THE STOVE INDUSTRY IN 1892
In 1892, to celebrate its 20th anniversary, the National Association of Stove Manufacturers made an
effort to identify all stove manufacturers in the United States, including all of its non-members and
the many new firms, some of them located in areas quite remote from the industry’s old centers.
What it discovered was a very considerable turnover within the industry. 128 of 1874’s 221 firms,
which had contributed 118,000 tons (46.4 percent) of production capacity at that time, had
disappeared. But this was in the context of an industry that was still growing, in output and in
number of active firms, as well as experiencing a great deal of spatial reorganization – away from
some of the towns and states which had once dominated it; towards the South and [Mid] West, and
within those regions towards newly-industrializing small cities with low production costs.
The following table summarizes the changes of 18 years. Unfortunately, there is no production
data comparable to 1874’s, so all we can do is a crude count of stove firms, large and small.
Almost all were still single-plant, proprietary enterprises, however; so we are looking at where the
industry was actually located, rather than just at where its constituent firms were legally domiciled.
For each state, one can see (a) how many firms present in 1874 had disappeared over the years,
(b) how many continued in existence, and (c) how many were new foundations.
The big changes are plain enough: Pennsylvania and Illinois, centers of the nation’s iron and steel
industry, had made the largest absolute gains in numbers of stove firms; in terms of their share of
the national industry, the greatest net gains had again been made by Illinois, followed by Alabama,
Maryland, and Tennessee. The industry was following its markets, towards the American rural
heartland where consumers still had no practicable alternative to solid fuel for cooking and heating
(with the partial exception of the kerosene cook-stove). It was also locating closer to its raw
material sources, which were now overwhelmingly American, the earlier New England, MidAtlantic and even Midwestern industry’s dependence on imported Scotch Pig (iron) having ended.
A tidewater location was no longer of any advantage. Transport costs for raw materials and end
products argued strongly in favour of relocation towards the interior and the South – a region
acquiring the stove habit a generation after the rest of the United States, and also well endowed
with the finest cheap foundry pig iron in the country, and its cheapest labor supply.
1
Ohio
Pennsylvania
New York
Illinois
Massachusetts
Indiana
Kentucky
Maryland
Alabama
Michigan
Tennessee
West Virginia
Virginia
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Maine
Iowa
Kansas
Missouri
Georgia
Oregon
Rhode Island
New
Hampshire
Colorado
Texas
Connecticut
New Jersey
Delaware
Vermont
Totals
1874
only
27
16
33
3
9
6
3
1874 &
1892
16
18
21
9
6
1
3
2
1
2
5
1
2
5
1
1
1
1
3
2
1
4
4
2
4
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1892
only
31
29
21
16
13
11
7
6
6
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
1
1874
Total
43
34
54
12
15
7
6
2
1874
Rank
2
3
1
5
4
6
9
16
3
14
7
1
8
22
6
2
1
1
7
2
11
17
20
21
7
15
6
10
1
1
1
5
12
3
2
1
1
221
13
18
19
23
1892
Total
47
47
42
25
19
12
10
8
6
7
5
6
4
4
4
4
3
4
6
2
2
3
1892
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
2
1
1
2
1
23
24
25
26
27
Net
Change,
Firms
4
13
-12
13
4
5
4
6
6
4
5
-1
3
4
-2
2
2
3
-1
2
-3
-3
1
1
-1
-1
-1
-1
277
If we look at New York State, far and away the biggest net loser in terms of firms or of its share of
the national total, what we find is that Albany and Troy had been hollowed out, reduced from a
dozen firms to five in Albany’s case, 19 to 6 in Troy’s. All of the smaller firms, and some of the
industry’s giants, had simply disappeared – mere relocation or consolidation is not what was going
on, but total structural change.
2
NAME
Abendroth Bros.
Adams Stove Wks
Albany Stove Co.
Anshutz-Bradberry Co.
Armstrong & Co.
Art Stove Co.
Auburn Stove Foundry Co.
Avondale Stove Wks
A.N. Bain & Co.
Baldwin & Graham
Barstow Stove Co.
Bartlett, Hayward & Co.
Baxter Stove Co.
Baxter Stove Mfg. Co.
Beecher Furnace Co.
J. Bell & Co.
Bellaire Stove Co.
Belleville Stove Wks
Bement, E., & Son
Bennett & Walz
Bergstrom Bros. & Co.
Beyer & McMaster
Bibb, B.C., Stove Co.
Bissel & Co.
Black & Germer
Blenkinsop Bros.
Bloomington Stove Mfg. Co.
