Wheeler &
Wilson’s (aka Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Co.): History
The
Company[1]
The
firm known as Wheeler, Wilson & Co. was established in 1851 when Nathaniel
Wheeler and Allen B. Wilson formed a partnership. The two men met a few years earlier when
Nathaniel was a partner in a manufacturing firm in Watertown, Connecticut and
Allen was a designer and patentee of a sewing machine. During a business trip to New York, Nathaniel
saw the sewing machine patent that Allen created and he made
arrangements to actually manufacture 500 of
them. By 1853 the business became quite
successful with capital of $160,000 and it was renamed Wheeler & Wilson
Manufacturing Co. During the firms first
three years it produced 3,000 sewing machines and then in 1856, because their
factory in Watertown was unable to handle the increase in business, the firm
moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Bridgeport was located along the coastline and provided businesses in
the area with an efficient way to transport their products to other places.
By
1859 this firm sold the most sewing machines in the United States and it held
$400,000 in capital which increased to $1,000,000 by 1864. In 1859 the company
sold roughly 21,000 machines that increased to 130,000 by 1871. The Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Co.
was considered the largest maker and seller of sewing machines in the 1850’s
and 
1860’s. These two drawings of the Bridgeport factory
show what it looked like in 1867[2]
(left) and what it looked like 12 years later in 1879[3]
(right) after the factory size increased dramatically. During those years Mr. Wilson continued to
design improvements and additional features were added to their products. The firm’s sewing machines were transported
around the world and Wheeler & Wilson also had showrooms in London[4],
Liverpool[5]
and Dublin[6]
in the UK and in New York[7]
and Chicago[8]
in the USA. They won awards for their
designs including ones at the 1861 Industrial Exposition in Paris, the 1862
International Exhibition in London and the Exposition Universal in Paris in
1868. They were the only sewing machine
company to win the Grand Metal of Progress and of Merit at the 1873 World’s
Fair in Vienna. This business also
participated in many other local exhibitions and shows in the US and UK as well
as the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1878 and in 1889.
Sometime
around 1870 the Wheeler & Wilson business established a relationship with
W. Avery & Son of Redditch, UK because a brass needle case was made which
was stamped with both of their names.
The Florence needle case (pictured here[9])
was patented by Avery in 1870 and two slightly different versions were actually made. The
one with the Wheeler & Wilson name is 6 
centimeters
long with an oval shaped decoration in the center where the Wheeler &
Wilson’s name is stamped followed by the Avery name stamped just below the oval
shaped decoration. The other version is
4.5 centimeters long and has a circular center decoration where the other
company’s name is stamped, but Avery’s name is not found on the brass needle
case. All of
the company names stamped on these Florence needle cases were licensees or
agents of Averys. Most Avery style
needle cases had the license/agents name stamped on the brass needle case
exterior but were filled with packets of needles with the needle makers name
printed on the paper packets inside. It
seems most likely that the reason the Wheeler & Wilson version was longer
is because it held sewing machine needles rather than hand sewing needles. Machine needles were most likely thicker and
longer than regular sewing needles. And
why was the Avery name only stamped on the Wheeler & Wilson version? 
Possibly
the machine needles were not in paper packets like the sewing needles were,
therefore in order to show that they were actually made by Avery, his name was stamped on the brass
needle case exterior.
The
company was very successful for fifty-four years from 1851 until 1905. During those years they manufactured and sold
almost 2,000,000 sewing machines. Also,
after several years of hiring English needle makers to make their sewing
machine needles, they began to make their own.
Additionally, they created and constructed wooden cabinets for their
sewing machines. After Allen Wilson died
in 1888, Nathaniel Wheeler ran the company as president until his death in
1893. Then his son, Samuel Wheeler,
became the company president which by 1905 employed 2,000 workers at their
factory in Bridgeport. The Singer sewing
machine company then took over the Wheeler & Wilson manufacturing business
in 1905 and continued to produce Wheeler & Wilson sewing machines under
their name until at least 1913.
