Established in 1853, by 1861 the Newark Machine Company was operating at 523-527 High Street at the corner of Orange Street. They manufactured steam engines, engine lathes, planers, slotters, Blanchard lathes (for making gun-stocks, boot-lasts, etc.), and Barlow's patent wood planer, among other products. George H. Renton was treasurer and Addison Crosby was superintendent. The company became insolvent in October of 1861 and their assets were sold off to pay debts.

Information Sources

• December 1859 New Jersey Farmer, in "Official List of Premiums, awarded at the Fair of the New Jersey State Agricultural Society, held at Elizabeth, September 13, 14th, 15 and 16th, 1859... Display caloric engines, G. H. Renton, Newark, for Newark Machine Co., diploma."
• Advertisement in 1861 Newark City Directory.
• 1867 Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in The (N. J.) Court of Chancery reports on the case of Simeon Bedford v. Newark Machine Co., where the defandant had become insolvent in October 1861. They owed some forty workers back pay, although only twelve of them were still working at the time that insolvency was declared; others had stopped work as early as March 23 of that year. The law required that employee wages be given priority of payment when resolving the debts of an insolvent business. But does this apply only to those employed at the time of insolvency or also to those who left before but still being owed wages? The court found that all employees' wages owed are to be given priority regardless of whether the employee was still active at the time of insolvency.
• 1871 Index of Titles of Corporations Chartered Under General and Special Laws... "Newark Machine Company. (Newark.) 1853, September 13. File 1853, September 20."
• 1911 Corporations of New Jersey says only that Newark Machine Co.'s charter expired in 1883. An unrelated company of the same name (a machinery dealer) was registered in 1910.