A Quest for Early American Plane Makers

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Recently I’ve decided to embark on an educational journey for information on Early American plane makers, and of course, hunting down some of their work. As of this writing I haven’t paid much attention to the wooden planes, sticking with the metallic versions. This will be a new road of education. Feel free to follow me along.

I will try to update this information as I dig in my Quest for Early American plane makers.

If the maker was born after 1755, and/or having started making planes after 1775, I have not included them here (at least for now).

In a some what chronological order.

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Francis Nicholson (believed to be the earliest documented plane maker) (b 1683 – d 1753)
Mark – F.Nicholson
Very early 1700’s in Wrentham MA.

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John Nicholson (Son of Francis)
Mark – I.Nicholson
Mid 1700’s

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Cesar Chelor 1728 to 1753
Mark – CE.Chelor
Mark – CESARCHELOR
Was Francis Nicholson’s slave.

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Jonathan Ballou (b1723-d1770) of Providence, RI (1744-70)
Mark – ION.Ballou

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Simeon Pomeroy (b.1725-d.1812) North Hampton MA

Mark – S+Pomeroy
Mark – S+Pomeroy
.    .      N+Hampton

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Jarvis Pike Sr. (active 1726-33)  Deedham MA.

Mark – Ix Pike
………Jarvis Pike jr. (b 1779 – d1872-33)
………..Mark – J.Pike

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Samuel Dean (b.1700-d.17750  Dedham or Norton Ma..

Mark – S*Dean
.           Dedham
Mark – S*Dean
Mark – SD
.         S.Dean
——–

Thomas Napier   (opened business in 1773)
Mark – Tho!Napier **
Mark – T.Napier ***

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Asa Hide  (1763->)
Mark – A:Hide
Mark – A:Hide
IN:NOrwich

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John Walton Jr. (b1710-d1785) of Reading, MA (1731-1735)
Mark – I*Walton
..       IN+Reading
Mark – I.W

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Henry Wetheral  (b1729 – d1797)
Mark – H.Wetheral

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Samuel Dogget (b1727 – d1794) of Dedham, MA
Probably started plane making around 1749
Mark – S:Dogget

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John Akers (d-1770)
Mark – Iohn Akers

——–

Elijah Puffer (b-1738-d-1816) (ref-DAT)
Mark – E.Puffer
Had ties to John and Francis Nicholson

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Daniel? Denison (b-1740)
Mark – D. Denison

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Asa Hide (b1741-d1797) of Norwich,CT (earliest CT planemaker)
Mark – A:Hide
Mark – A:Hide
……     IN:NOrwich

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Joseph Fuller (b1746-d1822) of Providence, RI
Mark – Jo:Fuller
Mark – Several others that include “Providence”

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William Sprat(s) (b.1747-d.1810) CT
Mark – W*Sprat
W.Sprats

——–

Jonathan Tower (b.1758-d.1846)  Rutland Vt.
Mark – Jn Towner (with a dot under the “n”)

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Benjamin Armitage Jr. 1760-1762 (d-1781)
Mark – B.Armitage

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Henry Wetherall III  (b-2-8-1764 – d-11-20-1840
Mark – HWetherall
..            Chatham
Mark – Henry Weitherall

Nicholos Taber (b1761-d1849) of New Bedford, MA

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Samuel Caruthers 1740
Mark – S.Caruthers

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Thomas Grant 1750-1800??
Mark – Tho.Grant

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James Stiles 1768-1775
Mark – J. Stiles

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William Harris Jr (b.1742-d.1802) New London CT
Mark – Wharris
Mark – W.harris

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John Sleeper (B.1754-d.1834) Newburyport Ma.
Mark – I.Sleeper   (these are frequently found)

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Moses Sleeper (B.1752-d.1792) Newburyport Ma.
Mark – M*Sleeper   (brother of John Sleeper)

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The Early (pre-1750) planes of New England were usually yellow birch instead of beech.

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My Resources (in no particular order)

       Wooden Planes in 19th Century America 

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