USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Ashburnham > History of Ashburnham, Massachusetts : from the grant of Dorchester Canada to the present time 1734-1886 with a genealogical register of Ashburnham families > Part 30
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Orange Whitney, who occupies the Burgess mills, gives employment to thirty men and manufactures chairs to the amount of $50,000 annually. Since 1881 he has resided in Winchendon. The first mill on this site in which there was a saw-mill and a grist-mill was built by Joshua B. Burgess in 1844. The building was burned in 1850 and immediately rebuilt. Mr. Burgess was also engaged in the manufacture of chairs. In 1856 he was succeeded by Edward S. Flint, Jonathan H. Piper and James Blodget under the firm of Flint, Piper and Blodget. In 1861 Mr. Flint became
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CHAIR FACTORIES OF WILBUR F. WHITNEY.
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proprietor of the business which he continued alone and with partners until 1873. Abner White succeeded Mr. Flint and continued the manufacture until 1878. At this time Benja- min E. Wetherbec purchased the property and leased it to Mr. Whitney.
Irving E. Platts has been actively engaged in this manu- facture several years. He occupies the Glazier mill and usually employs about fifteen men. There has been a mill upon this site many years. In 1824 Deacon John C. Glazier bought the premises of Charles Munroe and after his death in 1861, the property had several owners and was purchased by Benjamin E. Wetherbee in 1868. The new mill, on the opposite side of the highway, was built in 1872. It is occupied by Mr. Wetherbee in the manufacture of bent chair stock. He gives employment to several men. Another chair shop in South Ashburnham was built in 1856 by Sumner and Charles S. May. They were engaged in the business until recently when the premises were leased to B. Duane & Co., the partners being Bernard Duane and Orange Whitney who manufacture towel racks and cradles.
From about 1837 to 1848 chairs were manufactured on the site of the Naukeag Cotton Factory by several individuals and firms, including James Osgood, Samuel S. Stevens and Alvin Kendall. From thirty to forty years ago, for some reason, nearly every merchant in the central village was also a manufacturer of chairs, and while Corey, Barrett and Kibling were selling staple goods at their store they were making chairs in a mill which stood on the site of the morocco shop.
Burrageville, once the scene of a promising and active enterprise, was founded by chair makers. George S. Bur- rage, then of Leominster, about 1848, bought of George L. Beals a saw-mill, dwelling-house and a large tract of timber
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land. The price paid was thirteen thousand dollars. The saw-mill was burned about that time and rebuilt in its present form and chairs were made in the upper story. The company, including George S., William F. and Charles W. Burrage, was formed, and under the firm name of Burrage Brothers they built in 1853 the paint shop, 40 by 80 feet, which still remains, and the following year a chair factory, 40 by 100 feet, was erected on the stream above the saw- mill. For a number of years the firm was actively engaged in the manufacture of chairs and gave employment to a large number of men. In the mean time they built several tenement houses and were conducting a store in another building which they erected. In the midst of these scenes of activity and promise, in 1858 the chair factory was burned and the enterprise was crippled beyond recovery. William F. Burrage retired from the firm in 1857 and returned to Leominster where he died November 11, 1873. Charles W. Burrage sold his interest to his brother, George S. Burrage, who again became sole owner of the premises in 1859. The younger brother, Charles, completed his studies, which had been interrupted by the allurements of business, and gradu- ated at Yale College 1861, and since that date he has resided in Portland, Oregon. George S. Burrage removed to California where he died May 16, 1876. While residents of this town they were useful and prominent citizens and occupied many positions of trust.
From about 1864 to 1868 a limited business was con- ducted in the saw-mill by J. H. and E. L. Hodge who came from Templeton. The property was purchased by Charles L. Beals of Winchendon in 1869, and is occupied by George L. Beals, Jr.
TUBS AND PAILS were made in this town a few years, beginning about 1825, by Joshua Townsend. His shop was
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on Mill street. The quantity made at this early date did not materially exceed the demands of a limited market. In 1839 Oliver G. Caldwell and Elbridge Stimson began the manufacture on a more extensive scale, which, under succes- sive firms, has been continued to the present time. In 1848 Mr. Stimson sold his interest to William P. Ellis and the firm of O. G. Caldwell & Co. was continued until 1853 when the mill and machinery were purchased by George Rockwood and Addison A. Walker. Mr. Rockwood sold his interest to his son, George G. Rockwood, in 1866, but the name of the firm was not changed. The firm was dissolved by the retirement of Mr. Walker in 1876, and the mill was burned in 1883. Mr. Rockwood purchased the Winchester mill and has continued the manufacture to the present time. The business has been successfully conducted through these many years and is an important feature of the manufactures of this town.
