Starke's Plow Co.
1859 - Jan 1, 1882
The Dixie Plow Works
Jan 1, 1882 - 1925

Starke's Dixie Plow Works, Inc.

1926-1928
Located in Shockoe Bottom: 1440 East Main Street in downtown Richmond, Virginia


6 January, 1820
Patrick Henry Starke born Hanover County, VA of Col. William Bowling Starke (1796-1831) and Susan LaPrade Tate (1796-1875).
31 December, 1824
Arabella Garland Clarke born Hanover, County, VA of Thomas Garland Clarke (1786-1857) and Rebecca Anderson Bell (1789-1835).
Circa 1835
Patrick Henry Starke family moved to Richmond, VA. from Hanover County, VA. Old family home thought to be in area of Rte. 360 and I-295 interchange.
16 January, 1849
Patrick Henry Starke marries in Richmond, VA, Arabella Garland Clarke, daughter of Thomas Garland Clarke (1786-1857) and Rebecca Anderson Bell (1789-1835).

An announcement of the sale of Col. William Starke's estate in Hanover County, where P. H. Starke was born. From the September 21, 1852 issue of the Richmond Enquirer. Click to see the full-sized image.
23 November, 1849
Edwin Douglas Starke born of Thomas Jefferson Starke (1817-1888) and Sarah Jane Hutcheson (1822-1897), was nephew of Patrick Henry Starke.
3 October, 1850
U. S. Census, Richmond, Henrico County, VA lists Susan L. Starke, (Mother), age 52 w/ $1,000. Real Estate; (Patrick) Henry Starke, (Son), age 30, Plough Maker; Arabella, (Wife of Henry), age 24; Ashton, (Son of Henry), age 11/12; Marcellus, (Son) age 24, Clerk; Harriet, (Daughter), age 22; Thadeus, (Son), age 26, Clerk; Andrew J., Clerk; all b. VA.
August, 1856
Geo. Watt & Co. Cuff Brace Plows advertisement. Lists Geo. Watt and P. H. Starke at top of advertisement. (Southern Planter). P. H. Starke's obituary states "For forty years he was intimately identified with the manufacturing interests of Richmond, a considerable period as a member of the agricultural-implement manufacturing house of Watt & Starke..."
22 December, 1858
George Watt - P. H. Starke partnership dissolved by mutual consent.
Circa 1859
Starke's Dixie Plow Works established.
21 August, 1860
Plow Patent, No. 29,726, P. H. Starke of Richmond, VA. Wit: George I. Henning and M. H. Gardner. Starke's Southern Plow.
1866
Starke, Patrick H., agl impts, 52 Main, h 1st bel Cary. Watt, George, agr'l impl'ts, n s Franklin ab 15th, h Grace bet 23rd & 24th.
Under Agricultural Implements: Smith, H. M. & Co., 14 Main: Starke, Patrick H. 52 Main; Watt, Geo. & Co s Franklin ab 15th. (Richmond City Directory 1866)
5 May, 1868
Plow Patent, No. 77,547, P. H. Starke of Richmond, VA. Wit: J. W. Williams and W. A. Elliott. Iron beam plough. Dixie Plow.
29 December, 1868
Plow Patent, No. 85,342, P. H. Starke of Richmond, VA. Wit: W. A. Elliott and P. B. Barnes.
1870
Patrick Henry Starke sued for plow patent infringement by George Watt.
1870
Starke, Patrick H. 1440 Main, Richmond, VA. Listed under Iron Foundries. (Norfolk City Directory for 1870)
1871
P. H. Starke elected President, Richmond City Council.
1 August, 1871
Plow Patent, No. 117,574, Patrick Henry Starke of Richmond, VA. Wit: Jno. Dove and W. A. Elliott p. Iron Beam Plow.
1873
Starke Plow Co. producing 700 plows per week, 10,000 per year.
19 August, 1873
Plow Patent, No. 141,960, Patrick Henry Starke of Richmond, VA. Wit: E. D. Starke and F. J. Conrad.
1881
Starke, Patrick H, plow manfactory,7 s. 15th, h 9 e Franklin. Starke, Ashton, agricultural implements, 1422 E. Main, h 9 e Franklin. Starke, Edwin D. bkkpr P. H. Starke, h 507 n 5th. (Chataigne's Directory of Richmond, 1881)
29 November, 1881
Patrick Henry Starke dies, Richmond, VA, at home 9 E. Franklin St., age 61, buried Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, VA. Click here to see P.H. Starke's grave at Findagrave.com.
1 Jan, 1882
Renamed - The Dixie Plow Works. Owned by Arabella G. Starke, managed by E. D. Starke.
1883
Starke, Arabella wid P. H., h 9 E. Franklin Starke, Ashton, agricultural implements, h 1422 E. Main. Starke, Edwin D. (T. J. S. & Sons) and mng Starke's Dixie Plow Works h 507 N 5th. (Chataigne's Directory of Richmond, 1883)
18 March, 1884
Dixie trademark, No. 11,025, Trademark Registration, Plows, Arabella G. Starke, Richmond, VA. (Norfolk, VA. Digest for Trademarks for... 1893)
1 April, 1884
Plow Patent, No. 295,952 Edwin D. Starke of Richmond, VA. Wit: John F. Meredith and Austin Brockenbrough.
6 May, 1884
Patent Reissue No. 10,477, Arabella G. Starke, of Patent No. 117,574, Executrix of Patrick Henry Starke, Deceased.
11 November, 1884
B D trademark, No. 11,541, Trademark Registration, Plows, Arabella G. Starke, Richmond, VA. (Norfolk, VA. Digest for Trademarks for... 1893)
7 April, 1885
Boy trademark, No. 12,113, Trademark Registration, Plows, Arabella G. Starke, Richmond, VA. (Norfolk, VA. Digest for Trademarks for... 1893)
14 July, 1885
Boy trademark, No. 12,413 Trademark Registration, Plows, Arabella G. Starke, Starke, Richmond, VA, Dixie Plow Works, Inc., has been trading under that name since 1874.
14 July, 1885
Dixie and Design trademark, No. 12,413, Trademark Registration, Plows, Arabella G. Starke, Richmond, VA. Norfolk, VA. (Digest for Trademarks for... 1893)
15 January, 1903
Arabella Garland Clarke Starke dies, Richmond, VA at home 9 E. Franklin St., age 78, buried Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, VA. Click here to see Arabella Starke's grave at Findagrave.com.
1905
Ashton Starke Implement House. (Southern Planter, Vol. 66, p. 81)
12 May, 1911
Edwin Douglas Starke dies, Richmond, VA, buried Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, VA. Click here to see Edwin Starke's grave at Findagrave.com.
5 September, 1911
Boy trademark, No. 83,370, Trademark Registration, Plows, H. Melville Starke, Starke's Dixie Plow Works, Inc., Richmond,VA.
10 February, 1925
Sash Weight Patent, No. 1,526,252, Horace M. Starke of Richmond, VA. Wit: None.
1 July, 1928
Starke's Dixie Plow Works declared bankruptcy after having been sold out of Starke family. The 1928 Richmond City Directory has listed Horace Melville Starke, Sr., President-Treasurer and son Horace Melville Starke, Jr. Vice President of Starke's Dixie Plow Works, Inc. "Namesake" evolved into H. M. Starke (Jr.) Foundry which morphed into Richmond Engineering and currently Steel Services in Hanover County via Thomas Jefferson Starke (2), son of Horace Melville Starke, Sr.