Amesbury’s Industries from 1870's-1950's

Copied from 1905 Boston Automobile and Motor Boat Show

Copied from the 1906 Boating Magazine

Probably the largest exhibit was that of the Atlantic Co., of their famous dories which were shown in all sizes and styles at prices within the reach of all.

That the dory type of motor boat is enjoying a steadily rising tide of popularity among yachtsmen and boat users generally is in large measure due to the efforts of the Atlantic Co., of Amesbury, Mass., who have brought this type of boat to a high stage of development and demonstrated that the qualities of staunchness and speed may be successfully combined. Correct design is the basic element of the able boat, and herein the Atlantic Co. has taken extraordinary pains. There is nothing experimental in any of their models. The experimental stage was passed before the model was put upon the market and only after the most thorough "trying-out" in all sorts of waters and all kinds of weather.

By a process of duplication of parts, peculiarly their own, the selected models are accurately reproduced in any desired quantity at a great economy of manufacturing cost. The boats built of these matched and interchangeable parts are necessarily exact duplicates of all other "Atlantic" boats of the same type—perfect mechanically and fast, safe and seaworthy in the highest degree.

"Atlantic" motor dories have a reputation all their own for stability of balance, easy riding in rough weather and heavy seas, great carrying capacity in proportion to size and for being comfortable, practical and desirable for pleasure, business or general use. That they are the "last word" in this type of construction is demonstrated by the high regard in which they are held by the United States Lighthouse and Life Saving Services, both of which use them extensively and endorse them heartily. The accompanying illustration shows two of these boats intended for life-saving service, in course of shipment.

Copied from the 1906 Power Boating Magazine

A feature of the "Atlantic" motor dory construction is the manner in which the frames are cut from large pieces and bent to pattern by powerful machinery, a system that insures a lighter and stronger boat than was possible by old methods.

"Atlantic" motor dory skiffs, or "sporting dories" as they have been called, are especially designed for inshore and harbor use and for lakes and rivers. Maximum floor space is obtained by moderate overhangs and economy of room in the stowage of the motor, and gasoline tanks. They are comfortable, speedy, stable, staunch and seaworthy and are admirably adapted to general family use.

"Atlantic" speed launches are of the sensible, well designed and perfectly proportioned type. They are substantially built, with an aim to all-around good performance in rough or smooth water. Thoroughness of construction from models by the best designers and the use of the "Atlantic" and "Merrimac" motors of high power and light weight have given unequaled results in this type of boats of 21 and 23 feet in length. The company's aim is to produce a sensible, high-speed boat.

"Atlantic" marine motors are of the latest, fastest and most powerful designs and together with the "Atlantic" boats of all types are endorsed by such eminent designers as Crowninshield, Fred D. Lawley and others as being the best procurable. The motors are of 2-cycle, 3-port design, light and strong, with large bearings for continuous high running and light reciprocating parts. The submerged exhaust adds to the power of the engine. They are easily foremost as the simplest, handsomest, fastest and most reliable. "Atlantic" boats and motors make it possible to get a boat or motor of the highest class at a moderate cost.

The Advertisement Text

Atlantic Sea-Going Dories—Noted for correctness of style and high finish. Absolutely unequalled forsafety in rough water. After famous models furnished by us to the United States Light House, Life Saving and Navy Departments

.25 ft. Semi-Speed Launch—Beam -1 ft. 10 in., 12 to 40 H. P., has a speed ranging'from 14 to 20 miles an hour. Made from the most expensive material. Prices from $1,150 to $1,600.

21 and 23 ft. Raceabouts—21 ft. equipped with 8 H. P. double cylinder motor, produces the high speed of 13 miles an hour. 12 H. P. 3 cylinder motor, 15 miles an hour. Both of these types whenever raced have proved to be in every instance champions in their class. Prices range from $600 to $1,100.

Atlantic Smooth Planked Clipper Launches—23 ft. 7 in. and 5 ft. 7 in. beam. Designed for good speed and weather qualities, combining great stren gth and lightness. Price $650.

16 ft. Motor Dory Skiffs—Beam 4 ft. 3 in. Inexpensive small motor boat for fishing purposes and yacht tenders, a good, sensible safe boat for boys. \% H. P. motor and will carry sufficient gasoline for full day's run. Substantially complete, quality guaranteed, price $ 125.

Lamps and Electric Parts Manufacturers

Copied from the 1903 Automobile and Cycle Trade Magazine

1908 Side Lamps

In 1910 or 19 11, the Castle Company moved to Selkirk, NY using the same patterns.

