History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 190

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 190

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The era of prosperity was marked by a rapid in- Dinsmore & Grouard owned the mill on Salem Street, originally built about 1850 by William Bad- ger, and now, somewhat changed in form, carried on by John Holman & Co., under the superintendence of David Kendall. crease in the number of houses. New building lots were put upon the market, and many dwellings erected. The large plain just west of the railroad station then formed part of the Carter farm and con- tained no houses. The same was true of the estate In the days when the manufacture of tin-ware and stove fittings was of considerable local importance, Tristram Littlefield began the business in Reading, coming hither from Wakefield in 1843. He still con- tinues, with the aid of his sons. just beyond it on Woburn Street, owned by the heirs of Abiel Holden. Reading Highlands, both east and west of the railroad, had but few dwellings. At pres- est all this territory is covered. The growth in other parts of the town has been considerable, although The boot and shoe manufacture is one of the perhaps not quite so great as in the sections named. ' most ancient industries of the town. It appears to

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

have been begun, independent from the usual house- hold manufacture, about 1758, by Lieutenant Joseph Bancroft. Early manufacturers, during the period of the Revolution, were Ephraim Parker and Phineas Swectser. At a later day and upon a broader basis, we find the names of Daniel Chute, 1792; Jonathan Temple, 1794; David Pratt, 1796; Silas Smith, 1796 ; Ephraim Weston, 1804; Warren Perkins, 1807; Isaac Upton, Lilly Eaton, Lorenzo Parker, H. G. Riehard- son, Wm. R. Perkins, John Adden, Abiel Holden, D. Farmer Weston, Thomas H. Sweetser and others, all of whom have passed away. Stillman E. Parker, George E. Leathe, Joseph L. Pratt, Gilman C. Cog- gin, Edwin Bassett, George A. Richardson, John Bur- rill, James H. Bancroft and Roswell N. Temple have, at various times, bcen connected with the industry, and Messrs. Jason W. Richardson, George M. Coburn (E. B. Richardson manager,) The Brown Shoe Com- pany, Clifford P. Weston and Nathan Bancroft are leading manufacturers at present.

The manufacture of hats was at one time an im- portant branch of industry here. Nathan Weston was the first who conducted it, beginning about 1812. He is said to have been the inventor and first maker of the silk hat. He was followed by Thomas Sweet- ser and Warren Perkins.

In 1840 the manufacture of coach lace was begun in Reading by William J. Wightman, who had a shop on Main Street ncar his residence, and who eon- tinued the business until 1857.

The manufacture of clocks, conducted by Messrs.' Frost & Pratt, was, subsequent to 1832, of consider- able loeal importance. Jonathan Frost began the business, manufacturing the cases only, purchasing the movements, and combining the finished article. Dan- iel Pratt soon became associated with him, and after- ward carried on the business alone in Reading and Boston, where, after his death, his son Daniel and son-in-law, Benj. M. Boyce, succeeded him. The business in Reading was discontinued about 1859.

In thus briefly alluding to the former industries of the town we must not omit the name of Thomas Ap- pleton, one of the pioneer organ-builders of America, whose genial faec, once familiar, has now passed away ; a man whose reputation for integrity was un- spotted, and of whom it is said, " His organs were, like himself, honest elear through." Mr. Appleton conducted the business of organ-making in a factory on Prescott Street, west of the railroad, which, after- wards removed a short distance, now forms part of the Howard Brush Factory.

The leading industries of the present day, besides the manufacture of boots and shoes, to which allusion has been made, arc organ-pipes, carried on by Samuel Pierce, who founded the business in 1847, and by Mr. Griffiths ; ncekties, founded by Messrs. Damon & Temple, in 1866, and others, and now carried on by Messrs. Joseph S. Temple, Charles Damon and asso- ciates ; metallic brushes, founded by J. H. Howard

and others, and now carried on by James H. Horton and E. A. Hill; organs, carried on by George H. Ryder and John H. Sole, and the works of the Reading Rubber Mills and the Middlesex Rubber Company. Besides these the manufacture of fire- works is conducted by Hyde & Co., in factories upon Lowell Street, and Messrs. Horton and Damon each make considerable quantities of paper boxes.

