USA > Connecticut > New London County > Montville > History of Montville, Connecticut, formerly the North parish of New London from 1640 to 1896 > Part 40
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In one corner is the spinning-wheel and the loom, at which the housewife is busily engaged when the meals are disposed of and the dishes washed and set upon the shelf. High on the mantel shelf with a candle-stand on one side and the time- marking hour-glass on the other is the oft-read Bible, never kept for show. There were gatherings, besides those for religious worship, where neighbors met one another and had social " chats." Upon elections and " training " days people mingled together, also at " raisings," when flip and cider flowed plentifully. The "husking," too, was a social as well as an industrial gathering, followed by a rich repast upon pumpkin pie, which has, to the present day among the farmers, formed one of the most thoroughly enjoyed dishes.
Of those " days of long ago " we have heard our mothers and grandmothers say they were full of real enjoyment, al- though there was a great deal of hard work, yet it seemed a pleasure. The young people were allowed to have evening parties, when the neighboring households gathered and spent the time in plays, games, and other social recreations, making life joyous and burdens light.
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
The first industry started up in this town, excepting the saw-mill, was that of making iron from bog-ore. These bogs were found all along the coast from Maine to Maryland. Water filtering through the neighboring hill brings down into the ponds and marshes large quantities of iron in solution and deposits the same at the bottom of the ponds or coves along with vegetable mould in soft spongy masses, which went by the name of bog-iron ore. The large furnaces of the present day could not be supplied with it, because it does not exist in sufficient quantity, but for the use of the early colonist it sup- plied nearly every want. The iron cast from it was brittle, but very soft when melted. Such iron is still used in some parts of our country for stove castings.
In 1643 specimens of the bog-ores from ponds near Lynn,
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HISTORY OF MONTVILLE.
Mass., were sent to England to be tested, and was found to be of so good a quality that a " Company of Undertakers for the Iron Works " was formed by John Winthrop, Jr., and others, and they began the regular manufacture of iron at Lynn. The work was very successful, the bog-iron being well adapted for casting cannon, shot, pots, and other hollow ware. About six years after John Winthrop, Jr., came to New Lon- don he obtained a grant of privilege from the Assembly to enable him to make iron here. His first attempt to establish the manufacture of iron was within the limits of this town, at a place still called the " Old Forge," at the outlet of the Oxoboxo stream, below " Johnson's Dye Works." Here he started a " bloomey," as it was then called, for the smelting of iron. The primitive bloomey was merely a hole in the ground, in which charcoal was burned by the aid of a bellows made from a goat-skin, iron ore being added to the fire in small quantities. The one here built was, however, an im- provement upon the primitive ones used in India from the most ancient times, and are still said to be employed by the natives in Asia and Africa. This consisted of a furnace and a forge. The furnace was made by means of stone laid in clay, formed in the shape of a large kettle, the inside being overlaid with plastered clay. A chimney was raised to a sufficient height to produce a strong draft. In this way the ore was brought to a condition for the forge to form the iron into the proper shape for use. These iron works appear to have been soon after abandoned and nothing more was done there for nearly one hundred years.
The next mention of the iron works is in 1750, when the land on which the works formerly stood was deeded by Benja- min Alford to Benjamin McCall. The next mention of the works was on the 11th day of April, 1788, when Jeremiah Vallet, 2d, sold a piece of land to George Williams, containing ten acres, " with two-thirds of the spot where the late iron works were erected." The same year George Williams con- veyed the same premises to Pemberton Baker, who, on the 10th day of January, 1792, conveyed it to Amariah Weston.
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The only mills in operation within the present boundaries of Montville at the date of its incorporation were four grist- mills, seven saw-mills, and one fulling-mill. The grist-mills were owned by Ezekiel Fox, Jonathan Maynard, George Latimer, and Levi Lester; the saw-mills by Ezekiel Fox, Atwell Chapel, Deshon, Wheat & Hallam, Mathew Leffingwell, George & Jonathan Latimer, George B. Dolbeare, and Joshua Raymond; the fulling-mill was owned and operated by Joseph Smith.
The most important stream which runs through the town and on which are located most of the manufacturing estab- lisliments, is called Oxoboxo. This stream takes its rise in the northwest corner of the town. Its general course is south- easterly, and empties into a cove, which makes out from the Thames River a few rods north from the present Montville station of the New London Northern railroad. This arm of the river runs up into the main land about one mile, originally called " Massapeag," afterwards called Baker's Cove, but now bears the name of Haughton's Cove.
