William Keith Watch Maker

William Keith was 14 years old when he became an apprentice for the renowned Massachusetts watchmaker, Luther Goddard. Upon fulfilling his indenture in 1824, he partnered with younger brother Timothy, a listed silversmith in Worcester, in the firm T & W Keith. They primarily were Jewelers, watch retailers and performed watch repair.

William continued in the trade becoming an executive of Waltham Improvement Company and an instrumental figure in the merger with Appleton, Tracy & Company to form the American Watch Company. In 1861, he became the second president of the American Watch Company. William's writings of his experience working for Goddard, the first American maker to produce watches in quantity, are an important historical account of American watchmaking in the early 1800's.