The Elliott, Heaton, Peninsular Company produced button fasteners. David Heaton was a jeweler and engraver in Providence, Rhode Island. He established the jewelry store David Heaton & Company in 1857 and the Union Eyelet Company in 1866. David was also a director of the Atlas Bank. After developing a brass staple to fasten buttons to shoes, the
Heaton Button Company was formed in 1873 and the Heaton Button Fastener Company in 1875. The company sold machines to use the staples. Hand fasteners could be purchased by consumers in shoe stores.
Sterling Elliott was a carriage-maker who developed a machine to stitch dashes, a pamphlet stitcher, and the Elliott Belt Lace Cutter. His interest turned to bicycles when they first became popular. Sterling was president of the League of American Wheelmen and published Elliott’s Magazine and the L.A.W. Bulletin. He also produced the Hickory Bicycle in 1885. Applying his wooden wheels to sulkys proved most successful.
The Peninsular Novelty Company also manufactured and sold machine that stapled buttons to shoes. The name became the Heaton Peninsular Button Fastener Company in 1889 and the Heaton Peninsular Company in 1897. The machines were manufactured by the Parker Manufacturing Company of Boston. Frank Whitcher was developing an empire in shoe manufacturing. Frank purchased Parker 1909 and then acquired all the assets of Heaton, Peninsular, and Elliott. Expansion to Grand Rapids, Michigan was in 1915.
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