USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Uxbridge > Address delivered at the Unitarian church, in Uxbridge, Mass., in 1864, with further statements, not made a part of the address, but included in the notes > Part 5
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In the year 1821, the Capron factory in this vil- lage was built under the supervision of Luke Chil- son, of Cumberland, R. I., and the first application of water-power to the running of a satinet loom by machinery in this vicinity was made by Mr. Chilson at this factory. The mill was at first sixty feet long; in 1837, sixty feet were added to its length, and in 1855, forty feet more were added. At first, it ran two sets of machinery; now it runs six. The
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house now occupied by Col. Capron was built for a tenement and a finishing shop; what is now the parlor having been originally used for finishing cloth. This factory was never destroyed by fire, but no building probably ever had a more narrow escape from it. Nearly twenty years ago, in a tremendous thunder shower, it was struck by lightning. In a few moments after the explosion, Mr. Salmon Brown discovered that the wool near him was on fire. He instantly seized the burning wool in his arms and threw it out of the window and saved the establishment from destruction. Had the fire been at any other point in the building, or had Mr. Brown less presence of mind, it would probably have been impossible to prevent a conflagration.
The first manufacture of cotton goods in Ux- bridge, at what is now the village of the Uxbridge Cotton Mills, was by Forbes and Benjamin Clapp. Benjamin Clapp had previously manufactured shovel handles and shoe pegs at the old Col. Tillinghast distillery building; and he and his brother, Forbes Clapp, about the year 1812, purchased the privilege now occupied by the Uxbridge Cotton Mills, and erected a small cotton mill which was afterwards removed and converted into a boarding-house. There they manufactured cotton thread until about the year 1816, when they failed. They had been stocked by Mr. Robert Rogerson, who was at that
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time a merchant in Boston, and the concern passed into his hands. Mr. Rogerson manufactured cotton thread there until about the year 1825, when he re- moved the Clapp mill and commenced the erection of his first stone factory. Near it, and a few years afterwards, in accordance with his original plan, he erected a second stone factory; and as you well know, since the property passed out of the hands of Mr. Rogerson, both mills have been united. Of Mr. Rogerson I can speak with knowledge, and much of it was derived from personal acquaintance. It has rarely been my lot to become acquainted with a man who impressed me more forcibly. My first knowledge of him was when I was about twelve years of age, when he and his brother Han- del came to my father's house and spent the night. The arrival of two men from Boston, whose forms, features and style of dress were so marked, was an event in the history of our quiet neighborhood. It was before the days of railroads, and the vehicle in which they rode savored of the city and was got - up in a style somewhat unusual in our vicinity. At that time, the contract was made and concluded for the erection and completion of the first stone factory. Some persons now living can recollect, but few can recall the appearance of the spot where the Uxbridge Cotton Mills are now situated, before it felt the touch of the hand of Robert Rogerson.
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IIe expended there in buildings and machinery, the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. IIe laid out a village, which at that time had more of the quality of perfection than almost any other manufacturing village in New England. For a time, prosperity attended him; but at length, crushed by pecuniary reverses and reduced to penury, he disappeared from the town; and the magnificent property that had been erected by his genius and enterprise, and through which he furnished the means of industry and emolument to many of your people, passed into the hands of strangers; and it became the duty of the peaksee who as a boy had looked upon the grave, stern man with a reverence almost unbound- ed, to give this same man the written notice to all- dicate his home. Robert Rogerson was no ordinary man. Upon all whom he met, he left a distinct im- pression of his peculiar individuality and personal independence. His handwriting was sui generis, neither easily read nor easily forgotten. IIe began with small means and became rich. For a number of years he was engaged in Boston in the manufac- ture of thread by means of an apparatus operated by horse-power. The horse was kept quietly at work in a cellar, and was no more ignorant of what his . owner was doing than the public, who were unable to solve the mystery of his success. He was en- gaged quite carly in life in manufacturing in West
