David Caughlan

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David Caughlan was born in Lynchburg, VA. in 1824. It’s unknown when he moved to St. Louis but it was certainly by 1853 when the foundry of Caughlan & Piquitt shows up in city directories. There is a bell that exists that is embossed with the Caughlan & Piquett name that was cast in 1853 that resides in in Kansas City.

This partnership probably didn’t last very long because the name of the foundry was changed to Caughlan Bell & Brass Founders in 1857. The following year the named changed again, this time to Caughlan & Brother and then again that same year to David Caughlan. 

Most bells cast after 1858 bear only “CAUGHLAN” on the bell indicating that he was the sole owner of the enterprise by that time.

Caughlan had two different profiles in the bells he cast. The smaller bells were shaped like other river city foundries and were very nicely decorated. They had a wide mouth and much narrower shoulder. The second profile was more of a traditional American profile, which it appears he mostly cast for the church market.

Caughlan became ordained in the ministry in 1857 but continued in the foundry operations until about 1866 when his foundry was burned to the ground. It was at this time he became a full time pastor and exited the foundry business.

There are still many examples of bells that still exist that were cast in Caughlan’s foundries mostly around the St. Louis region and in the state of MO. There are also some bells that are in the south likely because of the easy transportation down the Mississippi River.