The Gare Collection
of Silvermaking and Watch Repair Tools

In 1785, Samuel Stiles established a clock and watch making shop on Shop Row in Northampton. Stiles advertised as a clock and watch maker in the Springfield Hampshire Herald on July 27, 1785, informing the public that "he has opened a SHOP a few rods fouth of the Court-Houfe, in Northampton, where the bufinefs will be carried on with neatness and dispatch, and upon reafonable terms, the fmalleft favours will be greatfully acknowledged." Born in Windsor, Connecticut on December 3, 1762, Stiles moved to Northampton from Windsor in 1785. In 1787, Stiles married Hannah Ellsworth (July 1, 1767, Windsor, Connecticut - January 12, 1828, Chicopee, Massachusetts). Two silver spoons in the collection of Historic Deerfield in Deerfield, Massachusetts are identified as having been made by Samuel Stiles. Each spoon has a maker's mark of "SS".

On November 3, 1790 and November 10, 1790, Stiles advertised in the Hampshire Gazette for an apprentice: "Wanted, an apprentice to the Watchmaking bufinefs, a fmart aftive Boy, 13 or 14 years of age. Enquire of Samuel Stiles." According to George Barton Cutten, Stiles' apprentices included Joel Brown and Horace Clark, both circa 1789 and 1793.

On July 6, 1791, Stiles advertised "All kinds of Plated Work, fuch as Stirrups, Bitts, Buckles, &c. may be had of the subscriber." Stiles also sought "A journeyman in the CLOCK & WATCH bufinefs for whom Cafh will be paid." In the same edition of the Gazette, two other clock and watch makers, Jedidiah Baldwin and Nathan Storrs, advertised their services. Jedidiah Baldwin advertised “Clock & Watch Making & Repairing. Together with Jewelry in its various branches.” Jedidiah Baldwin (1769-1849) was born in Norwich, Connecticut on March 29, 1768.  He had served an apprenticeship to Thomas Harland (1773-1807). Harland was a clockmaker and silversmith from England who set up shop in Norwich as a watchmaker, clockmaker, jeweler, silversmith and maker of surveying instruments.

Whether or not in answer to this advertisement, in July 1791, after six years in business, Samuel Stiles entered into partnership with Jedidiah Baldwin. On July 20, 1791, two weeks after Baldwin's advertisement appeared, the partnership of Stiles and Baldwin was announced in an advertisement in the Hampshire Gazette: "SAMUEL STILES & JEDIDIAH BALDWIN, Clock & Watch-Makers, Beg leave to acquaint the public, that they have formed a partnership under the firm of Stiles & Baldwin. THAT they occupy the Shop of the faid Stiles nearly oppofite the Meeting-houfe in Northampton, where the various branches of the CLOCK & WATCH bufinefs, JEWELRY and all other kinds of the Goldfmith's bufinefs are performed..." The partnership lasted almost one year. Samuel Stiles left Northampton, living in both Windsor, Connecticut and Chester, Massachusetts and is believed to have died in 1826.

On July 4, 1792, an advertisement in the Hampshire Gazette announced that Jedediah Baldwin had formed a partnership with Nathan Storrs in "the Shop lately occupied by STILES & BALDWIN".  Nathan Storrs (1768-1839) was born in Mansfield, Connecticut on August 7, 1768, the son of Amariah and Mary Gillett Storrs.  Storrs served an apprenticeship with Jacob Sargeant (1761-1843) of Mansfield, the latter part served in Springfield, Massachusetts. As stated earlier, Storrs advertised in the Hampshire Gazette on July 6, 1791 that “Nathan Storrs, CLOCK & WATCH-MAKER. Lately from New-York ... has eftablifhed his bufinefs in Northampton."  The partnership of Baldwin and Storrs lasted one year and a half. On January 8, 1794, an advertisement in the Hampshire Gazette announced "The Partnerfhip of Baldwin and Storrs, Being by mutual confent diffolved." Jedidiah Baldwin left Northampton for Hanover, New Hampshire in the latter part of 1793. By October 7, 1793, he advertised his services in the Eagle, a New Hampshire newspaper. The Gare Collection at Historic Northampton includes a brass clock face engraved at top "Baldwin & Storrs / Northampton".

In the January 8, 1794 advertisement, Storrs informed his customers that "he continues the bufinefs of CLOCK AND WATCH-MAKING" and Gold and Silver-Smithing nearly opposite the meeting house. The 1860-1861 Northampton Business Directory and General Advertiser described the shop as "a two-story wooden building, in Shop Row ... about 18 feet wide and and about 18 feet deep." Nathan Storrs regularly advertised in the Hampshire Gazette. In his advertisements, he offered imported goods for sale, sought old silver, copper or brass to craft into new objects or sell wholesale to other artisans and sought apprentices. One apprentice was Nathaniel Fowle, Jr., who later established his own business in Northampton. In 1796, Storrs advertised for a journeyman who was a “master of the gold and silversmithing business.” The Gare Collection includes two metal name stamps with the maker's mark of "N.STORRS". Also included are two clock faces for tall case clocks signed with the name of Nathan Storrs.

