( A. Adams & Sons)
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The Sandwich Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1867 as the successor to the earlier firm of A. Adams & Sons, established in Sandwich, Illinois, in 1856 by Augustus Adams. An inventor, legislator, and pioneer manufacturer, Adams’ influence extended beyond industry into Illinois politics and the broader development of the American Midwest.
The company’s origins reach back to one of the earliest chapters of industrial manufacturing west of the Great Lakes. By 1840, Adams had established an iron working operation at Elgin, Illinois, believed to be among the first of its kind in the region. At a time when most machinery was still produced in eastern states, Adams was experimenting with iron casting, fuel sources, and agricultural implements on the western frontier.
His early work was conducted under primitive conditions. Iron was melted in a small, hand built furnace using charcoal burned by Adams himself, and his earliest castings included simple items such as plow points and iron soles. In an effort to improve efficiency, he experimented with hard Pennsylvania coal, then scarcely available in the region. A shipping error that resulted in an unusually large coal delivery to Chicago was later regarded as a turning point in the development of large scale coal traffic along the Chicago River.
From these early efforts emerged a series of important mechanical innovations. Adams developed one of the first grain cutting machines in which grain was both cut and bound, introduced the hinged cutter bar still used in mowing machines, and perfected the self feeding power corn sheller. These machines addressed the growing needs of corn producers across the Mississippi Valley and contributed to the transformation of agricultural productivity in the expanding western states.
Recognizing the central importance of corn to Midwestern agriculture, Adams foresaw the need for large scale manufacturing of corn handling machinery. While operating in Elgin, he became acquainted with William Patten of Sandwich, who encouraged him to relocate. Sandwich offered a strategic advantage situated near the center of the corn belt and along the recently completed Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad.
In April 1856, Adams purchased his first parcel of land in Sandwich from Patten on the east side of Main Street, an early foothold that preceded the company’s later expansion west of Main. Soon after, Adams moved his family and business to Sandwich, establishing operations under the firm name A. Adams & Sons.
In its earliest years, the firm operated as a family enterprise, with Adams’ sons Darius and Henry actively involved in production and operations. In 1861, Joseph Phelps Adams joined the business, strengthening its financial and administrative management. This evolving partnership formed the foundation for the later incorporation of the Sandwich Manufacturing Company.
The enterprise grew quickly. What began as a small shop expanded steadily as demand increased across the Midwest. By the time of the Civil War, the company had developed a substantial trade in agricultural machinery.
In 1867, the scale of operations warranted incorporation, and the Sandwich Manufacturing Company was formally organized to succeed A. Adams & Sons. At the organizational meeting, W. W. Sedgwick served as secretary, and a board of directors was established. Although Augustus Adams soon withdrew from active management, his sons, particularly J. Phelps Adams and Henry A. Adams, continued the business, combining financial leadership with mechanical innovation.
The factory evolved alongside the company’s growth. From its earliest wooden structures, the plant expanded repeatedly, surviving fires and reemerging with increased manufacturing capacity. By the late nineteenth century, the Sandwich Manufacturing Company ranked among the largest and best known agricultural implement manufacturers in the western United States.
Its products, especially the Adams power corn shellers, were distributed nationwide and exported abroad. While widely used throughout the Mississippi Valley and western states, Sandwich built machines also reached markets along the eastern seaboard and beyond. Company catalogs illustrated customers in Europe, South America, the Caribbean, and Australia, reflecting a growing international reputation.
By the time Augustus Adams retired, his work had left a lasting imprint on both American agriculture and the industrial development of northern Illinois. He died in October 1892, but the company remained closely identified with his legacy.
Under the continued direction of his sons and later leadership, the Sandwich Manufacturing Company helped transform Sandwich from a frontier settlement into a center of manufacturing innovation. For decades, its machines, its workforce, and its leadership shaped not only the local economy, but the character and identity of the community itself.
Facts at a Glance: Sandwich Manufacturing Company
Incorporated
1867 — Sandwich, Illinois
Origins
Succeeded A. Adams & Sons (established 1856)
Founder
Augustus Adams
Principal Partners at Incorporation
Augustus Adams
Darius Adams
Henry A. Adams
Joseph Phelps Adams
Early Development
1856 — Operations established in Sandwich
1861 — J. Phelps Adams joined the firm
Primary Products
Self-feeding power corn shellers
Agricultural machinery (harvesters, binders, mowers, hay presses)
Workforce
Approximately 100 employees by the early 1860s
Facilities
Expanded repeatedly; rebuilt following multiple fires
Markets
Distributed throughout the United States and internationally
(Europe, South America, Caribbean, Australia)
Leadership (Later Years)
J. Phelps Adams — Secretary & Treasurer (to 1904)
Henry A. Adams — Superintendent (to 1910; director until 1917)
Significance
One of the largest agricultural implement manufacturers in the western United States
Helped establish Sandwich, Illinois as a center of manufacturing
Continue The Story
Growing Together: Sandwich Manufacturing and the Jacob Haish CompanyAs two of DeKalb County’s most important industries grew side by side, Sandwich Manufacturing Company and the Jacob Haish Company helped shape the town’s identity as a center of innovation and manufacturing.
Charles C. JonesEngineer and inventor Charles C. Jones contributed to the development and improvement of Sandwich Manufacturing Company machinery during its years of expansion.
Sandwich Machines Around the World
Sandwich shellers and farm machinery traveled far beyond Illinois, reaching farms across the United States and even overseas markets.
J. Phelps Adams
J. Phelps Adams helped carry forward the manufacturing legacy that shaped Sandwich’s industrial growth.
Henry A. Adams
A key leader of Sandwich Manufacturing Company during its years of expansion and industrial growth
A. Adams & Sons
The original 1856 partnership that helped establish Sandwich as a manufacturing center.
Sources
Ardrey, R. L. American Agricultural Implements: A Review of Invention and Development in the Agricultural Implement Industry of the United States. Chicago: Published by the author, n.d., pp. 186–190.