Little-Known American Tower Clock Makers
© Donn Haven Lathrop, 2001
Byram --
Green --
Hasham (Hassam) --
Holbrook --
D. Brooke Johnson --
Nels Johnson --
Morrill --
Pollhans --
Soderquist --
Van Riper --
Joseph Barborka Clocks
Western Tower Clock Manufactory,
Iowa City, Iowa
Clock # City State Date Clock? Building
Iowa City IA Y City Hall
Iowa City IA 1885 Y St. Mary's Church
Iowa City IA N Dostel Brewery
Sioux City IA 1901 -- U.S. Court House,
Post Office, and Court House
#17 Rock Island, IL 1901 * Rock Island Lines
Passenger Depot
Louisville, KY 1899 N Post Office
Minneapolis MN -- * Federal Courts Building
St. Joseph MO -- -- Post Office
#15 Omaha, NE Y Post Office
#9 Carson, NV Y Post Office
New York City NY 1899 ** McAlpin Hotel
* Now in a private collection.
** Street, or post, clock, location unknown.
Some 30 tower clocks are said to have been made by Barborka between 1876 and 1921, but the exact number is not known.
Ephraim Niles Byram & Sherry & Byram Clocks,
Sag Harbor, Long Island, New York
Top of Page
City State Clock? Building Date
Lagrange GA N (remains) Lagrange Female 1851
Institute
Louisville KY N Walnut Street 1855
Baptist Church
McConnellsburg PA Y (remains)
Belvidere NJ Y Warren County *
Court House
Elmhurst, L.I. NY N St. James' Episcopal 1850
Church
Hempstead NY Y St. George's Church 1852
New York NY N City Hall 1853
Rochester NY N Plymouth Church 1856
Sag Harbor, L.I.NY N Methodist Church 1838
Sag Harbor, L.I.NY Y (Elec'f'd.) Presbyterian Church 1845
West Point NY ?? West Point 1858
Military Academy
Lexington VA N* Virginia Military 1852
Institute
* There is the possibility that the Belvidere clock came from Lexington, Virginia. Civil War history records that Major General David Hunter left Virginia Military Institute a "gutted ruin" after his raid in 1864, and the history of the Belvidere clock is rather unclear.
Josiah Green Tower Clock
Salisbury, New Hampshire
Top of Page
City State Date Clock? Building
Salisbury NH 1839 Y Baptist Church
Stephen Hasham Tower Clocks
Charlestown, New Hampshire
Top of Page
Model City State Date Clock? Building
X1 Pittsfield, MA 1822 Y**** First Congregational Church
X2 Alstead, NH -- Y** Alstead Congregational Church
I Charlestown, NH 1823 N* South Parish Church
II Charlestown, NH 1843 Y*** South Parish Church
II Cornish Flat, NH 1844? Y Church
II Haverhill, NH 1844 Y*** Congregational Church
I Troy, NY 1824 Y First Baptist Church
I Windsor, VT 1817 Y** Old South Church
I Norwich, VT 1817 Y Congregational Church
II Springfield, VT 1844 Y Methodist Church
* Burned in 1843.
** Now in a private collection.
*** Electrified.
**** Now in the Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield.
The model coding:
I denotes Series I clocks. Four of these were made between 1815 and 1820.
X I and X 2 denote two evidently experimental clocks built in the early 1820's.
II denotes Series II clocks. Four of these were built between 1843 and 1845.
For more information on Hasham clocks, see NAWCC BULLETIN # 293.
Major George Holbrook &
George Handel Holbrook Clocks
East Medway (now Millis), Massachusetts
Top of Page
City State Clock? Building Date
East Windsor CT Y(GH) Scantic Meetinghouse 1810
East Woodstock CT Y(GHH) 1834
Eastport ME Y(GHH) Congregational Church 1836
East Machias ME Y(GHH) Congregational Church 1836
Holliston MA U(GHH) United Church* 1832
West Townsend MA Y(GHH) First Bapt. Church 1834
Amherst MA N(GHH) Repl. by S. Thomas 1888 1834
Leicester MA N(GH) Meetinghouse 1803
Medway (Millis) MA Y(GHH) Village Church 1850
Rahway NJ Y(GHH) ? ?
