In 1869, George F. Sanborn and Hezro William Hubbard started business as Sanborn & Hubbard, making woodworking machinery. They were located on Elm Street in Keene. In 1878 Sanborn accepted a position as superintendent of the city of Keene's water works and Hubbard took over sole ownership of the business, operating as H. W. Hubbard. In 1902 Hubbard relocated to a new brick building on Emerald Street. He continued in business until at least 1912.

Information Sources

• McFarland & Jenks' New Hampshire Register and Political Manual for 1871 lists "Sanford & Hubbard, machinists" under Keene manufacturers.
• The 1874 edition of Claremont Manufacturing Co.'s New Hampshire Register Farmers' Almanac and Business Directory lists Sanborn & Hubbard as machinists in Keene. We see the same listing in the 1872, 1876 and 1877 editions.
• The New England Business Directory and Gazetteer for 1877 lists, under Machinists, "Sanborn & Hubbard, Keene, repairing and jobbing".
• The 1878 Annual Report of the City of Keene lists a $22.47 payment to Sanborn & Hubbard for "piping, &c.", plus a payment for $97.48 for "work" for the Fire Department.
• The 1899 Annual Report of the City of Keene mentions H. W. Hubbard several times, including payments totalling a few hundred dollars for repairs, $300 for a boiler.
• The History of Keene, New Hampshire, by Simon Goodell Griffin, has the snippet "The machinists were John Humprey & Co. at Beaver mills, and Sanborn & Hubbard on Elm street." We do not know what year this excerpt is referencing. A revised edition of this book includes summaries of the events of the year 1902, including, "H. W. Hubbard removed to his new brick machine shop on Emerald street."
• Hamilton Child's Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885, published 1885, lists "HUBBARD HEZRO W., machinist and manuf. of wood working machinery, shafting and mill gearing, steam and gas fitting, Mechanic St., h 9 Water." There is also the following, in a history of the town of Sullivan.

  Roswell Hubbard and his brother Erastus came to Sullivan, originally from Connecticut, and located in the southern part of the town, at an early day. He was a prominent man in town affairs, and held most all the offices. Hezro, son of Roswell, was born here, married Nancy M. Mark, of Gilsum, and moved to that town, where he died. He reared two children, Elizabeth, who died at the age of four years, and Hezro W., who lives in Keene, and carries on the machine business. There are now some of the descendants of this family living in the town of Sullivan.

  In the writeup on the city of Keene it says

  H. W. Hubbard's machine manufactory, located on Mechanic street, was established by G. F. Sanborn and H. W. Hubbard in 1869. In 1878 Mr. Sanborn retired, since which time Mr. Hubbard has conducted the business alone. He manufactures all kinds of wood-working machines, and makes a specialty of manufacturing and designing machinery to order.

• The 1888 New Hampshire Register, State Year-book and Legislative Manual lists H. W. Hubbard as an exhibitor of machinery at that year's State Fair.
• A genealogy web page provides the following excert.

  H W. Hubbards machine manufactory - located on Mechanic street, was established by G. F. Sanborn and H. W. Hubbard in 1869. In 1878 Mr. Sanborn retired, since which time Mr. Hubbard has conducted the business alone. He manufactures all kinds of wood-working machines, and makes a specialty of manufacturing and designing machinery to order.

• The 1905 book, Vital Statistics of the Town of Keene, New Hampshire has the following biographical entry.

  Hubbard, Hezro William, b. Gilsum, Oct. 12, 1831, and Mary Abby Lane, b. Lincoln, Me., Feb. 14, 1835. Children: William Lane, b. Sullivan, July 23, 1858; Ada Annette, b. Keene, Jan. 18, 1863, d. Keene, Mar. 28, 1863; Annie May, b. Keene, Dec. 4, 1868; Lew Ellsworth, b. Keene, Aug. 30, 1873.

• The Thirty-Eighth Annual Report of the City of Keene, from 1911, has several mentions of Hezro W. Hubbard for doing repairs.
• A History of the Town of Sullivan New Hampshire 1777-1917, by Josiah Lafayette Seward, 1921.

  Hezro W. Hubbard (usually called William H.), son of the preceding [either Hezro Hubbard or Roswell Hubbard, Jr., the next being unclear], has been a successful machinist. He has built a fine shop on Emerald St. in Keene, where he is engaged in a good business.

• A History of the Town of Sullivan, Volume II has biographical information on "19. William Hezro Hubbard" and family.