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 51
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The first to engage extensively in the manufacture of boots and shoes here was probably Daniel Chute, Esq., about 1792. He prosecuted the business with great energy for about twenty years, but we have few details concerning the kind or amount of goods made by him. It appears that he not only employed many workmen here, but also at the same time in Byfield, his native town.
Mr. Jonathan Temple did business in making shoes, commencing as early as 1794, but to what extent is not known. He was for some time connected with Mr. David Pratt. Mr. John Temple carried on the business in the same neighborhood.
David Pratt, who came to Reading from Saugus about 1796, and lived where Edward Appleton, Esq., now resides, was early employed in the business. The first shoes he made he carried to Boston and Charlestown for a market. He employed at first three or four workmen, and carried the shoes in saddle-bags, over his own shoulders. He soon procured a horse and a two-wheeled vehicle, known then as a " milk cart," which he used for transporting his goods. People consid- ered this a piece of extravagance, and predicted his failure. But his business increased till he eventually employed about a hundred work-
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men. His goods continued to be delivered in Boston, whence they were sent to the Southern States. They were packed in barrels, his boys Daniel and Thomas treading them down as they were put in, in order to get as many as possible into each barrel. In 1806 or '7, he bought the land where Thomas Pratt's store now is, and also the store that stood in the garden just below, which was formerly owned by William Johnson. In 1817 he built the house and store which his son Thomas has since continued to occupy. He intended it for a shoe factory and store ; but he died in. 1818, before completing his designs, and left them to be carried out by his two sons, Daniel and Thomas. They continued the business together for a few years, when they divided, Thomas continuing the store, and Daniel the shoe business. In 1826, Daniel removed to his late residence, which he continued to occupy up to the time of his death. He gave up the shoe trade and engaged in the clock business in 1832, as related elsewhere.
Silas Smith did considerable business in the shoe manufacture for several years, contemporary with Mr. Pratt.
Mr. Ephraim Weston was among the first who employed any consid- erable number of hands. As early as 1804, he made from five hun- dred to seven hundred pairs of shoes per month. He seems to have supplied quite a number of families with work, paying from seventeen to twenty cents a pair for making children's and misses' shoes, and twenty-five to twenty-nine cents for other kinds. Some kinds of chil- dren's shoes sold at that time' in market, at forty-six cents a pair ; women's shoes, from seventy-four to ninety-one cents. Red morocco skins cost twenty-five dollars per dozen. His goods for some years were sent to the West Indies, but were afterwards sent to Baltimore, to his son Asahel, who was engaged there in trade. The business was continued by his sons Aaron and Luther, and is now carried on by Clifford P. Weston, his grandson.
Mr. Warren Perkins, father of Charles W., came here from Middleton, and about 1807 began the manufacture of shoes, which he continued for about forty years. He employed from fifty to seventy-five hands in this and adjoining towns, whom he supplied with work. He built the house that stood where the Union church stands, which he long occu- pied, and which was subsequently the residence of Mr. William Parker.
Isaac Upton, Lilley Eaton, Lorenzo Parker, and -- Beers were also among the early manufacturers.
H. G. Richardson and W. R. Perkins were in company for seven years manufacturing shoes, commencing in 1835. Mr. Perkins con- tinued it till 1846. In 1857, Mr. Richardson turned his attention to
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the hide and leather business, which he continued till his store was destroyed in the great fire in Boston in 1872.
John Adden commenced the manufacture of shoes about 1830. In 1845 he opened a general jobbing and wholesale store in New Orleans, which has been continued without interruption, save for a few years during the late war. In 1861, Mr. Adden formed a partnership with his son, J. H. Adden, and the business has since been conducted under the name of J. H. Adden & Co. They formerly employed nearly two hundred hands in the manufacture of their goods ; but the introduction of labor-saving machinery has diminished the necessity for employing so many.
Mr. Abiel Holden, who came to this town from Stoneham, com- menced the manufacture of morocco shoes, probably in the year 1822. He did business as the agent of Mr. Isaac Mead, of Charlestown, who furnished the morocco. Nearly every family in town at that time was employed in binding and stitching shoes for the different persons engaged in their manufacture. Mr. Stephen Foster came here from Wakefield in 1823, and was employed by Mr. Holden for many years in giving out and receiving the work, keeping books, etc. The business was carried on for a year or two, at Weston's corner, in the store of Ephraim Weston, and was then transferred to a house and store in the village that stood where Mr. Foster's house now stands. About 1830, Mr. Holden gave up the business into the hands of Mr. Foster, who continued the agency till the fall of 1834, when, upon the death of Mr. Mead, he bought the stock and continued the business on his own account. The leading business at that time was making what was known through the country as " Reading pumps," or men's dancing shoes. Mr. Foster continued manufacturing here till 1852, when he opened a store in Boston. He resumed manufacturing here in 1859, and in 1864 was joined by Mr. Charles W. Perkins. The company still continue the business.
