USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Brockton > History of Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1656-1894 > Part 48
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SECTION 3. Be it further enacted, That the said town of North Bridgewater shall be holden to support their proportion of the poor of the town of Bridgewater which are now chargeable to said town, which proportion shall be ascertained by the present valuation of the town; and all persons who may hereafter become chargeable as pau- pers to the said towns of Bridgewater or North Bridgewater shall be considered as be- longing to that town on the territory of which they had their settlement at the time of the passing of this Act, and shall in future be chargeable to that town only.
SECTION 4. Be it further enacted, That all future State and County taxes which may be levied on the said towns of Bridgewater and North Bridgewater, previous to a new
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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
valuation, shall be assessed and paid in the same proportion as they now are according to the present valuation.
SEOTION 5. Be it further enacted, That any Justice of the Peace for the County of Plymouth is hereby empowered, upon application therefore, to issue a warrant directed to a freehold inhabitant of the said town of North Bridgewater requiring him to notify and warn the inhabitants thereof qualified to vote in town affairs, to meet at such con- venient time and place as shall be appointed in the said warrant, for the choice of such officers as towns are by law required to choose and appoint at their annual town meetings.
IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, June 14, 1821. This bill, having had three several readings, passed to be enacted.
JOSIAH QUINCY, Speaker. IN SENATE, June 15, 1821.
This bill having had three several readings, passed to be enacted. JOHN PHILLIPS, President. June 15, 1821. Approved. J. BROOKS.
A True Copy, Attest.
ALDEN BRADFORD, Secretary of the Commonwealth.
A True Copy from the Secretary of State.
Attest, EDWARD SOUTHWORTH, Town Clerk.
It is now nearly three quarters of a century since the inauguration of the town of North Bridgewater took place, and it may be of interest to many persons to known what was done at that time. Upon receipt of the Act of the Legislature the first act of the citizens of the old parish was to call a meeting to organize and elect their town officers.
In order to complete the organization, Mr. Lemuel French and nine other freeholders petitioned Caleb Howard, esq., a justice of the peace, to call a meeting for the choice of officers. The following warrant was accordingly issued directed as follows :
To Mr. LEMUEL FRENCH, one of the freehold inhabitants of the town of North Bridgewater, in the County of Plymouth :
Greeting :
WHEREAS, the said Lemuel, and nine others freehold inhabitants of said town by virtue of an Act of the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachu- setts, passed the fifteenth day of June, A.D., 1821, entitled an Act to establish the town of North Bridgewater, have made application to me, Caleb Howard, one of the Justices of the Peace for the County of Plymouth, to issue a warrant to some free- hold inhabitant of said town to warn a meeting of said inhabitants, for the purposes set
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PRECINCT CONTROVERSY.
forth in the provisions of said Act. These are therefore in the name of the Common- wealth of Massachusetts, to require yon to notify and warn the freehoklers and other inhabitants of said town of North Bridgewater qualified by law to vote for town officers to meet and assemble at the public meeting-house in said town, on Wednesday, the fourth day of July next, at one o'clock in the afternoon, for the following pur- poses :
Ist .- To choose a moderator for said meeting.
2d .- To choose all such town officers that towns are required by law to choose or appoint at their annual town meetings.
[1. S.] Given under my hand and Seal this Twenty-second day of June, A.D., 1821.
CALEB HOWARD, Justice of the Peace. North Bridgewater, June 23, 1821.
Pursuant to the within warrant (as above) I have notified the inhabitants of said town qualified by law to vote as within expressed to meet at the time and place and for the purposes within mentioned.
LEMUEL FRENCH. A True Copy.
EDWARD SOUTHWORTH, Town Clerk.
The first town meeting held after the incorporation of the town was held in the meeting-house of the First Congregational Church (then the only one in the town) on Wednesday afternoon, July 4, 1821, at one o'clock P. M. The number of voters present at the first town meet- ing was about two hundred. The meeting was opened with prayer by Rev. Daniel Huntington, the pastor of the First Congregational Church. The following officers were elected, viz. :
Ist .-- Chose Joseph Silvester, esq., Moderator of the meeting.
