USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Dictionary of Worcester (Massachusetts) and its vicinity, 1893 > Part 10
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was a writer of marked ability, and his produc- from 1786 to 1788, in consequence of the tax tions were widely circulated. "The Mother upon newspapers, and the Worcester Magazine at Home," written in Worcester, passed in octavo form appeared in its place. The through many editions, and was translated into nearly all the European languages. It was printed in Greek at Athens, and in Dutch at the Cape of Good Hope. Elihu Burritt Worcester Magazine and Historical Journal, edited by William Lincoln and Christopher C. Baldwin, was published in 1825-6. This publi- cation is now scarce. There was another (see Learned Blacksmith) was a resident here Worcester Magazine, which was printed in several years. Rev. Edward Everett Hale 1843, and edited by John Milton Thayer, since was pastor of the Church of the Unity from governor of Nebraska. Elihu Burritt printed 1846 to 1856. Thomas Wentworth Higgin- for a short time the Literary Gemina, a maga- son lived in Worcester before the War, and zine in French and English. (See Catholic School and Home Magazine; and the article on Clark University. was succeeded as minister of the Free Church by David A. Wasson, who will be remembered as one of the contributors to the Atlantic Maine (Natives of) .- This association was formed in 1882, and now numbers 800. Monthly of twenty-five years ago. Alfred Waites is known as a Shakesperean scholar and investigator, and his published replies to
Ignatius Donnelly have been considered con- ent articles manufactured in Worcester that
clusive in the Baconian controversy.
Locomotive Engineers (Brotherhood of) .- Worcester Division, No. 64, was organ- ized in 1868. Bay State Lodge, No. 73, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, was or- ganized in 1877.
Long Pond .- See Lake Quinsigamond.
Lumber Dealers' Association .- After one or two preliminary meetings of the lumber dealers of the city, an organization was per- fected on the 20th of January, 1886, under the name of the Lumber Dealers' Association of Worcester, its object being to promote a friendly and social feeling among the dealers in that branch of trade, and to inaugurate such measures as might tend, so far as possible, to elevate the condition of all persons in any way connected with the business.
Lunatic Hospitals .- See Insane Asylums.
Lutheran Churches .- There are three Lutheran Churches in Worcester, The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran, Gethsemane Church, the more important branches of manufacture
on Mulberry street, was founded in 1881. The Norwegian Lutheran Church, founded in 1887, meets in the Summer Street Church. The German Evangelical Lutheran Church, founded in 1888, meets at 205 Summer street.
Lynde Brook .- This brook rises in Leices- ter, and flows south to supply the Worcester city reservoir in that town, thence to Cherry Valley, where it meets Kettle Brook.
Manufactures .- There are so many differ- a complete list cannot be given, but some idea of the variety of products can be had from those mentioned below: Agricultural machin- ery, artists' plates, awls and machine needles, belting, bicycles, blacking, bolts, brass work, band instruments, boots and shoes, beer, brooms, brushes, card clothing, carpets, car- riages, chemicals, confectionery, copying presses, corsets, cutlery, dies, doors, blinds and sash, drain pipes, drills, drop forgings, emery wheels, elevators, envelopes, files, fire arms, fire-extinguishers, flexible doors, furni- ture, ginghams, horse blankets, iron castings, lasts, leather goods, looms, malleable iron, marble and stone work, moulding, organs and reeds, paper machinery, patent medi- cines, plating, pottery, presses, railroad cars, railroad iron, refrigerators, reed and harness, satinets, saws, skates, soap, stained glass windows, steam boilers, steam engines, steel, tacks and nails, tape, trunks, tools, turbine wheels, wood-working machinery, water meters, wire, wrenches, yarns. Some of are noticed below. Full particulars cannot here be entered into, and mere facts are stated without any attempt to digest them. What is here given refers more to the past than the present, and the reader must consult other abundant sources of information if he desires full particulars to date.
AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. Oliver Weth- erbee made plows in Worcester in 1820. William A. 'Wheeler also made plows and im-
Magazines Published in Worcester .- The Massachusetts Spy suspended publication plements about the same time, or soon after.
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In 1833 Joel Nourse, who had previously and Benjamin B. Otis ( 1825), and Aug. Cow- manufactured cast-iron plows in Shrewsbury, din (1826). Later well known manufacturers were Ansel Larkin, Timothy S. Stone (1835- 1871); Joseph Walker and his sons ( 1843- 1888); Bliss Bros. (about 1850); Smyth Bros. (1852-1872); Hiram French (1852-1872), Rufus Wesson (1850-1873); Aaron G. Walker (1853-1873); C. H. Fitch, Alba Houghton, E. N. Childs, Luther Stowe, David Cummings, H. B. Jenks, and H. B. Fay. established in Worcester the business carried on for many years by Ruggles, Nourse & Mason. This firm was formed in 1838, and occupied the Court Mills, making plows and a variety of implements. In 1860 they were succeeded by Oliver Ames & Sons, and in 1874 the works were removed to the new shop on Prescott street. The Ames Plow Co. now ein- ploy about 175 men, and make all kinds of agri- cultural implements, wheelbarrows, meat cut- ters, etc. J. M. C. Armsby manufactured agricultural implements here some years ago, and mowing machines have been made by different parties.
BOOTS AND SHOES ANI) LEATHER. The boot and shoe business has been and is an im- portant contributor to the prosperity of Wor- cester. The largest establishments at present are named in the following list : F. W. Blacker, successor to J. H. & G. M. Walker, Eaton place ; Heywood Boot and Shoe Co., Winter street ; Bay State Shoe and Leather Co., Austin street ; Goddard, Stone & Co., Austin street ; C. C. Houghton & Co., Front street ; E. H. Stark & Co., Main street ; Samuel Brown, Barton place ; Bemis & Fletcher, Front street ; J. E. Wesson, Mul- berry street ; Whitcomb & Miles, Shrewsbury street ; David Cummings & Co., King street. The whole number of hands employed in 1885 was 2,633.
It is now difficult to determine at just what time the distinction should be made between the shoemaker and the manufacturer ; for if a man made a few extra pairs of shoes and offered them for sale, he became a manu- facturer. In 1801, Lefavor & Blanchard ad- vertised " Ladies' Shoemaking Business," one door north of Barker's Tavern in Worcester. The next year they were succeeded by Doliver & Swasey. In 1807, Jonathan Martin set up here as "Boot and Shoemaker in General,"
Of boot and shoe dealers in the past, Oliver A. Hervey appears in 1813; Lemuel Snow, in 1814; John A. Lazell, 1816; Seth Reed, 1821. Miss Elizabeth Denny, ladies' shoes, 1821; Johathan Wood, 1823; Earle & Chase, Worcester Shoe Store, 1824; Putnam & Otis, 1831; James Whittemore, 1831; Rufus W. Whiting, in 1833. The latter was succeeded in 1835 by Geo. W. Wheeler, afterwards for many years City Treasurer. Whiting started the first railroad express business in this coun- try (see Express Business). Other dealers from 1837 to 1845 were Amos Cutter, E. N. Harrington, John P. Southgate and James H. Wall, W. R. Whittaker, J. F. Edwards, Cyrus W. and Asa S. Stratton, Benjamin B. Hill and Aaron Stone, Jr., Samuel B. Scott, Cyrus C. Chickering, Otis & Baker, Baker & Thomp- son, Chas. B. Robbins, Jeremiah Bond, Am- ma Beaman and Chas. M. Foster, Thomas Earle, J. B. & Jas. D. Fuller, David B. Hub- bard, Olney F. Thompson and Chas. Ballard, Edward Southwick, Hale & Wright. The oldest boot and shoe store is that of Bemis & Co., at 421 and 423 Main street, established by Edward Bemis in 1846.