Mr. Holden, who had been for several years employed as deputy sheriff, resumed the manufacture of shoes in 1840, which he continued till July, 1850, when he took in his sons with him. In August, 1862, the business fell into the hands of his sons, Arkaid, Clinton B., and William J., and is now continued under the name of Holden Brothers. Before the introduction of machinery they employed about fifty hands. For about fifteen years they have made, exclusively, children's and misses' shoes for the Southern market.
Mr. D. F. Weston began in 1835 ; has sometimes employed fifty hands ;
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manufactures children's and misses' shoes ; had a store in Boston for several years for their sale.
Mr. Stillman E. Parker manufactures men's and women's shoes for the Southern market, employing about twenty-five hands in his manu- factory, and furnishing work to about as many others outside. He commenced the business in 1845.
Mr. J. H. Bancroft has been engaged in the business for about twenty years, making children's and youths' sizes.
Mr. James A. Bancroft commenced in 1858 the manufacture of chil- dren's shoes, which he still continues. He employs from eight to twelve hands.
Among those who have, till a comparatively recent period, been en- gaged in the manufacture of shoes, are Joseph L. Pratt, the late Dea. Thomas H. Sweetser, Gilman C. Coggin, Roswell N. Temple.
Reading is known among the shoe trade as a town where infant shoes are a specialty.
The business for many years was small in the aggregate, and was conducted by women, who cut and made their goods, and then sold them at the country stores, or exchanged them with the travelling ped- lers for the wares which they carried from door to door. Early in the present century, one or two men commenced the business on a more extensive scale, cutting out the shoes themselves, and employing women to make them up at a fixed price per pair. The soles were of thin sheepskin, tanned a russet color; but calico and velvet, as well as leather, were sometimes used for the uppers. The shoes were cut out and made by hand, and the whole process was a slow and tedious one, yielding to the manufacturers a profit less than the present wages of a good mechanic, while the women who made the shoes earned from two shillings to a dollar a week in addition to performing their household duties.
The introduction of the sewing-machine and other mechanical inven- tions has greatly developed the business, and there is as much taste dis- played in the style and finish of infants' shoes as in any other branch of shoe manufacture. But little of the work is now done without the aid of machinery. The uppers are almost exclusively cut out with dies, the ornamental figures are put on by the aid of a stamp, while all the stitches, with the exception of sewing on the rosettes, are taken by a sewing-machine.
A woman, devoting her whole time to the work, now earns from six to twelve dollars per week, and some earn nine dollars besides doing their house-work.
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It would hardly be supposed that so small an article as an infant's shoe afforded much room for variety. But there is quite as much change demanded in the style of shoes for the little folks as for the people of larger growth, and a wonderful skill and taste is displayed by our manufacturers in the production of these goods, while fond mothers are so eager for novelties that the manufacturer who produces a new style that pleases the fancy of the public is su re of a large demand and a good profit as long as he can keep it a secret from his brother manufacturers.
Some of the manufacturers secure themselves against competition by obtaining a patent for their favorite styles.
Although infants' shoes are made in small quantities in various other places, Reading is the centre of the business, and in styles and gen- . eral character of its goods is the leading market of the country. The production is about 400,000 pairs annually, furnishing constant employ- ment to nearly a hundred women. The principal manufacturers are G. A. Richardson, Clifford B. Weston, George E. Leathe, E. Bassett, John Burrill, J. W. Richardson & Co. There are also several ladies who manufacture dolls' shoes in great variety.
Geo. A. Richardson & Co., two years since, secured a patent for a sewing-machine for bottoming shoes, which makes a saving of nine or ten cents per pair in making children's shoes. They make yearly about 200,000 pairs, representing about eighty different styles, of which three are patented. They have eight or ten different patents on machines and shoes.
For the past fifteen years the business has been steadily increasing, and the products of our Reading manufacturers are found in every store in the Union, as well as in the British Provinces.
