HAMILTON HISTORY (PAGE 1)

BACK IN 1874, General Grant was president of the United States and Conestoga wagons creaked wearily along the Lancaster Turnpike, as citizens heeded the call of Horace Greely to"go west." Another form of pioneer was building a factory in the pastoral community of Lancaster. The Adams and Perry Watch Company went up right beside the turnpike. It was founded by a good combination; Mr. Perry was a watch designer, and Mr. Adams was an organizer and promoter. They brought skilled watchmakers to Lancaster and began production in 1875. Like so many infant industries, Adams and Perry did not have enough capital to market their product. Lancastrians came to their rescue in 1877, raising $225,000, and the reorganized company was renamed the Lancaster Watch Company. The Lancaster Watch Company continued to suffer growing pains and was reorganized in 1884, this time as the Keystone Standard Watch Company. Nevertheless, the financial vicissitudes persisted until 1892.

MODEL 926
SIZE 18
1898

In that year, the Hamilton Watch Companycame into existence as a result of another reorganization. The name, Hamilton, was selected to honor Andrew Hamilton, original owner of the site of Lancaster. Hamilton was granted the land by William Penn's heirs and is credited with founding the city of Lancaster with his son James. Hamilton Watch was founded by merging Keystone with the Aurora (Illinois) Watch Company. Aurora machinery was moved to Lancaster in summer of 1892. Among the leading business and professional men of Lancaster who founded the Hamilton Watch Company were J. W. B.Bausman, John F. Brimmer, Harry B. Cochran, Frank P. Coho, C. A. Fondersmith, George M. Franklin, John Sener, John C. Hager, J. F. McCaskey, H. M. North, Martin Ringwalt, J. Frederick Sener, William Z. Sener, James Shand, Peter T. Watt and H. S. Williamson. Charles D. Food and Henry J. Cain of Springfield, Massachusetts represented the Aurora interests.

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HAMILTON HISTORY (PAGE 2)
HAMILTON HISTORY (PAGE 3)
HAMILTON HISTORY (PAGE 4)
HAMILTON HISTORY (PAGE 5)
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