USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > North Brookfield > History of North Brookfield, Massachusetts. Preceded by an account of old Quabaug, Indian and English occupation, 1647-1676; Brookfield records, 1686-1783 > Part 30
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" The business increased gradually, so that in the year 1832 it had grown from " the day of small things," to an annual production of 65,000 pairs, of the cash value of $52,000. Tyler Batcheller, who had learned the trade in Grafton, worked as journeyman for Mr. Ward 8 years, living in his family. Ezra Batcheller learned the trade of shoemaking at Mr. Ward's, and lived in his family 6 years. Others who served an ap- prenticeship with Mr. W., and afterwards went into business for them- selves in this town, were, Gideon B. Dewing, Samuel S. Edmands,
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Solomon M. Edmands, William Johnson, Hiram Ward, Charles Duncan, Daniel Whitney, Jr., Edmund Smith, Charles Newcomb ; and Harvey Bel- cher, Otis Waite, John F., Jeremiah and Cheney Dewing, Otis Daniels, Amphion Gates, Henry and Rice Johnson, Joseph W. and Moses Thomp- son, Ezra Green, Tilly P., and Wm A. Snow, Nymphas Whiting, Dexter, and Elisha P. Perry, Wm H. Ayres, Dennis Ward, Harrison Harwood, Charles Adams, Marcus Hitchcock, John Haven, Levi Hamilton, and others, learned the trade, and made it the means of a livelihood.
" Mr. Ward's business was largely extended ; and when the ‘hard times' of 1837 came on, he was obliged to yield to the pressure, with all the other firms in town. His health soon gave way, and he did not resume business. He died in 1839, leaving an honorable reputation for integrity and faithfulness in every relation in life, and unassuming man- ners that won the regards of all. His large family were well educated, both at home and at school. His wife was a lady of distinguished do- mestic qualities, as well as devoted piety."
T. AND E. BATCHELLER. - The following account of this firm, and the men who were associated in its management, was prepared by Mr. Charles Adams, Jr., and was the last literary work of his life. It is printed, without alteration, from his manuscript.
Of all the men who have been citizens of this town since its incorpora- tion, no one, probably, has done so much to promote its material growth and prosperity as Deacon Tyler Batcheller ; and a history of the town, without a brief sketch, at least, of his active and useful career, would lack an essential element. He may truly be- called the founder of the now large and flourishing central village of North Brookfield. He was born, as will be seen in the genealogical record, Dec. 20, 1793, in the town of Sutton, where he lived with his father till April 1802, when the family removed to this town, which, however, was then the North parish, or "Second Precinct in Brookfield "; his father purchasing of Solomon & Edmund Matthews by Deed Aug. 19, 1801, and for many years occupying the farm ever since known as the " Batcheller place ", now, (1885) owned by J. Winslow Bryant. At an early age, probably in his 15th year, he went to Grafton and learned the trade of shoe-making of Mr. Nathan Johnson. At the close of his apprenticeship there he re- turned to North Brookfield, and was employed in the establishment of Mr. Oliver Ward who, in 1810, had commenced in this town the manu- facture of " sale shoes ", the first and only manufactory of the kind in the State, west of Grafton. In the family of Mr. Ward he found a pleasant and congenial home for about eight years.
In 1819 he commenced business on his own account, at the " Weth- erbee house", so called, which stood on the spot now occupied by the house of Mrs. Erastus Hill. Having married, the same year, he resided
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Erva Batcheller
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FIRM OF T. & E. BATCHELLER.
there with his family ; the back part of the house serving as his manufac- tory. At first his entire business consisted only in what shoes he could make with his own hands ; soon, however, taking into his service one or two apprentices, and his brother Ezra, who had already learned the trade of Mr. Ward. The first shoes he made were chiefly of a low priced qual- ity, specially adapted to the Southern trade. These he packed in empty flour-barrels and consigned to Mr. Enoch Train, who in those days ran a line of sailing packets between Boston and Havana. On these small consignments a large per cent. of profit was realized. In 1821, he pur- chased the "Skerry house " and farm in the centre of what is now the main village of the town, expecting to enter into possession the first of the following April ; but in February 1822 his dwelling and shop at the Wetherbee place were totally destroyed by fire, and he at once removed his family to his new purchase, the "Skerry House ", where he resumed and continued his business in an out building on the premises, until 1824. In that year, having previously taken into his service several ad- ditional employes, he built a small two story shop, which is now a part of the immense structure known far and wide, as the " Big Shop ", into which, January 1, 1825, he removed his business, and at the same date took into partnership his brother Ezra, continuing the same business, though somewhat enlarged, under the firm of T. & E. Batcheller. - From this time forward to the end of his life, the two brothers were associated as partners through all the changes in their business ; and in giving a his- tory of it, their names cannot be dissociated. Tyler, the senior, attended to the purchase of stock and to all other business abroad ; while Ezra was the efficient and popular Superintendent, almost always at home, and at his post, giving direction to all matters pertaining to the manufactory. - Harmonious in all their business relations, and interests, as well as in all measures devised for the public weal, the act of one was the act of both ; and in most matters their names were usually coupled, and they were familiarly spoken of as " the Deacon and Ezra ".
