Harvey W. Peace
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The History of Harvey W. Peace and the Vulcan Saw Works
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August 10, 1831 Harvey W. Peace is born in Sheffield, England.
1841The 1841 Sheffield Census (piece no. 1338/8, folio 10b). lists a William Peace household living on Division Street, Sheffield West. The entry contains William age 30, wife Hannah age 30, "Henry" age 9, and Caroline, age 8. (SheffieldRecordsOnline)
1844 At the age of 13, Harvey Peace begins to work part time with his father and grandfather in their saw manufactory.
1849 Peace family emigrated to America. Harvey's father starts to work as a saw grinder for Richard Hoe, a tool maker, and later, a printing press manufacturer. Harvey works at the Hoe shop until 1861.
1850the 1850 Census record from Williamsburg, Kings, New York, includes an entry for the Pease household. Included are Harvey's Father William (born ca. 1811), age 39, and Mother, Hannah age 39. Harvey was the oldest of eight children, five sons and three daughters.
1860 The 1860 Census records contain an entry for the peace household. Included are Harvey Peace, age 29, his wife Hannah, 20 years old, and their son William, age five months. Harvey and Hannah were married within the year, and their personal estate was valued at $200. Harvey's occupation is listed as "Polisher".
1861 Harvey Peace, along with his younger brother, starts a saw making business on Centre Street in New York
1862 After the onset of the Civil War, Peace moved his business upstate to Johnstown NY in Fulton County.
1863 His business increasing, Peace moves his business back to Brooklyn to Ainslie and Keep (Keap) streets, in Brooklyn. During this time Peace organized as the Harvey W. Peace Company.
1867 Peace moves to a better location at Ainslie and 10th street. Peace's factory would eventually occupy most of the block, sharing room with the file-works of Mr. C. B. Paul, a friend of theirs.
1870 Harvey W. Peace is listed as a "Saw manufacturer" on 10th and Ailslie, Brooklyn, according to The New York state business directory and gazetteer.
August 10,1870 As reported in the Aug. 10 Brooklyn Daily Eagle, at 4 o'clock this morning, the saw factory of Harvey W. Peace was entirely comsumed by flames. Damage was reported at $5,000.
Sept. 3, 1871 Fire at The Harvey W. Peace saw factory. As reported by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of Sept 4, 1871:
Fire-- or the second time within a few months the saw factoy of Mr. Harvey W. Peace in Ainsley Street, near Tenth Street, E. D., was partialy destroyed by fire, the presence of which on the premesis, was discovered at ten minuted bef ore three o'clock, yesterday moening. All but one of the three buidlings were one-story frame structures, two of which were as good as burned up, a few posts of one only remai ning in position, while the condition of the other was but little better, and will have to be entirely reconstructed. The fire originated in the tempering shop around one of the f urnaces, and the loss resulting is about $1,500, mainly on stock, which is covered by policies in three city companies, names not ascertained.
1874 The Vulcan Saw Works is listed at Tenth and Ainslie Streets, Harvey Peace , Proprietor. Manufacturing Saws, moulding and planing machines, knives, etc. Employing 80 hands. From " Wiley's American iron trade manual of the leading iron industries of the United States"
1876 Around this time it is believed that Peace had a buisness partner by the name of Hogan. The application for patent number 180,986, which describes an improvement in saw teeth invented by Alfred Boynton, the assignees are are listed as "Peace and Hogan". The 1884 Peace price list and catalog states that "Hogan and McCargo" are the general agents for the Harvey Peace Company. A Backsaw with the "Peace and Hogan" mark is also knows.
1878 The "Catalog of The Iron Age Library" which contains a list of companies involved in all major areas of manufacturing. This list contains an entry for "Peace and Hogan"
1880 The 1880 United States Census contains an entry for the Harvey PEASE household. The census entry includes Harvey, age 48, occupation Saw Manufacturer, his w ife Hannah, age 40, five sons: William, 25, whose occupation is "Supt. Saw Works", as well as Harry, 17, Harvey (B.), 11, Charles, 9, John, 2, and two daughters Lydia, 15, and Ann a (perhaps Hannah), 7.
1880Grimshaw on Saws, published in 1880, includes an advertisment for the Vulcan Saw Works which lists their factories on Union Ave, and Thenth & Ainslie Streets , Brooklny, ED (Eastern District)
Dec 20,1883 In an editorial in the New York Times, Harvey Peace makes a case for the reduction of import tarriffs on foreign steel. A reduction would help him compete with the two largest saw manufactures (Disston, and presumably Wheeler, Madison, & Clemson) that produce their own steel. In thie editorial Peace claims to be the third largest saw manufacutrer in the country, employing 140 men.
1884 At this time The Harvey Peace Company employs more than 200 men and produces nearly $250,000 worth of good per year
1888-1890 The Brooklyn, New York Directory contains an entry for Harvey W. Peace. His oppupation is listed as "sawmfr" and his locations are 469 Keap. and 105 Ainsile. Meanwhile, his son William also has an entry in this directory. His occupation is also marked as "sawmkr." and his location is listed as 49 Ainslie.
1890-1891 The Harvey Peace Company is incorperated into the National Saw Company.
1894 The June 7 issue of "Iron Age" magazine contains this annoucement: "Brooke, Mack, and Peace are now manufacturing a line of saws, including circular, milling, band, concave, grooving, resaw, veneer, and segment saws at 479 Keap Street, Brooklyn, NY. They are all practical men, holding positions from superintendent down with Harvey W. Peace Company until that establishment was consolidated with the National Saw Company." It is assumed that Peace is William Peace, harvey's son, and former superintendent of the Peace f actory.
1898 The Feb 5, 1898 edition of the Trenton Evening Times has an advertisment for the National Saw Company: E. B. Radcliff, President. J. Franklin, Vice President. Frederick B. Earie, Sec. and Treas. The National Saw Company. Main Office Newark, NJ. Operating Wheeler, Madden, & Clemson Mfg Co., Middletown, NY.; Woodrough & McParlin, Cincinnati, Oh.; Richardson Bros., Newark, NJ; Harvey W. Peace Co., Brooklyn, NY.
1903 Advertisments in Sept-Oct 1903 in the Altoona Mirror, a Pennsylvania newspaper, indicate that Peace saws are still sold: "HARDWARE! A full line of DISSTON AND PEACE Saws."
1903 Advertisment for the S.M. Reynolds & Co of Davenport Iowa in the Jan 14, 1905 Tri-City Eening Star indicate that the Peace #35 was still being sold. The #35 sold for $1.15.
Sept 21, 1907 Harvey Peace dies at the age of 77 leaving a widow, five sons, and two daughters.
1914 in " Precise leveling in New York city, by Frederick W. Koop, executed from 1909-1914, a monument to Harvey Peace is mentioned: "The pier containing the bench mark is said to be the base of the Harvey W. Peace monument. It is on the shore between the north side of Little Bay Avenue (Willets Point Road) and the edge of Little Bay, is about 16 feet west of the west side of the White Rock Lake Hotel and 3.7 feet above the ground."