The few industries of the town produee an annual prodnet far larger than many suppose, and although the former leading employments have passed away yet others have taken their place so quietly as to be almost unnoticed. Many of the older citizens who remem- ber the bustle and activity of the days before the war, when Reading was a sort of metropolis to some of the adjacent towns, lament the decline of the manufae- turing interests which, it is supposed, has sinee oe- curred. They point to the flourishing cabinet busi- ness of that day, they remember the mercantile es- tablishments conducted by Fletcher, Putnam and others, and see nothing in the present condition of the town to compensate for their loss. But, after all, this decline is faneied, not real. When aggregate value of produet is considered, the industries of Reading were never so important as at present.

In 1855 Reading had thirteen establishments man- ufacturing chair and cabinet work, with an invested capital of $68,000, employing 179 workmen and pro- dueing annually furniture worth $205,000. At the same time the annual product of boots and shoes amounted to $191,500, the industry giving employ- ment to 267 males and 156 females. These were the leading industries of the town, and the war, eutting off trade with the South, seriously affected their pros- perity. Thus, in 1865, we find the annual product of furniture to be worth but $49,618, and of boots and shoes but $157,741, both values being estimated in gold. It will be seen that the latter industry suffered least.

But though these industries declined, two others showed a marked growth. The production of organ- pipes and sawed lumber increased from an aggregate value of $21,273 in 1855, to $41,771, gold, in 1865. In the building trades also an enlarged product was shown, its value in 1865 being $54,624, gold. These in- ereased values, however, were not sufficient to over- come the decrease in furniture and other prodnets, so that the total value of all manufactured goods showed a decline of nearly 31 per cent. from that reported in 1855. That this was due to the war is plaiuly seen from the statistics of the next decade. The cabinet industry partially recovered the ground it had lost, the value of products in 1875 being $119,177. The value of boots and shoes made advanced to $165,210. These industries, indeed, still showed a decline when compared with their position in 1855. This declinc, however, was more than compensated by the growth of new industries, and by the expansion in the man- ufacture of organ-pipes, the annual product of which

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rose from $10,000 in 1855, to $26,339, both values be- ing in gold. The following table shows the growth of these industries and their annual product, with aggregates for each of the periods so far compared. The valnes for the years 1865 and 1875 have been re- duced to a gold basis, so as to admit of just compari- son with those of 1855 :

INDUSTRIES.

Product, 1855.

Product, 1865.

Product, 1875.

* Estimated from reliable data.

In this comparison no account is made of certain mechanical industries, classed in the State census of 1875 as "related occupations," except tinsmithing and certain building trades, it being impossible to obtain statistics of these industries for previous years. We also present a table showing the number of es- tablishments in town at each period, together with the number employed, capical invested and value of product :

Classification.

1855.

1865.

1875.

Number of establishments

Number employed.

654

490

426

Capital invested .

$100,000

25,860

120,357

Value of product .

460,273 314,786

479,833

In the number of establishments reported in 1865 those manufacturing boots and shoes are not included, and the amount of capital returned for that year is deficient as respects capital invested in the building trades. A minor portion of the capital invested in 1855 is estimated. All values are in gold.

Although the number of establishments, capital and product increased between 1855 and 1875, yet it is an interesting fact, clearly brought out in this table, that the number of employés decreased thirty-five per cent. In other words, 426 persons, working with twenty per cent. more capital in 1875 produced more goods measured in value than 654 persons in 1855. This decrease in number employed, while the value of product increased, is partly due to the influ- ence of machinery in certain industries and partly to the change in the character of the industries them- selves, as, for instance, the substitution of an employ- ment like the rendering of tallow, in which the ratio of employés to product is small, for a distinctly me- chanical industry, like cabinet-making, in which many workmen are required.

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The facts as brought out in 1880 are presented in the following table :

Industries. establishments. No. of employés. Capital.

Boots and shoes . .

150

$24,450

$105,566

Brushes

5,000

60,000

Building

2,500

7,000

Wagons ..

1,500

4,000

Clothing

113

10,424

98,410

Fireworks

10,000

30,000

Food preparations .

9,400

73,740

Furniture

4,000

48,000

Leather .

1,900

4,200

Metallic goods

7,500

14,000

Organ-pipes

13,000

18,600

Rubber goods

1 1

8,000

60,000

Tallow.

