THE ANGLER AND HUNTSMAN 29 



as apprentices. In 1839 he and his brother formed a part- 

 nership under the firm name of J. F. and B. F. Meek, B. C. 

 Milam still being associated with them. A few reels were 

 made between this time and 1848, when B. C. Milam was 

 taken into the firm, and the name became J. F. Meek and 

 Company, B. C. Milam being the company and doing the 

 work on the reels and stamping them " J. F. & B. F. Meek." 

 as before. In 1852 this firm failed and Jonathan F. Meek 

 moved to Louisville, where he worked until his death at his 

 trade, watchmaking, for Wm. Kendrick. 



January 1, 1853, B. F. Meek and B. C. Milam formed a 

 iu i \v firm under the name of Meek and Milam, to continue 

 the business of jewelers and reel making at the old stand 

 on Main Street. B. F. Meek attended entirely to watch- 

 making and jewelry on the lower floor and B. C. Milam had 

 entire charge of and did all the reel work on the second 

 floor of the same house. The partnership agreement was 

 in writing, and shows that upon dissolution Meek was to 

 have the watchmaking tools and Milam was to own the 

 reel-making outfit. This partnership was dissolved in 

 1885 by mutual agreement, and, according to contract, 

 Meek took the watchmaking business and Milam took 

 the reel making, both remaining in the old stand 

 on Main street, Frankfort, Ky., Meek on the lower floor 

 and Milam on the upper floor. During this partnership 

 Milam stamped the reels "Meek and Milam" and after the 

 separation he continued to stamp them "Meek and Milam," 

 although Meek had no interest in the reel business, and so 

 stamped them from 1853 until about 1880, twenty-seven 

 years. During this long period the reel known as the 

 "Meek A: Milani" reel, and made exclusively by B. C. Mi- 

 lam, had become famous, not only throughout the United 

 States, but was known to the anglers of Europe. 



In 1882 B. F. Meek moved to Louisville and began to 

 make a reel. 



In' 1898 B. F. Meek, having sold out to J. H. Sutcliffe 



