History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 200

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 200

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The new foundry was begun early in 1873; prob- ably it would not have been attempted at that time could the approaching panic have been foreseen. The changes inaugurated then were too costly to be car- ried ont during the years of depression which followed the crisis of 1873, and there did not seem to be any prospect of business enough to require them. But with the revival of 1879 and 1880 they were resumed, and are now nearly completed.

In 1873 the business was incorporated under the name of Mason Machine Works. The first officers were William Mason, president; William H. Bent, treasurer ; and Frederick Mason, agent, all of whom have continued in office until the present time.

In 1879 a new branch of manufacture was added, viz., that of the Campbell printing-press. These presses had been built by the owners of the patents at their works in Brooklyn, N. Y., and had acquired a good name by their novel devices and superior qualities. But the facilities and reputation which the Mason Machine Works had for building ma- chinery offered such advantages that the owners of that press were induced to abandon the manufactur- ing of their presses themselves and to contract with the Mason Machine Works for the manufacture of them here. The business has increased rapidly, until now it is about double what it was at the time the contract was made. Over one thousand of these presses have been sent out from the works to all quarters of the world.

Mason Machine Works has grown so gradually that there are but few persons not connected with it who are aware of its size. Their plant consists of ten and a half acres of land and a great number of buildings, comprising nine acres of floors. They can employ over a thousand hands; at present they have nearly nine hundred. Cotton-machinery is their largest business. They can turn out three hundred looms per month, with carding and spinning ma- chinery to supply them. With their increased facil- ities they can build about one hundred locomotives per year. In printing presses they are at present building thirty-two per month, and expect to increase to thirty-six per month before another year.

There is probably no other establishment in the country engaged in such a variety of machine manu- facturing on so large a scale. Yet every department

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HISTORY OF BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

is conducted independently and with a system of its own under special supervision and separate accounts.

Its products have a reputation for superiority in design, workmanship, and materials wherever they are known.

From its gates pour forth from day to day and year a procession of those miglity elements of civilization, -the locomotive, the loom, and the printing-press, the products of active brains and brawny arms, the persistent pioneers of civil and social improvement, carrying wealth, comfort, and knowledge to the mil- lions of our great people.

William Mason died May 25, 1883, after a few days' illness.

The Britannia Manufactory of Eldridge & Co. was established in 1848 by Eli Eldridge, wlio com- menced business in a small building on Britannia Street. An increase of his business soon after caused an addition to his building to be erected.

A few years later his son, Eli H. Eldridge, having bought out the coffin-trimming business of Strange & Francis, moved the same into his father's build- ing.

They continued their separate kinds of business until 1863, when they united their interests under the firm of Eldridge & Co.

They continued until the death of Eli Eldridge, in September, 1875, when John H. Eldridge, son of E. H. Eldridge, became a member of the firm, con- tinuing the business in the same building until June, 1882, when they removed to a new and spacious build- ing which they had built on Eldridge Street.

The Williams Manufacturing Company is one of the more recent enterprises which has a promising future. H. A. Williams commenced business here in 1877, with a limited capital of a few thousand dollars, but with a fertile invention and a persevering energy. He manufactures a great variety of small steel tools, twist drills, etc., by a process of his own invention, and the business has proved successful. After a few changes of associate proprietors within a few years, a spacious building was erected in 1880, near the Weir junction, Old Colony Railroad; the machinery is moved by steam-power. In February last a new company was organized under the above title, with a capital of two hundred thousand dollars, to prosecute the increasing business. The officers are Edmund Grinnell, president; Samuel Ivers, clerk and treas- urer; Leander Plummer, Charles W. Clifford, and Jireh Swift, of New Bedford, and H. A. Williams, of Taunton, directors. Mr. Williams is the managing agent. The company are enlarging their,manufac- tory to three hundred and fifty feet in length to facilitate their increasing business.

