History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 136

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1818

USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 136

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Cotton Manufacture .- At the close of the year 1809 the number of cotton-mills built in the United States was eighty-seven. Many more mills were in process of erection everywhere, and the prospect of industrial prosperity stimulated speculation, and the war of 1812 gave additional impulse to this branch of manufactures. It is believed that in the rapid exten- sion of this industry Attleborough did her part. The old Beaver Dam Factory, which stood on the race- way of Whiting's pond, was turned into a cotton- factory by Capt. Chester Bugbee in 1809, and he, in company with John Richardson, George Blackinton, David Shepard, Ebenezer Draper, Lemuel May, and Samuel Lifft, manufactured cotton goods, running twenty looms and five hundred spindles. Their business prospered until the panic of 1817, after which time it had a somewhat checkered experience. Lemuel May and Daniel Cobb soon bought the fac- tory, and continued the business ten years, until 1828. They were succeeded by Capt. Bugbee and William Haven. Their factory was consumed by fire in 1833.

The Falls Factory, so called, was erected at this time, work being commenced in the autumn of 1809

by the Falls Manufacturing Company. In the win- ter of 1811 this factory was burned, but was immedi- ately rebuilt, seventy feet in length, thirty-four feet in width, and three stories high. The company em- ployed forty hands, consumed one hundred and fifty bales of cotton per year, and manufactured two hun- dred and fifty thousand yards of calico print cloths. An addition was made to the factory in 1831, a stone structure sixty-eight feet long, thirty-eight feet wide, and four stories high, and connected with the estab- lishment were a grist-mill, machine-shop, blacksmith- shop, and saw-mill. Work was carried on at this time by Jonathan and George Bliss. Up to 1814 the work of the cotton-factory in New England was confined to spinning yarn, which was woven upon hand-looms in the homes of the people. Such was the course pur- sued in this factory.

This era witnessed the erection of the Mechanics' Factory, in 1811. Ingraham, Richardson & Co. was the first firm ; the second, Whitaker, Richardson & Co .; third, the Mechanics' Manufacturing Company ; then Samuel and Jesse Carpenter. Under their man- agement it had forty looms, one thousand and thirty- six spindles, and they employed forty hands and pro- duced two hundred and ninety thousand yards of calico prints per annum.

In 1854 the present owners, Lewis S. Foster and John K. H. Nightingale, under the firm-name of Foster & Nightingale, purchased the property, the building being then eighty-four feet long, thirty-two feet wide, and three stories high. They have made extensive additions, and conducted the business very successfully. The mill now employs one hundred and fifty hands, runs seven thousand five hundred spindles and one hundred and sixty-five looms in the manufacture of print cloths and sheetings, consuming four hundred thousand pounds of cotton, and making two and a half million yards of cloth yearly. Super- intendent, Nehemiah Hicks.

The Farmers' Factory, now occupied as a foundry, was established in 1813 by the Farmers' Manufac- turing Company. In 1834 the factory was owned and the business conducted by Jonathan and George Bliss, who employed twenty-three hands and mann- factured one hundred and thirty-five thousand yards of cloth.

On the Seven-Mile River the City Factory was built at South Attleborongh in 1813. It was burnt in 1826, but rebuilt immediately, forty feet long, thirty-four feet wide, three stories high. Daniel Reed & Co. carried on business here with twenty looms and seven hundred spindles, making ninety- five thousand yards of cloth each year.

The Lanesville Mill was built in 1826, on Abbott's Run. In 1834 it was owned by Milton Barrows and others, and, like other mills of that day, was devoted to the manufacture of calico print cloths, ran two thousand spindles and fifty looms, and turned out four hundred thousand yards of cloth. Recently the

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factory has been owned and occupied by John F. Adams, of Pawtucket, R. I. It was burned in 1880, but he has rebuilt it, and it is now in successful operation.

The embargo of 1807-8 benefited manufacturers at the expense of commerce, and much of the capital and effort engaged in the latter were directed to in- dustrial channels. The effect of the embargo is evi- deneed by the fact that prior to it there were but Up to the year 1861 no one had succeeded in produ- cing a domestie braid of good quality in America. The braids consumed in this country were imported from Germany and England, and American manufacturers could sell their wares only with the greatest difficulty. The war of the Rebellion cut off importations, and fifteen cotton-mills in the United States, running eight thousand spindles, while at the end of the year 1809 the number in operation was sixty-two, with thirty-two thousand spindles. Among the fifteen mills was the Dodgeville cotton manufactory, estab- lished in Attleborough in 1801 by Ebenezer Tyler, compelled the trade to seek American braids. At and running thirty looms in the manufacture of , this time Mr. Daggett entered into an arrangement print cloths.

