Smith & Winchester Manufacturing Co.

Smith & Winchester Manufacturing Co. of South Windham, Connecticut, was a manufacturer of papermaking machinery. In 1827, George Spafford, a machinist, was hired to install a Fourdrinier papermaking machine imported from England by Joseph Pickering, a paper maker in North Windham. Spafford partnered with James Phelps, an experienced mill builder, to begin manufacturing Fourdrinier machines in the United States. Phelps & Spafford established a small factory in South Windham, Connecticut. The firm sold and installed its first, improved version of the Fourdrinier in 1829. Phelps & Spafford flourished until the financial crash of 1837, when the company's losses forced it to close. The partners sold the business to two employees, Charles Smith and Harvey Winchester, who were also Spafford's brothers-in-law. Re-organized as the Smith, Winchester & Company, the firm developed and produced innovative papermaking equipment, such as paper cutting and paper bag making machines. The company was incorporated in 1905 as the Smith & Winchester Manufacturing Company. It continued as an independent business until 1965, when it was purchased by Cameron Machines. The company was sold to H.L. Diehl in 1969, and its manufacturing operations ceased soon after.

Smith & Winchester Manufacturing Co. of South Windham, Connecticut, was a manufacturer of paper making machinery. The company, which traced its roots to the 1820s, made significant contributions and advancements in the papermaking industry in the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1827, George Spafford, a machinist, was hired to install a Fourdrinier papermaking machine imported from England by Joseph Pickering, a paper maker in North Windham. The Fourdrinier machine was the first to successfully mechanize the production of paper in endless rolls, rather than single sheets. Pickering's Fourdrinier was the first installed in the United States. Spafford recognized the technological innovation of the Fourdrinier machine, and understood the cost and difficulty of importing it. He joined with James Phelps, an experienced mill builder, to begin manufacturing Fourdrinier machines in the United States. Phelps & Spafford was founded, and established a small factory in South Windham, Connecticut. The firm sold and installed its first, improved version of the Fourdrinier in 1829.

Phelps & Spafford flourished until the financial crash of 1837, when the company's losses forced it to close. The partners sold the business to Charles Smith and Harvey Winchester, two employees who were also Spafford's brothers-in-law. Re-organized as Smith, Winchester & Company, the firm continued to grow and sold its papermaking and related machines to mills in the U. S. market-including to California's first paper company in 1856-and global markets such as Canada, Mexico, India, Japan, China, Europe, and South America. Through the 19th century, Smith, Winchester developed and produced innovative papermaking equipment, such as paper cutting and paper-bag-making machines. The company was incorporated in 1905 as the Smith & Winchester Manufacturing Company. It continued as an independent business until 1965, when it was purchased by Cameron Machines. The company was sold to H. L. Diehl in 1969, and its manufacturing operations ceased soon after.