Oakland Mills .- Capt. Silas Shepard purchased a privilege in 1827 on Rumford River, about three miles from the Centre, built a dam, and erected a stone factory one hundred and sixteen feet in length, completing it in 1828, and for several years made

cotton yarn. In 1831 he put in about sixty looms for making cloth. He pursued the business several years, and finally changed his style of manufacture to cot- ton or canton flannels, which was the first mill that made this kind of goods in this vicinity. He asso- ciated his son-in-law, Lewis R. Chesbrough, with him, and they enlarged the mill under their management. Capt. Shepard died in December, 1864, and the mill was continued a few years by Mr. Chesbrough. In 1869, Amos F. Howard & Son purchased the Oak- land Mills of Mr. Chesbrough and heirs of Capt. Shepard, and afterwards made extensive improve- ments, adding new machinery and a new water-wheel, and in 1880 erected a new building one hundred and thirty-eight feet by sixty-eight feet, and another, forty-six feet by thirty-five feet, with new engine and machinery, doubling the capacity for manufacturing fabrics. Mr. Chesbrough died in April, 1878, in New Jersey. Mr. Howard died May 7, 1881, and his son and copartner, Bion B. Howard, who resided in Mill- bury, died in December of the same year. The Oak- land Mills have since been conducted by Joseph S. Tidd,1 son-in-law of the former ( who is a large owner), in the interest of the heirs of Mr. Howard. The mill contains one hundred and twenty-four looms, and manufactures denims and tickings, about two million five hundred thousand yards a year. Oakland is a neat village. The company owns a dozen or more of the dwelling-houses for residences of their work- men.

Taunton Ancient Iron-Works .- The first iron- works established in the old colony was commenced in Taunton in 1656. A bloomery was established in Lynn in 1644, it is said, and another in Braintree in 1648, but iron ore being found deficient in both places to meet with the demand for consumption of the iron- works, the enterprises in each place were relinquished after a large expenditure. At each of these places James and Henry Leonard, who were skilled and ex- perienced iron workers from Pontypool, Wales, had been employed to inaugurate the business. Large quantities of ore having been discovered in numerous places in Taunton, and hearing favorably of those iron men, the citizens assembled in town-meeting Oct. 21, 1652 (according to " Baylies' Old Colony History"), and-

" It was agreed and granted that James Leonard, Henry Leonard, and Ralph Russell, have full consent to come here from Braintree and put up a bloomery on Two Mile River." They accordingly accepted the invitation, and a company was organized, and a forge or bloomery was built on Two-Mile River, now Rayn- ham. It required a long time to prepare for the manufacture of iron. We have a confirmatory record in an old ledger kept by Capt. Thomas Leonard, son of James1, who was clerk and manager in 1683 of the same works. The following is in his own hand :

1 A member of the present board of aldermen.

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TAUNTON.

" An accompt of who hath been clarke of Taunton Iron-Works ever since George Hall was first clarke, with some others joyned with him for a time, which began Anno 1656 : Also, what produce the works hath made from year to year."

The old iron-works were not commenced until 1656. George Hall was clerk and financial manager, with a year's exception (1663, James Walker), until the time of his death in October, 1669, and his eldest son, "John Hall, ye end of ye year ;" the record adds, " John Turner, working ye forge," or foreman. The stockholders included the early settlers of Taun- ton, many wealthy men in Boston and other places, as follows : Deacon Richard Williams, John Deane, Henry Andrews, James Walker, Deacon Walter Dean, Thomas Burt, William Pole, Elizabeth Pole, Shad- rach Wilbore, Nicholas White, Richard Stephens, Jolın Pole, Joseph Tisdale, John Turner, Hezekiah Hoar, Bartholomew Tipping, James. Phillips, Joseph Staples, Town of Taunton, Deacon Henry Hodges, John Hall, Samuel Blake, Peter Walker, and others, a share each or more, among whom will be recognized the ancestors of many descendants in Taunton ; also Richard Thayer, of Boston, four shares; Richard Church, of Hingham, Gen. Leverett, of Boston, two shares ; Peter Noyes, of Sudbury, Nathaniel Paine, and John Saffin, of Bristol, afterwards judges of pro- bate, Stephen Paine and John Cary, of Bristol, reg- isters of probate; John Baker, merchant of Dorches- ter, Samuel Topliff, the Dorchester Church, Bene- dict Arnold, merchant of Newport, son of the Gover- nor of Rhode Island, and many others were share- holders.

