RVA Legends — Allison & Addison

1322 East Cary Street (Office)
Manchester Docks (Factory)

You keep those fertilizer plants downriver… and downwind.

[RVCJ03] — Allison & Addison Factory, Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company — circa 1903

Allison & Addison, manufacturers of sulphuric acid and fertilizers, of this city, have their works on the south side of the river below Manchester, and opposite Richmond’s suburb of Rocketts. These works cover some four acres of ground. In the buildings alone there are some two acres of flooring. These buildings are fitted up completely with machinery, some of it imported ‘from Europe, and some of it specially manufactured for these works.

(Library of Congress) — Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Richmond (1905) — Plate 45 — showing campus & buildings of the Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co. Allison & Addison Branch at Manchester Docks

There is fifteen feet of water at low tide at the landing of these works, and vessels of 1,000 tons can load there. In these works from 50 to 75 hands are employed according to the state of trade. The output, with a capacity of a hundred tons a day (about 15,000 tons a year) is $100,000 to $300,000 annually, the exact figures depending upon the prices that may be prevailing for the time. [RVCJ03]

(Find A Grave) — John Addison

This firm is composed of Messrs. J. W. Allison, E. B. Addison, William H. Allison and John Addison, and it is the oldest house in the fertilizing line in this city. [IOR]

(Duke University Libraries) — 1884 advertisement for Allison & Addison’s High-Grade “Star Brand” Fertilizers for Wheat and Grass, Richmond, Virginia

These gentlemen are conspicuous for the interests they have here in banks and financial institutions of the city, and in manufacturing concerns, besides this, and other important projects. Their city offices are at 1322 Cary street. They have membership as a firm in the Chamber of Commerce. [RVCJ03]

(Chronicling America) — Richmond Times, December 31, 1899 — Allison & Addison Factory. Situated on the Right Bank of the River, Opposite Rocketts. Yearly Capacity, 20,000 Tons of Manufactured Fertilizer. Number of Men Employed 135

In 1865 they started business as dealers in fertilizers, and their trade assumed such dimensions in a few years that they commenced manufacturing. Thev have a large factory, located in Rocketts, thoroughly equipped, with all the modern machinery necessary to an extensive business, and giving employment to a large number of hands.

September 2019 — looking towards former factory location — note Rockett’s Landing at left

Their trade is principally located in the Virginias, Carolinas, Georgia and Tennessee; and a representative of the house can always be found somewhere on the road, on business intent.

Mr. J. W. Allison is a native of this city, a Director in the National Bank of Virginia, and a member of the James River Improvement. Committee; also, President of the Old Dominion Fruit Growing Company.

(Chronicling America) — advertisement in the Farmville Herald — February 16, 1900

Mr. E. B. Addison, formerly of Alexandria, Va., has lived here since the war, is a Director in the City Bank, the Virginia Fire and Marine Insurance Company, and a member of the Board of Police Commissioners. Mr. William H. Allison was born in this city, and has always been in his present line of business.

(VCU) — 1889 Baist Atlas Map of Richmond — Plate 2 — showing ownership of 1322 by W. H. & J. W. Allison — note Virginia Street used to continue all the to Lombard Alley

Mr. John Addison, formerly of Alexandria, Va., has lived here since 1865, and has been connected with this house ever since. Is Director in Citizens Bank of Richmond, and Director in the Richmond Corn and Cotton Exchange. [IOR]

September 2019 — looking toward 1322 East Cary Street

Allison & Addison may have been first and oldest, but that didn’t stop them from being acquired by the Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company sometime between 1886 and 1900. The builders of the Chemical Building on South Twelfth Street also had operations in Richmond and would continue to until 1963, when they sold out to Socony Mobil Oil.

(Allison & Addison is part of the Atlas RVA! Project)

Print Sources

• [IOR] Industries of Richmond. James P. Wood. 1886.
• [RVCJ03] Richmond, Virginia: The City on the James: The Book of Its Chamber of Commerce and Principal Business Interests. G. W. Engelhardt. 1903.

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