This lathe maker was founded in 1867 as Francis S. Perkins. By 1874 he had 40 employees and by 1900, 75. In 1901 the firm incorporated as the F. S. Perkins Co. The firm was liquidated and auctioned of in May of 1917
Information Sources
- Thanks to Dave Potts, who first brought this firm to our attention. He also provided the nameplate photo you see at the top of this page.
- The Massachusetts corporate registry database lists this company's first registration as 1900-12-28.
- A patent search came up dry, as did searches of the online Cornell Making of America archives. A google search turned up a couple of posts to a metalworking list, asking for information on an F. S. Perkins backgear lathe.
- The University of Michigan "Making of America" archive revealed a listing for F. S. Perkins of Lowell, MA, in the 1874 work, Wiley's American iron trade manual of the leading iron industries of the United States. The entry, under "General Machine Works", says, simply, "Machine tools. 40 hands."
- American Lathe Builders: 1810-1910 by Kenneth L. Cope, 2001 page 116
- Textile World, V52, 12 May 1917, page 165