The Charter Gas Engine Co. was created with the 1889 renaming of the venerable Williams & Orton Manufacturing Co. of Sterling Illinois; that firm had come to specialize in the "Charter" gas engine, and since Messrs. Williams and Orton had not been involved in the business for many years, a name change was called for.

There may have been another predecessor company: John Charter made gas engines that were designed by Franz Burger, and then Charter himself made and patented improvements. In 1893 Burger left and John Charter, Sr. took in his son, John A. Charter, who subsequently left in 1895 to work for the Fairbanks, Morse & Co.

This company is also known to have made a wood sawing machine intended for farm use.

Information Sources

• 1889-04-20 Scientific American, classified ad.

  Change of Name.

  As the "Charter" Gas engine is the specialty of manufacture of this company, and the name of the Williams & Orton M'f'g Co. conveys to idea of our business, and the parties that furnished that name have not been connected with the company for years, it was considered desirable to change the title of this corporation to The Charter Gas Engine Company, which has been done.

  The great popularity of the "Charter" Gas Engine justifies giving its name and the name of the inventor and patentee to the company that manufactures and sells it.

  Thanking you in behalf of the discard title for your favors, and trusting that under the new we will receive your further valued patronage, we are,
  Very respectfully
  THE CHARTER GAS ENGINE CO.,
  P.O. Box 148, Sterling, Illinois.

  We beg to say that we will continue the manufacture and sale off Wire Rope Transmissions, Portable Mills, Pulleys, Shafting, Couplings, Hangers, Boxes, Gearing, Tighteners, etc., etc., on which item we flatter ourselves that the name of "Williams & Orton goods" is familiar to many, and stands for "the best."

• From the Seventh Annual Cooperative Tractor Catalog, 1922, this firm is listed as a maker of "wood sawing machines".
• American Gasoline Engines Since 1872 by C. H. Wendel, Volume #1, 1983 page 92
• The Complete Guide to Stationary Gas Engines by Mark Meincke, 1996 page 105