Boston Machine Mfg. Co.
Whittier Machine Co.
- So. Boston, MA
Boston Machine Mfg. Co. was established in 1864 and was located on the corner of First and Granite streets in So.
Boston, Massachusetts. Among the founders of the company were Zebulon Erastus Coffin, William E. Coffin and Horace
Hunt who all took high managerial positions in the company. They were machinists and iron workers from several Boston
area manufacturers. In 1868, Z. E. Coffin went from superintendent to general agent. That same year, he got his first
fire hydrant patent of
JULY 21, 1868. On an 1869 company letterhead they are listed as "builders of locomotives, mechanical engineers,
and general machinists".
In 1872, Charles Carr joined the company and became superintendent. He got his first fire hydrant patent on
September 17, 1878 which was assigned
to Boston Machine Mfg. Co. It is unclear if the 1868 patent hydrant was produced
concurrently with this one. By 1884, Charles Carr was vice president, and Z. E. Coffin had left the company to form
his own company in Boston, Coffin Valve Co. By 1885, Boston Machine had moved
to the corner of Granite and West Third Street. In an 1885 advertisement the company is listed as being machinists,
iron and brass founders, manufacturers of paper machinery, water, steam and gas valves, hydrants, service supply,
Carr's reversible self-cleaning filters, steam engines, elevators, sugar refining machinery, and ship steerers.
Also in 1885, Boston Machine Mfg. Co. became Whittier Machine Co. About this same time,
Charles Carr left the company to start his own consulting and construction business. Whittier Machine Co did
produce the 1878 patent hydrant as evidenced by the hydrant show below. In the first annual manual of The American
Water-Works, published in 1888, appears this advertisement for
the Whittier Machine Co shows both the 1868 and 1878 patent hydrants. It is unclear when Whittier Machine Co.'s
demise was, but they were listed in the 1900 Boston city directory.
If you have any additional information or pictures regarding Boston Machine Co.,Whittier Machine Co., or
their hydrants, please email us.
All photos © Jeff Kaminski and restored
hydrants a part of his collection unless otherwise credited.
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