Bond, William & Son, Boston, MA.

The Boston firm of William Bond & Son was founded in 1793 by William Bond Senior. Before moving to Boston, he was first in business in England and set up a shop at 97 Water Street. Here he is listed as a watchmaker and chronometer maker. In the early years, he purchased a number of chronometers from better English firms such as Parkison & Frodsham. However, the business was ultimately difficult for him. 

William Cranch Bond (1789-1859) joined the business. He was well-trained and an avid astronomer. He dovetailed these two this interests with precision timekeeping. William was commissioned by Harvard College to design and build their observatory. He traveled to Europe to personally gather the necessary information to construct what would become a world-class facility. William was appointed the first director of the facility he designed. The family business was all along a source for high-grade chronometers. It sold service clocks to various shipping lines, the U.S. Navy, the U. S. Coast Survey, the New England Railroad, etc. As a result of the business and his personal interests, the Bond firm began to manufacture high-grade clocks. On completion of the observatory, This position dovetailed nicely with the ability to observe and then calculate precision time. Bond was instrumental in selling the time standard for the region. The Bond firm remained in business until the 1970s. Then it was located at 9 Park Street.