2d .-- Chose Edward Southworth, Town Clerk, and he took the oath of office before Caleb Howard, esq.
3d .- Made choice of Abel Kingman, esq., Howard Cary, esq., and Capt. Zechariah Gurney, as Selectmen.
4th .-- Made choice of Edward Southworth as Town Treasurer.
5th -Made choice of Benjamin Ames as Constable.
6th .- Made choice of Caleb Howard, esq., Eliphalet Kingman and Howard Cary, esq., as Committee on Town Accounts.
7th .-- Made choice of Cyrus Howard, Lieut. Simeon Dunbar, Cyrus Packard, Martin Snow, Isaac Eames, Josiah Ames, Welcome Howard, Martin Cary, Abel Kingman, esq., Deacon Jacob Fuller, Jonas Keith, Micah Packard, Mark Perkins, Jonathan Perkins, Howard Packard, and Samuel Ford, as Surveyors of Highways.
8th .-- Made choice of William Packard, Bela Keith, Isaac Packard, Caleb Howard, esq., Nathan Jones, John Wales, jun., Zibeon Packard and Micah Packard, as Hogreeves.
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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
9tlr .-- Made choice of Capt. Nehemiah Lincoln, Howard Cary, esq., Joel Ames, Jonathan Snow, esq., Welcome Howard and Lieut. David Ames, as Surveyors of Lumber.
10th .-- Made choice of Silas Snow, Capt. Noah Chesman, Barnabas Curtis, Ambrose Packard, Sullivan Packard, Charles Southworth, Enos Thayer 2d, Theron Ames, Martin Dunbar, Ezekiel Merritt, Alva Noyes, Isaac Keith, Lewis Dailey, Jacob Fuller, Samuel Dickerman, and Nathaniel Ames, as Field Drivers.
11th .-- Made choice of Ebenezer Warren, Benjamin Ames, and David Ford, as Tith- ingmen.
12th .-- Made choice of Howard Cary, esq., Capt. Robert Packard, and Capt. Zech. ariah Gurney, as Fence Viewers.
13th .-- Made choice of Asa Howard, as Pound Keeper.
14th .-- Made choice of Edward Southworth and Zenas Brett, as Measurers of Wood. 15th .-- Voted to dissolve the meeting.
A True Record.
E. SOUTHWORTH, Town Clerk.
CHAPTER XXV.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Mills - Manufactures - Bridgewater Manufacturing Company - Tanners-Black- smiths -- Shoe Tool Manufacturers-Public Houses -- Traders -- Tailors -- Hatters -- Bakers -- Saddlers -- Wheelwrights- Coopers - Clocks-Watchmakers -- Jewellers -- Drugs and Medicines -- Furniture Manufacturers -- Carpenters -- Painters -- Masons -- Tin Plate and Sheet Iron Workers -- Dentists -- Blacking Manufacturing.
M ILLS .- During the first settlement of the North Parish the atten- tion of the settlers was first directed to clearing the lands and preparing the same for agricultural purposes. They very soon, however, erected saw and grist mills, many of which are numbered among the things that were.
One of the first mills erected in the North Parish was a saw-mill on the dam south of the residence of the late Azor Packard, said to have been built by Abijah Thayer and others, and was near the main street leading from Campello to West Bridgewater. The remains of the dam are to be seen at the present time. We should judge this mill was of small power, as it is related of a man who was passing the
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MISCELLANEOUS.
works on his way from Bridgewater to Boston (a journey of two or three days), as he passed, the saw was going up, and when he re- turned, it was just coming down.
