Crossley and Barr (USA)
of Wilmington, Delaware
John S. Crossley and Robert H. Barr.
From 'Memorials of the Hilles Family' [1]:-
'In the year 1854, John S. Crossley and Samuel Davis, two machinists in the
employ of Pusey & Jones, of Wilmington, were desirous of going into the business
of building machinists' tools, for which there seemed to be a great demand. This
partnership existed but a short time, the firm becoming Crossley & Allen; it was
again changed to Crossley & Barr, and then simply to Robert H. Barr.
In 1862, Wm. S. Hilles became associated with Robert H. Barr, forming the
co-partnership of Robert H. Barr & Co., and in 1863, Heney C. Jones was admitted
without changing the firm name.
They now commenced the manufacture of engines and boilers, and also built
several wooden vessels, the largest of which was the seven-hundred ton schooner,
called 'Wm. S. Hilles'.
At the close of the (Civil) war, they abandoned vessel building and gave their
whole attention to the machine and boiler building and were quite successful.
In 1870, Robert H. Barr retiring from the business, Wm. S. Hilles and Henry
C. Jones continued it under the style of Hilles & Jones. Mr. Hilles not being a
practical machinist, attended to the finances, while Mr. Jones did the designing and managed the business ... The firm's financial condition was such as to easily withstand the depreciation of values and panic, commencing with 1873.
In 1876, Wm. S. Hilles being in ill-health, was advised to go abroad, and while
travelling with his son, T. Allen Hilles, died suddenly at Nice, France. The firm
continued without change, Mrs. Wm. S. Hilles retaining her husband's interest
and Mr. Jones assuming entire control of all the firm's business. He gradually changed it from the production of all kinds of machinery, to a special line of tools for locomotive-builders, railroad-shops, boiler-makers and bridge-builders.
In 1885, T. Allen Hilles . . . was admitted to the firm, having had experience with all the different classes of work, to give him a thorough knowledge of the
business." ("History of Delaware", Scharf, 1888, Vol. II, p. 785.)
Later, without material change of ownership, but the principal heads of the
concern taking shares, the business was incorporated as Hilles and Jones Company, and became one of the leading industries of Wilmington.'