Chester NH N(GH) 1804
Keene NH N(GHH) Repl. by Stevens 1867 1839
Brattleboro VT N(GH) Centre Congregational Church** 1816
Chelsea VT Y(GHH) Federated Church 1840
A clock in a private collection. No further data.
(GH) Major George Holbrook (Father)
(GHH) George Handel Holbrook (Son)
Y = Yes
N = No
U = Unknown
_____________
*Only the frame and fan-fly remain. Replaced by a round-top E. Howard.
**George Holbrook (1816) in Centre Congregational Church, Brattleboro, VT, replaced 1864 by E. Howard round-top after steeple destroyed in a windstorm.
D. Brooke Johnson Tower Clocks
Ambler, Pennsylvania
Top of Page
Model City State Date Clock? Building
Collegeville, PA 1922 Yes Memorial Building, Ursinus College
Fort Washington,PA 192? Yes Elmer Dungan Residence
Ambler, PA 192? Yes Private collection of Johnson's son.
Nels Johnson "Century" Clocks
Manistee, Michigan
Top of Page
Model City State Date Clock? Building
Los Angeles, CA 1912 -- Los Angeles Times Bldg.
San Jose, CA 1909 -- Post Office, now Public Library
Pottsville, IA -- -- --
Chicago, IL 1893 -- World's Fair-Michigan Bldg.
Big Rapids, MI -- -- --
Detroit, MI 1891 -- Union Depot
Detroit, MI -- -- Post Office
Holland, MI -- -- Bank
Lansing, MI -- -- City Hall
1 Muskegon, MI 1889 Y* Lyman Building
St. Joseph, MI -- -- Court House
3 Manistee MI 1894 Y** St. Joseph's Polish
Catholic Church
Manistee, MI 1893 -- First Methodist
Episcopal Church
Manistee, MI 1889? -- Johnson's Machine Shop
2 Pelican Falls, MN 1905 Y Faith Church
Rochester, NY 1892 -- --
Memphis, TN -- -- U. S. Customs House
Milwaukee, WI -- -- City Hall
Milwaukee, WI 1890 -- Emmanuel's Evangelical
Lutheran Church
Milwaukee, WI 1891 -- Bethlehem Evangelical
Lutheran Church
3 Milwaukee WI 1894 -- Zion Evangelical
Lutheran Church
Foreign Installations:
Chengtu, West China 1914 -- Unknown
Lucknow, India 1910 -- Isabella Thoburn College
* Now in a private collection.
**Electrified 1989 by I.T. Verdin
There are three known models of Johnson clocks. The first is a simple timepiece, illustrated in NAWCC Bulletin #294, Pg. 91, a time and strike, illustrated in Bulletin #108, Pg. 88; #271, Pg. 194, and a three train to strike the quarters, illustrated in #108, Pg. 86. All three clocks are also illustrated in the catalog published by Johnson, currently held by the NAWCC Library.
This list includes only 23 of the 50 to 60 clocks Johnson is thought to have made. Any further information as to the installations of clocks, and of their current existence would be much appreciated.
The St. Joseph Polish Catholic Church also strikes the Angelus. Whether this is a Johnson-design or a Verdin modification is not known.
Benjamin Morrill Tower Clocks
Boscawen, New Hampshire
Top of Page
City State Date Clock? Building
Dover, NH 1835 Y* First Parish Church
Henniker, NH 1835 Y** Congregational Church
Orford, NH 1850 Y*** West Street Church
Sugar Hill, NH 1852? Y**** Baptist Church
* The clock is now a jumble of bits and pieces in the attic of the church.
** The clock is now in the American Clock & Watch Museum, Bristol, CT.
*** The clock was installed in the early 1850's. The actual date is not known.
It may have been moved to this location from another building.
