The "Tomahawk" of Clinton, Massachusetts

   The “Scout Axe” market of the first half of the 20th century played a huge role in the development of the light axe market of that time period. After the creation of the Scouting movement and the subsequent development of early American branches such as the American Boy Scouts, the New England Boy Scouts, and Boy Scouts of America, manufacturer attempts at being the “Official” axe of the Boy Scouts led to numerous styles, types, and designs of hatchets and light axes. Though examples from large manufacturers such as Fayette Plumb, Inc., the Collins Company, and the Kelly companies certainly overshadowed others, smaller manufacturers did their best to dip their toes in the market pool when they could. One such example of a smaller manufacturer’s attempts was noted in the late 1930s by the “Standard Products Company” of Clinton, Massachusetts.

   The Standard Products Company of Clinton, Massachusetts, had a complex history, but it can mostly be laid out through the business efforts of John Joseph Gannon. Born to Irish immigrants Patrick and Mary Gannon on August 3rd of 1894, John was raised in the Clinton area. The U.S. Census of 1900 noted is parents as weaver’s in a Gingham Mill, and by 1910 John was noted as working in the same industry. Around 1915, at the age of 20, he went into business with a plumber named George McKnight, who was the brother of Joseph McKnight, a co-worker at the Gingham Mill. Though the idea of a “Plumber” in the current era leads to thoughts of water direction, piping, and bathroom and kitchen needs, in those days the role of a plumber also included laying house fuel oil lines, radiator steam lines, and gas lines for cooking and lighting needs. The 1916 business directory for Clinton notes “Gannon, McKnight, and Company” as “Plumbers steam and gas fittings”. As John and George’s business grew, they established a store front at 248 High Street, in Clinton, and the company evolved into “Gannon and McKnight”, a hardware concern that catered in “Plumbing and Heating, Stoves and Furnaces, Hardware, Paints, Oils, Etc.”. The growth of the company no doubt was in part by the inclusion of new products to meet the local market demands, and by 1924 the partners were well established. In 1926, unfortunately, their business would burn down, leading to a complete destruction of their stock as well as McKnight’s home, which was located above their storefront. In order to recover from the loss, the partners would separate, with George McKnight resigning to return to his original Plumber roots, and J.J. Gannon moving forward in the production and retail side of the hardware business. This restructuring led to the creation of “The Gannon Company” at 12 Ring Street there in Clinton (same location, but with the entrance around the corner on Ring Street rather than on High Street), and then, after the inclusion of a financial partner, the “Standard Products Company”. That partner was Michael Francis Ware.

   M.F. Ware was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, on July 17th, 1886, to Irish immigrant parents George H. Ware and Mary A. Dunn (Ware).  By 1910 he had worked his way through the cotton industry of Clinton and was noted as a Clerk for the Gingham Mill there. It was likely at that mill where he met the Gannon family, and in June of 1916, Michael would marry Anna (Annie) G. Gannon, the 3rd daughter of Patrick and Mary Gannon, and the sister of John J. Gannon. After the wedding, the couple would start a family, with their first child, Paul Francis Ware, being born on March 19th of 1917. A second son, George William Ware, who went by “Bill” would be born on April 26th, 1920, and a daughter, Ann Mary Ware, would follow in 1925. Michael would continue to work at the Gingham Mill, working his way up through the ranks of “Assistant Overseer” in 1920 to “Assistant Superintendent” in 1930. By 1932, Michael F. Ware had left the cotton production industry and was noted as a director, investor, and Treasure of the Standard Production Company of Clinton, Massachusetts.  That same year, he was noted as a judge for competitions held at the Mid-Winter Annual Rally of the Wachusett Council of the Boy Scouts, of which his two sons, Paul and Bill, were noted as a part of.

   The Standard Production Company of Clinton originally began production under that name at 12 Ring Street, but quickly outgrew its production capacity. During the first years, the business was noted as a manufacturer of oil burners and oil burning equipment, and was listed as a founding members of Range Oil Burner Manufacturer’s Association. As business needs increased, the company relocated to an industrial building at 470 Main/Route 110 that had previously been occupied by the Bigelow-Hartford Carpet Company. It was at this location where they found the capacity to enlarge their list of offerings, one of which would be based on Michael F. Ware’s love of his sons and Scouting.

