This company made several carving and dovetailing machines patented by Myron T. Boult, who had earlier made machines under his own name. The relationship between Boult and the Battle Creek Machinery Co. is not known. It also manufactured "Marsh's Cylinder Bed Lathe that had been patented in 1878 by Elon A. Marsh. This foot-powered lathe was available with accessories including a tablesaw, scrollsaw, a "bracket moulding" accessory, and a cross-slide and tool-holder for metal turning.

This company was in existence 1873 through 1888, and probably longer. By 1894 it was succeeded by Battle Creek Steam Pump Co., at least for some of its products—including the woodworking machinery.

Information Sources

• The Inter-state Exposition Souvenir: Containing a Historical Sketch of Chicago; Also a Record of the Great Inter-state Exposition of 1873, from Its Inception to Its Close; Names of Exhibitors, and Description of Articles Exhibited", 1873. pp 257-258: "Battle Creek Machinery Co., Battle Creek, Michigan. Boult's Patent Carving, Paneling, Irregular Moulding and Dove-tailing machine, for shaping, edge-moulding, paneling, surface moulding, moulding scroll or fret work, dove-tailing, etc. By the use of this machine, can be accomplished all kinds of work hitherto only done by hand. It has often been offered as an objection that machines adapted to an extended variety of work must be more or less complicated—the changes difficult and tedious, and the adjustment troublesome. The inventor's long acquaintance with machinery has seemed to give him practical suggestions on this point, and the consequence is an arrangement so simple that not five minutes' time, on the removal of two bolts, is necessary to effect the most radical change in this machine, which seems to have been adapted to the general wanted of the various workers in wood. The dovetail attachment is a simple and perfect arrangement for making a strong, beautiful, 'honest' dovetail, on any kind or thickness of lumber, and perfectly adapted to all the requirements for such work, cutting both parts (side and front) and the same time; and the work is done with dispatch and scrupulous exactness."
• The 1873 Michigan Report of the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture reported on the results of competitions at that year's State Fair. The "Battle Creek Manufacturing Company" [sic] won a "discretionary award" for their carving, paneling, moulding and dovetailing machine. The Battle Creek Machine Company won a 1st premium and Diploma for their circular saw driven by horse-power.
• Mentioned in 1873 and 1876 Manufacturer & Builder.
• Twelfth Exhibition of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association", September and October 1874. Reports of the judges, p. 21. "Battle-Creek Machine Co. (Hill & Clark, Agents, Boston), Battle-Creek, Mich. Boult's Panelling and Dovetailing Machine.—This is a compact Machine, which can take the place of three machines of ordinary style, it being an irregular moulder, dovetailer, and a panel-raiser, and doing the different work in a very superior manner. The one spindle has a reverse motion, and by a peculiarly shaped knife (which is a novelty in itself), a right and left hand cut is made, by throwing over the shipping lever, quicker and easier than the operator can go from one spindle to the other in the machine in general use. The changes from one work to another are quickly made, and the Machine is first-class in every particular. For the saving of shop-room alone, to say nothing of belting and countershafts, etc., the machine will recommend itself to every intelligent mechanic. Gold Medal."
• Listed in a work published by the United States Centennial Commission, Official Catalog of the 1876 International Exhibition, as a maker of "carving, paneling, variety moulding and dovetailing machine; moulder's solid steel cutters." The report says, "Commended for ingenious conception and for practical execution of a machine for dovetailing and moulding, whose construction is cheap, considering the variety and the quality of the work yielded; also for solid steel cutters; also for an ingeniously arranged dovetailing machine, operated separately from above."
• The 1880-07-30 issue of the "New York Times" had an article on American prize-winners at the Sydney (Australia) International Exhibition. The Battle Creek Machine Company was "Highly Commended".
• A ca. 1880 brochure features the Marsh patent cylinder-bed lathe. The 1878 patent for the lathe was not assigned.
• The October 1881 and May 1882 issues of Manufacturer & Builder carried substantial articles on Boult's carving machine and dovetailing machine, respectively. Both machines are built on the principle of the pin-router, which Boult seems to have invented.
• From The Railroad, Telegraph, and Steamship Builders' Directory, 1888: a listing under wood-working machinery for "Battle Creek Machinery Co., Battle Creek, Mich."
• 1894 catalog that says "American Steam Pump Co., successor to Battle Creek Machinery Co." The Boult name features prominently on the machines.
• Used machine in 1917 catalog: "No. 5 Battle Creek drag saw. Power driven hedgehog; log car and trackways; T. & L. pulleys; weight 1,600 lbs."