D. L. Harris & Co. was founded before 1865 as a partnership between D. L. Harris, R. F. Hawkins and W. H. Burall.

      To D. L. Harris & Co., of Springfield, for improved Engine Lathe, with Van Home's Patent Tool Elevator and Screw Cutter, — a Bronze Medal. This firm exhibited one of their engine lathes complete, having seven feet length of bed and capacity for turning twenty inches in diameter. This lathe was very much admired for its fine finish and correct workmanship. Its noticeable features were its patent Van Horne tool elevator and improved feed and cross feed. The lathe having received the award as above, was sold to remain in Paris.

      Iron Drill Press.—For the best drill press, the first premium was awarded to D. L. Harris & Co., of Springfield, Massachusetts, who were represented at the exhibition by the St. Louis railway supplier manufacturing company, who are their agents in this city. This is one of the finest tools we have ever seen. Many of the best machinists present pronounce this a most convenient and elegant drill press.

      Iron Planer.—For the best iron planer, the first premium was awarded to the St. Louis railway supplies manufacturing company, who exhibited a six-foot planer, manufactured by D. L. Harris & Co., of Springfield, Mass., who rank as among the very first manufacturers of the country. This planer possesses some points of improvement not found in the ordinary planer.

      Bolt Cutter.—For the best bolt cutter, the first premium was awarded to the St. Louis railway supplies manufacturing company, manufactured by D. L. Harris & Co., Springfield, Mass.

Information Sources

• 1864-06-05 American Artisan, page 35.

  The old Springfield Tool Company's shop, in Springfield, bought some time since by D. L. Harris & Co., with its patterns and tools, has just been occupied by its purchasers. In addition to the manufacture of bridge and railroad work, they will now make machine work, such as lathes, planes, drills, etc., as well as power pumps.

• American Lathe Builders: 1810-1910 by Kenneth L. Cope, 2001 page 76
• Paris, Universal Exposition, 1867 by James M. Usher 1868 page 62
• 1880 book Memorial Tributes to Daniel L. Harris. A detailed biography of Daniel Lester Harris (1818-1879) begins on page 141, and purports to be more accurate than those biographical details given in various obituaries and tributes that had been published in the interval after his death. Although this biography goes on for a great many pages, it only mentions in passing Springfield Tool Co. and D. L. Harris & Co. (page 183).
• The Missouri yearbook of agriculture Emory S. Foster, printer, V2 1867 page 542