James Abner Stowell was born in Claremont, New Hampshire, in 1847. After completing his education he worked in Claremont as a bookkeeper at a flour and grain dealer and then became a partner in the family business, also related to flour and grain. He also became a partner in a lumber manufacturing business. In 1870 he sold his Claremont business interests and relocated to Leominster, Massachusetts where he formed a partnership to sell groceries and medicines. Three years later he sold his interest in that business and joined Waldo Whitney & Co., machinists and manufacturers of water wheels. A year later, in 1874, he purchased the machine business of Whitney & Co. The business of J. L. Stowell was located on Mechanic Street.

By 1877 Stowell was making a range of mill machinery and accessories including water wheels, shafting, pulleys and gears. Leominster was a major center for comb making and was also renowned for their comb-making machinery. Not surprisingly, Stowell manufactured comb-making machinery. By 1883 he was also making saw arbors. In 1886 he relocated a building on Water Street; by this time he was making a broader line of woodworking machinery, although the details of what he made is currently unknown to us. In December of 1893, Stowell acquired the wood shaper business of J. P. Grosvenor.

In April of 1907 the firm of J. A. Stowell Co. was incorporated, which was not otherwise marked by any changes in products or leadership; J. A. Stowell was president and son Alvah Wood Stowell was treasurer. A 1909 directory listing shows that the firm of J. A. Stowell Co. was manufacturing tablesaws and wood planers. By 1911 they had added surface grinders to their product lineup.

From article in December 1911 Machinery

In 1913 or '14, James A. Stowell retired and moved to California, and the business was dissolved. Alvah moved to Los Angeles, where he operated the Hotel Stowell.

Information Sources

• 1877 Goodnow's Pocket Directory of Leominster has a text ad: "Water Wheels, Shafting, Pulleys, Gears, and Mill Work. Comb Presses, Press Tongs, Machine Cutters, Comb Cutters, Horn Shaves, Splitting Machines, Polka Machinery, Steel Spindles. Engraving Tools & Stands, made by J. A. Stowell, Machinist, Shop on Mechanic Street, Leominster, Mass. / Sells Files, Lacing and Lace Leather, Belting, Bolts and Washers, Rivets, Nuts, Iron and Steel. / Moving Machines Repaired."
• 1880-10-02 American Machinist.

  J. A. Stowell, of Leominster, Mass., is busy, working until ten o'clock nearly every evening with a full complement of hands, and is behind with his orders. He is making two 48-inch water wheels of the "Whitney patter," to be used to drive one of Blake's Duplex Pumps to pump water for the Canon City Water Company, of Canon City, Colorado. One wheel is to be used at a time, the other to be kept in reserve in case of accident. It is estimated that they will lift a column of water containing 1,000 gallons 180 feet high per minute, the wheels to be run under an 8 foot head. He is also building a 24-inch and a 36-inch wheel to go to Leadville, Colorado, to be used by the Battle Mountain Smelting Company.

• 1883 New England Business Directory lists J. A. Stowell under the category of Wood Working Machinery. A text ad reads, "J. A. Stowell / Machinist and Manufacturer of / Turbine Water Wheels, Mill Gearing, Shafting, Pulleys and Hangers, Saw Arbors, &c. Horn Presses and Comb Machinery. / Leominster, Mass."
• 1888 book, Leominster, Massachusetts, Historical and Picturesque, by William Andrew Emerson, page 272.

  ...J. A. Stowell, also engaged in this [machinery] business, was born at Claremont, N. H., and after receiving a common school education, entered a private school known as the Claremont Academy.

  After leaving school he was bookkeeper for J. Goodwin & Co., flour and grain dealer, and subsequently became a partner in the firms of A. Stowell & Co., millers and grain dealers, and Richardson & Co., lumber manufacturers, all of Claremont.

  In 1870, selling out his interests in Claremont, he came to Leominster as a partner in the firm of Jacob & Stowell, groceries and drugs, but sold out in 1873, and was connected for one year with Waldo Whitney & Co., machinists and water wheel manufacturers.

  In 1874 Mr. Stowell purchased the machine business of the firm then located on Mechanic street, and has continued the business ever since.

  In 1886 he removed to Water street, and occupied the buildings of G. F. & A. G. Moore.

  In addition to the usual jobbing business, the manufacture of water wheels, shafting, gearing, hangers and pulleys has been undertaken. The manufacture of wood working machinery has also received considerable attention.

• 1894 Annual Statistics of Manufactures, published by the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics of Labor, page 377, in "Industrial Chronology" for Leominster. For December 1893, "J. A. Stowell acquired control of manufacture of Grosvenor shapers, formerly made by J. P. Grosvenor of Lowell."
• 1904-06-11 Scientific American has a small ad: "Steam Heaters / For Manufacturing and Laboratory Purposes / Made with finished surface in various sizes. Write for circular and prices. / J. A. Stowell Co. / Leominster, Mass."
• 1907-05-02 The Iron Age.

  The business of the J. A. Stowell Company, Leominster, Mass., machinist and dealer in machinery, has been incorporated under Massachusetts. J. A. Stowell is president, A. W. Stowell, treasurer, and Frank Barter clerk. No change in management has been made, and no additional equipment is required for the present.

• 1909 Hendricks' Commercial Register of the United States. In the category of "Planers (Buzz)" is listed Stowell, J. A. Co., Leominster, Mass. They are also listed under Saw Benches or Tables.
• 1911 Report of the Tax Commissioner of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the year ending November 30, 1910 lists J. A. Stowell Co., Leominster. "Organization certified April 24, 1907."
• December 1911 Grits and Grinds (vol. III No. 8, page 7), a publication of the Norton Co.

  Surface Grinder. The J. A. Stowell Co., Leominster, Mass., have recently place upon the market a new "Saxon" plain surface grinder. The capacity of the machine is 36" length, 10½" width and 12" height. A 10 x 1½" wheel is used. The table traverse being 16 feet per minute. American Machinist—Nov. 30, 1911, page 1048. Machinery—Dec. 1911, page 312.

• 1914 document from the Massachusetts State Legislature, "Chap. 0244 An Act to dissolve certain corporations", and approved March 26 of that year. There is a list of 840 corporations, among them J. A. Stowell Co.
• 1922 book, The Stowell genealogy: a record of the descendants of Samuel Stowell of Hingham, Mass., by William Henry Harrison Stowell.

  778. James Abner Stowell... was born in Claremont, N. H., 11 Aug. 1847, m. there 10 May 1871, Julia Sophia Wood, dau. of Alvah and Emeline (Sleeper) Wood, b. Hartford, Vt., 15 Sept. 1849, d. Los Angeles, Calif., 25 Dec. 1876, age 27.

  Resided in Leominster, Mass. Manufacturer of machinery...

• 1925 book Comb Making in America, by Perry Walton. "...In 1874 Stowell purchased the machine business of Waldo Whitney... The members of this firm in 1903 were J. A. and A. W. Stowell... Stowell continued in business until a few years ago, when he retired and went to California."
• Findadgrave.com entries for James Abner Stowell (1847-1935) and Alvah Wood Stowell (1873-1949).