The Jesse George Foundry was established in Wenona, Illinois sometime before 1865. In 1870 the business was acquired by Samuel B. Patch and George Swift, who operated it as Patch & Swift, specializing in manufacturing stoves.

In the late 1800s—after the business had moved to nearby Streator—they made a grinder arbor, which is the only reason that this site, focused on woodworking and metalworking machinery, is interested in them.

In 1894 the partnership was dissolved, with S. B. Patch continuing the foundry and machinery business and George Swift continuing their stove repair business. In 1897 they opened a factory in Chicago Heights. In 1908, Samuel Patch having apparently died, the business was incorporated by Patch's sons as S. B. Patch & Sons Co. They survived until at least 1920.

Information Sources

• The 1880 book, Records of the Olden Time: Or, Fifty Years on the Prairies, by Spencer Ellsworth.

  S. B. Patch.
  Mr. Patch (of Patch & Swift), was born in Pittsburg, Pa., in 1838, and came west in 1864, locating in Ottawa, and in Pern in 1865, and in Wenona in 1870, when they started a small foundry. They have now one of the most perfect and complete establishments west of Pittsburg. In a word it is perfect in all its appointments, and having made stove repairs a specialty, they are prepared to offer to the public the largest assortment of any foundry in the west. They have castings for the repair of all kinds of stoves now in use, having gone to a large expense in getting patterns. They challenge any firm in the west to furnish as many patterns as they do. Mr. P. married Sarah A. Beam in 1865. She was born in Johnson county. Pa. They have ten children—Ada B. , Katie, Elmer E., Louis, Sarah J,. Samuel J., Clomie E., Minnie, Raymond and Pheba. Mrs. Patch is a member of the M. E, church, Mr. P. is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows Societies, and has served as alderman two years, and mayor two years.

• 1894-03-29 The Iron Age.

  The copartnership between S. B. Patch and Geo. Swift as founders, at Streator, Ill., under the firm name of Patch & Swift, is dissolved. The general foundry and machine business will be carried on by S. B. Patch and the stove repair business will be carried on by George Swift. S. B. Patch will receive and pay all debts of the late firm.

• 1894-04-05 Iron Trade Review.

  Patch & Swift, the well known founders of Streator, Ill., have dissolved. The general foundry and machine business will be carried on by S. B. Patch and the stove repair business will be carried on by George Swift.

• From an 1897 issue of Chicago Journal of Commerce and Metal Industries.

  August Patch, S. B. Patch, and others have formed a stock company with a capital of $10,000 for the manufacture of parts and repairs. The works of the company will be located at Chicago Heights, with business offices in this city. S. B. Patch has been conducting a stove repair foundry at Streator, Ill., but will hereafter devote his time to the new works at Chicago Heights. The Streator foundry will be continued under the same management.

• From a 1908 issue of The Iron Trade Review.

  S. B. Patch & Sons Co., Streator, Ill., with a capital of $8,000, has been granted a charter to manufacture and deal in iron, steel, brass and copper. The incorporators are: R. B. Patch, A. L. Patch, and S. J. Patch.

• From a 1910 edition of The Stationary Engineers' Book: listings for "S. B. Patch & Sons' Co., Streator, Ill." under Dumping Grates and also under Grate Bars. There is also an ad, the only text we can see in Google Books' snippet view being "...half-burned fuel if you use The Patch Rocker and Shaking Grate. ... Send for our Booklet, and let us what a set would cost for your plant. S. B. Patch & Sons' Co., Streator, Ill."
• The 1920 edition of Certified List of Domestic and Foreign Corporations lists "S.B. Patch & Sons Co 202-210 Iowa St., Streator."
• From the local history book Old Sandy remembers: Evans Township, Marshall County.

  INDUSTRIES, BUSINESSES AND RECREATION
  PATCH & SWIFT FOUNDRY

  Heavy industry came to Wenona with the Jesse George Foundry before 1865. He sold out to Patch and Swift in 1870, and they enlarged and modernized the plant until they could beast, "one of the most perfect and complete establishments west of Pittsburgh." This foundry became famous for the quality and quantity of its work.

  Stove repairs were a specialty and the firm went to great expense to secure patterns of well known makes. The ornamental iron work on the buildings in the central block of Main street was made there. The foundry continued in operation until the late 1880's when it moved to Streator and continued operations until in the 1940s.

• From a circa 1947 WMMJ radio program on the history of the town of Wenona, retrieved from an Illinois genweb page.

  ...Early factories included the Patch & Swift Iron Foundry, located on the site of the present Ernest Pomerenke residence...

  "Contributed 10 Jun 2015 by Peggy Thomas. Script prepared and transcribed by Wade L. Eberly for Peoria Program, 1947 is an approximate date."