Jesse Emory Clockmaker History

Jesse Emory

“The best wooden works clockmaker in the country”

By

Thomas Johnson

Henniker Historical Society

Booklet Number 11

Jesse Emory

“The best wooden works clockmaker in the country”

By

Thomas Johnson

                                                                      Inside view of one of Jesse Emory’s 30-hour movements

Faithfully for one hundred years

   You’ve pealed the hours away,

Unmindful of the joys or tears

   Allotted to each day.

Three generations’ story told.

   Now, steady as of yore,

You tick the seconds clear and bold

   The same as heretofore.

How little did your maker dream

   Your works would run so well,

Or ships could sail on seas serene

   Without a storm or swell.

Much less he thought of future praise,

   As skillfully he formed,

These patient wheels in bygone days

   That have this race performed.

Unnumbered months will fly apace,

   Still with a measured beat.

Time’s record with your placid face

   With watchful care you’ll keep.

I found the poem  on a scrap of paper in the case of the Jesse Emory

clock owned by the  Currier Gallery of Art in Manchester, NH.

Contents

Acknowledgements ……………………….......................................……………………..…..5

Introduction ……………………………...........................................……………………….…..6

Part 1.  Jesse Emory and His Life In New Hampshire  ……………….………………….……8

Part 2.  Jesse Emory Tall Clocks ……………..................................…………………....14

Bibliography ……………………………………………............................................……….. 34  

~ Introduction ~

This booklet is dedicated to the New Hampshire clockmaker Jesse Emory, who lived from 1759–1838.  Many leading horologists recognize Jesse Emory as the creator of the finest wooden works pendulum clock movement in America.  His life, ingenuity and legacy will be explored in this booklet.

         The study of Jesse Emory’s life involves a truly fascinating time in early New Hampshire and American history.  He was born under British rule, was the first male child born in the colonial town of Weare, New Hampshire. Jesse helped his father build a small house on a homestead in a remote location on Craney Hill in Weare, New Hampshire, living with his parents and 9 brothers and sisters.  He became a scientist, master carpenter, master metalworker, and mechanic.  At the age of 20 he went off to Portsmouth to defend the town from the British, doing his part for the birth of a new nation. In 1794 Jesse worked as a clockmaker in a central busy business district of Weare called Meadowbrook, he made clocks that had many unique features, which undoubtedly prove he was an inventor and original thinker.  In 1806 he packed his bags and moved onto a homestead in Deering, New Hampshire. The reason for this may have been the intense competition for the clock business at that time.  In 1824 when he was 65 years old, he moved onto the Jesse Emory homestead in Henniker, New Hampshire.  He again developed a reputation as being a very “ingenious” man in local historical records of the period.

             Jesse Emory’s life will be explored in greater detail in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 will be devoted to documenting the quality of Jesse’s craftsmanship, the unusual features of his movements and clocks.  Four of Jesse Emory’s tall clocks have been examined in detail for the preparation of this booklet.  A 30-hour and an 8-day movement have been completely disassembled and studied.  A reproduction of a movement was also made to fully understand how difficult these movements were to make.

 Jesse Emory 30-hour movement dated 1800.

(Front plate removed)

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1

Jesse Emory and His Life in New Hampshire

On July 17, 1759, the first boy was born in Weare, New Hampshire. His name was Jesse Emory; he was destined to make the finest wooden works clocks in the nation.  He was an intelligent man who spent many years of his life making these clocks and other ingenious devices and inventions.

Jesse’s father was named Caleb Emory; he was probably born in Haverhill, Massachusetts.  Caleb moved to Goffstown and later to Weare around 1758.  He bought off John Goffe part of Lot 26 range 1; he built a cabin there and lived near Nathanial Martin, the first settler in Weare.  He married Thomas Worthley’s daughter Susannah, who became the mother of Jesse Emory.

In 1764 Caleb purchased Lot 74 range 7 in Weare for 700 pounds old tenor, and moved there, being the first settler on Craney Hill.   The attraction that brought him to Craney Hill was a rich beaver meadow of seven or eight acres, on which was a heavy growth of grass.  He was a soldier in the French and Indian War, serving with his father, and also served in the army of the revolutionary war under General Sullivan.  Caleb later died on his Craney Hill farm.  Susannah Emory went on to live to a grand age of 95, and died in 1835.

