Barber Asphalt Company Explained

The Barber Asphalt Company, founded in 1883 by Amzi L. Barber, initially started in Washington, D.C. and later moved its headquarters to New York City. The company leased the largest known asphalt deposit at Pitch Lake, Trinidad in 1888 and expanded its operations with various offices and subsidiaries. After several mergers and name changes, including a joint venture with Standard Oil in 1946, the company played a significant role in paving millions of miles of roads. The Barber Asphalt Company also operated a fleet of tankers and coal ships which were used to contribute to the US Merchant Navy during World War II. The company closed in 1981, selling its assets to various corporations.

Barber Asphalt Company
Foundation: in Washington, D.C., United States
Fate:Sold
Defunct:1981
Industry:Amzi L. Barber's Oil, Gas, Asphalt and shipping
Products:Asphalt, shingles, oil and gas
Key People:Amzi L. Barber, Avery D. Andrews
Subsid:Iroquois Electric Refrigeration Company, Iroquois division

History

Barber Asphalt Company of Washington, D.C. started in 1883 was founded by Amzi L. Barber. Barber, born in 1843. Barber first career was a teaching professor, he moved to real estate. In real estate, he found the problem of needing affordable paved roads. He found that asphalt was a great affordable material for paved roads. He added asphalt shingles to his products. In 1879 he moved Headquarters to New York City. He had offices in Washington, D.C. from 1878 to 1912, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1912 to 1938 and Maurer, Perth Amboy, New Jersey from 1938 to 1948. In 1888 Barber leased the largest know asphalt deposit at Pitch Lake Trinidad. Barber opened a subsidiary, called the Iroquois division, and Iroquois Electric Refrigeration Company.[1] Elkins Widener purchased the company in 1898 and merged with his Trinidad Corporation subsidiary. This formed the Asphalt Company of America of New York. In 1899 Asphalt Company of America was sold to John M. Mack and renamed, National Asphalt Company of America. In 1901 Barber retired from the Barber Asphalt Company. National Asphalt Company of America closed in 1902. In 1903 it opened again as General Asphalt Company. Uintah Railway Company was founded in 1903 by the Barber Asphalt Paving Company. Barber has paved millions of miles of roads.[2] In 1904 Barber returned the company. In the 1920s Barber Asphalt Company opened a refinery in Perth Amboy, New Jersey at the time the town was known as Barber. The Barber Asphalt refinery is now the Perth Amboy Refinery. General Asphalt and Barber division merged in 1936. After the merger, the name was changed to Barber Company, Inc.. In 1938 the name was changed to Barber Asphalt Corporation. Barber Asphalt entered into a joint venture with Standard Oil Company of California in 1946.[3] The joint venture was called California Refining Company.[4] [5] [6]

In 1981 the company closed and sold all its assets. The oil and gas products line (Barber Oil Corporation) was sold to Petro-Lewis Corporation. Shipping sold to Apex Shipping. Coal products (Barber Paramont Coal) to: Hanna Mining Company, W. R. Grace & Company and Liberty Capital Group. American Gilsonite Company stocks to Standard Oil.

World War II

Barber Asphalt Company operated a fleet of oil tankers and coal ships to run Barber Asphalt Company. The ships were used to help the World War II effort. During World War II Barber Asphalt Company operated Merchant navy ships for the United States Shipping Board. During World War II Barber Asphalt Company was active with charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. Barber Asphalt Company operated Liberty ships and tankers for the merchant navy. The ship was run by its Barber Asphalt Company crew and the US Navy supplied United States Navy Armed Guards to man the deck guns and radio.[7] [8] [9]

Ships

Post World War Type Type T2 tanker were sold to Barber Asphalt Company and Trinidad Corporation:[10] [11]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: National Museum of American History . Trade catalogs from Barber Asphalt Paving Company . 2024-03-18 . americanhistory.si.edu . en.
  2. Web site: Utah Division of State History . Notarianni . Philip F . 2016-04-25 . 1994 . Mining . 2024-03-18 . History to Go . en-US.
  3. Web site: Lamerston . Giles . 2016-03-10 . A 100-Year History of Paving, Compaction, Milling Iron : CEG . 2024-03-18 . www.constructionequipmentguide.com . en.
  4. Book: Williams, Greg H . The Liberty Ships of World War II: A Record of the 2,710 Vessels and Their Builders, Operators and Namesakes, with a History of the Jeremiah O'Brien . 2014-07-15 . McFarland . 2014 . 978-0786479450 . English.
  5. News: If You're Thinking of Living In Irvington. Stolz. George. 1986-06-29. The New York Times. 2. 2009-05-16.
  6. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1909/04/19/101877332.pdf "Amzi L. Barber Dies of Pneumonia"
  7. Web site: Sea Lane Vigilantes . www.armed-guard.com.
  8. World War II U.S. Navy Armed Guard and World War II U.S. Merchant Marine, 2007-2014 Project Liberty Ship, Project Liberty Ship, P.O. Box 25846 Highlandtown Station, Baltimore, MD https://www.armed-guard.com/about-ag.html#:~:text=There%20were%20three%20basic%20training,California%3B%20and%20Gulfport%2C%20Mississippi.
  9. Web site: American Merchant Marine at War . 2002-04-06 . World War II United States Merchant Navy .
  10. Web site: American Merchant Marine at War . 2003-08-02 . Tankers Built in U.S. During World War II . 2024-03-18 . www.usmm.org.
  11. Web site: Colton . Tim . 2008-04-11 . T-2 Tankers . www.shipbuildinghistory.com.
  12. Web site: Photos by Jim Scates . Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages: Birch Coulie . 2024-03-18 . www.aukevisser.nl.
  13. Web site: Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages: Chapultapec . 2024-03-18 . www.aukevisser.nl.
  14. Web site: Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages: Luckystar . 2024-03-18 . www.aukevisser.nl.
  15. Web site: Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages: Carleton Ellis . 2024-03-18 . www.aukevisser.nl.
  16. Web site: 2002-04-27 . Liberty Ships C . 2024-03-18 . www.mariners-l.co.uk.
  17. http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/LibShipsW.html mariners Liberty ship W
  18. https://ncsp.tamu.edu/reports/USCG/sanjacinto.pdf San Jacinto
  19. http://www.aukevisser.nl/t2tanker/id551.htm Fort Mercer, T2
  20. http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/large/alabama.htm hipbuildinghistory.com Houston, Tanker Midbody
  21. https://portlandmarinesociety.club/scott-keller/ Admiralty Bay
  22. http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/19/19083.htm navsource, USS Mascoma
  23. http://www.aukevisser.nl/t2tanker/id415.htm Mascoma