   The September 1935 edition of Boys Life Magazine, released in August of that year, included a full page advertisement dedicated to the Standard Production Company’s attempt to enter the Scout Axe market. The “Tomahawk”, as the company named it, was a conglomerated product that held numerous gadgets that young men, especially those involved in scouting, would find desirable products. That first version was made up of a hatchet sized “Axe” with a custom knife that fit inside the tubular haft of the axe and locked into place with a small lever. The axe came with a beautiful leather holster that also held other items included in the purchase of the product. These included a compass and a book of matches which could be used by any able body scout looking to survive in the wilderness. Notably, no belt was included in the package, despite one being pictured. The advertisement included numerous marketing strategies, including mentioning getting a “jump” on dads by getting a better axe than he may have, and mentioned the upcoming Jamboree, a meeting of Scouts from across the country. The release of the product and its advertising at this time was extremely time sensitive, as this was to be the first National Jamboree held, and was to occur in Washington, D.C., making it an event of national  interest. As a special offer to buyers who might be interested in the Jamboree, the company offered to engrave the name and troop number of any buyers within 90 days of the meeting on the handle of their new axe. In the illustrations of that first advertisement, a keen eye will spot the name of Bill Ware, son of M.F. Ware, on the pictured axe. Unfortunately for both scouts across the United States and the Standard Production Company, that first National Jamboree was canceled on August 9th by decree of the President, Franklin D. Rosevelt. The summer of 1935 had seen an increase in Polio outbreaks, with D.C. and the surrounding areas being hit particularly hard, and gathering  a large number of young men together in that area may have been disastrous. To rectify the loss of sales due to the cancelation of the Jamboree (which wouldn’t actually take place until 1937), the company quickly swiveled its marketing strategy and re-advertised with a concentration on the axe being a gift for Christmas, reposting their ad, with some holiday alterations, in the December addition of Boys Life. The price was the same during both time periods, a set $3.50 for the set, which included postage to anywhere within the U.S.

    The company would again advertise their Tomahawk during the 1936 holiday season, this time changing the product slightly, likely to adjust for marketing preferences. The 1936 advertisements would note similar product specifics, like the hatchet with attaching knife, and the ornate leather holster with a slot for the included compass. However, this second rendition of the product included a mirror, for signaling for assistance, within the compass. The advertisement also noted the replacement of the book of matches with a sharpening stone, a much needed addition to a usable axe, and the size of the stone fit conveniently in the same slot that the matches would have fit in the holster. A belt was also now included, and within the belt was a “secret” spot for hiding money, a clever marketing ploy aimed at the financial independence that was often pushed within the Scouting organization. A neckerchief ring was also now included, marked with the Tomahawk branding, another great marketing ploy, as neckerchiefs play a role in Boy Scout uniforms. The new set, with the additional items, but without the book of matches, was now noted at a cost of $4.50 shipped. The name of Bill Ware could still be noted on the handle of the illustrated axe, which is pertinent to note, as during this year, Bill would have been 16, and nearing the end of his tenure with the Boy Scouts.

   Advertising for the Standard Production Company’s Tomahawk was rare over the next few years, and by 1940, the company had reincorporated itself as the “Standard Burner Company” of Clinton, Massachusetts. With this change, it is highly unlikely that the company continued to produce their Tomahawk. Interestingly enough, the Tomahawk was advertised that year one last time, but not by the companies associated with Clinton. The December edition of Boys Life once again included an advertisement for the Tomahawk, though this time the ad was limited to a quarter of a page. Though many of the attributes, including the stamp on the hatchet, were the same, there were some minor differences. For instance, the package included a separate leather sheath for the knife portion, should it be carried separate from the axe. There was no visible name on the handle of the illustrated axe. A testimony from Ross McKenny, a “famous” Woodsman of the time was noted in the body of the advertisement. Most importantly, the  name and address of the seller was distinctly different, this time noted as “Nels Peabody, The Tomahawk Man”, located at “729B Boylston St, Boston, Mass”.

    A search for info on Peabody reveals that he was Nelson J. Peabody, Vice President and Advertising Director of “The Outdoor Publications” and Advertising Director of “Open Road Publishing Company”. Both companies marketed toward the same niche as Boys Life Magazine, and were advertisers of outdoor equipment such as the Tomahawk. It’s likely that Peabody simply purchased the remaining stock of the Standard Production Company as it reincorporated and headed in a direction more aligned with its gas burner production. Though there is no evidence to show that he would continue to request production of the Tomahawk of Clinton, Massachusetts, Peabody would continue in the publishing business for most of his life, and is an interesting character in the history of that genre. Both Paul and Bill Ware would become decorated doctors, possibly spurred on by the disappointment of missing that first National Jamboree due to a national medical emergency. The Tomahawk of Clinton, Mass, though only manufactured in limited quantities during the Depression era, would become an interesting piece of history, sought after by collectors, and noted fondly in antique stores by axe enthusiasts and historians, who occasionally would be unable to resist the urge to research where and how it came to be.