Tom Snodgrass of Shannon, Ill., has plenty to be proud of in regard to his Ziegler-Schryer engine. While the name Rawleigh-Schryer is one known to many people, the history and companies leading up to that name are not widely known. Tom’s 4 HP engine is one of only five known to exist, and its serial no. d1798 makes it the oldest.
Ziegler-Schryer Co. appeared in the 1909-1911 Freeport, Ill., directory under the manufacturers of windmills and gas engines title. Rawleigh-Schryer Co. appeared in 1912-1915 as a gas engine manufacturer. And 1916 was the only year the Rawleigh Co. was listed. But let’s dig deeper.
Oscar Ziegler and a man by the name of Roy Bennethum formed The Freeport Windmill & Mfg. Co. around the turn of the 20th century. The two were formerly employed by Stover Mfg. & Engine Co., Bennethum as works manager and Ziegler as superintendent of manufacturing. Another Stover employee, Paul Schryer, who assumed Ziegler’s job when he left, joined the pair in mid-1909. The name was then changed to the Freeport Windmill & Gas Engine Co. Two months later, in August, the name was changed to Ziegler-Schryer Mfg. Co.
The 1910 History of Stephenson County states: “No new company ever began under more favorable auspices.” The company was evidently successful from the beginning because of the experience of the men. They specialized in horizontal gas engines. “In addition to the engine business the company does a general machine shop work and makes high grade gray iron castings. The company puts out an attractive line of goods and is meeting with such success that it has already become necessary to enlarge the plant and increase the output. Eighty men are employed at present and the number is constantly increased.”