Copied from the 1903 Horseless Age Magazine
1903 Boston Automobile Show

Gray & Davis, of Amesbury, Mass., exhibited a complete line of their fine lamps. Mr. Gray, who was personally in charge of the exhibit, cited as a fact illustrating the high-grade character of their product, that all the rigs in the show equipped with their lamps listed over $2000. One night during the show, two or three of their finest lamps were stolen, which is another indication that their high grade is appreciated.

1903 French Headlight Style, 12 1/2" deep, 13* high, and 7 1/2 wide
Price $50.00

Two of these were stolen at his 1903 Boston Autmobile Show

1903 Advertisement

1903 Advertisement

Gray and Davis Factory on Mill Street

Two 1904  advertisements show that is factory was on Mill Street. He moved to Rail Road Ave. in 1905

1904 Advertisement for 1905 Style Mill Street	1905 Advertisement shows that the company had moved.
1905 Advertisement	1906 Advertisement

1906 Advertisement

1909 Advertisement Consisting of two lamps, style 967, Gray and Davis lens mirrors and type G generator, all of our best quality, thoroughly guaranteed, suitably for Maxwell, Ford, and Reo. Lamps are strongly made splendied light givers  and generator  is simple, strong, and serviceable. Users send in your orders direct or through your dealer. Dealers--Send for new lists and terms. Don't delay!

1910 Advertisement

Copied from the 1909 Issue of the Horseless age Magazine

Gray & Davis, Amesbury, Mass., will exhibit their full lineof lamps, including a newtype of gas lamp. This is a close coupled lamp, and will be shown in two series of styles, one with large flaring flange or opening in front to allow the light to spread; the other of searchlight form, with a small flaring flange. Both styles are equipped with a front silver reflector put in for looks and reflecting powers. There will also be seen combination gas and electric lamps. Thef ocus mirror claimed to be of great light jiving qualities. There is a gas chamber at the base of the burner to prevent flickering of the flame, and does away with the need for a rubber bulb on the pipe line. All parts of the lamp are said to be easily replaceable.

John Kettering, an engineer for Detroit Electric Co, known as Delco, devised the electric starter for Cadillac Motors in 1911. General Motors bought the Delco Company and hired Kettering as its chief engineer. By doing this only General Motors would have the electric starters in their cars. But Gray and Davis, who had been working on their system since 1910, came out with their electric starter shortly thereafter. Any car company could by their starter that was better than General Motors. Consequently, theirs were the biggest sellers.

The article, photo, and diagrams were cut from the 1912 Electrical Magazine

	Coach Lamps

Copied from the 1920 Metal Polishers Magazine:

Gray and Davis Co. moved to Cambridge, MA in 1926.

Hoyt Peanuts, Peanut Butter, and Candies
1902-1950?
1902-1917, 2 Greenwood St., 1917,  11 Oakland Street

Frank Hoyt with His Buffalo Brand Delivery Truck

Frank M. Hoyt ground  his first bag of peanuts into peanut butter in 1902 in a hand mill, During his visit to the World's Fair in Buffalo NY, he decided to name his brand "Buffalo" His first year's sale was a thousand dollars. He moved into the wholesale business and branched out into several varieties of peanuts and candy. By 1923, he was selling his brand of products throughout North Amnerica and eight other foreign countries. His containers are highly sought after and command premium prices.

Hoyt Brands of peanuts and peanut butter were packaged under three different trade names, Buffalo, Pickaninny, and Powow. Buffalo with the Buffalo logo was the earliest and most common. It was packaged in a large variety of containers in one, two, five, and  ten pound containers. Pickaninny with a black child logo was second and scarce. It was packaged in one and ten pound containers. The Powow brand had an Indian chief for its logo and was packaged in ten pound containers. These containers are very rare and expensive on today's market.

His Butta-Kiss candy was one of the most popular brands in the country and they could be seen sitting on grocery and candy stores counters in a five and  ten pound cardboard freight cars. These were there for convenience of small quantities. A large Buta-Kiss tin container was always present for customers who wanted to purchase a larger amount to take home.

1n 1925, the Amesbury Rotary Club was chartered with Frank M. Hoyt as a member and he became its president in 1928.

