USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Rockton > The history of Rockton, Winnebago County, Illinois, 1820 to 1898 > Part 14
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Prof. William W. Austin was born in Rockton, April 29, 1841. When a child his parents removed to their farm, three miles
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
west of town. Here he grew to manhood, a lover of the study of plants and animals, and where the foundation for his late work in the sciences and natural history of animals was laid. He is an alumnus of Wheaton college, and is held in high esteem by Beloit college, having a pleasant and intimate acquaintance with a number of its professors. He has spent twenty-five years of successful work in the school room, and for resting spells, between years of teaching, has served as book-keeper for several important business concerns. He is the author of a work on the natural history of animals, and a regular contributor to several popular magazines.
He married Miss Josephine A. Dury, Dec. 24, 1862. She was born Dec. 24, 1842, and died Feb. 3, 1896. They were both men- bers of the Cong'l church. They have had four children, two sons and two daughters. He served the village one term as police magistrate. He rendered valuable assistance in suc- cessfully establishing our public library. He has expended much time and money in an effort to establish important in- dustrial enterprises in Rockton, and in doing so will undoubt- edly be successful.
Roscoe Gammon was born in Peru, Maine, March 7, 1843. He married Miss Clarinda M. Raynolds, Dec. 18, 1865. She was born June 2, 1846, and died May 3, 1894. He came west in 1868 and after carrying on a farm for four years, he engaged in the meat market business, which he followed for fifteen years. Since then he has been quite extensively engaged in bee keeping, market gardening and raising green house plants. He married his second wife, Mrs. Gertrude Wellington, Oct. 7, 1897. She was born Aug. 14 1862. Mr. Gammon is a meni- ber of the Methodist church, and has been a leader of the choir for many years. He has served as a member of the vil- lage board one or two terms. He served in a Maine regiment during the war of the rebellion.
Edwin Kinsley was born in New Jersey, May 17, 1838. He settled in Rockton in 1859, and for twenty-five years, in con- nection with his brother, William Kinsley, carried on the busi- ness of blacksmithing and carriage building. He married Miss Jennie Glover, Oct. 7, 1860. She died Sept. 15, 1892. He moved to Beloit in 1884, where he now resides. He carries on a large business in the carriage line. He has three children, one son, and two married daughters.
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
David Harper was born in Canada, Aug. 17, 1821. He came to Rockton in 1852, in connection with his father's family. He inarried Mrs. Rebecca Osgood, Sept. 7, 1869. She was born in Vermont, Oct. 15, 1830. He has been principally engaged in farming. For several years past, he has been greatly afflicted with his eyes, which has been a serious disadvantage to him in business.
Arthur G. Stiles was born October 29, 1843. He was a sol- dier in the war of the rebellion for four years. He married Miss Alice Thayer, July 9, 1870. She was born March 18, 1854. He has worked at blacksmithing most of the time since he returned from the war. He receives a pension on account of injuries received while in the service of the government.
Oscar T. Stiles was born in Rockton, April 8, 1845. He mar- ried Miss Emma Hardy, Oet. 29, 1871. She was born June 16, 1850. He has been engaged in the paper mills for a number of years.
Orson T. Bartholomew was born in Ohio, June 2. 1836. He came to Rockton with his parents in 1852. He learned the trade of a tin smith, and has followed that business ever since. He carried on a tinshop for eleven years in the old house of H. W. Talcott, on Main street, which occupied the site of Com- stock's barber shop. He occupied the store in the east end of the stone block, twenty-two years, as a hardware and tinshop, until he sold out to Philps & Waite in 1894. Since that time he has had a small store on the north side of Main street. He married Miss Mary Atwood, Dec. 25, 1866. She was born June 1, 1838. They are both members of the Baptist church.
Henry Lampman was born in Canada, Oct. 10, 1842. He came to Rockton in 1868. For several years he was engaged in harness making. Subsequently he carried on the shoe business until the last two years, and since that time has giv- en his whole attention to gardening and bee-keeping. He married Miss Helen M. Lundy, Oct. 10, 1864. She died in 1869. He married his second wife, Miss Celora May Davis, in 1870. She was born Sept. 9, 1853, and died June 19, 1893. He married his third wife, Mrs. Ida Parkins, April 15, 1894. She was born in Roscoe, Dec. 4, 1856.
