USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > History of Wakefield (Middlesex County) Massachusetts, compiled by William E. Eaton and History Committee > Part 13
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Joshua Whittemore, Boston native, who helped cover the dome of the State House with copper, built his home in 1849 on West Chestnut Street, corner of the now Whittemore Terrace, the first house to be built on the south side of Cowdrey's Hill. He manufactured fireworks and in 1861 gave an exhibition on South Reading Common. In 1850 he lost a leg in a railroad accident, and in 1862 he invented and manufactured at his home shop, for more than 33 years, the Whittemore Patent Elastic Crutch-a crutch that became known throughout the civilized world.
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In 1884 the Henry F. Miller Piano Company, removing from Bos- ton, began the manufacture of pianos in the six-story brick building in the rear of our Town Hall. Here were produced pianos of highest quality in tone and construction, employing many citizens of skill and technique. In 1884, following the death of the senior Miller, his five sons who had been associated in the business reorganized the company under the name of The Henry F. Miller & Sons Piano Company. Oui late well known citizen, Edwin C. Miller, was an able and energetic member of the firm. He was, by the way, a lineal descendant of Roger Williams, governor of Rhode Island, and of the man who made the dies for the Pine Tree Shillings and also invented and made the scythe as it is now used, and the first fire engine in America. The Miller Company abandoned its Wakefield factory in 1932 removing back to Boston.
L. B. EVANS' SON COMPANY
Antedating the history of the L. B. Evans' Son Company is the story of the business of Thomas Evans, Jr., (father of Lucius Bolles Evans) as recorded in the old ledgers now in possession of the Evans family and dating back to 1805. From these records and the records of James Madi- son Evans, also a son of Thomas Evans, it would appear that hand-turned footwear has been made by the Evans family since 1805 and probably before that date. These records show how much business was done in those earlier days by the trade and barter method.
Thomas Evans, in addition to his shoe business, operated with his brother, Amos, a so-called Variety Store at the corner of Main and Salem Streets. The local shoe makers were credited with shoes made at so much per pair and charged with merchandise from the store, and other services, such as use of horse and carriage for trips to Boston, Charles- town or Cambridge, the prevailing rate being entered at 6c per mile. A cash settlement was made every six months to balance each account.
From the years 1810 to 1815 apparently a very substantial business was carried on with J. & E. Lyman of Hartford, Vermont. Here again it was by trade and barter, the teams carting the shoes to Hartford coming back with a full load of cheese, butter and hogs in exchange, and it is surprising to note the amount of business transacted, with perhaps a cash payment of from $50.00 to $90.00 at the end of each six months period to balance the account.
Among the shoe makers listed appear the names of prominent citi- zens of that day, such as John Gould, the first Town Clerk of the town- ship of South Reading.
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Prices quoted on the merchandise of that period are also interesting- Good Brandy at 20c a quart Ceylon Tea at 90c a pound Sugar at 31/2 pounds for 42c Potatoes at 50c a bushel
Thomas Evans, Jr., died in 1832 and the shoe business was continued by his eldest son, James Madison Evans, who is reported as a prominent shoe manufacturer of South Reading from 1832 to the time of his death in 1857.
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EVA
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L. B. EVANS' SON CO. Shoe and Slipper Manufacturers for over 100 years
The L. B. Evans' Son Company, a Massachusetts Corporation, incor- porated in 1905, succeeding L. B. Evans' Son 1881 to 1905, succeeded L. B. Evans who established the business in 1841, is now the oldest shoe manu- facturing concern in the U. S. A. and the oldest manufacturing business now in Wakefield. Hand-turned footwear has been made continuously for over 100 years.
A copy of Lucius Bolles Evans' first annual inventory of January 1, 1842 shows total assets of $617.00. Mr. Evans learned his trade in his older brother's shoe shop and the brother, James Madison Evans, had an established business in Wakefield, then South Reading, from 1832 to 1857.
The first real home of L. B. Evans' footwear was provided in 1846 when L. B. Evans built a new home for his bride, and used the long ell at the back of the house for his business. This is No. 9 Salem Street, now occupied by Mr. George Hurd, foreman of the Making Dept. in the
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Evans factory. Here the shoes were only cut, finished and packed. All shoes were hand-made in individual shoe shops scattered over the farms of South Reading, Lynnfield and Saugus. The uppers, soles and heels were delivered by horse and team to the local shoemaker-farmers, and collected when finished. During the planting season and the haying sea- son, production was difficult and uncertain.
