Frederick Trent Stanley

Frederick Trenck Stanley (August 12, 1802 – August 2, 1883) was an American industrialist born in New Britain, Connecticut on August 12, 1802.

After his schooling, Frederick worked in New Haven, Connecticut, and Fayetteville, North Carolina, before returning to New Britain in 1826. He held several positions, including a clerk on steamboats and in general stores. Stanley was involved in a number of New Britain businesses, including a machine manufacturer for the growing iron business in Hartford, the state's capital. With the investment flourishing, Frederick and his brother William purchased the remainder of that business and decided to expand. After four years the pair invested in a brass foundry named Stanley Woodruff & Company.

On July 4, 1838, Frederick Stanley married Melvinia Chamberlain and together they had three sons, Alfred Hubert, Frederick Henry, and William Chamberlain. Melvinia died at age 28 from scarlet fever and the two youngest boys died shortly thereafter. Following the deaths, Frederick moved in with his brother, William, and they continued as business partners.

In 1843, the Stanleys opened Stanley Bolt Manufacturing. The company manufactured bolts, hinges, and other hardware from wrought iron. When Frederick T wanted to expand the manufacture of hinges, he started a separate company, the Stanley Works which was incorporated in 1853. In 1920 the company merged with Stanley Rule and Level Company (also of New Britain ), founded by his cousin Henry Stanley in 1857, with Stanley Rule & Level becoming the tool division of the Stanley Works.

When starting out as a hardware manufacturer Frederick Stanley traveled CT selling and often installing the hardware he made. Not long after the Stanley Works was incorporated, FT Stanley hired William Hart who grew the Stanley Works into the powerhouse it was to become, some of his innovations were improving packaging of hardware to speed up sales, the invention of cold rolling steel and improving processes and developing machinery to increase production while reducing expenses.

Frederick served as the first Mayor of New Britain, bringing gas lighting, rail service, and a reservoir-fed water supply to the town. Frederick died on August 2, 1883 at the age of 80, ten days short of his 81st birthday.

After bringing the railroad to New Britain in 1850, the first locomotive to come through town was named the Frederick T. Stanley.

Frederick Stanley sent a pair of suspenders from one of his businesses to President Andrew Jackson. In return, he received a hand written letter of thanks signed by the President himself.

In his years as a teenager, he was arrested for driving his horse and cart on a Sunday. The police released him on bond and he was sent on his way.

Stanley is one of the world's most recognized brands of tools today, and they have produced millions of hand planes, saws, rulers, try squares, chisels, screwdrivers, and many other tools for consumer and industrial use. Their innovations include the Bailey hand plane, the Surform shaper, the PowerLock tape measure, and the box-cutter knife. The last is sometimes called a utility knife or a Stanley knife.

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