His mercantile agency, located in new york city, was one of the first organizations formed for the sole purpose of providing business information to customers. Reports of the four leading cases against the mercantile agency for slander and libel. Value of rg dunn mercantile agency reference book vol. It was, and is, a credit rating agency and the information in the various titles reflects that. Dun and bradstreet reports as a source of jewish economic. Defendants made a motion for summary judgment under section 437c of the code of civil. These volumes contain a wealth of business history information on hundreds of american communities during the period 1841 to1892. Minton, a member of the concern, and also one of its counsel, were arraigned before magistrate breen, in the. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. The mercantile agency reference book was published as a. A company or organization that researches various companies and provides credit ratings on other businesses. Founded in 1841 by lewis tappan, the mercantile agencylater known as r.
To foster expansion, in 1849 tappan turned the agency over to benjamin douglass, a former clerk. Published by jan and naomi peek august 2003 hard copy purchased on ebay and donated to the sullivan county historical society. Containing ratings of the merchants, manufacturers, and traders generally, throughout the dominion of canada, new foundland, magdalen islands, st. Mercantile agent definition of mercantile agent by merriam. On some, the title on the spine is mercantile agency reference book. Mercantile agency reference books, in which firms throughout the nation. Dun began working for the mercantile agency in 1854 and later acquired sole ownership of the company in 1859. Boyd had declined to permit perusal of the corporation minute books, that no annual. Ratings books are sold to credit bureau subscribers rather than requiring an office visit to look up someones creditworthiness, the bureaus started to print and distribute ratings books. The company was an early adopter of office machinery, including the. The first set of dun records are reference books which were published by a subsidiary called the mercantile agency, which maintained offices.
The sources of the companys evaluations were its local correspondents who prepared credit reports on businessmen and women. Mercantile rating books the mercantile agency is sustained by subscriptions from its clientele. The first such agency, the mercantile agency, was founded in new york city in 1841 to reduce credit losses. Containing ratings of the merchants, manufacturers, and traders generally, throughout the dominion of canada, new foundland, magdalen. By 1844 the mercantile agency had over 280 clients. Tappan had long been aware of the need for better credit reporting. Rather than requiring an office visit to look up someones creditworthiness, the bureaus started. Mercantile agency definition is the agency of a factor who in the customary course of his business has authority binding on his principal to buy or to sell goods, to consign goods for sale, or to raise money by pledging goods. Most of the books are only available as physical books, which must be requested in advance, but the 19001924 run is on microfilm, with two reels per edition, or eight reels per year, all of which are stored onsite. In addition there is an appendix identifying all the banking institutions across the trading area, listed by province, area and towncity and providing the name of their mercantile agent. A fairly complete run of these reference books is available at the library of congress, covering 18591966. In 1858, the tappan mercantile agency would become r.
The agency claimed in 1851 that subscribers in the new york city area num. Collection agencies the collection agency is a concern making a specialty of collecting debts, and more particularly those debts which the collection manager cannot himself collect. Area and towncity and providing the name of their mercantile. Looking at both litigated and settled cases, we show that the rise of mercantile agencies in the late nineteenth century was the product of a farsighted corporate strategy applied ruthlessly to a legal system that was still very reluctant to permit the agencies to commoditize credit.
Mercantile agency new york 23 editions published between 1906 and 1935 in english and held by 56 worldcat member libraries worldwide. The two general agencies, mentioned above, publish quarterly reference or rating books in january, april, july and october. Mercantile agency depended on nearly 2,000 correspondents to prepare reports on businessmen in all states of the union. Mercantile agencies synonyms, mercantile agencies pronunciation, mercantile agencies translation, english dictionary definition of mercantile agencies. Lewis tappan, by the way, was a dedicated abolitionist, and expended most of his energy and fortune in service of that cause. This volume is one of the original credit ledgers from the new york office of the mercantile agency. If you know the city and state in which your ancestor was.
Mercantile agencies definition of mercantile agencies by. The mercantile agency reference book and key by dun, r. There are, of course, thousands of merchant shopkeepers of all types from general stores to furniture and casket showrooms. Robert graham dun personal material, and series vi. He was born in northampton, massachusetts in 1788 and became a. Recognizing the need for a centralized credit reporting system, tappan formed the company to create a network of correspondents who would provide reliable, objective credit. Stationers corporation and two of its officers, lillian boyd and omar boyd, jr. His mercantile agency, located in new york city, was one of the first. Branches, etc collection laws of each province, etc. Directories doing historical company research research. Sullivan and wyoming counties, pennsylvania march 1929 r. Mercantile career lewis tappan created the first viable credit reporting service in america.
A mercantile agency acts similar to a credit rating agency, but only focuses on the business side of credit evaluation and does not maintain consumer credit files. Credit bureaus were the nsa of the 19th century the atlantic. Merchants, manufacturers and traders generally throughout the united states. The mercantile agency reference book was published as a reference work for banks and financial institutions. Historical business records of the credit reporting agency known as r. Within a decade the agency had established branch offices in each of the major commercial cities, and had built up a network of some 2,000 correspondents who prepared reports on businessmen in all parts of the country. In the late 1840s tappan turned the running of the. The new york office employed thirty men to copy and index the reports in over 100 ledger books and to read them to subscribers.
Containing ratings of the merchants, manufacturers, and traders generally mercantile agency, r. Other companies use these agencies to evaluate the. The history of credit scores and credit reporting lendingtree. Dun and bradstreet corporate office corporate office hq. Ratings books are sold to credit bureau subscribers. Whom to trust, a practical treatise on mercantile credits. Unique in its scale and the breadth of information it contains. Report of important cases against the mercantile agency as to their liability for representations, honestly made in the course of their business.
The reason for this arrangement is to keep material relating to each iteration of the firm separate and easily discoverable. Mercantile agent definition of mercantile agent by. Apr 21, 2016 in 1859, the mercantile agency became r. By 1844, the mercantile agency had over 280 clients. Mercantile agent definition is one having the powers of mercantile agency. Mercantile agency business organization britannica. Publication date 1864 topics business, merchants, credit ratings, industries publisher montreal.
Your research topic and its intended result dissertation, article, book, etc. Mercantile agency definition of mercantile agency by. Founded in 1841 by lewis tappan, the mercantile agency later known as r. Dun, court of queens bench and court of appeal, ontario, canada by r. It might perhaps be said with more accuracy that the collection agency. The mercantile agency reference book and key containing ratings of. The evolution of commercial credit reporting agencies in. Approximately 2,580 of these ledgers are deposited in baker library.
May 03, 2018 in 1858, the tappan mercantile agency would become r. The agency continued to expand allowing offices to open in boston, philadelphia, and baltimore. Minton, a member of the concern, and also one of its counsel, were. Mercantile agency, specialized organization engaged in supplying information on the creditworthiness and financial strength of business firms in highly developed economies.
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