The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-17
THE FIRST xAxKEB c1ocKAAxHR
IN Terry - be HonoreA ~ . Centennial
Celebration.

the blue hills Of Litchfleld county. Ell Terry. .
Connecticut genius. began to make Yankee
clocks in 1893 and they were the first clocks
manufactured in America. In 1893 Terryville
is going to have q grand centennial celebra-
ton In honor Of ELI and the beginning OF the
wooden clock making industry In this country.
The people Of the town haven't decided as yet
In just what way they will have the celebra-
ton. but every one In Terryville will help
about it.
MIR. Terry was born at East Windsor. near
Hartford. In 1772. He was "heaven-born
mechanic" and when he was 8 years old was
able to whittle wonderfully ingenious things
out Of pine stick with his New England jack
knife. Before he was 81 years old he made q
frst-class wooden clock with his jackknife.
Wiseacres in his neighborhood. who had
heard that he was tinkering at things In his
fathers little shop. jeered at him behind his
back. and said his clock wouldn't 60: but
when it was completed It went beautifully. 1t
is q tradition in East Windsor that Eli. after he
had marked out his patterns on board
with square and compass. used only his
jackknife in making the clock. His first time-
piece was a copy Of the old-time European
standing clock. After the clock was done tho
young mechanic called one or two neighbor
into his shop. opened the clock door. gave tho
pendulum q swing. and 1t licked right along
The discounted critics didn't say much at the
time but later they admitted reluctantly that
they always "knowed that Eli had something
in his head"
When he was 81 Mr.. Terry immigrstsd into
the almost unbroken forest where Is now the
thrifty village of Terryville. In 1893 he put
up the first American clock factory In the little
hamlet It was twelve feet long. eight feet
wide and the caves Of the building were only
six feet above the ground. He dwelt in a little
mouse few rods away. which is still intact.
In his rude shop Ell labored alone for eight
years and turned out ten tall wooden clocks
selling them to THO thrifty settlers along The
SIS ss5a APIECE for them. and often took az
pork Or other produce of the country. In 1901
1902 he had men Tor
dozen clocks at one time. but the only tools
square, Were jacEEnives and saws. About
ae3a ~, Mat5erbury company gaze Jerry efGe
oaee. Ks ha psf time had rssed
rude IN hf ,factoaTy which partly
Of 'lG iste %H ater Seth Thomas. one of rerrys
%e Word hSss ss
and
removed it to Plymouth Hollow. which is now
Thomaston Thomaston Is Else % a household ID
find scores Of biacEened and time-wo old
S Se Inside wa1ss hf
Thomaston Conn" These ancient clocks are
to hfE
old iron or leaden weights. but they tick right
and they rarely get sick enough to need tho
helning hand Of q clock doctor: They are
Sasns 9er ss ana anG
s9nefpw. that they are sentient beings: stored
sss pesn cast 81 IF ea @ T Thomas
ss esn S ss
pendulum has the effect Of blow
sy an b hsr oGn s1 Of h modasn
'' e was ss0h IN 1885, that Thomas Hoadoy
cSsfs SLEEK msda + sine snf m
$SS$%s Hss:sS IA
ftnte tie cioqE. makins fsld; and il isi5 prices
eSss ;5sS S5$ IsS%s' snd
tune a ios many aep Years. For Quarter
Of Q century longer Connecticut continued TO
make almost MI the CLOCKS IN America, IN
but the brass wheels. Were. SO big and the iron
length to hold them: hence they were never
very popular. They hadn't the stif. Puritani-
and it appeared to be. OF no consequence to |
them II they gained or lost five or ten minutes |
every .twenty-four hours. 1t wns not long be- |
fore the Ives pattern was modified and sim |
akas m s e ps II s 0f
in a year. Then the making q wooden Clocks
was ended. and thereafter people spoke about |
them In the ribald way they did about wooden |
timepiece than, was the old Seth Thomas
wooden clock. The wooden clocks, wero sent |
into oil parts OF the country. and Il. was q
c Carried INTO Rentaety at the same time he
sold q lot OF wooden nutmegs to the simple |
There is an odd story, seventy Ave years old.
Y stu se LATED, ws sSS qss IN soes Sa
went wrong, In q Kentucky household day or
peddier The Kentucky. Householder had
Son comic trying to repair lis tl@ePiece JIG
Which time the clock went ali right. but he had
wheels enough left. on his hands that he |
couldn't replace In the timepiece. he said. to
mfss sS On IL Ss tie Terry
eral large clock factories with the aid OF his |
sons. and he did an ip Gg and successful
and is known as the Woodruff place., Though
additions have been made, TO 1t. the Terry part |
IF the habtation Il distinct from TIE rest OF It.
is gray and weather beaten. and has
It Is likely that ali the clock making towns
IN GHnnscticut VIII ssstss II making ths TsrT;