Photos of examples coming soon!

American Axe & Tool Co.
-1889-1921

Tools Made: Axes, Edge Tools, Farm Tools, and Scythes

Remarks: This was a huge conglomerate formed by14 American ax manufacturing companies. They eventually acquired some of Maine’s ax-makers. Hubbard & Blake of Oakland was one of the original 14 founding companies as was Hubbard & Co. of Pittsburgh, PA. There was no prior connection between the two “Hubbard” companies. The A. A. & T. parent company was originally headquartered in three places: Troy, NY, Boston, MA, and Philadelphia, PA. Those offices were discontinued on Oct. 15, 1890 with all communications directed to New York while their Glassport, PA, manufacturing campus was being constructed. The Oakland facilities became American Axe & Tool Co. plant number 16. In some cases the original companies provided more than one manufacturing plant to the overall effort resulting in more functioning plants than original companies. The A. A. & T. Co. was actually an ax-making trust. Their most fervent competition initially was the Dunn Edge Tool Co. of Oakland, Maine. In 1921, Kelley Axe Mfg. Co. of Charleston, West Virginia (also known as the Kelley Axe & Tool Co.) bought out the A. A. & T. Co. along with all their assets, including facilities, patents, and brands. This information is courtesy of Tom Lamond.

Baker, Sanford J.
1898
Tools Made: Scythes
Remarks: Tom Lamond (personal communications) notes that Sanford J. Baker of Oakland has Pat. No. 615,518, Dec. 6, 1898 for a scythe. It is shared with John King, also of Oakland.

Barton, Flint
1773-1833
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: Barton was one of the first ax-makers working on the Emerson Stream in Oakland, Maine (Klenman 1990). Klenman indicates that he had 13 sons, many of whom became blacksmiths as well as ax-makers in the Oakland area. No specific names or manufacturing company records about the activities of these offspring are known to have survived.

Bodwell, Joseph Wayne
1879
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: See the North Wayne Tool Co.

Damon Brothers
(also worked out of Carmel )
1904-1928-
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: Klenman (1990) lists Damon Brothers as an Oakland, Maine ax-maker, one of the many ax-making companies located along the Emerson Stream going into Waterville. Yeaton (2000) notes that Emerson & Stevens Mfg. Co. of Oakland bought them out in 1928.

Dunn Edge Tool Co.
-1858-1969-
Tools Made: Axes, Farm Tools, Scythes, and Sickles, including Hay Knives
Remarks: Using the two marks: DUNN EDGE TOOL CO. | OAKLAND, ME. and D.E.T. CO. | OAKLAND ME., Reuben B. Dunn worked and lived in West Waterville, Oakland, and Fayette concurrently. Formerly of Dunn, Jordan & Co., he bought and ran other companies. The company is listed in the 1867, 1869, 1879, 1881, and 1882 Maine Business Directories. Dunn was one of Maine’s largest manufacturers of axes and farm tools. The company stamp can either be Oakland or Waterville. This confusion can be explained by the fact that Oakland was originally part of Waterville before becoming a separate town; many of Oakland’s ax-makers are also listed as Waterville ax-makers for the same reason. Most of Oakland’s ax and tool factories are located on a one mile stretch of what was called the Emerson Stream; in today’s Maine Atlas this stream is now labeled Messalonskee Stream, which drains into the Kennebec River after going through downtown Waterville.

Dunn, Reuben B.
(worked out of Wayne )
-1846-1849- (b.1802, d.1889)
Tools Made: Scythes
Remarks: An 1846 North Wayne report lists Dunn as working under his own name. However, another source shows that he owned the Wayne Scythe Mfg. Co. in South Wayne from 1840-1845, but in 1849 lists him as just operating it. He later went on to buy and form other companies leading up to Dunn Edge Tool Co. A History of the North Wayne Tool Co. has recently been published by the Wayne Historical Society (Kallop 2003). It gives a chronology of the various names used by this company. Klenman (1990) lists Ruben as starting operations in Oakland, Maine, and becoming the largest ax manufacturer in the area.