Jesse Emory was about 5 years old when he moved to Craney Hill; he probably had his first woodworking lessons from his father when they built the house in 1764.  Not much is known about his childhood.  He was the eldest child of four sisters and five brothers. Most of his brothers stayed in the Henniker – Weare area later in life.

 In the Revolutionary War, Jesse enlisted September 27, 1779, in Captain Lovejoy’s company for the protection and defense of Portsmouth. He was discharged about two months after.   

On November 20, 1783, he married Hannah Corliss.  An extract from the marriage record is shown below.

                    Caleb Emory House - 1930

                       Caleb Emory House, as it looks today - August 2002

From the History of Weare,  “Jesse married Hannah Corliss November 20^th, 1783. He was a mechanic and a farmer, living in Henniker, near the northwest corner of Weare.  He made clocks, spinning wheels, measures, etc., displaying much skill and ingenuity.  One child Ruth was born September 8^th, 1786.”

Jesse Emory’s second marriage was to Elizabeth (Betsy) Wyman about 1814 in Deering.  Elizabeth Wyman, daughter of Timothy and Elizabeth Wyman was born March 13, 1777 at Deering, NH.  She was 18 years younger than Jesse but apparently had never been married.

 From the Weare historical account it could be concluded that Jesse Emory may have left his fathers farm and worked in Henniker, maybe being apprenticed and learning a trade prior to his marriage to Hannah Corliss.

 From information and research at the registry of deeds the following further facts can be established about his movements and workshops in Weare, Deering and Henniker later in his life.

        Jesse Emory Legal Signature(From Deed)

~ Jesse Emory’s Workshop in Weare ~

Deed Dated, February 18, 1794: Jesse Emory purchased 27 acres in Weare, on Lot number 62 second range. He purchased it from his father-in- law, Jeremiah Corliss for 80 pounds. 

Jesse Purchased Lot 62 and Set Up Shop in 1794

At this period Weare was an upland-farming town, full of low mountains, high hills, sparkling ponds, winding rivers and rapid trout brooks.  It is in the New Hampshire county of Hillsborough, 15 miles from the state capitol, Concord and 70 miles from Boston. In this area of Weare where Jesse Emory bought land there were several clock shops located in a close area.  As early as 1780 Abner Jones was building large 8 day brass timepieces in the area. 

The property in Weare that Jesse Emory purchased was located in a very busy business area of Weare called Meadowbrook.  This area was very active in early clock making and other businesses.  As mentioned in the history of Weare “ Clocks as good as any the world ever saw, were made in Weare.”  Jesse Emory, son of one of the earliest settlers, made the first. James Corliss, who owned the gristmill a little farther down on Meadow brook, also made excellent clocks.  It is said he stole the trade by “peeking” into Emory’s windows at nights.  Abner Jones made large, old fashioned eight day brass clocks that readily sold for $50.00 each.”

            Jesse Emory perfected a wooden movement for tall cased, pull-up clocks during this period.  This movement, which was ingeniously designed, offered many original ideas and improvements.  He modified his design to make the clock timekeeping performance as good as any brass clock.  He modified the design to compensate for many weaknesses in using wood in the works of clocks.

Jesse Emory may have well set up business to undercut Abner Jones, as his clocks did not use brass, except for the escapement.  Brass was expensive and difficult to come by at this time.  At least two Emory 30 hour wooden work clocks have dates of 1800 marked in the cases.  It is likely that he made most of his tall case clocks in this location in Weare.  The foundation of his house and workshop is all that is left.

The rivalry between James Corliss and Jesse Emory, the brass verses wooden works clock battle, is well documented.  James Corliss may have succeeded in the end, which is why Jesse Emory may have sold up and moved out of Weare in 1806.  James Corliss was his chief competitor as well as his brother-in-law.  There is a story about the two rivals that good wives of Weare may well have whispered under each other’s bonnets following Sunday Service.  Corliss worked for a farmer as a miller, and had never been apprenticed to a clockmaker.  But one day he announced he had made some clocks to sell.  The town gossipers said, “ the only possible way Corliss could have learned the trade, was to have followed the Meadow brook from his own mill site to Jesse Emory’s place in the dark of night.”  They said that he went right up to the window of the room where Jesse worked at his clocks, “and watched the craftsman saw at tiny wheels, fit them together, and thread a line over them.”

