As I venture along that road containing so much old history, I constantly encounter words that are simply no longer used. I constantly find myself amazed when encountering these old words our ancestors commonly used in their everyday lives. Civilization continues to evolve and new words are created while old words are quietly left behind in the history books.
For example, we no longer have a “knocker upper” walking our streets at sunrise. This person would walk the streets and tap on windows to wake you up in the morning before alarm clocks were invented. A “lamplighter” walked the streets and ignited the old gas street lanterns along Main Street before we had electric lighting. Each town had a “town crier” that would walk the streets shouting the news to all to hear and a “gandy dancer” was a railroad man that used manual labor to lay and maintain railroad tracks. We also had a “milkman” and an “iceman,” not to be confused with an “ice cream” man. The list is endless and certainly entertaining. Today I share with you another old word that we no longer hear today: the “wheelwright.”
A wheelwright held a very important position at one time, noted for a skilled craftsman. Wheelwrights were the people that built the wheels for horse drawn carriages, wagons and coaches. Typically, the wheels would be manufactured from a hardwood such as oak or ash and the wheelwright would craft the hardwood into wheels by starting with the hub of the wheel, attaching spokes and then the outside rim or felloes. Once the finely crafted wheel was created it was most often covered in iron to allow the wheel to be stronger and to last longer on the old roads.
The old dirt roads were kind to the wagon wheels but the occasional rock or ditch would wreak havoc. Cobbled streets also had a tendency to damage and wear a wagon or carriage wheel at an advanced rate. Each factory that manufactured carriages, wagons and coaches would be certain to employ a gifted wheelwright to ensure the quality of their wheels.
Here in Concord, we find our first wheelwright appearing in the summer of 1813 with a public announcement made be Lewis Downing. He informed the public he had commenced business in Concord and “established a wheelwright business near Mr. William Austin’s Store.” He further stated in his early advertisement, “By strict and constant attention to business and the correct and faithful manner in which his work will be executed to merit the patronage of the public.”
Lewis Downing commenced business and sought to manufacture and repair all types of wheels. It was not long after we find the firm of Abbott Downing and the famous Concord Coaches being manufactured down on South Main Street in Concord. Stephen Abbott formed a partnership with Lewis Downing that was very successful and lasted until 1867 when both Lewis Downing and Stephen Abbott decided to dissolve their business, with each gentleman incorporating with their own sons. At the time when the senior Lewis Downing retired, both coach manufacturing companies again merged under the name Abbott, Downing and Company.
The name once again changed in 1873 to Abbott-Downing Company. The history of the Concord Coach and its origin here in Concord is one of immense success, a fascinating story that evolved and touched all corners of the world, shipping Concord Coaches to places such as California, Australia, Peru and far beyond. It has been said an authentic Concord Coach could easily be identified by the flashing yellow of their shafts and wheels. A local artisan would custom paint a mural on the doors of the Concord Coaches if the buyer so desired. The scenes painted were both works of art and finely detailed to depict a grand hotel or even Wells Fargo.
If not for the craftmanship of the wheelwright building high quality coach wheels the finely crafted coaches would not sustain the weight, wear and everyday abuse the frontier provided with each journey.