Bogenschutz, C., Stove & Range Co.
Bonnett & Duffy
Born Steel & Range Co.
Bowie, George & Terhune
Boyle, James & Co.
Boynton Furnace Co.
A. Bradley & Co.
Brand & Corsen
Bridge, Beach & Co.
Bridgeford & Co.
Buck & Wright
Buffalo Cooperative Stove Co.
Bullard, G.A.
Bussey, McLeod & Co.
Century Stove Co.
Chamberlain & Co.
Channon-Emery Stove Co.
Chattanooga Stove Co.
Cheney, S., & Son
Chesapeake Stove Co.
Chicago & Erie Stove Co.
Chicago Stove Works
Chilson Furnace Co.
Cleveland Co-operative Stove Co.
Cleveland Stove Wks.
Cobb Stove & Machine Co.
Collins & Burgie
Continental Stove & Variety Works
Cooperative Stove Co.
CITY
New York
Sheffield
Albany
Allegheny
Port Deposit
Detroit
Auburn
Avondale
Charleston
Pittsburgh
Providence
Baltimore
Mansfield
Birmingham
Cleveland
Wheeling
Bellaire
Belleville
Lansing
Dayton
Neenah
Dayton
Baltimore
Pittsburgh
Erie
Wellsburgh
Bloomington
Covington
Quincy
Cleveland
Rome
Salem
New York
Pittsburgh
Milwaukee
St Louis
Louisville
St Louis
Buffalo
Marshall
Troy
Groveland
Cincinnati
Quincy
Chattanooga
Manlius
Baltimore
Erie
Chicago
Boston
Cleveland
Cleveland
Taunton
Chicago
Royersford
Bloomington
STATE
NY
AL
NY
PA
MD
MI
ME
AL
IL
PA
RI
MD
OH
AL
OH
WV
OH
IL
MI
OH
WI
OH
MD
PA
PA
WV
IL
KY
IL
OH
GA
OH
NY
PA
WI
MO
KY
MO
NY
MI
NY
MA
OH
IL
TN
NY
MD
PA
IL
MA
OH
OH
MA
IL
PA
IL
3
Cooperative Stove Foundry Co.
Corning Stove Co.
Corry, Uzal & Co.
Coulter & Proctor
Cox Whiteman & Cox
Crane, M.H. & Co.
Crea, Graham & Co.
Cribben, Sexton & Co.
Culbertson & Fisher
Cushman Mfg. Co.
Danville Stove & Mfg. Co.
Dayton Stove & Hollow Ware Foundry
De Haven & Son
Detroit Stove Works
Dighton Furnace Co.
Duffy-Trowbridge Stove Mfg. Co.
Duncan & Masters
Eagle Foundry Co.
Eagle Stove & Foundry Co.
Eclipse Stove Co.
Ely & Ramsay
Emrich, C.
Engle, George W., & Co.
Enterprise Stove Co.
Evansville Foundry Assn.
Excelsior Stove Works (Sheppard)
Excelsior Mfg. Co. (Filley)
Favorite Stove & Range Co.
Fischer Leaf & Co.
Fischer, William G., Co.
Floyd, Wells & Co.
William P. Ford & Co.
Fort Payne Stove Wks
Foster Stove Co.
Fuller, Warren & Co.
Fuller-Warren Co.
Norman H. Galusha
Geauga Stove Co.
Gem City Foundry Co.
Gem City Stove Wks
Geneseo Stove Foundry Co.
Georgia Stove & Range Co.
Gibson & Love Mfg. Co.
Girard Stove Wks
Girard Stove & Machine Co.
Gladiator Stove Co.
Graff & Co.
Graff Hughes & Co.
Grander & Co.
Great Western Stove Co.
Grinnell & Borlind
Hallman, A. Stove Co.
Hanging Rock Stove Wks
Hawkeye Stove Wks
Hertenstein, M. & Co.
Hess, George H., & Co.
Hess, Snyder & Co.
Highland Foundry Co.
