From 1869 until about 1900, J. Michels & Co. manufactured woodworking machinery, especially including bandsaw and hoop machines. It was operated by Jacob Michels and Peter F. Michels.

Ad from May 1898 "The Wood-Worker"

Information Sources

• J. W. Weeks & Co.'s Annual City Directory of Detroit for 1875-76 lists "Michels J & Co. (Jacob and Peter F. Michels), Mnfrs Wood Working Machinery, cor Fort and Beaubien."
• An 1883 issue of Builder and Wood Worker gives the name as "J. Michels' Machine Works" and says, "I supply a full line of machinery for Sash, Door and Blind Factories, Organ and Piano Factories, Wagon Shops, &c., &c."; "band-saws a specialty / prices moderate"; and "I also make a specialty of hoop machines".
• The 1887 book, The Industries of Detroit, by J. W. Leonard.

  The J. Michels' Machine Works.—Jacob Michels, Proprietor; "Woodworking Machinery; Comer of Fort and Beaubien Streets.—This establishment, which has been successfully conducted by Mr. Michels for the past twenty years, is well and favorably known to woodworkers in a large territory for the superior excellence of its products. Mr. Michels owns the three-story and basement brick building, 60x160 feet in dimensions, at the corner of Fort and Beaubien streets, part of which he occupies, renting the remainder, with power, to other parties. His works are completely equipped with all the plant and machinery requisite to the successful operation of the business, and gives employment to a force of thirty skilled workmen. He manufactures single and double surfacers and matchers, single and double chain bed planers, inside moulding machines, pony surfacers, scroll, siding, swing and railway cut-off saws, circular re saws, lathes of every description, simpers, boring machines, tenon machines, chair machines and all kinds of woodworking machinery. The uniform merit of all the machines manufactured at these works has secured for Mr. Michels a large and steadily growing trade in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio. Wisconsin and all surrounding States, as well as a considerable business in the South and in the Dominion of Canada. With a thorough knowledge of this business in all its details he combines correct business methods, and his promptness in filling orders, and general reliability have given him the high place which he deservedly holds in the confidence of the trade.

• The 1889 book, The History of Detroit and Michigan or The Metropolis Illustrated, by Silas Farmer.

  J. Michels' Wood-Working Machinery Establishment is located on the northeast corner of Fort and Beaubien Streets, and was established in 1869. The list of articles manufactured includes planing, boring, moulding, paneling, jointing, sawing, matching, shaping, tenoning, friezing and shaping machines, with the accessories necessary to put them in operation. These machines find a market all over the West and the South, and have been shipped to Japan.

• An ad in the May 1898 issue of The Wood-Worker features hoop machinery.
• Jacob Michels of Detroit received an 1897 hoop-machinery patent. The patent was assigned half to Michels, and one quarter each to Charles E. Chittenden and Moses W. Field.