Bernis B. Brown Collection
name: label: Creator
content: Brown, Bernis B., 1888-1960
label: Former owner
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering
label: Former owner
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry
topic: label: Topic
content: Agricultural machinery
label: Topic
content: Farm equipment
label: Topic
content: Steam-engines
label: Topic
content: Tractors
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collected for the National Museum of American History, Division of Civil and Mechanical Engineering.
creator: label: Creator
content: Brown, Bernis B., 1888-1960
setName: label: See more items in
content: Bernis B. Brown Collection
bioghist: label: Biographical/Historical note
content: Bernis Bertram Brown (1888-1960) was born in Gillians, Missouri. Brown worked for the Austin-Western Road Machinery Company and was a dealer, salesmen, and repairman of farm equipment, especially steam powered engines. Brown was a regular contributor to the Iron-Men Album Magazine with articles about valves, reverse gears and various steam and gas engines.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 8.5 Cubic feet (17 boxes, 1 map folder)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1852-1972
custodhist: label: Ownership and Custodial History
content: Collected for the National Museum of American History, Division of Civil and Mechanical Engineering (now called the Division of Work and Industry). Transferred to the Archives Center in 2007.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1047
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Books
label: Type
content: Catalogs
label: Type
content: Clippings
label: Type
content: Correspondence
label: Type
content: Magazines (periodicals)
label: Type
content: Manuscripts
label: Type
content: Newsletters
label: Type
content: Notebooks
label: Type
content: Patents
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged into seven series.


Personal Materials, 1945-1952

Correspondence, 1912-1960
 
Photographs, 1896-1958
 
Writings, 1915-1958 
 
Research Notes, 1857-1958
 
Newspaper and Magazine Clippings, 1898-1972
 
Periodicals, 1946-1960
 
Trade Literature, 1852-1960
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Alison Oswald, archivist, 2022.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Books
label: Genre/Form
content: Catalogs
label: Genre/Form
content: Clippings
label: Genre/Form
content: Correspondence -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Magazines (periodicals) -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Manuscripts -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Newsletters -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Notebooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Patents
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 20th century
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: The collection documents the history of farm machinery in America, especially steam-powered machines, with an emphasis on tractors. The collections includes Brown's correspondence with individuals and institutions regarding his research and his collection, writings, research notes, newspaper and magizine clippings, photographs, periodicals, and trade literature. Many of Brown's writings appeared in the Iron-Men Album. Also included is a history Brown compiled on early American farm power titled, Pictorial History of Early American Farm Power, 1953.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Materials in the Archives Center

Carterpillar Tractor Company Photograph Collection, NMAH.AC.0146

John K. Parlett Collection of Agricultural Ephemera, NMAH.AC.1225