**** Now set up and running (no strike) in the Sugar Hill Museum, Sugar Hill, New Hampshire.
Phillip & Adam Edward Pollhans &
George J. Hoffman Tower Clocks
St. Louis, Missouri
Top of Page
AL through IN --
KS through MO --
MT through PA --
RI through WY
City State Clock? Building Date
Dadeville AL -- LaFayette County Courthouse --
Malvern AR -- Hot Springs County Courthouse --
Newport AR -- Jackson County Courthouse --
Walnut Ridge AR -- Lawrence County Courthouse --
Denver CO -- Denver Evening Post Building --
Denver CO -- St. Elizabeth Church --
Nashville GA -- Berrien County Courthouse --
Alton IA -- St. Mary's Church (8 dials) --
LeMars IA -- St. Joseph Church --
New Vienna IA -- St. Boniface Church --
Roselle IA -- Holy Angel Church --
Alton IL -- Immaculate Conception Church --
Alton IL -- Alton Banking & Trust Co. --
Alton IL -- St. Mary's Church --
Aviston IL -- St. Francis of Assisi Church --
Bartelso IL -- St. Cecilia's Church --
Beardstown IL -- National Bank --
Breese IL -- St. Dominicus Church --
Cairo IL -- St. Patrick's Church --
Carlyle IL -- Immaculate Conception Church --
Charleston IL -- Coles County Courthouse 1902
Fayetteville IL -- St. Poncratius Church --
Freeburg IL -- St. Joseph's Church --
Freeport IL -- St. Joseph's Church 327 --
Galva IL -- Swedish Lutheran Church --
Germantown IL -- St. Boniface Church --
Greenfield IL -- High School --
Highland IL -- St. Paul's Church --
Joliet IL -- St. John The Baptist Church, O.F.M. --
Naperville IL -- SS. Peter & Paul Church --
New Baden IL -- St. George Church --
Peoria IL -- St. Joseph's Church --
Quincy IL -- St. Boniface Church --
Quincy IL -- St. Franciscan Convent & College --
Quincy IL -- St. Francis Solanis Church, O.F.M. --
Raymond IL -- St. Raymond's Church --
Siegel IL -- St. Michael's Church --
Springfield IL -- Sacred Heart Church --
St. Louis IL -- Holy Trinity Church (6 dials) --
St. Libory IL -- St. Libory's Church --
Streator IL -- St. Anthony's Church (8 dials) --
Teutopolis IL -- St. Francis Church --
Trenton IL -- St. Mary's Church 1902
Trenton IL -- St. Mary's Church --
Waterloo IL -- SS. Peter & Paul Church --
White Hall IL -- Christian Church --
Haubstadt IN -- SS. Peter & Paul Church --
Jasper IN -- St. Joseph's Church 1903
Logansport IN -- St. Joseph's Church --
St. Wendel IN -- St. Wendel's Church --
Top of Listing
Topeka KS Elec. St. Joseph's Church (8 dials) 1905
Hazard KY -- Perry County Courthouse --
Louisville KY -- St. Boniface Church, O.F.M. --
Alexandria LA -- St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral --
Belle Plains MN -- SS Peter & Paul Church, O.F.M. --
Cold Spring MN -- St. Boniface Church --
Collegeville MN -- St. John's Abbey, O.S.B., & College Church 8D--
Fairfax MN -- Lutheran Church --
Freeport MN -- Sacred Heart Church --
Minneapolis MN -- Shoe Mart Store --
New Prague MN -- St. Wenzeslaus Church --
Richmond MN -- SS. Peter & Paul Church --
Young America MN -- Lutheran Church --
Augusta MO -- Evangelic Ebenezer Church --
Berger MO -- Evang. St. Johannes Gemeinde --
Cape Girardeau MO -- Missouri State Normal School --
Chamois MO -- High School --
Charleston MO -- Mississippi County Courthose --
Concordia MO -- Protestant Church 1894
Edina MO -- St. Joseph's Church --
Florissant MO -- Sacred Heart Church --
Herman MO -- High School 1890
Jefferson City MO -- St. Peter's Church --
Josephsville MO -- St. Joseph's Church --
Marthasville MO -- Emmans Asylums --
Memphis MO -- Scotland County Courthouse --