6,000

57,000

Wooden goods

2,600

12,500

Totals

454

$106,274

$593,016

Building trades,

20,000*

54,624

62,357

Lumber, sa wed,

11,273

31,847

.. .

Pumpe, .

Neckties,

Tallow, rendered,

. .

44,643

Brush handles,

.. .

2,679

Cider,

2,250

Totals,

$455,273

$314,786

$479,833

Coach lace,

$4,000

Furniture,

205,000

$49,618

$119,177

Boots and shoes,

101,500

157,741

165,210

Organ-pipes,

10,000

15,924

26,339

Tinsmithing.

10,000

637

4,464

Clothing, men's

1,500*

3,057

2,143

Organs,

2,000*

892

416

750

49,107

714

Bread, bakers'

The item "clothing" includes neckties. No com- parison between industries, except in a few cases, can be made with the years previously given, as the basis of classification employed in the national differs from that in the State censuses. The amount of capital here returned is probably below that actually em- ployed, and in other respects the statistics presented in this table understate the facts. For instance, but one establishment engaged in building, having but three employés, is reported; but, notwithstanding these deficiencies, the important fact appears that the product has risen from $460,273 as shown in 1855, the ante-bellum period, to $593,016, or nearly twenty-nine per cent .; showing that the results of the industries in 1880, measured by the value of what was produced, considerably exceeded those of any previous time.

Nor has there been any decline since. On the con- trary, the results of the latest State census, that of 1885, indicated further progress. The capital invested in industrial enterprises was then $293,200, of which $26,020 was credit capital; $7374, land; $40,601, buildings and plant; $23,785, machinery; $14,020, tools, and the balance, $158,700, cash.

There were nine establishments manufacturing boots and shoes, the oldest dating from 1847. Other establishments were the following: Building, eight; clothing (including neckties), five; food preparations, two; furniture, three; metallic goods, seven; musical instruments and materials, two, aud brushes, wagon- making and repairing, fireworks, harnesses, lumber, machines and machinery, printing and newspaper publishing, rubber goods and wooden goods, one eaclı. The value of goods made was as follows: boots and shoes, $115,506; building work, $34,700; clothing (in- cluding neckties), $130,003; food preparations, $5,224; metallic goods, $47,535; wooden goods, $7,272 wooden ; and metallic goods, $14,300; other goods, $337,100; or a total product of $702,581. The persons employed numbered 402.

The agricultural property of the town at the same period was valued at $576,881, of which $313,229 represents land, and $213,244 buildings. The agri- cultural product in 1885 was valued at $93,341, of which $27,816 was the value of dairy products.

Product.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Reading contains one of the largest and best nursc- ries of fruit and ornamental trees, shrubs and plants to be found in the country. This was established by its present proprietor, Jacob W. Manning, in 1854. Mr. Manning has for many years been one of the fruit committee of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and he is also a member of the American Pomological Society and of several other similar organizations.

BUILDINGS .- The public buildings of Reading, while neither numerous nor particularly imposing, deserve appropriate mention. Chief among these should be placed the edifice known as Lyceum Hall. This stands at the head of Haven Street, at the corner opposite Main Street. It is a large, somewhat awk- ward wooden structure, without architectural merit, but within its walls have been held most of the im- portant public meetings of the last thirty-six years. It has virtually been the town hall, and in it the an- nual town-meetings take place, some of which have been memorable in the local annals. Here, too, occurred the patriotic mass-meetings in the early days of the late war, aud the recruiting station was at one time located in a room upon the second floor. Social entertainments without number have been given here, comprising amateur dramatic performances which, under the auspices of the Reading Dramatic Associa- tion, an organization long prosperous, but now dead, achieved more than local notoriety ; balls, among which those of the Old Assembly were in former days conspicuous ; fairs and festivals of every sort. Some of the religious societies now occupying more appropriate quarters, began their existence in this building, and if its walls had memory and voice they might give back the eloquent words of Phillips, Em- erson, Mrs. Livermore, Charles Bradlaugh and other famous orators who have here appeared upon the lecture platform. Being the only large public hall in the town, its uses have been universal and varied.