MANUFACTURE OF HATS, ETC.
Nathan Weston, prompted by the high price of hats during the war of 1812, turned his attention for several years to their manufacture. The bodies were made by him of pasteboard, coated with a preparation of shellac and gum copal, to render them waterproof. For the outer covering, he used cotton plush. The cloth was prepared for this pur- pose by Adam Hawkes who had a fulling mill and clothiers' works in the eastern part of South Reading (Wakefield), near Lynnfield. Wes- ton employed but little help, and did not prosecute his business with the energy that the merits of his work might well have prompted. He sold principally to customers in this vicinity.
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It seems to be well authenticated that Weston was the first manufac- turer, as well as inventor, of the silk hat. The cotton plush he used soon faded, and he was ultimately led, it is claimed, to the use of silk in order to remedy the defect. After the close of the war the price of hats became much reduced, and in 1819 he discontinued their manu- facture. Having a patent under which he had made them, he allowed others the benefit of it, for which they paid him a royalty of twenty-five cents for each hat made by them. Mr. Thomas Sweetser (now Esq.) took up the business and carried it on here for one season, and then, in 1818, removed it to Charlestown. Mr. Warren Perkins was for a time employed in the business.
W. J. Wightman, Esq., commenced the manufacture of coach lace . here in 1840, employing eighteen hands. He continued the business with encouraging success for seventeen years.
NECKTIE MANUFACTURE.
Damon, Temple & Co. (D. Myron Damon, A. P. Damon, and Joseph S. Temple) began the business in January, 1866, in the bank build- ing, with about a dozen employees. The business increased till the number of hands in 1869 was about one hundred and twenty-five. During this latter year their factory on Woburn Street was erected. They were pioneers in making this line of goods a specialty. They opened a store in Boston at the time they began to manufacture here, and another at Chicago in 1867, to accommodate their Western customers. The Chicago store, with its contents, was burnt in the great fire of October, 1871, and the Boston store and goods in the great fire of November, 1872. In May, 1873, they were compelled to remove their goods to escape impending destruction from another extensive fire in Boston. Notwithstanding these serious drawbacks, their business has continued to flourish, and by adopting improved methods, they are now able, with one hundred hands, to turn out as much work as formerly with many more employees. They now import their silk and other materials direct from the foreign market. Twenty- five persons are employed in the distribution of their goods at their store in the city and elsewhere. The quality of their work is of such established reputation as to be demanded by the trade throughout the Union. They sell considerable quantities to "Zion's Co-operative Association " among the Mormons in Utah.
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ORGAN MANUFACTURE.
The first to engage in this business was Thomas Appleton. He was a native of Boston, where he began the manufacture in 1809, working in company with his brother-in-law, in Chambers Street, Boston, who built the first organ in this country. In 1810 he became a mem- ber of the firm of Hoyts, Babcock & Appleton, who put up a building for the manufacture of pianos and organs, on the site of Franklin's birthplace in Milk Street. After a few years he commenced business alone. In September, 1851, he came to Reading, and has occupied since that time the factory near the depot. He built thirty-five organs for churches in Boston : the first being for the church in Summer Street, recently removed ; the second for the Handel and Haydn Society, which was long used in Music Hall. He also built organs for nearly every principal city of the United States, in all nearly thrice as many as for Boston. He built his last organ in 1868, when more than sixty years of age, for the Baldwin Baptist Church in Canton Street, Boston. This was one of his largest, and he designed it to be his best. Thirty years previously he had built one for the same church, then in Baldwin Place, which during all that time never cost the society a dollar for repairs. His organs, like himself, were honest clear through. He never counted the cost, but made every instrument as thor- oughly as possible. He said he should be ashamed to pass a church that had in it an organ of his that was imperfectly built. He designed his work to last one hundred and fifty years as the best monu- ment he could leave to perpetuate his memory. His instruments were noted for sweetness and purity of tone, as well as for perfection of machinery. His ear was remarkably accurate, and his musical judg- ment unerring. Dr. Shattuck, of Boston, employed him to select a piano for his daughter, and was so well pleased with the selection that he made him a present of two hundred dollars. Yet as a musical performer he set up for himself no claim. Indeed, he was accustomed to say he neither could "sing, whistle, nor play a jewsharp." He possessed a remarkable memory; could remember events that he witnessed more than eighty years before. He retained a vivid idea of the burning of the ropewalk on Atkinson Street, Boston, when he was seven years old, and the hanging of three pirates on the same day. A cage, with a post in the middle, was hauled on trucks from the jail-yard, where the Court-house now stands, to the Common. The pirates were hung to arms extending out from this post. This was also used for a whipping-post and pillory, and usually stood near the head of State Street.
