A Timeline of the Yerkes & Finan Woodworking Machine Co.

John Yerkes was an alumnus of the H. B. Smith Co. of Smithville, NJ. He moved to St. Louis in 1877 with Gorham O. Hall and Charles S. Brown, who, with Yerkes and a couple of others, formed the Hall & Brown (H&B) Woodworking Machinery Co. In 1887, Yerkes decided to try something different: running Yerkes & Jones, a grocery store, which lasted into 1888.

Meanwhile, by 1883 Peter A. Finan had joined H&B as a junior clerk. He held that position until 1886, when he is listed as a bookkeeper for H&B. In 1887 and 1888, he became a "trav", presumably a traveling salesman., for H&B. He married Gorham Hall's daughter, most likely during this period.

Yerkes & Finan was founded in 1888 or 1889; Yerkes was president and Finan was vice president.

Finan left the company by 1895 and founded P. A. Finan Machinery Co. That firm lasted less than two years, and then Finan worked for a grocer. Apparently Finan was somehow struck in the head with a baseball bat and "went insane". He died in 1909 at the age of 32. (This implies that he was 4 years old when he first became a machinist. There were several Peter A. Finans in St. Louis at that time, and it does seem likely that there is some confusion here.)

Yerkes reportedly became vice president of Hall & Brown with Hall's death in 1897. If true, he must have continued with Yerkes & Finan at the same time.

Yerkes & Finan continued in business at the same address until 1911. Judging from the few available ads and extant machines, Y&F maintained a close relationship with Hall & Brown. Y&F bandsaws are very similar to H&B bandsaws, but at least some incorporated a counterweight tension device unknown on H&B saws. Y&F jointers are almost identical to H&B jointers. A 1909 map shows them occupying the northern third of the triangular block bounded by 9th, 11th, and Dock streets, which today is one block off of Interstate 70.

Yerkes & Finan building, Southwest corner of 9th Street and Dock Street

1911 is the last listing for Yerkes & Finan, when it was listed under machinery depots. Presumably they were only a dealer by this time. In 1912 and 1913, John Yerkes is listed as a salesman. Yerkes remained second vice president of H&B through 1925 and beyond.

So Yerkes & Finan has a history of about 22 years (1889-1911). The formal relationship between Y&F and H&B is unknown, though finding a catalog from the company and comparing it to a H&B catalog would be very illuminating.

Information sources

• Much of this entry is copied from an OWWM posting by Kirk Poore.
• Email from Dave Potts (early history of John Yerkes)
• Yerkes is listed in the 1881 St. Louis city directory as a machinist, and in 1882 as a machinist for Hall & Brown. In 1883 and 1884, he is listed as a foreman, possibly still at H&B. By 1885 he was a machinist again, and in 1886 was not listed in the directory.
• Missouri Historical Society (St. Louis city directories, 1881-1925).
• The 1889 St. Louis city directory shows its first entry for the Yerkes & Finan (Y&F) Wood-working Machine Co, located at 1630 N. 9th St. This is only 4 blocks from Hall & Brown's location, which backed up to 9th Street. John Yerkes was president, with Peter Finan as VP. They remained at this location until 1892, moving then to 3143-3145 N 9th St. Finan remained VP until 1894, when he is listed as secretary for Y&F. In 1895 George F. Cottrill was listed as VP for Y&F.
• In this year and in '96, there is a P. A. Finan Machinery Co. 1308 N. Broadway listed. In 1897, he is working for J. M. Shea & Co, a grocer. By 1899 he may have been a candy seller, and in 1902 a driver. (There are several Peter A. Finans in St. Louis, so exact identification is difficult.) There is no listing for Finan after this date.
• Dave Potts reports the following: "I had an email exchange with a St. Louis descendent a few months ago and was able to find a few details from the census, and city directories. There were no references/records of Yerkes & Finan, but Peter Finan operated P.A. Finan Machine Co. in 1895 & '96. Prior to that he is listed as working for his father's livery service from the same address. There is no mention of the company in the 1897 directory. Mr. Voyles, my researcher, had taped an interview with an older relative and the story is that Peter Finan was somehow struck in the head with a baseball bat and went insane. He died in 1909 at the age of 32."