In 1909 the Monarch Machine Co. of Des Moines, Iowa, was making gasoline engines. They also made a couple of unsuccessful early automobiles, a subject that is outside the scope of this website.

From April 1909 Popular Mechanics

At some point, very roughly around 1920, the company was reorganized as the New Monarch Machine & Stamping Co. Engine manufacture continued for a few years but that line of business seems to have faded away in favor of metal stamping. The business survived for some decades after engine manufacture ceased.

Information Sources

• 1908 Des Moines and Polk County, Iowa, City Directory lists "MONARCH MACHINE CO C. J. Bristol Genl Mngr, Mnfrs. Gas and Gasoline Engines, 307-309-311 e 1st, Both Tels 421." Besides Bristol, where are residential listings for Monarch employees: Ira L. Chambers, foreman; Hans T. Peterson, machinist; S. Mac Shively, sales manager; Andrew Wyzenbeck, machinist.
• April 1909 Popular Mechanics: small display ad for 1 HP gasoline engine.
• 1911-11-19 The Des Moines News, ad: "The New Monarch Machine Co. / The Best Obtainable / Auto repairing, gear cutting / Up-to-the-Minute Facilities. 307-309-11 East 1st St."
• 1925 Hendricks' Commercial Register of the United States lists "New Monarch Machine & Stamping Co., Des Moines, Ia." under "Stamping (Sheet Metal)".
• 1931 book, A Narrative History of the People of Iowa. "SIGURD E. ANDERSON has been president of the New Monarch Machine & Stamping Company of Des Moines from the time of its organization until the present... Mr. Anderson was born in Norway, August 10, 1873, and is a son of Otinius and Anna (Johnson), the former of whom passed his entire life in his native land and the latter of whom came with her fatherless children to the United States in 1891, the family home having been established in the City of Chicago and her death having there occurred in 1895... Sigurd E. Anderson received his early education in the excellent schools of his native land, where likewise he received three years of excellent training for the work of the machinist's trade, this, with further technical discipline, having made him a specially skillful artisan. He was eighteen years of age when he accompanied his widowed mother to the new home in Chicago, and there he was employed ten years in machine shops and die and stamp works. He next gave four and one-half years of service as foreman of a machine shop in the City of Evansville, Indiana, and he then, in 1906, came to Iowa and established his residence in Des Moines. Here he held during the ensuing four and one-half years the position of superintendent of the E. L. Watrous Manufacturing Company, and he then associated himself with others in organizing the New Monarch Machine & Stamping Company, of which he has since continued the president, John Torgerson being its vice president and Russell Smith, its secretary and treasurer. This progressive corporation has its well equipped manufacturing plant and steel warehouse at 406 Southwest Ninth Street, and controls a large business in the various lines of press metal stamping. Products are shipped into the most diverse parts of the United States and also to foreign countries..."
• 1952-05-04 Des Moines Register has a fairly lengthy article on Sigurd Anderson and the founding of the New Monarch Machine & Stamping Co. "Inkwell Maker Was Founder Of Big New Monarch Works... The present head of New Monarch is Frank Anderson, whose father, Sigurd Anderson, a Norwegian Immigrant, founded the company... In 1911, Anderson joined the Monarch Machine Co. in east Des Moines and several years later became sole owner. ... The first of New Monarch's plants on the present site was dedicated in 1916, the grand opening being the occasion for a luncheon and a dance in the die shop. Frank Anderson, who was born In Chicago, May 12, 1895, learned the metal trade here as his father's business grew... From a 3-man shop as a start In Des Moines, the New Monarch company today employs about 250 persons.... Anderson's brother, Clarence S. Anderson, is executive vice-president of the company. Lee A. Shelton, who joined the firm in 1926, is vice-president and general manager. Other officers are Arvid C. Anderson, assistant vice-president and sales manager, and Russel V. Smith, secretary. ... The elder Anderson remained active in the firm until 1941 when he broke his hip. He died in 1944."
• From a Des Moines history page: "Two automobile makes that made their debut before 1910, but were not very successful, were the Hawkeye and the Monarch... The Monarch, produced by the Monarch Machine Company, came in two varieties, the thrifty $300 “Model C” and the four passenger “Model D Road King” that sold for $750. There are no known survivors of any of the Hawkeye or Monarch vehicles."