Fredonia and Peoria
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The Howard brothers of Fredonia were classic mail order hucksters who sold everything from snake oil to watches. The first watches were a disposal of remnants from the United States Watch Co. of Marion, New Jersey. Later they sold contract watches from Illinois and Hampden. In an attempt to salvage their reputation, they had a good quality watch designed and built that featured Paillard's patent non-magnetic hairspring and balance. This strategy did not succeed in salvaging their reputation and they then sold the operation to developers in Peoria Illinois. Following the sale, the Peoria Watch Company continued to supply movements engraved Fredonia, so the serial numbers are thoroughly mixed between the two companies. It is difficult, if not impossible, to tell which of the Peoria/Fredonia watches signed Fredonia were actually produced in Fredonia. The Peoria Watch Co. produced many private label watches and produced watches in great numbers for the Non-Magnetic Watch Co. of America in Chicago. Eventually all the production was going to the Non-Magnetic Watch Company although production remained in Peoria. |
