The following article was extracted from the Clearfield Progress News papers dated October 20, 27 and November 3, 1978. The Editor Emeritus of the Progress was the late George A. Scott.

(Sixth and last of Several Columns)
       A 1924 edition of "My Knitting Instruction Book," issued by the Gearhart company which is in the collection of the Clearfield County Historical Society at its Museum at the corner of East Pine and North Front streets, contains detailed instructions for assembly and operation of the Gearhart Family Knitter. Well illustrated with the details of the knitter, the book notes at its beginning, "The Gearhart Knitter has been manufactured to be used in the home and operated by anyone of ordinary intelligence even though they have not learned to run or operate successfully any kind of a machine, or had any previous knitting experience whatever ... Make up your mind definitely that this is going to be good fun and that you will not allow anyone, not even one of your family, to confuse or disturb you while you are learning...Do not let any person be with you offering advice and suggestions while you are learning ... Don't call in neighbors or village mechanic."
       Nonetheless, some purchasers naturally had difficulties. A letter to one in 1925 complimented the purchaser "upon the very nice sample of the Children's Hose you so kindly knit for us." However, the letter continued with this advice: "The roll top on your sample measures 4 inches for Measurement No. 1. Please consult the chart for the correct measurement ... Please measure your hosiery and do not send it to us unless it is the length required, as shown on the chart. . . Your tension is too tight. . ."
        The finished Gearhart Knitter products were generally outstanding. Mrs. Margaret Surver of Boyce, Va., daughter of Leonard A. Gearhart and granddaughter of the inventor, remembers "as children in the grade schools my sister and I wore the beautiful socks knitted on the machines at the Gearhart factory. I particularly remember the beautiful white wool ones with lovely cuffs done in multicolored yarn. Her sister was Mrs. Joseph A. Dague Sr., of Clearfield.
        As noted previously, however, the production of the home-knitters exceeded the demand for hosiery or the ability of the company to market the product. Thus, on June 14, 1926, Leonard A. Gearhart, one of the three sons of the inventor-founder, petitioned the Western District Federal Court of Pittsburgh for bankruptcy approval for the company and his petition was granted. Charles T. Kurtz Sr. of Clearfield and Fred C. Weihenmayer were appointed receivers for the bankrupt firm.
       Three days later, on June 17, 1926, The Progress reported that the receivers had "closed a deal with a syndicate of local businessmen through which the business (of the Gearhart Knitting Machine Co.) of manufacturing knitting machines, parts and supplies will be continued. The chief purchaser is Carl H. Patchin of Burnside, a prominent business man of Clearfield County who has been notably successful in lumber, coal, oil and kindred enterprises ... his name is the only one that appears in the deal thus far.
       "It was learned today that Mr. Patchin and his associates plan to incorporate under the name of Clearfield Knitting Company ... The new firm will be capitalized at $50,000 and the work of rejuvenating this once important industry will begin at once ... It is not to he expected that the knitting machine industry can quickly reach the proportions it once assumed in this city, but the news that the business is to be continued at the old stand will be welcome news at this time."
       Courthouse records show that the Clearfield Knitting Machine Co. was chartered July 28, 1926 with Mr. Patchin, Aaron P. Clark of Glen Campbell and J. N. Walker of Philadelphia as the stockholders and Mr. Patchin, Mr. Clark and Attorney A. M. Liveright of Clearfield as directors of the new corporation. The new corporation was capitalized at $50,000 divided into 500 shares with a par value of $100 each. Mr. Patchin was listed as owner of 25 shares, Mr. Clark 24 and Mr. Walker 1.
       The new firm lost little time in getting started. Three days after the charter approval, an announcement letter went out to Gearhart Knitting Machine owners and operators offering to supply machines, parts, yarns and other supplies. Enclosed with the letter were knitting suggestions and a promise to "send you additional suggestions from time to time, and offer further assistance to make your machine knitting more profitable to you."
       However, the announcement said "We regret to tell you that we are not going to buy any hosiery or pay knitting wages" and it disclaimed any connection with the former Gearhart Knitting Machine Company and their

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