Francis E. Reed was born in Danbury, New Hampshire, on April 28, 1852, to father Ezekiel Sayes Reed. He attended the local schools until his family moved to Concord, New Hampshire, at the age of nine. He attended public schools and the Penacook Academy in Penacook, an area of Concord.[1]
Careeredit
After completing his education, Francis moved to Manchester, New Hampshire, where he got a job as a machinist at the Amoskeag Mills. For 75 cents/day he first worked on the manufacturing of a steam fire engine. In 1880, at the age of 28, Reed married Margaret Elvira Haddock (b. April 6, 1854) of Little Warwick, Quebec, and moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, to work for the Union Water Meter Company, then the Boynton-Plummer Machine Company In 1885 he started his own company with partners Reed & Page electrical contractors.[1]
In 1889, Reed bought a black smith drilling machine company from George Burnham (15 Hermon Street). He kept the name and address until 1902, when he changed it to the Francis Reed Company (43 Hammond Street). It is here that Reed began to experiment with improving the drill. He invented many devices, including a machine that drills multiple holes at once. His two sons, Ralph S. and Merton F., helped run the business as his tools and parts were sold all over the world. Francis Reed was known as a very gifted mechanic, a shrewd businessman, energetic, and industrious.[1]
Beginning in about 1890, business took off and the F.E. Read Co. lathe became the world standard.[2]
"In 1877 the company employed 6 men and produced about 150 machines a year, in 1912 he owned 8 buildings, employed a thousand men and produced two thousand machines a year. Mr. Reed retired in 1912 and the Reed-Prentice Co. was formed which took over management of the Prentice Bros Co., The F. E. Reed Co., the Reed Foundry Co., and The Reed-Curtis Machine Screw Co. This corp had a capitalization of $2,000,000. Mr. Reed remained as director. He died in 1917."[3]
In April 1912, the F.E. Reed Company and the closely interwoven Prentice Brothers Company merged, and became the Reed-Prentice Company, and in 1915 the company was sold to new interests.[2]
^ ab"Industrial Worcester" By Charles Grenfill Washburn
^Charles Nutt's 1919 work, Worcester and Its People
May 04, 2024
francis, reed, inventor, francis, reed, 1852, 1917, american, inventor, concentrating, mostly, improving, drill, founder, reed, francis, reedborn, 1852, april, 1852danbury, hampshiredied1917nationalityamericanknown, forimprovement, drill, reed, factory, 1891ea. Francis Reed 1852 1917 was an American inventor concentrating mostly on improving the drill and founder of the F E Reed amp Co Francis ReedBorn 1852 04 28 April 28 1852Danbury New HampshireDied1917NationalityAmericanKnown forImprovement of the drill F E Reed Factory 1891Early years editFrancis E Reed was born in Danbury New Hampshire on April 28 1852 to father Ezekiel Sayes Reed He attended the local schools until his family moved to Concord New Hampshire at the age of nine He attended public schools and the Penacook Academy in Penacook an area of Concord 1 Career editAfter completing his education Francis moved to Manchester New Hampshire where he got a job as a machinist at the Amoskeag Mills For 75 cents day he first worked on the manufacturing of a steam fire engine In 1880 at the age of 28 Reed married Margaret Elvira Haddock b April 6 1854 of Little Warwick Quebec and moved to Worcester Massachusetts to work for the Union Water Meter Company then the Boynton Plummer Machine Company In 1885 he started his own company with partners Reed amp Page electrical contractors 1 In 1889 Reed bought a black smith drilling machine company from George Burnham 15 Hermon Street He kept the name and address until 1902 when he changed it to the Francis Reed Company 43 Hammond Street It is here that Reed began to experiment with improving the drill He invented many devices including a machine that drills multiple holes at once His two sons Ralph S and Merton F helped run the business as his tools and parts were sold all over the world Francis Reed was known as a very gifted mechanic a shrewd businessman energetic and industrious 1 Beginning in about 1890 business took off and the F E Read Co lathe became the world standard 2 In 1877 the company employed 6 men and produced about 150 machines a year in 1912 he owned 8 buildings employed a thousand men and produced two thousand machines a year Mr Reed retired in 1912 and the Reed Prentice Co was formed which took over management of the Prentice Bros Co The F E Reed Co the Reed Foundry Co and The Reed Curtis Machine Screw Co This corp had a capitalization of 2 000 000 Mr Reed remained as director He died in 1917 3 In April 1912 the F E Reed Company and the closely interwoven Prentice Brothers Company merged and became the Reed Prentice Company and in 1915 the company was sold to new interests 2 Notable Inventions edit a b c New England families genealogical and memorial Volume 3 edited by William Richard Cutter a b Industrial Worcester By Charles Grenfill Washburn Charles Nutt s 1919 work Worcester and Its People Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Francis Reed inventor amp oldid 1114717735, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
