Kettenring, Strong & Lauster - History

Manufacturers Index - Kettenring, Strong & Lauster

Kettenring, Strong & Lauster
Defiance, OH, U.S.A.
Manufacturer Class: Wood Working Machinery

History

Last Modified: Dec 15 2010 12:12PM by Jeff_Joslin
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This partnership evolved out of Kettenring & Strong, which was in in business in 1868; by late 1869 Lauster had joined the partnership. They manufactured hub and spoke machinery, and were active through to 1872, when it was incorporated as Defiance Machine Works. That firm went on to become one of the most important makers of specialized woodworking machinery for making carriages, wheels, barrels, rail cars, etc.

Peter Kettenring was born 1835-01-10 in Bavaria, Germany. Perter W. Lauster was born 1820-12-18 in Prussia. Charles Carrol Strong was born 1829-06-30 in Thetford, VT.

Information Sources

Ad for Kettenring & Strong in the 1868-06-06 issue of Scientific American: "HUB MACHINERY.—Address KETTENRING & STRONG, Defiance, Ohio. This ad ran at least a couple more times in subsequent issues. By 1869-02-13 the ad read, "GOODYEAR'S PATENT HUB ROUGHing, Turning, and Cupping Machine. Guaranteed to Turn from the Rough Blocks 400 Hubs in 10 hours. We furnish Machines on short notice. Will Sell County or State Rights. KETTENRING & STRONG, Defiance, Ohio." Note the Germanic style of capitalizing nouns, which suggests that Kettenring wrote the ad. "Goodyear" was very likely Andrew Goodyear of Springport, Michigan, who received four hub-lathe patents between 1864 and 1869. Springport and Defiance are roughly 100 miles apart, so it is possible that Kettenring & Strong licensed a territory from Goodyear, who was manufacturing for the Michigan territory.
Small text ad beginning in the 1869-11-27 issue of Scientific American, and into 1870.
Charles Carrol Strong of Defiance, OH, was granted an 1869 patent for a boring-tool for a lathe. The patent was witnessed by Peter Kettenring. This patent confirms Strong's given names. We have not found any such confirmation on Lauster's name.
The 1883 work, History of Defiance County, Ohio provided the information on birthdates of the company founders. Extracts of this work are available online.
Mentioned in Kenneth Cope's American Cooperage Machinery and Tools as the predecessor of Defiance Machine Works. Cope provides the 1872 date of incorporation.