Previous to 1800, there was a saw- mill a short distance north of Cole's fulling-mill, now the W. B. Cross tack works, which was owned by Zebedee Snell, Parmenas Packard and others. There was another saw-mill, a short distance north of the late John Tilden's residence, in the west part of the town and east of Hayward Marshall's residence. The mill was owned by John Tilden, Nathaniel Manly and others, in shares. About the same time Mathew Kingman and others erected a mill where the late Chandler Sprague's saw-mill stood, in the Factory Village, or "Spragueville," which was known by the name of " Kingman's Mill," and has been owned by Luke Perkins, Abel and Eliphalet Kingman, Par- menas Brett, John Ritchie and others,
Colonel Caleb Howard built a mill near his furnace on Pond street, which has been owned by his heirs ever since, and is now used for saw- ing box- boards, shingles, etc.
The first grist-mill in the town was erected on the spot now occupied by Elmer C. Packard. It was built by John Packard and owned by him for many years, and afterward changed hands as follows: Bridgewater Manufacturing Company, Tyler Cobb, Joslyn & Keith, Bela Keith, A. B. Wheeler, Lewis Keith and Ellis Packard & Co. Elmer C. Packard is now proprietor. Deacon Zenas Packard was miller for a long time at this mill, and was well known as the " honest miller." The present steam works were erected by Bela and Lewis Keith a few years since, and are used for planing, box making, grist mill and the manufacture of shoe tools. It is situated quite near the village, on the road leading from Abington, and is a valuable property, being near the railroad. Within the past few years these works have undergone extensive altera- tions and the business of wholesaling and retailing of flour, grain, coal, hay, etc., has become very extensive. There was another grist mill, erected by John Tilden and afterward rebuilt by John Brett, in the west part of the town near the turnpike : the mill stood for many years, and was occupied by the late Lewis A. Kingman as a wheelwright shop.
The Bridgewater Manufacturing Company owned a grist mill situated on the south side of Crescent street and near Mr. Sprague's office, which 66
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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
they purchased of Messrs. Abel Kingman, Nehemiah Lincoln and others. There is another grist mill near where Colonel Caleb Howard's furnace stood, on Belmont street, a short distance from the Center Village, after- wards owned by Thomas J. & Welcome Howard.
In the early settlement of the parish it is said there was a windmill, the only one in town, situated on the hill north of the late Eliphalet Kingman's residence, on the locality known as "Windmill Hill," prob. ably owned by Mathew Kingman & Co., and used as a grist mill.
MANUFACTURES .- One of the first manufacturing establishments in the North Parish was the forge erected and carried on by Ensign Con- stant Southworth, which stood on or near where Sprague's Mill now stands. Mr. Southworth was a practical workman, having served a faithful apprenticeship at the business, and did a large business smelting iron ore for the people in that vicinity. There was a large amount of ore dug in the westerly part of the town in the early settlement of the parish, and he had as much as his power could do. A short time ago, in removing the old road-bed across Sprague's Pond, quantities of cin- der and iron scraps were found that came from these works. These works changed hands several times, among whom we find Alpheus and Parmenas Brett conveyed all right, title and interest in and to the trip- hammer or water-shop to the Bridgewater Manufacturing Company, July 26, 1813.
At one time Messrs. James and Luke Perkins manufactured muskets, small anchors, scythes, shovels, plow-points, etc., at this place. During the year 1813, the above named manufacturing company purchased all the shops and mills contiguous to the forge, for the purpose of erecting a large cotton and woolen factory. The following is a copy of the orig- inal subscription paper, showing the names of the stockholders :
BRIDGEWATER, May 13, 1813.
We, the subscribers, proposing to engage in the manufacture of wool and cotton, do agree to form ourselves into a company, by the name of the Bridgewater Wool and Cotton Manufacturing Company ; and for carrying into effect said object, we propose as a capital Eight Thousand Dollars, to be divided into forty shares; and we severally pledge ourselves to defray the expense arising on the number of shares annexed to our individual names ;
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MISCELLANEOUS.
No. of Shares
No. of Shares.
