Silas Hoadley (1786-1870)
Seth Thomas and Silas Hoadley worked for Eli Terry (circa 1807 to 1810) during the period when Terry invented the “factory system” to produce large quantities of identical, inexpensive clocks which then could be installed in a case of the customer’s choice (and purse), or simply hung on the wall.
Circa 1810 Thomas and Hoadley bought Eli Terry’s clock shop in Plymouth, Connecticut and remained partners for about three years. Seth Thomas sold out in 1813 to start-up his own prolific clock works in Plymouth Hollow, Connecticut. Hoadley continued the clock shop until 1849 when closed it for a long retirement (until his death in 1870). He is known primarily for his tall case and shelf clocks with wooden works, although he did make a few examples with brass movements.