J.B.F. Champlin & Son
Founded by J.B.F. Champlin
Little Valley, New York
1865-1886
Accepted as the patriarch of cutlery in western New York, J.B.F. Champlin started selling for cutlery importer Friedmann & Lauterjung after the Civil War, opening the region one sale at time. Married to Theresa Case and having one son, Tint (who was a partner in the business at the age of seven), J.B.F. was soon known for being as savvy in sales as he was at encouraging related industry. Operating under the name J.B.F. Champlin & Son by 1873, the importer, jobber and wholesaler would employ 125 by 1882 at its impressive Opera House headquarters in downtown Little Valley. Recruiting masters from New England and Europe, J.B.F. also hired his Case brothers-in-law as salesman, and the industry would never be the same. The company would be re-incorporated as Cattaraugus Cutlery at the end of 1886, and Cattaraugus County would soon have its first full-scale cutlery manufacturing factory.
Information and photo provided by Brad Lockwood and Dean E. Case.