No other 19th-century American firm produced a wider variety of firearms than did Ethan Allen & subsidiaries. In 1843, Ethan Allen invented an engraving machine to do rolled scroll. During 1854, Thomas Wheelock (Allen's brother-in-law) joined Allen & Thurber, and the new company name became Allen, Thurber & Co. New guns were marked accordingly. On June 14, 1854, the Allen, Thurber & Co. factory burnt to the ground. A new factory was built by the end of the year. On Jan. 2, 1856, Charles Thurber retired and sold his shares to Ethan Allen for $6,500. The firm changed its name to Allen & Wheelock. On May 21, 1864, Thomas Wheelock died at the age 51 of apoplexy. During 1865, a new company was formed, called E. Allen & Co. (guns were marked E. Allen & Co.). The company consisted of Ethan Allen and two of his sons-in-law, Henry Wadsworth and Sullivan Forehand. On Jan. 7, 1871, Ethan Allen passed away. The new company name became Forehand & Wadsworth. During 1890, Henry Wadsworth passed away and the company name changed again to Forehand Arms Co. The name remained after Sullivan Forehand's death in 1898, until his heirs eventually sold to Hopkins & Allen during 1902.
Manufacturer/trademark originally located in Grafton, MA. Ethan Allen started many plants to keep up with expanding business after 1832. He invented the underhammer pocket gun in 1836.
Listed below is a chronological order of the firms constituting the family dynasty founded by Ethan Allen.
E. Allen - Grafton, MA 1832-1837
Allen & Thurber - Grafton, MA 1837-1842
Allen & Thurber - Norwich, CT 1842-1847
Allen & Thurber - Worcester, MA 1847-1854
Allen, Thurber, & Co. - Worcester, MA 1854-1856
Allen & Wheelock - Worcester, MA 1856-1865
E. Allen & Co. - Worcester, MA 1865-1871
Forehand & Wadsworth - Worcester, MA 1871-1890
Forehand Arms Co. - Worcester, MA 1890-1902