Emerson & Stevens Co.
1870-1977
Tools Made: Axes, Hatchets, and Scythes
Remarks: Founded by Luther D. Emerson, Joseph E. Stevens, George W. Stevens, Charles E. Folsom, and William R. Pinkham, the company marked their tools EMERSON, STEVENS&CO. | WEST WATERVILLE, MAINE. (The Town of West Waterville became Oakland in 1877.) The company is listed in the 1879, 1881, and 1882 Maine Business Directories. Shortly after 1902, they became the Emerson & Stevens Mfg. Co. An ax label for THE WETMORE AXE has been found (figure) and the owner is interested in information on this ax. An ax bearing the mark HANDMADE | E&S MFG CO in an oval has been recovered and a turpentine ax in the collection of Ed Shaw is also marked this way. Ed believes this mark is common. Known brand names that they used were VICTORY, LUMBERMAN'S PRIDE, DIAMOND, PIONEER, and FOREST KING. Emerson and Stevens axes often had the maker’s initials or name on the ax, for example: D. L. HINDS. In addition, the date of the manufacture of the ax is often noted on the top front edge of the ax at the handle interface. The poll and top edge of the ax is often initialed with the mark of the temperer “W” for Everet Watson and “P” for Perley Pulsifer (Ed Shaw, personal communication). Klenman (1990) has several pages devoted to Emerson & Stevens, including a number of photographs of axes with the original company labels on them. Klenman notes that Emerson & Stevens closed in 1965 and that they made hand hammered axes until then, rather than dropped forged all steel axes, as had long been the case with other manufacturers. Klenman also notes that there were as many as 15 ax factories operating in Oakland on a two mile stretch of Emerson stream, which dropped 110 feet in elevation and provided the water power for these factories. Geoff Burke from the Wooden Boat School attended the Emerson & Steven’s 1969 closeout factory sale and was told that the last step in the ax forging process was to cold hammer the axes at room temperature to give them unique qualities of toughness and strength. See Damon Brothers and Witherell Scythe Co.

Harvey, William, & Sons
Augusta, Oakland, Readfield
1872-1914-
Tools Made: Axes and Scythes
Remarks: A History of The North Wayne Tool Co. (Kallop 2003) has been published by the Wayne Historical Society. It gives some information on William Harvey & Sons and states on page 95: “Harvey at the same time is identified with the North Wayne Tool Company... as shareholder... [and] as one of the three company directors.” In the ephemera collection of Raymond Strout is the pictured receipt, dated June 12, 1893, Readfield. Lamond (2008b) writes that William Harvey was an entrepreneur who not only made axes but he was also involved in paper, woolens, lumber, harnesses, and salt. He was holder or partial holder of five patents for a paper placer, nail extractor, scythe, ax, and halter. His ax labels included WM. HARVEY’S CHARCOAL AXE, KING-HARVEY HAND-MADE AXE, and THE DIRIGO.

Haskell, George B., Co.
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: The brand name KING was used.
Harvey, William, & Sons Augusta, Oakland, Readfield 1872-1914-
Tools Made: Axes and Scythes
Remarks: A History of The North Wayne Tool Co. (Kallop 2003) has been published by the Wayne Historical Society. It gives some information on William Harvey & Sons and states on page 95: “Harvey at the same time is identified with the North Wayne Tool Company... as shareholder... [and] as one of the three company directors.” In the ephemera collection of Raymond Strout is the pictured receipt, dated June 12, 1893, Readfield. Lamond (2008b) writes that William Harvey was an entrepreneur who not only made axes but he was also involved in paper, woolens, lumber, harnesses, and salt. He was holder or partial holder of five patents for a paper placer, nail extractor, scythe, ax, and halter. His ax labels included WM. HARVEY’S CHARCOAL AXE, KING-HARVEY HAND-MADE AXE, and THE DIRIGO.

Hubbard & Blake Mfg. Co.
Waterville
1879-1889
Tools Made: Axes and Scythes
Remarks: This company is listed in the 1879, 1881, and 1882 Maine Business Directories as located in West Waterville, which became Oakland. The company is listed later in Waterville. It was sold to the American Axe & Tool Co. See Hubbard & Blake.

King & Messer
1902-1906
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: In 1902, King & Roy closed and John King went into business with Raymond A. Messer. They continued making “The President’s Hunting Axe”, some of which were marked KING on the knife blade. Others had a paper label KING AXE CO. No tools are known to be marked King & Messer. In 1907 they became King Axe & Tool Co. (Lamond 2010a, 15).