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Boylston, and when the Crown and Eagle mills were erected, he was a man of large property and remark- ably prosperous. He was a man of extensive read- ing, much thought and rare musical genius. It was a luxury on the Sabbath, to listen to the strains of sacred melody which were produced by his skill in the use of the organ, which the Unitarian society owe to his munificence,-and during the last thirty years, it has always had an organist who has played it without compensation,-or to join with him in the rich music in which his soul delighted. With all his superior qualities, he was not without traits which tended to make him unpopular with the mass of the people. IIc had little of the small-talk of the world and he did not readily adapt himself to all men and to all occasions. He had an indomitable will and a deep undercurrent of pride, which led him, if possible, to accomplish alone whatever he un- dertook, and to scorn to ask for aid until it was too late to be of any avail. He vainly endeavored to bear up under the load of debt which accumulated in his business, and he stood like the oak which bends not to the storm. The crash came at last, and it came with such force that he never rallied from it. IIe sank so deep that no bubble ever rose to the surface; but even to the last, he proved him- self a benefactor to Uxbridge; for scarcely a debt was owing by him in this vicinity that was not paid
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in full. He left the splendid property that he had erected here, to beautify and benefit the town, and the capitalists were the only losers by his misfortunes. Whatever may have been the feelings of some who imagined they were his enemies, Uxbridge owes him a debt of sincere gratitude, and whatever may be the verdict of the rest of the world, the people of this, his adopted and cherished home, should love and reverence his memory.
It may not be uninteresting to refer to the progress of manufacturing upon the Mumford and Black- stone Rivers so far as the same are situated within the limits of the original town of Uxbridge. When one visits Whitinsville, and remembers that thirty years ago there was but one machinist in the village, then called South Northbridge, he begins to realize the progress which has been made there within the present century. At some time before the memory of any living man, there was a forge not far from the spot where the Stone Factory now stands, because there were the remains of one there sixty years ago. A forge was afterwards built by Col. Ezra Wood,* the grand- father of Samuel Fletcher, Mrs. Paul Whitin and Mrs. Amasa Dudley, upon the spot which is now occupied by the brick shop near the bridge. The grist-mill that formerly stood at the upper dam was
. For a notice of the Wood Family, see Appendix XI.
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removed about the year 1804 and was located close to the forge. The shop of Col. Paul Whitin stood on the west side of the road, on the north side of the stream, and next south of his house; and these build- ings, together with three or four residences, consti- tuted in 1808, what is now known as Whitinsville. In 1809, Col. Whitin erected what is now the upper cotton mill at the upper dam. A company consist- ing of Mr. Whitin, Samuel Fletcher and others, was formed for the manufacture of cotton, and was incorporated by the name of the " Northbridge Cot- ton Mills," and continued the manufacturing of cotton goods down to the year 1825. In 1825, the estate was sold to Thomas and William Buffum, who owned and occupied it until 1829, when they failed. The property passed into the hands of Sam- uel Shove for one year, and was then purchased by Paul Whitin and Sons who have owned it ever since. In 1814, Paul Whitin converted the forge building into a cotton factory and it was occupied as such by Whitin and Fletcher until 1826, when the original building was taken down by P. Whitin's Sons and the present brick building erected in its place. In the year 1844, the splendid stone factory was built on the east side of the road, and in 1847, the large brick machine shop was built to take the place of the wooden structures which from time to time had been growing up to accommodate the immense
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increase in the building of machinery; and if we visit the premises to-day, we shall witness the evidences of growth and prosperity which leave us utterly unable to foresee the results of the next half century ; for who can tell what the combined power of steam and human intellect may not be able to accomplish.
