History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 77

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 77


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The Tecumseh Mills .- These mills were incor- porated Feb. 8, 1866. Augustus Chace, James W. Hartley, John P. Slade, and their associates were in- corporated as the Tecumseh Mills Company, with a capital of $350,000, in shares of $1000 each. This stock was taken by eighty-nine subscribers. Land was purchased on Hartwell Street, bordering also on the Quequechan River, a short distance above the upper or Troy dam, and immediate steps taken for the erection of a mill of about 20,000 spindles. Au- gustus Chace was elected president, Isaac B. Chace treasurer, and the following board of directors: Au- gustus Chace, James W. Hartley, Louis L. Barnard, Lazarus Borden, Jonathan T. Lincoln, Cook Borden, and Danforth Horton.


The mill was completed and running in 1866. In 1873 No. 2 mill was completed. No. 1 mill has 23,472 spindles and 589 looms, and No. 2 has 22,576 spindles and 576 looms. Capital, $500,000.


The present officers are as follows: President, Au- gustus Chace; Clerk and Treasurer, Frank H. Dwelly ; Directors, Augustus Chace, Samuel Wad- dington, D. T. Wilcox, John Southworth, S. B. Chase, George E. Hoar, George W. Nowell, Jerome C. Bor- den, and Leontine Lincoln.


The Durfee Mills .- This company was organized in 1876 with a capital of $500,000, and named in honor of Maj. Bradford Durfee, whose son was the principal stockholder and original president. This corporation owns three mills. No. 1 was built in 1866, No. 2 in 1871, and No. 3 in 1881. This has the largest capacity of any corporation in the city, having 109,360 spindles and 2734 looms. Capital, $500,000. The present officers are : President, John S. Brayton ; Clerk and Treasurer, David A. Brayton, Jr. ; Directors, John S. Brayton, Hezekiah A. Brayton, and David A. Brayton, Jr.


The Davol Mills Company was organized Dec. 1, 1866, and incorporated in 1867, nineteen persons con- tributing the entire capital of $270,000, and named after one of the conspicuous promoters of cotton manufacturing, William C. Davol. A site was se- lected above the dam and on the west side of the pond, in such proximity to the latter as to assure a convenient supply of pure water for steam purposes. Ground was broken for the foundation April 1, 1867, and on the 11th of March, 1868, the first yard of cloth was woven.


This company has two mills, with an aggregate of 30,496 spindles and 768 looms. The company was reorganized in 1880, and has a capital of $400,000. The present officers are : President, Frank S. Stevens ;


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Clerk and Treasurer, Charles M. Slade; Directors, William C. Davol, Frank S. Stevens, Jonathan Slade, E. E. Hathaway, W. C. Davol, Jr., Charles R. Batt, William A. Haskell, Daniel Denny, Boston.


The Merchants' Manufacturing Company .- This company was organized Oct. 24, 1866, with a capital of eight hundred thousand dollars.


On the 2d of November following a permanent or- ganization of the company was arranged, W. H. Jen- nings being chosen treasurer and corporation clerk, and James Henry, W. H. Jennings, Angustus Chace, L. L. Barnard, Robert S. Gibbs, Charles H. Dean, Crawford E. Lindsey, Robert K. Remington, and Lafayette Nichols, directors. At a subsequent meet- ing James Henry was chosen president, and Mr. Jennings, clerk.


The promoter of this enterprise was Mr. William H. Jennings, a man of great business energy and tact. As illustrative of this fact, it is said that he secured all the capital, $800,000, in the brief period of two days. The mill was erected in 1867, and in February, 1868, the first cloth was made, and in the following fall was in full operation. In 1872 a large addition to the mill was completed, thus making it the largest mill under one roof in Fall River. It contains 90,656 spindles and 2100 looms; capital, $800,000.


The present officers are as follows : President, James Henry ; Clerk and Treasurer, Simeon B. Chase; Directors, James Henry, William H. Jen- nings, Augustus Chace, James M. Osborn, Richard B. Borden, Robert T. Davis, Samuel Wadington, Andrew J. Borden.