Near the outlet of the Oxoboxo, first called by the early settlers " Saw-mill Brook," located a few rods about the " old iron works," is the Dye Wood Works of the late William G. Johnson, now owned and operated by his son, Henry C. John- son. Upon this site the first saw-mill erected on the stream stood. It was built under the direction of John Winthrop about 1653. After the purchase of these premises by Amariah Weston in 1792, he built a small shop near the site of the Winthrop saw-mill, but was never occupied by him, as he died soon after its completion. By his last will, Weston gave this property to his wife, Mary, who afterwards married Andrew Tracy.
In 1798 John and Arthur Scholfield obtained a lease of the water privilege and buildings connected therewith from Mary Tracy for fourteen years. They there set up and put in operation the first woolen machinery for the manufacture of cloth by water power started in the state of Connecticut.
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HISTORY OF MONTVILLE.
Arthur Scholfield remained here with his brother, John, a few years, and then removed to Pittsfield, Mass., where, in 1808, he manufactured a piece of broadcloth containing thir- teen yards, which was presented to James Madison, and from which his inaugural suit was made. After the expiration of Mr. Scholfield's lease, in 1812, he sold out to John R. Com- stock, who continued the business until his death, in 1821, at which time his father, Nathan Comstock, and his brother, Nathan Comstock, Jr., came into possession of the mill- property. In 1823, Nathan Comstock, Sr., sold out his inter- est in the property to his son, Nathan Comstock, Jr., who soon after set up an oil-mill on the site of the old saw-mill, and carried on the oil business for several years. Nathan Com- stock, Jr., sold to William G. Johnson in 1834, who soon after erected buildings and started his dye works. In 1848 the business was enlarged by the erection of a large brick building to be used as an " extract." Mr. Johnson, being a man of remarkable business qualifications and bending his whole en- ergy to his business, was in a few years able to pronounce his undertaking a success.
In May, 1870, Mr. Johnson leased to his two sons, Edwin C. Johnson and Charles S. Johnson, the entire premises, to- gether with all the appurtenances thereto belonging, for the term of ten years, with the privilege of an addition of another ten years after the expiration of the first term, if desired. Messrs. Johnson & Co. continued in the business until about 1890, when they gave it up, and it was afterwards continued by William G. Johnson himself until his death in 1892. After Mr. Johnson's death the dye-works property was sold to Henry C. Johnson, the present owner and proprietor.
The second mill-privilege on the stream is now owned by the Uncasville Manufacturing Company, a joint-stock cor- poration, formed in 1848 with a capital of fifty thousand dol- lars ($50,000), which was increased in 1852 to seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000). George R. Lewis was its first president, and Charles A. Lewis its secretary. On the site
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of the present cotton-mill Levi Lester, in 1794, built and put into operation a grist-mill. The land now owned by the Uncasville Manufacturing Company, and on which the village of Uncasville is located, was formerly owned by George Wil- liams.
In the year 1823 Peter Richards and his son, Henry A. Richards, purchased of Levi Lester the grist-mill and the water privilege, and also a tract of land adjoining, of George Williams, and erected the present mill, into which they put machinery for the manufacture of cotton cloth. Messrs. Richards soon after failed in business and the whole plant came into the possession of Charles A. and George R. Lewis in 1830. Since that time the business has been carried on successfully, and many improvements have been made by the company in the erection of new tenement houses and en- largement of the mill. Since the death of Charles A. and George R. Lewis the company has been reorganized by the choice of new officers and an entire new plan of operation established. The village of Uncasville is very romantically located, and is within a half-mile from the railroad station near the Thames River. It has a commodious and beautiful church edifice, belonging to the Methodist denomination, a fine schoolhouse, a post-office, three grocery stores, a black- smith shop, livery stable, and a meat market.
