USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lawrence > History of Lawrence, Massachusetts : with portraits and biographical sketches of ex-mayors up to 1880 and other distinguished citizens, including many business and professional men now living > Part 9
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THOMAS A. EMMONS,
Loom Harness manufacturer, 7 May street ; residence, 119 May St. Came to Lawrence 11 years ago. Born at Kennebunkport, Me., in 1827. Learned his trade at Biddeford, Me., 28 years ago and has worked at it ever since. Commenced business about 25 years ago at Holyoke, where he remained till 1861. Married Elizabeth Benson at Holyoke in 1853. Has three sons. Attends Second Baptist Church. He erected his mill nine years ago on May strect. It was partially destroyed by fire two years ago, and immediately re-built with an additional story.
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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
is certainly an outside evidence that the desired result was attained. The par value of the stock is $100, and the highest quotation ever reached, was $180, in 1864; the lowest $70, in 1875; since the present agent's management the stock has gone up to $88 1-2. Mr. McDuffie has kept the property in prime condition and made many repairs and alterations. A fire occurred last winter which destroyed a large portion of the dye works, but in a few weeks the damage was repaired. With business as good as it has been during the past two years, there is no reason why the stock should not soon touch par value and semi-annual dividends of 3 per cent. be declared. The products of the Everett Mills find a market in the United States and Dominion of Canada. The mills are now running closer to the market consumption than at any time during the past year. George C. Richardson & Co., are selling agents in Boston and New York.
James Longley, President ; Eugene H. Samson, Treasurer ; Au- gustus Lowell, Abbott Lawrence, Thomas Minns, A. E. Hildreth, and James Ellison, Directors ; Charles D. McDuffie, Agent ; William A. Barrell, Paymaster:
Assets.
Land, water power, buildings. $367,000 00
Machinery .
373,000 00
Cash and debts receivable . 346,763 85
Manufactures, material and stock in process 324,769 25
Total . $1,411,533 10
Liabilities.
Capital stock
$800,000 00
Debts 570,000 00
Reserves . 41,533 10
Total
$1,411.533 10
P
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LAWRENCE WOOLEN COMPANY.
The Lawrence Woolen Company was incorporated in war times, 1864, and its projector and principal founder was Capt. O. H. Perry, who is also the head of the house of Perry, Wendell & Fay, Boston, the selling agents of the mills. George P. Upham of Boston, is treasurer, and Captain Perry is the local agent, residing in AAndover, and frequently visiting the mill. The corporation has, in a financial view, been straight from its incorporation, though, like other manu- factories, especially of woolen goods, it has suffered considerably from the business depression, but is at present "holding its own." The corporation has a capital stock of $150,000, runs one mill of 32So spindles and 47 looms, employs 125 hands, and manufactures 240,000 yards of woolens per annum, from 156,000 pounds clean wool. The power is furnished by one four-foot water wheel. The products are all kinds of fancy woolen goods for men's and women's wear, especially for cloakings. A specialty is also made of fine woolen shawls, which are manufactured in great variety.
ARLINGTON MILLS.
The Arlington Mills are the youngest of our larger manufacturing establishments, and during their thirteen years' existence have won a brilliant reputation. The act of incorporation was secured in 1865 by Messrs. Robert M. Bailey, Charles A. Lombard, Joseph Nickerson and George C. Bosson, who comprised the stockholders, and the mills were started with a capital of $200,000. The original name was "Arlington Woolen Mills," and the carly products were only fancy shirting flannels and wool felted fabrics. In 1866 the buildings were totally destroyed by fire, but rebuilt the following year, when the capital was increased to $240,000. The tariff of 1866, which had . given a stimulus to the worsted industry, encouraged the manage- ment to embark in the manufacture of women's worsted and cotton
.
JOHN K. NORWOOD,
Insurance, Real Estate, Loans, &c. Office 6 Lawrence St. : residence 62 Eutaw Street. Has been in Lawrence 21 years. Born at East- port, Me., August, 1837. Common School education. Worked in dry goods store in early life. Has been in insurance business 12 years. In the war for the Union he served in the 9th Massachusetts Battery three years. Received bullet wound in the right lung at Gettysburg. Mr. Norwood represents in his insurance business, the Phoenix, N. Y. ; Fire Association, Pa. ; Merchants and American, Newark ; Girard, Pa. ; Phoenix Life, Hartford ; and Citizens and Merrimac, Dwelling House Mutuals with combined assets of $20,785,- 787.63. Losses have been paid to the following parties : J. Stowell, D. Saunders, D. Spurr, L. Ladd, Briggs & Allyn, A. Ordway, A. J. French, J. Killalee, Steel & McDonald, H. Plummer, J. Gaffney, G. W. Hills, Es- sex Co., M. S. Dodge, T. Wilkinson and others to the amount of $65,000.