During the period of the last war with England, and up to Feb. 10, 1815, manufacturers throughout the country continued to progress with unprecedented activity. Maj. Tyler pursued his business alone until the protection of the war was withdrawn. About the year 1815 he sold an interest in his business to Nehe- miah Dodge, who became a partner, with his son, John C. Dodge, as superintendent. Four years later, in 1819, Nehemiah Dodge purchased Tyler's interest and took in his son as a partner. The firm thus formed continned unchanged until 1840, when the son bought out the father and carried on business alone. He enlarged the factory and increased the number of looms to one hundred and thirty-six, but in June, 1854, his property was sold at auction. B. B. - and R. Knight were the purchasers. In 1870, Stephen A. Knight was admitted, and the owners were in- corporated, with a nominal capital of one hundred thousand dollars, under the name of the Hebron Manufacturing Company, with factories at both He- bronville and Dodgeville. The first-named factory was during many years known as the Atherton Factory, and was established in 1812 on the Ten-Mile River, at a spot known as Chaffee's Mills, where in early , and manager of the company. times the saw-mill and grist-mill of the fathers stood. Here the Atherton Manufacturing Company, under the lead of Thomas Harkness and Thomas J. Stead, of Providence, yearly manufactured four hundred thousand yards of print elothis. Number of looms, forty-two; spindles, sixteen hundred.

The Hebron Manufacturing Company does a large business both at Hebronville and Dodgeville.

One of the most prominent manufacturers in town is Handel N. Daggett, and none have had a more varied experience. Indeed, he is the pioneer and founder of one branch of the textile arts in this country-the manufacture of domestic braids. The power-loom was introduced and applied to cotton fabrics abont 1815. The braider came some years later, and is said to be the invention of a native of Attleborough named Thorpe. These braiders Mr. Daggett was using in 1848 in the production of shoe-

laeings and stearine candle-wicking. Afterwards he braided covering for hoop-skirts.

In 1861, after the Rebellion broke out, he furnished cavalry sabres and scabbards for the United States government. The sabres were made for him in Maine. The seabbards he manufactured in the steam-power building at Attleborough. He furnished about fif- teen thousand sabres.

with John C. Morse, of New York, to manufacture domestic braids. The business was carried on first at Attleborough, then at the Farmers', and since 1865 in its present location, the Falls Factory, at Attleborough Falls. The value of the goods produced reached eight hundred thousand dollars yearly.

In 1869, Mr. Morse retired, and Mr. Daggett formed a copartnership with Austin Dunham, of Hartford, Conn., and George S. Moulton, of New York, which lasted until 1873. Then he conducted the business alone until 1879, at which time the Gold Medal Braid Company was formed. The company, which is incorporated, consists of T. N. Ide and Q. A. Atwood, of New York, George A. Tarbell, of Boston, and H. N. Daggett and Harvey Clap, of Attleborough. Cap- ital, sixty-five thousand dollars. They employ an average of one hundred operatives, and manufacture yearly two hundred and fifty thousand dollars' worth of braids. Their worsted, cotton, and silk braids of the finest quality and all varieties have an extensive sale all over the country. They also do a large busi- ness in braided silk, linen, and cotton fish-lines, and make pure mohair goods from the best imported mo- hair. H. N. Daggett, Attleborough Falls, is treasurer

For several years silver-ware was manufactured at North Attleborough with great success. In 1866, Wil- liam D. Whiting organized the Whiting Manufactur- ing Company, as a corporation under the laws of New York, for the manufacture of standard silver-ware. Their manufactory was at North Attleborough, where for ten years they gave employment to one hundred and fifty hands in the production of the finest silver- ware. The company was incorporated with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, which was subse- quently increased to one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. Some years the value of their products amount to one million dollars. This com- pany now conducts its entire business at Broadway and Fourth Street, New York City.

