Coop's Loop

D.R. Barton was Rochester's best-known tool manufacturer in the early eighteenth century. The oval imprint  "D.R. BARTON 1832 ROCHESTER, N.Y." was stamped on thousands of implements and  one of the first examples of branding in the Rochester area. (shown above in an advertisement in the 1874 Rochester Directory)  Desired by local history buffs and collectors, many of these instruments are now privately owned. 
 
David Barton was a partner in many different toolmaking companies... all in Rochester, New York.  He was born on July 4, 1805 and died April 26, 1875. He is buried in one of the prettiest places in the city, Mt. Hope Cemetery. 
 
David started his trade working for Mr. Thomas Morgan. Morgan occupied a small blacksmith shop, built in 1820 that occupied a valuable mill seat property located at the southwest corner of the northward flowing Genesee River and the main east-west street in the fast growing village.
 
Barton went through many partnerships in his edge tool company. At first it appears that he had about 24 employees and was using 12 to 14 tons of iron and about 4 tons of steel per year. The business grew over the years to a point where he had almost 200 employees and producing more than $100,000 worth of edge tools per year.
 
In 1865 on the 17th of March the great flood of Rochester occurred. It destroyed his manufacturing building that he had purchased in 1832. He borrowed $200,000 from Royal & William Mack to rebuild his company. They became partners until 1873 when David bought back his company. At that point he started stamping his tools with D.R. Barton 1832 brand. The Mack's were still making tools as D.R. Barton and Company. On April 26th 1875 he passed away after a short illness. His wife and son sold the company back to the Mack's a year later and they used his name and brand for about 5 more years.
 
Reference:
www.davistownmuseum.org