Alexander Solomon Walbridge was born 1828 in Mystic, Quebec. He moved to New Hampshire in 1846-1848 to learn carpentry. In 1856 he was granted a sawmill patent; he was living in Burlington, VT, at the time. In 1861 he received a patent related to steam engines; by that time he was in Malone, NY, where he resided for several years. He may have worked for Ogdensburgh and Lake Champlain Railroad in Malone for a time, but he ended up working for C. C. Whittelsey, who operated a foundry and manufactory. Walbridge developed steam engine, sawmill, lathe, and planer designs for Whittelsey.

By 1871 Walbridge had moved back to Mystic, QC, and was running his own machine shop and foundry there. Products included steam engines and governors, wood and engine lathes, gear cutting machines, drills, iron planers, circular sawmills, mill gearing, shafting, pulleys, and hangers. He either made or retailed a broad line of woodworking machinery, including planers, matchers, tenoners, shingle and clapboard machines, and mortisers.

In 1879 Walbridge was granted a U.S. patent for a fire engine. In 1882 he built a 12-sided barn that is reminiscent of a railroad roundhouse, complete with turntable. This barn is still standing and is now a Quebec National Landmark.

Information Sources

• Special thanks to Danielle Pigeon for providing much of the information we have on this maker, and for pointing us to the 1871 ad confirming that Walbridge manufactured woodworking machinery. Danielle has written a book, The Walbridge Estate, that provides much more detail about the history of A. S. Walbridge, his relatives, and their businesses.
• 1871 ad from Lovell's Province of Quebec Directory for 1871, available online at Library and Archives Canada.
• 1879 ad from County of Missisquoi Directory, 1879-1881, Montreal, Lovell & Son, 1879: "Mystic Iron Works, manufacturing steam engines, engine lathes, and iron planers, iron work for circular saw mills, gearing and shafting for grist and saw mills, pullies and hangers with adjustable boxes, cheese factory fittings, gear and bolt cutters, drill and drill lathes, planing, tongueing and grooving machines. Planing machines, Daniel and Woodworth planers, stickers and shingle mills, governors for engines and water wheels, tongue and groovers, and moulders, &c., &c. Also, the improved Kniffen mower, the patent horse dump hay rake, and agricultural implements of every possible description. A. S. Walbridge, proprietor. Mystic, Missisquoi County, P. Q." Also, "Village and town fire engines, of an improved pattern, patented in Canada and the United States."
• Walbridge's US patents have provided some of the data given here. Danielle Pigeon has also provided us information on Canadian patents held by Walbridge, but we have not yet seen the patents.