Upon the Blackstone River, at the spot where is now the village of Rockdale, early in the present century were a saw-mill and a grist-mill known as Eddy's mills. After the last war, as we used to say, about the year 1815, a corporation was formed called the " Northbridge Cloth Manufacturing Com- pany," consisting of the elder Governor Lincoln, Daniel Waldo, Judge Nathaniel Paine, Jesse Eddy and others, who built there a factory and manufac- tured woolen cloths. Mr. Waldo became frightened and gave his stock to the younger Governor Lin- coln and Col. John W. Lincoln. If I am correctly informed, the corporation sold out its interest in the estate before the death of the elder Governor Lin- coln, who died in 1820. His executors sold a large quantity of wool, which he had raised to be worked up in the mill of the corporation, at the price of two dollars a pound; and they made more money on the wool than the Governor had made in manufacturing. Three-fourths of the estate was conveyed by the corporation to John Farnum, Samuel Willis and Esck Fitts, and on the 17th of December, 1821, it
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was conveyed by said Farnum and Willis to Sylva- nus Holbrook. On the 11th day of October, 1822, the other fourth was conveyed by Jesse Eddy to Sylvanus Holbrook. Mr. Holbrook did a very extensive business there for a number of years. Enterprising and ambitious, for a time he seemed to be a favorite of fortune. Some of us remember the time before he was overtaken by misfortunes by fire and flood, when in robust health, with glowing check and flashing eye, he used to drive that white horse and sulky over this section of country; and, as we turned to look upon his splendid form, and one of the most striking faces we ever beheld, we uncon- sciously said to ourselves, there goes one of nature's noblest specimens of a man. He afterwards became the owner of Dunn's mills, situated about a mile below Rockdale. Dunn's mills were once a famous spot. I well remember when West River failed and the grist could not be ground in my native town, that a sort of pilgrimage was made over an old narrow, hilly road to Dunn's. There was a mystery about the still, deep-flowing river which astonished those whose experience was confined to shallower streams; and David Dunn, who lived in the green house by the mill, cast of the river, and Henry . Dunn, who lived in the red house upon the hill, west of the river, with their coats all covered with meal and their hats all caked with dough, were
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objects of peculiar reverence. If at that time, as now, scythes and bayonets had been manufactured in the stone shop, almost as rapidly as a man can wink, the days of witchcraft would seem to have come again, and Blackstone River might have been in imminent danger of becoming an object of idolatry.
Rising in the north-westerly part of the town, a small stream runs into the Mumford River. It bears the euphonious title of " The Rivulet." Upon this small stream, the " Rivulet Manufacturing Company" established themselves in 1815. The company con- sisted of Samuel Read, Alpheus Baylies, John Capron, Daniel Carpenter, Jerry Wheelock, George Carpenter, Joseph H. Perry, Luther Spring, Ezbon C. Newell, Samuel Judson and Amherst Billings. It was formed March 14th, 1815, with a capital of fourteen thousand five hundred dollars, for the purpose of manufacturing wool and cotton into yarn and cloth, to continue eight years and as much longer as three-fourths of the company should agree to continue it; and to make no dividend of profits within the term of eight years, unless by a vote of three-fourths of the company. They manufactured only satinets and purchased the warps. Either because the stream was so small, or for some other reason, a dividend of profits was never declared; and the privilege was abandoned, so far as the manufac- turing of wool was concerned, between thirty and
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forty years ago. From that time to the present, the factory has passed through a variety of fortunes, and it remains as a standing admonition not to build too large an establishment on too small a stream. The power of the Mumford River has been enlarged and economized by means of the construction of two or three splendid reservoirs, operating on the same principle as the interest which accures upon reserved profits in business; but the poor little rivulet, that like the little stream in the orchard described by Grace Greenwood, was scarcely worth a dam, never arrived at the dignity of having a decent sized reservoir to encourage it in its efforts to furnish constant power to the establishment.
There runs through this village and empties into the Mumford River another small stream known as Shuttle Brook. As I have before stated, the build- ing, which formerly occupied the spot where the shuttle shop now stands, was the scene of the ablutions of the crazy crowd congregated under the care of Dr. Samuel Willard. From Dr. Willard, the property passed into the hands of Abiel Jaques, who about the year 1825, sold the water privilege and building to the late Capt. George Carpenter, who erected the building where the water privilege is now used. Capt. George and Col. John Capron, for a few years occupied the shop for the building of looms and other articles of machinery. The
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estate then passed into the hands of Messrs. Aldrich and Hopkins, who carried on the business of making shuttles. It then passed into the hands of John White, who carried on the same business. It then passed into the hands of Joseph Thayer, Esq., who, so far as I can learn, never manufactured shuttles, cotton or wool, but who seems to have had, first and last, about as many titles in the manufacturing establishments of Uxbridge as all the manufacturers put together. It then passed into the hands of Robert G. Taft, who carried on what is known as the " kit business," that is, making shoemakers' tools. It then passed into the hands of George W. Thurs- ton, who also carried on the "kit business." It then passed into the hands of Robert Taft, who did not carry on the " kit business," and from him it passed to the present owner. Before I became an inhabitant of Uxbridge, I used to hear about a mineral spring situated somewhere in the neighbor- hood of the shuttle shop, but like the springs at Ballston, it has been over-shadowed by the splendors of Saratoga and is heard of no more.
