Lived in Elgin Ill, and worked for Waltham?

Found him in the 1880 Census and was just thinking about it, kinda weird huh?

Just a guess, but might he have left Waltham and gone to work at Elgin National? Just as it happens today in the semiconductor industry and the software business, I believe it happened often in the watch business in the 19th century.

Patton S. Bartlett with Boston Watch Co. Sep 1853-May 1857 reorganized as Appleton Tracy & Co. then American Watch Co.

Then Bartlett & 8 others left AW Co. & joined JC Adams & started The National Watch Co. (Elgin) in 1864.

At least that is what I have found, but I wasn't there so I can't swear to it. I was in the Union Army at the time.

Tom

Sheila, there are two books which are essential to your learning more details of the "family background" of American Watch making. The first is (available direct from 185) "American Watchmaking, A technical history of the American Watch Industry", which is the MOST comprehensive reference anywhere. On page 27 A.W. answers your'e question; "By the end of 1864 the organization (Elgin) was in place . . . [and Elgin] . . . lured from the American Watch Co. (Waltham), P.S.Bartlett, Chas. Moseley, Otis Hoyt, etc. etc.". I will leave the rest for your personal reading enjoyment when you have your own copy.

The other Book; "Elgin Time, A history of the Elgin National Watch Company", Co-Authored by Bill Briska is a book that you would especially like as it is the ONLY book I know that truthfully and often from the first person outlines the history and life of a successful Watch Company.
Copies of this fine piece of work are available from the Elgin Historical Society, Elgin, IL.

Ironically, Bill sent free copies of "Elgin Time" to NAWCC when it was first published in 2003, and NAWCC chose to neither confirm receipt of the books or even offer a book report at Bill's request. So NAWCC has no record of this elemental contribution to watch collectors. In industry people call the NAWCC reaction to Bill's generosity, "The NIH" (Not Invented Here) syndrome. From long experience, I have learned that organizations with their heads that firmly stuck where the sun dont shine (in the sand?) risk losing the purpose of their existence.