Stampings used on some hammers.
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J. YERKES (Blacksmith, Hammer Maker)
MORELAND, PENNSYLVANIA
FRANKFORD, PENNSYLVANIA
YERKES & PLUMB
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
1854-1869
1954-1856
1856-1869
1869-1879
1879-1897
By Tom Lamond ©
Jonathan Yerkes was initially a blacksmith. He became engaged in tool manufacturing in Moreland, Pennsylvania. Moreland is a community in the Scranton area. Sometime around 1856 he established a manufactory in Frankford, Pennsylvania. At the time Frankford was just outside Philadelphia. The works that were originally located in Frankford either moved to Bridesburg, Pennsylvania in the early 1880s or the name of the community was changed but reference to the Frankford location continued to be used in publications and advertisements. Both Frankford and Bridesburg later became parts of Philadelphia. Philadelphia then became the location referred to in the advertised address of the Yerkes and Plumb Co.
In 1869 Fayette R. Plumb bought half of the existing firm and almost immediately the new partnership started the construction of a complete new works which was to be located at the corner of Church Street near a facility belonging to the Pennsylvania Railroad. Jonathan Yerkes remained associated to some degree with Plumb until the late 1870s. He then turned those holdings over to his brother Edward A. Yerkes and then devoted the greater portion of his efforts toward the Florida Hardware Co. and other Florida enterprises. In 1881 he became president of G. F. Drew & Co. which was located in Florida. That company continued until 1885 (possibly 1886) when G. F. Drew & Co. became part of the Florida Hardware Co. of Jacksonville, Florida. The change occurred when Jonathan Yerkes purchased the Florida Hardware Co.
Indications are that in 1887 Jonathan Yerkes was also involved with the S. B. Hubbard Hardware Company. S. B. Hubbard Hardware Co. was also located in Jacksonville and is known to have either been an agent for or actually made axes as well as other tools associated with agricultural use.
This fit in with J. Yerkes's history as a blacksmith and then a striking tool manufacturer. The extent and/or duration of Yerkes's involvement with S. B. Hubbard Hardware Co. is unknown.
The Florida Hardware Co. remained in the control of the Yerkes family until 1985, long after Jonathan had died in 1897.
Facsimiles of paper labels bearing the Yerkes name and/or represented in the logo.
Stampings used on some axes and hatchets.
MORE INFORMATION:
Cross reference articles published on the YesteryearsTools web site that relate to this article;
Plumb Co.
* Not long after becoming a partner with Plumb, Jonathan Yerkes signed his portion of the business over to his brother and then moved to Florida.
*
This company is included in the PHILADELPHIA AXE AMKERS booklet.