The Hickinbotham Brothers Ltd. Collection consists of a centenary history of the company (1952) and three catalogues (1902, 1940 and 1959) of this industrial supply company in Stockton (Calif.).

Edwin Hickinbotham (1831-1891) came from New York via Panama to California in 1851. He soon settled in Stockton and ultimately spent his entire life there. Edwin's brother, John Tunnicliff Hickinbotham (1829-1893), came to Stockton the following year. There the brothers established, first, a carriage manufacturing business (1852-c1870), then, a carriage materials and lumber business (1871-c1890) which they operated until John's death. The Hickinbothams were active in civic affairs, both being members of the Eureka Hose Co. of volunteer firemen and both serving on the Stockton City Council during the 1860s. John T. Hickinbotham married Sarah West (1863) and they had three sons: George West (1866-1905), John Edwin (1869-1918) and James Henry (1870-1930). The sons continued to operate Hickinbotham Bros. after their father's death, gradually shifting the company away from wood materials to focus on heavy hardware, welding supplies and steel. James Henry Hickinbotham also had three sons: John Cyrus (1894-1945), Leland French (1897-1949) and Ralph West (1897-1951). These men, having formed a corporation, Hickinbotham Bros. Ltd. (1931), operated the company virtually through its centenary year. During World War II Hickinbotham Bros. Construction Division built landing barges, floating cranes, steel tugs and supply vessels for the U.S. government. Following the death of Ralph West Hickinbotham, his son, Ralph West Jr. (b. 1930) and two sons of John Cyrus Hickinbotham: John Cyrus Jr. (b. 1931) and Donald Eugene (b. 1933), continued to operate the family business until the mid-1990s when the company merged with Ferro Union Inc. Hickinbotham Bros. is today the oldest continuously-operated family business in Stockton.

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