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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
dress goods, for which a large quantity of new and modern machinery was secured. Many difficulties were encountered in establishing the new enterprise, and less determined men would have become dis- heartened and abandoned the venture. In 1869 the company be- came financially embarassed, but the stockholders paid into the treasury the whole amount of the capital, $240,000; a change in management was also made, by the election of Joseph Nickerson for president, and William Whitman for treasurer and general agent.
The local managers are Samuel Smith, superintendent, Chas. Wain- wright, cashier. In 1871 began the work of remodelling and in- creasing the productive capacity of the works, and since then there have been large additions of machinery and buildings. In 1875 the Legislature changed the name to "Arlington Mills," dropping the word "Woolen ;" in 1876 the capital was increased to $320,000, and in 1877 again increased to $500,000. To the treasurer, Wm. Whit- man, and the local superintendent, Samuel Smith, the corporation is largely indebted for its success, which is now at its high tide. The capacity of the mills for the manufacture of worsted and dress goods is being largely increased the present year by the erection of a dye house, giving three times the capacity for coloring, the mills have had heretofore. To do this required the re-location of the canal, but by the aid of the big Corliss engine the mills have been kept contin- ually running.
One feature has been adopted at these mills that is of great advan- tage to the operatives, and that is the weekly payment of the help. Every employe of the corporation receives his or her pay every Saturday night,-a plan that might with advantage be adopted by every corporation in the city.
The products of the mills are, especially, black alpacas, mohairs and brilliantines, a class of goods these mills were the first in this country to successfully manufacture, and which it was believed could not be successfully made elsewhere than in Bradford, England ; but the
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Arlington has fully demonstrated that they can be made in the United States quite equal if not superior in every respect to the fabrics made in Europe. The award for these goods at the Centennial Exhibition was accompanied by a very flattering commendation. The corpora- tion has two mills, 6336 spindles, 508 looms, employs 350 females and 232 males ; 5200 pounds of cotton yarn, and 13,000 pounds of clean wool are used weekly, and each week 100,000 yards of goods are manufactured and dyed ; 2200 tons of coal and 3800 gallons of oil are used per annum; the motive power is supplied by three Swaine water wheels of 200 horse power, and one Corliss engine of 300 horse power. The help employed is of a superior class, and the utmost harmony exists between the management and employes. The selling agents of the mill are Lawrence & Co., Boston, and Thomas T. Lea & Co., Philadelphia.
WRIGHT MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
The Wright Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1873, the incorporators being A. W. Stearns, A. S. Wright, and A. J. French. For some time the manufacture was largely confined to cotton and alpaca braids, but a little more than two years ago this corporation introduced the manufacture of fine mohair braids, and by processes of their own invention, they are enabled to produce the finest and nicest braids of the world, and at prices that defy competition. The enterprise has been one of marked success from the beginning. They make every variety of pure mohair for trimming and binding, from one to twelve fil, and widths from two to twenty-four lines. About one-half the production of the mill is at present mohair goods.
The capital of the company is $60,000. There are 125 hands employed, and an annual production of goods amounting to about $350,000. The officers at present are A. J. French, President ; A. W. Stearns, Treasurer and selling agent. Directors : A. W. Stearns, A. S. Wright, C. W. Stevens ; Clerk, Wm. L. Wardman.
. CHARLES RUSSELL MASON,
Of the firm of Chas R. Mason & Co., Hardware Dealers, 327 Essex Street, his brother Eugene J. Mason being the other member of the firm, which has been a successful one for many years. Mr. Mason came to this city twenty-three years ago, and established the business in which he is still engaged. He resides at 265 Haverhill Street, and has a family. Born at Cambridge, Mass., March 22, 1832.
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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
These nine embrace all the concerns doing business as corpora- tions in the manufacture of cotton and woolen fabrics within the city limits. All of them derive their chief power from the waters of the Merrimack, with the exception of two, the Everett Mills and the Arlington Mills, these being upon the Spicket river. Water supplies the cheapest motive power for the manufacture of cloths, but from the introduction of steam engines in all the principal mills, some of them of sufficient power to drive the whole works, it is patent that both agencies are necessary for the greatest success.
