History of J.W. Mixter Saw Tool Co.

Jason Woods Mixter

J.W. Mixter Saw Tool Co. of Plymouth, Massachusetts, made tools for maintaining large circular saws and a few other tools. These included the mill pick pictured in their 1893 catalog. Mill pick patents were common at this time, but I could not locate a patent for the Mixter pick. The highly tempered blade could be removed for sharpening, extended as it wore down, and replaced. It's not apparent from the picture how the blade was fastened in the head, but it may have been a wedging device. The Mixter No. 1 pick's blade was 1-1/8 inches wide and the No. 2 was 1-1/4 inches wide. Mixter picks were very expensive even with the 10 blades included, $8.00 and $10.00 in 1893.

According to the 1893 catalog, the business began in 1858 and was incorporated 1888. It was named for Jason Woods Mixter (1837-1924), born in Worcester County, MA. Nothing is yet known of his early life and training, but he married late, at age 28, to Lydia Edes, daughter of prominent Plymouth resident Oliver Edes. The marriage furthered Mixter's business interests. Mixter was a partner in zinc mines with his father-in-law and brother-in-law Edwin L. Edes, and Mixter also served on the board of directors of the Plymouth and Middleborough Railroad. Mixter's home was at 116 Court St.

Mixter Improved Mill-Stone Pick

It is unknown how long Mixter Saw Tool Co. operated, but their products were mentioned in print as late as 1912. The company appeared in business directories a decade later, although these may not be reliable. According to one source, they were at Town Square, Plymouth, city directories have the address as Market St. in 1890 and Church St. in 1905. The 1903 map below gives another location east of Sumner St., which is an apartment complex today. Mixter's was one of many industries in the 19th and early 20th century Plymouth, making rope, nails, rivets, textiles, as described in the 2008 book, A Guide to Historic Plymouth. 

Mixter himself appears to have been vigorous into old age. His wife died when he was 54, he remarried at age 73 in 1910, and he lived to age 87.

Here is the complete J.W. Mixter 1893 catalog.

Jason W. Mixter, Plymouth, MA 1903