In the mid-1830s Daniel S. Williams opened a foundry in Jamestown, NY. He took Samuel Barrett as a partner, and thence operated as Williams and Barrett. Eventually, a pair of employees, Joseph H. Clark and Josiah Lincoln, bought the business and operated it as Clark & Lincoln. A year later Lincoln sold his share to Clark, who then operated under his own name. At some point, probably after Clark took control, the foundry and machine shop started making woodworking machinery. The business continued to operate until at least 1887.

Information Sources

• A pair of 1871 sawmill patents were granted to Samuel W. Harris and assigned to Josephus H. Clark of Jamestown, NY.
• Ad in 1872 "Boyd's New York State Business Directory and Gazeteer". The ad reads as follows.

  J. H. Clark
  Manufacturer of
  CARDOTT's IRON MOWER
  Planing and shingle machines, wood mills, mill gearing, plows, cultivators, and all kinds of castings.
  Jamestown, Chautauqua Co., N. Y."

• The 1874 book, Wiley's American iron trade manual of the leading iron industries of the United States, lists J. H. Clark of Jamestown as an iron founder. It also lists J. H. Clark of Ellicott, NY, as the maker of mowers, including the Cardot mower. Given the 1872 ad above, it seems likely that the two mentions in Wiley's book are for the same man.
• The 1887 book, The Early History of the Town of Ellicott, Chautauqua County, N. Y., by Gilbert W. Hazeltine, M. D., has this to say about Josephus Clark.

  Over 50 years ago Daniel S. Williams came to Jamestown and erected the first foundry on the southeast corner of Washington and Fourth streets, in the swamp as it then was. Afterwards the foundry was removed to the east side of the alley into the buildings erected by Williams & Barrett, and which are still in use. They manufactured stoves extensively and added lathes for machine work. Two young men, Josephus Clark and Josiah Lincoln, went into the establishment as apprentices, and learned the business from the foundation up. They afterwards bought out the old firm and the establishment was known as Clark & Lincoln. In a year or so Lincoln sold out to his partner and went west. Josephus Clark has remained in. it up to the present day, and from a poor boy has "manufactured" himself into one of Jamestown’s solid men."

• A history page for the city of Jamestown lists Josephus Clark as starting businees in 1835. This likely represents the establishment of the Williams foundry.