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This site has free downloads of old American file manufacturer catalogs, brochures, instructions, and history, including Canada where possible. The Site Index lists small companies with the large companies that bought them. The information is being updated as needed so please check back. Click on pictures to enlarge them.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Whipple File Manufacturing Co.

Ashcroft's Railway Directory, 1864
Whipple File Manufacturing Co. is significant because it was the first large-scale attempt to make files by machinery in the United States. It was named for Milton Dexter Whipple (1797-1873), a native of Worcester, Massachusetts. Milton Whipple was a gifted machinist with a number of patents in file-making, textile machinery, and engraving. His oldest son Lyman W. Whipple (1824-1886) followed his father in the mechanical profession and worked with him at Whipple File.

Whipple File started in 1859, with William P. Pierce, a Boston dry goods merchant, as president. Its offices and sales room were at 34 Kilby St., Boston, Massachusetts, and the plant was at Ballard Vale (also spelled Ballardvale), MA. Whipple took over John Marland's machine shop in 1860, then built its own works. Whipple was highly capitalized, $1 million in 1866, which it invested in a large works, machinery, steel making, and advertising. It suffered negative publicity when its files were included in a 65-day trial in 1865, The United States versus Franklin W. Smith. Mr. Smith was accused of supplying substandard goods, including Whipple files, to the Charlestown Navy Yard during the Civil War.

Whipple failed in 1869 with a total loss of $2 million, in part because of resistance to machine-cut files. This must have been one of the the largest business failures of the time. The 4-acre works remained vacant until 1883. The task of perfecting machine-cut files passed to Whipple's chief draftsman, Alfred Weed, and to William T. Nicholson, founder of Nicholson File.
The Boston Directory, 1861
Appletons' Illustrated Railway and Steam Navigation Guide, 1864

Boston Directory, 1868

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