This month's firearm factory is that of Tobin Arms Manufacturing Company.
The story of Tobin Arms starts with its founder Frank Major Tobin. Tobin was born in in Halifax, Nova Scotia On January 24th, 1862. At the time of his birth Canada was not even a country yet.
Like so many men growing up on the Eastern Seaboard his first work experience came via work on a vessel. He worked as a whaler for a time, before deciding to seek his fortunes in the west.
It was in the American West where he met his wife Anna, who was also a native Canadian, they settled in Nebraska and Anna gave birth to their first child there.
Some time later Tobin moved his family to New England and found work in the firearms trade. He worked for gun maker W.H. Davenport as a sales agent, traveling to St. Louis and all points west hocking the shotgun that Davenport was building in Providence, Rhode Island.
In the late 1800s the west was a gold mine for gun sales. Pretty much everyone who traveled to or settled in the west owned at least one firearm.
By 1901 Hopkins and Allen (of Norwich, CT) was now the owner and producer of the Davenport line and Tobin's employment followed.
During one of his travels to San Francisco, he was presented with the opportunity to buy the patent rights to a shotgun designed and patented by C.M. Wollam. Not much is known about Mr. Wollam, perhaps he intended to build the shotgun but failed in getting the necessary financial backing and decided to seek his fortunes in the west, his chance encounter with Tobin may have been his saving.
During one of his travels to San Francisco, he was presented with the opportunity to buy the patent rights to a shotgun designed and patented by C.M. Wollam. Not much is known about Mr. Wollam, perhaps he intended to build the shotgun but failed in getting the necessary financial backing and decided to seek his fortunes in the west, his chance encounter with Tobin may have been his saving.
The shotgun was a box-lock hammerless type with double barrels, it was patented on May 23rd, 1893
Tobin returned to Norwich determined to start his own shotgun manufacturing company.
Tobin returned to Norwich determined to start his own shotgun manufacturing company.
He secured investors and in 1903 Tobin Arms Manufacturing Company was incorporated with Tobin himself as President, A.L. Potter was Vice President and B.H. Palmer as Secretary/Treasurer.
They purchased an old grist mill along the Yantic River in Norwich and set it up for gun production.
Tobin named the shotgun the "Simplex" and the first units were shipping by September of 1904. He eventually offered multiple grades that ranged in prices from $30-$200 ($846 - $5,642 in today's dollars). The guns were of very high quality and ranked among the finest British and American shotguns. His highest grade guns featured "fluid steel" barrels made in Germany.
By 1909 Tobin decided to sell his company to a lawyer from Canada named Henry A. Little. The last Norwich made Tobin shotgun wore serial number 11,089. While there were no doubt some guns that didn't get sold, but that number is probably pretty close to the total production for the Norwich guns.
On August 9th, 1909 Tobin Arms Manufacturing Company, Limited was founded in Canada. Frank Tobin repatriated to Woodstock, Canada. His sales agreement included a spot on the board as Vice President of the new company.
Little, the new owner, built a new factory on the corner of Winniett and Drew Streets in Woodstock, Ontario. It was advertised as Canada's First Shotgun Factory.
In Canada Tobin experimented with other designs, perhaps trying to keep the company afloat.
A lower end shotgun model with exposed hammers, named the "Leader Grade", was offered as well as a .22 rimfire "Boy Scout Rifle"
An example of a Regal grade shotgun produced by Tobin Arms
The company only lasted until 1914, after some 7,300 additional shotguns were produced. The company was taken over by the Arnold Thompson Tool Company. It is assumed that a few shotguns may have been produced from parts until about 1916, but the exact number is not known.
On December 19th, 1921 Tobin surrendered the charter to the Provincial Government and the book on Tobin Arms closed.
Frank Tobin went on to other endeavors working on inventions and sales promotions. Tobin died at the age of 77 in Woodstock on October 10th, 1939, just weeks after the start of WWII.
What Remains:
I could not find any exact locations listed for the Norwich factory, only that it was a former grist mill. Grist mills, prior to electricity, were always located on a river, as they needed water wheels to power the mill.
The river in Norwich is the Yantic, in fact there is a water fall, that had several mills, including an old grist mill. The grist and woolen mills there once hosted the Bacon Arms Manufacturing Company, which spun off to (eventually) become Hopkins and Allen.
The mill buildings at Yantic Falls are still standing, now a part of the National Historic Registry
Like most factories built before electricity, the buildings were long and narrow with lots of windows.....harvesting daylight before daylight harvesting was cool.
Little, the new owner, built a new factory on the corner of Winniett and Drew Streets in Woodstock, Ontario. It was advertised as Canada's First Shotgun Factory.
In Canada Tobin experimented with other designs, perhaps trying to keep the company afloat.
A lower end shotgun model with exposed hammers, named the "Leader Grade", was offered as well as a .22 rimfire "Boy Scout Rifle"
An example of a Regal grade shotgun produced by Tobin Arms
The company only lasted until 1914, after some 7,300 additional shotguns were produced. The company was taken over by the Arnold Thompson Tool Company. It is assumed that a few shotguns may have been produced from parts until about 1916, but the exact number is not known.
On December 19th, 1921 Tobin surrendered the charter to the Provincial Government and the book on Tobin Arms closed.
Frank Tobin went on to other endeavors working on inventions and sales promotions. Tobin died at the age of 77 in Woodstock on October 10th, 1939, just weeks after the start of WWII.
What Remains:
I could not find any exact locations listed for the Norwich factory, only that it was a former grist mill. Grist mills, prior to electricity, were always located on a river, as they needed water wheels to power the mill.
The river in Norwich is the Yantic, in fact there is a water fall, that had several mills, including an old grist mill. The grist and woolen mills there once hosted the Bacon Arms Manufacturing Company, which spun off to (eventually) become Hopkins and Allen.
The mill buildings at Yantic Falls are still standing, now a part of the National Historic Registry
Like most factories built before electricity, the buildings were long and narrow with lots of windows.....harvesting daylight before daylight harvesting was cool.
The Woodstock, Ontario factory still stands at the corner of Winniett and Drew Streets.
Here is a series of pictures starting with the 1909 advertisement
I would guess this picture was taken in the 1920s or '30's
And here it is today
Resources
Field and Stream
Rod and Gun Canada
Canadian Firearms Journal
Woodstock News Group
Wikipedia
Picture Trail
Revolvy
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