Until 1884 all shoes made were hand-sewn in the workers' own shops, but with the advent of modern shoe machinery and the Goodyear stitch- ing machine, the picture changed. A factory was built that year on Sa- lem Street, still standing, but now a two-apartment dwelling, No. 8 Salem Street, occupied by Mr. Leslie Johnston and Mr. Louis Harris. For many years, however, a good portion of the product continued to be made in the indivdual shoe shops, since hand-sewed footwear did not give up easily to the less expensive Goodyear stitched shoes, and many of the workers took great pride in their finished product.
Shortly after the factory was built a deal was made with Mr. Still- man J. Putney, who operated a contract shoe business in what was known as The Old Town Hall Building, standing on the land now owned by L. Wallace Sweetser, Main and Salem Streets. For many years Mr. Putney heeled and finished the shoes made in the Evans factory, and some old- timers can still remember the long covered bridge which connected tlie two factories, and also remember perhaps the rumble of the shoe racks being pushed back and forth between the two factories.
The year 1893, however, saw the end of this arrangement, and a new factory was built on Water Street, the present location, and thereafter all work was done under one roof and the day of the house shoe shop had passed forever.
This first factory was a small building 60 by 40 feet, three stories in height, and employed about 80 people. In 1903 a forty foot addition and a fourth story were added and other additions were made in 1911 and 1920. In the pre-war period the factory employed about 325 with an annual payroll of $500,000. At present the employees number about 275.
In 1905, at the death of the owner, Harvey B. Evans, the business was incorporated as the L. B. Evans' Son Company with John S. Grif- fiths, president; Arthur L. Evans, treasurer, and Percival B. Evans, vice- president. Mr. Griffiths had for many years previous been superintend- ent of the factory and was largely responsible for the active growth of the business.
In 1916 the Evans' Company purchased the W. S. Chase Slipper Company of Haverhill, Massachusetts, and in Haverhill the company
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made a cheaper grade of merchandise sold largely to the jobbing trade. About ten years later the Haverhill business was sold out to Mr. Grif- fiths, who at that time resigned his interests in the L. B. Evans' Company.
The company has made great progress in the past ten years as a result, in part, of its Consumer Advertising Campaign, and now holds a leading position among the American slipper manufacturers. During the past few years the business has been confined chiefly to the production of men's house slippers.
The company has been very fortunate in having a group of very able and loyal employees, especially among its executive force, and many workers have established long time records of continuous employment. The late Willis H. Knight, a shoe cutter, worked at his trade continu- ously for 51 years as an employee of L. B. Evans, L. B. Evans' Son and of the L. B. Evans' Son Company.
In past years the company made women's, misses' and children's shoes as well as men's slippers, and was the first factory in this county to introduce what are now known as "English Sandals" for the children. The company also produced the first "Dun Deer" sandals and Hollywood sandals.
During 1943 the company made several thousand pairs of heavy felt boots for the Army Transport Service and hopes to have further orders in this line.
All slippers made as now constructed are non-rationed. The only rationed shoe being made is a heavy sole leisure type shoe of pre-welt construction, a large part of this production being made for Honolulu accounts. During World War I the Evans' Company did a large business 1 with accounts in Great Britain, but in the present war it has been neces- sary to decline all export business, as production cannot exceed 100% of former years and this production is being allotted to regular accounts of years standing.
The present officers of the company represent the fourth generation in the company, Harvey B. Evans, president, and George J. Evans, treasurer.
WINSHIP-BOIT COMPANY
The Winship-Boit Company is a local industrial establishment that has made noteworthy contributions to the progress of Wakefield. For fifty-five years the company has had remarkable growth in the specialty field of manufacturing, and a well earned expansion of factory space and equipment. This company was founded in 1888 at Cambridge,
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Massachusetts, by Charles N. Winship and Elizabeth E. Boit, and a year later removed to Wakefield and occupied the third floor in the Taylor Building.
The business expanded rapidly and soon felt the need for larger manufacturing space, which was provided by construction of a new mill at the corner of Foundry and Albion Streets. Further expansion resulted in new mill construction, until today the plant comprises three large manufacturing mills making knit undergarments.
Women's knit underwear has for many years been the chief product, but at times the mills have also made underwear for men, boys, girls, and infants.
