Happy Anniversary Ulster Knife Co.!

Codger_64

Codger_64

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Thanks for posting those old news clippings, Michael.


Dwight Divine & Sons Boy Scouts Knife
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Ulster Knife Company Stockmans
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Well actually the history goes back to 1871. So one might say that this is the 143rd birthday of Ulster.
 
Codger_64 said:
Well actually the history goes back to 1871. So one might say that this is the 143rd birthday of Ulster.
Click to expand...

. . . in the same sense that we celebrate Washington's birthday. The entity is dead, but we remember fondly, or at least I do. 1985 Ulster I bought on ePrey arrived today. :D
 
Good deal! Be on the lookout for a commemorative knife that Dwight Divine had made to give to fellow GAR veterans in 1910. It commemorates the participation of his unit, 143rd NYVI in the battle of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee.
 
So just who was Dwight Divine? He was born Mar. 18, 1841 in Divine Corners New York. He attended Common school and graduated from Monticello Academy. He would have been 20 at the outbreak of the war and he enlisted and was made a second lieutenant, 1st. lieutenant, 143rd New York State Volunteer Infantry, and brevet Major, New York Volunteers. Served from 1862-1865. Early in the war his unit was a part of the guards of Washington, but were transfered to the Army of The Potomic, serving in the advance from Chattanooga to Atlanta, joining Sherman's march to the sea. He was mustered out of his unit in July of 1865. He then returned to Ellenville New York where he entered business, eventually forming a bank and other concerns, a mercantile I believe. He married Millicent J Hatch Divine (1842 - 1926), and they had children; Alice Divine (1868 - 1950), Richard Divine (1869 - 1871), James J Divine (1871 - 1877) and John H Divine (1881 - 1943). Dwight Divine died at 92 years old in Ellenville in 1933, in a car crash from what I read. He is buried in Fantinekill Cemetery in Ellenville.
 
Ellenville Co-Operative Cutlery Company began making knives in 1871. Community leaders were looking for an industry to boost the economy of their town, a glass factory being the main industry at the time and apparently not too stable. And more jobs were needed for the 2200 residents. So the village leaders got together and formed a committee to locate land and, if possible, attract a factory. An early meeting with men from Walden Knife Company didn't bear fruit. And better came of a meeting with a group from a cutlery co-operative in Connecticut.

So the comittee formed a co-operative under the name "Ellenville Knife Building Company" and bought a six acre plot on Canal street including the old Bloomer Foundry Works, property of John L. Bloomer & Sons on the Beer Kill in August, 1871. The company succeeded in making a fine grade of cutlery, but its finances were not sufficiently strong to enable it to continue long as a cooperative company. It could not meet its obligations, and by 1875 was practically bankrupt. At this time "The Ulster Knife Company" was incorporated by Jacob Hermance, John Lyon, Alfred Neafie, R. Harvey Brodhead and Dwight Divine. This group assumed all the obligations of the company and proceeded with the manufacture of knives. The name Ulster was then adopted as the trade mark for its cutlery, and has since been used to designate one of the most popular and dependable lines of cutlery ever made in this country.

In 1878 Dwight Divine took over the entire responsibility, and continued the business as an individual enterprise, although he retained the organization of the Ulster Knife Company. William Booth, one of the original group, was retained as foreman, and so continued until his death many years later. Mr. Divine proved to be a very efficient business man, and gradually straightened out the tangled financial situation and placed the business on a paying basis, in spite of a fire which destroyed the plant in 1880. The buildings were soon replaced. About four hundred workmen were finally employed. In 1926, Mr. Divine organized as Dwight Divine & Sons, Inc., taking into partnership his two sons, C. Dwight and John H. Divine, who carried on the business after the death of their father in 1933.

The rest of the early Ulster story can be found in this link, including some of the text above which was quoted. Some came from other sources. But the link contains a wealth of early photographs as well.

http://collectors-of-schrades-r.us/articles/409-01.pdf
 
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Thank you for the history lesson Michael. These threads are priceless to me.
 
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