Jan. 22, 1856, Dec. 9, 1856, Dec. 12, 1865." The dates
refer to the reissue and extended reissue of the Bachelder and the A. B.
Wilson patents. The number of chainstitch machines of this type that
were manufactured is not known. (Smithsonian photo 45506-C.)]

[Illustration: Figure 124.--TAGGART & FARR sewing machine, front view.
(Smithsonian photo 48216-P.)]

Figures 124 and 125.--TAGGART & FARR sewing machine, 1860. The Taggart &
Farr is an almost forgotten machine. It was based on Chester Farr's
patent of August 9, 1859. The machine, however, was in commercial
production as early as 1858, the year the patent application was made.
Using two threads--both taken directly from the spool--to form a
chainstitch, the machine was operated basically by treadle but also by
hand. The drive wheel is missing on this machine, but it would normally
appear on the right.

The name and patent date were painted on the end of the machine. This
was true of many other machines of this period, which is why so many go
unidentified once the paint has become worn. Several thousand Taggart &
Farr machines were manufactured, but the company is believed to have had
a short life, for it was among those that had disappeared by 1881.

[Illustration: Figure 125.--TAGGART & FARR sewing machine, end view.
(Smithsonian photo 48216-M.)]

[Illustration: Figure 126.--WATSON SEWING MACHINE, 1856, illustrated in
Scientific American, December 13, 1856. The earliest Watson machines
were two-thread lockstitch machines, as described in the _Scientific
American_, August 10, 1850. Although the magazine reported that the
inventor had applied for a patent, the earliest lockstitch patent issued
to William C. Watson was on March 11, 1856. A few of his machines were
made in 1850, the article continued, "several of these machines are
nearly finished ... persons desirous of seeing them can be gratified by
calling upon Messrs. Jones & Lee." A Watson machine was exhibited by
Jones & Lee at the Sixth Exhibition of the Massachusetts Charitable
Mechanics Association held in Boston in September 1850.

In 1853 a Watson machine was exhibited at the New York Industry of All
Nations Exhibition, but this was a single-looping machine; Watson
received a patent for this single-thread machine on November 25, 1856.

In the December 13, 1856, issue of _Scientific American_ a machine
called Watson's "Family" sewing machine was illustrated and described.
It was a small machine (only