Oakley & Mason, New York
Oakley, Mason & Co., New York

Farmer, Brace & Co. succeeded Pratt, Woodford & Co. in 1854. The partners were E. P. Farmer, T. K. Brace, Jr., H. Z. Pratt and O. P. Woodford. When E. P. Farmer died in 1857, Farmer, Brace & Co. dissolved. A new partnership with H. Z. Pratt, James S. Oakley, James H. Pratt and Charles D. Pratt formed Pratt, Oakley & Co.

James S. Oakley (1830-1894) was a native of Goshen, New York and began in the book business in about 1848 as an employee in Jonathan Leavitt's bookstore. Several years later he became a member of the Farmer, Brace & Co. house.

In December, 1859 Elihu Phinney and Elihu Phinney, Jr. formed a copartnership with Blakeman & Mason (established in 1859) to start Phinney, Blakeman & Mason. It was active in 1860-1861.

Because of the unpaid debts of southern customers, Pratt, Oakley & Co. failed in 1862. Albert Mason and Birdseye Blakeman succeeded that firm as Blakeman & Mason. When Blakeman withdrew in 1864, James S. Oakley bought his share and joined the newly named Oakley & Mason outfit. In 1868 James S. Baker and William T. Pratt became partners and the new firm was called Oakley, Mason & Co.

Birdseye Blakeman had been a bookseller in Connecticut as B. Blakeman & Co. and subsequently was associated with Lamport, Blakeman & Law and Sheldon, Lamport & Blakeman.

James Shaw Baker (1836-1904) was a native of Pompey, New York. He studied law in New York City prior to joining the publishing house of Blakeman & Mason in 1859. Baker served in the civil war and after his term expired in 1861 rejoined Blakeman & Mason.

In 1872 James S. Oakley retired and Oakley, Mason & Co. was succeeded by Mason, Baker & Pratt.

Summary of publisher dates:
Farmer, Brace & Co. 1854-1857
Pratt, Oakley & Co. 1857-1862 (Successor of Framer, Brace & Co.)
Blakeman & Mason 1859 (310 Broadway)
Phinney, Blakeman & Mason 1860-1861 (61 Walker Street)
Blakeman & Mason 1862-1864 (21 Murray Street)
Oakley & Mason 1864-1868 (21 Murray Street)
Oakley, Mason & Co. 1869-1870 (21 Murray Street)/ 1871-1872 (142 & 144 Grand Street)
Mason, Baker & Pratt 1872-1884 (142 & 144 Grand Street)

The above listed firms published mostly educational books. The successors to these outfits are not shown here since they printed no juvenile series.

Appreciate that books published by Oakley & Mason were most likely also published by Oakley, Mason & Co.