Arthur B. Farquhar joined W. W. Dingee & Co. in 1856 and reorganized the firm in 1858 as the Pennsylvania Agricultural Works to manufacture agricultural machinery. It was incorporated in 1889 and became the A. B. Farquhar Co. Ltd. See that entry for more history.
Information Sources
- American Steam Engine Builders: 1800-1900 by Kenneth L. Cope, 2006 page 184.
- 1883-10-30 The Watchman and Southron, a newspaper from Sumter, SC, in an article about a new cotton-picking machine.
...The inventor of the machine is C. T. Mason, Jr., a native of Sumter, S. C., and a master machinist of extraordinary skill and ingenuity. He is at this time only 28 years of age. At the age of 14 he left his borne and secured work in the machine shops of George Page & Co., of Baltimore, where he remained two years. Before he was 15 years of age he built a complete miniature steam-engine which was very highly commended by the Scientific American in 1869. In speaking of the thorough workmanship and fine finish of the little machine, this journal said that young Mason exhibited a mechanical skill which was remarkable, and they predicted that he would make a great name for himself. Before bc was 18 Mr. Mason was given a position as a passenger engineer on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and in that capacity ran between Baltimore and Washington. While so engaged be was injured by an accident, and then took a position as foreman of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Works at York, Pennsylvania, of which A. B. Farquhar is the proprietor....