VMI Alumnus turns craftsman with hand-made clocks for The Cadet

Philip "Phil" Vaughan, Jr. '63 is now a master craftsman whose legend goes back to his days as a Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Cadet. According to his Bomb biography, "a bright-eyed boy from Newport News walked into the arch on 9 September 1959 to get his degree, but found that it took four years. He was disappointed, but he decided to play the game anyway. While doing so, he made many friends. Unabashedly, he came to VMI to get an education and training to join the Army as a 2nd lieutenant; the thought of being drafted into the service as a private wasn't particularly attractive. After VMI, a physical discovered his feet were too flat to get a commission. He immediately went to work as a bench chemist and made enough money to purchase a new car. Within another year he was married, built a house with a shop and equipped it with tools to do what he really wanted to do; professional woodworking. A prophetic portion of Vaughan's Bomb bio noted, "His skill with his hands will undoubtedly bring him success." Vaughan '63 founded New Hampshire Clocks in 1988. Located in Franklin, New Hampshire, he and his wife Donna produce high-end, commemorative clocks. Their customer base is largely made up of individuals, schools, organizations, corporations and governmental agencies wishing to obtain or give a distinctive gift to honor an important event or milestone. The craftspeople at New Hampshire Clocks are men and women who have been associated with the most venerable names in New England clock making. Their commitment to fine woodworking and wood finishing is obvious as you preview their collection. Whichever model the customer selects, they are purchasing handcrafted, timeless quality. The Vaughans and their staff spend an inordinate amount of time in the design, selection of materials, construction and finish of their clocks. The company embodies the VMI ethos Mr. Vaughan drew from his VMI experience. New Hampshire Clocks is a family business in every sense of the word. Their name and reputation are part of every clock they build and they are not about to jeopardize either. Whether choosing from the New Hampshire Clocks' collection or deciding to customize one of their fine clocks with your family name, corporate logo or college seal, the clock you order will be of the highest quality with long lasting value. New Hampshire Clocks is constantly searching for suppliers who produce solely in the U.S.A. Vaughan is quick to say that "We would be remiss if we told you that every component in every one of our fine clocks was made in the U.S.A. The wood for our clock cases are from trees that are grown and harvested in the United States. The wood is milled, handcrafted and finished in New England. The glass comes from New York and the handles from Michigan. The silent electronic quartz movements and movement parts come from Wisconsin and California and the hardware from Massachusetts. Vaughan's Bomb bio ended with a cautionary warning that "Phil will have to be careful that some little girl doesn't set her sights on him because he is just the conscientious and responsible type of man that girls always catch." It turned out to be true as Phil eventually married his wife Donna and they've been together almost 30 years. She shares his passion for clocks and running the business. Donna's primary function is to preside over New Hampshire Clocks….and Phil. He admits, "I wouldn't have it any other way." As a special tribute to the long history and outstanding Cadets and alumni who made The Cadet what it is today, New Hampshire Clocks created two special editions available to honor the newspaper and its long history as the independent voice of the Corps and alumni since 1871. "Traditionally, we have marketed our custom clocks through college and university alumni organizations," Vaighan told The Cadet. "But, in this case, I had just received an email with the latest issue of The Cadet and decided then and there, they were the folks who might be interested in helping us sell our clocks! The relationship we have since established with Bob Morris and The Cadet Foundation bears this out." The LEXINGTON is an 8 lb. wall clock with a silent Seiko pendulum movement. The RICHMOND is a 5 lb. mantel clock with a chiming Seiko movement. Both are made in New Hampshire of solid American black cherry wood and are available in either autumn (light cherry) or burgundy (dark cherry) stain. The Cadet clock dials (faces) have Arabic numerals on the LEXINGTON and Roman numerals displayed on the RICHMOND. Both will bear the exclusive Cadet newspaper masthead through permission from The Cadet Foundation. A portion of all sales will be donated to the Cadet Foundation in support of its projects working with Cadets on projects. You can order The Cadet or other custom clocks directly from New Hampshire Clocks on their website at www.nhclocks.com (click on 'order' button) or email donna@nhclocks.com for more info. A donation will be made to The Cadet for each clock sold. Editor's Note: Mr. Vaughan, Jr. '63 donated one of his The Cadet commemorative wall clocks to Scott Shipp Hall where cadets, faculty and staff can enjoy it. He also graciously donated one of The Cadet table clocks for The Cadet to present to LTC Hartsock on his departure from VMI.