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He was a man of rare generosity, often giving or lending consider- able amounts of money where needed, when he had no reason to expect the return of a dollar. He was a stranger to all feelings of malice or ill-will. One who knew him most thoroughly, says, " He was the best- tempered man I ever knew." An organ building firm were accustomed, in their efforts to compete with him, to speak in severe though unjust terms of him. When he heard of it he said, " They would feel better if they only had work enough "; and ever ready to return good for evil, he soon after procured for them a good contract. It is needless to add that they became his firm friends. He was temperate in his habits. Only a few days before his death he remarked to a friend, “ I never smoked nor chewed tobacco, and was never intoxicated."
Mr. Appleton was a man of quiet and unobtrusive manners, tall and erect, with a genial face that bore a striking resemblance to that of General Washington. He was a cousin to the Messrs. Appleton, the well-known New York publishers, and a descendant of Thomas Apple- ton, one of the first settlers of Ipswich.
He died July 11, 1872, in the 87th year of his age.
Samuel Pierce began the manufacture of metallic organ pipes in 1847. It was the first attempt at making the business a specialty. It rapidly increased, and necessitated the building of his manufactory in 1852, which has subsequently been enlarged, to furnish room for the employment of about thirty workmen. Mr. Pierce finds a market for his pipes throughout the United States and Canada, among first-class organ-builders.
FIRE ENGINES.
The engine known as " Union No. 1," was purchased between the years 1813-15, by private contributions, chiefly from those who desired to become exempt from doing military duty. This exemption was by law allowed to those who belonged to a fire engine company, but the number belonging to a company was limited to about thirty-five. Those holding positions in this company, and becoming exempt for other reasons from doing military duty, were accustomed to sell out their rights, at fancy prices, to others who desired exemption.
Engine No. 2, the " Water Witch," was procured in 1825, for similar reasons, for a company formed in the neighborhood of Barnard's Hotel, then a part of this town. It was last used when the hotel was burnt, April 18, 1867. Its first captain who served was Nathaniel Batchelder, Jr. ; its last, Hiram Batchelder, chosen in 1853.
Engine "Washington No. 3," was purchased of Charlestown, in
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1836. The well near the common, so long used for the comfort of man and beast, was constructed by private contributions of money and labor for the purpose of obtaining a sufficient reservoir of water to supply this engine in case of fire.
In March, 1852, the shop of C. H. Goodwin on Salem Street, and in the same year, a barn belonging to Henry Kingman, were destroyed by fire. In May, 1853, Harnden's shop, where R. C. Totten's shop now is, was burnt, with lumber and other property valued at nearly $7,000. There was no fire department during these years, but the engines were worked by citizens. The frequent recurrence of fires alarmed the people, and a town-meeting was called which voted to pro- cure another engine, a quantity of hose, and to build an engine house. On the sixth of June, a company was organized to take charge of the new engine, which was christened " Eagle No. 4." Nathaniel Vaughan, formerly member of the Boston fire department, was chosen its first foreman. The engine was built by Howard and Davis, of Boston. It was brought to Reading October 29th, and its arrival was celebrated by a large gathering of people. A large procession marched through the principal streets, a dinner was served in Harnden's shop just rebuilt, and a levee was held in the same place in the evening, in which the ladies participated. The successive commanders of this company have been Charles H. Lang, Ira W. Ruggles, N. Vaughan, Geo. A. Niles, W. L. Crowe, J. W. Coburn, James M. Day, David E. Crowell, and Wm. L. Crowe, who is now in office.
The Hancock, which formerly belonged to the city of Charlestown, and was there known as "Hancock No. 1," was purchased in 1869, for the use of the west part of the town, to take the place of Union No. I, which was put out of commission. It had been stationed in that neighborhood since about 1865. The new house is to be com- pleted for the occupancy of the Hancock on the first of April, 1874. It is located near the school-house on Woburn Street. This engine has a company of forty men, under command of Capt. S. T. Sweetser.
The town appropriated, in 1873, for building engine house and cis- terns, $7,000 ; for purchase of hose for use of engine companies, $1,800.