The Pequot Mills, so called, are the next in order as we pass up stream. Here are two mills, one built of stone and the other is a wooden building. Several tenement houses have been erected for the accommodation of the employes. On the site of the present woolen-mill building formerly stood an oil-mill, built by John Congdon and David Congdon about 1803. Previously a saw-mill was erected here, to which the first use of the water power was applied. These premises were conveyed by John Congdon to Giles Turner in 1822, and by Giles Turner conveyed to his son-in-law, Albert G. Darrow, in 1837. Mr. Darrow run the oil-mill until near the time he sold out to Norton Brothers and Hiram
40
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Crosby of Norwich, in 1860. Soon after this purchase the oil-mill building was enlarged and the stone mill built, and both fitted up for the manufacture of woolen goods. A sub- stantial stone dam was built several feet higher than the original one, giving a fall of about forty-six feet. In 1877 this property passed into the possession of Henry B. Norton and Lorenzo Blackstone of Norwich. A change was made in the mills. The woolen machinery was taken out and machinery for working cotton was substituted. The mills are now in successful operation under the management of Wil- liam Blackstone in the manufacture of print cloth and lawns, containing 238 looms, and 8,064 spindles, and employ about 130 hands.
The next mill-site on the stream above the Pequot Mills is the one now operated by the Montville Woolen . Company, composed of James Freeland and P. II. O'Keefe. This privi- lege was first purchased by Col. Frank B. Loomis of Gideon Palmer in 1846. Col. Loomis, the same year, built the stone mill now occupying the site, and immediately put in woolen machinery for the manufacture of woolen cloth. In 1854 Col. Loomis sold out to Orrin F. Smith, who carried on this business until 1861, when it again came into the possession of Col. Loomis. In 1862 the property was purchased by the Thames Woolen Company, composed of Andrew M. Farn- ham of East Hartford, William W. Billings and Isaac L. Hayden of Windham, and Richard G. Hooper of Glastonbury. The same year Hart Talcott of Glastonbury became connected with the firm, but sold out his interest the next year to the other members of the firm. On the 13th day of May, 1864, Andrew M. Farnham sold to Isaac L. Hayden, who also sold to Andrew J. Wood of Brooklyn, N. Y. W. W. Billings also sold out his interest to Isaac L. Hayden in Oct., 1864. The business was continued by this firm until August, 1875, when a joint-stock company was formed with a capital of sixty thousand dollars ($60,000), with Andrew J. Wood as presi- dent, Seymour J. Strong as treasurer, and R. G. Hooper as manager.
PALMER BROS. MILLS,
人学部
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In March, 1877, an assignment was made by the Thames Woolen Company to Freeman M. Brown of Hartford, in trust for the benefit of all its creditors. The bankrupt estate was settled in the Probate Court, and the property sold by the trustee at private sale to R. G. Hooper. Mr. Hooper in Jan- uary, 1878, entered into a limited copartnership with Aaron Shaw of Philadelphia, R. G. Hooper being general partner, and Aaron Shaw as special partner, under the firm name of R. G. Hooper & Co. This firm continued the manufacture of fine woolen goods until the death of R. G. Hooper, August 16, 1888. Soon after, Mr. Shaw purchased the estate's in- terest, and continued the business in his own name until his death, when it came into possession of James Freeland. The broad loom has been introduced in the mill, new and im- proved machinery added, and the business now successfully carried on. Several new tenement houses have been erected, which show the prosperity of the concern.
Palmer Brothers Bedquilt manufactory is the next indus- trial plant on the stream above that of the Thames Woolen company, and on the site of the old oil-mill built in 1798 by Elder Reuben Palmer. The first person occupying this water privilege was William Hill, about 1770, by erecting a fulling- mill. His business was to full and finish cloth as it came from the looms of the many house women, who in those days spun the yarn and wove it into cloth by hand. This water priv- ilege was purchased by Elder Reuben Palmer of Jeremiah Rogers in 1797. A grist-mill was erected and put into opera- tion about the year 1814, near the oil-mill. The grist-mill was afterwards converted into a distillery, which was run by Elder Palmer and others, until it was sold to Gideon Palmer in 1820. The distillery was abandoned soon after, and only the oil business was carried on. In the year 1850, Elisha H. Palmer and others purchased the water privilege with the oil-mill, and commenced the manufacture of cotton rope, twine, and batts, using a part of the oil-mill for that purpose. As the cotton business increased, the oil business was given
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up, and the cotton manufacture continued until the present occupants came into possession of it about 1875. E. H. Pal- mer built, in 1866, the stone mill, which was enlarged by the present owners, whose business continued to increase from year to year until this new industry became established. New features in the manufacture by means of new patents and improvements in its machinery have from time to time developed, until it has become an industry of magnificent proportion.
