USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Genealogical history of the town of Reading, Mass., including the present towns of Wakefield, Reading, and North Reading, with chronological and historical sketches, from 1639 to 1874 > Part 50
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OF THE TOWN OF READING.
Esq., when once drawing his sled load of shoes to Boston, found the rivers so open that he was obliged to go around the city and come in over Roxbury Neck. After doing his business, he took on another load, and retracing his steps came home the same night, nearly ex- hausted.
MERCANTILE AFFAIRS.
The first intimation of there being a store in this part of the town is found among the writings of James Bancroft, Esq., in a paper dated May 15, 1761. It commences with the preamble, "Whereas I, James Ban- croft, of Reading, have lately been at considerable expense to furnish myself with sundry sorts of West India goods (and other goods), as mo- lasses, sugar, rice, tea, coffee, etc., and earthenware, in order to accom- modate my neighbors, determining to sell the same as reasonably as they are sold at Medford, Charlestown, and Boston. . .. I think it might be an advantage to me by increasing my custom, and to others by accommo- dating them, if I might be approbated and have license to sell spiritu- ous liquors." The, paper asks for signatures signifying a willingness that he should be a retailer of spirits ; but as no names are subscribed, and as there is no other evidence to suggest that he engaged in the sale of spirits, it is doubtful whether the paper was ever presented for signatures. How long he continued to sell the other kinds of goods named is unknown.
The first store of any importance in the village was that of William Johnson, which was built in the fall of 1801. It stood in the garden, just below the present store of Mr. Thomas Pratt. Johnson built a house in connection with it the next year, which was the second house built on the common, Rev. Mr. Sanborn's being the first. The Johnson house was removed in 1855 or '6, and is the house now owned by the heirs of Thomas Day. The house of Mr. Silas Smith was probably the next. The house of Mr. James Davis, then owned and occupied by Col. Nathan Parker, was built earlier, and was occupied for a long series of years as a tavern.
The store of Mr. Thomas Parker, on the lot near where the house of the late Sylvester Harnden stands, was probably opened about 1810, or soon after. Mr. Parker built a house adjoining it in 1828, which was removed to make room for Mr. Harnden's house, now owned by Col. Carroll D. Wright. Mr. Parker continued his store till his decease, Oct. 3, 1832.
Mr. Ephraim Weston had a store in the western part of the town as early as 1807, in connection with the shoe business. The store was
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continued by his sons till Mr. Holden took it for a year or two, and it was then resumed by Mr. Weston, who kept it till 1833. In that year his grandson, J. Brooks Leathe, purchased the goods, and continued the business till 1864, when he relinquished it to enter upon the duties of U. S. assistant assessor in the Internal Revenue Department. This office he held till the office of assessor was abolished in 1873.
Daniel Pratt, Esq., continued a dry goods and grocery store for many years in connection with his shoe business. Thomas Pratt, his brother, as intimated in another connection, was probably longer in the busi- ness than any other person that has lived here. For many years Reading was the centre of trade for Wilmington, Tewksbury, Middle- ton, and several other neighboring towns, and the stores here had a flourishing business. Medford rum was formerly a very popular article of traffic, and one of the stores is said to have sold it at the rate of a hogshead of one hundred and twenty gallons per week, while another was thought to have sold twice that amount.
Mr. Thomas Pratt has transferred his business to his son Thomas B., who continues to carry it on at the old stand, where it has been pursued for more than half a century.
Mr. William Parker commenced in the grocery and West India goods trade in 1830, in a store that stood near where W. R. Perkins's house is located. He afterwards occupied the store of D. Pratt, Esq., for a time, and then the Thomas Parker store. In 1841, he removed to the store he now occupies. This building was first erected for a store, in Wakefield. It was removed to Mr. Etson Damon's, and used for a time as a cabinet shop.