Eliphalet Leach
1
Bela Hayward
1
Martin Kingman
1
Ellis Holines
Thomas Wales
2
Joseph Silvester, jr.,
I
Alvan Perry
1
Daniel Ames 1
Charles Snell
1
Daniel Alden 1
Nathaniel Snell
1
Packard & Perkins, jr., 1
Jonathan Reynolds
I
Davis Packard 1
David Reynolds
1
Tiley Cary
1
Abel Kingman
3
Hosea Alden
1
Perez Southworth 1
Micah Shaw 2
Ichabod Howard .. 1
Howard Packard 1
Thomas Thompson
1
Samuel Battles 2
Isaiah Packard.
2
Packard & Southworth. 1
Packard & Ames 1
Jeremiah Beals, jr. 1
Benjamin Keith 1
John Ritchie 1
Perez Crocker 2
Daniel Ford. I
Seth Snow
1
Joel Briggs
1
Alphens Brett
1
Richard Thayer. 2
Parmenas Brett
1
John Ritchie.
2
Micah Faxon
1
Andrew Ritchie .. 2
Joel Ames.
1
The following is the act of incorporation as granted by the Legisla- ture of Massachusetts :
BRIDGEWATER MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
June 14, 1813. Abel Kingman, Thomas Thompson, Isaiah Packard, Perez Crocker, Micah Shaw, Ichabod Howard and Samuel Battles, together with such as may associate with them, were incorporated into a manufacturing company for the purpose of making cotton and woolen cloth and yarn, in the town of Bridgewater, with power to hold Real Estate to the amount of fifty thousand, and personal estate not exceeding one hun- dred thousand, as may be necessary and convenient for the purposes as above named.
This company continued to manufacture until March 10, 1837, when the corporation name was changed to Ritchie Manufacturing Company.
Mr. Ritchie continued to manufacture for several years, and sold the factory, with all their power and privileges, to Chandler Sprague, esq., who soon after converted the building into a manufactory of shoe-lasts and a wood-turning establishment.
At the time the forge of Mr. Southworth was in successful operation, there was a furnace erected by a few individuals of the town, which stood on or near the works of the late Col. Caleb Howard, on what is now
524
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
Belmont, near Pond street, more recently known as Howard's mill, where large quantities of hollow- ware were manufactured. The works were afterward given up on account of the scarcity of wood. Mr. Bow- doin, of Boston, bought the furnace, which was afterwards successively owned by Colonel Hobart, of Abington ; Mr. Perry, of Easton ; George Howard, of Bridgewater; and later by Colonel Caleb Howard and Thomas J. and Welcome Howard. The building has since been used by various parties for manufacturing purposes, mostly shoe tools and sawing of box-boards.
About the year 1790 Benjamin Silvester built a mill on Salisbury River, near the residence of Galen Packard, for a fulling mill. He sold his interest to his brother, Seth Silvester, who was succeeded by John Wales, who established a carding mill. Mr. Ephraim Cole bought the privilege of Mr. Wales and continued till 1825, when he sold out to Galen Packard, who soon commenced manufacturing ship-spikes, nails, and all kinds of ship work, using a trip-hammer. Mr. Packard sold out to Jefferson Bisbee, who came from Canton, and began to manufacture hay and manure forks. Benjamin F. Wheeler afterward purchased the works and manufactured small nails, tacks, shoe nails, and carpet tacks. Benjamin Franklin Kingman succeeded Mr. Wheeler, since which time William W. Cross has enlarged the works and is doing a successful busi- ness.
About the year 1814 James Easton & Sons built a dam, erected a building, and commenced manufacturing spikes, axes, adzes, plane irons, chisels, bar iron, axles, etc., a short distance north on the same stream. They continued business for about six years and failed. Caleb and Syl- vanus Easton continued the business for ten years longer, under the name of C. & S. Easton, when they retired.
Lower on the stream, and just south of Pleasant street, Sidney Per- kins manufactured hay and manure forks. He was in that business but a few years, and sold out to Hezekiah Simmons, and he was succeeded by Nathaniel B. Harlow in the same business. E. D. & O. B. Reynolds used a portion of this factory for the manufacturing of agricultural im- plements till they removed to near Court street, and became interested in the Reynolds Plow Company in 1882.
