Francis James Drake, under the business name F. J. Drake, made shingle machines in the 1880s through to the early 1900s. For a period of about three years from 1896 to 1899, Drake's shingle machines were manufactured and sold by Canadian Locomotive & Engine Co. of Kingston. We do not know what the relationship was between Drake and that substantial business.

From January 1894 The Canada Lumberman

Information Sources

• Thanks to Art Shaw for bringing F. J. Drake and his shingle machines to our attention.
• Drake received an 1881 patent for a shingle edging machine. The patent provides Drake's full name and a data point on when he was in business.
• The connections (if any) between F. J. Drake, the Canada Locomotive & Engine Co., the Canadian Locomotive Company, and the Canada Locomotive Works is unknown. A careful reading of George Richardson's essay on the Canadian Locomotive Company (in the book "To Preserve & Defend", mentioned below) may be helpful.
• September 1895 Locomotive Engineering. "The Lake Manitoba Railway Company is having two locomotives built by the Canada Locomotive & Engine Company"
• 1897 The Canadian Parliamentary Companion has a section on past Ontario Lieutenant-Governor George Airey Kirkpatrick, including "1s Presdt. of the Canada Locomotive Works, Kingston..." Of past Lieutenant-Governor William Harty: "Re-organized the Canada Locomotive & Engine Co. in 1881, and was its Managing Dir. until 1888, when he disposed of his interest."
• The 1976 book, To Preserve & Defend, ed. G. Tulchinsky, From the footnotes. "36. PAO, Agreement between William Harty, purchaser and K. W. Blackwell, liquidator, A. F. Riddell, liquidator, signed in Montreal, 6 Nov. 1900. "William Harty agrees to purchase the Canada Locomotive Works in Kingston as they stand for Sixty thousand dollars, including stores on hand, plant and machinery: Thirty thousand dollars cash, payable January 2nd, 1901, and balance in one year at 6% interest, secured by mortgage on the property, and one hundred fully paid up shares of the Ontario Bank; and he undertakes to expend $20,000 upon the property within one year."