In 1789, Palmer and Daniel Goulding own- ed the Tanyard in Worcester. In 1800 it was in the hands of Andrew Tufts, and later owners were Samuel Johnson, Thomas Stearns, Asa Wilder & Co., Nymphas Pratt and Ebene- zer H. Bowen. The old tannery was in the rear of the Exchange Hotel, down old Market street. Well-known leather dealers in times and the name of John Sweetser, Shoemaker, past were Reuben Wheeler, (1819); Samuel also appears in the public prints. ' In 1811, Allen and Levi A. Dowley (1826); Benj. B. Hill & Co. (1835); E. N. Harrington and J. H. Wall (1837); and John P. Southgate (1838).
Aaron C. Coleman, "Boot and Shoemaker from New York," had a shop near the Court House. The "Boot and Shoe Manufactory" of Lemuel Snow was located opposite Waldo's A patent right for putting boots and shoes together with copper nails was advertised in the Worcester papers in 1813. This was store, in 1815, and the name of Wm. Tracy also appears in connection with the business about this time. Others were Howe & Smith years before shoe pegs were used. India rub- (1816), Thomas Howe (1818), Miles Putnam ber overshoes were first offered for sale in
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1827. Thomas Howe, about 1830, invented on Front street. Ichabod Washburn also improvements for cutting and crimping boots. manufactured cards in connection with his
CARD CLOTHING. At the beginning of this century the town of Leicester was the cen- ter of card-making industry in the United States. The teeth at that time were inserted in the leather by hand, though Eleazer Smith of Walpole had invented a card-setting machine soon after the close of the revolution- ' ary war, and Amos Whittemore had obtained a patent for one in 1797. That these machines were not successfully used is shown by the fact that as late as 1819, Joshua Lamb obtained a patent for a machine to make the wire teeth which were afterwards to be put in by hand, which continued to be done until about 1830. William B. Earle made one of the first success- ful card-sticking machines about 1829. Pre- vious to this date several different machines for making teeth had been invented. A col- lection of these can be seen in the museum of the Worcerter Society of Antiquity, and com- prises the following : One made by Pliny Earle of Leicester in 1793; one made by Eleazer Smith, in 1812; two by Charles Elliot, 1815-17; one rotary, inventor and date unknown; and an English machine called a Bednigo. The sticking machine made by William B. Earle in 1827, and the one con- structed under his direction since his blindness are also in the possession of the society. Mr. Farle, now living in his 87th year, built many machines in Worcester, and other extensive builders were N. Ainsworth, Samuel W. Kent, David McFarland and David O. Woodman.
Daniel Denny appears to have been the first manufacturer of cards in Worcester. He had a factory in 1798 at the north corner of Main and Mechanic streets. In 1834 William B. Earle made cards here; and in 1843 Timothy
other branches of business about 1848, and Earle Warner was another manufacturer at the same time.
The making of card-clothing is now a monopoly, and the industry is largely con- trolled by the American Card Clothing Com- pany, the Sargent and Earle factories in Wor- cester being operated by that concern. The Howard and Kent factories are still independ- ent. The policy has been to absorb the smaller concerns in the larger ones. At least one-third of the machines in the United States-some 500-are operated in Worcester, about 125 hands being employed here.
ENVELOPES .. There are four envelope manufactories in the city: The Whitcomb Envelope Co., on Salisbury street; the Lo- gan, Swift & Brigham Co., on Grove street; W. H. Hill's, on Water street, and Emerson, Low & Barber Co., on Foster street. Hill's is the oldest establishment. About one-third of the envelopes made in this country are pro- duced by the Worcester factories; between four and five hundred persons being em- ployed. Dr. Russell L. Hawes, of Worcester, invented the first successful machine for mak- ing envelopes, and it was first operated in Worcester in 1852 or '53. Dr. Hawes began the business in the Earle building in the quarters formerly occupied by Mr. Hill. The Whitcomb Company was founded in 1864, and the Logan, Swift & Brigham Co. in 1884. James G. Arnold and D. W. and H. D. Swift were the inventors of the most important prin- ciples and features of the envelope machinery in use here at the present time.