The Mechanics' Mills .- This corporation was chartered May 25, 1868, and organized on the 1st of the following July with the following officers : Presi- dent and Agent, Thomas J. Borden ; Clerk and Treas- urer, D. H. Dyer; Directors, Thomas J. Borden, Stephen Davol, Lazarus Borden, Job B. French, Southard HI. Miller, B. M. C. Durfee, Tillinghast Records, James M. Morton, Jr., and A. D. Easton.


The capital stock was fixed at $750,000, divided into 7500 shares of $100 each. The stock was largely distributed among parties of small means, there being in all 328 stockholders, 188 of whom owned from 1 to 10 shares each, and 73 owned from 11 to 25 shares each, making 261 stockholders, no one of whom owned over $2500 of the stock, and aver- aging less than $1000 each. The organization of the Merchants' Manufacturing Company in 1867, with a capital of $800,000 and about 250 stock- holders, and of the Mechanics' Mills in 1868, with a capital of $750,000 and 328 stockholders, were the development of a new feature in the ownership of manufacturing property in Fall River, all previous enterprises of the kind having been associations of parties of considerable wealth, while these two were the result of bringing together in large amounts the funds of parties of very moderate capital.


The mills were completed and running in 1869. Thomas J. Borden remained president until 1871, when he resigned, and was succeeded by Stephen Davol. D. H. Dyer was treasurer until 1871, when Thomas J. Borden succeeded, and continued until February, 1876, when George B. Durfee was appointed. He was succeeded in 1879 by Frank S. Stevens, who held the office about two years, when he resigned, and H. N. Durfee, the present treasurer, was appointed. James M. Morton, Jr., the present clerk, was ap- pointed Feb. 3, 1870. These mills have 53,712 spin- dles and 1330 looms. Capital, $750,000.


The present officers are as follows : President, Stephen Davol; Clerk, James M. Morton, Jr .; Treasurer, Horatio N. Durfee ; Directors, Stephen Davol, Job B. French, Thomas J. Borden, Tillinghast Records, Southard H. Miller, James M. Morton, Jr., John B. Hathaway, F. S. Stevens, Jolmn S. Brayton.


The Stafford Mills was organized Dec. 12, 1870, with a capital of $500,000. Foster HI. Stafford was elected president and agent, and Shubael P. Lovell clerk and treasurer, with the following board of direc- tors : F. H. Stafford, Samuel Hathaway, Charles P. Stickney; Robert T. Davis, William C. Davol, Wil- liam L. Slade, Danforth Horton, Edmund Chase, and Weaver Osborn.


March 18, 1871, this corporation was dissolved, and the subscribers, twenty-two in number, reorganized under a special charter granted to Charles P. Stick- ney, Samuel Hathaway, Foster H. Stafford, and their associates as the "Stafford Mills," with a capital of $550,000. The persons chosen officers in the first or- ganization were elected to the same positions under the special charter.


The company assumed the name of "Stafford Mills," in honor of their president, who was the pro- jector of the enterprise, and whose long experience, untiring devotion to the business, and proved skill and success had justly earned him the confidence and esteem of his associates.


The mill was erected in 1872, and now contains 38,800 spindles and 966 looms. Capital, $550,000.


The present officers are as follows : President, F. H. Stafford ; Clerk and Treasurer, Albert E. Bosworth; Agent, F. H. Stafford ; Directors, F. H. Stafford, R. T. Davis, Edmund Chase, Danforth Horton, William L. Slade, William Mason, Iram Smith, Frank S. Stevens, and E. E. Hathaway.


The Slade Mill was organized May 1, 1871, its principal promoters being William L. and Jonathan Slade, Benjamin Hall, the Dwelly heirs, Frank S. Stevens, John C. Milne, W. and J. M. Osborn, Rich- ard B. and Thomas J. Borden, S. Angier Chace, David A. Brayton, B. M. C. Durfee, and William Valentine. William M. Slade was chosen president, and James M. Osborn treasurer. These mills contain 37,040 spindles and 875 looms. Capital, $550,000. The present officers are as follows : President, William L. Slade ; Clerk and Treasurer, Henry S. Fenner ; Direc-


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tors, William L. Slade, Jerome Dwelly, Frank S. Stevens, Benjamin Hall, Jonathan Slade, John C. Milne, Daniel Wilbur, Henry S. Fenner, George W. Hills.


