ASHLAND — What seemed like a minor event in 1880 actually started an industrial revolution and had a long term impact on the economic history and growth of Ashland.
In the basement of 29 E. Main St. (formerly Comstock’s Fabric Shop and currently under renovation), Philip A. Myers had a workshop in the basement. Upstairs, his brother Francis E. Myers ran a farm implement store.
Ashland County farmers knew Philip was skilled at repairing farm tools and machines but he was particularly interested in pumps. Working alone at night in the basement, Philip invented what he called the double-acting force pump. Without showing the device to his brother, he sent away for a patent.
Once Francis finally did see the pump along with the patent, he quickly realized the value of both the farm tool itself and the patent.
The small farm implement store eventually grew into the F. E. Myers & Brother Company due to the individual talents of the two brothers.
Philip was described as an inventive mechanical genius. Francis was an excellent salesman who had been learning the ropes as a traveling salesmen in the 1870’s for a Canton plow company.
The combination started Ashland’s first major industry which created hundreds of job positions over many decades for those residing in or moving to the Ashland area.
By the early 1900’s, F. E. Myers and Brother Company began to design and build fully automatic electric pumps, and by 1910, they were the largest pump manufacturer in the United States.
But even with all its success there were times of difficulty too. The company lost a storage and shipping building on Orange Street along with 15,000 to 20,000 pumps in a devastating fire in 1906.
Another fire in 1921 totally destroyed the Center Street Works building. Francis and Philip Myers did not let this discourage them and forged ahead into the future. The company continually grew and expanded to more than 9.5 acres of floor space and two acres of foundries.
Francis used his sales skills to introduce the company on an international level and traveled extensively as Philip remained in Ashland inventing. Philip Myers held 125 patents on water pumps, windmill pumps, bilge pumps, de-watering pumps, fire pumps, industrial pumps, and power sprayer pumps.
He also held patents on porch swings, bicycle stands, hat tools, store ladders, door hangars and other items.
By the early 1930’s Francis and Philip had passed away but the F. E. Myers and Brother Company continued to operate under the direction of other Myers family members. The company continued to evolve after World War II and eventually was sold to McNeil Machine & Engineering Company in 1960.
In 1986, the company was acquired by Pentair, Inc.
