Made in PHILAD(A): No. 2

Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association, Inc., The, Jun 2003 by Bopp, Carl

Thomas Napier was an early Philadelphia plane maker (Figure 1). He made planes in Edinburgh, Scotland, circa 1773, before coming to Philadelphia in 1774.1 Three of his early advertisements are shown in the booklet, Thomas Napier the Scottish Connection, by Alan Bates.2 The first advertisement is from the Pennsylvania Mercury, 28 April 1786. In it Napier made note that he was "from Edinburgh" and "that he carries on his business in Second Street, opposite the New Market, Philadelphia." He then went on to list over fifty different planes he could make. Charles Hummel made mention of this advertisement back in 1965) in his article, "The Evidence of the Dominys," in the Winterthur Portfolio, so some E.A.I.A. members have known of Thomas Napier for a long time.''

The second advertisement that Bates shows is from 13 January 1794. At that time, Napier was working in Wilmington, Delaware. The advertisement offered a ten dollar reward for a "RAN - AWAY" indentured servant. The reward would be paid by "John Gibb, in Philadelphia," or by "Thomas Napier Plane- Maker, in Wilmington." I suggest that Napier left Philadelphia because of the city's yellow fever epidemic in 1793, which was so bad that thousands fled the city. In the 1790s it was not yet known that a mosquito transmitted the yellow fever disease, and Napier's shop "in Second Street, opposite the New Market," was just a few blocks from mosquito breeding swamps!

The third advertisement is from the Aurora, dated 14 April 1796. In it Napier "respectfully informs his old Customers, that he has returned from Wilmington, and carries on the Plane - Making Business, At the Old Place, opposite the New Market."

Along with making planes, Napier is also known for making and selling pills. Many Philadelphia directories, from 1797 on into the early 1800s, list him as a "plane maker" and "proprietor" or "manufacturer of Fisher's or Napier's pills." Early on the pills were called "Fisher's"; later they were called "Napier's," and later yet they were called "Fisher or Napier's pills." Never was it mentioned what the pills were for, but it might be more than a coincidence that the directories had him listed as working first on "Relief Alley" and then "Relief Street"! It would be my guess that the pills were sold, as a lot of medicine at that time was, to cure whatever problem you had. We can find out why they were called "Fisher's" pills by going to the earliest Napier advertisement that I know of, the Pennsylvania Mercury, no. 1, 20 August 1784.

Now we know why they were called "Fisher's" pills, hut note he never said what they were for. Perhaps some day, someone will find an advertisement from Napier, or his uncle in Edinburgh, that will tell us what the pills were for. The advertisement is also proof that he was selling the pills before 1797, the date he was previously said to have started selling them." The advertisement also hints at some past catastrophe, in that he "supplied himself with a stock of seasoned wood, suitable for carrying on his business." It sounds as if he had lost his supply of seasoned wood (by fire?) in that he had to replace it. On 25 March 1785, just seven months after the above advertisement, Napier placed another advertisement in the same paper (the Pennsylvania Mercury, no. 32).

Thomas Napier, Plane-maker,

Has moved from his house in Dock-street, to Second street, opposite the New Market, and next door to the sign of the Lamb, where he continues to carry on his Business in its various branches, and makes and sells all kinds of Working Tools for Carpenters and Joiners, in the neatest manner and at the lowest prices, equal in quality to any imported from Europe. He is much obliged to his former customers, and hopes for a continuance of their favours.

All orders will be attended to with punctuality, and an allowance made to those who buy to sell again.

Many tools made in Philadelphia by Booth and Mills have the following stamped on them:

PREMIUM AWARDED BY PHILAD(A) & NEW YORK INSTITUTES BOOTH & MILLS PHILAD(A)

Booth & Mills, makers of braces, bits, spokeshaves, screwdrivers, squares, saw pads, and such displayed along with other manufactures, their products at trade fairs. The first "PHILAD(A)" in their stamp refers to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. The "NEW YORK" refers to the American Institute in New York.6 Both organizations held trade fairs to promote American-made products. Gold, silver, and bronze medals (the PREMIUMS) were awarded for the best articles. In 1856, Booth and Mills won a gold medal for their tools displayed at the Franklin Institute. They stated this in an advertisement in McElroy's 1857 business directory. They also won an award at the American Institute in 1857. Both awards were mentioned in their advertisement in the 1858 directory (Figure 2).

Many other American tool companies also won awards at fairs. Some, such as Henry Disston & Sons (Figure 3), stated in their advertisements that they had won, but Booth and Mills, and their descendant companies, are the only U.S. ones I know of that marked their tools as such.