IX. MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION.
* This chapter is devoted to a brief epitome of the political history of Lawrence, not that anything startling or out of the common course has occurred, but for the reason that no fair estimate can be made of the growth and stability of any municipality without some knowledge of how its public trusts have been administered. In com- mon with other municipalities, Lawrence has sometimes felt the ill effects of substituting Policy for Principle. Too frequently men poorly calculated by nature or education for public trusts have been elected to public stations ; but as a general thing the government of the town and city has been wisely administered. Perhaps in no city in the Commonwealth have political parties been more evenly divided than in Lawrence. The soil has been almost invariably barren for the growth of any party outside of the two great national divisions, Republican and Democrat. The Labor Reform party, as a party, had a brief existence, because one or both of the great divisions adopted its chief principles. The Prohibitory party has had an ex- istence since prohibition became an issue ; but at best its growth has been slow and it has failed to mark its impress, or make its influence felt to any great degree. Not that its supporters were not honest in their belief or earnest in its application, but because the general sen- timents of the public and the principles of their professions were not in accord. " Knownothingism," like the measles or any other * We are indebted to City Clerk J. E. Shepard for information contained in this chapter.
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JOHN CALVIN DOW,
Crockery and Plated Ware, 302 Essex St. ; residence, 9 East Haver- hill St. Came to Lawrence April 20, 1847. Born at Plaistow, N. H., Nov. 9, 1824. Spent seventeen years upon the farm with his father. Educated at country school and Lowell high school. Worked on iron in Lowell. Established the book and stationery business on Common St., Lawrence, 1847, from which he retired Nov., 1870, entering the crockery business in 1872. Married Mary Grafton Fenno, Dec. 3rd, 1850 ; has four sons. Attends Grace Episcopal Church. The estab- lishment of the Lawrence Public Library is largely due to the exer- tions of Mr. Dow, and he is at present a member of its board of trustees.
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QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
epidemic, had its run and for a time carried everything before it, and during the war the Union sentiment and the Union party held full sway ; but since the, war with occasionally an exceptional year, the contest for supremacy has been between the two great parties, and party lines definitely and rigorously drawn in Municipal as well as General elections. Now and then a " Citizens " movement has been inaugurated and carried through successfully ; but a careful analysis of the interests which gave rise to the movement develops the fact that such movement generally originated in the party least hopeful of success at the polls, and while the great mass supporting it were hon- est and single minded, we feel constrained to say, that a few profes- sional politicians found in such occasions an excellent opportunity for the development of their talents.
Perhaps the only election ever held in Lawrence where party poli- tics did not directly or indirectly exert an influence was on the occa- sion of the first town meeting which was held Monday, April 26th, 1847, under a warrant issued by Dan Weed, Esq., directed to Charles S. Storrow. The charter had just gone into effect, the inhabitants were practically strangers to each other, and under these circum- stances the best men were sought, regardless of party affiliation. Henry Flanders, a practising lawyer here, afterwards an eminent lawyer in Philadelphia, was elected moderator and E. W. Morse, town clerk ; Daniel Saunders was elected treasurer, and the board of selectmen consisted of William Swan, Charles F. Abbott, Nathan Wells, James Stevens, and L. D. Brown ; and for school committee men choice was made of James D. Herrick, Wm. D. Lamb and Dan Weed.
At a meeting held Friday, April 30th, in the same year, the town voted to raise four thousand five hundred dollars for town charges ; twelve hundred dollars for the "repair and support of highways, town ways and bridges," and two thousand dollars for the support of schools for the year ensuing, and Bailey Bartlett was elected collec-
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tor of taxes at a compensation of one per cent., which subsequently was made two per cent. The town also voted the " necessary sum or sums of money " to purchase two fire engines, and two thousand dollars for the purpose of building two school houses. The town being in a crysalis state, other town meetings as the needs of the town required were held during the year for the transaction of, to us, apparently unimportant business, but to them fraught with great responsibilities.
The March meeting of 1848 for the election of Town officers, witnessed the introduction of party lines in municipal affairs. Had the welfare of the nation depended upon the result, no greater emu- lation or resolution could have been displayed than was manifested.
