Re: Geo. Parr ?
Don McConnell
>Jim,
Your first instinct was correct. The _Directory of American Toolmakers_ (aka DAT) lists George Parr in Buffalo with working dates of -1861-1871-. Based on some internet sleuthing, I think we can safely extend those years, somewhat. In 1856, the _Scientific American_ featured George Parr's firm, complimenting him on his well appointed factory, employing about 50 hands, which produced ... "shoemakers' and saddlers' awls, tinsmiths' punches, cold chisels, oyster knives, screw-drivers, Yankee screw-drivers with hollow handles and a set of tools within, scratch awls, pinking irons, etc." Also, in 1859, he was assigned a patent, for a tool used in boot making, issued to D. G. Chase (U.S.P.N. 25,995).
By 1863 he was offering a spoke shave based on M. Colton's patent (U.S.P.N 32,617, issued June 25, 1861), as well as chests of tools marketed to homeowners and farmers. During the 1860's Parr was issued a patent for an improved camp chest (U.S.P.N. 32,643, issued June 25, 1861), one for improvement in the manufacture of screw-drivers (U.S.P.N. 45,854, issued January 10, 1865) as well as one for an improvement in the manufacture of cutlery (U.S.P.N. 60,048, issued November 27, 1866).
By 1875, Parr was offering a small scroll saw, and he added the Buffalo "Excelsior" Pony Planer and Matcher by 1876. By 1877, he had added the manufacture of steam yachts. Or, possibly, the manufacture of yachts had supplanted the tool making? Either way, he seems to have maintained some interest in the manufacture of tools, as he was issued patents related to making chisels a few years later (U.S.P.N. 216,969, issued July 1, 1879 and U.P.N. 224,720, issued February 17, 1880).
While exact dates are still somewhat uncertain, it seems we can extend his working dates, for manufacturing tools and woodworking machinery, to as early as 1856 and as late as 1876. Hope this is of some interest.
Don McConnell
Eureka Springs, AR