Mr. F. Fletcher opened a dry goods store here about 1855. He had previously been in the trade about ten years. He was first to occupy the late post-office room in Lyceum Hall building, which he left to be the first to occupy one of the stores in the Bank building, where he remained till he built his present store. He deals in ready-made clothing, and employs tailors for custom work.
Mr. Amos Temple was several years a dry goods dealer here in the store now occupied by Reed & Buck.
Mr. James Reid, who was formerly associated with Mr. Fletcher, commenced dealing in dry goods in 1866. He still pursues the busi- ness in company with Mr. George F. Buck.
Mr. Jonathan Frost began to trade in 1828, in the Spokesfield house, and in 1831 removed to his. present residence. He still continues the business.
Miss Sukey Parker, daughter of Benjamin, had the first dry goods
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and millinery establishment here. It was kept in the store that stood where Mr. Foster's house is, previous to 1823, and afterwards in Market building till about 1850. The boys of her time remember an ancient looking picture, which she preserved with pious care, and impressed them with the belief that it was a likeness of the Saviour painted from the original. The present milliners are Mrs. Abbie Nichols, Miss Charlotte Buck, and Mrs. H. B. Remick.
Mr. Silas Smith kept a limited stock of dry goods for several years in the house built by him and still occupied by his widow, 90 years of age, the oldest person in town, save one. She was the daughter of Aaron Parker, and sister of Dea. Jabez D. Parker. Mr. Smith was the prin- cipal dealer in cotton sheetings, being manufacturer's agent for the sale in this vicinity. His son Cyrus was for a time engaged in the business, and kept a store in the same house.
Copeland and Bowser have been in business, in Gowing's Block, since its erection in 1871, commencing April Ist. They keep a general assortment of dry goods and gents' furnishing goods. Mr. Copeland had been for several years in the employ of F. Fletcher.
The store near the depot at the foot of Haven Street was built and occupied about 1851 by Mr. Franklin Putnam, who continued the grocery business for ten years. He was succeeded by Pierce Bros., Colman, and others, for short periods. Mr. T. T. Greenwood pur- chased the store and had charge of it for several years. He was suc- ceeded by James H. Davis. Lucius Turner was in trade there from 1867 to April, 1873. S. N. Stone succeeds him.
Mr. Salma A. Gould built a store near the Woburn Street School- house two years since, in which he continues to trade.
John Adden kept a store in connection with his shoe business, at the corner of Main and Summer Streets, about thirty-five years since.
MEAT AND PROVISION TRADE.
In addition to the supplies furnished by the several stores, the town is served by three markets, kept by Messrs. Harnden and Tweed, T. C. Trow, and B. F. Adams. Mr. Charles Tweed was the pioneer in the, business. Timothy Temple, Wm. H. Temple, L. G. Richardson, J. R. Morton, and others have formerly been employed in it. J. R. Brown has a fruit and provision store in the Appleton building near the depot.
SHOE STORES.
Those now doing business here in the retail shoe trade, are N. D. Stoodley, Ira Atkinson, J. A. Bancroft, D. F. Weston, S. Doucette.
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MISCELLANEOUS STORES.
F. J. Bancroft opened a store in 1873 for the sale of music and musical instruments.
Lewis E. Gleason has papers, periodicals, and a variety of other articles in the store connected with the post-office.
Mr. Francis Bartley succeeds James T. Norris in the sale of men's clothing and furnishing goods. M. Hanley deals in furniture. J. & T. Carley carry on the bakery which has been in operation several years. Robert J. Bell has a drug store near the depot.
LYCEUM HALL.
The association that built Lyceum Hall was organized in the month of May, 1854, under an act of incorporation approved April 24th of the same year. Edward Safford, Samuel T. Ruggles, Ignatius Sargent, their associates and successors, were made a corporation, by the name of the Reading Lyceum Hall Association. The first meeting for the choice of officers was held May 29th. Horace P. Wakefield was chosen president ; Sylvester Harnden, vice-president ; Stephen Foster, secretary ; Ignatius Sargent, treasurer ; Alfred A. Prescott, Edward Safford, Reuben Weston, directors ; C. P. Judd, John Damon, Thomas Richardson, standing committee. A building lot was purchased of Lilley Eaton for $927. Edward Safford contracted for the erection of the building at $4,800.
