Ichabod Washburn
In 1867, Ichabod Washburn—who owned the biggest wire-making factory in the country—donated a working manufacturing plant to the nascent Worcester Polytechnic Institute. That factory became known as the Washburn Shops, and in 1896 started manufacturing a "sensitive drill", among other products such as clutches and drafting tables.
Washburn Shops is still in existence, but production of the drill ceased many years ago.
Information Sources