In 1872 machinists Charles J. Pike and Ebenezer French Woodman formed a partnership, Woodman & Pike in Lakeport, New Hampshire, to manufacture light machinery. Later that same year William L. Chase joined the partnership which became W. L. Chase & Co. (or Wm. L. Chase & Co., or William L. Chase & Co., relocating to premises on Liberty Street in New York, eventually expanding to include 93, 95 and 97 Liberty. They had a factory in Newark. Their products included a 1 HP steam engine as well as foot-power lathes and scrollsaws. They also made fittings for boilers and were a dealer in ironworking and woodworking machinery.

Advertisement from the 1876-11-25 Scientific American

In 1873, only 14 months after Chase joined Pike and Woodman, Pike sold his share to the other two and took contracts to build machines for them. In about 1877 we start seeing the name Chase & Woodman; the name of Wm. L. Chase & Co. continued to be used as well, and there does not seem to be any pattern in how the two names were used. In 1881 Pike became foreman of the New York salesroom of his former partners, and then in 1882 Pike left the business altogether and returned to New Hampshire. The business of Chase & Woodman / Wm. L. Chase & Co. does not seem to have survived for much longer.

Information Sources

• Wm. L. Chase & Co. is briefly mentioned in 1873 and 1874 Manufacturer & Builder as the maker of the Eagle treadle-powered lathe.
• 1873-12-13 The Railroad Gazette lists awards granted at the Annual Exhibition of the American Institute, including "Wm. L. Chase & Co., No. 93 Liberty street, New York, for the best 'Little Giant' injector. Silver medal."
• 1874 book The Industrial Interests of Newark, N. J., by William F. Ford, page 72.

  W. L. Chase & Co., 7 Alling-street; salesroom, 83 to 97 Liberty-street, New York. This manufactory was established in 1872, and its production consists of Woodman's screw cutting foot lathe, slide rests and lathe fittings. This is an improved foot lathe, and is the product of Mr. E. F. Woodman's designs and improvements in lathe machinery. Mr. Woodman superintends the manufactory, and the firm comprises himself and Mr. W. L. Chase. Ten hands are employed, and the weekly wages amount to $100, the value of annual production being $15,000.

• March 1874 The Technologist has an article on a "water motor" applied to a sewing machine. "It may be seen and examined at the office of Mr. H. B. Lyons, who is to be found with William L. Chase & Co., 95 Liberty Street, New York..."
• May 1877 Manufacturer & Builder Vol IX No. 5, p. 97. "Tools For Amateurs—It is a cheering sign in the development of a nation when the number of amateur workers increases to such an extent as to make it an object for tool manufacturers to supply their particular wants. We offer in our present article an illustration in point, consisting of a few of the tools made by Messrs. Chase & Woodman, of Newark, N. J." Shown are a 1 HP steam engine and boiler; a foot-power scrollsaw; a foot-power lathe for turning wood or metal ("also drilling, boring, polishing sawing, etc."). Subsequent issues of that journal carried a small display ad for Chase & Woodman's 1 HP "Acme" steam engine.
• Catalog dated October 1, 1877 for "The Improved Eagle foot lathe and Appurtenances, Manufactured by W. L. Chase & Co. / 95 & 97 Liberty Street, New York / Dealers also in every description of Machinery for working in Iron and Wood."
• 1878-01-05 Scientific American, classified ad: "For New Illustrated Catalogue of Foot Lathes, Scroll Saws, Small Steam Engines and Amateur's Tools, send stamp to CHASE & WOODMAN, Newark, N.J." The same text appeared in the Business and Personal column 1877-12-08 p. 363 and 1877-12-22 p. 395.
• 1878-07-06 through 1878-09-21 Scientific American carried a small illustrated ad. "Eagle Foot Lathes, Improvement in style. Reduction in prices April 29th. Small Engine Lathes, Slide Rests, Tools, etc. Also Scroll and Circular Saw Attachments, Lathes, Hand Planers, etc. Send for Catalogues of outfits for Amateurs or Artisans. Wm. L. Chase & Co., 95 & 97 Liberty St., New York."
• November 1878 American Machinist, in the Manufacturers column, "New Jersey" section. "Chase & Woodman, Newark, are running their machine shop full time and force on sewing machine work."
• 1880-11-06 Scientific American, Business and Personal column, p. 299. "Light and Fine Machinery to order. Foot Lathe catalogue for stamp. Chase & Woodman, Newark, N.J." The same text appeared in the 1880-11-13 and 1880-11-20 issues.
• 1881 book History of Sanbornton, New Hampshire, Vol. II.—Genealogies, p. 862. "9. Ebenezer French [Woodman], b. Sept. 11, 1840; m. Harriet E. Elkins, dau. of Curtis W., Sept. 13, 1863, is a machinist, in Newark, N. J., No. 7 Alling Street. On child:—I. Merton Elkins."
• 1897 Biographical Review, Vol. XXI, in a biography of Charles J. Pike (pp. 254-257).

  Returning to Franklin [N.H.] in July, 1865, Mr. Pike entered the machine shop of Walter Aiken, and there learned the machinist's trade. In the fall of 1866 he came to Lakeport, where he was employed in B. J. Cole's machine shop until June, 1867. For a short time thereafter we was in the Pacific Mills in Lawrence, Mass.; but he subsequently returned to Mr. Cole's shop, being engaged there until 1872. He then formed a copartnership with Eben F. Woodman, under the style of Woodman & Pike in Lakeport, where they engaged in the manufacture of light machinery. In 1872 Mr. W. L. Chase was admitted to partnership, the firm name become W. L. Chase & Co. They occupied a flourishing plant in New York at 93, 95, and 97 Liberty Street, and also leased a factory in Newark, J.J. Fourteen months later Mr. Pike sold out to his partners, taking the contracts to build machines, continuing the enterprise until 1881. For nearly a year afterward he officiated as foreman in the salesroom of W. L. Chase & Co., his recent partners, in New York...

• Online Archive of the University of California at Davis lists an 1877 Chase & Woodman catalog: "Eagle Foot Lathes, Acme Steam Engines, Scroll Saws and Amateurs Tools 1877". Box 173, folder 4. From 1877-12-22 Scientific American, page 395: "For New Illustrated Catalogue of Foot Lathes, Scroll Saws, Small Steam Engines and Amateur's Tools, send stamp to Chase & Woodman, Newark, N. J."