"John C. Doran, member of the firm of Doran Brothers, of Danbury, makers of hatters' machinery, has been very successful in his business affairs, due to his initiative, his original ideas and his sound business methods, and is recognized as one of Danbury's leading citizens. Mr. Doran was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, in 1874 and is a son of John W. and Elizabeth (Reid) Doran. After completing his elementary education in the public schools of his home city, he entered the machinery manufacturing plant of the Blake & Johnson Company, there gaining a thorough and practical knowledge of mechanics. This work he followed there until 1900, when he came to Danbury and went to work for his uncle, Charles H. Reid, who founded a factory for making hatters' machinery in the '60s, and was a pioneer inventor of labor-saving, automatic hat machinery, as well as a successful developer of machinery and mechanical ideas along other lines. The Reid drill chuck, which has been in general use for many years, was his invention. In 1903 his business was taken over by his nephews, John C. and James Doran, under the firm name of Doran Brothers, who have continued it to the present time. When they took hold of the business the factory was located on River street, where they remained until 1919, when the increase of their business required larger quarters and they erected their present large, brick factory building on Shelter Rock road, Danbury, into which they moved in 1920." (Quote from 1929.)

     "Doran Bros. of Danbury are designers, patentees and builders of high-grade, automatic, hat-making machinery. The business was founded in the Sixties by the late Charles H. Reid; Doran Bros. being his successors in 1903. Mr. Reid was a pioneer inventor of laborsaving, automatic hat machinery, as well as having been engaged in the development of machines. in other fields. The Reid drill chuck, which has been in use for years, and is still in general use, was his invention. In 1919, because of increasing business, Doran Bros. found it necessary to erect and equip a large and modern plant. Most of the product built by this company is designed by members of its own organization and is protected by patents. The use of their automatic machinery is general throughout the hatting world. In the world's hat trade, this firm enjoys the reputation of building the most completely automatic and the best mechanically perfected devices in use in the hat industry. The Doran machinery, particularly that which is used in the finishing departments of hat making, has revolutionized finishing methods. It has been the means of changing the methods of work in this department over that which was generally hand operated to a more uniform and more efficient accomplishment with more perfect product." (Quote from 1925.)

      The Doran Brothers primarily manufactured hat-making machinery which are outside the focus of this website. We list them because they also manufactured a metal planer.

Information Sources

• History of Fairfield County, Connecticut, 1639-1928, V2, 1929, pg. 346
• History of Connecticut in Monographic Form, V4, 1925, pg. 310