Formed as a joint stock corporation on December 1, 1881, the E. Howard Watch & Clock Company succeed an earlier firm of similar name founded by Edward Howard (1813-1904). A clockmaking apprentice of Aaron Willard, Jr., Howard had commenced business with David P. Davis, manufacturing high-grade wall clocks under the name of Howard & Davis in 1842. Sewing machines, fire engines and precision balances were also manufactured by the firm. With a third partner, Luther Stephenson, in about 1843 they also began to manufacture tower clocks.
With the departure from the firm of David P. Davis in 1857 and Howard & Davis was dissolved and succeeded by E. Howard & Company. Howard and Davis both had also been involved in watch manufacturing, somewhat unsuccessfully, since 1850, Edward Howard began a new watch company in 1857, and on March 24, 1861 merged his clock and watch businesses into a single joint stock corporation, The Howard Clock & Watch Company. That firm failed in 1863. Subsequently, Howard formed a new company, The Howard Watch & Clock Company (transposing clock & watch) on October 1, 1863, which was successful for some years. That firm was reorganized in 1881 due to carried over financial setbacks from previous years.
On November 5, 1934, yet another new firm, Howard Clock Products, was formed to succeed the earlier firm. Although clock production was declining, precision gear-cutting kept the firm profitable, particularly from government contracts. Production of smaller clocks ceased in the 1957/1958 timeframe. The last tower clock was produced in 1964.
In 1975, Dana J. Blackwell (deceased in 2007), as a new Vice President of the firm, enthusiastically revived clock production, reintroducing several of the more popular models to the market. The movements in these 1970s clocks maintained high standards for which the Howard firm had become famous. Cases were made to very strict specifications. As a result, these faithful reproductions remain in demand by collectors and continue to increase in value, especially as some of the earlier Howard models are "locked tight" in major collections primarily in the United States.
It is unfortunate that the older owners of the firm sold the business to a young self-proclaimed successful businessman named Beckman, in August, 1977. He eventually fired most of the firm's knowledgeable management and proceeded to drain it financially (sort of like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae management of the 2008 era)! By 1980, on the verge of bankruptcy, Beckman was caught with a bunch of hired thugs in an attempt to explode the factory building. Following a lengthy trial he was convicted, though never served any time in jail (sort of like OJ... until 2008)!
The Federal Government stepped in at the time of Beckman's arrest and the Howard firm filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy. A shrewd manager was brought in by The bankruptcy court brought in a shrewd manager,, and after creditors were satisfied, the clockmaking portion of the firm was sold to private investors who continue to offer fine Howard clocks.
Now that’s an American entrepreneurial story if we ever heard one!
E. Howard Historical Dates
1842 E. Howard Clock Co. founded
1845 Howard Clock factory built in Roxbury
1850 Boston Watch Co. (Howard, Davis & Dennison Co.) founded
1850 Boston Watch Co. factory built in Roxbury
1857 Boston Watch Co. failed
1857 Howard Watch and Clock Co. founded
1858 Name changed to E. Howard & Co.
1861 Howard Watch and Clock Co. incorporated
1863 Company reorganized
1873 New plant completed
1879 Waltham Watch and Tool Co founded (U.S. Watch)
1881 Company reorganized as E. Howard Watch and Clock Co.
1882 Edward Howard retires
1888–1896 U.S. Watch Co. produces "Suffolk" and "Columbia" watches
1903 Howard Clock and watch manufacturing separated
1903 Clock manufacturing company becomes E. Howard Clock Co.
1903 E. Howard name for watches sold to Keystone Watch Case Co.
1903 U.S Watch Co. sold to E, Howard Watch Co. (and Keystone)
1903–1927 Howard watches produced in Waltham at U.S Watch factory
1927 Howard name sold to Hamilton Watch Co.
1927 Howard Clock Co. buys U.S. Watch factory from Keystone
1933 Howard Clock Products Co. incorporated
1933 to Present Howard Clock Products Co. manufactures clock and timer mechanisms
