to the box, the cover is put on.

They are packed in small quantities in bundles with wrapping paper. The bundles are placed in wooden cases, and the boxes are then ready for shipment. While most of the processes in the manufacture of paper boxes are executed by machines, some boxes require very much hand work, particularly those which have specialties such as ribbon straps and bows, trimmed with gold or other special paper, padded top, hinge cover and drop front, or other special construction to meet the requirements of certain trades.

The death of the president, Ira L. Henry, occurred in April, 1920.

The present officers are:

F. J. Barnes ...... President

C. A. Skinner ..... Vice-President

E. A. Pratt ....... Secretary and Treasurer

1945, Fire, May 11

I L Henry Box Factory Fire, 04 11 1945

1958

06 07 Cheesweet Candy Co of Milwaukee placed an order for 100,000 deluxe candy boxes. WDT

Cross-References:

No 1: John Slosson obit, 1905