They now added to their business the manufacture of "Batcheller's Retail Brogan", an article adapted to the New England trade, and kept for sale in all the stores in this and many of the neighboring towns ; their main business, however, being the manufacture of goods for the Southern and Western States. The firm of T. & E. Batcheller con- tinued, with a constantly increasing business until January 1, 1830, when, by the admission of Freeman Walker, it was changed to "T. & E. Batcheller & Walker ". The business having largely increased, the factory was now enlarged to three times its original size. In 1831, they intro- duced the manufacture of Russet Brogans, specially for the trade of the Southern States - the first that were made in Massachusetts. They soon became a leading article in the shoe trade and continued to be so
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SECOND PRECINCT-NORTH BROOKFIELD.
for many years. Mr. Walker retired from the firm in 1834, and the firm resumed its former style of "T. & E. Batcheller ". At this time the busi- ness had increased from its small beginnings to what was then considered very large ; but the manufacture for an entire year then was probably no more than the product of a single week in the "big shop " at the pres- ent time. Nothing that could properly be called machinery had been introduced to prepare the stock for bottoming, none of which was done in the factory, but was put out and done by workmen in their small shops in this, and most of the towns in the vicinity - in some instances the stock was carried to a distance of twenty to thirty miles.
The firm of T. & E. Batcheller continued until June 10, 1852, when Charles Adams Jr., Alfred H. Batcheller, William C. King and Hervey J. Batcheller were admitted to the firm, and its style changed to T. & E. Batcheller & Co .; meanwhile a store had been established in Boston for the transaction of their business, and Tyler Batcheller, had found it ne- cessary, for greater convenience, to remove his residence to Boston the latter part of 1848. - Mr. Adams retired from the firm January 1, 1860, the firm name remaining the same, and Hervey J. Batcheller retired soon after. The business had then increased, from the day of small things, - to nearly a million and a half of dollars annually. In April 1861, the Southern rebellion broke out, paralyzing for a while, almost the whole business of the country. This firm suffered with the rest, and their business being very largely with the Southern States, their losses were proportionally large. A suspension was inevitable, and they were tempo- rarily under the general financial cloud. But an arrangement, highly honorable to them, was soon made, and in a few months they were enabled to pay, and did pay every dollar of their indebtedness, principal and interest. But Tyler Batcheller, the founder and for years the sole proprietor and manager of the business, and the efficient senior partner of the firm from its beginning, did not live to see that fortunate con- summation. - The disappointment and anxiety caused by the apparent loss of a large fortune - the accumulations of a half century of suc- cessful business - the inability to meet present pecuniary liabilities ; the future darkened by the civil war in which the nation was then involved, the termination and result of which could not be anticipated by any human foresight ; - in the midst of this accumulation of adverse and discouraging circumstances, and probably to some extent in consequence of them, his health failed, and his constitution, never robust, and which had begun to feel the effects of advancing years, seemed entirely to give way, and after a brief confinement to his house and bed, and without any clearly defined disease he died, October 8, 1862, nearly sixty-nine years of age, - apparently of mere exhaustion of the vital powers, accel- erated, probably, by mental care and anxiety. Thus ended a life dis-
INCIDENTS IN LIFE OF TYLER BATCHELLER. 273
tinguished for industry, energy, perseverance, integrity and usefulness. If his life had been spared but a few months longer he might have seen the cloud, which overhung their business at the time of his death, dis- pelled, all the pecuniary liabilities of the firm paid in full, an ample com- petency for himself and family retrieved from the wreck of the old business, and a most favorable prospect for a future business, which, although he did not live to see it, was more than realized by the surviving partners, of whom his brother Ezra was thenceforward to the end of his life the able and efficient senior partner. Mr. King retired from the firm in 1865.
