William and Charles Helffricht

William Helffricht was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1807 and died November 17, 1876 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He moved to Philadelphia in 1825, and was naturalized there in 1830. It is believed that William Helffircht apprenticed with Thomas Whitney in the late 1820’s, there is a privately owned Whitney compass serial No. 505 with William Helffrichts name under the socket dating to this timeframe. By the early 1830s he had gone into business on his own, advertising as "Mathematical, Optical, & Philosophical Instrument Maker At the old established stand of the late Wm. DAVENPORT. In the Philadelphia Business Directory of 1838 there is an advertisement "Wm. Helffricht has taken over the old establishment stand of the Wm. Davenport Sign of the Quadrant 25 South Front." He is first listed in the Philadelphia directories, 1837, Helffricht, William, mathematical instrument maker 25 South Front Street, Helffricht remained at this address until 1848. In 1848 the advertisement read Helffricht, William mathematical instrument maker 255 Front; 1876, Helffricht, William mathematical instrument maker 140 S. 6th.


Charles F. Helffricht was born in Germany in 1816. He died June 6, 1863 in Philadelphia. He is first listed in the Philadelphia directories: 1841, Helffricht, Charles F. math inst makr 54 Vine; 1849-1857, Helffricht, C. F. math inst mkr 122 S Front h 60 Vine; 1859, Helffricht, Charles F. alderman 140 S. 6th h 240 S. Front.

National Museum of American History - Vernier Compass