The frame of the original building was raised in November, 1854. When the work was completed, the cost of the building, furniture, and land amounted to about $8,000. A portion of this had been raised by subscription, ten dollars entitling a person to one share and the privilege of membership. Each member had a right to as many votes as he owned shares, provided no member had more than ten votes. The balance of the money not secured by the sale of shares was borrowed to pay the expenses. This was repaid from the yearly receipts before making any dividend among the stockholders. The first dividend was in 1859, of fourteen per cent, the second in 1860 of fifteen per cent. During the war the rents were reduced, and the profits also. The store now occupied by G. W. Atkinson was first rented by a union store association, and kept by J. S. Campbell. W. J. Wightman succeeded in 1857, and remained till 1865, when Mr. Atkinson took it. Capt. Thomas Richardson kept the drug store till 1862, selling out to John Dole, who sold to Dr. W. H. Willis, the present occupant, in 1865. Miss Emily Ruggles has occupied the
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same store she now does, from her commencement in business soon after the completion of the building. Miss Ruggles is also real estate broker. Mr. Gleason, the present postmaster, in May, 1861, removed the post-office from the market building near Stephen Foster's to Lyceum Hall building, where it still remains, though it was removed from the room now occupied by Mrs. Remick for millinery purposes to the present, in December, 1873. Ira Gray & Son had their clothing store in the story above till the erection of the bank building in 1860-61, to which place he removed. Since that time the rooms have been variously occupied. Clarkson Parker has for nearly five years used the room he now does for a barber shop.
The first movement for the building of Lyceum Hall was prompted by the felt need of the people for a hall suitable for public gatherings, and the wants of a small organization that has since merged into the Christian Union Society, for a place to hold their meetings. The efforts for obtaining funds by subscription for building the hall were nearly a failure. There was at that time little surplus wealth in town that could well be spared for such an investment. Mr. Stephen Foster and S. Harnden, impressed with the need of such a work, and foresee- ing that the public would be ready to sustain it, engaged in the enterprise with others, and helped carry it forward to completion. In November, 1870, an additional piece of land was bought, that formerly belonged to the old estate of Dr. Daniel Gould, to which the first purchase from Mr. Eaton had originally belonged, and pro- ceeded after some delay to the building of the extension just now being completed.
The present officers of the association are : E. Safford, president ; Samuel Pierce, vice-president ; Stephen Foster, secretary and treas- urer ; Reuben Weston, G. W. Atkinson, H. E. Cox, directors ; C. W. Perkins, N. P. Pratt, standing committee. Mr. Foster has been sec- retary from the organization, and Mr. Weston one of the directors. Dr. H. P. Wakefield was continued as president till 1868, when his services for the State required his removal from town.
THE WATCH AND CLOCK BUSINESS IN READING.
Mr. Benj. E. Beard was probably the first in town who made the watch and jewelry trade a distinct business. He opened his store in 1847 in Harnden's building, and continued there till his death in 1868. His son, W. E. Beard, succeeded him, and in December, 1873, removed the business to Lyceum Hall building. He is assisted by Mr. D. A.
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Emery. Dea. Amos Evans had been earlier engaged in watch repair- ing, which he long continued after Mr. Beard commenced the business. A Mr. Wheeler had also had a room in a small building on the east side of the street, below the Common, where he dealt in watches and repaired them. Mr. Daniel Putnam acquired many years ago a good reputation as a repairer of watches, and his friends claim he is still able to do better work than the average watch repairer. We don't know how well founded the claim is, but we are told that he is the possessor of a watch over a hundred years old that he maintains in good running order, though we think he did not make it.