FIRE-ARMS. The famous Waters armory K. and Edward Earle moved from Leicester, or fire-arms manufactory was established in and established the business now carried on by the T. K. Earle Manufacturing Company on Grafton street. The Earle factory is one of the largest and best equipped in the country.
1808 by Asa Waters, 2d, in that part of Sutton, now Millbury, and was continued in operation till 1845, and revived during the Civil war. Harding Slocomb, Clarendon Wheelock, Orlando Ware, Joseph S. Ware and John R. Morse were engaged in Worces- ter in the manufacture of fire-arms in a limited way during the period 1820 to 1835. Ethan Allen, widely known as an enterprising man in this business, came to Worcester in 1847, and occupied a part of the Merrifield building until the fire of 1854, and subsequent to that
The Sargent Card Clothing Company was formed in 1866, and the large factory built on Southbridge street, which, with the business, passed into the hands of James Smith & Co., of Philadelphia, in 1879. Howard Brothers began in 1868, and Charles F. Kent in 1880. Some forty years ago a Timothy Earle (not T. K.) was in company with a man named Eames, and they made cards in a small way erected and occupied a brick building near
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the Junction station. His brothers-in-law, about fifteen years previous to 1875; he was Charles Thurber and J. P. Wheelock, were at succeeded by the Pond Machine Tool Co., different times associated with him, and his recently removed to Plainfield, N. J. There sons-in-law, Sullivan Forehand and Henry C. are several large concerns in Worcester at Wadsworth, succeeded to the business, which present.
is at present continued by Mr. Forehand, who occupies the stone building on Gardner street erected by the late Daniel Tainter. Mr. Allen made many valuable improvements in fire-arms, and invented machinery for their manufacture, and the making of cartridges of metal. Frank Wesson, Frank Copeland B. F. Joslyn, G. H. Harrington and William A. Richardson are other names now or for- merly well known in the business. The two latter continue under the name of the Har- rington & Richardson Arms Company and manufacture revolvers. Iver Johnson & Co., another firm manufacturing guns and pistols, bicycles, and other wares, recently removed to Fitchburg.
LOOMS. Early loom builders in Worcester were William Hovey and William H. How- ard. Silas Dinsmore, Prescott Wheelock, Fitzroy Willard, and Phelps & Bickford are other well-known names in connection with loom building. Forbush & Crompton followed the latter firm, and in 1859 Mr. Forbush re-
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. In 1834 Stephen W. Marsh and Levi Liscom manufactured piano-fortes in a room in Central Exchange. Isaac Fiske manufactured band instruments here for nearly forty years, and the business is continued by Conn & Co., Crompton's block, on Mechanic street. Seraphines and melo- deons were made in Worcester before 1850, early makers being Milton M. Morse, a Mr. Jewett, and Farley, Pierson & Co. From these instruments the cabinet organ has been developed, and several large companies have at different times engaged in the manufacture in Worcester, of whom Taylor & Farley were longest in business. The Loring & Blake Co., on Union street, was incorporated in 1868. The Taber Organ Co., Brown & Simpson Co. (pianos ), and Mason & Risch (vocalion ) are now making musical instruments. There are also three large manufactories of organ reeds.
