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D.R. Barton History
D.R. Barton
D.R. Barton was a major Rochester, NY edge tool and plane manufacturing company founded in 1832
by David R Barton. (born July 4, 1805 in New Yorks Hudson River valley, died April 26, 1875 in Rochester, NY)
He first arrived in Rochester in 1826 to learn the trade of nail making from blacksmith Thomas Morgan
in the same shop Henry Stager was making edge tools.
D>R. Barton went through a number of partnerships after Morgan died in Nov 1828, first as Barton & Stager
in 1831-32 with Henry W. Stager then Barton & Babcock from 1833-34 with John H Babcock,
Barton & Banker in 1836 with Hiram Banker at 3 Buffalo St then Barton, Banker & Avery in 1836-37 with the addition of Carlton Avery
Barton & Guild in 1837 with C. Guild that ended with a fire in Nov 1837 followed by a short period in 1837
on his own as D.R. Barton at a new address on Front St. Then Barton & Smith in 1841-42 with William P Smith
or Albert H Smith and finally Barton & Belden from 1844-47 at 3 Buffalo St
In 1848 D.R. Barton again went on his own and greatly expanded his operation.
By 1849 he had a number of other planemakers working for him including James S. Benton,
Samuel G. Crane, John Evans, John H Babcock as a blacksmith and Alonzo D. McMaster.
By 1850 he was employing 50 hands. In 1854 he purchased plane blades from the Providence Tool Co. On Oct 31, 1855
the Providence Tool Co made a case steel die stamp "D.R. Barton Rochester" which included 17 letters at 15 cents each
for a charge of $2.55.
From 1855-61 Barton had a working relationship with Joel P Milliner to use prison labor in Kingston Ontario.
On August 17, 1858 the factory was again destroyed by fire.
By 1860 the factory was rebuilt and the firm was employing 150 hands. Barton and Milliner formed a partnership
again in 1863 only.
In 1865 the main manufacturing buildings and retail sales store were completely destroyed by a flood.
With the lack of adequate insurance, the company D.R. Barton & Co was formed with the added partners of
Royal L and William W. Mack.
The plane and edge tool facilities moved to Mill Street and by 1870 were employing 191 hands.
D.R. Barton and his two sons Charles and Edward continued until 1874 when the business was taken over by
Royal L and William W. Mack. The firm was renamed Mack & Co after the death of Barton in 1875.
It retained the trade name of D.R. Barton & Co and used it until the end in 1939
Examples exist of planes with a partially removed Greenfield Tool Co imprint overstruck with imprint E.
The firm made a wide variety of tools besides planes and plane irons including coopers tools, draw knives, axes,
saws and chisels.
The 1850 census reported 85 employees and in 1870, 193 employees.
The 1832 in the trademark is the founding date of the firm. A, B and C imprints were used before
1865. Imprints D through G were used from 1865-1923 when the Macks came into the business, imprint D being the earliest.
Imprint E and F were used in 1874 but discontinued in 1875 and then revived by the Macks when they absorbed
D.R. Barton Tool Co into D.R. Barton & Co in 1879.
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