The next stream, to which our attention wonld naturally be directed, is the Emerson Brook, upon which there was once a factory, a saw-mill and a grist-mill, but they have been substantially aban- doned. Those who are more acquainted with the stream than I am, can tell whether it possesses any
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power that is worth the expense of attempting to apply it, although I see no reason why the quantity of water and the extent of the fall would not authorize a reasonable effort to make the same sub- servient to the good of the community.
The last stream that I shall refer to is the Ironstone Brook. About the year 1814, the factory of the Ironstone Manufacturing Company was built by William Arnold, Moses Farnum, Dr. Comstock and Laban Comstock, and they manufactured cotton yarn. About 1820, William Arnold came into possession of the property, and it was used for the manufacture of cotton cloth. The mill was burned in 1832, and was not by him re-built. The property then passed through various hands, and Jonathan F. and Elisha Southwick re-built the mill in 1836. Since its re-building it has been owned by sundry individuals and firms, and has generally been devoted to the manufacturing of different kinds of woolen goods. The mill takes its name from the peculiar appearance of the stone of which it is built, indicat- ing the presence of iron in it. .
Upon the privilege below the stone mill, manufac- turing was begun by means of a small wheel, which was put in a short time before Mr. Farnum raised the dam at Millville. The reason why a manufac- turing establishment in miniature was erected there, is to be found in the fact, that the owner of a lower
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privilege has the right to flow out an upper privilege upon the same stream, provided the upper privilege is not occupied for mill purposes. Mr. Southwick, the owner of the privilege of which I am speaking, in accordance with the advice of counsel, established rather a small mill and wheel there, and I have always felt a decided conviction that it was not an unprofitable investment .*
There is one other object to which the waters of the Blackstone valley have been appropriated, that deserves a passing notice; I refer to the Blackstone canal. The subject of a canal, from the waters of Narragansett Bay to the centre of Massachusetts, had been agitated at various times from 1776 to the time when the Blackstone Canal Company was incorporated. In 1822, the project was taken hold of in earnest. Acts of incorporation were granted by the States of Massachusetts and Rhode Island respectively; and on July 5th, 1825, the two State corporations were united under the name of the " Blackstone Canal Company." The excavation was begun in Rhode Island in 1824; in Massachusetts in 1826; and the first boat passed over the whole line and arrived at Worcester, October 7th, 1828. Amid
*See Appendix XII., for note upon Ironstone; and especially Appendix XIII. for the very valuable communication of Charles A. Wheelock npon the history of manufacturing in Uxbridge. Mr. Wheelock has most heartily entered into the publication of this Address and the preparation of the several notes to it. To him the town is much indebted.
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the booming of cannon, the waving of flags and the general rejoicing of the people along the route, the waters of the Narragansett and the centre of Massa- chusetts were at length united. The expense of the work was about seven hundred and fifty thou- sand dollars, over two-thirds of which was paid by citizens of Rhode Island. It has been truly said, that the canal was more useful to the public than to the owners. I know that some persons have been accustomed to sneer at the Blackstone canal; but to my mind, it was a magnificent enterprise. To the Providence and Worcester railroad, it was a sort of fore-runner, hinting at its grade, furnishing its path, and opening an avenue for the transportation of heavy freight up and down through the valley, until the day should come, which would demonstrate the necessity and the possibility of more rapid com- munication .* As a proof of this, we give the quantity of freight carried over the canal from Provi- dence to Uxbridge during five years; in 1831, 964 tons; in 1832, 1,184 tons; in 1833, 1,069 tons; in 1834, 1,497 tons, and in 1835, 1,534 tons.