At that time bar-iron was a " circulating medium," owing to the scarity of specie in the growing colony and town.

Numerous pages of an ancient ledger, two hundred years old, show the transactions of bar-iron barter of those interested in the iron-works, and orders " for iron as money" were attached as vouchers to the accounts. Ministers' salaries, town, school, highway, and other rates were discounted by orders on the iron-works, as all these pages show. Capt. Leonard was a method- ical man in his transactions, hence the careful preser- vation of the orders. The following are a few of the orders, the first from Deacon Richard Williams, a few years previous to his death, with his own auto- graph :

" ENSIGN THOMAS LEONARD, Please to pay Bartholomew Tipping, nine shillings and 3d. in iron as money.

" from your friend,

" RICHARD WILLIAMS. " TAUNTON ye 16, 1st, 1685-86."

There are a number from Rev. George Shove, the third minister of Taunton. One is a barter, as fol- lows :

"ENSIGN LEONARD,-Pray deliver to Sam'l Pitts, one hundred of iron and charge it to the account of your friend

" GEO. SHOVE.

Then follows:

" ENSIGN LEONARD, pray pay to Nath'l Coddington ye above bill now due me already.

" SAMUEL PITTS.

" Sept. 22, 1685."

The following is from Dorchester :

"CAPT. THOMAS LEONARD: Sir : these lines may inform you that the Selectmen of Dorchester would desire you to deliver all that iron to Philip Withington, which is due from the iron works to the ministry of Dorchester.

" SAMUEL CAPEN, with the "Consent of the rest of the selectmen. " March 26th, 1705."

Philip Withington acknowledges receipt of "700 of iron, being the produce of the ye shares for ye years 1699 to 1703, five years."

The fourth minister of Taunton, Rev. Samuel Danforth, also dealt largely in orders for iron. Here is one, dated March 11, 1703 :

" CAPT. THOMAS LEONARD.

" I would pray you to pay to Elizabeth Gilbert (my late servant mayd) thirty shillings in iron at 18 shillings pr C., to her or her order and place it to my account.

" Your friend and servt,

" SAMUEL DANFORTHI."

Nathaniel Smith bought an ox of Thomas Wil- liams, son of Richard, so he draws an order on Smith to pay his mother, widow of Richard, a portion of the amount, thus :

" NATHANIEL SMITH this is to desire you to pay my Mother Williams 300 hundred of iron ; which is part of ye price of ye ox you bought of me.

" THOMAS WILLIAMS. " TAUNTON ys ye 16 of Octo. 1693."

Then follows Smith's order :

"CAPT. THOMAS LEONARD, I pray you be pleased to pay to Old Mother Williams 300 of iron, from

" NATHANIEL SMITH."

Another order from Rev. Samuel Danforth, "to credit William Briggs the sum of 2 shillings aud 4d. in iron, for his rate to the Weir bridge."

We might fill a page, did space permit, with these unique orders drawn about two hundred years ago, in which bar-iron was the chief factor in the transac- tion of business in Taunton. Nicholas White was delegated year after year, from 1683 to 1693, to carry the iron due from the works to the Dorchester Soci- ety, to Madame Leverett, Madame Tyng, of Boston, and others, over thirty miles, then through the wilder- ness.

