Friday, January 1, 2016

Did Your Relative Invest in Stock Certificates?

I'm always on the hunt for documents relating to family members.  I became interested in stock certificates when my half-sister sent me a photo of one that had belonged to her great-grandmother.  In 1901, Louise O'Connor bought 15 shares in the National Nutrient Company of New Jersey.  Apparently the company made a "milk powder" which had all the nutritional value of milk.  Perhaps she was interested in nutrition for her family?  We don't know for sure, but it seems to indicate something about her.  One episode of History Detectives focused on stock certificates from Marcus Garvey's Black Star Line and discussed what the purchase of those certificates said about the person who bought them.

I wrote recently about two vendors on eBay who sell old press photos that often have everyday people in them.  Now I've found a vendor who has several old stock certificates.  He appears to be selling them strictly for the interest in the certificates, because he is not including the names of the purchasers in the descriptions of the items.  (You'd think these sellers would try to come up with more ways to cross-market their items, but no.)  A lot of these certificates have people's names on them, people who might have descendants or other relatives researching them.  I would love to find one with my relative's name, but so far I haven't.  Just to spread the word, here are some items expiring today, January 1, and Saturday, January 2.

Alfred Scarpa, 1946, United Cigar-Whelan Stores Corporation

Stanforth Ricketson and William James Crawford, 1920, Broken Hill South Limited (Australia)

Roberta Lee Hoover, 1960, Mt. Hood Stages, Inc.

Ben Goodwin, 1926, Katherine Gold Mining Company of Delaware

Julia V. Elder, 1921, National Producing and Refining Company

Harry S. Patrick, 1943, West Side National Bank of Yakima

Chase & Higginson, 1882, Oregon and Transcontinental Company

Charles W. Holden, 1939, Rainbo Gold Mines Corporation

LeRoy Fullwood, 1923, Alden Coal Mining Company Inc.

Mrs. Chas. M. Tompkins, 1923, Powertown Tire Corporation

Mrs. Carrie R. Phillips, 1924, The Great Western Sugar Company

James Whitten, 1885, Silver Chief Mining Company

L. E. Fischer, 1923, Illinois Traction Company

John A. Latimer and Wm R. Webster, 1885, Oregon amd Transcontinental Company

I missed the expiration times for a couple of certificates.  I don't know if this seller relists items, but it probably wouldn't hurt to send him a message if these names are familiar:

Miss Nell Beatrice Nelson and Miss Evelyn K. Nelson, 1960, The Chase Manhattan Bank

Lawrence F. O'Brien, 1961, General Box Company

And if you ever come across any stock certificates for the Lloyd Oil Corporation, let me know, ok?  The closest I've come is this tiny little image I found online one day.

2 comments:

  1. Hello Ms Sellers. I am just beginning the process of researching some old stock certificates that we found in our mother's crate of goodies and came across this post. Oddly enough, we do have some old Lloyd Oil Corp certificates that were purchased by a distant relative of old back in 1929. Is there any further information you might be able to share with me regarding this specific certificate? Thank you kindly, Brian

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Brian,

      Wow, I'm so excited! What I can tell you is that the may behind the Lloyd Oil Corporation, A. D. Lloyd, was a con man who eventually was convicted of mail fraud because of selling his stock certificates (which were worthless) through the mail. To the best of my knowledge, the certificates are still worthless, because Lloyd made up all of the geological information he provided regarding the areas he promoted.

      Worthless to almost everyone, that is. I'm probably one of the few people who cares about them, and that's because I've spent several years researching Mr. Lloyd. I would love to have one (or more!) of his old certificates to document his con jobs.

      If you want to contact me directly at janicemsj@gmail.com, maybe you can scan one or two of the certificates and I'll see if I can determine anything specific about them beyond the general information I posted here.

      Thanks so much for posting!

      Janice

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