In the 1880s through to at least 1910, this firm was in business. They made treadle-powered machinery, including a bandsaw. They also made an emery-wheel grinder.

Information Sources

• (Lester) Dana's patent treadle bandsaw (1878-06-25, 1882-02-28, 1890-07-01; see the Patents tab.
• The Report of the Secretary of State of Indiana for 1895 lists Waupaca Novelty Works as having filed its Articles of Incorporation on April 23, 1895.
• The Waupaca Republican of September 13, 1889 had the following writeup.

  It is said the Dana friction clutch is going to get to the front. The orders for them from the Star Coffee mills, Philadelphia, increasing every month, at that rate they will soon outgrow their present quarters, and we may look for the employment of twenty or thirty men in Waupaca Novelty Works next year.

• The Waupaca Republican of March 14, 1890 carried the following item.

  The Waupaca Novelty Works have just completed twenty-five Star Coffee Mills, with the Dana Clutch attachment for Borden, Selleck & Co., the general Western agents in Chicago, who will handle all the mills made by the works here, for the Western trade, while Henry Trumner, the proprietor of the Star Coffee mill in Philadelphia, will manufacture for the eastern trade, the clutches only being supplied by the Waupaca Novelty Works for the Philadelphia factory. But to the credit of Waupaca, they have adopted all the patterns for the frame of the coffee mill made by Mr. Dana. The only portion of the mill not made here is the burs and nickel plate hopper. The editor of the REPUBLICAN called at the factory on Monday just as Lem Arters was putting the last finishing touches to the mills with the gold brush. They were about ready to be crated for shipment and Messrs. C.R. Hudson and Ed Jeffers were proud of the appearance of the first complete mills made since moving to the new quarters in the third story of the new brick warehouse of A.G. Nelson & co. The REPUBLICAN will speak more at length of the Waupaca Novelty Works and the enlarged plant of the gentlemen interested in future manufacturing in another issue.

• The Waupaca Republican for March 1, 1901 carried an obituary of Lester D. Dana.

  The silent reaper, death, called from earth, our old townsman Lester D. Dana, on Saturday, Feb. 23, 1901 aged nearly 69 years.

  Mr. Dana was born at Woodstock, Ill., May 8, 1882. May 18, 1853 he was unitedin marriage with Samantha Spencer at Racine, Wis., where he then resided. He soon after removed to Berlin, and in 1872 he came to Waupaca and engaged in the machinists business. He was the inventor of many mechanical devices. among the most useful the Dana Friction Clutch, which he put to goo duse in many ways, which culminated in the establichment of the Waupaca Novelty Works. He was a man of kind herat and while not of that disposition to solicit friendship; a person who once became his friend was his friend always. He was also very devoted to his family. April 6, 1899, his beloved companion died, since which time his own health has seemd to fail him. He lived with his daughter, Mrs. Weeks, who has made home pleasant for him.

  Just a year ago he wasy very near to death's door, but with the best of care he rallied and while his heart trouble was much better during part of the summer the malady returned more severe again this winter.

  He leaves to mourn two sons and two daughters, grown to men's and and women's estate, Frank G. Dana. Marienette, Lee D. Dana and Mrs. Dr. Single; Antigo, and Mrs. Stella Dana Weeks of this city, who were all home at the funeral, which was held from the home residenece Tuesday at one o'clock, Rev. A. G. Harrison officiating.

• The Waupaca Record of June 11, 1903 reported that the Waupaca Novelty Works was moving to Green Bay.

  Waupaca is to lose its Novelty works, says Mr. Ripley Hudson who has just returned from Green Bay. “We shall move to Green Bay as soon as everything can be arranged. I expect my brother tomorrow to complete the arrangements. We have everything to work with there, a fine plant, machinery, etc. We shall make a line of gasoline engines as well as our regular foot power machinery,” said Mr. Hudson when asked regarding their future plans. It is understood that Geo. Niles will accompany the works to their new location. It is too bad to have this industry, leave us, taking as it does not alone good citizens but a manufacturing enterprise. It is not certain that Mr. E. B. Jeffers will move there, at least not for the present and it is hoped that he will not go at all. Waupaca would greatly miss Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Jeffers.

• R. L. Polk & Co.'s Wisconsin Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1903-04 lists "Jeffers & Hudson (E B Jeffers, C R Hudson), mngrs Waupaca Novelty Works".
• AmericanArtifacts.com has an archived entry for a saw from this maker that they sold in 2009.
• Listed in the November 1910 issue of The American Blacksmith as a maker of emery grinders.