History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 201

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 201

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Since the organization of the company the works have been in constant operation. In 1854 the axle- shop was destroyed by fire ; a new building was erected in 1859. In 1861 the present foundry building was

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

built and the old foundry torn down. On the 14th of January, 1875, the rolling-mill and forge were burned ; preparations for a new mill were commenced, however, before the fire of the old mill had died out, and on the 24th of May following operations were resumed in a new mill much larger and more convenient than the old. but on the same site.

The company employ about two hundred and twenty- five men. The buildings cover about one and a half acres of ground, the mill alone covering nearly one and one-quarter acres.

They manufacture merchant bar-iron, car and loco- motive forgings, castings, machinery, finished wagon- axles, bridge-bolts, and heavy hardware.

The Revere Copper Company .- Paul Revere & Son commenced the copper-works in Canton, Jan. 3, 1801. Previous to that time they had carried on a bell and cannon foundry on Hull Street, in Boston, which was removed later to Canton, where they con- tinued to cast bells and brass cannon of all sizes and all kinds of composition work ; manufactured sheets, bolts, spikes, nails, etc., from malleable copper and cold-rolled. Paul Revere died in 1818, and the busi- ness was carried on by his surviving son, Joseph Warren Revere, until 1828, when the Revere Copper Company was incorporated by Joseph W. Revere, James Davis, Fred. W. Lincoln, and James Davis, Jr. Since the death of the original founder the busi- ness has been continued under the management of John Revere, president, S. T. Snow, treasurer, with increasing facilities, and their manufacture includes all grades from the raw material to the finest-graded articles of rolled copper.

Neponset Cotton Manufacturing Company .- In 1824 the present stone mill, generally known as the Neponset Factory, was begun, and finished in 1825, and was put in operation as a woolen-factory by Hol- brook, Dexter & Hill. They manufactured satinets and kerseymere cloths. In 1828 the company failed, and the mill property and machinery was silent for nearly two years. It had cost four hundred thousand dol- lars, and was sold to a new company for one hundred and forty thousand dollars, the Neponset Manufac- turing Company, which carried on the manufacture till 1838, when they abandoned the business, and the property, fixtures, and machinery was purchased by Mr. J. W. Revere for fifty thousand dollars. In 1844, Robeson, of New Bedford, leased the property for ten years, and at the expiration of the term re- newed the lease for ten years, and again for ten years, abandoning the business in 1879.

In 1883 the property was purchased for thirty-five thousand dollars by James L. Little, and the build-

ings are undergoing thorough repairs preparatory to occupation as a cotton-factory.

Eureka Silk Manufacturing Company .- The silk business in Canton was started in 1839, by V. J. Messinger; but some months later he removed to Needham, where he remained five years, making sew- ings, gimps, and fringes. In 1844, Mr. Messinger returned to Canton, and in partnership with his brother, V. A. Messinger, established the business there as Messinger & Brother. They continued the manufacture of sewings and machine twist success- fully and uninterruptedly till 1863, when it was transferred to Charles Foster and J. W. C. Seavey, the latter of whom had been with Messinger & Brother since 1853. The firm-name was J. W. C. Seavey & Co. In 1869 the firm became Seavey, Foster & Bowman, who continued the business till 1881, when the proprietors formed a joint-stock com- pany for the manufacture of all kinds of twisted silk, under the name and firm of the Eureka Silk Manu- facturing Company. They have increased their busi- ness from year to year, until they have become one of the most successful and extensive manufacturers in this country. Their favorite brands, the " Lion" and " Eureka," have a high reputation. The firm have . contributed largely to the movement of putting up strictly pure dye goods, and have also manufactured and introduced measuring and strength-testing ma- chines, to enable buyers to inform themselves of the actual quality of the goods they are buying. To the enterprise of this firm consumers are indebted for many improvements in the style and quality of twist silks.

G. H. Mansfield & Co .- The privileges now occu- pied by this establishment were first utilized in 1821 by Simeon Presbrey, in the manufacture of cotton thread. He subsequently enlarged the original mill, and added the manufacture of twines. He carried on the business until 1845, when he sold it to Thomas B. Vose, who continued it until 1849, when it passed into the hands of William Mansfield. Mr. Mansfield carried on the manufacture as sole proprietor until July 1, 1858, when it was purchased by his two sons, George H. and Preston R., who have continued it to the present time. In 1865, W. B. White and G. H. Mansfield formed a copartnership, under the name of White & Mansfield, and commenced the manufacture of shoe-lace, and, in the spring of 1866, inaugurated the manufacture of braided fishing-lines. The firm of White & Mansfield was dissolved in 1866 by the retirement of Mr. White, and the busi- ness has since been continued by G. H. Mansfield & Co. They manufacture braided silk and linen lines,

MORIAL HALI

MEMORIAL HALL, CANTON, MASS.