HARVARD KNITTING MILT
WINSHIP-BOIT COMPANY (Harvard Mills) Manufacturers of Merode (handmade) knit underwear
The business was incorporated in 1934 with Walter B. Winship, presi- dent; Charles N. Winship, treasurer; and Edward N. Winship, corpora- tion clerk.
The company normally has a volume of over a million dollars and during World War I and World War II has provided thousands of under- garments for the United States Army and Navy.
PARKWOOD CORPORATION
This industrial company is a Massachusetts Corporation, established in 1936, and moved from Leominster, Massachusetts to Wakefield in 1939. It is a large user of factory space in the former Heywood-Wake- field buildings on Water Street.
The business consists of combining plastics and wood, paper or cloth, which after treatments and pressing, makes a prefinished and permanently surfaced board or sheet. These are then used for decorative
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purposes, such as desk tops, table tops, wall panels, as well as novelty jewelry, cigarette cases, compacts, etc. This material can also be used to make beautiful flooring.
The company was obliged to abandon the decorative line entirely for the duration of the war, and for the past two years have been manufac- turing products concerned with aviation on 100% production for defense work.
The company was given the Army-Navy "E" Award for excel- lence on November 12, 1943, and as far as the officials know it is the only firm in Wakefield thus honored.
The volume of business and sales will be between $300,000 and $500,000 per year.
The officers are: Gordon Parker, president; M. S. Parker, vice presi- dent ; Paul B. Leverette, vice president; Harry G. Anderson, Jr., treasurer; and Lucius B. Thayer, clerk.
INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL COMPANY
The extended variety of Wakefield's manufactured products is evi- dence of the progress and stability of our industrial organizations.
In the chemical field the Industrial Chemical Company has had a note- worthy development since its organization in 1916 for the primary pur- poses of furnishing leather manufacturers with chemical products, prin- cipally leather finishes. The Company came to Wakefield January 1, 1918, and have been located continuously since that time in the Taylor Building, under the proprietorship of Albert K. Comins. The Company also manufactures materials for use in shoe factories, as well as tanneries. Its customers are widely scattered over the United States, and with a small amount of foreign business.
The business at present is principally operated by Paul H. Comins, son and Richard S. Harlow, son-in-law of the founder, Albert K. Comins.
THE PALMER ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY
The Palmer Electric & Manufacturing Company is a corporation, incorporated in the State of Maine in 1912, and in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1927.
1. Pioneer manufacturers of Enclosed, Fused Electric Switches. For a number of years the products of this Company were exclusively listed by the Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc. as complying with the highest classification applied by the Laboratories to this class of product.
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2. Pioneer designers and manufacturers of alternating current pro- tective apparatus, through the use of which, alternating current has been substituted for direct current in the congested areas of substantially every large city in the United States, with a material reduction in the distribu- tion of electrical energy costs.
3. The entire production abilities are concentrated on the manu- facture of electrical distribution and communication apparatus, with which to supply our military forces for the duration of the war.
4. Volume of business-$500,000 per annum.
Officers: President and Treasurer, Granville E. Palmer of Cambridge; General Manager, John H. Ward; Works Manager, Frank H. Myshrall; Electrical Engineer, Stewart Gauss, all residents of Wakefield.
MORRISON-SKINNER COMPANY
The Morrison-Stoddard Company was started in 1891 by Herbert Stoddard and Elmer E. Morrison who had formerly worked for Herbert Philbrook manufacturing window screens. In 1907 Mr. Stoddard retired and Arthur Skinner became a partner with Elmer Morrison and the business was then incorporated as the Morrison-Stoddard Company with Thomas Sullivan as the third member of the organization, Mr. Sullivan having been associated with the business for a few years as foreman.
In 1911 the business was changed from the Morrison-Stoddard Com- pany to the Morrison-Skinner Company. Elmer E. Morrison continued as president with Arthur Skinner as treasurer. The company built a new plant on New Salem Street, Wakefield, in 1916, and in 1921 Mr. Skinner's interests were purchased by the present treasurer, Frank E. Morrison. The company does a business in normal times which extends to the extreme South and to the middle western states, but during the present war prac- tically all of the business has been for army camps, etc. in the New Eng- land states.