  Deed Dated, January 10, 1806: Jesse Emory and Hannah Corliss sold the same land in Weare to Moses Mudget for 800 dollars.

  ~ Jesse Emory’s Move to Deering ~

  July 19, 1806: Jesse Emory paid $1000.00 to Jonathon French for the westerly half of lot 2 in Deering, approximately 50 acres.

Note:  In 1808 Ruth Emory (born September 8, 1786), Jesse Emory’s only child, was married at Deering to Daniel Colby.  Unfortunately, Daniel Colby later drowned in Dudley pond in Deering.

 March 30, 1811:  Jesse Emory sold half of his land to his daughter for $100.00 and other considerations.  His signature shown on page 12 is from the deed.

 August 24, 1824:  Jesse Emory sold the remaining land to Mark Alcock of Deering for $400.00.  His second wife Betsy Emory also signed the deed.  Jesse Emory was 65 years old at this point.

             ~ Jesse Emory’s Move to Henniker ~

          October 3, 1826:  Jesse Emory purchases 34 acres in Henniker from Jonathon Green  for $500.00.  This was known as the Emory farm on Peasley Road in Henniker.

 From the early town history of Henniker, “Jesse Emory married Betsy Wyman of Hillsboro, and settled in the town about the commencement of the present century (1800).  He was a very ingenious man, and made a large number of spinning and flax wheels.  He made himself a harness at one time without a buckle in or about it, all the parts of it fastened together by springs and clasps brazed together.  They were an honest worthy couple, and had one daughter who lived in Deering.”  He died on July 10^th 1836 at age 79. The statement about moving to the town in 1800 was obviously an oversight in the town history. The statement about the harness makes the point that Jesse Emory was also an excellent metalworker, as witnessed by the well made metal parts in his clocks.

 November 17th, 1842:  Jesse Emory having passed away on July 10, 1838 left a will dated June 28^th, 1838 stipulating that his grandson Sylvester Colby could have possession of the farm  when his wife Betsy Emory ceases to be a widow. Presumably Betsy Emory  got remarried because the farm was sold by Sylvester  Colby to Betsy Wyman’s father for $100.00. He in turn sold it back to Betsy on January 10^th, 1843 for $125.00.

 December 11^th, 1850:  Betsy Wyman sold the farm to John G. Emory for $650.00. John G. Emory was the son of Caleb Emory, Jesse Emory’s younger brother born on June 13^th, 1773. Before John G. Emory bought the farm he lived on the original Emory homestead in Weare.

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2

Jesse Emory Tall Case Clocks

~ The Jesse Emory’s 30 Hour Movement  ~

            The Emory 30 hour movement for tall case clocks was the main type of movement Jesse Emory produced.  The peak production period for this type of movement was mid 1790’s through 1806.  It was also most unusual at this time for the clockmaker to make the case.  Jesse Emory made the movement and the case.  Approximately 12 of these special 30 hour tall case clocks are known to have survived until the present day.  The movements that have come down to us all essentially have similar features in their design and are undoubtedly by the same hand.

            It is apparent that an Emory 30 hour movement is very different from conventional Connecticut movements of the period.  Specifically, it is different in the thickness and size of the plates, wheels, number of wheels, number of teeth, wood used, and many construction details.  It is obvious that Jesse Emory observed clock movements, and decided to design and make a better movement.  It is truly the “Rolls-Royce” of wooden clock movements because of it’s strength, quality, fine finish, and proven longevity of service. Many of the 12 surviving clocks, after 200 years,  are still running and keeping perfect time and strike at the time of writing.

Some of the wide maple wheels are over ¾” thick, all were thicker than other wooden works clock movements of the period.  Wide wheels also allowed for excessively wide strong teeth, which added to the longevity of the clock.  If the wheels were not thick, he could not also have masterfully undercut and scribed the sides of them.  All wheels are finished beautifully.  This fine sculpting and finish of the wheels sets an Emory clock apart from it’s peers.  When examining Connecticut clocks of the period, one often finds many broken teeth; this is not the case with Emory’s movements and his thick strong wheels.

