Wilson Bohannan

Wilson Bohannan, formally associated with the Wilson Bohannan Lock Company, is an American manufacturer of padlocks with roots in Brooklyn, New York, and a present-day base in Marion, Ohio. The business traces its origins to 1860, when founder Wilson Bohannan received his first padlock patent and began making locks in a small workshop behind his Brooklyn home. The first patent, issued on April 17, 1860, identified the inventor's first name as “Wilsin”; later patents used the spelling “Wilson.” This variation appears in the company's early patent record rather than representing a separate business or inventor. The company initially operated on a small scale from Bohannan's residence. As demand and production expanded, it moved by 1869, or possibly slightly earlier, to larger premises at Broadway and Kossuth Place in Brooklyn. Its early history reflects the development of American hardware manufacturing during the nineteenth century, when patented mechanical improvements and locally produced security hardware supported industrial and commercial growth. In 1926, the business relocated its operations to Marion, Ohio. The move placed the company in a Midwestern manufacturing center and established the location with which Wilson Bohannan is now associated. The company is described as having continued to manufacture padlocks for nearly 160 years and as America's oldest continuous padlock maker. Its identity is therefore closely tied to durable, domestically manufactured padlocks rather than to a broad consumer-products portfolio. Publicly available reference material identifies padlocks as the company's principal product category but provides limited detail about individual models, distribution channels, ownership structure, executives, financial performance, or recent marketing activity. Wilson Bohannan is best understood as a specialized American lock and hardware brand whose significance rests on manufacturing continuity, patent history, and longevity. The available sources do not establish international scale, public-company status, or a wider corporate group. Its current operating presence in Marion is the latest location documented in the supplied reference material.

Wilson Bohannan's documented history begins in 1860 in Brooklyn, New York. In that year, founder Wilson Bohannan was granted his first padlock patent, numbered 27,883 and dated April 17. The patent record spells his first name as “Wilsin,” while later patents—numbers 46,539, 55,047, 55,048, and 67,401—use “Wilson.” The differing spelling is a feature of the historical patent documents and does not indicate a separate founder. Following the first patent, Bohannan established a small workshop in the rear of his Brooklyn home and began manufacturing padlocks. The operation eventually outgrew the household premises. By 1869, or possibly somewhat earlier, the business had moved to larger facilities at Broadway and Kossuth Place in Brooklyn. This transition marked the shift from an inventor-led home workshop to a more substantial manufacturing enterprise. The company's early development was based on padlock production and patented mechanical designs. Although the available reference does not provide a complete chronology of product models, ownership changes, or management appointments, it presents the business as a continuing American lock manufacturer rather than a short-lived patent venture. Its longevity is a central part of the company's historical identity. A major geographic change occurred in 1926, when the business moved from New York to Marion, Ohio. The relocation placed the company in the industrial Midwest and created the operating base associated with Wilson Bohannan today. The company has continued to manufacture padlocks in Marion and is described in the reference material as America's oldest continuous padlock maker, with almost 160 years of manufacturing history. The supplied sources do not document later acquisitions, public listings, major product launches, advertising campaigns, legal controversies, or detailed financial results. Consequently, the best-supported account of Wilson Bohannan is one centered on its founding patent, expansion beyond its original Brooklyn workshop, relocation to Ohio, and continued specialization in padlocks. Additional research would be needed to establish a detailed modern corporate history, current leadership, ownership, product catalog, distribution footprint, and employment or financial data.

• 1926

  Operations relocated to Marion, Ohio

  [1]Wilson Bohannanen.wikipedia.org

  The company transferred its business from Brooklyn to Marion, Ohio, which remains its documented operating location.

• 1869

  Business moved to larger Brooklyn premises

  [1]Wilson Bohannanen.wikipedia.org

  The growing operation moved to larger quarters at Broadway and Kossuth Place in Brooklyn by 1869, or possibly before that date.

• 1860

  First padlock patent granted

  [1]Wilson Bohannanen.wikipedia.org

  Wilson Bohannan received U.S. padlock patent No. 27,883 on April 17, 1860. The patent spells his first name as “Wilsin,” unlike his later patents.

• 1860

  Brooklyn workshop established

  [1]Wilson Bohannanen.wikipedia.org

  After receiving his first patent, Bohannan began making padlocks in a small workshop located behind his Brooklyn home.

A long-established American specialist in padlocks, positioned around manufacturing continuity, mechanical security expertise, and domestic industrial heritage.

• Security hardware · 1860

  Padlocks

  Padlocks are the company's defining product category and the basis of its historical manufacturing identity. Wilson Bohannan's business began with patented padlock designs in 1860 and continued as a specialized lock-making operation after its relocation to Marion, Ohio. The available reference material does not provide a complete model-by-model catalog, specifications, materials, or current retail assortment.

1. 1Wilson Bohannanen.wikipedia.org