It is noteworthy that some of the screens manufactured by the com- pany in the 90's are still being used, and the company has screened a great many large hospital groups of buildings as far West as the Black Hills Reservation in North Dakota, and in the early 30's screened the Shushan Airport group of buildings in New Orleans, La.
SYLVANIA ELECTRIC PRODUCTS, INC.
Sylvania Electric Products, Inc., stems from a combination of two highly successful manufacturers of incandescent lamps and radio tubes -the Hygrade Lamp Co. of Salem, Mass. and Sylvania Products Co. of Emporium, Pa.
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Hygrade Lamp Co. started in 1901 as the Merritt Manufacturing Co. of Middleton, Mass., a tiny concern which renewed burned-out carbon lamps by a process invented by Mr. Merritt.
Frank A. Poor of Salem acquired an interest in this business and a short time later bought out his partner and moved the establishment to Danvers, Mass., where it became the Bay State Lamp Co. At this time it had fifteen employees.
Subsequently, when the renewing of carbon lamps was abandoned and only new lamps were manufactured, the concern became Hygrade Incandescent Lamp Co. in 1909 and Hygrade Lamp Co. in 1917.
Frank Poor was early joined by his two brothers, Edward J. and Walter E., and to the steadfastness, courage and foresight of these three, coupled with an uncommon ability to work together, the success of the business belongs.
In 1906 a young man was employed as an electrician to help set up a new incandescent lamp factory in St. Mary's, Pa., then owned by Gen- eral Motors and later by General Electric Co. He made good so thor- oughly that he became superintendent. In 1921, when conditions were trying and the factory was about to be shut down, he showed his mettle by purchasing the enterprise, assisted by two associates, and carrying it along successfully.
This man was B. G. Erskine, present chairman of the Board. Later he built a second factory at Emporium, where he made radio tubes.
The original factory of Hygrade in Danvers was soon outgrown, so in 1916 the company moved to' a new factory in Salem. The business kept growing, additions to the plant were made and in 1918 radio tubes were added to the line.
Sylvania at Emporium, had entered the radio tube field some time before and Sylvania radio tubes had already become well and favorably known.
The similarity of products, the similarity of methods of doing busi- ness and a mutual respect and liking brought these two concerns together to form in 1931 Hygrade Sylvania Corporation. Later, to give all products a similar name, the corporation became Sylvania Electric Products, Inc.
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From this point progress was rapid. In 1932 a central New York office was established, and in 1936 a new radio tube factory was built in Salem. The company was definitely going places. It had always been in the forefront of development and in both incandescent lamps and radio tubes had made many contributions to the industry.
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And now came fluorescent lamps. Long a dream of the engineers, but never capable of practical use, the invention of a Sylvania engineer made possible the production of fluorescent lamps on a commercial basis. So the company found itself a pioneer in another line.
But this was not all. The spirit of adventure had seized the engi- neers. There were no adequate fixtures for fluorescent lamps, so it looked as if they might remain a laboratory product, with a very limited and slowly growing field. But Sylvania changed the picture. It designed flourescent lighting fixtures, established a factory for their manufacture at Ipswich, and immediately flourescent lighting came into being, to grow with astounding rapidity.
A new factory was built in Danvers to make the lamps to be used in these fixtures. This new enterprise, however, had barely got under way when the war came and with it a demand, not only for fluorescent light- ing, but also for radio tubes; and more than that, for dozens of secret electronic devices which Sylvania was unusually well equipped to make.
The demands of the government compelled the company to expand enormously. New factories, particularly for the secret electronic devices, were established in a number of different localities. And now Wakefield is added to their number.
The Wakefield plant acts as a feeder for the main Massachusetts radio tube plant at Salem. It is officered by veteran radio tube experts and bids fair to become an important part of the town's industrial life.
NEVEROIL BEARING COMPANY
The Neveroil Bearing Company moved to Wakefield from Worcester, Mass. in 1922. Its business is that of the manufacture of self-lubricating wood bearings and oilless powdered metal bearings and bushings. The powdered metal bearing business has been instigated and developed here in Wakefield. The principle of this is compressing powder, copper, tin, lead, and graphite into a bushing or bearing and machining it to the speci- fication of size required by blue print. The wood bearing is made from high quality Vermont rock maple lumber cured and dried to a very low moisture content and then impregnated with a special formula of oils and greases. The advantage of this type of bearing is largely brought about through the fact that many pieces of equipment can be installed and sealed into a case and never have to be opened to oil the bearings. The wood bearings are very largely used in textile industries where an oil can might slop over and destroy or spoil a large yardage of cloth.
