The Wilson Sewing Machine Company is one of the latest established manufactories in Cleveland, but promises to take rank among the most important. It deserves especial mention among the record of Cleveland enterprises, as producing the first local sewing machine that has succeeded, although many attempts have been made.
Albert C. McNairy.
This department of the present work would be imperfect without a reference to the firm of McNairy, Claflen & Co., which ranks among the heaviest and most important contracting firms in the country.
Albert C. McNairy, the head of the firm and a man of great enterprise and energy of character, was born June 14, 1815, at Middletown, Connecticut, and was early engaged in work of a similar character to that now undertaken by the firm. In 1848, he constructed the famous Holyoke Dam, across the Connecticut river at Holyoke, which is over a thousand feet between the abutments, and thirty feet in height. In 1851, he became a member of the bridge building firm of Thatcher, Burt & Co., of Cleveland, whose operations in the construction of bridges were very extensive. In 1864, the firm name became McNairy, Claflen & Co., by the admission of Henry M. Claflen, who had been in the employ of the firm since 1854. In 1866, Mr. Thatcher and Mr. Burt retired and Harvey T. Claflen, (who had been connected with the establishment since 1852,) and Simeon Sheldon were admitted.
From 1851 to a recent date, the Howe Truss Bridge was nearly the only bridge made by the concern. They now are largely engaged in the construction of iron bridges and all kinds of railway cars. The concern has built three thousand two hundred and eighty-one bridges--about sixty miles in the aggregate. The streams of nearly every State east of the Rocky Mountains are spanned by their bridges, and it is a historical fact that not one bridge of their construction has fallen.
Three hundred and fifty men are employed by the firm, and the aggregate of their business reaches two millions of dollars yearly.
The firm is now constructing the New York and Oswego Midland Railroad, from Oneida to Oswego, a distance of sixty-five miles, and furnishing the cars.
The general management of the affairs of the company is in the hands of Messrs. McNairy and Henry M. Claflen. The management of the works is assigned to Harvey T. Claflen, whilst the engineering department falls to the particular superintendence of Mr. Sheldon. The Messrs. Claflen are natives of Taunton, Massachusetts, and Mr. Sheldon of Lockport, New York.
J. H. Morley.
J. H. Morley is a native of Cayuga county, New York. He came to Cleveland in 1847, and commenced the hardware business on Superior street, under the firm name of Morley & Reynolds. This firm continued, successfully, for about twelve years, after which, for some time, Mr. Morley was engaged in no active business. In 1863, he commenced the manufacture of white lead, on a limited scale. Three years subsequently, a partnership was formed with T. S. Beckwith, when the capacity of the works was immediately enlarged. Every year since that time they have added to their facilities. Their factory has a frontage on Canal and Champlain streets, of over three hundred feet. Their machinery is driven by a hundred horse-power engine, and four hundred corroding pots are run. About one thousand tons of lead are manufactured yearly, and find a ready market in Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and New York.