The partnership of Connell, Gleason & Graham, founded in 1864 by John Connell, William Gleason and James S. Graham, manufactured woodworking and iron working machinery; it appears that Connell and Graham were interested in the woodworking machinery side of the business whereas Gleason's focus was on metal-working machinery, especially for cutting gears. Gleason had purchased the Kidd Iron Works (later to become the Gleason Works) which provided the factory, machinery and some products for the partnership. The details are murky but it appears that the partnership was dissolved in 1871. Graham subsequently formed James S. Graham & Co., which went on to enjoy over thirty years of business success. Connell, meanwhile, co-founded Connell & Dengler, which survived for a bit more than a quarter century. Both Graham and Connell specialized in woodworking machinery. Gleason continued with his Gleason Works, specializing in gear-cutting machinery.
Information Sources
- Listed in Gazetteer and business directory of Monroe County, NY for 1869-1870, published in 1869. They are described as "manufacturers of wood and iron working machinery."
- Listed in the 1874 work, Wiley's American iron trade manual of the leading iron industries of the United States, as a maker of tools and machinery.