Founded in 1835 by John Fisher as the Hamilton Agricultural Works. In 1856 Mr. Fisher sold his share of the firm to his cousin, Calvin McQueston and the name was changed to C. McQueston & Co.
He retired in 1857 and sold the business to three brothers, L. D., Payson, and Samuel, who were relatives of his. The Sawyers then renamed the firm, the L. D. Sawyer & Co. Up to the 1880s, the company was manufacturing agricultural machinery, but they then started making portable steam engines and road machinery. They also imported Aveling & Porter steam road rollers for sale in Canada.
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| From November 1896 The Canada Lumberman |
By 1896 the business was operating as the Sawyer & Massey Co., Ltd. In 1910 the business was acquired by a group of Toronto and Montreal investors and the business was reorganized as the Sawyer-Massey Co.
Information Sources
- Steam Power on the American Farm by Reynold M. Wik, 1953 page 253
- Steam Engines & Threshers by Mike Hand, 2012 page 15
- The Steam Tractor Encyclopedia by John F. Spalding & Robert T. Rhode, 2011 pages 317-323
- 1904 (approx.) catalog, "vest pocket edition". The first few pages feature traction engines and agricultural machines. The middle pages were lined but otherwise blank so that it could be used as a notebook. The last few pages show their sawmills and road machinery. The catalog is undated but the title page has a portrait of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra; Edward reigned 1902-10. Other clues in the catalog confirm this era is correct. This catalog was supplied to us courtesy of the Boyd Heritage Museum of Bobcaygeon, Ontario.
- March 1910 Canadian Machinery and Manufacturing News: "Official announcement is made that a syndicate, composed of E. R. Wood, Toronto, Clarence J. McCuaig, Montreal, and R. Harmer, Toronto, have concluded arrangements by which they secure control in the Sawyer-Massey concern of Hamilton, one of the largest manufacturers of threshing machines and engines in Canada." On the next page, in a list of new companies: "Sawyer-Massey Co., Hamilton; capital $7,000,000; to make steam, gasolene and oil engines, locomotives, agricultural machinery, wagons, etc. Incorporators, J. S. Lovell, Wm. Bain and Robt. Gowans, Toronto."