In 1823 George Goulding established a business on Fairbanks Street in Watertown to make mill supplies and machinery, which over the years included engine lathes and sawmill machinery among other products.

In 1840 Goulding built himself a new shop on an island in the Black River, Sewall's Island. In late 1846 Goulding ended a short-lived partnership with Benjamin F. Berry in a business for plane-making and cabinet-making; Berry continued the business without him. Goulding immediately entered a another partnership, this one with Andrew Anderson to operate Goulding's machine shop, as Goulding & Anderson. At this time they were making engine lathes among their products. This partnership with Anderson lasted only a year or so and then Goulding was operating on his own again.

In 1853 a couple of Watertown lawyers, George A. Bagley and Edmund Q. Sewall, wanted to change their careers from law to business and Goulding agreed to take them as partners, operating under the name Goulding, Bagley & Sewall. It appears that this time the partnership was a great success, as these partners provided Goulding's operations with both better capitalization and better business skills. In 1860 Goulding was bought out by the other two, and the business name changed to Bagley & Sewall. Goulding remained with Bagley & Sewall for another five years as an employee, until he retired for good. By 1860 they were making steam engines among other products; we do not know when production of metalworking machinery ceased. Bagley & Sewall made a wide variety of products, most of those outside the scope of this website. One of their products of interest to us was bench vises.

In 1882 the business incorporated as the Bagley & Sewall Co. By this time the company's primary focus was papermaking machinery.

Information Sources

• Thanks to Rob Lang for bringing this early maker to our attention. A discussion on Practical Machinst reveals that a very early lathe was likely made by Goulding. Lang did considerable research into Lang and some of his research is reproduced here.
• 1833 Documents Relative to the Manufactures in the United States. "(Document) 10, No. 42. Statement of George Goulding's iron factory, Watertown, Jefferson county."
• From 1847-02-10 Northern State Journal (Watertown, N.Y.).

  "DISSOLUTION.—THE COPARTNERSHIP heretofore existing between the subscribers under the firm of Goulding & Berry, in the Cabinet and Plane making business, is by mutual consent dissolved. The business will be continued, and the accounts of the firm settled by B. F. Berry. GEORGE GOULDING, BENJ. F. BERRY. Watertown, Sept. 2, 1846."

  GOULDING & ANDERSON, EMPIRE Machine Shop, Watertown, Jeff. Co. N. Y., manufacturers of all kinds of Machinery, such as Jacks, Looms and Cards, for the manufacture of Cotton and Wool; Engine Lathes, and Tools of all kinds used in Machine Shops; Forge and Furnace Bellows, Horse Powers, Thrashing Machines and Cleaners, kept constantly on hand for sale. Lighter, Crane and Clothiers' Screws, Dansels, Balances, to weigh from 60 to 2000 pounds. Mill Work of every description. All orders attended to with despatch. GEORGE GOULDING, ANDREW ANDERSON.

  TO THE PUBLIC.—THE SUBSCRIBER TAKES the present occasion to acknowledge his obligations to his friends and the public, for the very liberal patronage extended to him for the last twenty years, and to solicit a continuance to-the firm of GOULDING & ANDERSON, who occupy the old stand, near the Cotton Factory, in the village of Watertown.

  Increased facilities enable the present firm to construct with despatch, in the latest style, and in the best manner, all kinds of work done at any Machine Shop in the United States. The experience of a whole life in Mill Work and Machinery, gives confidence to assure those who may need tho services of the new firm, that perfect satisfaction, in most instances, will be rendered. GEO. GOULDING, Watertown, Nov. 10,1846.

• 1861-62 Transactions of the New York State Agricultural Society lists results of the exhibition at the State Fair. Bagley & Sewall won a Silver Medal for best stationary steam engine, and a Diploma for their "shafting and pulley in operation".
• 1874-02-12 Watertown Re-union, in an article on the Golden Anniversary of George and Mary Goulding.