The manufacture of clock cases was commenced in this town in the spring of 1832 by Mr. Jonathan Frost. He first began to buy clocks of Burr & Chittenden, of Lexington, who bought the movements or running part in Bristol, Conn., and made the cases themselves. Mr. Frost sent them out with other goods by his pedlers for a year or so. When he began the business for himself the movements cost him a trifle over eight dollars apiece, which price was finally reduced to seven and a half. Within the year 1832, Mr. [Frost formed a partnership with Daniel Pratt, Esq., for the manufacture, which continued for three years. After the close of the partnership, Mr. Frost suspended opera- tions in that line for nearly two years, when he resumed and continued it till about 1850. Mr. Pratt had continued the business uninterrupt- edly during all this time. In 1838-39, he employed about twenty hands. Among his employees was Mr. B. E. Beard, to whom we have already referred. Another employee was Mr. Gilbert Green, now of Clinton, Mass., who deals in watches and jewelry, and has become wealthy. Several others in this town and in North Reading were also employed by Mr. Pratt in carrying on his business. Mr. Pratt supplied and sent out pedlers to dispose of his clocks till about 1846, when he opened a store in Boston, at 49 Union Street, in which business has been continued to the present time. For a year or two previous he had sent a considerable number of clocks to Calcutta, where a very good market was found. A clock with a fancy case, known as the " double Gothic," costing about five dollars here, sold there for about fifteen dollars in gold. They were frequently exchanged for the goods of the countries to which they were sent, which were imported and sold here. Since the decease of Mr. Pratt, in March, 1871, as well as for some years previously, the business has been carried on by Messrs. D. F. Pratt and B. M. Boyce, who now constitute the firm, under the name of " Daniel Pratt's Sons." F. W. B. Pratt, son of D. F., is employed with them. They have for about three years imported clocks from
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OF THE TOWN OF READING.
abroad. They are doing a rapidly increasing business in this line, which might well be expected, as they sell nice French clocks much cheaper than any other house in the city. The manufacture of clocks was discontinued here by Mr. Pratt about 1858 or 1859. The house on Linden Street, owned by Mr. Pease, and the shoe store on Haven Street, occupied by Major Stoodley, were, before removal to their pres- ent sites, occupied by Mr. Pratt in the prosecution of his business. The pedlers sold the clocks at prices ranging from twelve to sixteen dollars each. The brass movements were introduced about 1835 or 1836. The clock dealers, in speaking of clocks and time-pieces, make a distinction that is perhaps peculiar to themselves. If it strikes the hour it is called a clock ; if it does not strike the hour, it is called a time-piece.
CABINET-MAKERS. -
Ambrose Kingman is said to have been the first to engage in this business here. He sold out to his brother Henry, who greatly enlarged it, and subsequently removed to New York, where it is still success- fully prosecuted by his son William.
Luther Elliot, Hammond Flint, Amos Sweetser, Charles Carter, Henry F. Parker, J. W. Beers, S. T. Ruggles, John Cheney, Gardner French, D. B. Lovejoy, D. G. Richardson, James Davis, and others, were more or less engaged in this business.
Alden Batchelder has been in the manufacture of furniture about ten years, employing twenty to thirty hands. He sells his goods throughout the Union and Canada.
Dinsmore and Grouard have been more than twenty years manufac- turing furniture. They were the first to make parlor desks, which had a large sale. They also make book-cases and chamber furniture, and employ about thirty hands. Their mill was built by William Badger about twenty-five years since. It passed into other hands, and was purchased about ten years since by Dinsmore & Grouard, and fitted up with a new engine and machinery.
Mr. Charles Manning and Mr. Frederick Miller are both engaged in making parlor desks.