The Weetamoe Mills Company .- The first mect- ing for the organization of this company was held Dec. 29, 1870, and the following directors were chosen : L. L. Barnard, Job B. French, Jonathan I. Hilliard, Josiah C. Blaisdell, William Lindsey, Francis B. Hood, Henry C. Lincoln, E. C. Kilburn, and D. H. Dyer. L. L. Barnard was elected president, and D. H. Dyer, treasurer. The act of incorporation is dated Feb. 24, 1871. The number of original subscribers was two hundred and seventy-five. Land for a mill- site was purchased on the banks of Taunton River, near Slade's Ferry, and the new corporation assumed the name of "Weetamoe," after the Queen of the Pocassets, who was drowned near by in crossing the river. Another tract of land, north of Mechanics- ville, was purchased for tenement houses. Work on the mill building was begun in March, 1872, and within ten months the looms were running off cloth.


The mill is of brick, three hundred and twenty feet long, seventy-four feet wide, and five stories high, with basement.


The first steps in the organization of this company were taken by D. Hartwell Dyer, who opened the books for subscriptions, and he also drew the plans for the erection of the mills. The mill contains 34,080 spindles and 860 looms. Capital, $550,000. The present officers are as follows : President, Job B. French ; Clerk, John E. Blaisdell; Treasurer, Wil- liam Lindsey; Directors, Job B. French, Elijah C. Kilburn, Josiah C. Blaisdell, Henry C. Lincoln, Wil- liam Lindsey, John P. Slade, William H. Ashley.


The Richard Borden Manufacturing Company was organized May 19, 1871, the entire capital of $800,000 being taken by twelve individuals. Thomas J. Borden was elected treasurer and corporation clerk, and Richard Borden, Philip D. Borden, Thomas J. Borden, Richard B. Borden, and A. S. Covel, direc- tors. Richard Borden was chosen president at the second meeting of the board.


The mill, which is one of the most perfect struc- tures for manufacturing purposes in the country, was erected and "wound up" under the personal super- vision of Thomas J. Borden, who made the plans of construction and machine equipment. It was started in February, 1873. The present number of spindles are 46,048, with 1080 looms. Its production annually is 14,000,000 yards of print cloth.


Col. Richard Borden remained president until his · death, in February, 1874, when he was succeeded by his son Richard B. Borden, who continued in the office until 1876, when he succeeded Thomas J. Borden as treasurer, and has officiated in that ca- pacity to the present time. Capital, $800,000.


The present officers are as follows: President, Thomas J. Borden ; Clerk and Treasurer, Richard


B. Borden ; Directors, Thomas J. Borden, Richard B. Borden, A. S. Covel, Jerome C. Borden, Edward P. Borden, M. C. D. Borden, and Avery Plummer.


The Wampanoag Mill Company .- The prelimi- mary meeting for the organization of this company was held May 23, 1871, when Stephen Davol, J. D. Flint, William H. Jennings, L. S. Earl, Walter C. Durfee, and R. T. Davis combined for the purpose of projecting a new corporation. On the 31st of the same month, the capital of $400,000 having been sub- scribed, the company was organized with Walter C. Durfee as treasurer and corporation clerk, and R. T. Davis, J. D. Flint, Walter C. Durfec, Stephen Davol, Foster H. Stafford, Simeon Borden, George H. Eddy, A. L. Covel, L. S. Earl, William H. Jennings, and John H. Brown, directors. At a subsequent meeting R. T. Davis was chosen president.


No. 1 Mill was erected in 1872, and No. 2 Mill in 1879. These mills operate 64,872 spindles and 1605 looms. Present capital, $500,000. The present officers are : President, Robert T. Davis ; Clerk and Treasurer, Walter C. Durfee ; Directors, Robert T. Davis, W. C. Durfee, John D. Flint, Stephen Davol, Foster H. Stafford, William H. Jennings, George H. Eddy, Simeon Borden, John H. Boone, Daniel Wilbur.