One Pound Peanut Butter Jar	There was a variry of glass containers
Pickaninny Brand	Butta-Kiss container with a Dutch lady logo

The cover has the instructions on how to open	The cover is a simple lift top
Buffalo Brand Lamp An extremely rare item, possibly the only one known	Ten Pound Butta-Kiss Box Car Container that could be used as a pull toy

These news items were published in the 1916 Issue of Simmon's Spice Mill Magazine

F. M. Hoyt Co., Amesbury, Mass., report an increased demand for their "Buffalo" brand peanut butter, and additions have been made to their plant to give them a greater output. The new equipment includes a Burns No. 6 roaster, with special cylinder for shelled peanuts

The item in this column of the May number, regarding F. M. Hoyt & Co., Amesbury, Mass.. was not entirely correct. The business of this concern, who manufacture the "Buffalo" brand of peanut butter and fancy salted nuts, has so outgrown its present quarters that they are forced to get more room. Mr. Hoyt decided to buy a plant which could be arranged to suit his conveniences and recently purchased of the Shields Carriage Co. their three story brick manufacturing building and the land which extends from Carriage Ave. through to the B. & M. railroad. It is an ideal location for Mr. Hoyt's business, being so near the railroad that it will be possible to have an elevator at the rear of the building down to the tracks of the B. & M. so that the large amount of freight of the firm can be handled without any teaming. It is Mr. Hoyt's intention to do a large amount of work in alterations and equipment of the new plant for the manufacture of the "Buffalo" brand products, for which it will be exclusively used. The new plant will give the firm about four times as much floor space as at present, and where the firm now employ 40 girls, they expect to give employment to 100. H. S. Lamb, formerly of the Keystone Telephone system of Philadelphia, has entered the employ of Mr. Hoyt and will be the general manager of the plant. It will probably be several months before the business will be moved to the new plant.

Pettingell Machine CO.
1873-1925

Pettingell Machine Company was one of the oldest manufacturers in Amesbury

Copied from Coachbuilt

By 1873 Pettingell had established his own machine shop and business must have been good as he married S. Ellen Bartlett, the 20-year-old daughter of W.H. and Louise Bartlett on December 16, 1874.

Pettingell licensed wheel-making equipment from local carriage-makers such as Joseph Richardson Locke of Locke & Jewell (manufacturers of the Warner patent wheel) in addition to devising his own time saving appliances.  Pettingell was soon advertising the Locke-based C.F. Pettingell rim and felloe rounding machine.

Wheel Rounding Machine Showing Number and Date

These are some of his patented machines:  rim planing machine, hub mortising-machine, with cutter or cones, polishing-machine for polishing spokes,   rim-rounder, rim boring-machine, spoke tenoning-machine, lathes, with or without centering-machine, spoke smutting-machine, or re-tenoner, spoke facing-machine, surface-planer for rims, polishing-machine for carriage-woodwork, and many more.

Locke and Jewell and Petingell Machine Co. were located adjacent to each other on Mechanics Row near Pattens Pond. In 1887, a fire heavily damaged both firms and had to be rebuilt. When the devasting fire hit Carriage Hill and destroyed a large portion of the carriage factories, Locke and Pettingell were able to keep making products. Another fire in 1891 also did heavy dame to both firms.

By 1900, Pettingell had invented several more machines that included the tenoners, tilting arbor table saws, friction cutters, and rolling formers for sheet metal fabrication, and rim and fellow rounding machines.

Rounding Machine

Tilting Arbor Table Saw

In 1903, the carriage trade was hard hit by a labor strike that lasted for three months. Almost all of the smaller shops went out of business and the larger shops divided their business between carriages and automobile body building. Pettingell fell on hard times and in 1905 were forced to sell to a group of Amesbury businessmen headed by A. G. Bela. The Pettingell Machine Co.'s name was kept, but Bela turned his attention to making machines for automobile bodies. By doing this, Pettingell Machine Co. became the largest company in the country for machines.

At the beginning of the automobile manufacturing, almost all bodies were made of wood. but by 1905, sheet metal was being used more and more. There was one drawback for this and it was the amount of time and lack of skilled metal workers to do the jobs. Every metal part of the body had to be hand hammered. Bela recognized the problem, and he began to invent a machine to do the job. In 1906, The Pettingell Powered Hand Hammer was made, tested in the Amesbury shops, and put on the market. Where it took a full day to make a metal part, now one could be made in less than an hour.

1905 Powered Automatic Hammer mounted on columns for large parts

No. 2 for smaller parts

This was the beginning of the composite automobile body, meaning the frame was made of wood and sheet metal was attached to the wood. These bodies lasted until Fisher Body quit this practice in 1936.

The automatic hammers were so popular that almost every large automobile garage or body maker was using them. Fisher Body had over 500 of them. Pettingell did not rest on its laurels. They invented over fifteen other machines used not only in body work but in all wood working shops.

Bela began to think about making automobile bodies  and in 1913, he formed the Bela Body Co. and he was awarded a contract by the Winton Automobile Co. of Cleveland, OH to build bodies for them. The company was moved to 77 Elm Street in 1913.

