The Stoughton Wagon Company carries a storied legacy
dating back to the end of the Civil War.
The beginnings of the firm are actually rooted in another legendary
wagon company, T.G. Mandt. Like many of
his peers, Mandt’s early successes were recognized by investors who became involved
in his company in Stoughton, Wisconsin.
As time progressed, Mandt desired more latitude in business and
decision-making than the corporate structure inside his company would
allow. Taking his name and numerous
patents, he left and started his own firm once again.
The thriving Stoughton factory that had built so
many Mandt wagons quickly made the transition to building their own brand,
known as the Stoughton. With a broad distribution
network already in place, the company immediately took a prominent and
competitive role. The Stoughton wagon I
had the opportunity to examine still holds the majority of its vibrant, original
paint. It will likely date to the late
teens of the 20th century and was sold by Olaf Melby of Summit,
South Dakota.
The wagon has been used very little and still
carries a substantial amount of original, hand painted striping along with its ornate,
stenciled logos and crisp wooden contours on the box and gear. Each of the wheels is equipped with dodge
mortised hubs. It’s a design Stoughton
consistently promoted as being stronger and better reinforcement for the
foundation of the vehicle. Complemented
by a 14/16 wheel spoke combination and extra cross sills supporting the box, this
near-century-old set of wheels provides an excellent look into America’s early
transportation industry. As a
significant, large-scale brand, the Stoughton Wagon Company is among a host of
legendary makers coveted by early vehicle collectors and enthusiasts. While the company may be best known for their
farm and freight wagons, Stoughton also built a line of carriages, spring
wagons, sleighs, one horse wagons, and sheep bed wagons. Their products were built for a wide range of
needs for farms, ranches, and businesses throughout the U.S.
