diff --git a/src/force.cpp b/src/force.cpp
index 333a6e4715..6c9a42fbde 100644
--- a/src/force.cpp
+++ b/src/force.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,39 @@
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
+// templates for factory functions:
+// there will be one instance for each style keyword in the style_xxx.h file
+
+template <typename T> static Pair *pair_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
+{
+  return new T(lmp);
+}
+
+template <typename T> static Bond *bond_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
+{
+  return new T(lmp);
+}
+
+template <typename T> static Angle *angle_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
+{
+  return new T(lmp);
+}
+
+template <typename T> static Dihedral *dihedral_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
+{
+  return new T(lmp);
+}
+
+template <typename T> static Improper *improper_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
+{
+  return new T(lmp);
+}
+
+template <typename T> static KSpace *kspace_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
+{
+  return new T(lmp);
+}
+
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 Force::Force(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pointers(lmp)
@@ -280,16 +313,6 @@ Pair *Force::new_pair(const std::string &style, int trysuffix, int &sflag)
   return nullptr;
 }
 
-/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-   one instance per pair style in style_pair.h
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
-template <typename T>
-Pair *Force::pair_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
-{
-  return new T(lmp);
-}
-
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    return ptr to Pair class if matches word or matches hybrid sub-style
    if exact, then style name must be exact match to word
@@ -391,16 +414,6 @@ Bond *Force::new_bond(const std::string &style, int trysuffix, int &sflag)
   return nullptr;
 }
 
-/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-   one instance per bond style in style_bond.h
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
-template <typename T>
-Bond *Force::bond_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
-{
-  return new T(lmp);
-}
-
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    return ptr to current bond class or hybrid sub-class if matches style
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -468,16 +481,6 @@ Angle *Force::new_angle(const std::string &style, int trysuffix, int &sflag)
   return nullptr;
 }
 
-/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-   one instance per angle style in style_angle.h
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
-template <typename T>
-Angle *Force::angle_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
-{
-  return new T(lmp);
-}
-
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    return ptr to current angle class or hybrid sub-class if matches style
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -545,16 +548,6 @@ Dihedral *Force::new_dihedral(const std::string &style, int trysuffix, int &sfla
   return nullptr;
 }
 
-/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-   one instance per dihedral style in style_dihedral.h
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
-template <typename T>
-Dihedral *Force::dihedral_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
-{
-  return new T(lmp);
-}
-
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    return ptr to current angle class or hybrid sub-class if matches style
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -622,16 +615,6 @@ Improper *Force::new_improper(const std::string &style, int trysuffix, int &sfla
   return nullptr;
 }
 
-/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-   one instance per improper style in style_improper.h
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
-template <typename T>
-Improper *Force::improper_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
-{
-  return new T(lmp);
-}
-
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    return ptr to current improper class or hybrid sub-class if matches style
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -699,16 +682,6 @@ KSpace *Force::new_kspace(const std::string &style, int trysuffix, int &sflag)
   return nullptr;
 }
 
-/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-   one instance per kspace style in style_kspace.h
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
-template <typename T>
-KSpace *Force::kspace_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
-{
-  return new T(lmp);
-}
-
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    return ptr to Kspace class if matches word
    if exact, then style name must be exact match to word
diff --git a/src/force.h b/src/force.h
index 3ea03fdbe2..677817f4b3 100644
--- a/src/force.h
+++ b/src/force.h
@@ -153,12 +153,6 @@ class Force : protected Pointers {
 
  private:
   void create_factories();
-  template <typename T> static Pair *pair_creator(LAMMPS *);
-  template <typename T> static Bond *bond_creator(LAMMPS *);
-  template <typename T> static Angle *angle_creator(LAMMPS *);
-  template <typename T> static Dihedral *dihedral_creator(LAMMPS *);
-  template <typename T> static Improper *improper_creator(LAMMPS *);
-  template <typename T> static KSpace *kspace_creator(LAMMPS *);
 };
 
 }    // namespace LAMMPS_NS
diff --git a/src/modify.cpp b/src/modify.cpp
index 2f7abe27fa..e3976f3622 100644
--- a/src/modify.cpp
+++ b/src/modify.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,19 @@ using namespace FixConst;
 #define DELTA 4
 #define BIG 1.0e20
 
+// templates for factory functions:
+// there will be one instance for each style keyword in the style_xxx.h file
+
+template <typename T> static Fix *fix_creator(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg)
+{
+  return new T(lmp,narg,arg);
+}
+
+template <typename T> static Compute *compute_creator(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg)
+{
+  return new T(lmp,narg,arg);
+}
+
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 Modify::Modify(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pointers(lmp)
@@ -1024,16 +1037,6 @@ Fix *Modify::replace_fix(const std::string &oldfix, const std::string &fixcmd, i
   return replace_fix(oldfix.c_str(),args.size(),newarg.data(),trysuffix);
 }
 
-/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-   one instance per fix in style_fix.h
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
-template <typename T>
-Fix *Modify::fix_creator(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg)
-{
-  return new T(lmp,narg,arg);
-}
-
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    modify a Fix's parameters
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -1310,17 +1313,6 @@ Compute *Modify::add_compute(const std::string &computecmd, int trysuffix)
   return add_compute(args.size(),newarg.data(),trysuffix);
 }
 
-
-/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-   one instance per compute in style_compute.h
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
-template <typename T>
-Compute *Modify::compute_creator(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg)
-{
-  return new T(lmp,narg,arg);
-}
-
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    modify a Compute's parameters
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/src/modify.h b/src/modify.h
index e340012b04..df8e52752f 100644
--- a/src/modify.h
+++ b/src/modify.h
@@ -201,8 +201,6 @@ class Modify : protected Pointers {
 
  protected:
   void create_factories();
-  template <typename T> static Compute *compute_creator(LAMMPS *, int, char **);
-  template <typename T> static Fix *fix_creator(LAMMPS *, int, char **);
 };
 
 }    // namespace LAMMPS_NS