The record says "in 1675 the (Indian) war began ; many coals destroyed in the woods." "1676, the works garrisoned, great rates." The Indians, how- ever, did not molest the forge. The clerks who suc- ceeded John Hall were Henry Andrews and Israel Dean. In 1683, Thomas Leonard became manager, continuing until his death, in 1713. He was suc- ceeded by Deacon Samuel Leonard, who managed the works until he died in 1745. In his will he gave Hasadiah Wales, his daughter, and wife of the first minister of Raynham, Rev. John Wales, £100 of bar-

"Sept. 19, 1685."

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HISTORY OF BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

iron and twenty acres of land, and his three other daughters similar amounts. Before his death he added a codicil, stating that they should "have £100 in money, old tenor, as good as merchantable bar- iron at £3 per C., or beef at Sd. per lb., or Indian corn at 98. per bushel." He was the father of Deacon Elijah Leonard,1 who built the house next east of the forge (purchased by Mr. Spinney a few years ago), where the old ledgers were found, which was destroyed by fire in 1881. It was for more than half a century the residence of Capt. Edward Leonard, of Raynham. The iron-works were conducted by the son of Deacon Samuel Leonard for many years.

In 1771 the iron-works came into the possession of Hon. Josiah Dean, who converted them into a rolling and nail works, where copper bolts for ship-building were rolled and made. Mr. Dean died in 1818, when his son, Eliab B. Dean, succeeded to the business. In 1825 Mr. Dean changed the works into an anchor forge, which were continued in that line of business by him and his successor and son, Theodore Dean, about forty years, when the works were abandoned. The privilege, which is a valuable one, alone remains of the ancient iron-works of Taunton of two hun- dred years ago, the oldest successful bar-iron manu- factory in the country.

In addition to the manufacturing establishments of Taunton and its industries, which have been noticed at length, should be named the Taunton Stone Lining Company, corner of Somerset Avenue and Highland Street, in charge of the Messrs. Parker; the Taun- ton Crucible Company, Capt. Wm. H. Phillips its president ; the Taunton Iron-Works Company, with John R. Williams, Wm. H. Phillips, John H. Eddy, J. F. Montgomery, Lewis Williams, directors ; Tann- ton Tack Company, treasurer and agent, Thomas J. Lothrop; Sparta Tack Company, rear of the Brick Mill, Washington Street, L. A. Rounds, proprietor ; the new stove-works at the Weir, run by Charles F. Baker, George E. Wilbur, William E. Walker, and Albert H. Hathaway, who have just erected a large foundry two hundred feet long, and employ sixty hands; the Williams Brick Company, on Williams Court, off Somerset Avenue, in charge of Alexander H. and George F. Williams ; the Taunton Brick Com- pany, on Winter Street, with a capital of $75,000 and Judge Bennett its president ; other brick manu- facturers are Abiel B. Staples, who employs a capital of $5000 and fifteen hands; John W. Hart & Co., capital $3000, employs fifteen hands ; Isaac H. How- land, has a capital of $1500, employs twelve hands ; Horatio Godfrey, capital $1200, employs twelve hands.

While there are manifold new business enterprises in the hands of new and enterprising young men, some large and flourishing branches of business still exist which had their beginning many years ago, as

