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Norman C. Stiles and Charles Parker

Tools Made: Machinery, presses, lathes, soldering irons, tongs and clamps.

Working Dates: 1857-1893. In December 1890 the company was bought by the E. W. Bliss & Co. Brooklyn, NY.  The company was not listed in the Inspector of Factories Report of 1902.

     The company was established in Middletown in 1871. Two firms, the N.C. Stiles company started in 1857 and the Charles Parker company in 1832 both in Meriden. The catalog (ref. #8) has the established date as 1857, the same as N.C. Stiles. I have two locations for them. One was on Mill Street and the other on Walnut Street (1871-93). Map L & O.

Historic information and pictures  here.

N.C Stiles succeeded William Stroud who’s factory was located on Mill Street. Ref# 14 has them on Walnut Street. The 1890 catalog has a drawing of the factory. It shows it as being near the Connecticut river. Probably in the area where the Omo Manufacturing Company was. They bought the I. K. Penfield factory in South Farms in 1878. Some time before 1885 they moved. The catalog stated the factory burned and was rebuilt but it did not give any location.

     The company was bought by the E. W. Bliss Company and moved to Brooklyn, New York in 1890. The Bliss company is still in operation.

     They made presses, drop-hammers, shears, dies and special machinery. Their manufactured products were for industrial use. Also, see N.C. Stiles.

From Ref. 14 Page 103.

       "The Stiles & Parker Press Company.—On Walnut street, near the Connecticut Valley Railroad, are the extensive

        works of the Stiles & Parker Press Company, for the manufacture of drop hammers, presses, dies, and

        other tools for the manufacture of sheet metal goods, drop forgings, etc. The company was organized in 1871, under

        the general law, with a capital of $90,000. The incorporators were: Charles Parker, Henry G. Hubbard, C. F.

        Browning, N. C. Stiles. The officers were: H. G. Hubbard, president; N. C. Stiles, treasurer; C. F. Browning,

        secretary. The present officers are: D. A. Stiles, president; N. C. Stiles, treasurer; Howard R. Clark, secretary.

        The buildings are of brick. The main building is 35 by 175 feet, 3 stories high; blacksmith shop, 30 by 75 feet,

        1 story high; foundry, 80 by 100, 1 story high; and three other small buildings. A 60-horse power engine is used,

        and from 75 to 100 hands employed. The sales amount to about $150,000 annually, and the goods are shipped to

        every part of the country."

Also, see N.C. Stiles and Stiles and Pollard.

1890 catalogue

     This tin is 3 1/2 inches in diameter. It has a nickel finish, mostly gone. I think it was a sample of the work for display at the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876. The inscription reads: "MADE IN ONE OPERATION ON A STILES & PARKER PRESS. MAKERS OF PRESSES DROP HAMMERS & DIES. MIDDLETOWN, CONN. CENTENNIAL YEAR".

     This is a watchmakers punch press C1880. This photo is from the web site of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors. http://www.nawcc.org

    The plate below is probably from a piece of machinery. Approximately 3 1/2 X 2 1/2 inches, made from brass.

1883 Ad.

Patents issued or assigned to this company or one of its owners. See ref. 24 for more 

Middletown patents.

Name				Pat. No	Item				Issue Date

Stiles,  Norman C.		41403		Metal punching machine	6/21/1864

Stiles,  Norman C.		52335		Power Press Clutch	1/30/1866

Stiles,  Norman C.		53499		Foot Press		3/27/1866

Stiles,  Norman C.		56631	    	Adjustable press pitman 7/24/1866

Stiles,  Norman C.		71080 		Drop press Stiles 	11/19/1867

Stiles,  Norman C.		82042 	      	Turning shafting	9/8/1868
Stiles,  Norman C.		84313		Adjustable metal press	11/24/1868
Stiles,  Norman C.		130877		Drop hammer		8/27/1872
Assigned to Stiles & Parker Press Co.
Stiles,  Norman C.		130878		Metal punching machine	8/27/1872
Assigned to Stiles & Parker Press Co.
Stiles,  Norman C.		135380		Pitmen length adjusting method	

									1/28/1873
Assigned to Stiles & Parker Press Co.
Stiles,  Norman C.		160483		Drop hammer		3/2/1875
Assigned to Stiles & Parker Press Co.
Stiles,  Norman C.		161572		Sheet metal raising die	3/30/1875

Stiles,  Norman C.		250996		Power press		12/13/1881
Stiles,  Norman C.		260251		Press copy dampening bath

									6/27/1882

Stiles, Norman C.		270146		Drop Hammer		1/02/1883

Stiles, Norman C.		294698		Pulley center forming 	3/4/1884
Assigned to Indianapolis Machine & Bolt Works Stiles		
Stiles, Norman C.		297090		Punching machine	4/15/1884
Stiles, Norman C.		299290		Sheet metal press	5/27/1884
Stiles, Norman C.		306972		Mechanical adjustment	10/21/1884
Fladd, F.			311738		Sprue cutter		2/3/1885
Assigned to Stiles & Parker Press Co.
Stiles, Norman C.		329236		Power press		10/27/1885
Stiles, Norman C.		343505		Copying apparatus	6/8/1886
Homan 	W.			358269		Sheet metal table top 	2/22/1887
Assigned to Stiles & Parker Press Co.
Stiles, Norman C.		364142		Power press		5/31/1887
Stiles, Norman C.		366897		Tool grinder		7/19/1887
Stiles, Norman C.		369970		Sheet metal press & cutter

									9/13/1887
Stiles, Norman C.		377583		Copying letters & documents

									2/7/1888
Stiles, Norman C.		410746		Die press		9/10/1889
Stiles, Norman C.		421327		Drop hammer		2/11/1890
Stiles, Norman C.		428969		Fountain pen		5/27/1890

The pictures below are the factory buildings located on Walnut street. These buildings became the OMO Co.

     The picture below is from ref. 69, C1896.

Below is the 1889 Sanborn Insurance Map of the factory.

Add from the 1887-88 Middletown City Directory

References:   3, 8, 10, 14, 19, 24, 43, 69.    Back Home

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