A Second Design Compass - The Jackson/Hough Compass

Second Design - Counters (Poles/Miles), the early“W” for WEST designations, No L-T Tables
Probably 1790s thru late 1790s

Goldsmith's style really evolved in the 1790s. He added Pole/Mileage Counters, and started engraving very complicated designs.

To date GC Compasses with Counters, I look for 3 things:

1. What the W's look like.
2. Whether the Compass has a L - T table (L is for Links, T for Tenths).
3. Whether the Compass features an Eagle.

Compasses made in this period ALL have the “W”for WEST designations and NONE of them have L-T Tables. NOTE - SEE the Grayson Compass (7a) discussed at the bottom.

For coming up with the time period, I focused on the Jackson (GC14), Lucas (GC18), Jones (GC7), Garwood (GC15) and McKay (GC21) Compasses.

The Jackson (GC14) Compass (shown below) is a Second Design compass and has the date 1801 engraved on the lid. That date could either be when GC made the compass or when John Jackson sold the Compass to Benjamin Hough. Since John Jackson started surveying in 1796 and stopped surveying by 1800, I believe that GC made the compass circa 1796 and John Jackson sold the compass to Hough in 1801. This analysis is supported by the fact that Hough moved to Ohio in 1801 or 1802 to start surveying there.

The Lucas (GC18) Compass (shown below) is a Second Design compass. The R Lucas engraved on the compass is almost certainly Robert Lucas, who was a Quaker that moved from Virginia to Ohio circa 1800. Lucas later became Governor of Ohio, which explains why this compass is in the OhioState Museum. I suspect Lucas purchased his 2nd Design GC compass prior to moving to Ohio.
The Jones (GC7) Compass is a Third Design compass - it has the later W - it does not look like “W”. The owner was almost certainly Joshua Jones (a Quaker), who moved from VA to KY in 1801. I suspect Jones purchased his 3rd Design GC compass prior to moving.

The Garwood (GC15) is a Third Design compass swell, and was almost certainly owned by John Garwood, who went to the same Quaker Friends Meetings as Goldsmith. Garwood moved to Ohio circa 1803. I suspect Jones purchased his 3rd Design GC compass prior to moving.

The McKay Compass (GC 21) is a Fourth Design compass - it has the later W design AND a L - T table. This is a key compass from a dating perspective. GC and McKay were close friends, and McKay died in 1804. Thus, we know for sure that the Second and Third Design compasses were done by 1804.

A collector who visited my website sent me a pic of his GC compass - Grayson (7a). This compass is unique - it features the early“W” for WEST designations AND has an L-T Table. I suspect that the late 1790s and early 1800s was a transitional time for GC in terms of his compass-making. And the Grayson compass might have a story - the compass mainplate might be engraved at a different time, for example.

NOTE - A collector who visited my website sent me a pic of his GC compass - Grayson (7a). This compass is unique - it features the early“W” for WEST designations AND has an L-T Table. I suspect that the late 1790s and early 1800s was a transitional time for GC in terms of his compass-making. And the Grayson compass might have a story - the compass mainplate might be engraved at a different time, for example.