The Narragansett Mills .- The original promoters of this mill were Daniel McCowan, James Waring, A. D. Easton, and others. The capital, originally $350,000, was, on the acceptance of the charter, July 6, 1871, increased to $400,000. At the meeting of organization, July 12th, James Waring was chosen treasurer, and A. D. Easton president. The mill was finished and wound up for operation by the latter part of December in the following year. Its capacity is 32,144 spindles and 787 looms. The present officers are as follows : President, Robert Henry ; Clerk and Treasurer, James Waring ; Directors, Robert Henry, James Waring, Foster H. Stafford, David T. Wilcox, James P. Hillard, Samuel Wadington, George W. Nowell.


The King Philip Mills .- This corporation was pro- jected in 1871 by Messrs. Elijah C. Kilburn and Craw- ford E. Lindsey, of Fall River, and Jonathan Chace, of Valley Falls, R. I. Believing that the times were auspicious for the establishment of a company for the manufacture of fine cotton goods, these gentlemen de- cided to open a subscription to a capital of $500,000 for a mill of about 36,000 spindles. Within a fort- night the $500,000 desired was subscribed (and $160,- 000 more offered), and on July 14, 1871, the company was duly organized by the election of Mr. C. E. Lind- sey as president, Mr. E. C. Kilburn as treasurer, Mr. A. S. Tripp as clerk, and a board of eleven directors, viz., Jonathan Chace, James Henry, S. Angier Chace, C. E. Lindsey, Philip D. Borden, Charles O. Shove, E. C. Kilburn, A. S. Tripp, Benjamin A. Chace, Simeon Borden, and Charles H. Dean.


Work was begun on the foundation of the No. 1 Mill in October, 1871, and pressed forward until cold


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weather prevented further operations that season. In April, 1872, work was resumed, the mill building completed, the machinery received and placed in po- sition, and in March, 1873, the first piece of cloth was woven.


The mill is situated on the west shore of Laurel Lake, and is built of granite quarried on the prem- ises. It is three hundred and twenty by ninety-two feet, being a wide mill, so called, and is four stories high above the basement. The engine- and picker- house is attached to the main building, and is sixty- five by fifty feet, and three stories high.


This mill contains 42,016 spindles and 852 wide- looms.


The anticipations of the projectors of the King Philip Mills were fully verified within a decade from the starting of the No. 1 Mill, for in June, 1881, in response to a request from many of its largest stock- holders, the directors issued a call for a meeting to consider the advisability of increasing the capital stock from $500,000 to $1,000,000, and the erection of a new mill. The corporation, by a large vote, de- cided to adopt the plans proposed by the directors, and in July, 1881, ground was broken for the founda- tion of the No. 2 Mill, which was completed in 1882, and has 52,928 spindles and 1006 looms. This mill is three hundred and eighty-six by ninety-two feet, which, together with the No. 1 Mill and engine- house, present an unbroken frontage of seven hundred and forty-six feet.


The two mills contain 94,944 spindles and 1838 looms, having more spindles in operation than any other corporation in the city, with the single excep- tion of the Durfee Mills. Capital, $1,000,000.


The present officers are as follows : President, Craw- ford E. Lindsey ; Corporation Clerk, Azariah S. Tripp; Treasurer, Elijah C. Kilburn ; Directors, C. E. Lind- sey, E. C. Kilburn, William Lindsey, Edwin Shaw, Henry II. Earl, Leontine Lincoln, Charles E. Fisher, Robert Henry.


The Crescent Mills were organized Oct. 25, 1871, with a capital stock of $500,000, and the erection of this mill was soon after commenced, and the main building is of granite, 339 feet by 74, four stories and attie above the basement. The picker- house building in rear is 85 by 50 feet, three stories high. The first cotton was put in Dec. 21, 1872, and the first cloth produced Feb. 8, 1873, and the entire mill was in full operation Ang. 30, 1873. The mill contains 33,280 spindles and 762 looms.


