Note: The Icon acquired a manuscript titled “A Brief History of Bluffton’s Industrial Developments.” This publication was prepared by the classes in Marketing and Small Business Administration from Bluffton College, under the director of Dr. Howard Raid. Publication date is May 1959. We’ve updated some current addresses so viewers may identify locations.

Philip Wilch
Maker of Water Pumps
1870-1890

Philip Wilch had a word working shop for nearly 30 years at the location of the present Amstutz junkyard (today it’s were Vance Street connects to Cherry Street).

He worked alone in his shop making a variety of articles. He was well known in the area for his wagon tongues. He made a great effort to use only a certain kind of wood; wood which would not break when a horse stepped on it.

He also made a wooden water pump, using mostly mulberry and poplar woods.

His pumps were a simple construction, and the only real problem is producing them was boring out the center of the 6- to 8-foot shaft.

This was accomplished by use of an auger, which bore the centers. New inventions on the market made his product obsolete. He continued to make wagon bodies and other wood products, however.

References: Amos Thut, Wilhelm Amstutz and I.B. Beeshy
Interviewer: James F. Benner