From about 1843 to 1851 this manufacture was conducted by two or three firms which included William Tenney, Samuel J. Tenney and Henry Lawrence. They occupied a part of the mill of E. Gross and Son and were successful. In 1856 Colonel Enoch Whitmore began the manufacture of tubs and continued the business several years.
THREAD SPOOLS were formerly made in this town, and the manufacture was a prominent industry for many years. About 1830 Colonel Enoch Whitmore and Deacon Gilman Jones, under the firm of Whitmore and Jones, built a mill in the northwest part of the town on the western border of the Bellows grant, and established an extensive business in the manufacture of this ware. Their mill was burned in 1840 and another in 1850. The large mill, now unoccupied, was erected in the autumn of 1850 and the business was continued by Colonel Whitmore until his death. The water 27
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power was supplemented by steam and in the last mill there was an engine of forty-horse power and for several years the full capacity of the mill was employed. This manufacture has been controlled of late by the proprietors of the thread mills and has been conducted near the centres of the trade. Nathaniel L. Eaton and Lysander Harris also manufactured spools in the lower mill, now of Packard Brothers, from 1855 to 1862. In 1859 Leonard Foster purchased new machinery and prosecuted this industry with success several years.
FRICTION MATCHES have been made in this town quite extensively. In 1837 William Brooks beganthe manufact- ure in North Ashburnham in a small shop built for the purpose and from time to time enlarged the business until a new shop was built for its accommodation. In itself the business of Mr. Brooks was successful, but he became involved in litigations concerning infringements of patents which offset the legitimate income of the enterprise. Mr. Brooks was suceceded by Eliakim T. Russell who continued the manufacture until 1865.
Byam, Carlton & Co. of Boston, for a few years, made a part of their matches in this town. They occupied a shop now owned by Daniels Ellis. Francis Kibling and Daniels Ellis were also engaged in the business. Another industry has been the manufacture of match stock or cards prepared for dipping. Those engaged in this business were Alvin Ward, Leonard Foster, Alonzo L. Willard, Eaton and Harris, Milton Lane and others.
BASKETS have been made by John M. Pratt in South Ashburnham during the past thirty years. His shop, formerly a Methodist parsonage, was moved from West- minster. He has steam power, a trip-hammer and machinery adapted to the business. Formerly, the baskets
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for farm and household use were made entirely of ash. Of late, rattan has been used for filling and new patterns of baskets for a variety of uses have been manufactured.
DOORS, SASH AND BLINDS have been manufactured by Reuben Puffer in South Ashburnham. Like all other mills in this town, some parts of it have been used in the manufact- ure of chairs. In this mill there has been a number of tenants but none of them have conducted a very extensive business.
Miscellaneous wood-ware, not included in the foregoing paragraphs, has been manufactured in this town by Colonel Whitmore, Warren F. Sawtell, Isaac D. Ward, LeRoy Butler, F. H. Rideout, William P. Ellis, Fletcher Brothers, and in 1884 Samuel N. Noyes began the manufacture of toys on Water street, giving employment to ten or twelve men and producing a variety of miscellaneous wares.
WOOL CARDING AND CLOTH DRESSING. - Thomas Park removed to this town in 1779 and about 1790 he built a small mill on the east side of the river and nearly opposite the present site of the blacksmith shop. In this mill he was the first to engage in fulling and dressing the eloth which had been woven in hand looms. He sold in 1800 to Fitch Crosby who conducted a prosperous business until about 1840. This mill was subsequently owned by Horace Black, who was engaged in the manufacture of furniture. It was finally destroyed by the freshet in 1850. Commencing about 1815 Mr. Crosby and Joshua Townsend began wool carding by power. Their cards were in a shop that stood on the site of the morocco shop.