The original officers of the corporation were Ben- jamin Covel, president ; Lafayette Nichols, treasurer ; and Benjamin Covel, L. Nichols, D. A. Chapin, Wil- liam B. Durfee, J. F. Nichols, Joseph Brady, David F. Brown, G. M. Haffards, and A. S. Covel consti- tuted the board of directors.


Mr. Nichols served as treasurer until Nov. 12, 1873, when he resigned, and was succeeded by Mr. R. B. Borden. Mr. Borden filled the position until Feb. 9,


1876, when he resigned, and Mr. A. S. Covel, the present treasurer, was elected. Capital, $500,000. The present officers are as follows : President, Benjamin Covel ; Clerk and Treasurer, Alphonso S. Covel; Di- rectors, Benjamin Covel, Daniel A. Chapin, William B. Durfee, Alphonso S. Covel, Lafayette Nichols, W. H. Ashley, and N. Amzen.


The Montaup Mills were organized Nov. 14, 1871, when the following board of directors was chosen : Josiah Brown, Bradford D. Davol, George B. Dur- fee, A. D. Easton, William L. Slade, Isaac Borden, George H. Hawes, William Valentine, Holden B. Durfee, and Thomas J. Borden. Josiah Brown was elected president, and Isaac Borden, treasurer and clerk of the corporation. The capital was fixed at $250,000, and the name of " Montaup Mills" adopted as the corporate name, suggested by the Indian name of " Mount Hope." The act of incorporation bears date Dec. 1, 1871. The projector of these mills was Josialı Brown, Esq.


Land was bought on the northern shore of Laurel Lake, and operations on the foundation were begun Feb. 13, 1872, and the work advanced with such rapidity that the engine was started Jan. 2, 1873, and thie weaving Feb. 7, 1873, or in a little less than a year from the first breaking of ground.


The company entered immediately upon the man- ufacture of first quality seamless bags, cotton bats and duck, running 7200 spindles and 112 looms, pro- ducing 600,000 bags (two-bushel) annually.


After about two years the style of goods manufac- tured was changed. These mills now operate 9120 spindles and 152 looms, and manufacture yarns, plain and fancy ducks colored. Capital, $150,000. The mill is of brick, 242 feet long; 74 feet wide, four stories high. The present officers are as follows : President, William L. Slade; Clerk and Treasurer, Isaac Borden ; Directors, William L. Slade, Bradford D. Davol, Weaver Osborn, William H. Ashley, Ben- jamin Greene, Isaac Borden, and Charles A. Chace.


The Osborn Mills enterprise was due to the sug- gestion of Weaver Osborn, Esq., who, in consultation with Messrs. Easton & Milne and Joseph Healy, pro- posed the formation of a company with $500,000 capital for the manufacture of print cloths. The books were opened, and before night the whole amount


was subscribed, and the same evening " rights" sold at three per cent. premium. The first meeting of the original subscribers, thirty-five in number, was holden Oct. 9, 1871, and the company organized with the following board of directors : Weaver Osborn, Joseph Healy, James T. Milne, Benjamin Hall, Andrew J. Borden, Joseph Osborn, Joseph E. Ma- comber, George T. Hathaway, John C. Milne, D. H. Dyer, and Edward E. Hathaway. Weaver Os- born was subsequently elected president, and Joseph Healy treasurer and clerk of the corporation. The capital was fixed at $500,000, and the name of "Os- born Mills," in honor of the president, selected as the .


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corporate name. The act of incorporation bears date Feb. 1, 1872.


A tract of land on the eastern shore of Laurel Lake, comprising about fifteen acres, was secured as a mill-site. The mill is built of granite, and is three hundred and eighteen feet long by seventy-four feet wide, five stories high, with a flat roof and a base- ment, with an L on the west ninety feet by forty, three stories high, as an engine- and picker-house, to which is attached a boiler-house forty-one feet by forty-two, two stories high. The mill building was put up, the machinery placed in position, and weav- ing commenced (March 10, 1873) in less than a year from the time of beginning work on the foundation. The mill was " wound up" for the manufacture of print cloths 64 by 64, and contained 37,232 spindles and 930 looms. The capacity has been increased until now the spindles number 39,256, with 970 looms, manufacturing print cloths and jeans. Capi- tal, $500,000. The present officers are : President, Weaver Osborn ; Clerk and Treasurer, Joseph Healy ; Directors, Weaver Osborn, Joseph Osborn, John C. Milne, Joseph Healy, Edward E. Hathaway, Benja- min Hall, and Thomas Almy.


