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Lumen Watson
American, 1790 - 1834
Luman Watson, son and grandson of prosperous farmers, was born at Harwinton, Connecticut, on October 10, 1790. He spent his boyhood in the center of Connecticut's clock making country, and between chores on the farm probably slipped away to follow his natural bent for mechanics. By the time he was nineteen years old, Watson had moved to Cincinnati and established the clock making partnership of Read and Watson with the Read brothers, Abner, Ezra, and Amassa. The sale of a Read and Watson clock is recorded as early as 1809 in Clark County, Ohio.
At that time there was a severe shortage of brass, American manufacturers used hardwood for making clock movements. This proved to be an adequate substitute for short duration clocks. Wheels had to have large teeth for strength so a running time of more than 30 hours was not possible.[2]
By the 1820s eighteen workmen were employed producing first wooden and, after 1830, brass shelf clocks. The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 however also opened the door to great numbers of cheaper Connecticut made clocks which by the time of Watson’s death had put an end to Ohio clockmaking.[3] The Watson firm was prolific. It is estimated that between 1815 and 1834, more than 30,000 tall case clocks were manufactured. This figure is staggering considering that after about 1820 tall case clocks began to fall out of favor. By about 1830, the firm had begun making many clocks designed to sit on a mantel or special shelf.
Hiram Powers was an assistant to Luman Watson, Powers was “skilled in modelling figures... he went on to become one of America’s first great sculptors.” [4]
Luman Watson and J. Bonsall were founders of the Ohio Mechanics Institute in 1828.[5]
Watson died in Cincinnati November 28, 1834.[6]
A Luman Watson tall case clock is on display in the Cincinnati Art Museum Cincinnati Wing and in the Old State Capitol in Iowa.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luman_Watson
Luman Watson is an example of a successful Cincinnati clock maker. Born in Connecticut in 1790, Watson moved to Ohio in 1809 and began marketing the new wooden works clocks to local makers. Watson then formed a partnership with Ezra Read and opened a factory in Cincinnati to manufacture wooden works clocks. Although business was profitable, the partnership with Read dissolved after six months and Watson continued alone. Ezra Read moved to Xenia, Ohio and made the majority of Watson’s clock cases. Watson’s clock factory was in existence from 1815-1834, when Watson passed away. Over 30,000 tall case (grandfather) clocks were manufactured in the 19 years the factory existed. Luman Watson also make shelf, or mantle clocks. These clocks generally had glass panels, which were painted with scenic landscapes, animals or portraits.https://heritagevillagemuseum.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/read-watson-1815-tall-case-clock/
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