Jacob J. Crawford was born in Pennsylvania, Jan. 30, 1841. He came to Rockton in 1868. He married Miss Minnie S. Young, Oct. 21, 1869. He has been engaged a good deal in farn:
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON
work, but for several years past, has carried on the meat mar- ket business. He was a soldier in the war of the rebellion, in a Pennsylvania regiment. He has held the office of town col- lector two years, one year as town clerk, one term on the vil- lage board, and is now postmaster.
John W. Winsor was born in Homer, N. Y., June 6, 1819. By his first marriage he had two children, John J. Winsor, of To- ledo, Ohio, and Mrs. Carrie Hall, of Mitchell, S. D. Two years after losing his first wife, he married Miss Chloe Bartlett Har- rison, of Albion, N. Y., who was born in Williamstown, Mass., May 3, 1819, and died Nov. 12, 1881. By this marrirge he had two daughters, Mrs. Sara C. Bedford, of Beloit, Wis., and Mrs. Lizzie Winsor Martin, of Rockton. In 1838 he sold his lumber interests in Michigan, and came with his family to Rockton, having purchased the E. H. Stanton farm, one mile south of town, where the greater part of the remainder of his life was spent. He held the office of town clerk one year. He died Oct. 20, 1892.
Willis G. Stevens was born in Rockton, Oct. 12, 1865. He married Miss Edith O. Booth, June 15, 1893. She was born June 15, 1870. He was engaged in bridge building and other railroad work for a number of years. For the past eight or nine years he has been at work in one of the paper mills.
Calender Jessup was born May 25, 1850, married Miss Caro- line Packard, Oct. 12, 1881. She was born April 24, 1854. He carried on a farm west of the river for a few years and then moved into town where he was engaged at team work. He was superintendent of the Cong'l Sunday school for several years. He died March 11, 1894. Both he and his wife were members of the Cong'l church.
C. B. Spurling was born Dec. 2, 1837, came to Rockton with his parents in 1847. He was in the war of the rebellion, in Co. C, 44th Ills. regiment, during the first year of the war. He married Mary E. Kelley, July 8, 1862. He went to Iowa in 1863, and worked in a paper mill in that state for twenty years. He returned to Rockton in 1883. He married his second wife, Philena Marlette, Dec. 2, 1886. He now holds the office of vil- large marshal.
Richard B. Meech was born in Canada, Jan. 2, 1840. He was a resident of this county as early as 1857. He married Miss Alice H. Bentley, Jan. 20, 1869. She was born Jan. 26, 1849. He
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
owns a large farm west of the river, and is engaged in farming and stock raising. They have two children.
William H. Farmer was born in the township of Rockton, July 14, 1842. He married Miss Alma Martin, Oct. 15, 1868. She was born in Vermont. Several years ago he was engaged in trade in town for a short time. They now live in the north- west part of the township, where he is engaged in farming. They are both members of the Cong'l church. He has held the office of church trustee for two terms.
William W. Comstock was born in Rockton, in 1849. He mar- ried Miss Sarah Winsor, Feb. 15, 1877. She was born July 8, 1850. He was a book-keeper for the Northwest paper mill for several years. He was drowned during the great freshet at Beloit, April 20, 1881. His remains were found a month later, buried in the sand on Green's island, and were given a burial in Rockton cemetery.
William C. Royden was born in 1848. He carried on a drug store in Rockton for about ten years. He died of consumption Feb. 8, 1885. He was a member of the school board when they enlarged the school building. His wife died a few years after- wards. They had no children.
William C. Loomer has lived a number of years in Rockton, and most of the time has been engaged in farming. He mar- ried Miss Adeline L. Hart, April 15, 1879. They now reside on the old Mack farm.
