1 month ago

Today we'll go over the history of the JH Williams tool company.
From J.H. Williams start at the E.W. Bliss Company, to Williams & Diamond, to Williams & Brock and then to J.H. Williams & Co.
Williams was one of the first companies to produce drop forged tools, including their Superrwrench line (and many other Super- prefixed lines)
J.H. Williams merged with Whitman & Barnes in 1920, and was then bought out by United Greenfield in the '50's.
TRW took over the company in 1968, and it was sold to it's current owner, Snap-on in 1993.

Moar Williams History:
https://progress-is-fine.blogspot.com/2014/01/vanished-tool-makers-jh-williams.html
http://maggieblanck.com/BrooklynRedHook/Williams.html
http://alloy-artifacts.org/williams-supercompany.html

E.W. Bliss Co Catalogs:
https://archive.org/details/cu31924031296134/page/n7/mode/2up

Williams Catalogs:
https://archive.org/search?query=creator%3A%22J.H.+Williams+%26+Co.%22

Vulcan Tool Truck Catalog:
https://archive.org/details/vulcantoolscatalognoa64/page/n1/mode/2up

Diamond sues Brock & Williams:
https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=tbd18860116-01&e=------188-en-20-tbd-1--txt-txIN-brock----1886-----

Brock leaves company 1886:
https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=tbd18870115-01.1.1&srpos=6&e=------188-en-20-tbd-1--txt-txIN-williams+%26+brock---------

Matthew Diamond obituary:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/American_Machinist/dA8mKWWOgeEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=matthew+diamond&pg=RA19-PA7&printsec=frontcover

Bathhouse Articles:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Journal_of_the_Western_Society_of_Engine/BGLOAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=j.h.+williams&pg=PA9&printsec=frontcover
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Modern_Baths_and_Bath_Houses/OnAoAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=J.H.+Williams+%26+Co&printsec=frontcover

Bathhouse, plant safety insurance, mutal aid society etc:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Annual_Report_of_the_Commissioner_of_Lab/_GMtj0lNmKwC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=j.h.+williams&pg=PA260&printsec=frontcover
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Industrial_Betterment/Tn18N5yoB-QC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=J.H.+Williams+%26+Co&printsec=frontcover

Buffalo Plant Construction:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Iron_Trade_Review/rIM-AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=J.H.+Williams+%26+Co&pg=RA1-PA1445&printsec=frontcover

Redfield quote:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_American_Journal_of_Sociology/jbU-AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=J.H.+Williams+%26+Co&pg=PA436&printsec=frontcover

Redfield Testifies before congress:
https://books.google.com/books?pg=PA661&dq=%22j+h+Williams%22++machinist&id=diJUAAAAIAAJ#v=onepage&q&f=false

1917 Agrippa Ad:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Iron_Trade_Review/1oU-AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=j.h.+williams&pg=RA2-PA51-IA6&printsec=frontcover

1919 Blacksmith Journal article:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Blacksmiths_Journal/-3k2AQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=intitle:blacksmiths+intitle:journal&printsec=frontcover
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Blacksmiths_Journal/-3k2AQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=j.h.+williams&pg=RA12-PA27&printsec=frontcover

Whitman & Barnes Merger:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Niagara_Area/Do4wAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=matthew+diamond&pg=RA6-PA35&printsec=frontcover
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Sanitary_and_Heating_Age/qjQ6AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=matthew+diamond&pg=PA54&printsec=frontcover

W&B Marked Wrenches:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Industry_Illustrated/opIIjPF_uxgC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=j.h.+williams&pg=RA2-PA105&printsec=frontcover

Williams-Husky Wrenches:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Mill_Factory_Illustrated/504WJe5gRugC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=williams-husky&pg=RA4-PA91&printsec=frontcover

1942 War Department Order:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Hearings/53ga61yEMiUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=J.H.+Williams&pg=PA1455&printsec=frontcover

1959 Craftsman Rebranded Wrench:
https://archive.org/details/sears-craftsman-hand-tools/page/12/mode/2up

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:17 Williams goes through partners
01:51 Factory Conditions
04:08 Williams Death & Changes
05:15 Whitman & Barnes
05:41 Superrench & Williams Innovations
08:13 Greenfield Era
08:43 TRW Era & Present Day
09:46 Some Tools
10:15 Outro