Page 44 - Copshaholm Curriculum Book_2015

Oliver Timeline 2

1868 Jul. The Singer Sewing Machine Company located in South Bend
contracted with the Oliver Company to make their iron castings.

1868 Jul. 22 The Oliver company was incorporated as the South Bend Iron Works
for a period of 50 years.

1869 Feb. 2 James was granted a patent for “Chilling Casting Mould Boards.” This
was the second step in perfecting his chilling process.

1871 Jul. 18 J.D. Oliver becomes a member on the Board of Directors of the South
Bend Iron Works.

1872 Jan 25 The South Bend Iron Works made a shipment of agricultural
implements to Japan, probably their first foreign business which
developed rapidly later.

1873 May 20 James was granted registration of his first Trade Mark entitled “Oliver’s
Patent Chilled Plow.”

1874 Apr 16 The Olivers purchased 30 acres of the Perkins Farm for $30,000 where
they intended to “erect new works for occupancy in the summer of
1875” at the corner of Sample and Chapin Street.

1877 Jul. 13 The Oliver Plow Works office was moved permanently to the new brick
office building on Chapin Street from the East and West Race.

1878 Mar. 30 The telephone arrived in South Bend. The first one installed connected
the Telegraph Office with the office of the South Bend Iron Works.
Frank C. Nippold of the Oliver office was the first man in South Bend to
use the telephone.

1878 Oct. 25 James Oliver becomes president of the South Bend Iron Works.

1881 May 4 James buys the John Chess residence on West Washington Street
(where the Central High School was located). He rebuilt the home and
lived in it until his death.

1881 Aug. 31 The first electric lights were installed in the Oliver factory.

1882 Jun. 25 The company filled an order for the Philippine Islands.

1883 Dec. 5 Ground broken for the block of row houses known as the “Oliver Row”
on the northwest corner of Main and Colfax Streets.

1884 Mar. 29 Excavation for the Oliver Theater started on Main Street.