The sixth manufacturing establishment on the Oxoboxo stream is a paper mill now owned by the estate of Carmichael Robertson. This privilege was first utilized by the erection of a dam across the stream by Gideon Palmer about 1852, and the pond thus formed used as a reservoir. In 1859 the water privilege, together with such water rights of flowage as were possessed by Mr. Palmer at his decease, was sold by the executrix of his estate to the Montville Paper Company, a joint stock corporation, of which Oliver Woodworth was president. In the year 1865 the company sold out to John Robertson, Carmichael Robertson, and James Bingham. Carmichael Robertson purchased the interest of the others, who owned with him in 1866, and since that time, until his death, November 28, 1888. He was very successful in the paper business, and accumulated a handsome property. Since the death of Mr. Robertson the business has been suc- cessfully carried on in the name of the estate by his sons, Alexander C. Robertson, Tryon E. Robertson, and William R. Robertson.
The next mill site above the Montville Paper Mill last mentioned, is the one where formerly stood the cotton, twine, and rope factory of Alfred Hurlburt. This privilege was purchased of several different owners, and cencentrated into one. The factory was first built by Mr. Hurlburt in 1866, and a prosperous little business was carried on here by Mr. Hurlburt until the loss of the buildings and machinery by fire in 1874. The next year it was rebuilt by him, and the
Carmichael Robertson
ROCKLAND MILL.
PA
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business more extensively carried on, until another fire, on the 21st day of December, 1894, destroyed the whole struc- ture again. Since this last fire Mr. Hurlburt has sold out the privilege to a bicycle company, who are erecting a building in which to manufacture an improved bicycle.
The Rockland Paper Mill, now belonging to the estate of Carmichael Robertson, was at first built of wood in 1850 by John W. Smith, who at the time was running a small cot- ton-batting factory on the same premises, which formerly belonged to his father, Mr. Abel Smith, deceased. Mr. Sinith leased the mill and water privilege, while the build- ings were being constructed, to Enoch B. Culver, for a term of five, ten, or twenty years, at the option of the lessee, the term of the lease to commence at the completion of the build- ing. In 1851 a warrantee deed was executed by Mr. John W. Smith, conveying the whole premises to the lessee, E. B. Culver. On the 24th day of April, 1852, Enoch B. Culver made an assignment of all his property to Benjamin Durfee of Norwich, in trust for the benefit of his creditors. This prop- erty was, in November following, sold by the trustee to Bab- cock, Dubuison & Hall of New York city, and by whom the paper business was carried on until 1857, when it was again sold to the Rockland Company, of which David Smith of Norwich was the president. In 1868 the mill was totally destroyed by fire. Soon after the fire, the original stock- holders sold the stock to Norman B. Church, who transferred about one-half of the same to other parties, residing in New London and elsewhere. The mill was again rebuilt of stone and put into operation, with Mr. Church as manager, who was also president of the company. After the death of Mr. Church in 1873, the business having been unsuccessfully managed, it was found to be in failing circumstances. The other stockholders, not wishing to take any further risks in running the mill, made a voluntary assignment to Charles W. Butler, a lawyer of New London, in trust for the benefit of the company's creditors. On the 19th day of July, 1875,
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HISTORY OF MONTVILLE.
the trustee sold the equity of the concern to Carmichael Rob- ertson, who was one of its largest stockholders. At this paper-mill, book and news-paper was first made. After Mr. Robertson came into possession, a new paper machine, a 68- inch cylinder, was put in, and afterwards only manilla paper was manufactured here. During the present year, 1895, a new building has been erected, 30x100 feet, on the west side of the paper-mill, and about 30 feet distant therefrom, in which the manufacture of paper boxes, by the Rex Box Com- pany.
Near the present site of the Rockland Paper Mill there formerly stood an old building, which is supposed to have been built by Joseph Smith, about the year 1780, and first used by him as a fulling-mill. This building was afterwards converted into a cotton-batting mill, and operated by Abel Smith, son of Joseph Smith, and father of John W. Smith. The "Fox Mills," so called, are of ancient origin, and at first contained a sawmill and a gristmill. This site is probably the second one to be occupied on the stream. Mr. Samuel Fox was its first owner. He obtained a grant of about 1,500 acres of land in the vicinity, about the year 1700, and erected at this place on the stream a sawmill. The gristmill was probably built by his son, Ezekiel Fox, after his father's death, to whom the property was devised by the last will of his father, Samuel Fox. Ezekiel, by his last will, devised it to his grandson, Ezekiel Fox, who occupied it only a few years, and sold it to Isaac Turner in 1805.
