In 1903, agricultural implement maker Macgowan & Finigan was reorganized as the Macgowan & Finigan Foundry & Machine Co. By 1909 they were making the "Perfect" power hammer, and by 1911 they were making "Success" gas and gasoline engines.

In 1913, one of two things happened—we don't know which. Either the existing business was reorganized again as the Macgowan & Finigan Cordage Co. (they were also a distributor of "Plymouth" brand rope), or else a separate business was created under that name. Either way, they continued making hammers which were sold for a while under the original name, but eventually under the new name. The company seems to have faded away during the early 1920s.

Information Sources

• 1903-05-30 Farm Implements.

  The Macgowan & Finigan Foundry & Machine Company was incorporated recently at St. Louis, Mo., with a capital stock of $50,000, to succeed to the manufacturing business formerly conducted by the firm of Macgowan & Finigan. The company's factory is located in East St. Louis, Ill., where they manufacture the Newton pulverizing harrow and a cold tire setter. The incorporators are P. S. Macgowan, H. P. Finigan and W. McB. Smith.

• December 1903 The Blacksmith & Wheelwright has an ad for "The House Cold Tire Setter", from Macgowan & Finigan Foundry and Machine Co. "Manufactured by S. N. House, St. Louis, Mo." The tire setter itself is marked, "S. N. HOUSE  MAKER".
• 1904 letterhead: "P. S. Macgowan Pres. / H. P. Finigan Treas. / W McB. Smith Sec'y / Macgowan & Finigan Foundry & Machine Co. / Manufacturers of Newton pulverizer & roller / and harrows. Selling agents for / The house cold tire setter / St. Louis Office 42, 42, 43 Gay Bldt. / Warehouse & Factory East St. Louis, Ill.
• 1909-03-18 The Iron Age has an article on the Perfect power hammer from the Macgowan & Finigan Foundry & Machine Company, St. Louis, Mo.
• 1911 The Implement Blue Book list Macgowan Foundry & Machine Co., St. Louis, Mo., as makers of "Success" gas/gasoline engines, "Success" corn and cob grinders, "M. & F." harrows, and "Perfect" belt-powered feed mills. The following company summary is given. "MACGOWAN & FINIGAN FOUNDRY & MACHINE CO. Incorporated 1903. Capital $50,000. President, P. S. Macgowan; Secretary, W. McB. Smith; Treasurer, H. P. Finigan.—Gasoline Engines, Trip Hammers, Pulverizers and Rollers, Feed Grinders."
• 1913-10-16 Farm Implement News. "Macgowan & Finigan, of St. Louis, Mo., have incorporated their business under the name of Macgowan & Finigan Cordage Company. The ownership remains as before, the stock being held by P. S. Macgowan and H. P. Finigan. The latter is general manager."
• May 1914 Plymouth Products lists Macgowan & Finigan Cordage Co as distributors of Plymouth rope for Kansas City, MO, St. Louis, MO, Omaha, NE, and Oklahoma City, OK.
• 1917 Millard's Implement Directory for Omaha and Council Bluffs, vol. XXX lists Macgowan & Finigan Cordage Co., 1113 Farnam St., as an Omaha firm supply "Plymouth" rope. Also listed is Macgowan & Finigan Cordage Co. of St. Louis, MO, suppliers of "Newton" pulverizers.
• June 1919 The Blacksmith & Wheelwright lists makers of hammers, including Macgowan & Finigan Cordage Co.
• October 1920 The Automobile Trade Directory lists makers of power hammers, including MacGowan & Finigan Foundry & Machine Co., St. Louis, Mo. "Perfect".
• Carriage and Wagon Makers Machinery and Tools by Kenneth L. Cope, 2004 page 133