Pocket Watch Database

Location: Peoria, Illinois

Years of Operation: 1885-1895

Predecessor: Fredonia Watch Co.

Reorganized from the Fredonia Watch Co., 1885

Production Jewels: 9-15 Jewels

Production Sizes: 18s

Total Production: ~47,000

Factory Building Status: Demolished. Property was once located on the campus of current day Bradley University.

Average Rarity:

Serial Number Lookup

Company Timeline
The Inter Ocean, Chicago, Illinois
Wednesday, November 18, 1885

November 17, 1885

The Peoria Watch Co. is incorporated with a capital stock of $250,000.

Freeport Journal-Standard, Freeport, Illinois
Friday, September 18, 1885

December 19, 1885

The Fredonia Watch Co. is purchased by the Peoria Watch Co. The previous Fredonia movements are refinished and sold as Peoria watches.

The Inter Ocean, Chicago, Illinois
Thursday, December 2, 1886

1886

The Peoria Watch Co. commences operations in Peoria, Illinois.

March 1886

Construction begins on a new factory to house the operations of the Peoria Watch Co.

June 1887

Construction of the new Peoria Watch Co. factory is completed and operations begin.

August 1887

So many orders are submitted for Peoria's new railroad watch that the company is unable to keep up with demand. Customers begin to complain stating that the escapement is faulty and the finish is poor.

Harper's Weekly Depiction of the Train Wreck

August 10, 1887

The Great Chatsworth train wreck kills several current and previous employees of the Peoria Watch Co. on an excursion to Niagara Falls.

1888

The Peoria Watch Co. produces roughly 30 movements per day and employs 90 people.

Anaga
Published 1988

1895

The Peoria Watch Co. ceases operations and the factory is sold to Lydia Moss Bradley to open a horological school. Much of the factory equipment and remaining material is utilized by the school.

The Pantagraph Bloomington, Illinois
Thursday, October 8, 1896

October 7, 1896

The factory originally used for operations at the Peoria Watch Co. catches fire and much of the machinery owned by the Parson's Horological School is destroyed.

Anaga
Published 1968

1967

The remaining structure from the original Peoria Watch Co. factory, renamed Seipert Hall on the campus of Bradley University, is demolished.