Samuel Dunster, about 1820, built a shop for wool carding where the tub shop of Rockwood and Walker was burned. In this business he was succeeded by Dr. Nathaniel Pierce. Mr. Dunster built another shop for this business, below his
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grist-mill, at Factory Village. This building was washed away by the freshet but the cards had not been run for several years previously. In 1825, or about the time card- ing machines were introduced on Mill street, Joshua, Moses, and Jeremiah Stowell, from Temple, New Hampshire, built a shop on the North Turnpike and began wool carding and spinning. With the aid of hand looms they manufactured broadcloth of a firm texture and substantial character. In this business they were succeeded about 1830 by Charles Stimson.
COTTON FACTORIES. - Cotton spinning by power and the manufacture supplemented by hand looms was begun in this town as early as 1811 or 1812. Samuel Dunster of this town owning three-fourths and Roger Chandler of Mason, New Hampshire, owning one-fourth, were the first to engage in this business. Their mill was at Factory Village. It was subsequently owned by Samuel Barrett, Jewett and Woods and George Blackburn & Co., who purchased it in 1843. The mill was burned in 1846 and a larger mill was built immediately after. The last mill was burned in 1877. The factory on Water street was built by an incorporated com- pany in 1849. The stock was held by residents of this town who, without previous experience in the business, run the mill a few years and until the debt of the corporation was equal to the value of the plant. The mill was sold in 1856 to George Blackburn and Ohio Whitney, Jr. The amount received from this sale paid the indebtedness of the corporation and thirteen cents on one hundred dollars of the capital stock. It will be observed that the corporation could have run the mill about eight hours longer without an assess- ment. Mr. Whitney continued his interest in the mill and the business about ten years when he sold to George Black- burn & Co., who have continued to the present time.
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TANNERIES. - Following a custom of the time, the hides of domestic animals were tanned on shares or for stipulated compensation and the leather returned to the owner. The operation of tanning hides and dressing leather consumed time and often the leather fell into the hands of an adminis- trator or the heirs of the original owner of the hides. In all the old New England towns there were numerous little tanneries located near a convenient brook where without machinery of any kind the process was slowly conducted. Mention will be made of some of the old locations where this business was formerly conducted, and if, by any chance, one or more of them have not been discovered in this review of the past no immediate prejudice against the industry of a former generation will be encouraged thereby.
Near the close of the Revolution, Willard Lane commenced this business where now is the residence of Walter O. Parker. He sold in 1797 to Deacon William J. Lawrence who en- larged the facilities and for the time conducted an extensive business.
Captain David Cushing divided his time between tanning and other employments. He lived where Nahum Wood now resides. His vats were north of the house and part of them are now covered by the highway. Levi Adams succeeded Mr. Cushing but soon closed out the business.
Stephen Corey had a yard where George F. Corey now resides and was engaged in tanning a number of years early in the present century. In one of the vats his daughter was drowned. The business was later conducted by Stephen Corey, Jr. On his farm on Russell hill James Adams had several vats and conducted the business a number of years. This farm was subsequently owned and occupied by Joseph Adams.
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HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
Jolin Caldwell was also a tanner as well as a farmer. He lived on the farm now of Alden B. Marble and was succeeded by his son, Oliver G. Caldwell. The father and son con- ducted a limited business about thirty years, commeneing early in the present century. The Caldwells were the first in this town to employ water power in grinding bark. Formerly it had been ground in a crude mill turned by a horse which described the same circle many times in the labor of the day. The horse was spoiled for other work and literally died in the harness. So slowly did he move even under the lash, and so gradually did his energies waste away, that it required nice discrimination and keen exercise of a sound judgment to determine with accuracy the precise time to transfer the half-tanned hide from the dying animal to one of the vats.
Fletcher and Warren of Stow once had a yard where the pail shop of George G. Rockwood now stands. The yard was formerly conducted by Deacon William J. Lawrence who was owner of the yard at the foot of Lawrence street. The yard was badly injured and the buildings destroyed by the freshet in 1850 and the business was never resumed on this site.
From 1855 to 1866 Elbridge Stimson conducted the business in the old morocco shop which was recently burned. At the time he was the only tanner in the town and no one has succeeded him.