Edgar J. Forrester was born in the state of New York, June 18, 1834. He came to Rockton in 1852. He married Miss Sali- na R. Ranney, July 6, 1868. She was born May 4, 1840. He has been engaged in farming and attending to all calls as a veter- inary surgeon. He now holds the office of street commisison- er of the village.
Edwin W. Martin was born Dec. 1, 1850. He was a commer- cial traveler for several years. He was postmaster of Rockton under Cleveland's first administration. He has at odd times gathered a valuable collection of Indian relics, which embraces many thousand arrow heads, stone axes, morters, &c. He has been twice married. He is now a clerk in the Rockford post- office.
George W. Martin was born in Rockton, June 29, 1854. For several years he was a clerk in Veness & Waite's store. After that he was in partnership with Mr. Veness in the store for
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
a few years. He married Miss Lizzie Winsor, Oct. 13, 1886. He spent several years in the south, but since returning to Rockton has lived on the Winsor farm south of town.
Frederick J. Bentley is an old resident of Rockton township. He married Miss Clara Hunt, March 7, 1882. 3 He is quite an extensive farmer, and carries on the same farm which was lo- cated by his father in the early settlement of the country.
Judson R. Jones was born at Allen's Grove, Wis., Dec. 1, 1857, He came to Rockton with his parents when a boy. He mar- ried Miss Emma Stevens, Dec. 29, 1880. She was born March 12, 1857. For years he was a traveling agent selling agricult- ural implements, and for the past ten years he has been trav- eling for John Thompson & Sons, of Beloit. Mrs. Jones is a member of the Methodist church.
William W. McKay was born March 17, 1835. He married Miss Amanda J. Felt, June 16, 1861. She was born Oct. 12, 1842. He was a painter by trade and followed that business in con- nection with team work for a number of years. He also was engaged iu selling paper. He died March 15, 1894. Mrs. McKay is a member of the Cong'l church.
James Ward was born in Ireland in 1826. He came to this country in 1849, and to Rockton in the early sixties. He mar- ried Mary Ryan. She died in California in 1864. He went to California with his family in 1863, and returned from there soon after the death of his wife. He married Mrs. Mary Jane Curry, Oct. 26, 1865. She was born in Ireland, Nov. 24, 1830. Mr. Ward has worked in the paper mill for a number of years. Both he and his wife are members of the Catholic church.
John B. Taylor was born July 24, 1830. He came to Rockton in 1857. Before coming here he worked in Sharp's rifle facto- ry, in Hartford, Ct. Since living in Rockton he has worked at paper making most of the time, and for several years was fore- man in Keeney's paper mill. His wife died July 22, 1882. He has retired from active business and now resides with his son Charles Taylor.
James Aspland was born in England, March 8, 1808, He mar- ried Ann Westmoreland in 1832. She was born May 12, 1814. He came to Rockton in 1868, locating on a farm north of the village on the Beloit road. From there he moved to the village and was engaged in the meat market business for a number of years. He died Sept. 5, 1834. His wife died July 6. 1891. He
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
and his wife were both members of the Methodist church. They had nine children, eight of whom are still living.
ROCKTON LINE KILN.
The Rockton lime kiln was started in 1868 by J. W. Hinkle and D. Lovell. Cowles & Gates bought a third interest in the property in 1869, and D. T. Weed bought Mr. Lovell's share. Mr. Gates bought Mr. Cowles' interest in 1879, and subsequent- ly acquired the whole property. The two kilns have a capac- ity of 500 bushels a day, and have turned out as high as 50,000 bushels a year.
TOWN OFFICERS SINCE 1850.
On page 102 we gave the names of the supervisors of the town since it was organized in 1850. We now give the nam es of the other town officers:
TOWN CLERKS.
1850-William Halley, served for three years.
1853-William R. Weld, served for five years.
1858-Erastus L. Stiles, served for eleven years.
1869-Edward S. Waite, served for five years. 1874-John W. Winsor, served one year.
1875-John Gibson, served two years. 1877-William Shibley, served one year.
1878-George W. Martin, served one year.
1879-James S. Cowen, served nine years. 1888-Seth L. Jenkins, served two years.