  The following well written biographical sketch of Mr. Goulding is from the pen of Mr. Stillman Massey, and is both interesting and correct:

  1823-1873
  Mr. Goulding came to Watertown from St. Lawrence county, in the year 1823 and commenced work in a furnace with Jerre Kimball, till he could establish himself in a shop of his own, as a machinist, which he did soon after in a part of Mr. Fairbanks' tannery, doing such jobs as offered in his line of business. It was while thus employed, that his skill as a machinist, his prompt and faithful execution of all work intrusted to him, whether of wood or iron, soon won for him a first-class reputation as a mechanic, a fair and honorable business man, reliable at all times and on all occasions. As a citizen, although he never put himself forward, he has at all times given his influence and example on the side of right and of whatever had a tendency to promote the best material or moral interests of the community.

  ...Mr. Goulding's skill and work as a mechanic has always been of more value to his employers and the public then to his own private benefit...

• 1876 Report on the Centennial Exhibition lists Bagley & Sewall, Watertown, N.Y., as exhibiting a "metal force pump with self-packing joints".
• 1879-08-02 American Machinist, in an article on the manufacturers of Watertown.

  Bagley & Sewall, who employ some 65 men. Their works and property cover between 2½ and 3 acres of land. They have the exclusive manufacture of the celebrated Prentiss Swivel-bottom and adjustable Jaw Vise, for the Hall Manufacturing Co., of New York City, which vise has grown into well-deserved favor throughout this country. They also manufacture about three tons of sewing machines castings daily; and also build [L. D.] Green's Rotary Force Pump, for which there is a large and increasing demand. This firm, under the present style, has been in business for 26 years. The senior partner, Mr. Geo. A. Bagley, represented this (the 20th Congressional) District in Congress for the two terms, 1874 to 1876, and 1876 to 1878. Their business is growing largely, have plenty of orders ahead, and are running on full time.

  Elsewhere in the same issue it mentions, "Bagley & Sewall, Watertown, N. Y., pay machinists from $1.75 to $3.00 per day; blacksmiths, $2.50; moulders and founders average $2.25."
• 1925 American Biography: A New Cyclopedia, Vol. XXI, in a biography of George Augustus Bagley. "In 1853 he abandoned law practice, and with Edmund Q. Sewall and George Goulding, operated the Bagley & Sewall Machine Works, a continuation of the business established by George Goulding in 1823. The new company manufactured boilers, engines, saw mill equipment, ploughs, mowing machines and waterwheels, prospering mightily until 1858, when the firm name was changed to Bagley & Sewall, and the plant enlarged. Prosperity continued, and in 1881 the business was incorporated, with George A. Bagley, president.... About 1878 the manufacture of vises was begun and still continues, an important item of the plant product..."
• A report on a proposal to clean up pollution at a site on Sewall's Island in Watertown. "Pre-1853—The main island property was owned by George Goulding from 1823 until approximately 1853, and operated as a foundry and machine shop until it was sold to Bagley & Sewall, founded 1853. 1853-1990—The property on the Island west of Pearl Street was used by Bagley & Sewall who produced engines, boilers, mowing machines, bench vices, rotary pumps, iron castings for sewing machines, and printing presses."
• A web page on Bagley & Sewall.

  The company got its start in the 1820's when George Goulding opened a machine manufacturing plant on Sewall's Island, supplying machinery to mills in Watertown. Over time, Goulding's company became immensely successful, eventually expanding its facilities in order to supply machinery to mills and factories across the United States. In 1853, to create more capital to expand his company, Goulding partnered with George Bagley and Edmund Sewall, two Watertown lawyers and formed the Goulding, Bagley and Sewall partnership. Goulding left the partnership in 1860 (although he remained with the company until 1865), and the company was renamed The Bagley & Sewall Company.

• A webpage on the history of Bagley & Sewall Co. is taken from a ca. 1946 pamphlet from the company.