In the early years of Tyler Batcheller there were no special indications of the prominent positions he was destined to fill in the community, and in the business world. In boyhood he was noted for his mild and peace- ful disposition ; never zealously mingling with his contemporaries in their noisy and boisterous sports ; then and always modest and unassuming in his deportment ; improving to the best of his ability the very limited advantages afforded in those days for schooling. A very few weeks in the district school each winter being the extent of his school education - a defect which was ever a source of regret to him.
He was very early inured to habits of industry and economy, which he retained through life. The following incident exemplifies both traits. The first three years of his service with Mr. Ward were the last three years of his minority, and his stipulated wages went to his father ; over and above which, during that time he earned and saved five hundred dollars - a large amount for those days -the interest on which, as he told the writer, was his self-restricted annual allowance for clothing for several years - until he went into business on his own account.
He united with what is now the First Congregational church in North Brookfield, June 8, 1817. In the spring of 1818, in connection with Joseph A. (afterward Deacon) Moore, he organized and superintended the first Sabbath School in town, and for sixteen years he was a member of the supervising committee of the same. -
September 15, 1820 he was elected a deacon, when he was twenty seven years of age, and continued in that office twenty eight years - until he removed his residence to Boston.
He was married April 6, 1819, to Miss Nancy Jenks, daughter of Mr. Nicholas Jenks, one of the early residents of the town. She was a most estimable lady and helpmeet, the mother of all his children. Her early and lamented death in 1828, was a great loss to the whole com- munity. She was born August 1796, and died Oct. 5, 1828, leaving four small children - three daughters and a son. He married for his second wife, Oct. 8, 1829, Miss Abigail Jones Lane, daughter of Capt. Samuel Lane, a very worthy young lady who had been an inmate of his family
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SECOND PRECINCT-NORTH BROOKFIELD.
four years, and had the care of all his children, to whom she was now called to be a second mother ; the oldest was only seven years old at the death of their mother. She lived to see the daughters all married, and survived her husband six years. She was born at Bedford, Mass. August 1, 1810, and died at Boston, March 10, 1877.
The "Skerry farm " which he purchased in 1821, covered a large portion of what is now the central village - the whole of the northeast quarter and part of the southeast, on no part of which was there any building except the old Skerry house in which he lived until 1836, when it was demolished and a new house built on its site, and which was his home until he removed to Boston in 1848. It is now occupied as a part of the " Big Shop ", and is the southwesterly portion of it. - About 1825 the land on the streets by which the farm was bounded, began to be wanted for building lots. In disposing of them Mr. Batcheller, with a view to the development and growth of the village, rather than to his individual interest, adopted the liberal policy of selling them at only about their value for agricultural purposes, to men of good character who would probably become permanent citizens, and to workmen whose services were wanted in, or near his manufactory. The first sale was to his brother and partner Ezra Batcheller, where Frank A. Smith now lives : and in a few years those streets were lined by neat residences owned and occupied by a very desirable class of citizens. When "Grove Street " was opened through his land, and real estate had largely in- creased in value, he was asked by several individuals at the same time to set a price on building-lots, he declined, giving as a reason that sev- eral of his interested friends had intimated to him that at the prices at which he had been parting with building lots, he was doing less than justice to himself and perhaps to them. He accordingly proposed to leave the price to be made by two disinterested men mutually agreed upon, and that he would abide by their decision. The proposition was accepted, and carried into effect.
In 1848 it became necessary, for the convenience of the extensive business of the firm, that he should remove to Boston, which he did in December of that year, and as was said at his funeral, " he carried his religion with him". He attended meeting regularly at Park Street church, and November 2, 1850 he and his wife united with that church, then under the pastoral care of Rev. A. L. Stone, now of San Francisco, Cal. - September 17, 1857, he was elected a Deacon of that church, and to the close of life remained an active and devoted officer. He was also for several years a member of the Prudential Committee of that Society. -
Mr. Batcheller was an original member of the Boston Board of Trade : was chosen a member of its Committee of Arbitration, and served on other important committees.
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BOOT AND SHOE MANUFACTURERS.
In removing his legal residence to Boston Mr. Batcheller did not for- get the town of North Brookfield, where he had passed nearly half a century of his life, -nor the Church and Society there with which he had been connected more than thirty years, as was shewn by his fre- quent visits and acts of liberality and beneficence.
