This firm was established in 1849 by brothers Charles and Lyman Perrigo. Early names included C. & L. Perrigo & Co. and C. Perrigo & Co., plus Perrigo & Avery and Groton Iron Works. They manufactured agricultural implements and a patented spoke planing machine. In the 1870s they merged with the Groton Separator Works, and became the Groton Manufacturing Co. By the 1880s they manufactured steam engines but seem to have dropped the spoke planing machine. After 1887 their focus was solely on making iron bridges.

Information Sources

• 1851-08-15 Scientific American.

  Mr. Lyman Perrigo, of Groton, Tompkins Co.,N. Y., has taken measures to secure a patent for a self-acting fire alarm, consisting of an inflammable cord suitably hung throughout a building, and connected with an alarm—such as a gong or bell—situated on the outside or inside, in such a, manner that, by a fire taking place within the building, the cord will be consumed and the catch of the alarm set free, whereby it will commence ringing and give loud and early warning of the danger.

• The Annual Report of the New York State Agricultural Society, 1861 lists the results of the 1860 State Fair, including "Spoke planing machine, L. Perigo, Groton Dip."
• 1868 Gazetteer and Business Directory of Tompkins County, N.Y.

  The Groton Iron Works, C. & L. Perrigo & Co., proprietors, were established in Groton nearly twenty years ago, and have since then added materially in building up the village, and adding wealth to its inhabitants.

  The Messrs. Perrigo & Co. are engaged principally in the manufacture of the Groton Horse Power, which they claim is unsurpassed by any other. The Young Warrior Mower, as built by them, is one of the best in use, is well made, and is in every way calculateed to give entire satisfaction to those who use them. They also build Stark & Perrigo's Patent Spoke Planer, Steam Engines, and other machinery of various kinds. See card, page 184.

  The page 184 mentioned at the end is missing in the scanned volume that is available online. The firm of "Perigo, C. & C. & Co., Groton" are listed under agricultural implements, iron founders and machinists, and mowers and reapers. The alphabetical listing for Groton includes Avery, Frederick K, of Perrigo and Avery; Avery, Oliver Jr., of C. L. Perrigo & Co.; Perrigo & Avery (William Perrigo and Frederick K. Avery), prop. Separator Works; Perrigo, Charles, of C. & L. Perrigo & Co. and president of the First National Bank of Groton; Perrigo, Lyman of L. & L. Perrigo & Co.; Perrigo, William, of Perrigo & Avery; Perrigo, C. & L. & Co. (Charles Perrigo, Lyman Perrigo and Oliver Avery, Jr.), foundry and machine shop.
• 1868 Gazetteer and Business Directory of Tompkins County, N.Y..

  The Groton Iron Works, C. & L. Perrigo & Co., proprietors, were established in Groton nearly twenty years ago, and have since then added materially in building up the village, and adding wealth to its inhabitants.

  The Messrs. Perrigo & Co. are engaged principally in the manufacture of the Groton Horse Power, which they claim is unsurpassed by any other. The Young Warrior Mower, as built by them, is one of the best in use, is well made, and is in every way calculated to give entire satisfaction to those who use them. They also build Stark & Perrigo's Patent Spoke Planer, Steam Engines, and other machinery of various kinds.

  The directory listings for Groton include Charles Perrigo of the firm C. & L. Perrigo & Co. and also president of the First National Bank of Groton; Perrigo & Avery (William Perrigo and Frederick K. Avery), Separator Works; C. & L. Perrigo & Co. (Charles Perrigo, Lyman Perrigo and Oliver Avery, Jr.), foundry and machine shop.
• Awards at the thirty-second annual exhibition of the New York Agricultural Society, Elmira, NY, October 1872:"Spoke Planing Machine by Chas. Perrigo, Groton, N. Y. Also a Spoke Tenon and Spoke Finishing Machine. These machines work admirably. The planing machine runs off spokes at the rate of 160 spokes per hour, while the tenon machine cuts the tenons as fast as the spoke be handled. Planing machine 900 pounds, $350. Tenon machine, 280 pounds, $115."
• From a page on a website about Groton engines states, "Founded in 1859 [should be "1849"] by Charles and Lyman Perrigo as the Groton Iron Works, the firm manufactured agricultural implements as well as a spoke planing machine patented by Lyman Perrigo. A merger with the Groton Separator Works in the 1870s produced the Groton Manufacturing Company. During the 1880s Charles Perrigo & Co. manufactured steam engines, threshing machinery and iron bridges. This latter activity became the sole concern of the company, which was known as the Groton Bridge Manufacturing Company after 1887." Another page on the same site provides the correct 1849 date plus some additional business names used by the Works.
• A document on the New Jersey Department of Transportation (PDF), describing an historic bridge built by the successor to this company, has a company history that references a paper: Pamela Thurber, "The Groton Iron Bridge Company," Historic Ithaca & Tompkins, NY, Newsletter Fall 1983, New Series Vol. 1,2, pp. 1-4. We have not seen this paper.
• There is much information available on a Groton Iron Works formed immediate after World War I to manufacture ships. This firm was based in Groton, CT, and was completely unrelated to the earlier firm of the same name.
• The Steam Tractor Encyclopedia by John F. Spalding & Robert T. Rhode, 2011 pages 190-193
• A Smokstak.com forum discussion says that "American Road Machinery Company was a consortium of companies that included Groton Manufacturing Co and Charles Perrigo & Co of Groton, NY along with the Kennet Square Manufacturing Co of PA. And also had locations in Marathon, NY and Delphos, Ohio." Contributor George Earhart provided a timeline, including the 1849 founding of Charles Perrigo & Co. and the Groton Iron Works, as an iron foundry building threshing machines; by 1887 they were making "iron bridges, steam engines, grain separators, and steam/hot air heats. By the 1890s the company is building Groton Engines (traction) and Monarch Road Rollers"; by 1899 the bridge-building business was spun off as American Bridge Co., and the remainder was operating as Groton Manufacturing Co.; in 1901 the Conger Manufacturing Company was building Groton Engines and Monarch Road Rollers. In 1925 the Groton manufacturing plant closed. In a follow-up post, Earhart says that his timeline is "probably not 100% accurate", although the inaccuracies may be limited to the post-1910s road roller business.
• 1976 book Encyclopedia of American Steam Traction Engines, by Jack Norbeck.

  Groton Mfg. Co.

  Charles Perrigo was born at Canajoharie, N.Y., September 22, 1817, the son of Martin B. Perrigo, a tanner, currier, and shoe-maker. At the age of 19, Charles was apprenticed to a foundry at Genoa, where he worked four years. Afterwards he worked at Skaneateles and Geneva, N.Y. In 1849 he went to Groton, N.Y., and started a foundry, now a part of the Bridge Company's extensive works.

  Lyman Perrigo went to Groton and started in business with his brother Charles in 1849. The manufactured agricultural machinery, the firm name being C. & L. Perrigo. Lyman was an inventor of a spoke planer, and a first-class machinist. He was an organizer of the bank and a stockholder in the Southern Central Railroad.

  William Perrigo went to Groton about 1859, and became a partner with S. Spencer in the manufacture of threshing machines. He bought Mr. Spencer out and, about 1863, formed a partnership with Fredrick Avery. This firm, with Charles Perrigo & Company formed the Groton Manufacturing Co.

  The Groton steam traction engine had a large boiler of the fire box, wagon top pattern with dumping grates...

  The Groton Manufacturing Co. made the Groton steam traction engines, and the "monarch" steam road rollers.