The building was erected in 1854 by a stock com- pany, Stephen Foster and Sylvester Harnden being chiefly instrumental in raising the funds. The builder was Edward Safford, and in 1871 the structure was ex- tensively remodeled and enlarged under his superin- tendence. At this time the ceiling of the main hall was raised and a gallery added. The first story has always been devoted to trade, and has containcd some of the leading mercantile establishments of the town. The Atkinson grocery store is the lineal descendant of a "Union Store " or co-operative grocery, which was the first lessee at the tinie the building was completed. Miss E. Ruggles has for many years carried ou thic dry- goods business here. The corner store was for a long time the only drug-store in the village, and for many years was conducted by Captain Thomas Richardson, now dead. Fletcher's dry-goods store, a noted estab- lishment in other days, for a time occupied part of the building, and altogether, the edifiee, though searcely worthy of mention apart from its history, is

a notable onc in the mercantile and civic annals of the town.

The Post-office has for thirty years been located in it, being removed thither from a position farther up Main Street, by Lewis Gleason at the time of his ap- pointment as postmaster in 1861, and continued by the present official, William I. Ruggles, who succeeded Mr. Gleason in 1887. We may mention in passing, that since the establishment of the post-office in Reading in 1811, it has always been located near the Common, except during a short time when it is said to have been kept in the house of the postmaster at "Hill End," so-called. The first postmaster was Col- onel Nathan Parker, a man of note, who at the time kept a tavern on the site of the present bank building. The subsequent incumbents of the office, down to the appointment of Mr. Gleason, were John Weston from 1815 to 1849, John P. Sherman, Thomas Richardson, Horatio N. Cate and C. D. Brown.

The Bank Building, so-called, on Main Street, long occupied by the town offices, was erected by the Reading Agricultural and Mechanic Association, a loan and fund institution which at one time did a prosperous business as a bank of discount and de- posit, but which was finally obliged to suspend, without loss to its creditors, however. The officers of the institution included Edmund Parker, Daniel Pratt and Thomas Sweetser, who successively held the position of president, and Cyrus Smith, Stephen Foster and Jonathan Frost, successive treasurers. Jouathau Frost and his brother Jesse were well- known citizens, who long 'carried on a dry-goods store in the building now occupied by Nathan D. Stoodley and others, at the junction of Main and Ash Streets.

In 1869 the Reading Savings Bank was iucorpor- ated, and began business in the bank building, remain- ing there until the termination of its active business in 1879.

The Reading Co-operative Bank is now the only bauking institution in the town, and this holds its monthly meetings iu this building. It is one of the most important adjuncts of the town's welfare. Or- ganized in 1886, its assets May, 1890, were $58,710, and its annual dividends to share-holders have never been less than six, and usually six and one-half per cent. A national bank is at preseut (1890) projected, and is likely to be established soon.

The Public Library is located in the bank building, and the upper story is devoted to the Masonic Lodge.

The Old South Church, at the head of the Common, is the oldest, as from its location it is one of the most prominent, of the public buildings of the town. It is the second church edifice built by the original church in the Third Parish, and was erected about 1818. It is uow owued and occupied by the Methodist Society.

The Congregational Church, on Woburn Street, is in its present form practically a new structure. It was rcmodeled in 1887, from the building known as the

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READING.

Bethesda Church, which was erected in 1849, being dedicated January 1, 1850. This Bethesda Church was considered an imposing building at the time it was built, occupying au elevated site, and having its maiu entrance through an open portico of classic de- sign, approached by a broad flight of granite steps. It was, however, of composite architecture, combining traces of Grecian detail with the ordinary New Eng- land spire or steeple. All the prominent features of the old building have disappeared in the remodel- ing, and the entrance approach has been lowered to the sidewalk level.

The Baptist Church building, on Woburn Street, and the Christian Union Church (Unitarian), on Main Street, are both modern structures, erected in 1880 and 1871 respectively. The Church of St. Ag- nes, (Catholic), on Washington Street, is also of recent date, erected in 1887.

The public buildings owned by the town include the Municipal Building of brick, on Pleasant Street, oc- cupied by the town offices and the Fire Department, erected in 1873 ; the new Union Street School build- ing, 1886 ; the Prospect Street School-house, 1887, and the High School building, on the Common. The school-honses are modern structures of the best class, every attention having been paid in their construc- tion to the requirements of heating, lighting and ventilation.

The High School building in its present form suc- ceeds the original structure which was partially de- stroyed by fire in 1887. No change was made in the re-building so far as the general exterior is concerned, except in the rear, but the interior was entirely changed.

