In 1909 Sidney industrialist Ignatius H. Thedieck headed a consortium of Sidney businessmen who purchased the assets of the bankrupt Monarch Machine Co. and moved its operations from Detroit to Sidney. Earlier, he had seized control of his wife's cousin's business, A. P. Wagner Tool Co., and relocated that business from Detroit to Sidney. After the Monarch acquisition he sold A. P. Wagner Tool Co. in exchange for Monarch stock, a move that gave him majority ownership of Monarch.

Monarch reorganized in 1916 as the Monarch Machine Tool Co. Under that name they became known as one of the premier lathe manufacturers in the world. Their lathes are still known for high precision and robust construction, capable of withstanding decades of production use. Their lathes were very expensive and were often worth the cost and effort of rebuilding to return them back to factory-spec precision. Even though manual lathes are now a glut on the used-machinery marketplace, later model Monarch lathes in good condition are still highly desirable.

Monarch remains in business. They still make parts and rebuild existing lathes and can be contacted at

Information Sources

• American Lathe Builders: 1810-1910 by Kenneth L. Cope, 2001 page 104
• More history can be found at Shelby County Historical Society.
• Machine serial numbers from 1919 to 1958 may found at the Monarch Machine Tool Co. serial number page.