history eli terry clock co

HISTORY OF ELI TERRY SR.

MACKEY'S ANTIQUES & CLOCK REPAIR
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MARCH 1 2010

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HISTORY OF ELI TERRY SR.

ELI TERRY WAS BORN AT EAST WINDSOR ON APRIL 13 1772 HE WAS THE SON OF SAMUEL AND HILDAH BURNHAM TERRY . ELI COMPLETED HIS APPRENTICESHIP IN BRASS MOVEMENT CLOCKMAKING THERE IN 1792 NINE PATENTS FROM 1797 TO 1845WAS ISSUED TO HIM. ELI TERRY WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN THAT ACTUALLY PRODUCED CLOCKS IN VOLUME . HE INVENTED AND PERFECTED THE WOOD MOVEMENT SHELF CLOCK HE WAS A MASTER OF DIFFICULT HOROLOGICAL PRINCIPLES HE WAS A GOOD BUSINESS MAN AND MADE AND MERCHANDISED LARGE NUMBERS OF CLOCKS BY 1800 POSSIBLY ONE OR TWO WORKMAN WERE MAKING SEVERAL WOOD MOVEMENT CLOCKS AT A TIME ; USING WATERPOWER DRIVEN SAWS .

IN 1806 ELI TERRY CONTRACTED WITH LEVI AND EDWARD PORTER OF WATERBURY CONN. TO MAKE THE THEN UNHEARD OF NUMBER OF 4,000 WOOD " HANG-UP " CLOCK MOVEMENTS DIALS AND HANDS . BY 1809 THE CLOCK MOVEMENTS WERE COMPLETED AND THIS IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ELI TERRY AND THE 4,000 MOVEMENTS MAY HAVE BEN THE FIRST OF THE MASS PRODUCTION WITH INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN 1812 ELI TERRY ASSURED HIMSELF THAT HE COULD MANUFACTURE AND SELL THE SHELF CLOCK SO THE TIME HAD COME TO SET UP SHOP AND PRODUCE THE SHELF CLOCK AND BY 1814 THE SHORT OR SHELF CLOCK WAS DEVISED , MADE AND INTRODUCED BY ELI TERRY. AFTER 1823 SETH THOMAS STARTED TO MAKE THE 5 WHEEL GEAR TRAIN MOVEMENT IN THE PILLAR & SCROLL CASE AND THE PRINTED LABEL DID NOT HAVE ELI TERRY PATENTED CLOCK . THERE WAS A LAW SUIT BETWEEN ELI TERRY AND SETH THOMAS BUT IN APRIL 1829 ELI TERRY VOLUNTARILY DROOPED HIS LAW SUIT AGAINST SETH THOMAS 1816 TO 1835 THE CLOCK INDUSTRY MAIN CLOCKMAKERS WERE ELI TERRY SAMUEL { HIS BROTHER } SETH THOMAS , SILAS HOADLEY , CHAUNCEY JEROME AND EPHRAIM DOWNS . ALL OF THESE MEN ORIGINALLY WORKED ON CLOCKS AT PLYMOUTH CONNECTICUT .

IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT ELI TERRY WAS THE ONLY APPRENTICED CLOCKMAKER SAMUEL WAS A HARNESS MAKER AND THE OTHER FOUR WERE TRAINED AS CARPENTERS. 1825 CHAUNCEY JEROME INVENTED THE "BRONZE" LOOKING GLASS AND WAS LABLED JEROME & DARROW . IN 1830 JOSEPH IVES RETURNED TO BRISTOL AND THE 8 DAY WROUGHT BRASS STRAP MOVEMENT WAS INTRODUCED AND THIS BROUGHT SERIOUS COMPETITION TO THE WOOD MOVEMENT . AND ELI TERRY DESIGNED A 8 DAY WOOD MOVEMENT INTRODUCED AS ELI TERRY & SONS ABOUT THE SAME TIME ANOTHER FEATURE BROUGHT BY THE FIRM OF JEROME & DARROW WAS THE "BRASS BUSHED " 30 HOUR WOOD MOVEMENT. BY 1840 THE WOOD MOVEMENT WAS RAPIDLY DECLINING AND BY 1850 THERE WERE VERY FEW WOOD MOVEMENT MADE AND EVENTUALLY WROUGHT BRASS MOVEMENTS TOOK OVER . ELI TERRY DIED AT THE AGE OF 80 IN FEBRUARY 24 1852

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