SHOE PEG MACHINE INVENTOR

Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association, Inc., The, Jan/Feb 2004

Although Karl West didn't locate a shoe peg plane for Greg Lehmann (see Nov/Dec 03 issue), he did find some information about making shoe pegs in The Story of Walpole (MA) by Willard DeLue, 1925.

Something of the inventive spirit of Walpole of that day and of the spirit of enterprise that animated them, is evidenced by an advertisement headed "An Old Man may be useful," which appeared in the Dedham Minerva" on May 17,1798.

"The subscriber," it runs, "being unable to follow his trade of shoemaking, and not wishing to expend his former earnings, has endeavored to find some other means of support. At length he has invented a machine for making pegs, which he has so far completed as to be able to furnish all the shoemakers within 30 miles of Walpole with maple pegs, of any description they choose, 50 per cent cheaper than hey can make them themselves."

The advertisement went on to tell that 10 per cent commission on sales would be allowed to traders. It was signed, "John Frizell, Walpole, May 15,1798."

A few days after getting the above information about John Frizell, Shavings received another note from Karl: "I just happened to watch a great program called The Chronicle on ABC-TV in Boston, Monday evening, November 24, 2003. It featured the Town of Bartlett, New Hampshire. Believe it or not, one of the items featured on the program was the Kearsarge Peg Factory which is still in business,. Not many pegs are used to put soles on shoes these days, but there are some specialty shoes that use them. I thought it was interesting to see them start with a slice of wood about eight inches in diameter and an inch thick. From that they make many pegs. Looks like a good source for the person in New York to get many ideas."