King & Roy
-1898-1902
Tools Made: Axes and scythes
Remarks: John King was the primary and his partner was Cyprian Roy. They were the first to make “The President’s Hunting Axe”. They used the mark KING & ROY on the blade of knives that threaded into the ax handle (Lamond 2010a, 15).

King Axe & Tool Company
1907-1917
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: In 1907, King & Messer was reorganized and became King Axe & Tool Company.In 1917, another reorganization resulted in The King Axe Co., which also used the name John King Axe Co. (Lamond 2010a, 15-6).

King, Benjamin Jr. & Peter
Whitefield
-1856-
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: Both Peter King and Benjamin King Jr. are listed in the same 1856 directory, but the connection, if there was one, is not known. Whether they worked together or separately is also unknown. Peter was a particularly important edge toolmaker who was born in 1804. His grandfather, Benjamin King, lived in Kings Mills, Whitefield, Maine circa 1790 and died in 1801. It is unknown who Benjamin King Jr. was.

King, John
Bangor
Tools Made: Axes and Scythes
Remarks: Axes bearing the same maker name, but different towns (Oakland, ME and Bangor, ME), have led to speculation as to whether there were two men or just one. John King in Oakland began manufacturing axes in 1877 and later become the John King Axe Co. (1917-26) also located in Oakland. Still another possibility lies in Canada, where an ax-maker with the name John King was reported both in Ontario and Quebec around 1887 - 1892. The Museum has an ax (ID# 12801T12, photo of ax head and mark) signed JOHN KING | OAKLAND, ME. in the IR collection. Tom Lamond (2010, 16) notes that John King of Oakland has Pat. No. 615,518 for a scythe, Dec. 6, 1898. It is shared with Sanford J. Baker, also of Oakland. King also has patent 854,745; May 28, 1907 for a combined fork and spoon. See King & Roy, King & Messer, King Axe & Tool Co., and King Axe Company.

King Axe Company; John King Axe Co.
1917-1926
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: John King Axe Company and King Axe Company are believed to be the same. Itwas preceded by King Axe & Tool Co. working out of Oakland, which appears in the registries 1907-17 (Lamond 2010, 15). Yeaton (2000) listed King Axe & Tool Co. working from 1908-1927, apparently confusing the names. The mark: JOHN KING AXE CO. | OAKLAND, MAINE is printed on a label and not imprinted on the ax itself. The photograph (bottom right in group above) is of a “President’s Hunting Axe”, an ax with a knife concealed by screwing it into the handle (Lamond 2010b, 17). It is believed to have been made by King Axe Co. of Oakland but is not marked.

Lord, D. P.
Denmark
-1860-1879-
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: He is listed in Denmark in the 1879 Maine Business Directory. Klenman (1990) lists Daniel P. Lord as one of the important ax-makers on Emerson Stream in Oakland, Maine, working around 1860. This may be the same ax-maker as the listing below for Daniel B. Lord, if his middle initial was misread at some point. He also could be a relative or of no relation. Ax-makers and blacksmiths didn’t always stay in the same location, and the exact relationship between the many Maine ax-makers from a particular family clan remain a mystery pending further research.

Maine Axe Co.
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: They are listed by Lamond (2007b).

Marsh Axe & Tool Co.
-1925-
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: He is listed in American Axes by Henry J. Kauffman (1972).

Marsh & Sons
1885-1926
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: See the illustration of a Marsh & Sons label on page 26 of Klenman’s (1990) Axe Makers of North America. Lamond (2007b) lists the working dates of 1885-1926.

Miller
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: His mark: MILLER | OAKLAND, ME has also been reported without the “ME”.
New England Axe Company Oakland -1905-
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: Klenman (1990), lists this company as one of the many Oakland, Maine, ax-makers located along Emerson Stream. This company is not listed in DATM (Nelson 1999), possibly because it was not incorporated until after 1900, the cutoff point for DATM listings.

