November 2019 Volume 1

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Vaughan & Bushnell Celebrates 150 Years Vaughan & Bushnell Mfg. Co will celebrate their 150th anniversary the week of Oct. 7-11. This business, which started in Peoria, Ill., has a family legacy spanning five generations of Vaughans. Company founder Alexander the funds Vaughan needed to rebuild, launching the Vaughan & Bushnell partnership. The company opened for business at 11 South Halsted Street in Chicago, but soon moved to larger quarters at 108 West Randolph Street. The company was incorporated in 1882 as the Vaughan & Bushnell Mfg. Co. Great demand for hammers, hatchets, axes and wrecking bars soon made those the primary items in the line, and Vaughan came to specialize in hammers and other striking tools.

Vaughan was born in 1826 in Platsburg, N.Y., to Henry and Mary Vaughan. Henry was a blacksmith,

Sanford Vaughan took over management of Vaughan & Bushnell in 1905 upon Alexander’s death. Sanford was an innovator who made many basic changes to the design of the traditional carpenter’s hammer. Charles Bushnell, Lemuel’s son, also entered the business about 1900 and continued as an officer of the company until 1922, when the Vaughans purchased the interests of the Bushnell family. Sanford served the company for 65 years until his death in 1951. Sanford Vaughan

Alexander Vaughan

and Alexander learned the trade from his father. At 18, Alexander started a plumbing business, which consisted of digging wells and piping water into the kitchens of local citizens in Peoria.

Alexander had an idea for improving the design of the auger used for digging post holes. He turned his idea into reality and, recognizing that Chicago was likely to outstrip Peoria as a manufacturing center, moved to the Windy City. He set up a blacksmith shop behind a hardware store owned by merchant Sidney S. Bushnell.

Howard Vaughan, Sr., joined Vaughan &Bushnell in 1922. He was named president and chief executive officer in 1945. (Howard’s noted invention was the 15-in. flat prybar, rumored to be named the “Superbar” by his wife. To this day, it’s Vaughan’s No. 1-selling item.) One of Howard’s major concerns was capacity at the company’s

Sidney S. Bushnell

On June 15, 1869, Alexander was granted U.S. Patent No. 91,387 for this “Improved Post Auger.” Soon, three employees were making augers and custom-built tools. One of the first Vaughan hammers, a so-called “killing hammer,” drew great demand from the then flourishing Chicago Union Stock Yards. The Great Chicago Fire destroyed the fledging Vaughan business in October 1871. Sidney Bushnell and his son, Lemuel, offered

Howard Vaughan Sr.

1910 catalog page

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