Mr. Sylvester Harnden came here from Stoddard, N. H., about 1823, and worked at the furniture business with Luther Elliot, and afterwards, in company with Amos Sweetser, in a building that stood just south of W. R. Perkins's present residence. In 1827 or 1828, Mr. Harnden erected and used for a shop the building occupied for many years by B. E. Beard in the watch business. In 1831 he built the house now
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owned by his son, F. Harnden, and another shop a little in the rear. His business rapidly increased, and he employed for many years about seventy-five or eighty workmen.
In 1856 he engaged in the manufacture of refrigerators, under the patent of John C. Schooley, which, in connection with the furniture business, is still continued by his son, F. Harnden.
Mr. Harnden was a prominent man in town matters, always ready to aid in public improvements, and to do his share in sustaining the bur- dens and performing the duties required of a true citizen. He was a native of Wilmington ; born 1804 ; died May 19, 1873.
COOPERS.
David Emerson, Joseph Young, Edward Young, John Nichols, David Ball, Samuel W. Brooks, Capt. Abijah Weston, Jabez Weston.
CURRIERS.
Oliver Colburn and George Flagg were curriers, and carried on busi- ness in the red house near the railroad crossing on Main Street, known as the " Dublin House."
WHEELWRIGHTS AND CARRIAGE-MAKERS.
Mr. Ambrose Kingman is remembered as the principal one here in the wheelwright business. Mr. Samuel Brown, on Haven Street, is a carriage-builder. In the same building, P. McCall makes harnesses.
MILLS.
Messrs. Dinsmore & Grouard, F. Harnden, Solon Parker, and H. Bachelder have steam mills for sawing lumber. Mr. John Burrill has a saw-mill operated by water power, formerly owned by Cleaveland Beard. This mill is probably referred to in a deed by Abraham Foster to Raham Bancroft, dated in 1730. There is also a saw and a grist mill at " Lob's Pound," where there was a saw-mill in 1694.
The first mill in this part of the town for sawing boards was prob- ably the one often referred to in the early town records as the "saw- pit mill," which was near where Summer Street crosses Main. The little bridge just east of the corners retained the name "Soppit Bridge," till quite recently. Thomas Sweetser, Esq., recollects seeing the pit in which the under man stood while drawing his end of the saw. It is referred to as "Parker's mill" in the town records, but the oldest inhabitant now living does not know to which of the Parkers it
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belonged. There was once a saw-mill at the foot of the hill, about thirty rods west of the house of Capt. George Bancroft. It belonged to Thomas Bancroft, and a Merrow. It is believed to have been there in 1764. There was a tannery about twenty rods west of the mill, the relics of which have not entirely disappeared.
The reference to "Lob's Pound " suggests an inquiry as to the origin of the name. Dea. Wakefield says that some one told him, there was formerly a pound there for keeping colts in over night, and that the name "Lob " was a corruption of "nobby " or "nob," a child's pet name for a colt.
BLACKSMITHS.
Zadoc Richardson appears to have been in the business here from 1762 to 1772, and may have been for a much longer time. Eli Mead had a shop at the corner of Woburn and Washington Streets, date unknown. Samuel Pratt, who died in 1734, and who lived where Herrick Batch- elder now lives, was a blacksmith. His son Samuel succeeded to his estate, and followed the same occupation. This Samuel left no chil- dren. His nephew, Benjamin, son of Lieut. Ephraim, of North Read- ing, was his successor. He died in 1842 at the age of 84. He was a soldier of the Revolution ; a town officer for more than twenty years ; deacon in the Old South Church more than forty ; and the father of thirteen children. His son Benjamin was the father of Benjamin, Joseph L., and Stillman M. Pratt, of the present time, and several daughters.
Mr. Joseph Spokesfield, whose shop stood where Edward F. Parker's house now is, was in the business sixty years ago. The early black- smiths supplied the people with "wrought" nails, which were sold by count, not by weight, and made most of the tools used by the farmers and mechanics.