Ezra Batcheller, the junior member of the original firm, if less prom- inent before the public, was, equally with his brother, an efficient and essential factor in the growth and prosperity of the manufacturing estab- lishment. And to his business tact and energy is largely due the prompt extrication of the concern from their temporary embarrassment in 1861. He was a large-hearted, public spirited man, of earnest piety ; and his memory is fragrant of good deeds and an honorable and useful life.
The present firm name is E. and A. H. Batcheller and Company ; and this is the only Boot and Shoe Manufactory now in operation in North Brookfield. In 1875, as appears from the Census Report, they gave employment to 927 males and 150 females, and manufactured goods of the value of $1,817,000. Their facilities for business have been con- siderably increased since that date.
HIRAM WARD. He was second cousin of Oliver Ward, and learned the trade of shoemaking in his shop, and started in business for himself about 1830. He lived in the centre village nearly opposite the hotel. With a thorough knowledge of the trade, he combined good judgment, and Yankee push ; and his business rapidly increased, and he prospered, till 1837, when he went down in the general crash. He settled with his creditors at 622 cents on the dollar. After this he left town and located in Philadelphia, where his wife, a most estimable woman, of great energy and tact, opened a millinery establishment. This enterprise proved suc- cessful, and they accumulated a large estate. In after years, Mr. Ward came to North Brookfield, and paid the balance of his old creditors' accounts in full-an example of integrity and honor, too rare in our day.
JOIINSON and EDSON started a boot manufactory in the centre village, soon after Hiram Ward, and were equally prospered ; but went down with the rest in 1837.
DEWING and EDMANDS began the shoe business, at the old Edmands place, in 1835, where they remained doing a safe and successful trade till 1852. The firm of Edmands and Duncan took the business that year, having built a large shop on Summer street. Later the firm was Edmands, Duncan and Hurlburt. The partnership was dissolved about 1875.
According to the Census of 1837, the total value of boots (24, 1 70 pairs) and shoes (559,900 pairs) manufactured in North Brookfield the pre- vious year, was $470,316. The population of the town then was 1,509.
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SECOND PRECINCT-NORTH BROOKFIELD.
Other firms who have started in business since 1837, and manufactured boots and shoes in this town, for a longer or shorter term, and with greater or less success, have been : C. & D. Whiting, Whiting & Haskell, Whiting, Lowe & Co., Bond & Jenks, H. B. & J. N. Jenks, Woodis & Crawford, Jenks & Miller, Gulliver & Jenks, Gulliver, Duncan & Howe, Gulliver & Stone, P. K. Howe, Fullman, Livermore & Montague, Olm- stead & R. Walker, A. & E. D. Batcheller. The last named firm started in 1860, in a shop which is now the Railroad station, where they con- tinued in business till 1875.
CURRYING. - In 1855, North Brookfield made return of one currying shop, employing 4 hands ; value of leather curried, $28,467.04. “The business is job-work."
LASTS. - The statistics of 1855, give : Lasts manufactured, 28,766 ; value, $6,000.
BOXES. - In 1875, the Census Returns credit North Brookfield with wooden boxes manufactured of the value of $30,000.
POCKET BOOKS. - About 1840, several persons engaged in the manu- facture of pocket books in a small way; near that date the business went into the hands of Henry H. Sparks, who carried it on till 1876. In 1855, the published returns were : Number of pocket books made, 27,000 ; value, $10,000 ; males employed, 2 ; females, 18. In 1875, the value of goods manufactured was reported at $15,000. In some intervening years, it was much greater.
SCHOOLS. - No change of consequence was made in the school sys- tem, when the Precinct became a Town. The eight school districts remained practically unaltered, except that the Centre was divided into two districts ; and prudential committees, with full powers, were chosen in each, till 1869, when by vote of the town, the district system was abolished, and the whole care of the schools was put into the hands of the school committee. The several houses, which had been built at the expense of the districts, were appraised ; and the sum, $10,000, was raised by tax, and each tax payer credited in his bill with his propor- tionate share.
