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Early American Clock Makers: A Detailed History

The Colonial Period (Pre-1800)

European Dependence Early American colonists relied almost entirely on imported clocks from England and Europe through the 1600s and most of the 1700s. Clocks were luxury items, expensive and rare, found only in wealthy households and public buildings.

Early Craftsmen The first American clockmakers were typically trained in Europe and immigrated to the colonies. They worked individually, hand-crafting tall case (grandfather) clocks one at a time. Notable early makers included:

• Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806) - A self-taught African American who built a striking wooden clock around 1753
• David Rittenhouse (1732-1796) - Philadelphia clockmaker known for precision astronomical clocks
• Simon Willard (1753-1848) and his brothers - Massachusetts family who became highly influential

The Revolutionary Period (1780s-1810s)

Growth of Domestic Production The American Revolution disrupted trade with England, spurring domestic clock production. Clockmaking centers emerged in:

• Connecticut - Would become the dominant state for clock manufacturing
• Massachusetts - Particularly around Boston and Roxbury
• Pennsylvania - Philadelphia area
• New York - Growing urban market

Eli Terry and the Manufacturing Revolution Eli Terry (1772-1852) revolutionized American clockmaking by introducing mass production techniques:

• Started as a traditional clockmaker in Plymouth, Connecticut
• In 1806, accepted an unprecedented contract to produce 4,000 clock movements in three years
• Developed water-powered machinery to produce interchangeable wooden clock parts
• By 1816, created the affordable shelf clock (also called mantel clock), making clocks accessible to middle-class families
• His innovations dropped clock prices from $25-50 to around $5

The Connecticut Clock Industry Boom (1810s-1840s)

Key Innovators

Chauncey Jerome (1793-1868)

• Worked with Eli Terry before starting his own company
• Invented the inexpensive brass movement clock around 1838, replacing wooden works
• Brass movements were more reliable, didn't swell with humidity, and could be made even cheaper
• His one-day brass clocks sold for as little as $1.50, making them affordable for almost any household
• Exported clocks worldwide, including to England (ironically selling American clocks cheaper than English makers could produce them)

Seth Thomas (1785-1859)

• Started as a carpenter and joiner
• Partnered with Eli Terry early in his career
• Founded Seth Thomas Clock Company in 1813 in Plymouth Hollow (later Thomaston), Connecticut
• Produced high-quality clocks at reasonable prices
• Company became one of the longest-running American clock manufacturers

Joseph Ives (1782-1862)

• Innovative designer who experimented with different materials and mechanisms
• Developed roller pinion movements and wagon spring clocks
• Known for technical innovation though less commercially successful than peers

The Willard Family

• Simon Willard (1753-1848) - Most famous of the brothers, invented the "Improved Timepiece" (later called the banjo clock) around 1802
• Aaron Willard (1757-1844) - Simon's brother, also a respected clockmaker
• Benjamin Willard - Another brother in the trade
• Operated in Roxbury and Boston, Massachusetts
• Known for exceptional quality and craftsmanship rather than mass production

Manufacturing Methods Evolution

Wooden Movements (1790s-1840s)

• Made from cherry, laurel, or other hardwoods
• Gears and wheels cut by water-powered machinery
• Affordable but susceptible to humidity and wear
• Dominant until brass movements replaced them

Brass Movements (1830s onward)

• More durable and precise
• Could be manufactured even more cheaply through improved techniques
• Became the industry standard

Peddler Distribution System Connecticut clockmakers developed an innovative distribution system:

• Peddlers traveled throughout the country with clocks
• Often sold on credit or barter
• Helped create a national market for Connecticut clocks
• Spread Yankee ingenuity reputation across America

Regional Variations

Connecticut Valley

• Mass production center
• Companies: Seth Thomas, E. N. Welch, Ansonia, Waterbury, Gilbert, Ingraham, New Haven
• Focus on affordability and volume

Massachusetts

• Higher-end production
• Companies: Willard family, E. Howard & Co., Waltham Clock Company
• Emphasis on quality and precision

Pennsylvania

• Traditional tall case clocks
• German-influenced designs
• Individual craftsmen rather than factories

New York

• Both individual makers and factories
• Growing market for shelf and wall clocks

Clock Styles of the Era

Tall Case Clocks (Grandfather Clocks)

• Dominant style through 1820s
• Hand-crafted, expensive
• Status symbols for wealthy families

Shelf/Mantel Clocks

• Eli Terry's innovation
• Made clocks affordable and practical
• Various styles: pillar and scroll, column and splat, steeple, cottage

Banjo Clocks

• Simon Willard's design
• Elegant wall-hanging timepiece
• Popular in better homes

OG (Ogee) Clocks

• Simple veneered case with S-curve molding
• Became extremely popular in 1830s-1840s
• Mass-produced and inexpensive

Impact and Legacy

The early American clockmakers accomplished something remarkable:

• Democratized timekeeping - Made clocks affordable for ordinary families, not just the wealthy
• Advanced manufacturing - Pioneered mass production and interchangeable parts before the more famous firearms industry
• Created export industry - American clocks sold worldwide by the 1840s
• Established Connecticut dominance - The state remained the clock manufacturing center well into the 20th century

By the 1850s, American clock manufacturing had evolved from individual craftsmen making expensive timepieces to sophisticated factories producing millions of affordable clocks annually. This transformation represented one of the earliest examples of American industrial ingenuity and mass production techniques that would define the nation's economic development.