Morris Lancaster from Richmond, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved hinge to work with the school desk lid. Patent no. 181689 was issued on August 29, 1876.
This model features a combination of wood and metal. The patent has a new mechanism called a “pawl” or “dog” that acted as a stop concerning the desk lid. This held the lid in position and operated automatically to hold or release it.
Morris Lancaster was born in 1842 and became a carpenter in Richmond, Indiana.
Henry R. Fry from Marion, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved standard support for the school seat and desk. Patent no. 164160 was issued on June 8, 1875.
This model shows a side view of a seat only. The model has two wooden legs and a hinge bracket for the seat to rest on. Both are painted black. The patent features a way to simplify and improve the end pieces of the desk support. While it was intended for school desks, it also had applications for general business purposes such as folding seats in theaters.
We are not aware of any additional information about the inventor/patentee.
James Smith from Richmond, Indiana received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 62375 was issued on February 26, 1867.
This model features wooden benches with dividers that are used for storage and open from the top. The desk compartment is located behind the bench and also has storage.
Ezra Smith, Asa Smith, and James Smith owned Ezra Smith & Co. where they manufactured various types of school furniture.
Charles J. Higgins from Marion, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 143760 was issued on October 21, 1873.
This was designed as a partial model consisting of the side support or end of a desk. Painted onto the desk are the words "Charles J. Higgins. Improvement in Desk Ends.” There are two pieces of bent or curved wood, which flares out as two legs for one side of a desk.
Charles J. Higgins founded Higgins Bent Wood School Furniture Co. and produced crafted school desks with beautiful wood "ends" or supports as advertised in the Indiana School Journal and sold in 1874 and 1875. By September 12, 1876, The Indianapolis News was reporting that the company was in financial trouble and liquidating their stock.
Charles J. Higgins from Indianapolis, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 112038 was issued on February 21, 1871.
"Charles J. Higgins, Indianapolis, Indiana" is painted on the backrest. The seat folds up and the desktop is stationary with storage underneath. There is a wooden base with metal hinges.
Charles J. Higgins founded Higgins Bent Wood School Furniture Co.
George Grant from Richmond, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 88563 was issued on April 6, 1869.
This desk features an innovation in folding. The leaf of the school desk can be pulled out slightly raised and withdrawn from the desk and then brought down to fold. A place for the ink well, pens, pencils, and books is included in the design. It is made out of oak-colored wood. The wooden bench and legs flare out.
George H. Grant and John Allen formed a partnership to manufacture school desks. After Allen’s death, the firm became George H. Grant & Company. In 1876 Grant formed a partnership with A. W. Hempleman to manufacture school and church furniture.
George H. Grant from Richmond, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved seat. Patent no. 151873 was issued on June 9, 1874.
This model is a combination of iron and wood. The improved seat can be used in churches, parks, schools, halls, or lawns. The intent was to make a stronger seat that was cheap, portable, and easily constructed without skilled labor. The backrest and seat are made of dark wooden slats that are pushed together and curved for support. The feet of the chair legs feature holes that can be for mounting to a base.
George H. Grant and John Allen formed a partnership to manufacture school desks. After Allen’s death, the firm became George H. Grant & Company. In 1876 Grant formed a partnership with A. W. Hempleman to manufacture school and church furniture.
William A. Bradford from Goshen, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 170810 was issued on December 12, 1875.
This model is a combination of thick cast iron and wood. The ironwork features a scrollwork design and Romanesque arches along the side of the desktop. The seat folds up, but the desk is attached to the back of the backrest and does not lift up. The seat and backrest are curved and joined for lower back support. There are metal hinges and the legs have feet with holes in them to allow the desk to be mounted to the platform. Stops were used below the seat hinges to allow greater control of movement. The stops were a part of another patent filed by Bradford.
We are not aware of any additional information about the inventor/patentee.
George W. Puterbaugh from Greenfield, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent model no. 173340 was issued on February 8, 1876 with Alfred E. Teal.
This desk has storage and slants downward. It is made of oak and has metal screws. The seat folds up, and bumpers are incorporated into the design to prevent the seat from slamming and creating noise. It has crossed member supports with a heavily reinforced folding seat and cloverleaf design. The seat curves and has a backrest for support.
George W. Puterbaugh was born in 1844. He served as a school principal and later as superintendent in Greenfield, Indiana. He went on to found the Straight Wood Co. (also called the Straight Wood School Desk Co.) to manufacture desks. He died in 1887.
Francis Wilbur from Wabash, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 140979 was issued on July 15, 1873.
This model is simply crafted of wood and consists of a desktop featuring a sliding bench. The sliding mechanism as well as the pivoted levers used to support the bench were innovations in this patent. The horizontal, sliding platform features a section that can fold up to provide a book rest. The desk’s support is not comprised of legs, but from entire boards of wood on all exterior sides. "F. A. Wilbur" is painted with stencil on the desktop. The patent tag is nailed on.
We are not aware of any additional information about the inventor/patentee.
James S. Rankin from Madison, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 34448 was issued on February 18, 1862.
This model features a row of desks and benches held together with a central beam. This design resulted in sufficient support using the least amount of material and simplified the cost and construction of the desk.