RAILROAD IRON. In 1857 Nathan Wash- moved to Philadelphia, disposing of his burn erected the works on the Bloomingdale interest in Worcester to Mr. Crompton, who road of late known as the Worcester Steel conducted the business alone till his death in Works. Mr. Washburn was the inventor of 1886. The Crompton Loom Works are now a car-wheel, which he had manufactured for several years in another part of the city, and
owned by a stock company. The firm of L. J. Knowles & Bro. began to manufacture built the new works to use in part to make looms at Warren in war time, and removed to these wheels and locomotive tires, but was Worcester in 1866. The Knowles Loom soon induced by George W. Gill, whom he Works are located on Tainter street. The had taken into partnership, to engage in roll- Gilbert Loom Co., on Union street, was established in 1866. Several hundred hands are employed in this industry.
ing iron rails, which continued to be the principal product of the plant for many years. In 1864 a company known as the Washburn Iron Co. was formed, and by change of ownership in 1883, it became the Worcester Steel Works. Hon. Geo. M. Rice was the principal owner. Some years ago, in consequence of the general adoption of steel rails, the machinery and methods were changed to meet the demand, and steel rails were produced by the Bessemer process. Coal and iron mines were acquired in Rhode Island, which gave this company a great advantage. The enterprise finally failed, and recently the
MACHINISTS' TOOLS. Machinists' tools have been extensively manufactured here in the past. The pioneer in this line was proba- bly Samuel Flagg, who began to make lathes, tools, etc., at the old Court Mills about fifty years ago. Pierson Cowie, at the Red Mills on Green street, was another early manufac- turer of machinists' tools. He was succeeded by Wood, Light & Co., and they built the large shop south of the Junction, later occupied by the McIver Bros. Machine Co. Lucius Bessemer works were removed to the West. W. Pond was a successor of Samuel Flagg, A new company has possession of the plant as nd occupied the building on Union street for it remains.
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WIRE. The Stowells made wire in Wor- country in which lumber was first manufac- cester during the war of 1812, but it was tured from the log with the circular saw; and afterwards imported at a lower price than it there are various stories as to who set the first could be produced with the rude American one in motion in this vicinity. Mr. Lewis appliances. The present extensive works of Brown is reported as having operated the first the Washburn & Moen Manufacturing Co. one at the old Red Mill, which stood near the are the outcome of the business established in spot now occupied by the Crompton Loom Works. It is also claimed that a Mr. Flagg was the pioneer; but from the best informa-
a small way by Ichabod Washburn, who first began to make wire in a factory at Northville in 1831 or '32, in company with Benjamin tion at hand, I think the credit should be Goddard. In 1835 Mr. Washburn occupied given to Willard Earle, a native of Hubbards- a building erected by the late Hon. Stephen ton. Mr. Earle was an enterprising and manufacture of lumber. While thus employed, mill was in operation at South Worcester, about the year 1817, he visited Boston on owned by Mr. Washburn and his brother business, and going into Mr. Thomas Holt's Charles, the latter also being interested in hardware store in Dock square, his eye fell establishing the branch mill at Quinsigamond. upon a package of circular saws, which for some time past had been an object of curiosity -an unexplained marvel. Mr. Earle's keen, perceptive eye enabled him to unravel the mystery. He listened to Mr. Holt's story, Salisbury on Grove street, and this was the ingenious man, and early engaged in the nucleus of the large mills at that locality. A In 1868 the present company was formed with a capital of one million dollars, which has been increased to a million and a half. The first piano wire made in this country was produced by Mr. Washburn, and the manu- how some time before he had sent to England facture is continued at the present timè. All an order for hardware, among the rest a few varieties and sizes of iron and steel wire, in- dozen circular saws, meaning keyhole or fret cluding card and telegraph wire, are drawn in saws, to cost about five pounds sterling; and these mills; and barbed fence wire has for the
on receiving the goods how astonished he was last fifteen years formed a large portion of the at finding these round saws, which no mortal product. Copper wire is also extensively manufactured. The works of the Washburn & Moen Co. form the largest wire manufac- tory in the world, and the largest single enterprise in Worcester. Over 3,000 hands are employed, and the annual product is about 75,000 tons of wire. man knew the use of, and which had cost him so much money. Mr. Earle purchased the saws for a small sum and took them to Hub- bardston, where he used them in sawing lum- ber. Previous to 1830, he constructed a machine, for which he took out a patent, using one of these saws for cutting shingles."
