William Lewis Gilbert (1807–1890) entered the Connecticut clock business in 1828, partnering with his brother-in-law George Marsh and later with other prominent clockmakers including John Birge and the Jerome brothers under a succession of partnership names. In 1841 Gilbert moved his operations to Winsted, Connecticut, taking over a clockmaking site that dated back to 1807.
The business was formally incorporated as the William L. Gilbert Clock Company in 1871 and grew into one of Connecticut’s largest clock manufacturers, at its peak employing around 500 workers and producing roughly 2,000 clocks a day. The company survived into the 20th century making shelf, mantel, and alarm clocks, later adding electric clocks and bakelite cases, before the clockmaking division was sold to the Spartus Corporation in 1964.