Lamson & Sessions was a pioneer in bolt-making in the United States. Anson Merriman erected a small shop on his Southington farm in 1843 to make bolts. Powered by a horsepower, the process was slow and expensive. A thousand bolts cost $18.00 to make in 1840 dollars. Anson sold out to Lewis Merriman and Jonathan T Hart in 1848. The partners immediately moved to Kensington, Connecticut. Hart sold his interest to Merriman in 1849 who then partnered with Henry A Miller. Miller as an experienced metalworker who upgraded the factory. Miller became sole owner in 1850 with organization as the Miller Manufacturing Company in 1853. This was a stock company with at least five partners. The company experienced hard times in the panic of 1857 and was sold at auction in 1859. Plant Manufacturing got most of the equipment.
Isaac Porter Lamson earned a small amount of money farming and chopping wood. He used this money to buy a stake in Miller Manufacturing where he learned bolt-making. When miller folded, he worked for J B Savage and then Plant Manufacturing.
Thomas Lamson learned clock-making from his uncle and became quite skilled. After a few years with his uncle, he bought into Miller Manufacturing with his brother, Isaac. Thomas also worked for J B Savage after losing his stake in Miller Manufacturing. Thomas formed a partnership with Walter W Woodruff and William Wilcox. This was sold to Peck, Stow and Willcox. Then he partnered with John Holt and Augustus Dickerman operating as the Mt. Carmel Bolt Company. Isaac bought out Dickerman and Samuel W Sessions bought out Holt in 1865. This was the beginning of the Lamson & Sessions Company (L & S).
L & S moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1869. The move brought them into the center of industry with access to raw materials, transportation, and a market for their product. They suffered a major fire in 1872 but saved their machinery. The company quickly rebuilt after the fire and erected another new factory in 1882. The Canfield & Sutliff Wrench Company was purchased in 1887. L & S began making monkey, agricultural, pipe, and bicycle wrenches. The company is still in operation making electrical components.
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