Albert D. Goodell and Goodell Tool Company

Albert D. Goodell was born in Whitingham, Vermont, on August 3, 1845.  He spent his childhood on the farm of his father, Anson Goodell.  He attended public schools in the area and learned some carpentry.⁽³⁹⁾

After moving to Millers Falls, he married Emily J. Hoyt on June 1, 1870.  She died two years later, on February 1, 1872.  A few months later Albert D. married a second time.  His bride was Harriet E. Peters and the marriage was celebrated at the Methodist Episcopal Church on August 21, 1872.  They had two children; Frederick A., born on August 26, 1873 and Helen E., born on November 14, 1879.⁽⁴⁰⁾

Albert D. was a very talented mechanic with excellent problem-solving skills.⁽⁴¹⁾  In 1868, while still working in Buckland, he designed a new way to fasten drilling bits in a brace.  His design was accepted by the US Patent Office and Albert D. received his first patent No. 79,825 for "Improvement in Bit-Stock" on July 14, 1868.  The brothers began making a limited number of braces with a new chuck right there, in the Perry & Demming shop.

Soon after, Millers Falls Co. discovered the Goodell’s patent for the brace, and immediately offered to buy the patent and employ both brothers at their new factory in Millers Falls, MA.

In 1888 the brothers started their own business and moved to Shelburne, MA.  They designed and patented four new products; a Screw Driver, Automatic Screw Driver, Drilling-Tool and a Shoe Float or Rasp.  Although both brothers' names appear on these patents, we can safely say that Albert D. was leading this work.

Everything we learned about Albert D. leads me to surmise that he was the one that had more ability to arrive with new solutions in tool design.  "In this work, he displayed unusual ingenuity and mechanical ability." ⁽⁴²⁾  It is Albert’s name only that appears on all patents assigned to Millers Falls Co. in previous years.  Also, from analysis of all patents received by Albert D. it is clear that he could work on the design by himself and achieve excellent results.

The situation was slightly different with Henry E.  His name on patents appears always in tandem with someone else.  Obviously this doesn’t take away importance of the input and ideas that Henry E. offered, but he was not a leading voice.  To take these speculations a bit further, I believe that one of the reasons that led Albert D. to leave Goodell Brothers was a strong need to be in a leadership position.  His brother, knowing his own abilities and traits, most likely insisted on an equal partnership and this difference was irreconcilable.

In 1892 Albert D. sold his share of the Goodell Brother business to Henry E. and moved to Worcester, MA.  In 1909 William Richard Cutter writes:

"In 1892 Albert D. Goodell moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, accompanied by his family, and there established the Goodell Tool Company in partnership with his son, Frederick A. Goodell.⁽⁴³⁾

Their stay in Worcester was short but Albert D. still managed to work on the design of two new tools and applied for patents.  On December 27, 1892 the first patent was granted under No. 488,691.  From the complexity and broadness of this design we can assume that Albert D. started work on this project some time ago, probably still in Shelburne Falls.  Here is how he stated the objectives in the patent description:

"The object of my present invention is to provide a bit-stock or bit-brace in which the working joints between the parts that rotate one against another can be maintained in a condition for perfect operation, and to provide facilities whereby any looseness of said joints due to wear can be taken up by adjustment thereof.

Another object is to provide a bit-brace with an improved reversing ratchet mechanism, simple and efficient of operation, not liable to deterioration by use, and which can be economically manufactured."