SCHOOLS .- Reading has always been noted for the excellence of her schools. After the incorporation of South Reading, the parent town consisted of two parishes, the North and South, the latter (the present town) in 1818 becoming an independent school dis- trict. It then contained two school-houses. In 1827, the growth of the town having rendered a further divi- sion desirable, the single district was made three, designated as the Centre, North and West Districts. In 1834 the South District, comprising that part of the town long known as "Hill End," was incorporated. In 1836 the Loweil Street District was formed, and in 1844 the North District was divided. These districts, six in number, were each independent of the others, so far as concerned the administration of school af- fairs, and so remained until the abolishment of the district system in 1864.

Since 1864 the town has been liberal in its appro- priations for schools, and progressive in all things that tend to their efficiency. Its high school was es- tablished in 1856, the first regular graduation of a class occurring in 1863. The first principal was Harry A. Littell, who was followed by Philip C. Porter, now of Berkley, Massachusetts. Mr. Porter was succeeded by R. B. Clarke, who, in turn, was fol-

lowed by Luther B. Pillsbury. After Mr. Pillsbury, George L. Baxter, now of the Somerville High- School; Charles R. Brown, at present a physician in Lynn, and George W. Adams successively had charge of the school. Edward H. Peabody, now engaged in journalistic work, followed Mr. Adams. Cyrus A. Cole was appointed principal in 1868 and continued until 1880.

Since the resignation of Mr. Cole, George L. Perry, Edward P. Fitz, John B. Gifford and the present prin- cipal, Wilson R. Butler, have been in charge. The pres- ent assistants are Miss Olive A. Prescott, Miss Carrie E. Berry and Miss Emma Slack.

LIBRARIES-Among the educational influences of the town, the public library is prominent. Like simi- lar institutions in other New England towns, this is the legitimate successor of the old school district libraries, founded by aid of the Commonwealth, and of private association libraries, which, to a degree, filled the place tlie present library occupies.

The first of these association libraries bore the name of The Federal Library, and was controlled by an as- sociation numbering sixty persons, formed September 27,1791.

This was merged in a corporation in 1817, with an increase in membership. In 1831 the corporation was dissolved, the books being sold at auction. Ten years later, in 1841, an organization called the Frank- lin Library Association was formed, which supported a library for circulation among its members until the establishment of the town library in 1868.

In 1860 an Agricultural Library was established, owned and controlled by an association interested in the subjects to which it was devoted.

In 1868 the present public library was established by vote of the town, the books of the Franklin Li- brary, 462 volumes, and of the Agricultural Library, 176 volumes, being donated to it.

Dr. Horace P. Wakefield had, in 1867, offered the sum of $500 to be devoted to the purchase of books for such a library upon condition that the town would appropriate an equal amount. This sum, together with $100, a legacy under the will of T. Ward Harts- horne, was now paid, and Loton Parker, Edward Ap- pleton, Anna E. Appleton, Rev. William Barrows, John B. Lewis, Jr., and others interested in the move- ment, made liberal donations of books. In March, 1871, the library contained 2475 volumes. It had been opened in February, 1869, occupying a room in the High School building. The first librarian was Miss Mattie Appleton (now Mrs. Henry Brown), who was followed by Miss Alice Temple, and later, by the present librarian, Miss Lizzie Cox. The present as- sistant librarian is Miss Jessie Grouard. From the High School building the library was soon removed to the Perkins building, Woburn Street, and now oc- cupies convenient rooms in the Bank Building. The present number of volumes is about 8000, and the circulation, as reported for the year ending March,

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

1890, is 15,075. The books are carefully selected and catalogued.

CHURCHES .- In connection with the influence of the school and the library it is proper to consider those of the Church. The mother of Reading churches was the Church of the Third Parish (later known as the old South Church), whose first pastor was Thomas Haven. Mr. Haven was succeeded by Rev. Peter Sanborn, who, although dismissed in 1820, continued to reside in the town until his death, which occurred in 1857. Pastor Sanborn was followed by the Rev. Samuel Green, 1820-23; Jared Reid, 1823- 33; Aaron Pickett, 1833-50; Lyman Whiting, 1851- 55; William Barrows, 1856-69; and others.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 190

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1226

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226