1890-J. J. Crawford, served two years. 1892-Fred W. Rockwell, served one year.
1893-E. S. Waite, Jr., served one year. 1894-E. I. Carr, served one year.
1895-Charles E. Shufelt, served one year.
1896-Fred W. Rockwell, served to date.
ASSESSORS.
1850-John M. Hulett, one year.
1851-Dr. Coe Van Brunt, one year.
1852-Rowland C. Smith, three years. 1855-Charles C. Wright, two years.
1857-Rufus M. Bullock, one year.
1858-F. W. Merrill, two years.
1860-Thomas B. Talcott, five years.
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
1865-George W. Springer, one year.
1866-Joseph Caldwell, one year. 1867-joseph C. Truman, eleven years. 1878-E. I. Carr, five years. 1883 -- Oscar Favor, seven years.
1890-Edward S. Waite, five years.
1895-Oscar Favor, in office to date.
COLLECTORS.
1850-Ira Cummings, two years.
1852-Benjamin Phillips, seven years.
1859-Ansel Comstock, two years. 1861-Francis Christian, one year.
1862-Isaac D. Fryer, one year.
1863-John Henry, one year.
1864-Sylvester Bartholomew, one year.
1865-C. B. Martin, fourteen years.
1879-A. A. Snyder, seven years. 1886 -- A. T. Hart, nine years.
1895-J. J. Crawford, one year.
1896 -- J. W. Veness, one year.
1897-H. J. Webber, in office to date.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1850-Jesse Blinn, one year, resigned.
1850-Johın B. Peterson, four years.
1851-Rufus R: Hoadley, three years, to fill vacancy. 1854-William Halley, eight years.
1854 -- William R. Weld, four years.
1858-Caleb Benley, twelve years.
1862-Joseph G. Veness, four years.
1866-Henry B. Jones, seven years.
1870-Warren Raymond, seven years.
1873-E. Smith Waite, four years.
1877-Charles L. R. Manning, fourteen years. 1877-Jamies W. Veness, nineteen years.
E. Smith Waite and William Thompson are the present jus- tices of the peaces.
COMMISSIONERS OF HIGHWAYS.
1850-Philander Bird, A. S. Newton and Wni. Leffingwell. 1851-Rumsey Hatch, Wm. Leffingwell and Aaron Shores.
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
1852-F. W. Merrill, David Carpenter and T. M. Coons. 1853-F. W. Merrill, T. M. Coons and Samuel Adams. 1854-Samuel Goldy, Alpha Bligh and John Bacon. 1855-John Bacon, Alpha Bligh and W. A. Phelps. 1856-W. A. Phelps, Alpha Bligh and John Bacon. 1857-T. M. Coons, James L. Gray and Melvin Stevens. 1858-T. M. Coons, James L. Gray and John Clover. 1859-John Benton, Wm. M. Thomas and Ira Knowles. 1860-Alonzo F. Chase, J. P. Farnsworth and R. H. Comstock. 1861-James Kline, R. H. Comstock and A. W. Gilmore. 1862-B. B. Gates, elected for three years.
1863-J. G. Venes,
1864-J. A. Kline
1865-R. Bowker,
1866-C. W. Robertson
1867-W. A. Phelps ",
1868-A. C. Joslyn
1869-B. B. Gates
1870-C. B. Richardson
1871-Joseph B. Merritt, 1872-B. B. Gates
1872-A. D. Bliss ,,
1873-C. B. Richardson
1874-A. D. Bliss ",
1875-B. B. Gates
1876-Henry W. Conklin
1877-A. D. Bliss
1878-B. B. Gates
1879-Henry W. Conklin
1880-John Morse
,,
,,
1881-B. B. Gates
1882-A. D. Bliss ,,
,,
1883-John Morse
1884-B. B. Gates
",
1885-A. D. Bliss
1886-C. B. Wilmot
1887-B. B. Gates
.