For many years previous to 1854, the different organizations when engaged at fires were under command of fire-wards chosen by the town with other town officers ; but in April of that year, a fire department was established under an act of the Legislature. Its chief engineers have been Benj. M. Boyce, from 1854 to 1861, inclusive ; Nathan Car- ter, 1862 and '63 ; John Clifford, 1864; Dan'l Creesey, 1865 ; C. D.
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Brown, 1866-67 (died in office) ; James McKay, 1868 to 1871 ; Wil- liam H. Temple, 1872 ; Chas. H. Lang, 1873-4.
BANKING INSTITUTIONS. .
An act to incorporate the Reading Agricultural and Mechanical Association was approved Feb. 10, 1831. Edmund Parker, Joshua Prescott, Warren Perkins, Abiel Holden, and Jonas Parker, with their associates, are named as corporators, with power to hold real estate not exceeding five thousand dollars in value ; and the annual income of its personal estate not to exceed two thousand dollars. It had about fifty members. The shares, at first, were ten dollars each. The institution did business as a bank of discount and deposit, and its earnings for many years were applied to increase the amount of its capital. The par value of its shares was raised in 1838 to fifty, and ultimately to one hundred dollars each. In 1846, and subsequently to 1852, the divi- dends were five dollars per share; in 1853-7, six dollars ; 1858-60, twelve dollars. Its customers were largely engaged in trade with the Southern States, which the war brought to an abrupt termination with disaster to many of their fortunes. The bank suspended operations and eventually closed up its affairs, without loss to its creditors.
The first board of officers was : Edmund Parker, president ; Warren Perkins, vice-president ; Jonathan Frost, secretary ; Cyrus Smith, treasurer ; Thomas Smith, Abiel Holden, Caleb Wakefield, and Eliab Parker, Jr., directors.
Hon. Edmund Parker was continued as president till his death in June, 1843, when Daniel Pratt, Esq., was chosen. Stephen Foster succeeded Cyrus Smith as treasurer in 1837. The present officers are Thomas Sweetser, president ; S. Foster, vice-president ; S. E. Parker, secretary ; Jonathan Frost, treasurer.
The corporation has never forfeited its powers and privileges, and has the right to resume business whenever it sees fit.
The Reading Savings Bank was incorporated June 12, 1869, upon petition of Ephraim Hunt, William Proctor, and others.
The corporation organized July 14, 1869, by the choice of Ephraim Hunt, president ; Thomas Sweetser, vice-president ; N. P. Pratt, clerk and treasurer ; H. G. Richardson, Stephen Foster, F. O. Dewey, Al- fred Perkins, N. P. Pratt, Thomas Sweetser, William Proctor, F. H. Knight, Hiram Barrus, C. P. Judd, E. Hunt, all of Reading; Samuel P. Breed, of North Reading ; and Lemuel Eames, of Wilmington, trustees ; E. Hunt, N. P. Pratt, and Stephen Foster, board of investment. This
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list of officers remains nearly unchanged. Mr. Sweetser resigned as vice-president, and Mr. Dewey was elected his successor ; N. P. Pratt resigned his position on the board of investment, to which H. Barrus was chosen.
The annual report of the treasurer, dated Nov. 1, 1873, gives the sum of $181,224.76 as the total assets of the institution ; and the amount due depositors, $179,454.63 ; leaving a surplus of $1,770.13. The band pays its depositors a semi-annual dividend of three per cent. It has won the reputation of being a safe institution for investments, which the financial panic of 1873 in no wise disturbed.
THE CEMETERY.
The first person buried in the cemetery was Ensign Nathaniel Par- ker, who died in Dec. 1737. There is a tradition that he was the donor of the land to the town, to be used for burial purposes. If the tradition is true, it is singular that nothing appears upon the records of the town or county corroborating it. The records of the town imply that it never alienated its title to the common, or to the old cemetery adjoining. Four years after the death of Ensign Parker, it conveyed five acres lying north of the old burying-ground, and bounded on it, to John Merrow. The few acres which lay between the common and the land granted to Merrow could not have belonged to the Boutwell farm on the east, or to the Bancroft farm on the west, without following most absurd boundary lines. Nor does it seem probable that Ensign Parker would have secured a title to the same, by purchase or otherwise, from the town, merely for the sake of returning it as a donation. If he did so under the promptings of a desire to leave a memorial of himself, it seems he made a mistake in not having his act perpetuated by some record, or at least a reference to it in his will.
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