From 1878-09-07 Scientific American

Walker Bros., a partnership of Dwight F. Walker and Edward A. Walker, was active in Minneapolis by 1872, and was probably founded at least one year before that. They relocated to Philadelphia at some time between 1873 and 1876. They remained in business until at least 1879.

In Minneapolis the company made a patent panel-raising machine, patent scrollsaws, planers, and probably other machines as well. The panel-raiser and scrollsaw continued production in Philadelphia; the fate of their planer design is uncertain.

It appears that the Walker Brothers ceased doing business around 1880. By 1882, E. A. Walker was in business under his own name and was making metal-working machinery, including patent metal planers and shapers. Edward continued in the metal-working machinery business into the 1890s. As for Dwight, he was operating as D. F. Walker, making grinding machines—he was granted an 1893 patent for a grinding wheel. Over the next couple of years he was granted three patents related to paper-making machinery.

Information Sources

• A genealogical researcher provided information by email on the identify of the Walker brothers. The names and dual locations were confirmed by patent records.
• 1872 mention in Manufacturer & Builder. "Paneling-machine, doing very superior work." The Minneapolis location was cited.
• A Photo Index entry shows an ornately constructed planer with a relatively lightweight frame. The machine's owner, Thomas Brown, reports that the machine is labeled as

  Manufactured
  By
  Walker Brothers
  Minneapolis
  Minn

  The plaque verifies that this firm was not just a sales office for the Philadelphia firm with the same name.
• Listed in a work published by the United States Centennial commission, Official Catalog of the 1876 International Exhibition, as a maker of scrollsaw and a power-feed panel raiser. The Philadelphia location was given.
• The 1876 work, Draft-book of Centennial carriages, displayed in Philadelphia, at the International exhibition of 1876, has this entry: "Walker Bros., Philadelphia (75 Laurel street), exhibit their patent paneling-machine, costing $200 with power-feed, or $150 with hand-feed."
• The July 1879 issue of Manufacturer & Builderhas illustrated articles on Walker Brothers' post drill and wood lathe.
• The October 1879 issue of Manufacturer & Builder mentions that Walker Brothers of Philadelphia was exhibiting woodworking machinery at The Fair of the American Institute.
• Kenneth Cope's American Planer, Shaper and Slotter Builders provides confirmation that E. A. Walker made metal-working machinery under his own name. Thanks to Robert Bernstein for looking up this information for us.
• Used machine in 1917 catalog: "power feed panel raiser. Three rates feed; heads adjustable four ways."