New Britain herald., 1927-03-02
American Hardware Corporation
 Arrives at 25th Milestone Today

other in it's various hardware lines to the advantage of both. The screw business Was immediately consol- dated at the Russell X Erwin plant and afterwards the Corbin Screw corporation was formed and became q part of the assets of the holding company A few years later the Corbin Cabinet Lock company was also added to the holding company by $1,206.oHo increase of capital.
 Two of Original Board Living
 The first board of directors of the American Hardware Corp was: 1 hilip Corbin, Andrew Corbin. George J. Leighton. Andrew J. Slop- cr,. Howard $. Hart, Charles II. Par sons, Charles Glover. Charles M Jarvis and Sylvester C. Durham.
 Philip Corbin was elected prcsi- dent: A. J. Sloper treasurer: and Theodore T.. smith. secretary. Mir. Sloner and Mir, Hart are the only members of the original board still living.
 History of Companies
 In 1885 tht firm of Stanley, Woodruff (. Co. was formed for the manufacture Of plate locks. After several changes of name as new partners were taken in. the title Russell X Erwin was adopted in lSi6, when Henry F. Russell and Cornelius r.. Erwin became the partners. other plants, including that of North X Stanley, were pur- chased, and in 1851 the company vas incorporated as q joint stock company with q capital of s2O0,o raised 10 S5o0,oG0 in 1864 and later 10 s1,p00, ,g0G. IL vas one of the first establishments in the country 10 specialize in builders hardware.
 At the age of fa, Philip Corbin was working at a bench for Russell & Erwin. 6 concern which later, as head of the American Hardware Corp. he was 10 control He did a little contracting ot his own, and. in iS4o called in his brother, Prank, and Edward Doen to form Doen, Corbin & CO. The concern set out 10 manufacture oy-balls, window springs, lamp hooks. and other ar ticles not made by other American manufacturers The capital was less than Sl,Goh, and the partners did most of the work themselves. The P. & F. Corbin Co. was incorporat- ted in 1853 and branched out into lCcks bolts, hinges. and other build CTS hardware; it was the first con- cern in the world to use the new bronzIng process patented just then,
 Tho Corbin Cabinet Lock Co. was organized in 1882 10 manufacture cabinet locks, cabinet and other miscellaneous hardware. Philip Corbin was also the president Of this concern. These were the factor ics which merged into the "coIn- tine." The Corbin Screw Corp. was organized directly as q susidiary of the parent company early in the goth century.
 The holding company, the Ameri- can Hardware corporation, was con- tinucd urtil 1913. when i' took over tho assets Of all four companies and became m operating company, the subsidiary companies being known. under thctr respective titles. as di- visions of tho American Hardware corporation.
 The subsequent history o' the orpcra'ion has emphasized the value and importance cf tfo action taken '25 years ago, and hey havs practically all plo~pernt to ar amazing extent, as dividends last year sufficiently testified. Practical. ly thr,'-f[ths of tn original capitai vas paid in cash Iii 's1i durlne 1926. The present capit1lHation i, Sf2,ir3.Goo and the company today IS by far tdc strongest organization in is line anywhere in th" world.