THE MOROCCO BUSINESS. - Thomas Russell began the morocco business in this town about sixty years ago. His shop was on Russell hill in the third school district and opposite the farm of Ward Russell. After about five years, he sold the business to Walter Russell, who was succeeded by Frank Russell and Samuel V. Whitney. In 1852 they removed the business to Water street, occupying the old tan-
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nery buildings where the factory of George G. Rockwood now stands. About thirty years ago they erected the build- ing familiarly known as the morocco shop. At this time the business was enlarged, becoming an important factor among the industries of the town. In the new shop they were succeeded by Austin Whitney who with several partners continued the business until the shop was burned in 1882.
Ivers and Thomas Adams were successfully engaged in finishing morocco on Russell hill from 1838 to 1860. In 1833 James Adams built a shop on the site of the mill now of Cyrus A. Jefts. In connection with pulling wool and tanning he finished morocco until he removed in 1849 to Pennsylvania. He was succeeded by Luther B. and Andrew J. Adams. The following year the property was destroyed by the freshet and Luther B. Adams. Elbridge Stimson and Austin Whitney built the shop on Brown brook where they conducted the same business a few years.
Among the possibilities of this town should be mentioned the business and residence here of John and Salmon W. Putnam, who removed from Mason, New Hampshire, in 1837 and commenced business as machinists in the old cotton factory at Factory Village. Here they remained three years when they removed to Fitchburg where they established an important industry which still bears their name and continues to contribute to the fame and wealth of that city.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE ASHBURNHAM LIGHT INFANTRY. .
ZEAL IN MILITARY PURSUITS. - EARLY OFFICERS. - THE LIGHT 'INFANTRY ORGANIZED. - FIRST COMMANDERS. - A FEW VETERANS. - SERVICE IN WAR OF 1812. - THE ROLL. - YEARS OF PROSPERITY. - LIST OF OFFICERS 1791 TO 1847. - PROMOTIONS. - THE MILITIA COMPANY. - MILITIA OF- . FICERS. - THE DRAFT 1814. - HISTORY FROM 1855 TO 1862. - BRIEF RECORD FROM 1866 TO PRESENT TIME. - LIST OF OFFICERS.
ENTHUSIASM in military affairs for many years succeeding the Revolution was spontaneous. The man of middle age, familiar with the manual of arms and the school of the soldier, was fond of the pomp and display of military pageants. The youth, listening from childhood to the stories of battles and campaigns in which the eloquent narrators had been engaged, were early imbued with a kindred zeal in these pursuits. The old soldier, debarred by the infirmities of age from active participation in the exercises of the field, was ever present with words of encouragement and support. In those days, either in deed or in spirit, all were soldiers. Encouraged by public sentiment and fostered by the laws of the Commonwealth, a military establishment was easily maintained, and in addition to other incentives there was associated with rank and with military titles an acknowledged dignity and honor which firmly appealed to the ambition of men. With such surroundings every military parade was conducted with enthusiasm and was witnessed by a crowd of
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applauding people. On these occasions the drum, the fife and the attending juvenile suffered no restraint. The stated trainings and the musters were scenes of bustle and activity in which a Quaker would have been regarded with contempt and supremely pitied in his loneliness.
The town of Ashburnham, eagerly participating in the prevailing sentiment of the times, manifested a lively interest in the local military organizations which for many years were sustained with a steadfast enthusiasm. In addition to all the requirements of the State, an independent military organiza- tion has been maintained in this town, almost without inter- ruption, since the Revolution.
In a former chapter it appears that the minute-men of this town were under the command of Captain Jonathan Gates from 1775 to 1781. Upon a reorganization of the militia, the company in this town became known as the seventh company of the Eighth Regiment. July 1, 1781, Francis Lane was commissioned captain, Ebenezer Conant, Jr., first lieutenant, and Daniel Putnam, second lieutenant. Lieuten- ant Conant died in 1783 and Captain Rand was promoted to major, and to lieutenant-colonel, 1787. In connection with these events, other officers of the Ashburnham company probably were appointed, of which no record has been found. May 2, 1787, Daniel Putnam was commissioned captain, Ebenezer Munroe, lieutenant, and John Abbott, ensign .. Lieutenant Munroe and Ensign Abbott were not promoted. These titles became permanently affixed to their names. The next commander of the company probably was Joseph Jewett. No record of his first commission has been dis- covered, but he was in command of the company in 1789, and about this time John Adams was an ensign and a lieutenant.