James S. Rankin was born in 1818. He served as a county and city superintendent of schools in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was known for the Rankin School Desk, which was popular because it was inexpensive and convenient. These desks were used in Louisville, Kentucky; Chicago, Illinois, and many other city schools. His desk was exhibited in the Mechanic’s Hall at the Indiana State Fair where it was recommended for first premium, a cash award. He died in 1897.
James Smith from Richmond, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 100334 was issued on March 1, 1869.
This desk features a wooden bench with a flat backrest and seat. The seat folds up with the use of wooden hinges. The desk is attached to the back and does not lift up. There is a storage shelf underneath the desktop. There are no legs, but instead a pew-like support system. There is a silver plaque, tarnished, on the desktop that reads, "Improved School Desk, James Smith, Richmond Ind."
Ezra Smith, Asa Smith, and James Smith owned Ezra Smith & Co., where they manufactured various types of school furniture.
William N. Foster from Indianapolis, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved bench. Patent no. 128871 was issued on July 9, 1872.
This desk features a seat with five slats of alternating dark and light wood. The metal hinges allow the seat to fold up. The backrest and seat are not joined. There is a storage shelf underneath, but the desktop does not lift up. "Fosters patent Applied for May 1st" is painted on the desk. Foster was concerned with all the practical elements of the desk, incorporating a groove for the holding of pens and pencils and providing an inkstand attached to the desk. He also considered the comfort of the students and added a place for them to rest their feet.
William N. Foster founded Foster’s Bent Wood School Furniture in Indianapolis.
John Piehl from Richmond, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved combination desk and seat. Patent no. 106403 was issued on August 16,1870.
This patent featured a school desk and seat that had a clam-hinge, holding the desk more firmly in place. This design created a longer lasting hinge. There are four cross members that form the folding seat. It has a swiveling book compartment, decorative brass supports, and is mounted on a wooden platform. The plate on the backrest is ripped off. There is storage underneath the desk, but the top does not lift up.
We are not aware of any additional information about the inventor/patentee.
Eldridge Clark Haynes from Kirk's Cross Roads, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 186729 was issued on January 30, 1877.
This model is made of wood and has metal hinges. It has alternating light and dark slats of wood and the seat folds up. It does not have legs, but rather has two boards for base support. There is a shelf underneath the desk top for storage and a routed crevice for holding pencils.
Eldridge Haynes was born on July 10, 1816 in New York. He died on August 25, 1882 in Kirklin, Indiana.
James Smith from Richmond, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 118161 was issued on August 15, 1871.
This wood and iron model is a double desk, with four individual seats. The two desk tops and the seats, despite having a bench-like backrest, are individualized and divided so that each seat can fold up. The backrest is composed of ten slats. There are two springs on the back of each desk for extra back support. The desk is attached to the back of the backrest with storage. It has an iron frame and metal hinges. A brass plate on the patent model states: "School Desks, James Smith, Richmond, Ind." Another silver colored plate has "School Desk James Smith, Richmond, Ind." engraved on it.
Ezra Smith, Asa Smith, and James Smith owned Ezra Smith & Co., where they manufactured various types of school furniture.
Hamilton S. McRae from Muncie, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 72662 was issued on December 24, 1867.
This desk has a convenient and easily operated book holder. The innovative book holder sits within the desktop with a lid on top. The lid could be lifted up to allow access to the book. There is a curved seat for support and comfort. The backrest is a flat front face with three vertical slats of wood. The back legs on the desk flare out.
Hamilton S. McRae was born on January 2, 1833 in Indiana. He served as a teacher, principal, and superintendent of schools. An advocate of educational reform, McRae espoused free kindergarten and free public libraries.
Charles J. Higgins from Marion, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 180233 was issued on July 25, 1876.
This model features an improved arrangement of the brackets and an improved method for securing the brackets to the desk. These brackets require fewer screws while using less desk space to attach the seats together. The desk has a shelf inside for storing materials. The oak seat is attached behind it, and both are curved. The backrest slats are compressed to create horizontal grooves in the chair, and each slat alternates between a light and dark wood. Its wooden legs are attached to a base.
Charles J. Higgins founded Higgins Bent Wood School Furniture Co.
James Russell from Plymouth, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 117467 was issued on July 25, 1871.
This model has two separate seats that fold up, with a backrest connected like a bench. There are two attached desks behind the back rest that both have lids that can lift up. The wooden bench seat and desk are made of a dark wood with metal hinges. The desktop is divided to make a pair. The bench on the desk front is split in the same manner as the desktop. There is storage underneath both desks for books. The seats fold up individually, though the back rest is connected like a bench. The model includes original patent tags.
James Russell was born in 1821 and became a carpenter in Plymouth, Indiana.
John P. Allen from Richmond, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for improvements in a school desk. Patent no. 46980 was issued on March 28, 1865.
This desk is attached onto the back of the seat, and there are metal dividers between the seats to separate the desks. The design makes the desk sturdy so that it can stand without being fastened to the floor. The backrest and seat join for lower back support, but there are no curves in the design. Decorative ironwork assists in connecting multiple desks. "Allen inventor, Richmond, Indiana" is written on a silver plate that is mounted on the backrest. There is storage provided underneath the desktop, but the top does not lift up.
John P. Allen formed a partnership with George H. Grant to manufacture Allen’s self-supporting school desks. When Allen died in 1868, Joseph Marchant became a partner. Marchant was succeeded by Joshua Nickerson and William Wooten, and the firm became known as the George H. Grant & Company.