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Illinois History

LHS Class of 1958

Brief History: Illinois Watch Company
Springfield, Illinois
1869 - 1927

The Illinois Springfield Watch Company was organized in 1869 primarily through the efforts of J. C. Adams. The first company Directors were J. T. Stuart, W. B. Miller, John Williams, John W. Bunn, George Black and George Passfield.

John Stuart was a Springfield lawyer and former partner of Abraham Lincoln. John Williams was president of the First National bank of Springfield. William B. Miller was a local merchant. John B. Bunn owned a grocery business.

Though the first movements were produced in 1872, the company didn't really didn't achieve full production until 1875. By serial number, the first watch made was the "Stuart" model, followed in order by the "Mason," Bunn," "Miller," and finally the "Currier. The first stem-wind watch was produced in 1875. The early Illinois models were key-wound and key-set and are quite collectible today. Illinois later produced an extensive line of extremely fine and accurate Railroad-grade pocket watches like the "Sangamo Special," "Bunn Special" and "Santa Fe Special" (just to name a few).

In 1879, due to financial difficulties, the company was reorganized and the name changed to the Illinois Springfield Watch Company. By 1885 the company name was changed yet again to the Illinois Watch Company.

The Illinois Watch Company was purchased by Hamilton Watch Company in 1927, but continued to produce Illinois watches under Hamilton management until 1932 (the year the last "true" Illinois watch was made). Hamilton continued producing Illinois watches in the Hamilton factory until 1939.

Note: The Illinois Watch Case Company of Elgin, Illinois should not be confused with the Illinois Watch Company or the Elgin Watch Company. The Illinois Watch Case Company was a major manufacture in the city of Elgin, Illinois. It manufactured watch cases under many brands, such as "Elgin Giant," "Elgin Pride," "Tivoli," "Spartan," and "Elgin Commander." The use of the name "Elgin" in their brand names, or marking the cases with "Elgin USA" has often lead people to believe that a watch was made by the Elgin National Watch Company when it was actually made by another manufacturer, or to think that a watch no longer has its original case because it is "now in an Elgin case."

Illinois Watch Company
Approximate Serial Numbers and Dates

Year	S/N	Year	S/N	Year	S/N
1872	5000	1893	1,120,000	1914	2,600,000
1873	20,000	1894	1,160,000	1915	2,700,000
1874	50,000	1895	1,220,000	1916	2,800,000
1875	75,000	1896	1,250,000	1917	3,000,000
1876	100,000	1897	1,290,000	1918	3,200,000
1877	145,000	1898	1,330,000	1919	3,400,000
1878	210,000	1899	1,370,000	1920	3,600,000
1879	250,000	1900	1,410,000	1921	3,750,000
1880	300,000	1901	1,450,000	1922	3,900,000
1881	350,000	1902	1,500,000	1923	4,000,000
1882	400,000	1903	1,650,000	1924	4,500,000
1883	450,000	1904	1,700,000	1925	4,700,000
1884	500,000	1905	1,800,000	1926	4,800,000
1885	550,000	1906	1,840,000	1927	5,000,000
1886	600,000	1907	1,900,000	- Sold to Hamilton -
1887	700,000	1908	2,100,000	1928	5,100,000
1888	800,000	1909	2,150,000	1929	5,200,000
1889	900,000	1910	2,200,000	1931	5,400,000
1890	1,000,000	1911	2,300,000	1934	5,500,000
1891	1,040,000	1912	2,400,000	1948	5,600,000
1892	1,080,000	1913	2,500,000

Be sure to use the serial number on the movement of the watch itself.
Do not use the serial number from the case.

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