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CANTON.

and it is a notable fact that this firm was the pioneer in the manufacture of braided lines in the United States.

The Narragansett Suspender and Web Com- pany .- The building on the west side of the Canton Junction Station of the Boston and Providence Rail- road, occupied by the Narragansett Suspender and Web Company, J. R. Wattles, proprietor, and by L. W. Wattles & Co., manufacturers of spinning and twister rings, with the entire contents, was totally destroyed by fire May 10, 1884. Mr. J. W. Wattles was the sole proprietor of both concerns, and of the buildings and land. The factory building was erected in 1865, and had been from time to time enlarged and improved and added to.

The business of making spinning rings for cotton- mills was established in 1843 by Mr. Luther R. Wat- tles, and had been carried on in Canton for the past twenty-five years by Mr. J. W. Wattles under the name of L. R. Wattles & Co. The Narragansett Company manufactured suspenders and all kinds of elastic web goods, and had a wide reputation. Arthur | J. Wattles, son of J. W. Wattles, was superintend- ent of both companies, and another son, Joseph W. Wattles, Jr., was book-keeper and cashier of both concerns.

Paper-Box Manufactory .- In 1837, Nathaniel Dunbar commenced the manufacture of piano-forte keys, on the site now occupied by the box-factory, and continued it until 1857. In the fall of that year, in company with Charles F. Hard, he com- menced the manufacture of paper boxes. That co- partnership continued until the fall of 1868, when the establishment was purchased by Mr. Dunbar, and continued by him as sole proprietor until his death, which occurred July 11, 1883. The business is still carried on under the name of Nathaniel Dunbar, by his oldest son, Francis D. Dunbar.

Thomas Lonergan commenced the manufacture of spinning- and twister-rings in 1878. In 1881 his factory was destroyed by fire, and immediately rebuilt. He has continued the manufacture to the present time.

For history of establishments of Messrs. Shepard, | French, Draper, and Morse, see their respective biog- raphies in the following pages.

Memorial Hall .- At the annual meeting in April, 1878, the town appointed a committee, con- sisting of William Horton from School District No. 1, Elisha Horton of No. 2, Frank M. Ames of No. 3, Ellis Tucker of No. 4, George E. Downes of No. 5, Thomas Lonergan of No. 6, and James S. Shepard of No. 7, to procure plans and select proper locations for

a new town hall, and directed the committee to make their report on the 17th day of June, 1878. After considerable discussion as to the merits of the several locations proposed, it was voted to build at the corner of Washington and Depot Streets.

A committee, consisting of Frank M. Ames, James S. Shepard, Elisha Horton, Joseph W. Wattles, and Edward R. Eager, was selected, and instructed to take a deed of the land donated by Elijah A. Morse, and erect a building thereon, to be called " Memorial Hall," from some one of the plans before the meeting.

The design for the building was prepared by Stephen C. Earle, of Boston.

The architecture is what may perhaps be called Modern Gothic. The underpinning and steps are of Concord granite. The walls are of brick, decorated with Longmeadow freestone and black brick. The brick are laid in black mortar. The inside finish throughout the building is of ash. The floors are of Southern pine. The main building is one hundred and one by sixty-two feet on the foundation. The main front has a projection of seven feet, thirty-one feet in width, which rises five feet above the walls of the main building. On each side, at the front, are projections of eighteen inches.

The building covers about six thousand five hundred square feet ; its extreme height is eighty feet above the grade line. The basement is eleven feet six inches high, first story twelve feet, and second story twenty- 1 six feet in the clear. The building is entered by a flight of six steps of fine hammered Concord granite, twenty feet long, ten and one-half feet wide, which are partly covered by a porch.

The marble-tiled vestibule is entered by two sets of double-folding black walnut doors, opposite which are similar doors of ash with glass panels. On the right is the ticket-office; on the left, a door to the basement stairs. The stairway hall is twenty-two by twenty-eight feet. On either side are flights of stairs six feet wide. On the right is a lobby, doors from which enter the room of town clerk and treasurer (which is fourteen feet nine inches by sixteen feet), and also that of the selectmen (which is eighteen feet six inches by twenty-four feet). Connected with these rooms are a fire-proof vault, for town records, and two large closets.

On the left is the librarian's room, which is twenty feet nine inches by sixteen feet. In the centre and oppo- site the principal entrances is a wide, double-folding door to the corridor. On either side of this door are placed the beautiful memorial tablets, a gift of Elijah A. Morse. The corridor is eight by forty-four feet.