Morison MO -- Assumption Church, O.F.M. --
Rich Fountain MO -- Sacred Heart Church --
Sedalia MO -- Pettis County Courthouse --
St. Charles MO -- St. Charles' Church, S.J. --
St. Louis MO -- A. Moll Grocery Store --
St. Louis MO -- Protestant Seminary --
St. Louis MO -- Benton-Bellefontaine R.R. Co. --
St. Louis MO -- Anheuser-Busch Corporation --
St. Louis MO -- St. Francis Xavier's Church, S.J. --
St. Louis MO -- Evag. Bethlehem Lutheran Church --
St. Louis MO -- Friedman's Shoe Factory --
St. Louis MO -- St. Agatha's Church --
St. Louis MO -- Globe Shoe & Clothing Co. --
St. Louis MO -- Engine House No. 22 --
St. Louis MO -- Eden Seminary --
St. Louis MO -- Our Lady of Perpetual Succor Church --
St. Louis MO -- St. Joseph's Convent --
St. Louis MO -- Mermod-Jaccard Jewelery Co. --
St. Louis MO -- F. W. Drosten Jewelery Co. --
St. Louis MO -- St. Liborious' Church --
St. Louis MO -- Pilgrim Congregational Church --
St. Louis MO -- St. Louis University & College Church --
St. Louis MO -- Protestant Orphan Home --
St. Louis MO -- St. Joseph's Church 1847
St. Louis MO -- J. Bolland Jewelry Co. --
St. Louis MO -- Northwestern St.L.R.R. Co. --
St. Louis C'ty MO -- August Busch, Grant Farm --
St. Marys MO -- Immaculate Conception --
St. Peters MO -- All Saints Church --
St. Thomas MO -- St. Thomas Church --
Ste. Genevieve MO -- Ste. Genevieve Church --
Tipton MO -- St. Andrew's Church --
Valley Park MO -- Sacred Heart Church --
Warrensburg MO -- Johnson County Courthouse 1898
Washington MO -- St. Franz Borgia's Church --
Weingarten MO -- Church of Our Lady of Help --
Westphalia MO -- St. Joseph's Church --
Top of Listing
Fayette MS -- Jefferson County courthouse --
Macon MS -- Noxubee County Courthouse --
Auburn NE -- St. Joseph's Church --
Falls City NE -- St. Francis Xavier Church --
Humphrey NE -- St. Francis' Church, O.F.M. --
Madison NE -- St. Leonard's Church (G. Hoffman) 1914
Monterey NE -- St. Boniface Church --
Jersey City NJ -- St. Paul's Church --
Buffalo NY -- St. Stanislaus' Church (8 dials) --
Cleveland OH -- B. Mahler's Business Block, Clock Tower --
Dayton OH -- St. Mary's Church --
Hugo OK -- Frisco Passenger Depot --
Oklahoma City OK -- Live Stock Exchange Building --
Mt. Angel OR -- St. Mary's Church --
McKees' Rock PA -- St. Mary's Church --
Top of Listing
Gainsboro TN -- Jackson County Courthouse --
Rutledge TN -- Granger County Courthouse --
Trenton TN Elec. Gibson County Courthouse --
Union City TN -- High School --
Wartburg TN -- Morgan County Courthouse --
Corn Hill TX -- Holy Trinity Church --
Fredericksburg TX -- Immaculate Conception Church --
New Braunfels TX -- SS. Peter & Paul Church --
Medford WI? Courthouse 1913
Johnson Creek WI -- Lutheran Church --
Reedsburg WI -- St. Peter's German Luth. Church --
Elizabeth WV N Wirt County Courthouse --
Logan WV N Logan County Courthouse --
New MartinsvilleWV N Wetzel County Courthouse --
Lars Soderquist Tower Clock
Bishop Hill, Illinois
Top of Page
City State Date Clock? Building
Bishop Hill IL 1859 Yes Steeple Building
Austin Van Riper Clocks
Empire Works
Cazenovia, New York
Top of Page
City State Date Clock? Building
Nashville TN 1854 -- Howard School
Nashville TN 1860 -- Court House
Saratoga Springs NY 1855 --
Cazenovia NY 1874 Y Methodist Episcopal Church
Randolph VT 1974 Y* Federated Church
*Installed 1974. Removed from an unknown church in western Vermont (allegedly West Addison) at an unknown date. May have since been sold.