Rochester
Corning
New York
Peoria
Philadelphia
Urbana
Pittsburgh
Chicago
Wheeling
Houston
Danville
Dayton
Pittsburgh
Detroit
Dighton
Hannibal
Kansas City
Belleville
Fall River
Mansfield
New York
Columbus
Luzerne
Vincennes
Evansville
Philadelphia
St Louis
Piqua
Louisville
Kokomo
Royersford
Concord
Fort Payne
Ironton
Troy
Milwaukee
Rochester
Painesville
Quincy
Dayton
Geneseo
Atlanta
Chattanooga
Girard
Girard
Russel
New York
Pittsburgh
Royersford
Leavenworth
Newton Falls
Philadelphia
Hanging Rock
Burlington
Columbus
Chicago
Massillon
Boston
NY
NY
NY
IL
PA
OH
PA
IL
WV
TX
PA
OH
PA
MI
MA
MO
MO
IL
MA
OH
NY
OH
PA
IN
IN
PA
MO
OH
KY
IN
PA
NH
AL
OH
NY
WI
NY
OH
IL
OH
IL
GA
TN
OH
KA
KY
NY
PA
PA
KS
OH
PA
OH
IA
OH
IL
OH
MA
4
Hollister, George
Home Foundry Co.
Howard Stove Co.
Howe Ventilating Stove Co.
Hunt & Miller
Indiana Stove Wks
Indianapolis Stove Co.
James & Kirtland
Jewett & Root
Johnson Black & Co.
Joliet Stove Wks
Jones & Abbott
Jones, J.R.
Kahn, F.L. & Bros.
Kahn, Meyerhoff & Co.
Keeley Stove Co.
Kellenger & Co.
Kentucky Stove Wks
Keokuk Stove Wks
Kibler Stove Co.
Kiechle, Bretano & Oberdorffer
King & Seath
Kling & Co.
Lanning, James
Lapham Foundry Co.
Lehigh Stove Co.
Leibrandt & McDowell Stove Co.
Liberty Stove Works
Lindsay & Early
Linn Iron Wks
J.S. Lithgow & Co.
Littlefield Stove Mfg Co.
Loman Bros.
Lord, Stone & Co.
Madison Stove Co.
Magee Furnace Co.
Malone Foundry & Machine Co.
Malvin, Gordon & Co.
March, Brownback & Co.
Marion Stove Co.
Mason & Davis
McCurdy Stove Wks
Michigan Stove Co.'s Works
Miller, William, Range & Furnace Co.
Minnesota Stove Co.
Morris, John B., Foundry Co.
Moser & Wehrle
J.L. Mott Iron Works
Mt. Penn Stove Wks
Munsell & Thompson
Neil Stove Mfg. Co.
New Athens Foundry Co.
New England Stove Co.
North Dighton Cooperative Foundry Co.
North Western Stove Wks
Northwestern Stove Foundry Co.
Noyes & Nutter Mfg. Co.
A.T. Nye & Son
Hanover
Chicago
Beaver Falls
Cortlandt
Hudson
Evansville
Indianapolis
New York
Buffalo
Erie
Joliet
Zanesville
Moundsville
Hamilton
Evansville
Columbia
Massillon
Louisville
Keokuk
Denver
Evansville
Terre Haute
Gallipolis
Philadelphia
North Plymouth
Lehiton (sic)
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Carbondale
Birmingham
Louisville
Albany
Bridgeport
Otter River
Madison
Boston
Malone
Port Jarvis
Linfield
Marion
Chicago
Canton
Detroit
Cincinnati
Shakopee
Cincinnati
Newark
New York
Reading
New York
Portsmouth
New Athens
Taunton
North Dighton
Minneapolis
Portland
Bangor
Marietta
OH
IL
PA
NY
NY
IN
IN
NY
NY
PA
IL
OH
WV
OH
IN
PA
OH
KY
IA
CO
IN
IN
OH
PA
MA
PA
PA
PA
PA
AL
KY
NY
AL
MA
IN
MA
NY
NY
PA
IN
IL
OH
MI
OH
MN
OH
OH
NY
PA
NY
OH
IL
MA
MA
MN
OR
ME
OH
5
O.K. Stove Co.
Ohio Stove Co.
Ohio Stove Co.
Olive Stove Wks
Oregon Stove Foundry Co.
Oriental & American Stove Works (Perry)
Orr Painter & Co.
Paisley Stove Co.
Paris Stove Co.
Daniel E. Paris & Co.
Parkersburgh Hardware & Mfg. Co.
J.S. & I. Peckham
Peekskill Stove Wks
Peninsula Stove Co.
Perrysville Stove Co.
Perseverance Foundry Co.
Phillips & Buttorff Mfg. Co.
Phillips & Clark Stove Co.
Phillipsburg Stove Work
Phoenix Stove Works
Pittston Stove Co.
Plymouth Iron Foundry Co.
Portland Stove Foundry Co.
Portsmouth Stove & Range Co.
Progress Stove Co.
Quakertown Stove Works
Radford Stove Co.
Rathbone Stove Works
Rathbone, Sard & Co.