         Jesse Emory’s movements, dial and cases were made out of hard maple, which was unusual for the time period.  In all likelihood he harvested the maple from his own backyard and carefully seasoned it to his own strict specifications.

Jesse Emory 30 Hour Movement – Side View Strike Side

 ~ How the 30Hour Movement Works ~

The movement has three functions to keep track of time, date and provide an hourly bell strike. The bell strike allows one to know the exact hour when the clock is out of view. The origin of the bell strike idea is unknown but must date back to the early 1600’s.  The movement is arranged so the right half or side is dedicated to time “time side” and the left half or side is dedicated to the hourly bell strike, “strike side”.  All the components for operation of the time and strike side can be seen via a plan view of the movement, see Introduction, Chapter 1.

 The power to operate the time side, for the 30 hour movement, comes from the potential energy of a 3lb weight.  The author believes all these weights were originally made with a wood shell with sand inside. The wood shell was carefully made by Emory’s hand, he also included 3 center scribe marks and then grain painted the shell. Over the years the weights for clocks often get lost, during moves, and replaced with items such as tin cans or soapstone.

The weight has a cord attached which acts on a pulley drum which has a radius of 0.7”.   This drum in turn is attached to a large gear wheel called the great wheel, so called because it is the largest wheel or gear of all the time side gears.  This wheel has a unique gravity operated ratchet system so the weight can be “pulled-up” to rewind the clock. The great wheel drum, cord and weight provide torque to keep the pendulum moving and the clock hands turning.  The great wheel in turn drives the center wheel, this has a shaft extension to attach the minute hand. The center wheel drives the third wheel, the third wheel drives the fourth wheel, which in turn drives the escape wheel.  The gear train described has an overall reduction ratio of 192. The train  reduces the torque from the great wheel to the escape wheel by 192 times.  The torque eventually reaching the escape wheel is therefore very small. However, the torque only has to be big enough to replace the friction losses of  the swinging pendulum.

         The type of escapement used is called a “recoil” escapement and it “nudges” the pendulum, via the escape wheel, at the start of each swing.  The  “nudge” per second, keeps the pendulum swinging back and forth for 30 hours, in that time the weight would have dropped towards the base of the case.  The hour hand and date hand are driven directly from the minute hand with appropriate gearing.  These gears are located behind the dial of the clock.

The strike side also has a similar great wheel as shown below. It also uses a weight, 7lbs, drum and cord. The unique gravity clicks and drum can clearly be seen.

                                                                                            Great Wheel – Strike Side

The strike side is activated by a lever which drops every hour. This lever connects the time and strike sides of the clock. The time between bell strikes is controlled by a fan governor, this spins fast to make the time between strikes even. The 12 pins on the great wheel activate the bell hammer. The whole strike side arrangement is extremely robust and very well made.

                                                              Strike Side Fan – Wood, Leather & Steel Pins

The picture below shows the strike hammer.  The lever on the lower left is moved by the pins on the strike side great wheel. The middle tapered piece of wood contacts a flat spring, this forces the hammer against the bell.

                                              Strike Hammer Assembly – Fine Woodwork & Metalwork

The bell is the only item Jesse Emory did not make in the whole movement and case.  The bell imported from England is finely cast and must have been expensive at the time because brass was hard to come by.  Companies like the Whitechapel Bell foundry of London are still in business today after 520 years.

                                                                                               Clock Bell, Made in England

~ Jesse Emory’s 8-Day Movement ~

There has been only one Emory 8 day movement found to date; the 8 day movement has no case, dial, hands, bell, and pendulum. The 8 day clock has an advantage over the 30 hour; it runs for 8 days instead of 30 hours, one has to wind it only once a week. Jesse Emory modified the 30 hour movement into an 8 day movement by increasing the time side reduction gear ratio from 192 to 450. The weight was then increased to provide a similar  torque to the escape wheel. The amount of weight travel was also doubled by using a pulley and duplex cord arrangement. In the 8-day period the time weight would drop 90 inches. The time side weight itself was probably 10lbs.

