Burroughs Adding Machine Company

The collection contains the records of the Burroughs Corporation, and its predecessors the American Arithmometer Company and Burroughs Adding Machine Company. Materials include corporate records, photographs, films and video tapes, scrapbooks, papers of employees and records of companies acquired by Burroughs.

Burroughs Corporation advertised from almost the very beginning of their business. The advertisements in the collection cover many decades and often reflect many of the societal attitudes of the time.

Collection contains the Burroughs annual reports dating from 1923 to 1985. From 1923-1952, the company was known as the Burroughs Adding Machine Company, and from 1953 to 1985, as Burroughs Corporation. It merged with Sperry Corporation in 1986 to become Unisys Corporation. This collection includes a full run of annual reports for the dates listed, and also contains audio tapes of the annual reports from 1977-1985.

This collection is divided into two series based on subject content and physical size. The Biography Files series includes folders on many employees at Burroughs. While a great majority of the employees represented were executives, there are also a few folders of workers from the early days of the company, including William S. Burroughs. The Oversized Files series consists mostly of William S. Burroughs' patents.

Collection contains the records from the Michigan State Supreme Court case, Laura Miller Boyer v. Standish Backus (and other defendants), and an appeal from Wayne County Circuit Court.

Series contains letters entitled "To The Field Force," which include such information as changing forms, recalls, program announcements and new procedures.

Contains manuals of standardized accounting practices for the employees of Burroughs Adding Machine Company’s accounting department.

Collection contains material that describes Burroughs disagreement over tax assessment on its repurchasing and redemption of its own preferred stock during 1924-1930.

Series contains information on exporting, quotas, price controls, labor and the office machine industry throughout World War II. There is also information on the Norden bombsight, which Burroughs produced beginning in 1942.

Collection contains correspondence, reprints, and photographs belonging to Charles Staubach, a salesman and manager for Burroughs Corporation.