The first efforts of the jewelers of Attleborough to refine their sweepings was, like the commencement of the manufacture of jewelry itself, through the aid of

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a Frenchman. This person used to travel through the town to Boston, and he was in the habit of stop- ping at North Attleborough to collect the material, which he always carried in a pocket-handkerchief. Later the elippings and sweepings were sent to New York for refining, until, in 1855, C. E. W. Sherman, who understood the jeweler's trade, formed a partner- ship with a Mr. Davis to carry on the refining busi- ness in North Attleborough. They built the shop now standing in the rear of the dwelling-house just across the river from F. G. Whitney's factory. Their business was immediately prosperous and remunera- tive. In two years Mr. Sherman bought out his part- ner and transferred his business to a new refinery on Elm Street. He was sole proprietor for twenty years, until, in September, 1875, he associated with him his son, W. W. Sherman, under the style of C. E. W. Sherman & Son. They have twice enlarged their accommodations, and they now get out from clippings and sweepings about one hundred thousand dollars' worth of gold annually. They are lineal descendants in the eighth and ninth generations from Miles Stan- dish, the first captain of Plymouth, and in industry, integrity, and square dealing they worthily represent their illustrious ancestor.

Col. Willard Blakinton commenced the manufac- ture of power-loom shuttles at Attleborough in the fall of 1827, and continued it until his death. In the earlier years of the business he employed twelve hands and made twenty-five dozen shuttles per week, besides a large amount of shuttle-mountings which he supplied to other makers. During the first ten years of the industry the average yearly production of the establishment was about ten thousand dollars' worth of shuttles. But in that time the product secured an extensive sale throughout the United States. In 1842 the firm became W. Blakinton & Sons. The work, at first all done by hand, is now done by machines, and fifteen hands turn out two hundred shuttles per day. The shuttles were sold at first for twelve dollars a dozen. The price since the Rebellion has been four dollars and fifty cents a dozen.

The first known instance of jewelry manufacture in Attleborough was by the Frenchman above men- tioned, who carried on the business at a brick forge where the old shop stands on the premises of the late Jesse F. Richards. He also made brass butts. Later, but by a few years, was the manufacture of carbon jewelry at Robinsonville by Maj. Robinson. His shop, said to have been the first built in town ex- pressly for that purpose, is now, remodeled, the French- roof cottage directly opposite the residence of R. F. Simmons.

Manning Richards, the father of H. M. Richards, commenced his business career about 1810, on the Cumberland road, but soon moved into North Attle- borough, and continued the manufacture with such success as to become the wealthiest man in town.

the members being Josiah Draper, John Tifft, and Ira Richards.

John Richardson, John Fuller, and William Black- inton. They made all kinds of cut nails, running two cutting-machines and three or four heading-tools. The business here ceased in 1709, two years after Jesse Reed, of Boston, took out his patent for a ma- chine for cutting and heading nails by one operation.

The other locality was at the upper end of the Falls Pond. Here, too, gun-barrels were polished. Some of the persons interested in this work were Sylvester Everett. Jonas Richardson, James Richard- son, and Dr. Thomas Stanley.

Bricks have been made in several places in town, but few towns with so large a population have so few brick buildings within their limits. Joseph Eldredge carried on their manufacture from 1860 to 1870, making two hundred thousand per annum.

Paper boxes were first manufactured by Daniel Babcock in a shop below the Farmer's factory. The business is also carried on by his son, Cyrus S. Bab- cock, in the old high school building near the North Attleborough depot.

Some time about the beginning of the present cen- tury Roger Farnum had a distillery on the south side of Elm Street, between the large elm-tree and the Ten- Mile River. Neither history nor tradition has given the amount of business done. The building was blown down in the gale of 1815 and never rebuilt.

Opposite, on the north side of Elm Street, was a tannery, the vats being in the low ground by the Ten- Mile River. At this period leather gloves and leather breeches were not an uncommon line of manufactured goods, but we are not aware that any of the leather tanned here was used for that purpose.

Near by, on the east side of the river, David Whit- ing occupied the first shop built on the company's privileges. Here he turned hubs and wheels.

Farther down Elm Street, but northwest of the railroad bridge, iron ore has been quarried within the memory of men now living. The ore was carted to an adjoining town and smelted. This industry soon ceased.

Nails have been made in at least two localities in town. The first was at the old factory at Whiting's Pond, by a firm composed of George Blackinton.

OTHER FACTS .-- Cigars are manufactured at Attle- borough Falls by Randall H. Peirce, and at North Attleborough by Martin McDonald.

Combs were made in the State in the early part of the century. This industry, having its chief seat at Leominster and West Newbury, was represented in this town, Tifft & Whiting being the leading makers.

Bliss & Dean is one of the leading firms of Attle- borough. The business now conducted by them was commenced in 1856, when A. M. Everett, G. A. Dean, R. Bliss, S. L. Morse, and E. S. Capron associated themselves for the manufacture of jewelry in the old

In 1821 the firm of Draper, Tifft & Co. began work, car-shop, under the name of Everett, Dean & Co.