  The 8 day time side great wheel has 64 teeth, twice that of the 30 hour movement, the wheels having similar diameters. The time side great wheel meshing pinion has 8 leaves instead of 10 on the 30 hour.  Comparing gear rations on the great wheel reduction; 8:1 for the  8 day; 3.2:1 for the 30 hour. This means the teeth are far smaller and more prone to breakage on the 8 day. On the 8 day movement  the author observed the time side great wheel and it’s mating pinion had broken teeth. The combination of increased clock weight and smaller gear tooth size made some 8 day wooden works clocks tough to keep running and not as reliable as their brass competition. The strike side function is similar in design to the 30 hour movement, gear ratios are different for the extended  8-day operation. Since only one 8 day Emory movement has turned up it could be assumed he did not make many.

A Side View of Emory’s 8-day Movement

~ Jesse Emory’s Clock Case Unique Features ~

Emory’s cases were made mostly from hard maple and birch.  Figured tiger maple was also used.  Most boards were much thicker than normal and well seasoned. Shrinkage and warping seems to be at a minimum. The waist doors on some were arched. When fretwork was placed on the hood it was of a simple but pleasing design. All Emory’s cases were grain painted which was usual for clock cases of the period.  Secondary woods used on the case were mostly pine. 

                                                                                 Jesse Emory Tall Case Clock c.1800

                                                                              “Window to witness the wooden works”

                                                               Jesse Emory Tall Case Clock c.1800

                One of Jesse Emory’s ingenious ideas was a special wooden door latch on the case doors of some of his clocks.  The wooden latch used wire as the knob which passes through the door and into a cam. The cam raises the latch and releases the door.  The cantilevered wood acts like a spring and returns the latch into position. The design of the latch seems to have been continuously improved over time, as shown by the different latch photographs opposite. Jesse Emory was an original thinker always trying to improve his designs. The latch design has stood the test of time, over 200 years, all latches observed were in excellent condition.

The below note is a good historical record of when a Jesse Emory tall clock owned by Donelda Perkins of Newburyport, MA, was set up.

                                                        Set up Date in one clock, probably in the maker’s hand

                                                                            “ This clock was set up August 23, 1800”

           Elegant but simple door latch  nailed to the door – Clock Dated 1800

          Latch now relieved into the door – stronger design with only one nail

         Latch now  relieved into door  and specially shaped with no nails

The Emory clock dial is painted maple, no two dials have been found to be exactly alike.  The dial is thicker than usual and has two maple cross boards which locate neatly on the movement posts. The dial is secured to the movement by tapered hard maple pegs.  The signature in the arch reads “Jesse Emory, Weare” in block letters on most dials.  Some dials read just Jesse Emory, with no town mentioned.  The arch designs are all different, simple but striking. All details on the dial are hand engraved and then painted, a most distinctive feature. The spandrels or corners of the dial are decorated with simple floral designs with red flowers.  This flower design and leaves is essentially the same on all dial variations.

          Most dials have a calendar wheel of 31 teeth which has an intermediate wheel of 24 teeth meshing with the 12 pins on the hour wheel. Some dials had a hand indicating days of the week, the days were indicated merely by dots.

The hour hand is made of pewter and the minute and date hand of steel.  The hour hand is cast from a mold to ease the burden of manufacture. The minute hand is made from steel as it has to be stronger to set the time. A larger than normal heavy scribed brass washer holds the minute hand in place.

            Wooden screw to secure movement to case

The movement is fastened to the tall case by a finely made maple wooden screw.  The movement center post is tapped to accept the screw and pulls the movement firmly onto the seat board.  This is a significant amount of work to secure the movement, but it is a true sign of quality. The wooden pendulum rod is also tapped , this is how the clock is regulated.

                    View of pendulum bob and threaded pendulum

Bibliography

The Book of American Clocks

Brooks, Palmer

The American Clock

William H Dustin & Robert Bishop

The Illustrated Longitude

Dava Sobel & William J.H. Andrewes

The Book of NH Clockmakers

Charles S. Parsons