B Carter

MIDDLETOWN CONNECTICUT

Benjamin Carter

Carter & Co.

Tool Makers of
Middletown, Connecticut

Tools Made: Tailor square, Rules.

Working Dates: C 1830-47. Died 1895 buried at the Pine Grove Cemetery.

Born in Connecticut about 1807. The rule factory was located on Williams Street. Map Z.

On 22 April 1843 Carter & Company was formed. A co-partnership between Benjamin Carter, Merrick Nelson and Seth Savage. Their shop was on Williams Street. They bought the stock and tools of Asa Richardson & Co. This company dissolved in 1847.

I have a square marked F. H. Taylor. s Patent B. Carter Maker. Middletown, CT. There are a number of scales on both the long and short arms. Used for various body measurements. Thanks goes to Don Wing for providing information on the maker and Phil Stanley for how it is used. The only other information I have is Maria Savage of Middletown, married Benjamin Carter of Boston, Oct 23, 1831, by Rev John R Crane. He is listed as a rule maker in the 1850 census.

I have not found the patent for this square. The Connecticut State Library web site has The Connecticut Patents Project. It is a searchable database of patents issued to or assigned to Connecticut individuals or businesses. This square is not listed. It might have been overlooked or it is possible it was never patented.

The following information on F. W. Taylor was provided by Paul Belanger, member of EAIA, MWTCA & OTCA.

“I did a Google search found this in the Google book, "The American Tailor and Cutter, Vol. 7, 8 pages 70-72, 1886 that refers to Taylor as a "Civil Engineer and Tailor" Also mentioned that the caliper was introduced 50 years earlier which would put it in the 1830's. It is possible that the patent papers were lost in the 1836 USPTO fire.”

Paul also writes:

“ F. H. Taylor was Francis Horace Taylor, born in 1797 in Connecticut to Solomon Taylor and Mary Hartshorn (both parents born in CT). He married Marie Louisa Plantade in Montreal in 1818. In 1833 he and Marie (Mary) moved from Connecticut to the Chicago area. In 1863 he wrote: "The Tailors Complete and Scientific Guide: Being a mathematical principle for draughting and cutting garments to fit the human form.” To see this guide go to this link.

From the information Paul has provided I would conclude the square was patented.

Carter received patent no. 90,923 for a Bosom pad on 6/8/1869.

The long arms are 20 inches long and the short arms 9 inches.

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