History of Westminster, Massachusetts (first named Narragansett no. 2) from the date of the original grant of the township to the present time, 1728-1893, with a biographic-genealogical register of its principal families, Part 38

Author: Heywood, William S. (William Sweetzer), 1824-1905
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Lowell, Mass.: Vox Populi Press : S.W. Huse & Co.
Number of Pages: 1082

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Westminster > History of Westminster, Massachusetts (first named Narragansett no. 2) from the date of the original grant of the township to the present time, 1728-1893, with a biographic-genealogical register of its principal families > Part 38

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313

VARIOUS INDUSTRIES.

by others coming after them, and notably by Joseph Whitman, one of the leading merchants in town for a generation, who built up this special interest into commanding and highly profit- able proportions, in connection with his regular traffie in general merchandise. At its most prosperous period, about 1840, it returned him a net income of many thousand dollars annually.

Chair Seating. To fill the vacancy made in the industrial activities of the household and community by the decline of the straw and bonnet trade, which, after a time, occurred, there came in very opportunely the business of "chair seating," as it was termed, an adjunct of the manufacture, in the town and vicinity, of those kinds of chairs, in the construction of which East India cane or "rattan," as it is called, forms an important and characteristic part of the material used. This kind of work has given, and still gives, employment to the same class of per- sons as straw braiding did, augmented by men whose health and strength enfeebled or impaired by sickness or advancing age, disqualify them for severer tasks. For fifty years or more it has been followed greatly to the advantage of the public at large, being, as it is, not only the principal or sole source of income to many families, but an important auxiliary to the gen- cral thrift and prosperity.

Berry Picking and Preserving. Not unworthy of notice in this review is the double industry growing out of the abundant production of various kinds of wild berries in the pastures and meadows of the town. Not a few farms, reduced in value in other respects, have yet, by reason of this newly developed source of profit, been able to retain something of their old-time importance as possessing resources from which means of liveli- hood may be derived and a supply of many of the comforts of life. The income to many individuals and families, arising from the simple picking of berries in their season and sending them to the ever-enlarging market, is very considerable, such as if derived from some special trade or line of manufacture would be deemed highly satisfactory and gratifying. Moreover, it is well known that in the matter of working the berries up into various forms of preserves or other kinds of choice comestibles, one citizen of Westminster, Preston Ellis, not only attained something of notoriety in the business world, but a handsome competency or fortune. He has a successor in his son P. P. Ellis.

Silk Culture. Some attempt was made about half a cen- tury ago to establish here the silk-producing industry. Orchards of mulberry trees were set out and grown by Thomas Kendall, Jr., and possibly others in town. Silkworms were produced, and for a few years a considerable quantity of cocoons was obtained as the result of the endeavor. But the conditions proved unfavorable, and the experiment was abandoned.

Carriage Manufacturing. After the death of Joseph Minott and the consequent termination of the bass viol indus-

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HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.

try, the shop in which that business had been prosecuted was devoted for a term of years to carriage making, under the direction of Benjamin H. Whitney. More recently, Sanford Sawyer had a similar establishment half a mile east of the village on the Fitchburg road.

The Manufacture of Chairs. At what date, in what place, and by whom this calling was introduced to the atten- tion of the community has not been positively ascertained. Sixty or more years ago it was carried on in a small way by a number of persons, who were doing their work mostly by hand in little shops located here and there throughout the town. As time went on, and this branch of industry grew in size and importance, giving promise of a great future, there sprang up numerous factories in different directions, which were operated by water power, designed and equipped for the purpose of supplying the increasing demand for chair-stock. One of these was erected on Whitman's river by Charles Smith, one on a small stream west of where Eugene Gates now lives by Sumner May and Asa Ray, one in the Minott neighborhood by Ivers Brooks, one in the south part of the town by Calvin Whitney, and another just above by John and Caleb S. Mer- riam, one at the foot of Wachusett by Joel Foskett, one at the foot of Bacon street by John Lewis, one half a mile below, on the south branch of the same stream, by David B. Barnes, after- wards converted into a carriage and wheelwright shop; one near the outlet of the Town Meadows by Edmund Nichols, and two in turn, still further down the stream, by Caleb S. Mer- riam. In most of them the manufacture of chairs was estab- lished either at the outset or later in their history, the introduc- tion of machinery, after a little time, superseding to a large ex- tent the slower processes in which hand or foot power was em- ployed, thus greatly facilitating the work and increasing the production many fold.

