Bessolo wrench

[Papaw]

I have an email from a descendant of William Bessolo wanting a wrench patented by him. Does anyone here have one or know of any?

Hi there,

I'm looking to purchase one of the wrenches patented by William L Bessolo (my great great grandfather). I'm wondering if you ever come across one if you could keep me in mind. I would love to own one. This is my email and my cell number is ...-,,,-.....
I would appreciate any assistance possible.

Thank you,
Jennifer Beslow

https://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=pts&hl=en&q=ininventor:William+ininventor:L+ininventor:Bessolo&num=10
Looks like he had more than one patent.
Post here any info you have and I'll let her know. I am also emailing her a link to this thread.

The wrench is probably this one- http://www.google.com/patents/US1585825

[Papaw]

Another email followed-
"I only know of 1 for sure that was produced and have heard maybe 3 or 4 others possibly. Most were patents he filed and then used the patents to scam people.  He was very dishonest and was in prison several times for embezzlement.  He would take investments for tool factories and them skip town.  Any help would be appreciated.

Thx
Jennifer "

Yep- http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/21205161/monkey-wrench-business

MONKEY (WRENCH) BUSINESS
PUB. DATE
February 1980
SOURCE
American Heritage;Feb/Mar1980, Vol. 31 Issue 2, p109
SOURCE TYPE
Periodical
DOC. TYPE
Article
ABSTRACT
Focuses on the fraud committed by drummer William L. Bessolo against the residents of Spring Valley, Illinois. Incentives offered by Bessolo for residents in return for working capital; Amount obtained by Bessolo from the residents; Information on the arrest of the offender.

What a story!!
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/AZCOCHIS/2012-11/1354182113

[mvwcnews]

The best known of the Bessolo patents was produced at San Diego by the San Diego Specialty Works ( http://books.google.com/books?id=62gfAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1009 ); (http://www.datamp.org/patents/advance.php?pn=1004792&id=23263&set=1 ).
I have several Bessolo wrench patents in DATAMP; there are more which I have not yet gotten included.  The MVWC newsletter has had lots of snippets of info about Mr. Bessolo & his patents. 
The American Heritage article & a later one by Jim Mau (reprinted in an early MVWC newsletter) had a negative twist.  A more charitable interpretation would be that Mr. Bessolo had big dreams and not so much ability to manage affairs successfully.  The people who lost money in his ventures undoubtedly had their own opinions after the fact, but the open question remains -- what was it that was persuasive enough to get people to buy in in the first place?
Noel, have the descendant contact me & I'll supply everything I've found online about Mr. Bessolo.  It will take a bit of time to round it all up into one file.

[Papaw]

Done. Thanks, Stan!

[Bus]

I talked to the descendant on the phone earlier today. I already knew a little about Bessolo and have a list of 26 US and one Canadian Bessolo patents. She said that he also has at least one Mexican patent. He had four wifes and 10 or more children, used different name spellings, several different birth dates and locations, sometimes took his brother's or brother in law's identity, seem to move ever several months, was shot twice and lost part of his ear probably in a fight. She's not entirely certain that he didn't fake his own death as she found a death certificate but no record of burial or cremation.

[Bus]

Here is a list of the Bessolo patents I have found:

Patent No.   Date Filed   Date Granted   Residence   Description   DATAMP   Name
1,004,792   1910/10/29   1911/10/03   Denver, CO   Pipe Wrench   Yes   William Louis Bessolo
1,008,939   1910/11/17   1911/11/14   Denver, CO   Pipe wrench   Yes   William Louis Bessolo
1,086,127   1911/09/07   1914/02/03   McAlester, OK   Wrench   Yes   William Louis Bessolo
1,037,109   1912/05/14   1912/08/27   San Diego, CA   Pipe Wrench   Yes   William Louis Bessolo
1,158,164   1913/10/23   1915/10/26   San Diego, CA   Wrench   Yes   William Louis Bessolo
1,157,495   1913/12/11   1915/10/19   San Diego, CA   Nut Wrench   Yes   William L. Bessolo
D50,119   1916/08/16   1917/01/02   San Diego, CA   Design for a Wrench   Yes   William Louis Bessolo
1,305,515   1917/01/09   1919/06/03   San Diego, CA   Shade for Automobiles   No   William L. Bessolo
1,319,943   1917/06/22   1919/10/28   San Diego, CA   Collapsible Tower   No   William Louis Bessolo
1,312,471   1917/12/01   1919/08/05   San Diego, CA   Quick Adjustable Wrench   No   William Louis Bessolo
1,318,047   1917/12/01   1919/10/07   San Diego, CA   Pipe Wrench   Yes   William Louis Bessolo
1,319,944   1919/05/05   1919/10/28   San Diego, CA   Quick Adjustable Wrench   No   William Louis Bessolo
1,319,945   1919/05/06   1919/10/28   San Diego, CA   Quick Adjustable Wrench   No   William Louis Bessolo
1,319,946   1919/05/22   1919/10/28   San Diego, CA   Quick Adjustable Wrench   No   William Louis Bessolo
196225 (Can.)   1919/07/09   1920/01/20   Walla Walla, WA   Pipe Wrench   No   William Louis Bessolo
1,415,772   1921/02/12   1922/05/09   San Diego, CA   Flexible Chain Wrench   No   William Louis Bessolo
1,447,920   1921/12/12   1923/05/06   Long Beach, CA   Pipe Tongs   No   William Louis Bessolo
1,564,511   1922/10/04   1925/12/08   Clearwater, CA   Supporting Means for Tools (oil field)   No   William L. Bessolo
1,630,822   1922/10/04   1927/05/31   Clearwater, CA   Tongs   No   William L. Bessolo
1,587,892   1922/12/21   1926/06/08   Clearwater, CA   Safety Ties for Tongs   No   William L. Bessolo
1,542,359   1923/02/03   1925/06/16   Clearwater, CA   Tongs   No   William L. Bessolo
1,585,825   1923/02/19   1926/05/25   Clearwater, CA   Wrench   No   William L. Bessolo
1,651,575   1923/07/09   1927/12/06   Clearwater, CA   Pipe Wrench   No   William L. Bessolo
1,651,576   1923/07/09   1927/12/06   Clearwater, CA   Wrench   No   William L. Bessolo
1,548,344   1923/08/13   1925/08/04   Clearwater, CA   Wrench   No   William L. Bessolo
1,651,577   1923/08/13   1927/12/06   Clearwater, CA   Tool   No   William L. Bessolo
1,611,808   1924/08/22   1926/12/21   Clearwater, CA   Tongs   No   William Louis Bessolo