Stephen McClellan was born July 25, 1851 in Franklin, Venago County, Pennsylvania. His parents came from Scots-Irish families who immigrated to Western Penn. in the late 1900’s. Stephen’s father was a Justice of the Peace who also served as a sergeant in the Pennsylvania Fifth Cavalry during the Civil War.
Stephen at some stage moved to Paris, Texas; married, and is listed in the 1880 census of Paris as a house painter. Sometime later the family moved to San Marcos in the hill country of Texas and during this period he began inventing and patenting drills and braces.
Between 1894 and 1899, Stephen and his family moved again to Brooklyn, New York. Stephen worked as a salesman for Millers Falls in Massachusetts, the Company that manufactured his inventions (hence the Millers Falls chucks on his braces and drills) Stephen died on Nov 14, 1925 in Brooklyn, New York.
A more detailed synopsis of McClellan’s braces and drills can be found in the spring issue, volume 52, #4 of the Fine Tool Journal and compiled by Jim Schoenky.
This image shows the rare detachable handle that can be used on several McClellan braces. This was probably often discarded and consequently lost.
These images show the rare “D” handle, patents shown below
A rare production specimen, no patent known. In this case the chuck is unmarked 1¾” long. From the collection of Dr. James Price.