,,
1888-A. D. Bliss
1889-C. B. Wilmot
1890-B. B. Gates
11
1891-Fred Gleasman -
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
1892-C. B. Wilmot
1893-B. B. Gates,
1894-Fred Gleasman
1895-W. H. Graves ,
1896-B. B. Gates "
1897-Fred Gleasman
1898-W. R. Webber ,,
CONSTABLES.
Among the first constables we find the names of Simon Young, Ira Cummings, H. A. Davison, Benjamin Phillips, Alonze Rice, Aaron Shores, Frank Packard, &c.
THE WATER POWER.
The water power has a greater fall than any on the river. Its reputed flow of water is 12,000 inches, with a fall of nine feet. The banks of the race and mills are protected from inju- ry from high water, by a substantial guard lock. The stock of the water power company is divided into ninety-six shares, and at the present writing, sixty-four shares or two-thirds of the water power is owned by Bradner, Smith & Co. The oth- er thirty-two shares are owned by the Phoenix paper mill and the Webbers. The race was first excavated in 1838, but it has since been greatly enlarged and extended.
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
The upper mill 'site on the race, of fourteen shares of water, designated as water power lot No. 10, was first occupied by a saw mill in the fall of 1838. David Jewett built the mill, and after running it about five years, sold out to other parties. Charles Kane was at one time interested in the mill, and B. F. Fletcher also had some financial interest in it. After a time the old mill was destroyed by fire. The site came into the pos- session of A. H. and F. W. Merrill, who sold it to Hollister & Co., July 2, 1853, for the considration of $1,500. The company commened building a paper mill that year, and it was finished by Jan. 1, 1854, The members of the firm of Hollister & Co., were George W. Hollister, C. C. Hollister and Kendall C. Young. It was intended at first for a small wrapping paper mill, but they changed their plans to a four engine print paper mill; and also increased their stock by taking into the company, A. W. Case and J. C. Truman. Mr. Young sold half of his interest
-
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HISTORY OF ROCKTONN.
in the mill to A. H. and F. W. Merrill. The company made print paper for about two years, and in 1856, sold the plant to Brad- ner, Warren & Co. Mr. Warren died in 1857, and the company was changed to Bradner, Smith & Co., which firm still owns the property. The old paper mill was destroyed by fire, Feb. 10, 1876. The mill was rebuilt the same season, greatly enlarg- ed in capacity, at an outlay of about $50,000.
The present site of the Keeney paper mill, water power lot No. 9, of twelve shares of water, was variously used in the ear- ly years of its developement. At one time there was a carding machine located there, and dignified by the name of a wool- en factory, although no cloth was ever made. This mill was destroyed by fire. The power was also used to run a mill for sawing stone for building purposes, and for various wood working machinery. Turning out large wooden bowls, broom handles and similar work was once an important industry. The power was next used by the Fountain Reaper company a- bout 1858, and for a few years afterwards, when the plant was purchased by M. D. Keeney and converted into a paper mill. This mill was burned March 25, 1838, while being run under a lease by Booth & Hinman, of Beloit. The present structure was built during the summer of 1880. The machine room was nearly consumed by fire, July 16, 1886, but was soon rebuilt. The plant was afterward sold to Bradner, Smith & Co., and is now known as their No. 2 paper mill.
Water power lot No. 8, with its two shares of water, com- prise the site used by Widdowson & Axe for their foundry and machine shop. They carried on the business for a number of years. The building was destroyed by fire Sept. 13, 1888. The water power and land was afterwards sold to Bradner, Smith & Co.
Water power lot No. 7, with its ten shares of water, embra- ces the site of the old Talcott grist mill, built in 1839. It was the pioneer grist mill of this section of the country, and had an existance of nineteen years, when it was destroyed by fire in 1858. The site was sold to Stearns & Shaw, who built the white mill on the same spot, in 1859. Mr. Sterns sold his share to C. W. Robertson in 1864. The mill property successively pass- ed to M. D. Clarke, Henry and Paul Robinson, I. Warnes, and finally to John Feakins, and while owned by him it was burn- ed August 10, 1888. Feakins sold the site to Bradner Smith
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
& Co. The mill has not been rebuilt.