The changes which soon took place in the methods of travel and transportation, will always prevent
* The Blackstone canal ceased to be used in Massachusetts after the opening of the Providence and Worcester railroad in 1847. It continued in partial use in Rhode Island for several years longer; not for its value as a means of pub- lic transportation, but to secure water rights obtained by means of the canal charter.
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any accurate statement of what the canal would have accomplished if it had been constructed twenty years carlier; but many of the best informed men, -men who have had the best opportunities for forming a sound judgment, will tell you to-day, that not only Providence and Worcester, but every town along the whole line of the canal is deeply indebted to it, for its present growth and prosperity.
I have thus referred to running water and to some of the results of its application to machinery, or ortherwise. It has increased wealth and comfort and productive industry. In the little story to which I have referred, John Hopkins is represented as coming in contact with another giant, to which I propose, for a few moments, to call your attention. " Aque fluentes" is not the only giant here made useful. John's new giant was far more difficult and dangerous to manage; and much more rapid and impetuous in his manner of doing business. When the first was not powerful enough to perform the tasks imposed, the second could be brought to his aid, and while the first was mostly limited to the lines of travel in which he had been accustomed to run and never could be managed with any success on an ascending grade, but there came to a dead stop, the latter could be made to work at any place and at any time; and the more closely he was con- fined and the more abundantly he was fed, the more
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powerful and active was the strength that he put forth; and while the former was a comparatively slow and lazy traveler, the latter moved as swiftly as the wind. Go to Wheelock's factory and you will find a twenty-five horse-power engine already added to the force of the original stream. Go to the Uxbridge Woolen factory, and you will find an addition of a forty horse-power of the same kind. Go watch each shrieking engine as it thunders along the iron track which passes through this village, and you will find the steam giant of John Hopkins. Had this giant been confined at the Rivulet factory, and had the means of feeding him been as readily furnished as now, that weather-beaten estate might have been as bright and as busy as any, and never have been struck by the desolation which seems to have marked it. The use of steam as a power in this town (if I remember accurately) did not exist until after the opening of the Providence and Worcester railroad. The increase which it may give to your power, productiveness and industry, time only can tell. It would be less easy to tell what you may become with it, than to tell what Worcester would be without it.
About twenty years ago, two gentlemen were seen riding on horseback from Providence to Worcester, and paying rather careful attention to many of the localities of their journey. They were Messrs.
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Moses B. Ives and Alexander Duncan, two of the most wealthy and influential citizens of the State of Rhode Island. The object of their singular ride was to ascertain the feasibility of a railroad from, Providence to Worcester. According to their suggestions, meetings were held, facts were col- lected, stock was subscribed for, and after a few years a railroad was completed between the two cities. When we see the immense and numerous freight trains which pass over this road daily, when we observe the crowd of passengers who fill the cars, when we find the stock selling at one hundred and thirty-five dollars a share, whether gold is one hundred and forty, or one hundred and seventy, paying from its earnings a semi-annual dividend of four per cent., with a handsome surplus to be applied to building a double track, or to any other improve- ment which may tend to the accommodation, or safety of the public, it is hard to realize, how, at first, the matter dragged, and how difficult it was to induce capitalists to invest in the enterprise. But time, as truly the vindicator of a great enter- prise as of a virtuous deed, has demonstrated even to the timid and hesitating, that the hour had fully come for building the rail-way; and as the beacon lights of free-labor stream out from the mills as we glide so smoothly by, they speak in tones of genuine eloquence of the energy, com-
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fort and resources of the valley of the Black- stone.
As an illustration of the manner in which the world is making progress, I have selected the following facts from the Scientific American :-
" One man can spin more cotton yarn now, than four hundred could do in 1769, when Arkwright took out his first patent."
" One man can now make as much flour in a day, as a hundred and fifty, a century ago."
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