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Trevor Mfg. Company was one of those many Lockport industries that used Erie Canal water coming down a hydraulic raceway to power its machinery. Starting in 1858 with the erection of a four-story stone building 30 feet by 70 feet with a 40 foot square two story addition located at 168 Market Street in Lockport, a street that parallels the southern bank of the Canal. They initially made shingle, heading and stave cutting machinery. The reproduction below of the header to their 1902 catalog highlights the company's product mission.
The company was founded by Joseph and James B. Trevor. In 1864, the business was transferred to William W.and Francis N. Trevor. By the late 1800's/early 1900's, approximately 30 workers were employed there. Not limited to doing business just in Lockport, in 1862 Trevor sent shingle making machines to Cuba and Canada's New Brunswick Province in the same week. Early on, in the very early 1860's, Trevor also made a wide variety of wooden handles for hammers, axes, rakes,, etc., wooden bowls, buggy spindles.
Trevor Machinery Company was officially incorporated in 1890 with William W. Trevor as president. In 1898, they listed capital stock of $50,000, debts of $2,500 and assets of $25,000. However, by 1901, they listed $50,000 in capital stock, $1000 in debts, and $3000 in assets. This decline in company fortune, when assets should have been increasing, was a signal of the decades that would follow. On 29 September, 1930 they were forced to auction because of bankruptcy.
At left is an illustration from the Trevor catalog of one of their
major products, "The Trevor Improved Heading Planer."
This planer, with a solid iron frame (without joints) was made right here in Lockport and shipped worldwide in 1888. It was especially designed for the purpose of planing barrel and keg headings and tub bottoms.
The company also made patented sawing machines, a variety of lathes, and machinery for making handles.
On each of the heavy machines shipped out of its plant, the company name and the name of Lockport were proudly displayed.
The unit at left is the Trevor Victor Shingle Sawing Machine.
It had an advertised weight of 1,040 pounds and sold new for $200 in 1902. It was
one of the company's smaller and lower priced products.
This unit's blade moved around at 1800 rpm according to the catalog and required about 6 horsepower to run.
We can only imagine the circumstances that led to the demise of this company. At one time it appeared they had quite an exclusive segment of the market. But the firm failed to remain competitive and the slow decline in business finally ended on the morning of September 29, 1930. A Rochester auctioneer was called in to sell at bankruptcy auction all the fixtures, stock, product (finished and unfinished), tools, machinery, and office equipment of The Trevor Manufacturing Company. When the auctioneer had sold the last item the only Trevor equipment that would sell in the future would be on the secondary market. Today, the company's products have limited value as antiques, especially to those of us in the Lockport area with enough space to display them.
Information and illustrations for this feature were
provided by Niagara County Historian, David Dickinson. One of Mr. Dickinson's
hobbies is collecting and restoring hit-and-miss engines and companion driven
machinery---a background that gives him special expertise to comment on the product line
of Trevor.
Frank Grensing of Tony, WI sends along the picture at left of a Trevor Shingle Mill he has in excellent condition.
The mill is dated January 5, 1858 and must be one of the very earliest of products produced by the company in Lockport.
Grensing values the unit at over $2000.
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