The
Wheeler Owner[10]
Nathaniel
Wheeler was born in Watertown, Connecticut in 1820. He was the first son of David Wheeler, a
carriage manufacturer, and his second wife Sarah DeForest. His British Wheeler ancestors immigrated to
the USA in 1641 and his French DeForest ancestors in
1636. After receiving a traditional
school education, Nathanial learned details of his father’s trade. In 1841 at age 21 Nathaniel took over his
father’s manufacturing business which he successfully operated for about five
years. Then he began to produce metallic
items such as, buckles and slides, at first with hand laborers and later with
machinery. In 1848 he established a
partnership with another similar manufacturing firm, Warren & Woodruff, and
the company built a factory which Nathaniel managed. The business became known as Warren, Wheeler
& Woodriff, then in 1851 when Allen Wilson joined the partnership it became
Wheeler, Wilson & Co. then Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Co. in
1853. Sewing machines became their
primary product and significant funds were used to find ways to make their
machines better. Nathaniel became
president of the business in 1855. He
also served as a legislator for his district in the Connecticut Senate for
several years and was a director for several railroad firms and banks.
Nathaniel
married Huldah Bradley in Watertown in 1842 and they had four children: Martha
who died at age 8, Samuel, Ellen, and Annie B. who died at age 1. Unfortunately, Huldah died in 1857 at age 34. In 1858 Nathaniel married his second wife
Mary E. Crissey and they had four sons: Harry D. who died at age 18, Archer,
William B., and Arthur P. who died at age 2.
The family continued to live in the Bridgeport area where Nathaniel
became very successful. In 1860 his
personal estate was valued at $150,000 which increased to $500,000 by
1870. Nathaniel died in 1893 at his
residence in Bridgeport and was buried at a local cemetery. When his estate was probated
it was valued at $1,228,222. His
obituary below was published on January 1, 1894.[11]
“Nathaniel Wheeler Dead.”
“President
of the Big Manufacturing Company at Bridgeport, and Was Prominent in Public
Life.”
“BRIDGEPORT, Dec 31 – Hon Nathaniel Wheeler,
president of the Wheeler & Wilsons manufacturing company, died at 6:30 this
morning. He had been suffering from a
disease of the stomach for three months, and his conditional had been hopeless
for several weeks.
He was born in Watertown, Conn, Sept 7,
1820. Upon attaining his majority he succeeded his father in the carriage trade, and
conducted it for five years. While on a
business trip to New York Mr. Wheeler heard of the Wilson sewing machine which
was then on exhibition. He examined it
and saw its possibilities, and engaged Mr. Wilson to go with him to Watertown
to perfect the machine and superintend its manufacture.
The result of this arrangement was that
Warren, Wheeler, Woodriff and Wilson formed a
copartnership under the name Wheeler, Wilson & Co. The company prospered steadily, and in 1853
the Wheeler & Wilson manufacturing company was organized with a capital
stock of $160,000, $100,000 allowed for the patent, $60,000 for the factory and
machinery. The manufactory continued at Watertown until 1856, when it was moved
to Bridgeport. The company now has an
immense plant here.
Mr. Wheeler was a staunch democrat and
served the city in common council and on various boards, and for years was a
leading member of the board of education:
also represented the city in the state senate twice, and four times in
the house of representatives. He was one
of the commissioners for building the state capital, the greatest public
enterprise ever undertaken by the state.
He was a director in the City national bank and
several other concerns, and was a large stockholder in the Consolidated
road, and for many years had been a member of the board of directors.
He was one of Bridgeport’s most public spirited citizens, had large real estate interests
here, and is believed to have left a fortune which may reach a million. He was married twice,
his second wife and four children survive him.
The children are Samuel Wheeler, head of the
Wheeler & Wilson company’s Chicago offices; Mrs. E. W. Harral of Fairfield,
and Archie and William B. both unmarried, who live at home. The funeral will take place on Wednesday at 2
o’clock at the family home on Golden hill.”
