Aretus Andrews Wilder variously advertised himself as an inventor, a mechanical engineer, and a maker of a patent planing machine. His inventions included clapboard planers, planer-matchers, and hoop-making machinery.

Wilder Patent Fixed-Knife Planer, from 1853-03-26 issue of "Scientific American"

In about 1866, the Wilder Planing Machine Co. was established, with $250,000 of capital. Wilder acted as superintendent and director. Although the company was still on the books in 1877, we have not been able to find a single mention of it in the interim, and we have never seen an ad for the company, nor have we had any reports of surviving machines.

Information Sources

• Patents granted to Aretus Wilder span 1838 to 1886. About half of his roughly twenty patents were for woodworking machinery, and the other half were for steam engines, elevators, bolt and screw making, railways, and ships.
• Transactions of the State Agricultural Society of Michigan for the year 1852-53 has a report on the 1852 State Fair.

  A. A. Wilder of Detroit, Wilder's improved planing machine. This is one of the most important machines that has come under the notice of your committee, combining correct scientific and mechanical principles, strength and durability, it does smooth and perfect work at all times, and at the rate of from 4 to 6 thousand feet per hour, with the power of four horses, and the attendance of three hands, which may be boys. The superiority of this machine consists in its extreme simplicity, and the large amount of work it accomplishes with the small amount of power required to work it, and the very little liability to get out of order,...Medal & Diploma.

• The 1853-54 Johnston's Detroit City Directory lists "Wilder , A. A., machinist, s s Farmer bet Bates and Randolph".`
• The 1855-56 Johnston's Detroit City Directory lists "Wilder , A. A., machinist, res 218 Wood Ave."
• The 1857-58 Johnston's Detroit City Directory lists "Wilder , A. A., patent planing machine."
• The 1866-67 Johnston's Detroit City Directory lists "Wilder , A. A., machinist, res 218 Woodward ave."
• The Charles F. Clark's City Directory for Detroit, 1866-1867 has the following listing:

  Wilder , Aretus A., supt. Wilder Planing Machine Co., h. 27 Lafayette e." Also listed is "Wilder Planing Machine Company—Office and works, Atwater street, between Rivard and Russell. Incorporated August, 1865. Capital, $250,000. Share $25 each. President N. W. Brooks. Vice President, John R. Grout. Secretary and Treasurer, Charles F. Clark. Directors, N. W. Brooks, John R. Grout, Francis Adams, A. A. Wilder, Charles F. Clark, Geo. W. Lee, Wm. E. Cooper, Chas. Root, Geo. H. Kennedy.

• Chapin & Brother's Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1867-8 lists the following:

  Wilder Planing Machine Company—Atwater street. Capital, $250,000. N. W. Brooks, President. Charles F. Clark, Secretary and Treasurer.

• J. W. Weeks & Co.'s Annual City Directory of Detroit for 1873-4 lists "Wilder Aretus A., machinist, h 45 Lafayette."
• J. W. Weeks & Co.'s Annual City Directory of Detroit for 1875-76 lists "Wilder Aretus A., inventor, h 45 Lafayette."
• Journal of the Senate of the State of Michigan for February 10, 1877, lists the corporations of the state, including "Wilder planing machine company ... Detroit ... Manuf'g A. A. Wilder's pat. clapboard and planing machine, etc."
• R. L. Polk's Detroit City Directory for 1877 lists "Wilder Aretas A, mechanical engineer, h 45 Lafayette."
• J. W. Weeks & Co.'s Detroit City Directory for 1879 lists "Wilder Aretus A. mach, h. 45 Lafayette." The 1880 edition has an identical listing.