H. F. Livermore Corporation Records

H.F. Livermore Corporation, located in Boston, was founded in 1887 by Homer Fiske Livermore. While visiting various textile mills, Livermore had observed many broken parts vital to the operation of looms. These parts, made from cast iron, were brittle and broke easily. Livermore decided to use malleable iron, just coming into use, for loom parts because it was more flexible than cast iron. Among the first goods produced were a malleable iron shuttle binder and protector finger for Crompton & Knowles looms. The company issued its first catalog in 1902 and established a research and development department in 1919. It consistently contributed to the improvement of loom operations by providing superior parts. H.F. Livermore died in 1940; his wife served as acting president from 1940-1947, when Chester Hammond became president, treasurer and director. A southeastern division and warehouse opened in 1949 in Greenville, SC, and a southwestern division and warehouse opened in 1953 in Dallas, TX. The company had sales representatives not only in Boston, Greenville, and Dallas, but also in Pawtucket, RI, Allentown, PA, Charlotte, NC, Atlanta, GA, Los Angeles, CAL, and Montreal, Canada. Agents were located in Mexico, Chile, Cuba, and Venezuela.