Several years since there was a mill situated on Trout Brook, a short distance south of Howard street, that leads to East Randolph. The re-
525
MISCELLANEOUS.
mains of the dam are in existence at the present day. The flowage of this meadow was for a long time a source of litigation in the county courts.
About the year 1836 William Perry was engaged in the manufacture of brass ware and castings ; his foundry was situated near where Fax- on's awl manufactory was located. Several years since Mr. Chandler R. Humphrey commenced making gravestones at the shop of John Wales, corner of Main and Belmont streets, now owned by Rufus P. Kingman. Since that time Sidney S. Green came to town, and was en- gaged for a time in that business on Centre street. Soon after George W. Bryant, esq., became associated with him in business, under the firm of Bryant & Green, in Central block. Mr. Bryant continued alone in the business on the corner of Main and Crescent streets, where he manu- factured all kinds of marble and stone work for cemeteries, etc.
In the spring of 1845 Messrs. George B. Dunbar and Oakes S. Soule became associated in business, under the firm of Dunbar & Soule, for the sale of all kinds of lumber, on the corner of Montello and Court streets, near the railroad. In 1862 the firm was dissolved, Mr. Dunbar retiring. Since that time Mr. Soule continued in the business as before until his death. The business has been continued by Mr. Soule's son- in-law, Mr. Lewis Porter.
Barnabas Edson manufactured the best quality of log pumps at his residence, in the east part of the town, on Pine street. He afterward moved to Centre Village.
TANNERS .- The first tanner in the North Parish was William Shaw, who had a tannery southwest of the house now occupied by Lawrence Copeland on Centre street, in the easterly part of the town. His son, Micah, succeeded him in business, which was given up many years ago. He manufactured upper and sole leather. Levi Keith carried on the tanning business in Campello ; also his son Benjamin, who was suc- ceeded by Captain Ziba Keith, east of the main street in Campello, near where Montello street now is. Major Daniel Cary had a tannery south of Belmont street, next to River. Israel Packard was his successor. Nathaniel W. Stoddard was a manufacturer of patent enameled leather in the north part of the village on Montello street.
526
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
BLACKSMITHS .- One of the first things done after the making of iron from the ore in this town was the making of nails by hand. This branch of manufacture was one of the most prominent of any in the town. It furnished employment for a large number of boys and men. At first they were forged singly ; and as the machines for cutting and heading were introduced, hammered nails went out of use. Nearly every farmer had a nail shop for his boys to occupy their leisure time, when not en- gaged upon the farm. Indeed, nail shops were as common as shoe shops are at the present day. Upon the introduction of machines for cutting and heading nails-which were invented by Col. Jesse Reed, a native of the town- the business of making nails was confined to differ- ent manufacturing companies, and were made in large quantities at a much lower price. We now find in the town only here and there a blacksmith shop for shoeing cattle and horses, and other job work. Among the blacksmiths in the parish were Captain Jesse Perkins, who had a shop near where Col. E. Southworth's store now stands. Asa Howard had a shop nearly opposite Centre street. Captain Anthony Dike had a shop near the Alva Noyes place, on the road to Abing- ton. He made the first shovels made in the vicinity, at about the time the " Ames " commenced in Easton. Josiah Perkins had a shop on Summer street, opposite the residence of Nahum Perkins, who be- came his successor in that business. Alpheus Brett had a shop in Fac- tory Village (now Sprague's). He manufactured bar iron, plow points, hames, hoes, etc. Nehemiah Lincoln was also in the same business in that village, manufactured cart and harness trimmings, hames, hoes, scrapers, plow points, etc. Besides these the traders of the town bought iron rods and let them out to be made by the pound, in the same man- ner as leather is let out to be made into shoes. Messrs. Ide & Trow commenced business on High street, where Waldo Bradford conducted his trade, and who succeeded that firm and carried on that business till 1845, when he sold out to Tyler Cobb, who conducted the business ten years. In 1855 he sold out to Mr. Bradford, who continued for a long time, and afterward associated with him Mr. Allen Crocker, of East Stoughton. Sumner A. Hayward, of Kingston, commenced on Main street several years since. His shop was nearly opposite the school- house, south of his dwelling, and on the present road-bed leading to
527
MISCELLANEOUS.