has been noticed by Rev. Mr. Emery in his " Histori- cal Sketches of the City," published a few years since, as Edgar H. Reed, in 1834, in crockery, to which have been added carpets ; S. O. Dunbar, about the same time, in drugs and medicines, ink and fluid magnesia ; Salmon Washburn, in furniture and hard- ware ; Chas. F. Davenport and Nathaniel S. Mason, in the express business, to the former of whom Wil- liam R. Davenport succeeded, followed by J. S. Bas- sett and William L. Walker; William Hutchinson, in the stove and tin business; H. W. and Le Baron B. Church, in wholesale flour and grain trade. All these have been in business more than forty years, and the following not far from thirty years: A. Briggs & Co., Paul & Co., in flour and grain ; Staples & Phillips, in coal, iron, and a general shipping busi- ness ; N. H. Skinner & Co., the successors of Jabez Rounds, in dry goods, carpets, ete; Foster & Bar- nard, in the business of tailors; Colby & Co., succes- sors of Samuel Colby, in ready-made clothing ; E. D. Tisdale & Son, in watches and jewelry ; H. C. Perry & Son, in hats, caps, and shoes ; N. S. Hoard & Co., in furniture and crockery; Philander Williams, in groceries ; A. J. Barker, in drugs, medicines, books, etc .; I. B. Briggs, in stoves and tinware; White Brothers, in meats, vegetables, etc .; William and John D. Reed, in groceries ; B. R. Holt & Son, in ready-made clothing; W. H. Gilmore, in curtains, pictures, etc. ; J. T. French, in paints and paper- hangings. Robert Dean, John W. Seabury, Charles Godfrey, James W. Crossman, Charles R. Atwood, Calvin Woodward, Abiathar Williams, Allen Pres- brey, F. S. Monroe, Lovett Morse, and John, Wil- liam, and Hodges Reed were well-known business men in the earlier half of the present century.

The Phoenix Manufacturing Company com- menced business on School Street over forty years ago. The proprietors of what was then called the Crucible Company were Charles R. Vickery, Charles R. Atwood, and Joseph Dixon. To enlarge their business they removed to Weir village, and in 1851 were incorporated under the above name. Capital, $30,000. Charles R. Vickery was president, Charles R. Atwood agent and treasurer, and were annually chosen, though many changes were made in the directors. In 1877, Henry D. Atwood was chosen agent, and after the death of his father, C. R. Atwood, in December, 1877, he was elected clerk and treas- urer, which offices he holds at the present time. Mr. Vickery died Jan. 16, 1883. The directors are Arthur Pickering, Le Baron B. Church, H. D. At- wood, F. B. Dean.

The Cohannet Mills are situated on the bank of Mill River, above the Brick Mills; were incorporated in 1847 ; capital, $100,000. A mill for spinning cot- ton yarn was erected the following season, three hun- dred and thirty-three long by fifty, two stories. The officers were John E. Sanford, president; E. B. Maltby, clerk; C. L. Lovering, treasurer, who re-

1 His son, Rev. Elijah, was the minister of Marshfield about thirty years, and his son, Rev. George, was successor of his father thirty years, and died in 1882.

835

TAUNTON.

1 signed in 1878, when E. B. Maltby was elected. In 1881 the capital was increased to $200,000, and a new mill (No. 2) was erected parallel with No. 1, three hun- dred and sixty-five feet long by seventy-two in width, three stories, also for spinning cotton yarn. The present directors are John E. Sanford, Saul Eddy, C. L. Lovering, E. B. Maltby, George M. Wood- ward. These mills do the largest business in that line in the county.

Sproat's Mill, Weir Village .- The shingle and grist-mill of James Sproat was built in 1837. A box- board machine was added, and soon afterwards a machine for making nail-keg staves. The grist-mill was superseded by machinery for box-making and cutting nail-keg heads. James H. Sproat succeeded his father at the time of his death in September, 1857, and has conducted a large business in this line. There are in his employ several men whose positions are worthy of mention, viz .: Calvin C. Presbrey, forty-six years; Frederick Hathaway, forty-four years ; P. B. Campbell and Levi P. Talbot, thirty- seven years ; Abraham Simmons, George Taber, and John McEnroe, thirty-six years, and several others about thirty years. Mr. Sproat continues the same business he has followed forty-six consecutive years, employing about thirty hands.