On January 22, 1827, an advertisement in the Hampshire Gazette informed the public that Nathan Storrs had "formed a connexion in business with BENJAMIN E. COOK, from Troy, N. Y. ... under the firm of STORRS & COOK." The advertisement stated that Cook, "the Junior partner of the firm will devote his time to Watch work." In the same advertisement, Storrs and Cook advertised for a journeyman silversmith and an apprentice. When he formed a partnership with Nathan Storrs, Benjamin Cook, a native of New York, was 23 years old. Born in Hyde Park, on December 31, 1803, his family moved to Hudson, New York, when Cook was three years old. At age 14, he was apprenticed to Isaiah Griffin of Hudson to learn the watchmaker's trade. He worked as a journeyman in Troy, New York for one to two years. In his reiminiscences of Northampton in 1827 published in the 1886 Centennial Hampshire Gazette, Cook wrote that he "received a letter from Nathan Storrs, a goldsmith, who had been in business here nearly 36 years, desiring me to enter into partnership with him, as he was getting old." Cook requested that Storrs build a new, larger store block and the following year, in 1828, a new building, 3 stories high, 18 1/2 feet wide and 50 feet deep, was constructed at the expense of Storrs and Simeon Butler, a bookseller and bookbinder in the adjoining store. The store cost of $2200 for Storr's part and $2500 for Simeon Butler's part. As the front of the block was made of granite quarried in Williamsburg, the building became known as the granite stores. The granite stores were one of the first commercial blocks on Shop Row. Storrs and Cook also had a branch store in Amherst. An 1829 advertisement stated "Storrs & Cook will continue to furnish their shop in Amherst, with a good stock of Goods."

After seven years as Storrs and Cook, Storrs retired on May 13, 1833 for health reasons and sold his interest to Cook. Nathan Storrs died on July 31, 1839 and is buried in the Bridge Street Cemetery. The probate inventory of his estate consisted primarily of land. His tools were at "S. Hayden's" and "at Wellers" suggesting that he had retired from active silversmithing by the time of his death.

Benjamin Cook took his son into partnership with him at some point in the mid-nineteenth century. Benjamin E. Cook, Jr. (February 14, 1841 - December 14, 1930) began to learn the jewelry business with his father at age 16. At age 22, he enlisted in the Union army and completed his service in 1864. When Northampton was incorporated as a city in 1883, Benjamin Cook, Jr. was elected the city's first mayor and won re-election in 1884 and 1885.

Benjamin Cook, Sr. died in Northampton on February 25, 1900. On April 1, 1900, store employees Benjamin A. Phelps and Edward J. Gare, Sr. purchased the business and conducted the business under the name Phelps & Gare. Benjamin A. Phelps (1849 or 1850 - 1921) learned the jeweler's trade at the store of B. E. Cook & Son. His obituary stated that he had been associated with the store for over 50 years. His father, Ebenezer Phelps, was also employed at Cook's store as a watch repairer and engraver for many years before him. Benjamin E. Cook, Jr. wrote a letter to the editor of the Daily Hampshire Gazette in tribute to Phelps: "He was associated with me in the jewelry business for fifty years, learning the trade thoroughly and becoming a first class watch maker and engraver. His father was an expert repairer and engraver for my father forty years previous to that...." Edward J. Gare, Sr. was born in Northampton on August 30, 1866, the son of Stowell M. and Elizabeth Simison Gare. After working at a tack shop and at the Northampton Cutlery, he entered the employ of B. E. Cook & Son Jewelers on January 19, 1884. His son, Edward J. Gare, Jr. began working at the shop in 1912.

After the retirement of Benjamin Phelps in 1919, Edward J. Gare, Jr. joined the firm under the name of E. J. Gare & Son. In 1946, E. J. Gare & Son took into partnership two grandsons of Edward J. Gare, Sr. (1866-1959), Luther S. Gare and Edward J. Gare III. When Luther S. Gare retired in 1976, Tracey Gare and Alison Gare, the daughters of Edward J. Gare III, were brought in to the business. After the death of E. J. Gare III in October 1990, the business continued operation until 1994. At left is a view of the store window of E. J. Gare & Son at 112 Main Street. Mrs. Luther S. Gare (Phyllis Starck Gare) stands outside the store. Visible through the store window is Luther S. Gare.

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