The Chace Mills Company was organized in 1871-72, the original promoters of the enterprise being Augustus Chace, George W. Grinnell, and J. M. Earl. The first suggestion of the new cor- poration was the effort of a few gentlemen associated with Mr. John P. Slade to start a mill a considerable distance south, on the shore of the Quequechan Pond. The locality proposed being considered too far removed from the city, the undertaking resolved into another enterprise, which terminated in the for- mation of the Chace Company. The Chace Mill, located on Rodman Street, is a granite structure three hundred and seventy-seven feet long by seventy-four feet wide, and six stories high.


At the first meeting of organization Augustus Chace was chosen president and Joseph A. Baker treasurer. This mill at first contained 43,480 spin- dles and 1056 looms. The number has since been in- creased, and at the present time there are 50,000 spin- dles and 1275 looms. Productions, print cloths. Cap- ital, $500,000.


The present officers are as follows : President, Au- gustus Chace ; Clerk and Treasurer, Joseph A. Baker ; Directors, Augustus Chace, George W. Grinnell, Ed- ward E. Hathaway, William Mason, Joseph A. Baker, James F. Davenport, Jerome C. Borden.


The Flint Mills were organized in February, 1872, with a capital of $500,000, which was increased to $600,000 in October of the same year; Dec. 22, 1879, to $580,000. The act of incorporation, bearing date Feb. 28, 1872, names John D. Flint, Stephen C. Wrightington, Simeon Borden, and William H. Jen- nings, their associates and successors, as the new cor- poration. The number of original subscribers was about two hundred. John D. Flint was elected president, | and work has already been commenced.


Stephen C. Wrightington treasurer, and J. D. Flint, Robert T. Davis, Stephen Davol, William H. Jen- nings, William T. Hall, Daniel McGowan, Gardner T. Dean, S. C. Wrightington, William Carroll, and Cornelius Hargraves the board of direction. Mr. Wrightington resigned in March, and George H. Eddy was elected treasurer to fill the vacancy. Mr. Eddy resigned in September, 1879, and J. D. Flint was chosen treasurer and B. D. Davol president. J. D. Flint resigned April, 1881, and B. D. Davol was chosen treasurer and J. D. Flint president. In October, 1882, B. D. Davol resigned, and W. S. Potter, the present treasurer, was chosen. Upon the organization of this corporation it assumed the name of Flint Mills, in honor of its president, and the village, which has since grown up in the vicinity of the mill, is known locally as "Flint Village." Land for a mill-site and tenement was purchased on the upper part of the stream, near where it issues from the South Pond, and before frost was out of the ground operations were begun for the foundation of the mill. The mill was built of stone, in accordance with plans drawn by D. H. Dyer, architect, and, un- like most of the cotton-mills in the city, was a wide mill, after the English style, being three hundred feet long by ninety-four feet wide, instead of the usual width of seventy-two to seventy-four feet. It was five stories high, with a flat roof, and a finely-propor- tioned tower in front. The machinery was mostly American, and arranged for the manufacture of print cloth 64 by 64. The mill commenced running in April, 1873, and at the date of its destruction by fire manufactured 15,200,000 yards of print cloths per annum. It contained 49,360 spindles, 1065 looms, and employed 500 operatives, with a monthly pay- roll of $12,000. The machinery was driven by a double Corliss engine of 800 horse-power. Steam was supplied by six upright boilers of 150 horse- power each. Water was taken directly from the stream by a canal dug for the purpose. This mill was entirely destroyed by fire Oct. 28, 1882. The fire broke out at 3.35 P.M., soon after the mill had been shut down for the day, and the flames increased with such amazing rapidity that all attempts to check it were unavailing. The entire mill was de- stroyed with its contents.1




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