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When this shop was burned, in 1858, they moved to the manufactory of Archibald Thompson. L. L. Morse and E. S. Capron sold out in 1858, and B. B. Day came into the firm in 1859. The firm-name was changed to Everett, Day & Co., and the place of busi- ness was established in its present location, "The Steam-Power Building." A. M. Everett sold his in- terest in July, 1867, and the firm was now Day, Bliss & Dean. B. B. Day withdrew in 1871, shortly before his decease, and the name of the firm became Bliss & Dean. The class of goods manufactured in the early days of the business was ladies' sets, bracelets, and sleeve-buttons. During the last fifteen years they have made a specialty of chains, lockets, and brace- lets, all rolled-gold plated goods. They employ eighty hands.

Short, Nerney & Co. commenced business in the fall of 1876, in the manufactory of E. A. Robinson, near the depot. Moved in September, 1881, to the new manufactory of Joseph M. Bates. The members of the firm are M. B. Short, Philip Nerney, and J. J. Horton. They make a specialty of rolled gold gents' vest-chains. They employ eighty hands.

J. H. Hodges entered upon the manufacture of jewelry in E. A. Robinson's shop in 1874. In July, 1877, P. M. Carpenter was admitted to partnership, under the style of Hodges & Carpenter. In 1881 the firm moved to the manufactory of J. M. Bates, where they now make a specialty of gold Masonic emblems. They give employment to forty hands.

Hayward & Witherell employ twenty hands in the manufacture of collar-buttons and a variety of plated goods. This firm was organized Jan. 1, 1873, when Henry L. Hayward and Nelson Carpenter formed a copartnership. Mr. Carpenter sold his interest to Proctor E. Witherell, Oct. 21, 1879, and the present firm-name was adopted, with an increasing business.

Nelson Carpenter, since withdrawing from the firm of Hayward & Carpenter, has carried on business alone, first in D. H. Smith's shop and afterwards in his present location, the manufactory of J. M. Bates. He successfully employs thirty-five hands in the manufacture of pins, ear-rings, and scarf-pins.

W. H. Wilmarth commenced business in 1872, when W. H. & J. C. Wilmarth entered upon the manufacture of jewelry in Robinson's old shop, under the name of Wilmarth Brothers. In May, 1873, J. W. Luther became a member of the firm, which was then styled Luther & Wilmarth Brothers. Soon after Willard Wheeler was taken into partnership, and the business was conducted under the style of Luther, Wilmarth Brothers & Wheeler. J. C. Wilmarth, Luther, and Wheeler successively retired, and in 1876 the whole business came into the hands of W. H. Wilmarth. They first manufactured rolled plated chain, then brass and fire-gilt chain, afterwards but- tons, and the present specialty is sleeve-buttons and electro-plated chain. They employ one hundred and thirty-six hands.

Harris & Fisher are carrying on business in Robin- son's Union Street shop. The firm commenced work in Robinson's old shop in 1880. In the same year J. K. Ryder entered the firm, which became Harris, Fisher & Ryder. Ryder soon retired, and the orig- inal name of the firm was resumed. They employ fifty-five hands in the manufacture of chains and lockets.

Oct. 5, 1864, Dr. J. R. Bronson, who had previously bought the coffin-trimming business of Mr. Dilling- ham at North Attleborough, associated with him William D. Wilmarth, under the name of Bronson & Wilmarth. Continuing business there for a few months, the firm moved to the old shop on County Street, Attleborough. Dr. Bronson retired April 4, 1868, and Mr. Wilmarth continued alone until his death, March 6, 1872. The same business is now conducted by W. W. Wilmarth & Co., the members of the firm being William Howard Wilmarth and Louis J. Lamb. They manufacture coffin-trimmings and ornaments, employing an average of twenty-five hands.

A Busbee & Co. commenced the manufacture of jewelry in 1868 in one of the old shops near the sta- tion of the Boston and Providence Railroad Com- pany, the firm then being Busbee & Bacon. The partners were A. Busbee and E. Bacon. In three years Charles H. Busbee joined the firm under the present style of A. Busbee & Co. They built and occupied their present shop in 1872. They manu- facture gilt and plated jewelry, their specialty being the original separable sleeve- and collar-buttons. They furnish employment to seventy hands, and do a large business.

Smith, Crosby & Smith manufacture fine gold- front plated goods of all kinds. They employ fifty hands and fifteen engravers. Their business was established in 1872, the members of the firm being W. H. Smith, A. R. Crosby, and C. E. Smith.

