In 1872 Henry G. Ashton patented a new steam-boiler safety valve to help prevent boiler explosions. In that year, or perhaps in 1871, he established Ashton's Lock Safety Valve Co., with C. J. Bishop, operating out of premises on Pearl Street in Boston. The 1872 Boston Fire burned them out. They relocated briefly to 9 Rowe's Wharf, and in 1874 they relocated to 262 Purchase Street. By this time the business was doing well and Ashton continued to improve his safety valve. In 1878 or '79 they relocated briefly to 83 Federal Street but another fire forced them to move again in 1879, this time to 271 Franklin Street. Sometime during 1878 or '79 they reorganized as the Ashton Valve Co.

In 1892 they acquired the Boston Steam Gauge Co., and steam gauges would become at least as important a product line as their safety valves. They were also making other accessories for steam boilers and engines, such as a feed-water heaters and water relief valves, and they had introduced a line of steam heating valves.

Henry G. Ashton died in 1895; his son Albert, a recent engineering graduate from MIT, replaced his father as vice-president and continued running the day-to-day operations for more than a quarter century. By 1922, when Albert died, the company was at its peak, with about 250 employees and robust sales. Harry Ashton, who was sales manager, took over some of his brother's responsibilities but as steam power became increasing obsolescent the company never expanded into other markets. In 1948 the Ashton Valve Co. merged with the Crosby Steam Gage & Valve Co.

Information Sources

• 1870 Directory of Boston does not list H. G. Ashton or a related company.
• 1872 Directory of Boston lists "Ashton's Lock Safety Valve Co. H. G. Ashton, patentee, C. J. Bishop, treas. 138 Pearl".
• 1874 Massachusetts Register and Business Directory lists, under "Boiler Safety Apparatus", "Ashton's Lock Safety Valve Co. C. J. Bishop, 9 Rowe's wharf".
• 1875 Sampson, Davenport & Co.'s Boston Directory lists "Ashton's Lock Safety Valve Co., H. G. Ashton, patentee, C. J. Bishop. treas., 262 and 264 Purchase".
• 1875-04-10 Boston Globe has an ad: "BOILER EXPLOSIONS Prevented by the use of ASHTON'S LOCK SAFETY VALVE. Office. 263 Purchase."
• 1876 Sampson, Davenport & Co.'s Boston Directory lists "Ashton's Lock Safety Valve Co., C. J. Bishop. treas. 262 and 264 Purchase".
• 1878 Walworth Manufacturing Company catalog shows Ashton's lock safety valve on page 68.
• 1879 Sampson, Davenport & Co.'s Boston Directory lists "Ashton Valve Co., 93 Federal". H. G. Ashton was listed as owner and William Howell Reed was treasurer.
• 1885 Annual Report of the Executive Committee of the Western Railroad Association reports that Consolidated Safety Valve Co. was suing several others, including Ashton Valve Company, for infringing their G. W. Richardson patents 58,294 and 85,963..
• 1887-06-29 American Engineer has a text ad for "The Ashton Valve Co., / the Ashton noiseless blow back locomotive safety valve, / the Ashton lock safety valve, / the Ashton water relief valve..."
• 1889 Illustrated Boston, the Metropolis of New England has a writeup on the Ashton Valve Co.
• 1890 Report of the International Maritime Exhibition, Boston 1889-90 has a writeup on the Ashton Valve Co.
• 1890 Annual Report of the Executive Committee of the Western Railroad Association reports that Ashton Valve Company had brought suit against the Coale Muffler & Safety Valve Company for infringement of patents 200,119 and 299,504.
• 1895-11-21 Engineering News. "Mr. Henry G. Ashton, inventor of the Ashton safety valve, died at Somerville, Mass., on Nov. 12, at the age of 49."
• 1907-01-01 The Plumbers Trade Journal, Steam and Hot Water Fitters' Review. "The Ashton Valve Co.—When the Ashton Valve Company, of 271 Franklin street, Boston, Mass., was organized twenty-five years ago, the officers elected were: President, Charles J. Bishop; treasurer, William Howell Reed, and Henry G. Ashton, vice-president and general manager. Since that time several changes have been made and at the present time John Avery is president; Fred A. Case, vice-president, and Albert S. Ashton, secretary-treasurer. The firm manufactures a line of well-known specialties, including pop safety valves, steam heating valves, water relief valves, and pressure and vacuum gauges."
• According to patent records, Ashton Valve Co. was located in Hartford, CT., between 1900 and 1902; in Boston, MA, between 1909 and 1924; and in Cambridge, MA, between 1927 and 1938.