| The Davistown Museum |
| The Ancient Dominions of Maine: An Archaeology of Tools |
| Historic Maritime IV (1840-1865): The Early Industrial Revolution |
| The years between 1840 and the panic of 1857 witnessed the peak production of the shipyards downstream from |
| Liberty and Montville. These years also saw the spread of railroads in southern New England and then into |
| Maine, as well as an amazing growth in American manufacturing including water powered textile mills, iron |
| foundries, coal production, steam powered equipment and machinery for use in the newly evolving factory |
| system of production utilizing interchangeable parts. Small Maine manufacturers and edge toolmakers |
| participated in this early Industrial Revolution, which is reflected in the changing designs and expanding tool kits |
| of the period. |
| Liberty and Montville achieved their peak population levels exactly as the Waldoboro customs district achieved |
| its peak production of wooden ships. Their construction and their need for supplies, cargos, produce and crews |
| help explain the boomtown years of both the central coast and its back hill country mill towns. One or more |
| foundaries were operating in Liberty during this time, with many coopers making staves for the flourishing |
| coasting trade. Other toolmakers continued production of axes and other implements. To view the registry of |
| the known 19th century Liberty and Montville toolmakers, click here: |
| List of Liberty and Montville Toolmakers | Status | Location |
| Agricultural Implements |
| | 31808PC12 | Oxen shoes (2) | DTM |
| Steel, 5" long, signed "No 30" on each one. |
| | 32802T6 | Pruning shears | photo | photo | DTM |
| Forged or cast steel, 9 1/4" long, unsigned. |
| This distinctly hand forged tool appears to be made entirely of forged or cast steel. It is representative of the transition from |
| hand forged items to the factory produced ones. A donation from Chris Harvey. |
| | TCK1005 | Pruning shears | DTM |
| Forged or cast iron and steel, 10 1/2" long, 2 3/8" wide blade, signed "J.F. FOX PELHAM N.H". |
| Josiah F. Fox is listed in DATM (Nelson 1999) as working 1853 - 1877. He specialized in making pruning shears. |
| | 090508T1A | Sod cutter | DTM |
| Metal and wood, 81" long, 7" long blade, unsigned. |
| This was made on an island off the coast of England. |
| Axes |
| | 914108T10 | Ax | DTM |
| Cast steel and a broken wooden handle, 4 1/2" long, 2 3/8" wide, signed "C. MAMM" "PHILAD" and "CAST STEEL". |
| More information is sought on this obscure maker. |
| | 062603T1 | Broad ax | bio | photo | DTM |
| Forged iron and natural steel with wooden handle, 9" long, 7 1/2" wide head, 21" long handle, signed "H.BRAGG CORNVILLE.". |
| | 41907T3 | Broad Ax | photo | DTM |
| Blister steel?, 10" long, 6 7/8" wide blade, 3 1/4" long poll, signed "S. AVERY" and "WHORF CAST". |
| S. Avery is a Wallingford, CT, edge toolmaker working circa 1849. The interesting second mark opposite S. Avery of |
| WHORF CAST has no hint of or room for "steel" after cast. This tool appears to be a one piece blister or German steel ax |
| due to its many imperfections. The cutting edge appears to have been subject to additional forging, but no obvious welded |
| steel bit is evident. Numerous hammer marks can still be seen on this ax, which has the usual evidence of the folding and |
| welding at the eye (haft hole) cheek (body) interface. |
| | 41203T13 | Broad ax | bio | photo | DTM |
| Forged iron and weld steel, 9" wide blade, signed with the distinctive touchmark of J Fowler of St. Johns, New Brunswick. |
| An excellent example of a forged ax with a weld steel cutting edge. Did Fowler use cast steel as his weld steel? Probably, |
| | 72801T3 | Double bitted Ax | DTM |
| Cast steel and wood, 8 3/4" long blade, 3 3/4" wide, 31 1/2" handle, obscure signature only "Oakland" is visible along with |
| "S.S." who might be the owner.. |
| A classic example of a Maine made double bitted ax, which appears to not have been made before 1820. Unless clearly |
| marked, many axes from this era are difficult to identify and date. |
| | Page 1 of 29 |
