Benjamin Willard

For the protagonist of the film Apocalypse Now, see Benjamin L. Willard.

Benjamin Willard, Jr. (19 March 1743 Grafton, Massachusetts – 18 September 1803 Baltimore, Maryland), was an American clockmaker.[1]

Biography

Benjamin Willard the third eldest of twelve born to the marriage of Benjamin Willard (1716–1775) and Sarah Brooks (1717–1775).[2] He was the first of the Willard family to enter the business of clockmaking, a craft which he began around 1765. He operated a workshop at his family home in Grafton, but by December 1771, lived in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

Benjamin Willard, Jr., died in Baltimore, Maryland, September 18, 1803.[1]

Legacy

Although not as famous as his younger brother, Simon,[3][4] Benjamin nonetheless was a prominent and well-known clockmaker in his day. A number of Benjamin Willard clocks survive today and are considered collectible. The Willard home and workshop in Grafton are preserved and operate as a museum.

Family

Benjamin Willard, Jr. – the eldest of four clockmaker brothers – flourished in central Massachusetts during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The other clockmaker brothers were:

Benjamin Willard was a 2nd great-grandson (5th generation descendant) of Simon Willard (1605–1676), a Massachusetts colonist.

Main article: Descendants of Simon Willard
Main article: Willard Brothers
Main article: Willard House and Clock Museum

Bibliography

Notes

  1. ^ a b "Benjamin Willard, Jr.", pp. 137–138.
  2. ^ "Benjamin Willard", pp. 69–70.
  3. ^ Dyer, June 1915, p. 44.
  4. ^ Dyer, October 1915, p. 135.
  5. ^ "Simon Willard", pp. 139–140.
  6. ^ "Ephraim Willard", p. 140.
  7. ^ "Aaron Willard", pp. 140–141.

References linked to notes

  • Dyer, Walter Alden (1878–1943) (June 1915). "The Willards and Their Clocks". Country Life in America. 28 (2). Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Page & Company: 44–47. Retrieved July 22, 2021 – via Google Books.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) ISSN 0011-0175; OCLC 1042918985 (all editions).
  • Dyer, Walter Alden (1878–1943) (October 1915). "The Willards and Their Clocks". Early American Craftsmen. New York: The Century Company. pp. 133–161. Retrieved July 22, 2021 – via Google Books.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) LCCN 15-22279; OCLC 422878 (all editions) (book); OCLC 852406757 (Chapter 6).
    1. "Benjamin Willard". pp. 69–70.
    2. "Benjamin Willard". pp. 137–138.
    3. "Simon Willard". pp. 139–140.
    5. "Aaron Willard". pp. 140–141.