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The company has enjoyed good business throughout the years in Wakefield and is gradually expanding. The equipment is used through- out the war to 90 per cent of its capacity of output. The company em- ploys approximately 100 persons which is about four times that which was employed when the company came to Wakefield. Many of its ma- chines are special machines developed and adapted especially for the work of producing bearings and its slogan is "Bearings or Bushings Tail- ored to Fit Your Needs." L. A. Burbeck is treasurer of the Corporation.
FRAEN CORPORATION
In March 1944, the Fraen Corporation succeeded the Smith; Rich- ardson Company of 338 Main Street. It is a Massachusetts Corporation, established in 1933. The company manufactures pointers for the clock, radio and gauge industries, as well as other precision stampings, also screw machine parts and assemblies.
THE NATIONAL MAT AND MATTING COMPANY
The National Mat and Matting Company, Incorporated, is a Massa- chusetts Corporation with works at the Heywood-Wakefield plant. It continues the cocoa fibre mat and matting business brought to this country many years ago from England by Harry Goodacre. The present company was formed July 1, 1938 and its products have national distribution. Raw materials come from India and England in ships arriving once a month. The average employment is forty-five worthy women. Richard N. Greenwood is president and Fred W. Siller, treasurer.
SLATER MANUFACTURING COMPANY
Slater Manufacturing Company of 24 Water Street was organized in February 1934. Its products consist principally of radiator, air and vacuum valves; defense machine products; radar equipment, for air craft; lathe and screw machine parts; drill presses, etc., a worthy sub-contract work. Charles B. Simoneau is president and Ralph S. Taylor, treasurer.
LEAD LINED IRON PIPE COMPANY
This industry-the lining of iron pipes with lead-had its beginning on June 4, 1892 when the company was organized and in 1893 began operations in the building now occupied on the northerly side of Broad- way. This industry has been successful from its inception with sales countrywide. For many years the late Thomas E. Dwyer was general manager, succeeding the inventor, the late George W. Harrington.
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SUPREME PARLOR FURNITURE COMPANY
This is a Massachusetts Corporation located at the Heywood-Wake- field plant. The company came to Wakefield in 1939, and manufactures skeleton parlor furniture for the upholsterers' trade, and gives work to an average of thirty employees. Myer Gelpe is president and Jacob Lichter is treasurer of the company.
FORMER HEYWOOD-WAKEFIELD CO.
VARIOUS INDUSTRIES IN HEYWOOD-WAKEFIELD PLANT
The Heywood-Wakefield Company's plant on Water Street houses many industries, adding greatly to Wakefield's contribution of manufac- tured goods in which defense output predominates. The firms are:
Slater Manufacturing Company-Radiator Air Valves
Palmer Electric and Manufacturing Company-Electric Switches Parkwood Corporation-Plywood Products
Bartlett-Thompson Company-Metal Spinnings
Eastern Tool and Stamping Company-Metal Stampings Paprex Company-Insulating Materials
Magnus Brush and Craft Materials, Inc .- Craft Materials
National Mat and Matting Company-Coir Mats and Matting Dine Shoe Company-Women's Shoes Hy-Grade Shoe Findings Company-Shoe Findings
Supreme Parlor Furniture Company-Parlor Frames Copley Shoe Company-Women's Shoes
Morton, Lane & Daniels-Tire Retreading
Noyes Print, Roley's Auto Repairs, Crystal Laundry, Hinds Lunch
DIAMOND TANK AND WELDING COMPANY
This company has been in operation for several years in the former Smith and Anthony Foundry on Foundry Street, specializing in the manu- facture of oil tanks.
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DIAMOND INSTRUMENT COMPANY
Diamond Instrument Company, Incorporated, and occupying the former American Reed and Fibre Company's plant on North Avenue, manufacturing precision and other instruments. Capital $250,000. Presi- dent and Treasurer, William A. Hickey; Clerk, John A. Chew.
DIAMOND FOUNDRY COMPANY
Diamond Foundry Company, a Massachusetts Corporation, occupy- ing the former Smith & Anthony Stove plant on Foundry Street. Manu- facturing metal founding and castings. Capital, $100,000. President and Treasurer, William A. Hickey; Clerk, John A. Chew.
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