In 1867, Olpha Bonney, Jr. (also called Alpha Bonney, Jr.) was a partner in the woodworking machinery maker Gracier, Heald & Co., with partners Francis J. Gracier and Charles Byron Heald. By 1869 the name had changed to Gracier, Heald & Bonney. By 1872 Bonney was on his own, operating as Olpha Bonney, Jr., until his death in 1880 at age 46. Besides bandsaws, circular saws, and scrollsaws, Bonney also made farm implements such as harvesters and hay-rakes.

Following the dissolution of Gracier, Heald & Bonney, Bonney's former partner Gracier manufactured woodworking machinery under the name of Gracier & Johnson and then under his own name.

Ad from "San Francisco Directory for the Year 1879"

Drawings of Bonney's bandsaw, from patent 138,121.

Information Sources

• The San Francisco Directory for the Year 1867 lists Olpha Bonney, Jr., as an employee of Gracier, Heald & Co., as does the 1868 version. The 1867 directory entry for Gracier, Heald & Co. lists Bonney as a partner.
• Ad in 1872 San Francisco Directory: "O. BONNEY, Jr. / Manufacturer of / Band Saws, Circular saws, Gig Saws, Shaping Machines, also Patent Hay Rake, Draper Aprons, Grain Carriers, Etc. / Attends to all kinds of Agricultural Work, and Jobbing generaly. / No. 221 Mission Street, Just below Beale Street, San Francisco."
• Ad in 1873 through 1875 San Francisco Directory: "O. BONNEY, Jr. / Manufacturer of / Band, Circular and Spring Sawing Machines and Shaping Machines, —also— Patent Hay Rake, Draper Aprons, Grain Carriers, etc. / Attends to all kinds of Agricultural Wood Work, and Jobbing generaly. / No. 221 Mission Street, Just below Beale Street, San Francisco."
• Ads in San Francisco Directory for the Year 1869: "GRACIER, HEALD & BONNEY, Manufacturer of Agricultural, Grist Mill, and Wood Working Machinery... S.E. Corner Mission and Beale Streets, San Francisco."
• From the EAIA's Directory of American Toolmakers. Their data points show that this maker was in business from 1872-1882, and probably longer. They had 12 reports of period catalogs, manuals, or advertisements. Here is the Directory's entry: "Bonney made band, circular, and jigsaws; saw sharpeners and gauges; other unspecified woodworking machines; and farm implements."
• We have found an 1873 patent granted to Olpha Bonney, Jr. of San Francisco, for a bandsaw. Other patents include 1868 and 1869 patents for harvesters, and an 1869 horse-rake patent.
• A genealogy site transcribes the "Great Register of San Francisco, 1867", including a listing for Olpha Bonney Jr., originally of Maine, age 32, employed as a carpenter, residing at 732 Folsom.
• Listing in San Francisco Directory for the Year 1872: "BONNEY ALPHA Jr., manufacturer woodworking machinery, bandsaws, etc., 221 Mission, dwl S s Twentieth bet Guerrero and Dolores"
• Bonney was listed as a maker of woodworking machinery in the San Francisco Directory for the Year 1879.
• Another genealogy site lists an 1880 death notice (in a San Francisco newspaper for O. Bonney, age 46, which matches the 1867 information.