Remembering bygone businesses along Ontario Street

Brainerd Brass Manufacturing Co.

In 1899 the Buchanan Brass Works, which manufactured small brass hardware after coming here from Buchanan, Va., built a plant on North Lincoln Road near the railroad. A short time later, the Brainerd Brass Manufacturing Co. was organized to buy the factory. It grew quickly with the annual payroll amounting to $20,000 by the year 1904. Soon the factory was too small for the fifty men who were employed and with the increase in business, additional salesmen were needed. William F. Brainerd and his company moved to a modern concrete building erected on N. Washington and Monroe streets.

Brainerd manufactured and packaged brass handles, brass cardholders for file cabinets, brass house numbers and may types of unique hinges. The hardware items were shipped to stores across the United States and Canada and to China and Japan. During World War II, the United States Navy contracted with Brainerd’s for special brass handles to move the torpedoes used in the operations of submarines. The original district #9 schoolhouse remained on the Brainerd property. It was remodeled and enlarged for packaging operations. John Ferrimani, plant manager, worked for Brainerd’s for 57 years, starting when he was a sophomore in the East Rochester High School. He saw much growth in the company and was proud to be connected with the largest manufacturing company in the village after the Carshops and Piano Works closed.

In 1998, after 99 years of operation, the company was sold to Liberty Hardware of Chicago, who moved the manufacturing operation to China. Today the former Brainerd Brass Company buildings are being used for a furniture reconditioning company.

Ontario Drill Works

Walter A. Parce was looking for new industries to develop in the recently founded town of Despatch. The Ontario Drill Works purchased the vacant Buchanan Brass Buildings on Ontario Street in 1900 for a "reasonable" price and started to manufacture farm machinery such as high-grade grain drills, seeders and planters.

In 1904 T. Joseph Mitchell built an addition to the original plant. After steady growth, the plant contained a foundry, a wood shop, an assembly shop, a paint shop and office. The New York Central ran a spur to the plant to aid in shipping.

The Ontario Grain Drill was designed and built for farming conditions found in the eastern part of the United States. In early spring the farmers of many localities brought their red and yellow drills here to be repaired and reconditioned. Made to last, the drills only needed yearly updating.

Up to the mid thirties, the drills produced were of the horse drawn variety. With the development of the tractor the grain drills were adapted to the new farm equipment. Cars bearing the registration plates of Pennsylvania, Virginia and even Georgia came to the plant because of its extra special quality.

While the industry never became large, employing only sixty men, its products were shipped to all parts of the United States. During World War II, certain sub-contracts for the government were completed here. For sixty years the plant was a thriving business in Despatch and East Rochester.

In 1961 the company was sold to a Rochester group under the name of "The Ontario Corporation." The production facility was moved to Medina, New York and East Rochester lost another industry. Today the area is the home of Pettis Pools.

Pierce Oil Co.

In 1902 the Signal Oil Company of Cleveland, Ohio erected two buildings just beyond the Ontario Drill Works on Ontario Street. Five years later the company was incorporated as the Pierce Oil Company, with the workers arriving each day by train. They made mustard seed oil, then a rubber extender made from vegetable oil. Mr. Pierce and his four sons ran the company.

Branching out, the company began to manufacture blown oils, which were developed from corn, rapeseed and castor beans. Refined rapeseed oil was imported from Japan. These oils were used in finishing artificial leather, real leather and patent leather, used extensively at that time for shoes, bags and belts.

These products made up the principal part of the business until 1918 when a refinery was installed for refining vegetable oils such as corn and peanut oils, which are used in making salad and cooking oils. Due to the growth of the business, the plant was enlarged, the oil products continued to be refined and a new brick office building was erected. It remains standing today.

During World War I, a large quantity of medicinal castor oil was sold to the United States government. The heavy blown oils were used in marine engines. A million and a half barrels of oil were shipped each year. The company continued until the early 1970s. Today the buildings are home to many small businesses.