From Mark H Robinson’s Collection –

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Hermon Chapin founded a dynasty that spanned several generations and over a hundred years.

He opened a small plane shop with David Copeland in 1826 in Pine Meadow, Connecticut, bought out Mr Copeland two years later, and expanded the line as he established his Union-Factory. In 1834, he added wooden rules (rulers) and brought on one Delos S Stephens to make them. Over the years he added other wooden tools, and in 1851, he brought his sons (Edward, George and Philip) into t…he business. In 1854, Stephens left to found his own firm, D S Stephens – a friendly breakup, it seems, because Stephens became and remained a supplier of some rules to Chapin.

In 1860, Hermon turned over the reigns to Edward, and the firm was rebranded to H Chapin & Sons. Three more name changes occurred down the years until 1901, when H Chapin’s Son & Co acquired D S Stephens, reuniting the families and creating their final brand, Chapin-Stephens, which was ultimately acquired by Stanley in 1929.

The family genealogy and consequent business name changes enable us to place this delightful boxwood and brass marking gauge with reasonable confidence as dating between 1840 and 1860. More on the gauge in a subsequent post.

Hermon Chapin founded a dynasty that spanned several generations and over a hundred years.

He opened a small plane shop with David Copeland in 1826 in Pine Meadow, Connecticut, bought out Mr Copeland two years later, and expanded the line as he established his Union-Factory. In 1834, he added wooden rules (rulers) and brought on one Delos S Stephens to make them. Over the years he added other wooden tools, and in 1851, he brought his sons (Edward, George and Philip) into t…he business. In 1854, Stephens left to found his own firm, D S Stephens – a friendly breakup, it seems, because Stephens became and remained a supplier of some rules to Chapin.

In 1860, Hermon turned over the reigns to Edward, and the firm was rebranded to H Chapin & Sons. Three more name changes occurred down the years until 1901, when H Chapin’s Son & Co acquired D S Stephens, reuniting the families and creating their final brand, Chapin-Stephens, which was ultimately acquired by Stanley in 1929.

The family genealogy and consequent business name changes enable us to place this delightful boxwood and brass marking gauge with reasonable confidence as dating between 1840 and 1860. More on the gauge in a subsequent post.

 

Hermon Chapin

 

 

 

 

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