His two sons, Benjamin and Samuel,
also went into the clockmaking business and did very commendable work.
In addition there were the Munroes of Concord--Daniel and Nathaniel; and
Samuel Whiting, Nate's partner; not to mention the Popes, Robert and
Joseph; and Daniel Balch of Newburyport. All these men were well
established in or near Boston either before 1800 or shortly after that
date."

"Evidently the Massachusetts people must have known what time it was,"
grinned Christopher.

"If they didn't it was their own fault," returned his companion, "for
this list probably represents only a part of those engaged in the
business. A good many more, like our friend, John Bailey, moved to
small inland villages where they modestly plied their trade, selling
their wares to only a limited circle of purchasers. Of these scattered
craftsmen we have, as I told you, scant information. It is merely when
we chance upon their names in early town records or a clock turns up to
testify to their knowledge of their craft that we have tidings of them.
But with the Willards it was different. They have left behind them a
collection of clocks that speaks in no mistakable terms for their skill
and industry."

"How many of these Willards were there?" Christopher demanded.

"Well, old Benjamin, the father, who was located in Framingham somewhere
about the year 1716, had twelve children and three of these--Benjamin,
Junior, Simon, and Aaron all became crackajack clockmakers, especially
Simon. The family, I take it, went to Grafton, a small town near
Worcester, later on. At any rate Benjamin, Junior, was born there. We
afterward hear of him in Lexington and are told that in 1771 he moved
from there to Roxbury. In this latter spot he himself set up a shop; but
he must still have maintained another one at Grafton, his birthplace,
where apprentices in the meantime carried on a part of his business, for
his clocks bear three different markings--Grafton, Lexington, and
Roxbury. He turned out excellent long-case clocks as well as some
musical ones, and many of these survive him. He died in Baltimore in
1803. Aaron, and his son Aaron, Junior (who entered his father's shop
in 1823), also made fine long-case clocks with brass works that found
ready sale."

"And Simon?"

"Ah, the story of Simon and his deeds would fill a book. He was the
flower of the family, so far, anyway, as clockmaking went. His handiwork
cannot be surpassed," exclaimed McPhearson wi