On the same water power lot with the grist mill, was the Talcott saw mill, built in 1838. It was the first saw mill in Rockton. It had an existance of about a quarter of a century, when it was burned. In the spring of 1865, M. D. and C. W. Keeney leased the old saw mill site for a term of years, and commenced in a small way to manufacture heavy pasteboard. Not having the necessary machinery for drying purposes, the primitive process of drying in the sun had to be resorted to, and some days they would have acres of land covered with pa- per to dry. Several improvements soon followed, and the but- siness continued in a prosperous condition until the 15th of De- cember, 1867, when a devastating fire wiped out all of the accu- mulation of valuable machinery. Not even the company's books were saved to tell the state of their business transac- tions. This hard blow was soon overcome by the purchase of the Fountain reaper works and established their paper mill on that power.
Just across the race from the old grist mill, and a little be- low the Keeney paper mill, was another saw mill of an early date. It was built by Martin P. Ormsby in the fall of 1838 He subsequently sold the mill to Thomas Stokes, an Englishman, who came here with some means. His investment did not prove very remunerating, and after he had exhausted all of his money, his dead body was found one morning in the river. It was never known whether it was a case of suicide or an acci- dent, or the result of some other cause. No investigation was made. The mill property passed into the hands of David and Samuel Briggs, and after a few years was destroyed by fire.
In 1851 the mill race was extended down to water power lots Nos. 4 and 5, and the pioneer paper mill of the north-west, was built that year by Wright & Merrill, of Beloit. The deed conveying the site and one-sixth of the water power from William Talcott and Dorothy Talcott his wife, to Wright & Merrill, bears date the 4th day of February, 1851, for the con- sideration of $1,200. The first paper mill was devoted alter- nately as occasion required to the manufacture of wrapping and print paper, and was under the management of T. L. Wright for nearly thirty years, save the short time in 1857-'58, it was operated by Henry Shibley. During Mr. Wright's man- agement, the water power was inceased to twenty-eight
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
shares. In 1880 the plant was sold to the Rock River Paper Co., of Beloit, under the management of J. M. Cobb. Mr. Wright died Jan. 11, 1881. The mill was partly rebuilt soon after, but suffered destruction by fire before it was completed, except the boiler house which was little enjured. It was soon built anew, to be again destroyed by a more disastrous fire than the first. The mill was rebuilt in it present form by W. T. Randall. It is now owned by Fred M. Coons, who purchsed it July 28, 1898. The product of the mill is now mostly carpet felt and straw board.
Water power lot No. 4, with its twelve shares of water, was developed in 1851 and '52, by Bird & Peterson, who built a three story stone mill. The building was first used by Alonzo N. Mellen for a wheel barrow factory. After conducting the bu- siness for three or four years, he sold out to Bird & Peterson. Following this the building was variously used as an oil mill, corn planter works, shingle mill and reaper shop, until it was converted into a rye mill by Hollister & Carlton, in 1862. From that firm the property passed to Kiddle & Cowles, and in 1868, to Cowles & Gates, who conducted the business until the mill was destroyed by fire, April 25, 1879. The mill was not rebuilt. The site is now owned by Bradner, Smith & Co.
The establishment of the Webbers, at the lower end of the race, on water power lot No. 2, with its four shares of water, was developed in 1859, by William Webber & Sons. Buildings for reaper works, foundry and saw mill were soon erected, and the business of manufacturing the Webber reaper was carried on for some time. In the fall of 1879, the building used for a reaper shop with a part of the water power, was sold to Will- iam Kelley, who conveted it into a grist mill; and about the same time, H. A. Webber erected a building for a fanning mill factory. A disastrous fire on the evening of Sept. 1, 1893, swept away all of these buildings. The same fall H. A. Webber erect- ed a building for a grist and feed mill, and during the summer of 1898, Webber & Gates built a two story factory for the man- ufacture of fanning mills, which is an important industry.
The water power grounds have all been once entirely burned over, all of the original buildings having been destroyed by fire; and in several cases a second fire has destoyed valuable buildings, as it has happened to Bradner, Smite & Co's mill,
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