Kilbourne and Jacobs Manufacturing Co.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1881 in Columbus, Ohio, United States |
| Founder | James Kilbourne, HL Jacobs |
| Defunct | 1923 |
| Fate | Filed for bankruptcy; purchased by Jeffrey Manufacturing Company |
| Headquarters | Columbus , United States |
| Products | Wheelbarrows, horse-drawn railroad scrapers, earth-moving machinery, hand trucks |
Number of employees | 400–600 (1890) |
Kilbourne and Jacobs Manufacturing Company was established in 1881 by James Kilbourne and HL Jacobs in Columbus, Ohio, starting with a capital of $100,000. Situated close to Union Station, the firm specialized in producing wheelbarrows, horse-drawn railroad scrapers, and various earth-moving machinery around the early 1900s. Subsequently, it expanded its product range to include hand trucks, with 40% of these units supplied to the New York Central Railroad. By the end of the 19th century, Kilbourne and Jacobs had become the leading U.S. manufacturer in the earth-moving equipment sector.
According to an 1890 report by the Ohio State Journal, the company manufactured approximately 150,000 hand trucks annually and employed between 400 and 600 workers, achieving sales close to $1 million. Facing financial difficulties, the company filed for bankruptcy in 1923 and was later purchased by the Jeffrey Manufacturing Company.