M. Schwalbach-Tower Clock Maker

Matthias Schwalbach from Milwaukee installed 55 tower clocks in the U.S. in his lifetime from 1875-1915. I think the tower clocks were his biggest achievements but he was also a dealer in accordions, clocks, sewing machine fixtures and clock escapements.

Most of the tower clocks Schwalbach built were installed in churches. He had 19 clocks around Milwaukee and 15 more in Wisconsin. He had tower clocks installed in 2 churches in the Chicago area, 1 in Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Oregon. He had 2 church clocks in Kentucky and Michigan and 8 clocks in Minnesota. One of his clock's in Minnesota was replaced due to a church fire.

What was amazing that all were built in his small factory in Milwaukee. Schwalbach's clocks were excellent timekeepers and were free of mechanical trouble. I found that there is only one Schwalbach clock operating today as it was originally designed. It is at the Church of St Joseph in Minnesota. They decided to have it restored to its original condition and the restoration was done in 2008. The other clocks he built, most have been electrified and the original movements are only partially used or not at all.

 

M. Schwalbach was also a part of a team who invented the first typewriter. I also repaired typewriters from 1984 to 1987 until they were phased out. That is how I got interested in clock repair. I had repaired typewriters and loved it until computers put me out of  business. I began searching for another mechanical device that I could use my repairing skills and found a clock school on the internet.

Matthias Schwalbach was a very busy man with all he was doing and fathered 24 children and outlived 3 wives. He was a major contributor in our early American clock history. 

 

Simon Willard-U.S. Clockmaker

Simon Willard was a celebrated U.S. clockmaker. Simon Willard clocks were famous in America but were expensive for common people. Simon built most clocks by hand and they were very precise. In 1718 the Willards lived on a farm in North Grafton, MA which is outside of Boston.  The oldest of the boys learned horology and it is presumed that the other boys were also taught. That is how Simon got his start in clockmaking.

Simon Willard was commissioned to make a clock for the Old South Meeting House in Boston, the site of the planning for the Boston Tea Party. He built a carved and gilded gallery clock with a spread eagle on the top. The clock was delivered in 1805 and hung there until 1872 when it was moved to Old South Church in Boston's Back Bay.

                                                                       

For 50 years Simon Willard was responsible for maintenance of all clocks at Harvard College in Cambridge, MA. Simon also presented two clocks to Harvard.

Thomas Jefferson requested that Mr. Willard build a clock for the University of Virginia at Charlottesville. The clock was installed in 1827 but was destroyed by fire in 1895.

Simon Willard has one clock and one clock mechanism in the U.S. Capitol that are still operating. Mr. Willard patents were signed by many famous people at the time, namely John Hancock, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson and Levi Lincoln.

Simon Willard clocks are American masterpieces and have sold for $50,000-$250,000.