In the late 1800s…..physicians practiced many different trades to make ends meet. A Worcester, MA physician named Russel Howes invented the first envelope folding machine. In 1856 Howes’ machine could produce twenty-five thousand envelopes, using three operators in ten hours, which was the length of an average workday.
On July 24, 1893, Worcester Envelope Company was incorporated for the “purpose of manufacturing and selling paper goods, stationary and paper handling machinery”. The president from 1893 to 1898 was Henry S. Pratt. Ezra Waterhouse was one of the original stockholders and was elected president in 1898 and continued as such until 1928. Some of the early envelope machines designed and built in the United States were the work of Ezra Waterhouse. The next President of Worcester Envelope was John N. Barber from 1928 to 1933. In 1929, the news of the stock market collapse sent panic throughout industries. Worcester Envelope carried on their business sensibly. By 1933, the country’s banking system collapsed and the country was in the midst of the depression. George Grant became president of the Company and took us through these worrisome times. During this period, Willard Waterhouse and Ralph Waterhouse joined the Company. On September 2, 1952 Grant retired after 50 years of continuous service.