John Senior and John Junior Whitear of Fairfield, Connecticut. Bell founders and Clockmakers.

John Whitear Senior’s birth date is not currently known. It is currently thought that he may have been born in Fairfield and traveled to Boston to learn the art of clockmaking and bell casting. We know that he returned to Fairfield in 1736 because he is listed as a member of the Church of England under the pastorship of Reverend Henry Caner in that year. On May 29, 1738, John Sr advertised in the Boston Gazette, “John Whitear of Fairfield (CT) Bell-founder, makes and sells all sorts of bells from the lowest size to two-thousand weight.” John was skilled in metalwork, and in 1739, he was recorded as casting a bell for the new Anglican Church in Fairfield. In 1743/44, he cast a Whitear bell for Dr. Johnson, a member of the Christ Church in Stratford. Whitear also made a clock for Dr. Johnson in 1750. This clock may have also been for the Church. In 1751, he cast a bell for the Congregational Church in Fairfield.

John Sr married, but his wife’s name is not currently known. They had at least four children that were born in Fairfield. His son, John Jr, was born in 1738 and died on August 26, 1773, at 35. He was also trained as a clockmaker and bell founder and worked for many years with his father until his John Sr passed in 1762 in Fairfield. John Sr had a working career that spanned approximately 28 years. His estate was settled by his son John Jr, who succeeded both branches of his business, Bell founder and Clockmaker. Several clocks are known that are numbered on the dial. One clock made by his son, number 103, is also dated “1764.” If we assume John started with clock No.1, simple math suggests that they made approximately three or four clocks yearly. 

John Whitear Junior was born in Fairfield, Connecticut in 1738. He was the son of John Whitear Senior, who was best known as a bell founder. John Jr was a member of Trinty (Episcopal) Church of Fairfield. He lived in a neighborhood called Black Rock, which is located on the seashore. It is thought that he trained under his father and continued to work in business with him until his father died in 1762. In that year, he is known to have made a clock for Peter Perry. John Jr married Abigail Rowland (b. 1742 – d. 1813) on June 11, 1767. She was a member of the Christ Church in Fairfield. It is thought that he may have trained Joseph Buckley of the same town. In 1767, he was appointed an Ensign of the second trainband of Fairfield. In 1771, he was promoted to the grade of Lieutenant. John Jr. died on August 26, 1773, and is buried in the “Ye Old Burying Ground of Fairfield, Conn.” His estate was settled, and a record of his inventory is listed. It was extensive.

A small number of tall clocks are known. Several of these are numbered, and luckily, a few are dated. The lowest number currently known to us is No. 33, and the highest is No. 103. The No. 103 example is also dated “1764.” This clock would have been made two years after John Sr’s death. An interesting observation is that a high percentage of the known clocks have been re-cased. This is also true of the other known Fairfield Clockmakers that include Joseph Buckley, William Burr Jr., The partnership of Whiting and Marquand and Richardson Minor. This may be a result of the British burning 192 houses, barns, shops, and churches during their attack on Fairfield on July 7, 1779.