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

On the right or south side are doors to the selectmen's room, also to the school committee room, which is six- teen feet three inches by twenty-four feet, and a side corridor sixteen feet long leading to the side entrance. On the left or north side is the library, twenty-four by forty-four feet. At the east end is the small, or caucus hall, which is thirty feet six inches by forty- eight feet six inches, and will seat about two hundred persons. The side entrance is eight by sixteen feet, and is entered from steps twelve feet in length, and similar to those on the front of the building. Doors from the side entrance enter the school committee- room, corridor, small hall, and the private stairway hall which leads to the hall and stage above. From this stairway are doors to the basement stairs and town officers' toilet.

The landing at the front stairs is thirteen feet six inches by twenty-eight feet; opposite the stairs are two double-folding doors to the audience-hall and ladies' private room. On the left are stairs to the gallery and a door to the lobby, which is fourteen feet nine inches by sixteen feet. The audience-hall is fifty-eight by sixty-seven feet, and twenty-six feet high. At the east end is a stage eighteen feet six inches deep, with opening thirty-two feet wide. On either side are anterooms about fourteen feet square. The doors between the stage and anterooms are ar- ranged to slide up, and give a stage nearly the width of the building. At the opposite end is a gallery nineteen by sixty feet.

The gallery is provided with seats for two hundred and twenty-four persons. The floor is furnished with one hundred and fourteen settees, each seating five persons. The ordinary seating capacity of the hall is nine hundred and forty-four persons, although one thousand and fifty people can be comfortably seated.

THE MEMORIAL TABLETS .- The left-hand tablet bears the names of those who were killed in battle, with the date and place where they were killed, viz. :

Walter S. Glover, at Gaines' Mill, June 27th, 1862.

John McGinley, at Bull Run, August 29th, 1862.

Edward H. R. Revere, George W. Kehr, at Antietam, Sep- tember 17th, 1862.

James Donahoe, Andrew L. Hill, at Fredericksburg, Dec'r 11-13th. 1862.

Charles E. Bootman, Stephen H. Smith, at Port Hudson, June 14th, 1863.

Robert Blackburn, Jr., John Denningham, John O'Brien, in the Wilderness, May 5th-6th, 1864.

The tablets at the right have the names of those who died in the service from disease or wounds, viz. : George W. Bailey, at Gaines' Mill.

William Spillane, at Harrison's Landing.

George C. Corbett, at Craney Island.

Charles F. Adams, at Frederick City.

Walter Davenport, at Fredericksburg.

John M. Pooler, at White Oak Church.

Charles O. Fuller, William B. Foster, John Geddis, Jerome B. Snow, Asahel White, at New Orleans.

William E. Brewster, John W. Ayer, Owen Shonsey, at Brashear City.

Thomas Curran, at Canton.

Charles C. Knaggs, Long B. Crowther, Joseph Jenkins, at Baton Rouge.

Charles D. Slattery, at City Point.

Over the door to the corridor is the inscription : " Erected to commemorate the patriotism of the soldiers of Canton, who fell in defence of the Union in the War of the Rebellion." A transom running the whole width of the group has the dates 1861- 65 repeated over each tablet bearing the soldiers' names, and the central part has the motto, " It is sweet and honorable to die for one's country."

The materials used in the construction are, for the plinths at the bottom, dark Tennessee marble. For the body of the work, a cream-colored marble deli- cately mottled, from the Echaillon quarries at Gren- oble, France, finished with a slight polish, except where it is carved. The shafts of the four columns supporting canopies over the side tablets are of red Lisbon marble highly polished. The tablets, bearing the names, are of light-veined Italian marble.

The carving consists of the arms of the Union, in a medallion on the canopy over the left tablet, flanked by branches of the oak and palm. The medallion over the other tablet bears the arms of the State between branches of the laurel and olive. The same foliage is also used on the capitals of the four col- umns. The bases of the columns are enriched with appropriate foliage, and the panels below on each side have three large rosettes. The initials of the names and some words of the general inscription are painted red and the other letters a dark chocolate. John Evans, of Boston, executed the work from designs furnished by Mr. Earle, the architect of the building.

The gift to the town of a strip of land some twelve feet in width from the Hon. Charles Endicott, also the exchange of land with James Ryan, caused the shape of the town lot to be very much improved. The appropriation for grading the lot, erecting and furnishing the building, amounted to thirty-one thou- sand dollars. The total cost, including dedicatory expenses, was thirty thousand nine hundred and sixty-one dollars and twelve cents, leaving an unex- pended balance of thirty-eight dollars and eighty- eight cents.

