Seth Thomas Time Line 1785 - Born in Wolcott, Conn. on August the 19th 1799 - Apprenticed to learn carpenter and joiner trade 1807 - Assists clockmaker Eli Terry in Terry's factory in Plymouth 1810 - Terry sold business to Thomas and partner Silas Hoadley 1813 - Thomas sold his interest to Hoadley 1813 - Bought out clock factory from Herman Clark in Plymouth Hollow 1814 - Began producing tall case clocks with wooden movements 1815 - Began producing box clocks taking a cue from the increased sales of these type of clocks by Eli Terry, using Terry's movement 1819 - Thomas again follows Terry's led (one year earlier) and begins producing pillar and scroll clocks with rack and snail. Difference between Thomas's and Terry's movement - Thomas used a from of count wheel to avoid patent violations 1830 - Thomas began producing movements of the same type being produced by Chaunucey Jerome (bronze looking-glass clocks with wooden movements) 1832 - Terry began producing brass plated clocks 1835-36 - Thomas began producing clocks with brass plates 1837 - Thomas re-machined his factory to produce 30 hour weight drive clock with brass plates 1840 - steel springs began replacing weights for power in clocks 1850(mid) - Thomas began producing spring driven clocks 1850 - Thomas produced 25,000 clocks at $60,000.00 for the year 1853 - Thomas built brass-rolling mill 1853 - Thomas re-organized his business naming it "Seth Thomas Clock Co." 1859 - Seth Thomas dies at the age of 73 1859 - Seth Thomas's sons, Seth Jr., Edward and Aaron took over the business. Aaron acted as president 1860 - Began production of Regulator. (No. 2 Regulator was produced for 90 years) 1863 - Published first catalog 1865 - Plymouth Hollow voted to change the town name to Thomaston. Seth Thomas clock labels were changed this same year. The town did not officially adopt the name until 1875 1865 - New separate company created called "Seth Thomas Sons & Company to manufacture lever movements using spring balances and began placing them in mantel clocks 1869 - Sold brass foundry for $400,000.00 1872 - Purchased A. S. Hotchkiss & Company, a tower clock producer, from N.Y. 1874 - Opened first London office 1875 - Began producing movements and calendar attachments for Southern Calendar Clock Company of St. Louis. Clocks were called "Fashion" 1875-78 - New company "Seth Thomas Sons & Co." began placing the lever/balance spring movement in alarm clocks due do lack of sale as mantel clocks. Sales were excellent 1876 - Courts made changes to a long standing patent for Randell Andrew's perpetual calendar. Seth Thomas Co. began producing 15 different model 1879 - Seth Thomas Sons & Co. were brought back into parent company 1882 - Aaron Thomas retires as president and William Thomas Woodruff took over 1882-83 - Seth Thomas Began Pocket Watch production. New building was built for production 1885- First watches were place on market, 18 size, open faced, stem wind, 3/4 plate, 11 jewels and slow train (16,000 b/m) 1885 - The company began producing 135,000 clocks a year 1886 - Produced higher grade watches. Total grades were 7, 11, 15, 17 jewels. Total out put averaged 100 watches per day 1900 - Production of hall clocks began - long case clocks, glass fronts, pendulums, brass-cased weights. (produced for 10 years) 1900 - Began production of master clocks running on electricity 1904 - Began production of tambour clocks 1914 - Began production of Sonora Chimes 1915 - Production of pocket watches stopped. Total production approximately 4 million time pieces 1917 - Calendar clock production was stopped 1919 - Seth E. Thomas Jr. (great grandson of Seth Thomas) took over as president 1919 - Sales dropped off and production of imitation French crystal clocks in porcelain cases began 1920s - Demand for electric clocks began to increase 1924 - New line of banjo clocks was introduced 1930s - Great Depression, company dealt with severe decrease in sale and production 1931 - Seth Thomas Clock Company became part of General Time Instruments Corporation 1932 - Seth E. Thomas Jr. dies 1932 - Company produced electric, battery or mains, with plastic or bakelite cases 1955 - Floods damaged the factories and all production was stopped and factories closed 1956 - Attempts to open factories failed 1970 - General Time becomes a division of Tally Industries 1982 - Plant at Thomaston, Connecticut closes and the entire operation is moved to Georgia The bulk of the information was taken from, "Seth Thomas Clocks and Movements" by Tran Duy Ly Regards Tim Sweet M.O.S.T Watch & Clock Co. http://www.tritco.com/most/most1.html BHI # 17340 AWI # 27151 NAWCC # 0126750 President NAWCC Rio Grande Chapter #117