The Arthur H. Thomas Company
In 1892, Arthur H. Thomas joined the microscope department of the James W. Queen Company, a leading supplier of optical and scientific equipment in the 1800’s, where he met J. Edward Patterson. Following the Panic of 1893 and subsequent economic depression, several of the young professionals pursued their own dreams of entrepreneurship. These included American success stories such as: Williams, Brown & Earle; Leeds & Northrup and Precision Thermometer & Instrument Co. The ambitions of Thomas and Patterson eventually collided at a landmark meeting on December 7, 1900 at the grand, recently opened Hotel Walton in Philadelphia. Joined by William and Charles Lentz, representing the Bausch & Lomb distributors Charles Lentz & Sons, as well as William Drescher and Henry Bausch, Thomas and Patterson hammered out their plans for a leading-edge laboratory products distribution company that would incorporate the industry’s best-in-class practices and lay the foundation for excellence that would fuel the company throughout the century and into the next. The partnership was organized and incorporated as the Arthur H. Thomas Company. William Howell, another Queen Company alum, joined the group as head bookkeeper, and AHT opened for business in Philadelphia’s Freeman building at 12th & Walnut. The first customer was Frank J. Keeley, the naturalist and minerals expert.
The Arthur H. Thomas Company
In 1892, Arthur H. Thomas joined the microscope department of the James W. Queen Company, a leading supplier of optical and scientific equipment in the 1800’s that spawned a lot of ambitious entrepreneurs. Arthur Thomas met J. Edward Patterson at the company when Patterson joined in 1890. By then James Queen had retired, and the business he founded had begun to decline with his death. Soon the smart, ambitious professionals on the Queen team headed for the exits to pursue their own dreams either with other established businesses or ones they planned to start. Their firms had names such as Williams, Brown & Earle; Leeds & Northrup and Precision Thermometer & Instrument Co. Arthur Thomas left in 1899 to start his own company, while Patterson joined Charles Lentz & Sons, agents for the burgeoning Bausch & Lomb Optical Company.
Though they went to separate businesses, Thomas and Patterson would keep in close contact and occasionally partner on projects—collaboration that led to a landmark meeting on December 7, 1900 at the beautiful, recently opened Hotel Walton in Philadelphia. Thomas and Patterson were joined in a private room by William and Charles Lentz, representing Bausch & Lomb distributors Charles Lentz & Sons, as well as William Drescher and Henry Bausch, a close relative of Bausch & Lomb Company’s founder. Thomas and Patterson hammered out the outlines of a new company in their presence, and their partnership was organized and incorporated as the Arthur H. Thomas Company. William Howell, who had also been at the Queen Company, joined the group as head bookkeeper, and AHT opened for business in Philadelphia’s Freeman building at 12th & Walnut. The first customer was Frank J. Keeley, the naturalist and minerals expert.
Mr. Thomas passed away in 1942 at the age of 70. He worked at his office almost up to that time. Upon his death, under his and Patterson’s original pact, the management of Arthur H. Thomas Company passed to the Patterson family. Edward Patterson managed the business until his death in 1955 at the age of 82, and was succeeded by his son Edward B. Patterson.
In the early 1980’s AHT changed its name formally to Thomas Scientific, reflecting its then biggest entity. In 1983, AHT began a series of acquisitions starting with the water analysis solutions leader LaMotte Chemical Products Company in Chestertown, Maryland, and later AHT acquired Cannon Instruments of State College, Pennsylvania.
The fourth generation of Pattersons continue to be involved in the company, with the company’s current Chairman Rob Patterson. At one time AHT had been in a 7-story headquarters at 3rd & Vine Streets in historic Philadelphia, on property once owned by the father of the iconic flag maker Betsy Ross. AHT has since relocated to more modern offices and is now situated in affluent, suburban Chadds Ford, PA.
AHT is determined to stay true to its resonant beginnings and mission as a company, even as it searches for new and revolutionary technologies and equipment to acquire and provide the highest quality engineered products and solutions to its customers. This has been an AHT hallmark since 1900, and current management is determined to keep this so.
Mr. Thomas passed away in 1942 at the age of 70. He worked at his office almost up to that time. Upon his death, under his and Patterson’s original pact, the management of Arthur H. Thomas Company passed to the Patterson family. J. Edward Patterson went on to manage the business until his death in 1955 at the age of 82. And Patterson was succeeded by his son Edward B. Patterson.
In the early 1980s, AHT changed its name formally to Thomas Scientific, reflecting its then-biggest entity. In 1983 AHT began a series of acquisitions starting with the water purity specialist LaMotte Chemical Company of Chestertown, Maryland, and later AHT acquired Cannon Instruments of State College, Pennsylvania.
The fourth generation of Pattersons continues to be involved in the company, with the company’s current Chairman Rob Patterson. At one time, AHT had been in a 7-story headquarters at 3rd & Vine Streets in historic Philadelphia, on property once owned by the father of the iconic flag maker Betsy Ross. AHT has since relocated to more modern offices and is now situated in, suburban Chadds Ford, PA.
AHT is committed to Arthur H. Thomas and J. Edward Patterson’s original mission to provide customers with the highest quality engineered products and solutions, a company hallmark since 1900. In pursuit of new and revolutionary technologies and equipment, current management is determined to uphold the vision of excellence pursued by AHT’s founders.