This firm was in business by 1873 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The principals were John C. Mackey, Frank B. Walker, and James H. Hitchcock. By mid-1873 the business had relocated to Chicago, and it appears that Hitchcock was no longer involved. The company disappeared within by about 1875, very likely the victim of the economic depression following the Panic of 1873.

The company's product line consisted of Mackey's Patent gang lath mills, Dicey's Patent gang edgers, plus saw gummers and gang bolters.

Information Sources

• Grand Rapids Directory, 1873-74 lists
  • Hitchcock, James H. (Mackey, Walker & Co.), res Chicago, Ill.
  • Mackey, John C. (Mackey, Walker & Co.), bds Rathbun House
  • Mackey Lath Mill Co., Mackey, Walker & Co., mnfrs, s e cor Pearl and Campau.
  • Mackey, Walker & Co. (John C. Mackey, Harrison J. O. Walker, James H. Hitchcock, Frank B. Walker), mnfrs. of Mackey Lath Mills, s e cor Pearl and Campau.
  • Walker, Frank B. *Mackey, Walker & Co) bds Rathbun House
• The Inter-state Exposition Souvenir: Containing a Historical Sketch of Chicago; Also a Record of the Great Inter-state Exposition of 1873, from Its Inception to Its Close; Names of Exhibitors, and Description of Articles Exhibited, 1873. "Mackey, Walker & Co., 128 Michigan street, Chicago. Mackey's patent Gang Lath Mill, Self-feeding Boilers and Combined Mill, and Lath Mill Machinery. Mackey's Patent Lath Mill runs a gang of six circular saw, with the collar so constructed as to perfectly prevent them from heating or dishing—an advantage possessed by few other mills. They are very simple in construction, where being no gear-wheels, and so little machinery that there is scarcely an liability of their getting out of order, and the frequency of stopping for repairs, as is the case in other machinery of the kind, is entirely avoided. They will cut from one to six lath at a time, as fast as one man can feed the bolts, and have a capacity, if properly managed, of 9,000 lath per hour."
• The Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago 1875-6 lists
  • Mackey John C. (Mackey, Walker & Co.) r. 222 W. Washington
  • Mackey, Walker & Co. (J. C. Mackey and H. J. O. Walker) lath machinery, 126 Michigan
  • Walker Harrison J. O. (Mackey, Walker & Co.) r. Evanston.
• The Twelfth Annual Report of the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture of the State of Michigan for the Year 1878 has the results of the State Fair of 1873, including "Mackey, Walker & Co., Chicago, lath bolter, diploma".
• The 1873 Inter-State Exposition Souvenir has the following writeup:

  MACKEY, WALKER & CO., 128 Michigan street, Chicago. Mackey's Patent Gang Lath Mill, Self-feeding Boilers and Combined Mill, and Lath Mill Machinery. Mackey's Patent Lath Mill runs a gang of six circular saws, with the collar so constructed as to perfectly prevent them from heating or dishing—an advantage possessed by few other mills. They are very simple in construction, there being no gear-wheels, and so little machinery that there is scarcely any liability of their getting out of order, and the frequency of stopping for repairs, as is the case in other machinery of the kind, is entirely avoided. They will cut from one to six lath at a time, as fast as one man can feed the bolts, and have a capacity , if properly managed, of 9,000 lath per hour.

• Compiled Statement of the Lumber Trade and Manufacture for the Year 1874, published by the Northwestern Lumberman, 1875, has four full-page ads from this maker.