David Wood of Newburyport, Massachusetts. The Parkhurst family clock featuring dog-style frets. II-163.
Inside this case is a handwritten note that reads, "Presented / to / ???uel Parkhurst / by his affectionate / uncle / ???? Parkhurst." The Parkhurst family must have been dog lovers. Have a look at the fret pattern on this clock.
This country example exhibits good proportions and is constructed in birch, which retains an older mahoganized finish. As a result, the case color is a medium light brown. The case proportions are good. This case stands on four simply formed bracket feet that are applied to the lower section of the base. The base molding is somewhat compressed. The waist of this clock is long and features a rectangular-shaped waist door that is trimmed with a molded edge. Smoothly turned quarter columns flank the sides of the case. These terminate in brass quarter capitals. The bonnet features a fretwork form that is supported by three fluted chimneys or finial plinths. These are surmounted with brass ball and spiked finials. Please note the unusual fretwork pattern exhibited here. Both sides are cut in mirror form. If you look closely, you can see the shape of a dog with its tail raised in the design. One can imagine a dog lover ordering this pattern for their own clock. The bonnet columns are turned smooth and are mounted in brass capitals. These columns flank the arched glazed door. This door opens to access the painted dial.
This painted dial is signed "DAVID WOOD" below the calendar aperture in large block letters. The four spandrel areas and the arch of the dial are colorfully decorated with flowers. The time ring is displayed with Roman hour numerals, and each of the five-minute markers is displayed in Arabic numerals. This clock also displays seconds on a subsidiary dial.
The time and strike movement is of good quality. It is constructed in brass gearing and hardened steel pinions. It is weight driven and designed to run for eight days on a full wind and to strike each hour on a bell.
This clock was made circa 1810 and measures 7 feet 6.5 inches tall.
Inventory number II-163.
David Wood was born to John Wood (1727–1805) and Eunice (Fellows) Wood (1737–1801) in Newburyport, Massachusetts, on July 5, 1766, during a period of burgeoning craftsmanship in early America. He likely apprenticed under either Daniel Balch Senior or a member of the Mulliken family—both recognized as influential clockmakers in colonial New England. These apprenticeships were critical pathways for transmitting specialized skills and sustaining the region’s reputation for horological excellence.
By June 13, 1792, David Wood had established his own shop in Market Square, as reported in the Essex Journal and New Hampshire Packet. His business was strategically located near Reverend Andrews' Meeting House, a hub of community activity, reflecting the importance of visible, central locations for artisans of the period. Three years later, he married Elizabeth Bird (1769–1846) of Newbury, further cementing his ties to the local community.
Wood’s career coincided with a transformative era in American clockmaking, marked by innovation and expanding markets. In addition to crafting clocks, Wood was an active retailer. His 1806 advertisement for "Willard's best Patent Timepieces"—well-known products of the pioneering Willard family—illustrates his connection to broader networks of American clockmakers and his responsiveness to consumer demand.
In 1818, partnering with local silversmith Abel Moulton, Wood moved his enterprise into the former shop of Thomas H. Balch, another figure in Newburyport’s artisan community. By 1824, he relocated to the west side of Market Square, opposite the Market House, demonstrating both business adaptability and the fluid nature of commercial life in early 19th-century New England towns. After Elizabeth’s death in 1846, Wood moved to Lexington to be near his son David.
David Wood’s legacy as a master clockmaker and retailer is evident in the many surviving examples of his work—wall, shelf, and tall-case clocks signed by his hand. His long career reflects not only personal success but also the broader evolution of American craftsmanship and commerce during the early republic.