The hall was dedicated on the evening of Oct. 30, 1879, amid a large concourse of people, among whom

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CANTON.

were his Excellency Governor Thomas Talbot ; Hon. many years, was chosen moderator; Elijah Crane, town clerk, Joseph Bemis; treasurer; and Elijah Crane, selectmen and assessors. Henry B. Peirce, Secretary of State; Hon. Charles Adams, formerly treasurer; Hon. Seth Turner, of , Crane, deacon ; Benjamin Tucker and Col. Nathan Randolph ; Rufus C. Wood, sheriff of Norfolk County ; the selectmen of Canton, viz. : William W. Brooks, William Horton, and William O. Chapman, Esqs. ; Hon. Charles H. French, Edwin Wentworth, William Mansfield, Ezra S. Brewster, and Ellis Tucker, who have served as selectmen; Francis W. Deane, the venerable town treasurer; J. Mason Everett, chair- man, Arthur C. Kollock, Jesse Fenno, John Everett, and Thomas Lonergan, of the school committee ; Rev. Father John Flatley and Rev. Willam H. Savary ; Ellis Ames, Esq., and other gentlemen of Canton and of the neighboring towns.

From its earliest history down to the year 1837 the town had no house of its own. For a long series of years its public meetings were held in the meeting- house belonging to the First Parish ; afterwards in the Baptist meeting-house at Canton Centre. Upon the erection of a new house by that denomination at South Canton, the old house at the Centre was purchased by the town for the modest sum of six hundred and fifty dollars, and in that small building for half a cen- tury the business of the town has been transacted.

All important public events that relate to the local affairs of a town, of course, form a part of its civil history ; so that when one of these events is brought vividly before the mind, other events appear also, one after another, as they are bound together by the natural laws of association.

Canton was incorporated as a town Feb. 23, 1797, | and the act was approved by Samuel Adams, the great leader of the Revolution, as Governor of the | commonwealth. At that date its population must have been about 1000; in 1800 it was 1110; in | 1810, 1353; in 1820, 1268; in 1830, 1515; in 1840, 1995 ; in 1850, 2598; in 1860, 3242; in | Eager, William O. Chapman, Frank G. Webster, 1870, 3879; and in 1875, 4192; a gratifying in- Francis D. Dunbar, George H. Mansfield, Samuel H. Capen, Henry F. Baswell. Present committee of investment : Charles Endicott, James S. Shepard, George E. Downes, William O. Chapman, Nathaniel W. Dunbar, treasurer. The first deposit was made May 2, 1835. Amount of deposits, present time, $449,964.40. crease in each of its decennial periods with a single exception. In 1795, the whole number of legal voters in the first precinct was 140 ; in 1875, the number had increased to 733. The valuation has increased even more rapidly than the population, amounting in 1884 to $3,242,254, by the assessors' valuation, which is exclusive of corporate stocks taxed by the State.

The town from its incorporation has been generally most fortunate in the ability, character, and fidelity of its officers.

At the first meeting of this town under the act of incorporation, Elijah Dunbar, a man who appears to have served the town in almost every capacity for

The dedicatory address was delivered by Hon. Charles Endicott, and remarks were also made by William W. Brooks, Hon. S. B. Noyes, Governor Tal- bot, Elijah A. Morse, Hon. Henry B. Peirce, Sec- retary of State, Hon. Charles Adams, ex-treasurer of the commonwealth, Hon. Winslow Battles, of Randolph, Rev. Dr. Angier, of Holbrook, Sanford W. Billings, of Sharon, Rev. Edwin Thompson, of East Walpole, Horace E. Ware, of Milton, Rev. Father Flatley, Rev. William Savary, Rev. Nelson B. Jones, Jr., Rev. Mr. Davis, Ellis Ames, Esq., Thomas E. Grover, Esq., and Timothy Kaley, Esq., of Milford, N. H.

The Canton Institution for Savings was chartered March 4, 1835, with the following officers : Thomas French, president ; Friend Crane and Jonathan Stone, vice-presidents ; Trustees, Adam Kinsley, Elijah Spare, Joseph Downes, Samuel Davis, Simeon Pres- brey, P. M. Crane, Thomas Dunbar, William Mc- Kendry, Jedediah Tucker ; James Dunbar, secretary and treasurer ; Jonathan Messinger, F. W. Lincoln, Leonard Everett, Elisha White, committee of invest- ment. Thomas French, president upon organization ; Thomas Dunbar, president, April 4, 1843 ; Frederic W. Lincoln, president, April 7, 1846 ; Charles H. French, April 7, 1852, present president. James Dunbar, secretary and treasurer upon organization ; Francis W. Deane, secretary and treasurer, April 7, 1852; Nathaniel W. Dunbar, secretary and treasurer, March 26, 1883, present incumbent. The present trustees are Charles H. French, Charles Endicott, James S. Shepard, Ellis Ames, Virgil J. Messinger, George E. Downes, J. Mason Everett, Edward R.

