Lord & Goddard Clockmakers, watchmakers, and jewlers of Rutland, Vermont.

The partnership of Lord & Goddard was first advertised in the Rutland Herald on July 7, 1997. Their shop was located a few rods north of the Rutland Courthouse, just opposite Messrs. Pomeroy & Hooker's store. At this location, they advertised the manufacture of musical clocks and most kinds of gold and silverware. Mr. Goddard concentrated on repairs, while Mr. Lord gave special attention to the watch and jewelry department. They usually employed as many as five or six men and boys. In 1800, they relocated approximately 15 rods northwest of the Courthouse into the shop formerly occupied by Storer & Wilmont. The Lord & Goddard's partnership lasted approximately eight years and was dissolved on April 26, 1805. A notice was placed in the Rutland Herald on this date. They remained close friends, as their families continued to be involved in each other's lives.

Benjamin Lord was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on October 10, 1770, the son of Ebenezer and Temperance (Edgerton). He was first listed as a silversmith in 1793 when he advertised in the Western Star in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, opposite the meeting house on the road to Lanesborough in 1796. Silver spoons are known with his stamp. It is recorded that in 1797, Benjamin moved to Rutland, Vermont, and was there before Goddard arrived in town. Lord purchased a small cobbler shop a few rods north of the West Street and Main Street intersection.

The town of Rutland was poised to become the pre-eminent commercial and economic town of Western Vermont and did so by 1800. It is located between New York City and Montreal. In the late 1790s, a central water system was installed. In 1804, a turnpike was opened linking Rutland with Windsor and Woodstock, VT. 

Benjamin began working as a silversmith and watchmaker and, within a few short months, formed a partnership with the newly arrived Nichols Goddard. Benjamin married Fanny Buell in Coventry, Connecticut, on January 28, 1799. Together, they had at least six children while putting down roots in Rutland. Benjamin became involved in public affairs and served as town clerk from 1803 to 1813 and again from 1815 to 1826. He was a Captain in the local militia. In 1808, he is believed to have trained his nephew, John Bliss, as a clockmaker. Bliss became a well-documented chronometer maker in New York. Benjamin died on April 23, 1843, in Athens, Georgia.

Nichols Goddard was born the son of Nathan and Martha (Nichols) Goddard in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, on October 4, 1773. It is thought that he learned clockmaking from his second cousin, Luther Goddard, who was also in Shrewsbury. Luther was trained by his cousin, Simon Willard, the country's most famous clockmaker, in 1778. Luther is often credited with making the first watch in America. Nichols moved away and is listed as working in Northampton, Massachusetts, from 1794 through 1797. A diary entry from 1795 states that as a journeyman, Nichols made movements for his father, Luther Goddard, Gardner Parker of Westborough, Isaac Gere of Northampton, Massachusetts, and for a man identified as "Ingalls," who is also in Northampton. In June of 1797, Goddard moved north to Rutland, Vermont. In Rutland, Goddard formed a partnership with a silversmith who was originally from Norwich, Connecticut, and more recently, Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His name was Benjamin Lord. In September of 1798, Nichols returned to Northampton to marry Charity White. She was the daughter of Job White (Clockmaker) and Charity Chapin. They returned to Rutland and had seven children together. When the Lord and Goddard partnership ended, Nichols continued making clocks under his name until he died in 1823.

Nichols also involved himself in public affairs. In 1800, he was appointed Town Clerk of Rutland. He also served as Town Treasurer from 1805 to 1807. He received the commission of Captain in the militia. He was also very active in the Masonic lodge. In 1802, he was elected Grand Junior Deacon of the Grand Masonic Lodge of Vermont, and from 1804 through 1810, he served as Grand Senior Warden. Nichols died in Rutland on September 23, 1823.

The craftsmanship of Lord & Goddard's clocks, a testament to their skill and dedication, is a source of admiration. There are about a dozen clocks signed by Nichols Goddard or signed Lord & Goddard. A fine example, signed Lord & Goddard No. 124, is located in the Sheldon Museum. A musical example, signed Nichols Goddard, is in the collection of The Bennington Museum. The Rutland Historical Society was given Nichols Goddard Number 150 in 1996. They also own number 106, which has a repainted dial. Each of these clocks, a unique blend of functionality and beauty, is a testament to the enduring legacy of Lord & Goddard's craftsmanship.

The tall case clocks signed by Lord & Goddard that have been found to date have the following numbers recorded: 72, 75, 87, 95, 97, 98, 106, 111, 112, and 113. Tall clocks signed by Nichols only include 118, 124, 125, 144, and 150.