The more recent blacksmiths have been Cephas Parker, D. M. Damon, E. B. Eames, R. C. Totten, John Blunt, Theo. F. Gould. The last named four are still in business.
TIN-WARE AND STOVES.
T. Littlefield came from Wakefield to Reading in 1843, and opened a shop on Ash Street. He removed to the village in 1853, and to his present shop in 1860. He was the first to engage in the business in this town, and for a time had no competitor here, or in Wakefield, or in Stoneham. Several others have set up the business here for brief periods. Mr. Eugene De Jean has been engaged in it for about two years.
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HOUSE BUILDERS.
Amos Parker, father of Dana Parker, was one of the principal car- penters of eighty years ago. Dea. Caleb Wakefield served his appren- ticeship with him, commencing March 29, 1801. Seventy years after- wards, within an hour of the time of the day at which he went to the house of Mr. Parker to begin his service, Dea. Wakefield called at the same house, now occupied by the son above named, and reminded the family of the fact, an incident of rare occurrence. The first house built by Dea. Wakefield was the tavern for Col. Nathan Parker, which stood where the bank building now stands. This was in 1806. It was three stories high, the first of that height built here. The old " try-rule " system of framing had been followed up to that time, which required every tenon and mortise to be fitted together and marked so that it could be known where every piece belonged. Dea. Wakefield followed that system called also "scribe " rule, and the critics decided he could not erect the building in that way. An interested party declared that the builder should pay a dollar for every false mortise made. But the frame was completed and raised without a mistake. The modern system called " square rule " was soon after generally introduced. In 1801, Dea. Wakefield purchased the first screw auger he had seen. Previous to that, mechanics had used what they called the "pod " auger. Up to 1806 the farmers used wooden shovels, which were sometimes plated, or "shod," upon the cutting edge with iron.
The following list embraces most of the principal carpenters and builders for half a century, coming down to the present time :-
Eben Eaton, John Nichols, Timothy Temple, Samuel R. Allen, Joseph Spokesfield, Daniel Creesy, Wendell Bancroft, David C. Temple, Wm. M. Phillips, Edward Safford, Nath'l W. Broad, Wm. Bryant, Edward C. Nichols, Ephraim Wight.
MASONS.
Bridge Wakefield, William Wakefield, Stewart P. Wakefield, Capt. Joseph Gleason, N. H. Turner, S. M. Hall, Edward Parker.
PAINTERS.
Abner Bancroft, Wm. H. Bancroft, Nathan Bancroft, Moses Nichols, J. C. Cook, Amos McIntire. £ M. H. Garfield, carriage and sign painter.
MANUFACTURE OF SHOES.
The first recorded evidence of the manufacture of shoes in this part of ancient Reading appears to be in the account book of Lieut.
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Joseph Bancroft, commencing in the year 1758. He seems to have supplied the home market for about thirty years afterwards. In the summer of 1794 he charges John Temple, Jr., for making about four hundred pairs of shoes.
The manufacture of shoes as an article of trade seems to have fairly been commenced before this time. During the Revolution tradition connects the names of several persons with the business who were accustomed to carry their work to the city for a market. Among these was Ephraim Parker, who also kept the tavern in Squire Sweetser's old house on Washington Street. He employed several workmen in the business. Phineas Sweetser, uncle of the Squire, did a smaller busi- ness ; and Mr. Daniel Damon, grandfather of Edgar, D. Myron, and Albert P. Damon, carried on the business as early as 1794, employing several hands. He learned the trade in Westford, where he seems to have been when the war of the Revolution commenced. . After his return to Reading he lived in a house that stood where Mr. Francis Kingman now resides, and owned the land in that vicinity, including the grove now owned by Solon Parker. His first wife, Anna, died of small-pox in 1793, aged 28 years. She married at the age of 18, and in the short period of her married life, became the mother of seven sons and one daughter. The seventh son, Warren Damon, over eighty years of age, is now living in Amherst, N. H.
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