Campello, and in the south part of the village. He sold out to Charles W. Strout, of Brookline, who was succeeded by Hiram F. Peck.
There was a blacksmith shop erected on Montello street east of the residence of the late Captain Ziba Keith, in Campello, conducted by Patrick Donovan, which has since been given up.
Lorenzo Wade had a blacksmith shop in the " West Shares," or North- west Bridgewater, opposite the residence of the late Isaac Packard, which was afterwards removed to its present location, occupied by Or- ren Wade on the turnpike leading to Stoughton. The business was afterward conducted by Hon. Albert R. Wade, the late mayor of Brockton.
B. C. Snell erected a shop near Sprague's factory about 1853 and was succeeded by A. D. Tyler, and later by S. W. Haley.
SHOE TOOL MANUFACTURERS .- For a long time North Bridge- water has been celebrated for the excellence of her shoe tools and awls, lasts, and boot- trees, shoe-knives, spoke-shaves, rolling machines, ham- mers, etc.
Among the first to introduce this kind of goods in the town were Ephraim Howard & Co., who made it a special branch of business ; they occupied the building afterward used by Messrs. Howard, Clark & Co. as a furniture wareroom, using steam power.1 They manufactured hammers, presses, wheels, spoke-shaves, knives, punches, awl-handles, etc.
Charles Howard and Lewis Fisher have since manufactured the same kind of goods under the firm of Howard & Fisher. J. B. Mann con- ducted that kind of business for several years-since removed to Stough- ton. Sidney Perkins has also made shoe-knives, hammers, and patent grindstones, etc. Tyler Cobb commenced manufacturing shoe tools in 1845, such as hammers, awls, spoke-shaves, steel compasses, brad-awls, and chopping-knives. George Willis manufactured this kind of goods for a time, until he removed to Worcester.
Since the introduction of American awls in this country there has been a large amount manufactured in this town by Mr. William Faxon, Charles Lincoln, Josiah S. Lincoln, and Charles B. Lincoln. Millions
1 This was the first steam engine used in the town, now the city of Brockton.
528
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
of sewing and pegging awls are sent to various parts of the country from this town every year.
David Peeler manufactured shoe tools in Howard's mill in 1836- when he removed to Boston. J. Wallace Packard commenced manu- facturing stitching and machine needles for all kinds of sewing ma- chines in March, 1858. Snell & Atherton manufactured a variety of shoe tools, spoke-shaves, etc., in Ellis Packard & Co.'s mill, now at Montello.
William Hall manufactured shoe pegs at the mill on Howard street several years since. John W. Kingman furnished the shoemakers with machines for rolling leather, and shoe benches, as well as coal-sifters, washing machines, and patent roofing. William S. Gay and Jabez Gay manufactured bedsteads, chopping-knives, and awl-handles, at the old mill known as Packard's grist mill, or Keith's mill.
In 1836 Chandler Sprague, esq., commenced making lasts and boot- trees in the mill owned by T. J. & W. Howard, well known as Howard's mill. In 1837 he purchased the right of using Thomas Blanchard's machine for turning irregular forms. He continued in that mill until 1842, doing a small business, which has increased to a large and profit- able branch of manufacturing. He purchased the building and power known as the " Old Cotton Factory," owned by Mr. John Ritchie, and converted it into a manufactory. And, although he was highly prospered in his business pursuits, yet he continues to give his personal attention to the detail of his business, and has added several branches to his original calling. E. Sumner Snell manufactured shoe tools in his factory, also manufactured machinery, under the firm of E. S. Snell & Co., Mr. Sprague being the special partner.
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