Wilson Fly-Net Factory - S Front Street at Ferry Lane

From the book “Milton, Pennsylvania, the 19th Century Town on Limestone Run” by Homer F. Folk: R. F. Wilson & Company’s Fly-Net Factory was established in 1860 by Robert Wilson, who began the manufacture of leather fly-nets for horses. On May 11, 1858 he received a patent for the unique construction of a fly net, with a stitch that made the net superior to other nets on the market. When Robert Wilson died in 1870, his son William E. Wilson took over management of the company. After about a year, he sold his share to his younger brother, Ruben Frederick Wilson. The company’s product is shown below.