William D. Joplin was elected Moderator on the first ballot, as was William Morse to the office of Town Clerk. For the other officers several ballots were taken and four attempts were made to elect selectmen before the board was filled, with the following named per- sons : David J. Clark, Charles F. Abbott, William D. Joplin, Levi Sprague and John M. Smith. No better success was had in the bal- lotings for the remaining officers. Somuch time was spent in this manner that an adjourned meeting was necessary for the transaction of the greater part of the business called for in the warrant. It hav- ing been voted to build a Town House its place of location became a mooted question. The suggestion to locate it on Jackson street, between Orchard and Garden streets was rejected. It was then de- cided to locate the building west of Appleton street and the proposi- tion to locate it where it now is, was voted down, and a motion to build on the corner of Lawrence and Common streets was carried by ten majority, which vote was subsequently reconsidered and the pres- ent location decided upon, and under the direction of a special com- mittee the building was erected, Charles Bean being the agent of the town. A motion to build a hall capable of seating three thousand people was carried, but the committee evidently did not closely fol-
EBENEZER B. CURRIER,
Real Estate Broker, 181 Essex St., Lawrence, Mass. ; residence, 144 East Haverhill St. Born in Amesbury, Mass., May, 3, 1813. Went to Lowell in 1837, and worked at clerking a few years, subsequently en- tering the retail boot and shoe business on Merrimack St., manufactur- ing both for the wholesale and retail trade. Moved to Lawrence in 1847, and started the same business, in which he continued until 1852, the firm name being Footman & Currier. Representative to General Court in 1851, and it was through his efforts that the courts were re- moved to this city from Ipswich. Assessor the year the city charter was adopted and the year following. County commissioner for six years, beginning with 1855. Was inspector at State alms house in 1856-7. One of the inspectors at the house of correction in this city in 1865, and held the office six years. Has been justice of the peace since 1867.
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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
low the instructions. Subsequent town meetings were as turbulent until the town became a city, and, generally speaking, the Whigs were in the ascendancy, although now and then a Democratic select- man or other town officer was chosen. The selectmen in 1849 were Levi Sprague, Charles F. Abbott and Isaac Fletcher. In 1850, Ar- temas Parker, Jr., William R. Page and William Gile. In 1851-52, William R. Page, Levi Sprague and Joseph Norris.
Our beautiful Common was the subject of much animated discus- sion in the town meetings held in 1848. The first recorded expres- sion relating to it appears in the records of the meeting held April 17th, 1848, article 3d of the warrant being, "To see if the town will accept the land set apart by the Essex Company for a Common, and act thereon." Under this article a committee of five, consisting of S. H. Stevens, Ivan Stevens, A. Stevens, Jr., M. D. Ross and A. D. Blanchard, were appointed to confer with the Essex Company as to the conditions upon which they will deed the Common to the town." The committee reported the same day that "The Essex Company are not prepared to make any definite proposals of terms of deed." This report was accepted and the committee discharged.
A motion to instruct the selectinen "to accept a conveyance of the land laid out for a Common by the Essex Company," with such restrictions by the company as were not objectionable was amended by directing the appointment of a second committee of conference, which consisted of D. Saunders, Jr., J. D. Herrick, S. H. Stevens, Wm. A. Goodwin, and G. W. Sanborn, whose duty it was to ascertain the terms upon which the company would convey the land and the report of the committee was finally acted upon at a meeting held September 23d, the second article in the warrant being "to see if the town will accept the Common upon the conditions stated in the report of the committee appointed to confer with the Essex Com- pany, etc." The vote being taken it was voted "not to accept the Common upon the conditions made by the Essex Company." At an
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adjourned meeting held October 7th, the voters had evidently re- ceived more light as to the intentions of the Essex Company for the records of that meeting are, "Charles Murch who voted with the majority moved a reconsideration of the vote passed September 23d, in relation to the acceptance of the Common," and the records con- tinue after a vote to reconsider had been adopted, "Voted that the Common be accepted upon the conditions made by the Essex Com- pany."
We have not space to spare for more than an outline of those early days. The town records of those times contain a mine of statistical wealth but valuable chiefly to the few who survive those days or the statistician. We have briefly touched upon the salient points in which the acts then done have directly affected to a greater or less ex- tent the men and matters of the present day. They were earnest men, energetic men ; they were and are the only kind of men that can found and build up a city. They had commenced a vast under- taking but they did not neglect small things. They were building for the future, and they "builded better than they knew." They were Democratic in its broadest and best sense, and believed in the gov- ernment of the people by the people, and they zealously guarded every right. Their acceptance of the Common is an instance of this. They did not fail to appreciate the vast advantage of the gift of the Common by the Essex Company, but the tender was hampered by conditions which at first they deemed inimical, and they did not hesitate for a moment to decline its acceptance, and when the condi- tions were explained and fully understood, they with practical unan- imity accepted what they had previously rejected. If one doubts their manliness and independence, they have but for a moment to consider that upon the Essex Company depended the material 'wel- fare of the town. The land, the power, all were vested in the great corporation, but the people neither truckled or bent the knee that "thrift might follow fawning," but sturdily kept their manhood ,and their example has been felt all through the corporate life of the city.