The amount raised by taxation, for the support of Schools, in different (though not consecutive) years, has been as follows : 1810, $400 ; 1823, $800; 1839, $1,000 ; the number of children in town this year, from 4 to 16, was 376 ; number in actual attendance, 470 ; school committee, Rev. Thomas Snell, Bonum Nye, Freeman Walker ; 1848, $1,200 ; number of children, 4-16, 437 ; 1855, $1,500 ; number of children, 4-16, 449 ; 1861, $2,000 ; number of children, 5-15, 523; 1868, $4,700 ; number of children, 5-15, 346 ; 1875, $7,000 ; number of children, 5-15, 761 ; 1885, $8,000 ; number of children, 5-15, 800 ; number of schools, 19 ; 1886, $9,000.
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NORTH BROOKFIELD VILLAGE, EAST OF MAIN STREET.
277
REV. DR. SNELL.
The high school was opened Aug. 19, 1857, under the care of O. W. Whitaker, a graduate of Middlebury College. The average number of scholars the first year, was 45. Average membership in 1885, 65.
SABBATH SCHOOL. - Dr. Snell says : "In 1817, the pastor commenced a new exercise on the Sabbath, the instruction of youth upon moral and religious subjects, after the close of public worship. This was done by question and answer. The attendance was from 10 to 20. The next . year, at the solicitation of a few pious females, Dea. Tyler Batcheller and Dea. J. A. Moore organized a Sabbath School, which continued through the warm season. This was repeated each summer till 1821, when at a meeting May 25, the church appointed Bonum Nye, Hervey Belcher and Walter Walker to assist and encourage the two deacons. Since then the church has annually appointed a superintendent, with four assistants.
NEW MEETING-HOUSE. - The old house at the Lower Village was occu- pied till the close of 1823, - 74 years from the date of raising the frame. The new house at the Centre was built that season, and dedicated Jan. 1, 1824. The site and building cost $6,000. "The slips were prized by the builder so as to cover the whole expense, and in the course of a few hours were about all sold at auction - none for less than the appraisal, and the rest for so much more that the amount of choice money was about $700."
The house was re-modelled in 1842 ; was lengthened by the addition of 20 feet, and beautified in 1853, and re-dedicated Jan. 18, 1854. It was again re-modelled in 1874. The clock on the tower was presented to the Parish by Dea. Tyler Batcheller in 1856.
The Chapel was built in 1854, and raised to a second story in 1860, with a view to provide a pastor's study, and accommodate the Appleton Library.
REV. DR. SNELL. - On a previous page [p. 259] was given an ac- count of the call and ordination of Mr. Snell, and his description of the condition of his church and people. The following sketch of his life and labors is prepared from statements written by himself, and facts collected by Mr. Charles Adams, Jr.
Thomas Snell was a native of Cummington, born Nov. 21, 1774; graduated at Dartmouth College, 1795 ; taught an academy in Haver- hill, N.H., one year; studied Theology with Rev. Dr. Charles Backus of Somers, Ct. ; was licensed by Tolland Association Oct. 3, 1797 ; or- dained at North Brookfield, June 27, 1798, and continued sole pastor of the church till Sept. 17, 1851, more than 53 years, and senior pastor till his death May 4, 1862, - his whole ministry covering a period of 64 years. His salary was originally $400 a year ; was raised to $500 in 1838 ; and after the settlement of a colleague was reduced to $300.
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SECOND PRECINCT-NORTH BROOKFIELD.
From the first, he appears to have secured the confidence and respect of his church, which remained undiminished till the close of his long pastorate and life.
His relations to his parish, according to his own account, were of a checkered character. A few opposed his settlement, at the outset, because of the large salary (?). A great commotion was raised, (to quote his own expressions) " by the exposure made of Intemperance ; its extent and abominations, and effects, and its alarming demands upon men's purses, which ought to be paid over, if anywhere, to the cause of benevolence." This sermon was preached Jan. 5, 1812, long before the Temperance Reformation had begun its benign work - or even the seeds of that healing tree were planted. In his conclusion, he chal- lenged his people "to curtail the use of ardent spirits so far as to save a proper sum to bestow upon the cause of Foreign Missions, whose claims he had set forth upon the last preceding Sabbath. And now, how much? Here is the subscription : - I think I can save three dollars, and pledge that amount to the cause. How much can you give, Dea. Adams? And you, Dea. Walker? And you, Esq. Hale? and so on through the congregation. The sum then pledged was $40. And this was the first money given to Foreign Missions in this Town." " . . . In 1827 several individuals agreed to use no ardent spirits, even in the most laborious seasons of the year, while engaged in their farming pursuits. This led to the formation of a Temperance Society in 1828, upon the principle of entire abstinence from the use of distilled liquors."
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