T. Driver & Sons Manufacturing Company is one of the old established industrial enterprises of Racine, business having been begun in 1867 by Thomas Driver, as a sash and door manufacturer. At that time he bought out Lucas Bradley, who had established the business in the ’40s and who was then located at Sixth and. Campbell streets. When Mr. Driver took charge he used every energy toward the further development of the trade and success was crowning his undertakings when, on the 17th of January. 1870, his plant was destroyed by fire. Although he suffered considerable loss, he met the situation courageously and rebuilt his mill at No. 212 East Second, now State Street. The plant consists of two buildings; one seventy by seventy feet and three stories in height; the other one hundred by one hundred and thirty feet and two stories in height. For the second time the company sneered a disastrous loss through fire, when the plant burned in 1896. but again it was rebuilt. After purchasing the business from Lucas Bradley, Thomas Driver had continued alone for a few years, but in 1875 was joined by his son, at which time the business was reorganized under the firm name of Thomas Driver & Son. Still later a further reorganization occurred and the firm name of Thomas Driver & Sons Manufacturing Company was assumed, for at that time not only John was his partner, but three other sons, Andrew, Charlie and Sinclair M. Driver were taken into the company. The business was incorporated in 1884. The father continued at the head of the undertaking until his death, at which time J. C. Driver was made president with John M. Driver as secretary and treasurer and Sinclair M. Driver, superintendent. There was no further change among the officers until June, 1915, when Sinclair M. Driver bought out the interests of his brothers, and is now president of the company, with Clara Driver as secretary and treasurer. They manufacture a full line of sash, doors, stairs, cupboards and in fact many things in woodenware and employ on an average of from fifty to sixty men. The work done is of excellent character and the product finds a ready sale on the market, while the reputation of the house for commercial integrity as well as enterprise has always been an unassailable one.
Source: Stone, Fanny S. Racine, Belle City of the lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement; Chicago: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1916.