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A Rempe Clock at the Caldwell Consistory
" It is believed that very few of his clocks were made and even less has survived. The cases for the clocks were made by Muncy Mfg. Co and the West Branch Novelty Co. being 15 to 20 miles west of Danville, Pa. on the east and west bank of the west branch of the Susquehanna River. The instructions and the movement have the patent dates but do not have the patent numbers.
The power for these clocks came from two dry cell No. #6 batteries like the Columbia Dry Cell No. 6 which would activate the two levers and two springs that ran the clock movement.
The Rempe clocks were advertised in the Jeweler's Circular-Weekly and on the front of their catalog as "The Clock That Goes without Winding" and should run for two plus years on a new set of # 6 batteries."
The company was in business from 1903-1905.
Henry Rempe was born in 1867, the son of German born parents Frank & Margaret [Deil] Rampe. He married Sylvia Aldred in 1895.
He opened his first jewelry store in Danville in 1893, at 326 Mill St. He later moved to 290 Mill Street.
In May of 1903 Rempe sold his jewelry store to J.W. Lore, and devoted himself to a new invention, a clock that did not need winding.
The Rempe Manufacturing Co was chartered, with D.C. Angle as president, M.G. Young as secretary, and Rempe as general manager. A building was leased on Railroad street, for the manufacturing. Charles Hitchler, an expert watchmaker from NY, was hired, along with 9 additional men.
The first self-winding clock was assembled in 1903. The case was from Hoover Brothers of South Danville. The dial and door combinations were purchased from Ingrahams in Connecticut. In the early days, the factory produced 15 clocks a day, in two styles, Mantle and Office.
F.Q. Hartman replaced the clocks in his knitting mills with Rempe Clocks. A large office style clock was purchased by the county commissioners for the Courthouse.
In 1904, modern machinery was purchased to help manufacture the clocks. According to Montour American, clocks were shipped to every state from Maine to California.
On July 14th 1905, the company was sold at Sheriff's sale. It was reorganized as the Automatic Clock Company, with A.C. Amesbury as president. Rempe moved to Lock Haven in 1905, opening a dry goods store there.
In November of 1906, Star Speedometer company took over half of the Railroad street building.
More about the Star Speedometer Plant- which took over the Rempe building
https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2022/01/star-speedometer-plant-milton-pa.html
The last mention of the clocks in local papers appears to be in 1908.
Rempe held patents #407,243 also 499,176 also 734,366 and 737,019 and per his 1904 catalog he built eight models of shelf clocks and seven models of wall regulator clocks.
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The Clinton County Times, Fri., March 7, 1919, p. 1.
Death of Henry Rempe.
Progressive Merchant Died at His Home on West Main Street of Pneumonia.
It is with deep regret we are called upon to chronicle the death of Henry Rempe, one of this city’s best known and most prominent business men, which occurred at his home on West Main street, at 6:30 o’clock Tuesday morning of pneumonia, after a short illness.
On February 9, Mr. Rempe went to New York on business and while in that city contracted a severe cold, returning home on February 21, when pneumonia developed. He had been a sufferer from rheumatism for several years and while in New York took treatments, but they failed to give him relief. Every thing possible was done for him and he appeared to be recovering, until Sunday when meningitis developed. He lapsed into unconsciousness shortly afterwards and remained in that conditions until the end.
Mr. Rempe was born in Scranton 52 years ago. In 1905 he came to this city with his family and opened the well known Rempe dry goods store on East Main street, which he conducted with great success. He was a member of the Great Island Presbyterian church the Danville Lodge of Masons, and the Clinton County Country club. During his residence in this city he took an active part in all movements for the betterment of the community. He was possessed of a kindly disposition, which won for him a host of friends, who are deeply grieved over his untimely death.
Deceased is survived by his wife, one son, Robert H. and one daughter Edna May, both at home. Two brothers, Edward of Wisconsin; William of Baltimore, and one sister, Mrs. William Barnes of Baltimore, also survive.
Funeral services were conducted at his late home Thursday afternoon at 3 o’clock by Rev. Elliott D. Parkhill. Interment was made in Highland cemetery.
Came to Danville in 1903, from Washingtonville. Began working at Rempe Clock Factory, which was eventually purchased by J.W. Lore.
More about Wagner -
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