Hampden Watch Co. (Dueber Watch Co.) Springfield, Mass. and Canton Ohio (1876-1930) The New York Watch Co. preceded Hampden, and before that Don J. Mozart (1864) produced his three-wheel watch. Mozart was assisted by George Samuel Rice of New York and, as a result of their joint efforts, the New York Watch Co. was formed in 1866 in Providence, Rhode Island. It was moved to Springfield, Mass. in 1867. Two grades of watches were decided on , and the company started with a 18S, 3/4 plate "State Street" which had steel parts and exposed balance and escape wheels that were gold plated. John C. Dueber started manufacturing watch cases in 1864 and bought a controlling interest in a company in 1886. At about this time a disagreement arose between Elgin, Waltham and the Illinois Watch companies. Also, at this time an anti-trust law was passed, and the watch case manufactures formed a boycott against Dueber. Dueber was faced with a major decision, whether to stay in business, surrender to the watch case companies for by a watch company. He decided to buy the Hampden Watch Co. of Springfield Mass. By 1889 the operation had moved to Canton, Ohio. By the end of the year the company was turning out 600 watches a day. The first 16 size watch was produced in 1890. In 1894 Hampden introduced the first 23J movement made in America. Hampden assigned serial numbers at random to the New York Watch Co. movements for years after they purchased the NYWCO. Chronology of the Development of Hampden Watch Co. The Mozart Watch Co, Providence, RI (1864-1866) N.Y. Watch Co., Providence, RI (1866-1867) N.Y. Watch Co. Springfield, Mass. (1867-1875) N.Y. Watch Mfg. Co., Springfield Mass (1875-1876) Hampden Watch Co., Springfield Mass (1877-1886) Hampden-Dueber Watch Co., Springfield Mass(1886-1888) Hampden Watch Co., Canton, Ohio (1888-1923) Dueber Watch Co., Canton, Ohio (1888-1923) Dueber-Hampden Watch Co., Canton, Ohio (1923-1931) Amtrog, U.S.S.R. (1930-present) Tim Sweet TIMEKEEPR2@AOL.COM M.O.S.T (MY OWN SWEET TIME) WATCH COMPANY. 14002 Tuckey Lane El Paso, Tx, 79927 (915) 852-2409 (See my add in the MART) Requests and comments welcome enjoy