Posts Tagged Strickler

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Posted on June 29, 2015 Did all three of these companies operate at the same time? If not, what was the evolution timeline of these companies? Did one disappear and become another brand or did all three simply share the same designs at the same exact time?
Jason[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

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JANESVILLE HAY TOOL COMPANY – THE STRICKLER CONNECTION
By HTH’s good friend Dennis McGrew

Two-year-old William T. Van Kirk, came to Wisconsin from New York with his parents in 1845, who settled on a farm near Milton. William attended the district school in the winters until age thirteen and then attended Milton College for two terms. He came to Janesville in 1858 and by 1863 he was operating a small grocery on his own merit, which was successful for the next 32 years. In company with several other civic leaders, he procured the charter for the electric light plant, the street railway, and the Janesville Hydraulic Company. The group subsequently donated their interests in these several enterprises to further Janesville’s growth and welfare.

As dairy farming began to flourish, Mr. Van Kirk, with a few business friends, organized the Janesville Hay Tool Company in 1883 and began manufacturing hay handling equipment. He was elected first Vice-President, and the following year, President.

Frank Bowman Strickler was born in 1860 and began a career in the hay trolley industry which would span more than 37 years with his patent of the famous “Dead Lock” on June 19, 1883. The patent was assigned one-third to his much older brother, Peter; and one-third to a L.E. Miles. Frank’s connection with Janesville Hay Tool Co. at this point is unclear. We do know they successfully marketed his Dead Lock carrier which appeared to be their main line. An 1884 Janesville business directory lists Peter as President of Janesville Hay Tool Co. which tends to conflict with data naming Mr. Van Kirk as President at that time. Patent records show that on January 18, 1887, Peter received a patent on a “pair of gripping clutches” for an elevating carrier and assigned it to a William Stevens and Ansel Dickinson.

In November 1888 Frank successfully defended a letters patent case brought by John M. Boyd with the finding there was no infringement to Boyd’s patent by Strickler. By 1889 the city directory lists Frank Strickler as Superintendent of the Janesville Hay Tool Company and Peter as a traveling agent. Peter was granted a patent for an elevated carrier on Dec. 5, 1899. At that time patents were protected for a period of 17 years. It is not clear if that is coincidental with Frank Strickler establishing the Rock River Hay Tool Company in 1900; also in Janesville. This was initially known as the Rock River Machine Company. To further confuse the connection with Frank and the Janesville Hay Tool Co.; records show Frank received and assigned a patent to Janesville Hay Tool Co. for a “compressing hay sling pulley” on April 2, 1901.

1902 1904

On August 6, 1901, Frank C. Patten and Gunder Haugen, both of Sycamore, Illinois; received a hay carrier patent “specifically to improvements in the tripping and latching mechanisms.” Frank Strickler must have acquired rights to manufacture trolleys under this patent while operating the Rock River Hay Tool Co. This “no name” trolley appears with an “FP” part number clearly marked. In addition to marketing the FP trolley while operating the Rock River concern; it is believed Frank also marketed the trolleys which depict the letters “W & S” and also “W S & C.” To date, no data has been found to account for these designations; although many versions of these were produced during the period.

On December 8, 1903 Frank Strickler was issued a patent for a “hay sling locking mechanism;” which he also assigned to the Janesville Hay Tool Co. In 1905 he changed the Rock River name to Strickler Hay Tool Company. On August 10, 1909 Frank was granted a patent for his “open throat” trolley and the Strickler name once again began appearing on his trolleys. Two patent infringement suits brought against Strickler by Louden Machinery Co. were decided on March 7, 1911 with decree for Strickler in the first case and for Louden in the second – judged valid but without infringement. On September 26, 1916 Frank Strickler received a patent on a cow stanchion which was an improvement to quickly adjust for different size cattle and with an improved latch which could be released from either side.

On November 6, 1919 trade papers announced that the Hudson Manufacturing Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota had acquired the major interest in the Strickler Hay Tool Co. with a capital stock of $200,000. In addition to the hay tools then in production; the plant was to be “expanded to enhance production of power farm machinery.” It was further reported that F.B. Strickler, C.L. Cox and Chas. (quite likely Peter’s son) Strickler, who were then respectively president, secretary and superintendent of the Strickler concern, would remain with the Hudson company to manage the hay tool production end of the business.

A history of the Hudson company documents that following purchase of the Strickler company “which manufactured a line of hay tools and accessories…facilities were moved to De Pere, Wis., where it was combined with production of other barn equipment.”

Peter Strickler, a Civil War veteran, had passed away in March 1907 and Frank B. Strickler died in 1927. Much more research is required to better understand the confusing relationships discussed in this piece!
Dan[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Posted on May 28, 2015 Found this Cable model in South Dakota. I assume it’s a Hudson. Its marked different then in the book. Any more valuable or rare?
Kenny

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In the complex history of Strickler, Janesville and Hudson, your model is marked when it was produced by Hudson. This is the “D2” model (see the top of the received bell) and is actually part of the Dead-Lock series. The give-a-way is “Minneapolis” as compared to the “Janesville” markings prior used by the company by the same name.
Dan[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]