P&Q Hall of Fame Profile: Nathan P. Stedman

Stedman

Stedman earned a patent for his “disintegrator” in 1894. By that time, however, his company was already shipping the machine overseas. 

Around the same time, Stedman and his sons incorporated the firm as Stedman’s Foundry & Machine Works. The company back then was fixed in Aurora, Indiana, and Stedman Machine Company is still headquartered there to this day.

Although Stedman’s company sold in 1913 to outside investors following three generations of family ownership, Stedman more than left his mark by that time as an innovator and businessman. 

As described in 1915 by Archibald Shaw, the editor at the time of “History of Dearborn County, Indiana: Her People, Industries and Institutions”: “The son came in as partner in his father’s business in 1867 and was fully qualified at the death of his father to take over the entire management of the business, in which he became even more successful than his father had been before him.”

A life well lived

Nathan P. Stedman went to work at his father’s foundry at an early age, joining the family business in 1867. Photo: Stedman Machine Company

Although Stedman spent most of his life in Aurora, Indiana, he was born in Cincinnati in 1838. 

Stedman’s first experience in Aurora was in 1849. Historical documents note that he was provided a good education before going to work in his father’s foundry, where he spent 50 years of his life. 

Stedman married Elvira Smith in 1859, and they had four children together. He died in 1917 at age 78.

As Nawalaniec reflects on one of the men responsible for building the foundation of Stedman Machine Company, he is confident in drawing at least one comparison based on his own historical research.

“The people of Stedman have always and will always be what Stedman is about,” Nawalaniec says. “It’s neat that we rally around products that are still productive, relevant and profitable for our customers.”

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