Old Colony Iron Company .- In 1813, Stephen King obtained a grant to build a dam across Taunton River, on his farm, a short distance above the present Old Colony Iron-Works, and laid the foundation. Horatio Leonard & Co. (Crocker & Richmond) pur- chased Mr. King's right and removed the dam to its present location, and built a forge for making char- coal iron (in 182-) of scraps and pig-iron. Finally, coal being too expensive, a few years later (1827) they obtained the services of experienced workmen. James Mitchell and his brother, Englishmen, com- menced making iron with bituminous coal. Increase and Charles Robinson, having some experience, came from Bridgewater in 1828 and engaged in the iron business with the company. Their facilities for the manufacture of iron for nail-plates and shovels were enlarged. Enoch Robinson, who had also served at the various departments for producing iron, succeeded his brother Increase in 1829, who returned to Bridge- water and became superintendent of the iron-works. Samuel Caswell had charge of the machinery. The reverses of 1837-42 caused a suspension of the works for over a year.

A new company was organized under the name of the Old Colony Iron Company in 1844, with a capital of two hundred and sixty thousand dollars. Samuel L. Crocker, president, Charles Robinson, treasurer, and they remained in office until the death of each,-the latter Feb. 8, 1882, the former Feb. 10, 1883. The works cover several acres for the manufacture of shovels and nails and nail-plates, making their own iron. The officers are Charles T. Robinson, clerk ; Oliver A. Washburn, agent and treasurer; Enoch

Robinson, Nahum Stetson, Charles T. Robinson, and O. A. Washburn, directors ; Enoch Robinson, general superintendent.

The Taunton Locomotive Manufacturing Com- pany, located near the central depot of the Old Col- ony Railroad, commenced business in 1846, and was incorporated in 1847 by Wm. A. Crocker, Willard W. Fairbanks, Wm. Raymond Lee, and their associates, for manufacturing steam-engines, railroad cars, and machinery ; capital, fifty thousand dollars.

Wmn. A. Crocker was chosen president; W. W. Fairbanks, agent and treasurer ; Charles R. Olney, clerk. In 1847, Harrison Tweed succeeded Mr. Olney as clerk. In 1854, W. W. Fairbanks succeeded Mr. Crocker as president. Robert S. Dean succeeded Mr. Fairbanks as treasurer in August, 1858, and resigned in December. Harrison Tweed was his successor as treasurer on Sept. 25, 1861, and became agent in place of Mr. Fairbanks, resigned, who also resigned as president Aug. 28, 1862, and Samuel L. Crocker was elected, serving twenty-one years, until his death, Feb. 10, 1883.

The capital had been increased from time to time until 1864, when it was established at two hundred and eighteen thousand five hundred dollars.

P. I. Perrin, who had been superintendent and de- signer of the company from its commencement, in 1846, to July, 1847, was elected agent and treasurer to succeed Mr. Tweed, and now fills the position, and E. D. Godfrey was elected clerk of the corporation.

At the annual meeting May 23, 1883, Nahum Stet- son was elected president in place of Mr. Crocker de- ceased ; Everett D. Godfrey, clerk ; directors, Enoch Robinson, Harrison Tweed, P. I. Perrin, Nahum Stet- son ; also Robert I. Gamewell, of Providence, in place of Mr. Crocker.

This was among the first companies established specially for manufacturing locomotives in the United States, and the first one was built in May, 1847. The company soon attained a high reputation for their locomotives, and the first one that found its way upon the great thoroughfares of the West was sent from this establishment in May, 1852; shipped from Boston for New Orleans, thence to St. Louis in charge of Edward Peirs, engineer, who is still in the employ of the company. Their locomotives are now a pro- pelling power from Maine to California, in Canada, South America, and Mexico.

The Taunton Tack Company was organized in 1850 by a few practical tack-makers, and others that joined them, with a capital of twenty thousand dol- lars ; shares at five hundred dollars. They located their works on Union Street, purchasing the build- ings from Stephen Rhodes & Sons. They chose directors : Daniel Reed, Jr., Joseph Dunbar, Robert Crossman (2d), Gideon Perkins, Jr .; and Charles Foster was chosen president, Robert Crossman (2d) secretary, and Gideon Perkins, Jr., agent and treas- I urer. In 1855 the company became incorporated,

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History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 200

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