The
Wilson Owner[12]
Allen
Benjamin Wilson was born in 1823/24 in Willet, New York. He was the son of Benjamin Wilson, a
wheelwright who was killed in an accident when Allen was
around three years
old. Allen then lived with his mother
Fanny and two sisters until he was 11 years old. At age 11 he was apprenticed to a neighboring
farmer for a year,
however
he spent about 5 years working on various farms and studied mechanics
at a neighboring blacksmith shop
during his free time. At age 16 he was
appren
ticed to a cabinetmaker in Cincinnatus and he then became a journeyman
when he moved to Adrian, Michigan in 1847.
That year he got the idea of creating a sewing machine and in 1848 after
he moved to Pittsfield, Massachusetts where he obtained a job, he began drawing
pictures of his idea. In 1849 he moved
to North Adams, Massachusetts and in 1850 was able to secure a patent. In 1851 he joined Nathaniel Wheeler and the
Wheeler & Wilson company was established.
By 1860 Allen moved to Waterbury, Connecticut. Although he retired from active participation
in the Wheeler & Wilson business, he received a regular salary and continued
to make improvements to the firm’s sewing machine. Here is a drawing of one of the company’s
sewing machines.[13]
Allen
married Harriet Brooks in 1850 in New Ashford, Massachusetts. They had two
children both born in Connecticut: Annah B. and Ethel. In 1860 his real estate was valued at $42,000
and his personal estate at $100,000 which increased to $130,000 and $150,000 by
1870. Allen died in 1888 at age 65. The following obituary was published on May
10, 1888[14].
“Allen
B. Wilson”
“Allen B. Wilson died
Sunday in Woodmont. His name stands
among the foremost of American inventors.
He was born in Willett, Courtland county, N.Y.,
October 18, 1824, and was a farmer’s boy until 16, studying mechanics in
blacksmith shops and making small water wheels, apple parers, and other
appliances. Then he went as a cabinet
maker with a relative in Cincinnatus, near by. While working in Adrian, Mich. in 1849., he
conceived the idea of the sewing machine.
Numerous inventions had been made here and in England between 1830 and
1840 to meet the demand, but none had proved adequate. At this time Mr. Wilson had never heard of a
sewing machine. In 1848, M. Thimonnier
had a set of rude machines running in France, but they were broken up by mobs
and the inventor gave up in despair.
Walter Hunt in New York made a machine but did not perfect it. When in 1854, in the hands of Singer, it
had become a success he applied for a patent on his first invention. Elias Howe, Jr. began experimenting in 1843
and patented a machine in 1846; his original idea was the feed motion. The machine now bearing his name was not
invented until 1857, six years after the success of Wheeler & Wilson. Mr. Wilson removed to Pittsfield, Mass. to
work out his ideas and had to make every part of the work himself. He hit upon the device of the shuttle, solved
lockstitch problem, and in May 1849, went to North Adams, where he built his
first regular machine. He sold half of
the invention for $200 to Joseph N. Capin, and with this procured a patent Nov.
12, 1850. A Lowell concern contested the
patent, and he divided with them. Soon
after he met Nathaniel Wheeler, with whom he was so long associated. Mr. Wheeler was born in Watertown September
7, 1820. In a short time
improvements were made in the machine and these two men, separating from Lee
& Co, the Lowell men, began the active manufacture at Oakville. Messrs., Warren, Wheeler, Woodriff &
Wilson formed the firm Wheeler, Wilson & Co, the company being organized in
1853. Shortly after this Mr. Wilson
retired from active participation in the business, but with a regular salary,
and came in Waterbury to reside in 1863.
Later he patented several improvements on the machine. In 1853 he built a fine hotel with public
hall at North Adams. In 1856 the factory
was moved from Watertown – or Oakville – to Bridgeport. They desired to locate here but not enough
stock could be raised into $10 it is said, to compete with Bridgeport. They took the property of the Jerome Clock
company and from that day continued to increase in business and in
capacity. The officers of the company at
its organization were Alanson Warren, president, Geo. P. Woodruff, secretary
and treasurer, and Nathaniel Wheeler, general manager. Mr. Wilson leaves a wife and one daughter
Ethel Wilson. Waterbury America.”