Streeter Brothers started the manufacture of jew- elry in the steam-power building in the fall of 1867. They moved to the manufactory of W. D. Wilmarth. They employ twenty-five hands in the manufacture of gilt jewelry, their specialty being chains.

The firm of S. W. Gould & Co. commenced business in January, 1880, in Robinson's old shop, and moved to J.'M. Bates' Union Street shop Jan. 1, 1881. They employ sixty hands in the manufacture of rolled- gold plated goods for ladies' wear,-pins, drops, and sets.

Cummings & Wexel started in 1871, as E. H. Cum- mings & Co., in Robinson's old shop. They first manufactured fine sets and buttons. Now they em- ploy seventy-five hands in the manufacture of sleeve- buttons and charms.

The Attleborough Bank was chartered in 1836, and opened a banking-room at Attleborongh. In 1858 it was removed to North Attleborough, where it is now located. The presidents of the institution, with their

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HISTORY OF BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

dates of election, are N. W. Sanford, May 9, 1836 ; Samuel Carpenter, Oct. 2, 1837; L. M. Wheaton, Oct. 4, 1852; E. Ira Richards, Feb. 11, 1856; and Daniel Evans, Jan. 27, 1875. The bank was organ- ized as a national bank in 1865, with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars. The institution is very successfully managed. Daniel Evans, president ; Edward R. Price, cashier.

The First National Bank of Attleborough was organized in 1875. Capital, one hundred thousand dollars. The first president was Col. Willard Black- inton. The banking-rooms are in Sturdy's building, Attleborough, where the bank does a good business. President, Joseph M. Bates; Cashier, Homer M. Daggett.

D. H. Smith commenced the manufacture of jew- elry in 1865, in company with S. N. Carpenter, H. Capron, and S. Morse. Within a few years he bought the interest of his partners, and since 1869 has con- ducted the business alone. He now employs thirty- five hands in the manufacture of charms and brace- lets.

R. B. Macdonald began the manufacture of swivels at his house on County Street, Attleborough, soon after the war, as Edward & John Macdonald. On the death of his father, R. B. Macdonald entered upon the manufacture of swivels at Attleborongh, which business he continued until 1881, when he com- menced the manufacturing of gold-plated chain in the manufactory of J. M. Bates on Union Street. Number of hands employed, twenty-eight.

Watson & Newell date the commencement of their business from 1873, when C. D. Cobb, S. W. Gould, F. A. Newell, C. L. Watson, and W. A. Battey formed a copartnership under the style of Cobb, Gould & Co. WV. A. Battey retired in 1874, C. D. Cobb in 1879, and S. W. Gould in 1880, when the style of the firm be- came Watson & Newell. They manufacture a large line of gold-plated goods,-cuff, shawl, and lace pins, and collar- and sleeve-buttons. They furnish employ- ment to one hundred hands.

J. W. Luther & Co., lapidaries, employ ten hands in lapidary work in Robinson's manufactory. They have been engaged in the business fourteen years.

Aside from Sunday-school libraries the town has the library of the Attleborough Library Association. This is a subscription library of fifteen hundred vol- umes, and was founded in 1864.

The public library of the Union Improvement Dis- trict was established by subscription in 1869. In 1876, the subscribers gave their property, consisting of one thousand volumes of standard works, to the Union Improvement District, North Attleborough, and since that time the library has been supported by taxation, and is free to all residents in the village of North Attleborough. The number of volumes is about three thousand. Prudential Committee, Jo- seph G. Barden, Francis G. Pate, and B. Porter, Jr. Librarian, John Ward.

In addition to these libraries the town enjoys the advantages of two excellent weekly papers, the Attle- borough Chronicle and the Attleborough Advocate. They with pen and pencil portray the busy life of Attle- borough and furnish memorials on which the future explorer may lean as he takes up and brings forward the chain of history. The former was established Feb. 2, 1872, by Walter Phillips. Before the close of the year E. K. Dunbar was admitted to partnership, and the firm became Phillips & Dunbar. They were succeeded by Dunbar & Quinn. Then E. K. Dunbar became the editor and proprietor. Eliot Hunt became a partner and owner, and eventually bought out E. K. Dunbar. The paper is now published by Eliot Hunt & Co. The Advocate is published by E. H. Sweet & Co., at Attleborough.

Altogether Attleborough is a very busy place, where loafing finds it difficult to resist opportunities for work, and it has possibilities of progress unsurpassed by any town in the State.

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History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 136

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1818

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1818