North Wayne Tool Co.
Also Hallowell
1879-1969
Tools Made: Axes, Farm Tools, Scythes, Lumbering tools, Corn Hooks, and Hay Knives
Remarks: Charles W. Tilden, Joseph E. Bodwell, and Williston Jennings operated this company in Hallowell, West Waterville, and Wayne, and then moved it to Oakland around 1900. They marked their tools: NO. WAYNE TOOL CO | OAKLAND.ME.U.S.A. and NORTH WAYNE TOOL CO. | OAKLAND, MAINE and used the brand name LITTLE GIANT (probably after 1900) (Kallop 2003). The Davistown Museum has a brush cutter in the IR collection ID# 100108T2 marked .W.T.CO on the metal with a torn paper label Champion Bus___ | NORTH WAYNE T__ | HALLOWELL, M_.

Peavey Mfg. Co.
1857-
Tools Made: Axes, Logging, Pruners, Saws, Ice Scrapers, Shovels, Crow Bars, and Pry
Bars
Remarks: Peavey Mfg. Co. is listed among Yeaton’s (2000) ax-makers. From 1900 to 1918, the company was in Bangor, in Brewer from 1918 to 1923, and then in Oakland from 1927 to 1965. The DATM (Nelson, 1999) mentions it under Peavey Tool Co., which they apparently bought out in 1928. The Peavey Manufacturing Company is now located in Eddington, Maine. The company claims to have been in operation since 1857. A copy of a receipt from Bangor Edge Tool Co., which is also marked “Peavey Manufacturing Co.,” is reproduced in the figure for the Bangor Edge Tool Co. listing. For more information, see the Davistown Museum website information file for the Peavey Mfg. Co.

Peavey Tool Co.
Also Bangor
-1928
Tools Made: Peaveys
Remarks: Supposedly started by two grandsons of Joseph Peavey, creator of the “peavey” cant-dog around 1860, this possibly pre-1900 company continued to make that tool until around 1928, when it was taken over by a Peavey Mfg. Co. in Brewer, Maine. This is curious because the mark being used prior had been THE PEAVEY MFG. CO. | OAKLAND, MAINE. The names, relationships, and sequence of Peaveys who apparently made this tool are confusing. The Davistown Museum has a Peavey Mfg. Co., Oakland peavey (ID# 4106T9) in the IR collection.

Seymour Mfg. Co.
1923-1924
Tools Made: Axes

Simpson Scythe & Axe Co.
-1880-
Tools Made: Axes

Spiller Axe & Tool Co.
1826-1965
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: This company is listed in Kauffman (1972) as working in 1928. Lamond (2007b) gives the dates 1826-1965.

Stephens Axe & Scythe Factory
Tools Made: Axes and Scythes

Union Axe Company
1904-1925-
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: Klenman (1990, 26) lists Union Axe company as one of the Oakland ax-makers. Klenman (1990, 26) reprints their paper label for their fire ax, which also notes “manufactured for N.Y. Belting & Packing CO Chicago, Ill.” Judging from the depiction of the firemen, Union Axe Company was probably an early 20th century manufacturer. Lamond (2007b) gives the dates 1904-1925.

Witherell, J. H.
1885-1916?
Tools Made: Axes
Remarks: The axes made by J. H. Witherell may have been made at the Witherell Scythe Co., as implied by Klenman (1997). At the least, the J. H. Witherell company was part of that Oakland, Maine Emerson Stream ax-makers complex, which was the location of many other Maine ax-makers and tool companies, such as the famous Emerson and Stevens Manufacturing Company. Klenman (1990, 26) lists 14 other Oakland ax-makers and reproduces a Witherell ax label, date unknown, with the notation in the lower right corner that the Pierce Hardware Company of Taunton, Mass. was one of their vendors.

Witherell Scythe Co.
1885-1926
Tools Made: Axes and Scythes
Remarks: Their mark WITHERELL SCYTHE CO. | OAKLAND, MAINE has been reported on a paper ax label. Another company, Witherell Axe Co., supposedly was in operation during the same years as this company in Oakland. Perhaps these two companies were the same and the name was changed at some point. Klenman (1997) indicates that James H. Witherell opened the company in 1886, and his sons, Carl and Louis, continued the business when he died in 1916. They sold it to Emerson & Stevens in the mid-1920s. E. & S. continued to use the label for awhile.