The collection consists of ledgers, invoices, receipts, and correspondence related to the Charles Ford Co., brick manufacturing company, which was also referred to as “Ford and Bro.”. The company manufactured bricks for buildings as well as paving, and had accounts with companies in Washington, DC, Arlington, Virginia, and as far north as Trenton, New Jersey. The company also provided bricks for U.S. and District government construction projects.

The collection includes personal correspondence from Charles Ford’s brother who resided in Potomac, Maryland. Of interest is a grand jury summons dated December 4, 1889 in the case of United States vs. Claudius B. Jewels, and other legal correspondence.

Some materials in the collection show signs of damage including water damage, mold, mildew, and torn pages that occurred prior to the donation to the Library.