Beginning in about 1840, Jacob Lodge was a Philadelphia machinist. Early in his career he manufactured a simple foot-powered metal lathe. At some point he began manufactured a small rolling machine intended for use by jewelry makers in rolling out silver or gold.

By 1873 the business was operating as Jacob Lodge & Son, a partnership of Jacob Lodge and William F. Lodge. Under this name the business continued until at least 1893, and possibly for longer than that. Information on them is exceedingly sparse but among their products they made a miter chopper. They also made jewelers' supplies (most notably the rolling machine), engravers' supplies, and paper cutting machines. The partnership was assigned a pair of 1879 patents for machines to score and cut paper.

Information Sources

• From the results of the 1840 "Eleventh Exhibition of American Manufactures, held October 22 1840, as reported in the Journal of the Franklin Institute, November 1840, Vol. XXVI, No. 5, page 324: "To Jacob Lodge, of Philadelphia, for a very simple geared foot lathe. A Certificate of Honourable Mention."
• From the results of the 1843 "Thirteenth Exhibition of American Manufactures, held October 22 1843, as reported in the Journal of the Franklin Institute, December 1843, Vol. VI, 3rd Series, No. 6, page 405: "No. 1582, by Jacob Lodge, of Philadelphia, an apparatus for corking bottles to contain effervescing waters—a certif. H. M."
• 1855 McElroy's Philadelphia City Directory, page 322: "Lodge J., machinist, 57 Dock, h 422 S 3d". Page 679, in the category of "Machinists" "Lodge Jacob, 57 Dock". The address of 57 Dock was shared with William Moroney's Tavern.
• 1859-05-27 Legal Intelligencer, a Philadelphia newspaper, page 167, in a long list "Sheriff's Sale" items: "Jacob Lodge / C. P. Lev. Fa., 168, J. 59, $16.35. King. / M. C. for gas pipe. / 3 story brick house and lot west side of 9th st., 50 ft south of Carpenter st., 12 ft front, 51 ft deep."
• 1859-06-10 Legal Intelligencer, a Philadelphia newspaper, page 178, lists "Municipal Claims" including one from Jacob Lodge for $5.
• 1863 McElroy's Philadelphia City Directory, page 453: "Lodge Jacob, machinist, 205 Dock, h 1004 S 3d". On page 880 he is listed again, under "Machinists".
• 1863 McElroy's Philadelphia City Directory, page 408: "Lodge Jacob, machinist, 205 Dock, h 1004 S 3d".
• Journal of the Common Council of the City of Philadelphia for the Year 1871 has the following resolution that was adopted by the City Council.

  Resolution—To grant a certain privilege to Messrs. Jacob Lodge & Son. Resolved by the Select and Common Councils of the City of Philadelphia, That Messrs. Jacob Lodge & Son have the privilege of putting a shaft over or under Hudson alley to carry power into their shop, No. 103 Hudson alley, said work to be done under the supervision of the Highway Department: Provided, That the said firm shall pay to the City Treasurer twenty-five dollars, to pay for the publication of this resolution: And provided further, That the said firm shall remove the same on thirty days' notice, without any expense to the City.

• Census of manufactures of Philadelphia, by Lorin Blodget, 1883:

  Machinery.—The most diversified descriptions of machinery are made, but not at large establishments. Gold rolling, by J. Lodge & Son, 103 Hudson; confectioners, printers, hoisting, leather dressing, skiving, malting, &c, 15 establishments, with 120 men.

  Listed under "Jewelers' and gold and silver workers" is "Jacob Lodge & Son, 103 Hudson, metal rolling".
• The 1891-07-23 issue of The American Stationer gives a list of companies that had one won contracts for engravers' suplies to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, including J. Lodge & Son.
• Twenty-Fourth Annual Report of the Board of Directors of City Trusts of the City of Philadelphia for the Year 1893 lists a William J. McLaughlin, who had been a machinist at J. Lodge & Son of 103 Hudson Street, and whose indenture was canceled.
• 1901-04-18 American Machinist, page 443, in the Obituaries column.

  Jacob Lodge, a retired master machinist, died in Philadelphia April 6, eighty-four years old. He learned the machinist trade and for many years conducted a shop on Chestnut street, Philadelphia. He invented a "bank note roll," which has been used by the U. S. Treasury Department in making bank notes.

• 1901-04-18 The Iron Age, page 42, in the Obituaries column.

  Jacob Lodge, a retired master machinist and the inventor of a number of mechanical devices, died in Philadelphia April 6, at the age of 84 years. He was a native of Philadelphia and conducted a machine shop up to 14 years ago, when he retired from business.