Reed Foundry Co.
Wm. Resor & Co.
Reynolds, C.S.
Richardson, Boynton & Co.
Richardson & Morgan Co.
Richmond Stove Company
Richmond Stove Co.
Roberts, Winner & Co.
W.F. Robertson & Co.
Rock Island Stove Co.
I.H. Roelker & Co.
Rogers Foundry & Stove Co.
Roney, John
Round Oak Stove Co.
Salem Stove Works
Scanlan & Co.
Schulykill Valley Stove Co.
Scranton Stove Mfg. Co.
Sexton, S.B., & Son
Sharpless, B.F.
Shelter & Co.
Isaac A. Sheppard & Co.
Shinnick Woodside & Gibbons
Sill Stove Co.
Simonds Mfg. Co.
Smith & Anthony Stove Co.
Snyder & Baker
Somerset Co-operative Foundry
Somersworth Machine Co.
Louisville
Tiffin
Portsmouth
Rochester
Portland
Albany
Reading
Beaver Falls
Leeds
Troy
Parkersburgh
Utica
Peekskill
Detroit
Perrysville
Philadelphia
Nashville
Geneva
Phillipsburg
Quincy
Pittston
Plymouth
Portland
Portsmouth
Louisville
Philadelphia
Radford
Albany
Aurora
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Columbus
New York
New York
Norwich
Richmond
Quakerstown
Beverly
Rock Island
Evansville
Belleville
Pittsburgh
Dowagiac
Salem
Louisville
Spring City
Scranton
Baltimore
Bloomsburgh
New Cumberland
Baltimore
Zanesville
Rochester
New York
Boston
Belleville
Somerset
Dover
KY
OH
OH
PA
OR
NY
PA
PA
IA
NY
WV
NY
NY
MI
IN
PA
TN
NY
NJ
IL
PA
MA
ME
OH
KY
PA
VA
NY
IL
PA
OH
OH
NY
NY
CT
VA
PA
OH
IL
IN
IL
PA
MI
OH
KY
PA
PA
MD
PA
WV
MD
OH
NY
NY
MA
IL
MA
NH
6
South Erie Iron Works
Southard Robertson & Co.
Southern Stove Wks
James Spear & Co.
Spence, Baggs & Co.
Spicer & Peckham
St. Paul Stove Wks
Stamford Foundry Co.
Steel, Van Rossom & Co.
Superior Furnace Co.
Superior Stove Co.
Susquehanna Iron Works
Swett Quimby & Perry
Swinton, Shimer & Co.
Syracuse Stove Wks
Tamaqua Mfg. Co.
Taplin Rice & Co.
Taunton Iron Works Co.
Terstegge, Gohman & Co.
Thatcher Furnace Co.
Thomas, Oscar G.
Toledo Stove Wks
Troy Stove Works
U.S. Manufacturing Co.
Union Stove & Machine Co.
Union Foundry & Stove Wks
Union Stove Works
Van Wormer & McGarvey
Victor Stove Co.
Voegtly, F. & L., Co.
Walker & Pratt Mfg. Co.
Walters, Walker & Co.
Warren Stove Co.
Waynesboro Stove Co.
Weir Stove Co.
Weiskettle, A., & Son
Wellington Stove Fdy. & Machine Wks
Western Stove Mfg. Co.
Western Stove Wks
Wetter, H., Mfg. Co.
Russell Wheeler
Thomas White
White, Warner & Co.
Wolterstroff-Haskell Stove Mfg. Co.
Wood Bishop & Co.
Woolridge Stove Wks
Yeager & Hunter
Erie
New York
Richmond
Philadelphia
Martin's Ferry
Providence
St. Paul
Stamford
Philadelphia
Little Falls
South Superior
Middletown
Troy
Port Jarvis
Syracuse
Tamaqua
Akron
Taunton
Louisville
New York
Taunton
Toledo
Troy
Columbiana
Leavenworth
Frederick City
New York
Albany
Salem
Allegheny
Boston
Pittsburgh
Warren
Waynesboro
Taunton
Baltimore
Wellington
St Louis
Peoria
Memphis
Utica
Quincy
Taunton
St. Paul
Bangor
Memphis
Spring City
PA
NY
VA
PA
OH
RI
MN
CT
PA
NY
WI
PA
NY
NY
NY
PA
OH
MA
KY
NY
MA
OH
NY
OH
KA
MD
NY
NY
OH
PA
MA
PA
RI
VA
MA
MD
KA
MO
IL
TN
NY
IL
MA
MN
ME
TN
PA
7