1913 Winton Six

With the build up towards the preparation of a war, other companies such as airplanes and trucks began to buy Pettingell's machines. By 1915, Pettingell Machine Co. had too many contracts to fulfill. so the he moved the body company to Framingham, MA for assembling only. The body parts were still being made in Amesbury. Within a short time, he had body orders from some of the most prestigeous car manufacturers in the country.

The above adertisements are for machiinery

This advertisement shows that the factory in Framingham was for assembling bodies only
Bela also made bodies for he Packard Automobile Co, Detroit, MI

Bela sold his company to Henry Long who had made a fortune by selling knapsacks to the government, of Framingham in 1918.

Pettingell moved to the corner of 77 Elm and Clark Streets, the former Walker Wells Automobile Body Co, in 1917. The company was sold in 1926 and moved to Lawrence, MA.

 

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Merrimac Hat Factory
1854-1952

Merrimac Hat Factory, 1890’s

Copied from the History of Essex County, compiled by D. Hamilton Hurd, 1888

Of the first seventeen who became sole proprietors of the town in 1654, not one, so far as can be ascertained, was a hatter. The introduction of this branch was by Deacon Moses Chase, of Newbury, a descendant of Aquila Chase. The exact time when he commenced the business cannot be determined, but in 1707 he petitioned the town for a small piece of land on the Ferry road, next to Powow River, to build a hatter's shop on. The request was granted, he receiving a lot thirty feet square.

There is a tradition that his first shop stood near the small brook in the rear of the houses on the west side of the street, ,and the fact that he was here and taxed four years before, asking for the lot beside the Powow, would seem to confirm the tradition. In 1703 he paid only a poll-tax, but the next year he was rated for some property, which may have been a shop where he was working.

How long the business was continued at the Ferry by Deacon Chase and his son Bailey is not known, but the shop was occupied for hatting many years. The late Daniel Long manufactured hats here for some time. Nearly three-fourths of a century ago the business was started at the Mills, on Main Street, in the building since converted into a dwellinghouse, owned and occupied by the late Daniel Morrill.

About 1838 Isaac Martin, a native of the Ferry, commenced hatting near Powow River bridge, in the basement of the house now owned by Timothy Bagley. Associated with him was the late Albert Gale. Subsequently they removed to the old building on the wharf, where the business was continued till about 1853. In the mean time the late Abner L. Bailey had become connected with the business and by his energy and perseverance became very successful. After continuing the business some length of time, mostly at Salisbury Point, under the title of "Merrimac Hat Company," a new company was formed, called the " Amesbury Hat Company," and the town landing (near Powow River bridge) purchased, on which a large factory was built. Before going into operation this company was consolidated with the Merrimac Hat Company," of which Mr. Bailey was agent and a large owner.

In 1804 Alfred Bailey organized the " Horton Hat Company," which commenced operations near the present large mill on Merrimac Street. This company sold out to the Merrimac Company July 18, 1806, when the latter company assumed the entire business.

The company now employ one hundred and sixty-nine hands; one hundred and eighteen males and fifty-one females. The number of hats manufactured in 1886 was forty-one thousand four hundred and ninety-eight dozen, valued at two hundred and eighty-three thousand dollars. For the last thirteen years the present efficient agent, R. B. Hawley, Esq., has had charge of the business.

Rear view of the factory

Hat Factory view from Merrimac Street

In 1878, Merrimac Hat Factory was given permission to build a new factory on the Merrimac River at Bailey's stream.

The company grew to be the largest hat manufacturers in the world with six factories in the United States and one in Canada. The sales diminished quickly during the 1940’s when felt hats became out of fashion and it closed down in 1952.

Deluxe Velour
	Merri-Soie

Peachbloom Valour	Gardenia
Belmar	Beret
Beaded	Peachbloom
Beret with pin	Merrie-soie
Deluxe Velour	Peachbloom Velour.
Betty Jane Merri-soie	Black Beaver Merri-soie
Fur with satin Bow	Mustard Felt Merri-soie
Blue Deluxe Velour	Merfelt Wool

Merrisene with rhinestones and bow

Wool Halo

	Merri-soiel
94% Wool 6% Aralac. Made in the U.S.A. Aralac is a fiber which is made from the milk protein casein. It was patented in 1937 in the US. Hats made by Merrimac are one of the few objects besides clothing identified as containing the fiber Aralac.	Valerie Modes, Peachbloom
Deluxe Velour	Merri-soie
Tilt Topper Black Felt	Fur Felt
Black wool Derby	Deluxe Velour
94% Wool, 6% Aralac Fiber	Merrie-soie

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