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Until a later date there was only one company of militia in this town, and, until 1791, it does not appear that the company organization was privileged or distinguished from any other militia company organized under the general laws of the State. But in June, 1791, the General Court granted the petition of the military men of this town, presented by General Timothy Newell, and under the rights and privileges thus secured the Ashburnham Light Infantry was promptly organized. Its legal existence properly dates from the issue of the first commissions to its officers, July 13, 1791. The · petition and the proceedings of the General Court were as follows :
TO THE HONOURABLE, THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRE- SENTATIVES IN GENERAL COURT ASSEMBLED :
The petition of Timothy Newell Major General of the seventh division of Militia in said Commonwealth humbly sheweth : ---
That a number of persons, in the town of Ashburnham in the 4th Regiment in the 2d Brigade of said Division, did (when under the command of the Hon.ble Maj.' Gen.1 Warner) agree to form themselves into a Company of Light Infantry and as doubts have arisen whether said persons can be formed into any other than an independent company and as it is not the wish of said persons to be thus established, your petitioner therefore prays that liberty be granted to raise a Company of Light Infantry within the aforesaid Regiment to be considered as a Company of Regimental Light Infantry under the command of the Colonel or Commanding officer of said Regiment.
The foregoing petition was presented June 18, 1791, and in response the Legislature passed the following resolve :
Resolved, That His Excellency the Governor be and he is hereby empowered and requested to issue orders for forming a Company of Light Infantry in the town of Ashburnham, provided they do not reduce the standing company of militia in said town
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to a less number than sixty privates of the train band ; the officers of said Light Infantry company to be appointed and commissioned in the same way and manner as is provided by law for the appoint- ing and commissioning other military officers. Said company when so formed to be under the command of the Colonel or com- manding officer of the fourth regiment of the second brigade in said division.
Under the privileges extended by this proceeding the Ashburnham Light Infantry was promptly organized. The first officers, commissioned July 13, 1791, were Joseph Jewett, captain, Caleb Kendall, lieutenant, and Charles Hastings, ensign. The following year Captain Jewett was promoted to major, and Charles Hastings was commissioned captain, August 27, 1792, and consequently was the second commander of the company.
Concerning the names or the number of men who belonged to the company during the first twenty years of its legal existence there is no complete record. Beginning with the command of Ivers Jewett in 1813 the Ashburnham Light Infantry entered upon an era of prosperity. A book of enlistments, containing the names of all who were members of the company in 1813, with dates of original enlistment and the names of all who enlisted from that date to 1845, is carefully preserved in the archives of the company. At the close of the year 1813, the number of rank and file, including non-commissioned officers and musicians, was fifty men. The only original member of the company was James Laws, Jr., of Westminster, who enlisted first in the militia in April, 1789, two years before the company was organized under permission of the Legislature. The next in duration of service was Joseph F. Burgess who joined in 1796, and following with a record of seven years or more of service are the names of Joseph Miller, Jonas Holden, John Gates, Jr.,
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Jacob Ward, James Adams, Ebenezer Munroe, Jr., Charles Munroe, John Hastings, Ebenezer Adams, Ivers Jewett, Walter R. Adams, Timothy Crehore, Jr., Dickerson Brooks and Jonathan Samson, Jr. Including the existing company in 1813 and the subsequent enlistments to 1845, the record contains three hundred and ninety-eight names.
The obligation to which each recruit subscribed, copied on the first page of the book of enlistment by the hand of Ivers Jewett, is probably a copy of the obligation adopted in 1791. It is here transcribed and will be familiar to many now living :
To facilitate the performance of the duty, which we owe to our country, of adding to our character as citizens some portion of the skill of the soldier, to increase our usefulness as militia men by adding to the zeal which is excited by patriotism, the ardor which is inspired by emulation and to give to each one of us who exert- ing himself for his own and his State's defence that confidence in the zealous and skilful cooperation of each other which can result only in military discipline ; We do hereby, agreeable to a resolve from the General Court of this Commonwealth, passed June the , eighteenth, A. D. seventeen hundred and ninety-one for the raising of a Light Infantry company in the town of Ashburnham, voluntarily enlist as members of the Ashburuham Light Infantry company and to govern us in the pursuit of these objects we agree to equip ourselves according to the laws of this Commonwealth, to uniform according to the uniform of said company, which is per according to the clerk's book, and to submit to the rules and regulations of said company. All of which we pledge our honors to perform.
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