The Gardner Machine Co. of Beloit, Wisc.—not to be confused with the unrelated Gardner Machine Works of Gardner, Mass.—made metal-working machinery including disc sanders. They were established in 1905 by F. N. Gardner, who for fifteen years had been superintendent and general manager of machinery maker C. H. Besly & Co. F. N. Gardner died in early 1913 and the business was apparently taken over by his son, Fred A. Gardner, who changed the name to F. A. Gardner Machine Works. In early 1918 the business was sold and the name was changed back to Gardner Machine Co. The name appeared in various directories and Catalog of Copyright Entries through at least the mid-1970s.

From February 1912 Canadian Machinery

Information Sources

• The January 1902 issue of Hill, Clarke & Co.'s "Shop Talk" magazine carried an ad for Gardner's "spiral grooved disc grinder" (page 33).
• The 1910-05-26 edition of Iron Trade Review has the following news item.

  Arrangements have been completed whereby the Gardner Machine Works will be located at South Beloit, Wis. Work on the erection of a new factory will be started at once.

• The 1918-02-04 edition of Iron Age contains the following news item.

  Fred A. Gardner. West Allis. Wis., proprietor of the F. A. Gardner Machine Works, Seventy-fifth and National Avenues, has disposed of the shop and business to Jacob Karth, who took possession Feb. 4. Mr. Gardner has taken an interest in and will become general manager of the Crown Metal Co., X71-8S1 Robinson Avenue. Bay View, Milwaukee, manufacturer of chemical lead pipe, plumbers' lead, supplies and metals.

• Thanks to Barry Larson for pointing out this company to us.