DANIEL HARDY,
Residence, 268 Lowell Street. Has resided in Lawrence since May, 1846. Was born at Newburyport, Dec. 14, 1816. He was employed by the Eastern Railroad in Newburyport three years, and at Boston five years. He was connected with the Boston & Maine Railroad at Lawrence for twenty-eight years. Married to Ann P. Simonton of Portland, Oct. 27, 1844 ; has one child. Is connected with the Eliot Congregational church. Mr. Hardy served as school committeeman from 1856 to 1870 and from 1873 to 1876, making seventeen years. Was councilman in 1853, filled a vacancy in 1854, and was a member of the aldermanic board in 1866.
HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
With the acceptance of the City Charter came, new duties, new responsibilities, and the clear cut outlines of individualism faded away, with here and there an exception, and men became merely the mass.
At the first city election in 1853, there were about 1000 names upon the voting list, and from the closeness with which the list was voted, (as shown by checks) it is inferred that nearly every one took an active interest in the proceedings. Of the voters upon the check list at that time about two hundred remain in the city to-day. Follow- ing is the list of those living here at present, as near as can be ascer- tained who voted at that election :
Armington, Pardon H.,
Barker, Ebenezer,
Allison, Samuel,
Barnes, T. P.,
Andrews, W. H.,
Beetle, John,
Ambrose, Nathaniel,
Blood, L. L.,
Ames, Samuel,
Brown, Asa N.,
Ayer, Perley,
Bryant, Amasa,
Ames, Benjamin,
Burridge, J. Q. A.,
Armstrong, H. S.,
Burridge, William,
Blood, Albert,
Butler, Frederick,
Bailey, Heaton,
Buxton, Alonzo,
Barr, Thomas,
Cabot, George D.,
Bartlett, Bailey,
Chandler, H. P.,
Battles, J. P.,
Chadbourne, Benjamin F.,
Belcher, Hiram, Blanchard, A. D.,
Clark, A. C.,
Clement, H. D.,
Baldwin, Munroe, Brewster, A. R.,
Conway, Thomas H.,
Briggs, Alanson,
Chase, Charles,
Bunker, A. S.,
Clark, A. P.,
Berry, S. H.,
Colby, J. S. M.,
Bodwell, Asa M.,
Currier, E. B.,
Chapman, E. L.,
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Cheney, Bradford, Churchill, Alfred,
Fogg, James A.,
Fairfield, James M.,
Colby, William W.,
Fletcher, Isaac,
Currier, Alonzo K., Churchill, John,
Fay, A. M.,
Farnham, J. W.,
Cate, T. J.,
Flanders, Freeman,
Cahill, James,
Fuller, George A.,
Carter, Levi,
Farrell, Henry,
Clark, Albion G.,
Fisher, William,
Clifford, Thomas,
Gallison, William B.,
Closson, C. C.,
Gardner, Isaac B.,
Crouse, John F.,
Gale, John,
Caufy Edward,
Griffin, Benjamin,
Chandler, Abiel R.,
Giles, A. W.,
Carter, Levi H.,
Gleason, Justin,
Carter, Ebenezer,
Glidden, J. D.,
Clark, James,
Goodrich, A. W.,
Colby, John,
Gould, Samuel,
Drake, N. P.,
Holt, Nathan,
Dow, John C.,
Hosmer, Abner,
Drew, J. D.,
Ham, H. S.,
Durant, Adolphus,
Ham, F. B.,
Drew, F. C.,
Harmon, Nathan W.,
Dana, David,
Hart, John,
Damon, H. P.,
Herrick, E. B.,
Doland, John J.,
Hills, George W ..
Dolloff, E. B.,
Hoadley, John C.,
Daly, Andrew,
Hutchinson, James S.,
Davis, S. M.,
Hatch, Seth,
Donovan, Timothy,
Higgins, Amos,
Durgin, H. J.,
Houghton, N. P.,
Edwards, Franklin,
Hutchinson, John L.,
DAVID DANA,
Physician ; office and residence, 35 Jackson St. Has been in Law- rence about 30 years. Born at Dedham, Mass., 1825. Was kept at school when young, and graduated from Harvard Medical College in 1847 ; spent one and one-half years in Boston public institutions as a physician. Married Dora Clark, in 1851 ; has two children. At- tends Grace Episcopal Church. Has practiced medicine ever since coming to Lawrence. Was nearly two years in the War of the Rebellion, as surgeon of the Ist Mass. Heavy Artillery ; taken prisoner at or near Centralville, in 1862, when from continued exposure to malarial poison in Virginia, he was sent home sick and obliged to re- sign. He has a pass given while prisoner by Gen. Lee, returning him to his regiment. Was the first city physician of Lawrence, and also the first physician appointed for the Jail and house of correction.
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