Our Westclox research is a ongoing project, and there are many things we still need to find out. Information about the very early days of the company is especially needed.
Westclox began as the United Clock Company of Peru, Illinois in 1885. Charles Stahlberg headed a group from Waterbury, Connecticut, who came to Peru in 1884 to build clocks based on a new idea by Stahlberg. They incorporated the United Clock Company on December 23, 1885. We have not yet located a clock by United Clock Co. (which is different from the United Clock Corp. of Brooklyn, NY, a maker of electric clocks in the 1930's - 1960's).
Stahlberg's ideas were patented on Sept. 22, 1885 as US patent #326,602. His patent describes the process of making gear assemblies of lead alloy with hard metal acting parts. This patent also describes the casting of the movement plates from this lead alloy, with inset brass bushings for the pivots!
After United Clock Company went bankrupt, it was reorganized as the Western Clock Company in 1887. After another bankruptcy, it was reorganized by F. W. Matthiessen as The Western Clock Mfg. Co. in 1888. In 1912 the name was shortened to Western Clock Company. In 1916 the trademark "Westclox" was registered, but the name had appeared on the backs of clocks as early as 1909.
We are looking for certain clocks and watches to help in our research.
I am trying to assemble a complete set of Westclox catalogs . These will enable me to answer more questions about when the many clock and watch models were produced. I am also trying to find more issues of the Westclox company magazine, "Tick talk".
We will acknowledge all help and contributions in our contributors page.