The Neponset Bank was chartered March 31, 1836, with the following directors : F. W. Lincoln, Leonard Hodges, Leonard Everett, George H. Mann, George Downes, Jonathan Messinger, Simeon Pres- brey, Jonathan Robinson, Lyman Kinsley, Zachariah Tucker, Thomas Tolman ; President, Frederic W. Lincoln ; Cashier, James Dunbar. Oct. 6, 1845, | James Dunbar, president ; Francis W. Deane, cashier.

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Oct. 5, 1851, Charles H. French, president ; Francis W. Deane, cashier, until the organization under the National Banking Law.

The Neponset National Bank was organized March 1, 1865, with Charles H. French, president, who has continued to the present time. Francis W. Deane was the first cashier. May 24, 1880, Nathan- iel W. Dunbar was chosen cashier, and is the present incumbent. The present directors are Charles H. French, Horace A. Lothrop, George E. Downes, Charles Endicott, James S. Shepard, William O. Chapman, William L. Hodges. Capital, $250,000, Surplus and undivided profits, $83,350.78.

Military Record .- Canton furnished three hun- dred and fifty men for the war, which was a surplus of twenty-three over and above all demands. Nine ,

were commissioned officers. The whole amount of | the year in relation to the war. Recruiting, however, money appropriated and expended by the town for went on as usual, and the State aid continued to be paid to the families of the volunteers. war purposes, exclusive of State aid, was thirty thou- sand four hundred and fifteen dollars and seventy-one cents. In addition to this, fifteen thousand dollars were raised by private subscription for the payment of bounties.

The amount of money raised and expended during the war for State aid to soldiers' families, and repaid by the commonwealth, was as follows: in 1861, $564.59; in 1862, $2585.00; in 1863, $4671.16; in 1864, $3000.00 ; in 1865, $2200.00 ; total amount, $13,020.75.

The amount of money and clothing furnished by the ladies of the town for the Christian and Sanitary Commissions was quite large.

The population in 1860, 3242; in 1865, 3318. The valuation in 1860 was $2,015,398; in 1865, $2,211,313.

The selectmen in 1861 and 1862 were James T. Sumner, Ellis Tucker, and John Hall ; in 1863, Wil- liam Horton, Ellis Tucker, and Ezra S. Brewster ; 1864 and 1865, William Horton, Charles Endicott, and Ezra S. Brewster.

The town clerk during the years 1861, 1862, 1863, and 1864 was Andrew Lopez ; in 1865, Charles En- dicott. The town treasurer during all these years was Francis W. Deane.

1861. The first meeting to consider matters relat- 1 ing to the war was held April 29th, at which it was voted to provide " all suitable and necessary aid to families of volunteers living in the town," and the sum of five thousand dollars was appropriated for that pur- pose, "to be expended by a committee joined with selectmen."

1862. A town-meeting was held July 21st to see what measures the town would adopt to raise forty men

required to fill its quota. It was voted to pay a bounty of one hundred dollars "to each volunteer duly mus- tered." August 18th, voted, " that the town assume and pay an additional bounty of one hundred dollars to such volunteers as have enlisted since August 5th, to fill the quota of forty men, as voted at a public meeting of citizens and been subscribed and paid by the citizens upon the faith that the town would reimburse the same." August 27th, voted, " to pay a bounty of one hundred and fifty dollars to each volunteer enlisting to fill the quota of the town for men in the nine months' service," and a committee of citizens was chosen " to co-operate with the town treasurer in de- vising ways and means to obtain the necessary amount of money."

1863. No meeting appears to have been held during

1864. April 5th, voted, "to pay a bounty of one hundred and twenty-five dollars to each volunteer en- listing to the credit of the town, under the recent call of the President for more men." July 5th, voted, " to pay the same amount of bounty to each volunteer under any call of the President, prior to March 1, 1863."

Roll of Honor .- The following is a list of names of deceased soldiers enlisted from Canton :

Charles F. Adams, 20th Regt .; buried in Canton; died at Frederick City.

John W. Ayer, Co. A, 4th Regt. ; buried in Brashear City ; died June 5, 1863.

Robert Blackburn, Jr., 20th Regt .; killed in Wilderness 1864. William E. Brewster, Co. A, 4th Regt .; buried in Canton ; died June 3, 1863.

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History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 201

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1534