In the year 1811, Isaac Turner conveyed the same to Elder Reuben Palmer. In 1813, Elder Palmer leased to Jared S. Rogers the privilege to use the water power for a machine shop, and conveyed to him a small piece of land on which to erect a building. Mr. Rogers not being suc- eessful in the business, it was taken possession of by the les- sor. The Wooden Wheel Clock was for a short time man- nfactured in the building erected for a machine shop. The building erected by Mr. Rogers was afterwards used as a
(Erected in 1886.)
BANK PAPER MILL OF C. M. ROBERTSON.
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cotton factory, but was burned down about 1817. In 1837 Henry Wheeler came into possession of the old factory site, and rebuilt another cotton factory. Mr. Wheeler and his sons, William H. and Edwin C. Wheeler, continued in the cotton business here until 1871, when the whole property, including the grist and sawmill, was purchased by the Rock- land company. It was afterwards sold with the other Rock- land company's property to Carmichael Robertson. Mr. Robertson removed the grist and sawmill, and in 1886 erected a substantial and convenient paper-mill building, built of stone quarried from a ledge near by.
Oakdale Mill was built of stone by James Bingham in 1866, and occupied by him as a paper-mill until April, 1880, at which time it came into the possession of the Palmer Brothers, and used by them in the manufacture of bedquilts about ten years, when it was leased to the Massasoit Company of Fall River, Mass. This company run it in the manufac- ture of cotton wick. This water privilege was first utilized by James Bingham, and was purchased by him of Charles F. Scholfield, and consisted of about two acres of land, to- gether with the right to build a dam on other land of Mr. Scholfield, and by means of a ditch conduct the water to the mill. The land upon which this mill stands was originally a part of the Samuel Fox land, and afterwards to his son Ezek- iel, and grandson, Brintnal Fox.
The next water privilege above the Oakdale mill is owned by Charles F. Scholfield. The dam and mill was here erected by Mr. Scholfield in 1868, and for several years after used in the manufacture of cotton twine. In 1878 Mr. Scholfield put in woolen machinery, and has since continued the manufacture of flannels and kerseymeres, together with custom roll carding and wool batts.
Scholfield's celebrated satinet mill, located next above, is the oldest woolen establishment on the Oxoboxo stream. A clothiers' establishment was started here about the year 1790, which took the place of a sawmill that was ereeted
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HISTORY OF MONTVILLE.
many years before by Joshua Raymond. Joseph Otis ap- pears to have been the first to engage in the clothiers' business of fulling and dressing home-made cloth at this place. Af- terwards, in 1808, Elijah Beemis carried on the same business at this site. In 1814, John Scholfield bought the property of Daniel F. Raymond, enlarged the old building, and put in machinery for manufacturing woolen cloth, and the woolen business has been carried on at this place by some one or more of the Scholfields to the present time. The old building is still used for the same purpose for which it was built one hundred years ago. At this mill Thomas Scholfield wove the first piece of satinet that was manufactured in this state. The present owner, B. F. Scholfield, continues to make "Scholfield's Satinet."
The woolen factory lately owned and operated by Dea- con Harry Vincent, deceased, is the first that was put in opera- tion next below the Oxoboxo reservoir. A sawmill was first built here by Atwell Chapel, who owned the privilege about 1795. In the year 1827, Joshua Baker, Sherwood Ray- mond, Caleb Baker, and Clark Bissel, erected here a build- ing, and started the oil business. It did not prove very profit- able, and was abandoned a few years afterwards. In 1829, the property was sold to Deacon Harry Vincent, who en- larged the old building, and put up machinery for carding rolls, spinning yarn, and making flannels and cassimeres. At the time Deacon Vincent started the woolen business at this place, he lived in a part of the mill. He continued in the same line of manufacture until his death, in 1878. By strict economy, close attention to his business, and honest dealing, he had accumulated a handsome amount of property at his death. So great was his trust in the Divine Providence that he was strenuously opposed to availing himself through the use of popular means, to escape the loss of property from fire or lightning, or any other destructive element, and was never known to have suffered any loss by either. Since Deacon Vincent's death, the property has been sold to R. N. Parish,
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