William T. Merrifield used a circular saw various kinds of wire at South Worcester. driven by horse-power in Worcester as early This is an off-shoot of the Washburn & Moen Co., and was established by William E. Rice, ton the first steam saw-mill, with circular who is also president of the older concern.
The Worcester Wire Company manufacture
as 1828, and in 1842 he constructed in Prince- saws, in Worcester county. In 1834 Thomas E. Daniels, of Worcester, obtained a patent
WOOD WORKING MACHINERY. In 1803 for a traverse planer, and soon after began to Abel Stowell, of Worcester, received from the manufacture his machines at the old Court president of the United States a patent for the Mills, where he continued until 1848, and invention of a " gauge augre," so constructed sold the business to Richard Ball. Mr. Ball as to bore a hole of any given size from one took in partnership Thomas H. Rice, and inch to two and a half inches, with the same after the withdrawal of the latter, Warren Williams, the firm being Ball & Williams. shank or handle, and by means of another shank a hole from two and a half to six inches Later it was known as R. Ball & Co., and is diameter. In a paper on the manufacture of continued in the present firm of Witherby, lumber, by Ellery B. Crane, printed in the Rugg & Richardson on Salisbury street, who Proceedings of the Worcester Society of An- manufacture planing and moulding machines. tiquity for 1884 (in Vol. VI. of the collec- Other firms and individuals in this line were tions), we find the following: "It is claimed Howe, Cheney & Co., 1850; Charles Price, that Worcester County is the locality in this E. C. Tainter and J. A. Fay & Co. The
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latter,, formerly of Keene, N. H., and Nor- ory, have for several years issued a map which may be had separate from the book.
wich, Ct., occupied a part of the Junction (Col. Estabrook's) shop, for a year or two, and were succeeded in 1862 by Richardson, Meriam & Co., who continued until 1877. In 1864 the latter firm opened a warehouse on Liberty street in New York, and built up a large foreign trade. McIver Bros. Machine Co. were the successors of this firm. Besides wood-working machinery they made a variety of machines used in hulling and sorting coffee, for the Central and South American trade.
Mr. H. C. Wight, of Worcester, invented a ganized in 1890.
matching machine in 1848, which was the means of great saving of lumber.
Maps of Worcester .- The following com- prise the more important maps of Worcester :
In the possession of The Worcester Society of Antiquity, and unpublished :
Map showing the locations of the settlers in 1675.
Map showing the locations of the settlers in I 684.
Map showing distribution of lots by the proprietors from 1717 to 1733. -
In the possession of the American Antiqua- rian Society :
MS. Map of the town in 1784.
MS. Map of the town in 1829.
MS. Map. Copy of the one in the Secre- tary of State's office at Boston.
There is also a copy of the latter in the scheme with complacency, and sent their own library of The Worcester Society of Antiquity. Map of the village in 1829.
66 " " town . " 1833.
Both published by Clarendon Harris.
MS. Map in the library of American Anti- quarian Society, probably made by William Lincoln.
A small copper-plate map appears in the removed.
Worcester Directory, published by Henry J. Howland, from 1844 to 1857, and changes in streets, etc., were made from year to year. An enlarged map accompanied the Directory from 1858.
Map of the town in 1851, published by Warren Lazell.
A large map was engraved by Addison Prentiss about 40 years ago, and S. P. R. Triscott drew three maps from 1873 to 1877, one of which, showing localities in old times, perform the marriage ceremony. The appli-
appears in Caleb A. Wall's " Reminiscences of Worcester :"
A real estate Atlas was published in 1870 by F. W. Beers & Co., N. Y., and this was superseded by another in 1886.
The City Engineer has several volumes of maps in MS., representing in detail the differ- ent sections of the city.
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