It is not possible to present a list of all those who at one time or another have been engaged in this particular industry. Only the names of the more important ones will be mentioned, accompanied by brief notes, with a fuller account of those who have built up large establishments, and who, by giving em- ployment to considerable numbers of people, as well as other- wise, have contributed very essentially to the prosperity and well-being of the community.

So far as has been learned, Nathaniel Wheeler, son of an early settler of the same name, was the first person in town who took up chair making as a distinctive calling in life. He resided for some years on the place near Gardner line now owned by Mr. J. Brown, and there he plied his useful trade. He made the old-fashioned, high-backed style of chair, so well remembered by elderly people, having straight posts and stretchers, with seats and backs of thinly split wood about three-fourths of an

315

THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAIRS.

inch wide neatly interwoven and securely fastened to the frame. It had a rustic appearance, and served an excellent purpose in its day. More solid, elaborate, and artistic styles came in at a later period, of which, however, little in this connection can be said.

John Derby was undoubtedly one of the earliest chair makers in Westminster. He lived on the John K. Learned place, and had a shop on the site where the one used for blacksmithing was afterwards located. His son, Almon Derby, was also a chair maker, well-known in his day, doing business in different localities-at or near his father's place, in a part of the old grist- mill at Wachusettville, and at his later residence on the North Common road. For a few years John Edgell, now of Gardner, was his partner, and a skilful workman at the trade. Nathan Corey made chairs in the house close by the paint shop of David W. Hill, which house was built by him about the year 1820. Major Page, who owned the same place afterward, followed the same calling as he had done in other localities before taking up his residence there. John Lewis, who is supposed to have been the first maker of cane-seat chairs in town, began in the old cabinet shop that formerly stood near the dwelling of Mrs. Mar- shall Eaton, where he then lived, moving thence to his well-known residence on Bacon street. David B. Barnes started the manu- facture of chairs in the building referred to erected by him on the Fitchburg road. Asa Cutting followed the trade in the present David Hill paint shop, a part of which he built for the purpose. Edmund Nichols carried on business in the establish- ment put up by him and furnished with machinery, in the rear of the residence of the late Abijah H. Raymond, as Lorenzo D. and Albion Wheeler did in the shop of Ivers Brooks near the line of Gardner. Charles Smith engaged in the same manu- facture in his building on Whitman's river, and was succeeded by Albert Forbush, who considerably increased the amount of production there. The old mill of Jonathan and Zachariah Whitman in Scrabble Hollow having been remodeled and fitted up with appropriate machinery was run as a chair factory for sev- eral years by John Whitney, 2d, Aaron and Pearson Cowee, the Monroe brothers, John Mosman and Walter Carr, Franklin Lom- bard and Daniel C. Miles, of whom more presently. The old meetinghouse on the Common having been abandoned as a place of worship and purchased by Dr. John White, Joseph Whitman, and Stillman Brooks, was moved to the site of the former grist- mill of Ezra Taylor near Eliot street, and made ready with water power attached for mechanical uses. A portion of it was supplied with chair making appliances, and occupied for a while by Whitman and Brooks in that interest, and afterward by Joseph M. and Jerome Whitman, sons of the former. Franklin Wyman also carried on the manufacture of chairs before engag- ing in paper making, utilizing in that behalf the Corey factory and other buildings at Wachusettville.

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HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.

Among those more extensively and more continuously con- nected with the industry under review was Charles Coolidge, who began his career in the small water shop built by May and Ray in the Beech Hill neighborhood, but soon removed to the Penni- man privilege near the Center. He was in business many years, having for a time as partners his brothers, Frank and John R. Coolidge, though for the most part he was sole proprietor and manager. After his decease in 1866, the manufacture was continued by his son, Frederic S. Coolidge, until the destruc- tion of the establishment by fire. John Merriam and his son, Caleb S., fitted up a part of their sawmill in the southerly sec- tion of the town for chair making, and commenced operations in 1842. Five years later they sold to Jonas and Oliver, younger sons of John, who at the end of nine years separated, the for- mer continuing the business for a time and then disposing of it to Samuel M. Noyes, who went on with it eleven years longer, and then sold to James Harrington. The latter, however, did not engage in the manufacture of chairs, nor have they been made there since. Caleb S. Merriam, after closing out his in- terest in the south part of the town, purchased lands on the stream flowing south of the railroad station and near thereto, upon which he, in 1856, erected a shop and resumed his former trade. Some dozen or more years later he removed his chair machinery to a new mill farther up the stream, and after intro- ducing the necessary appliances commenced the grinding of grain at the former place. At a later date he gave up chair making altogether.

Franklin Lombard came to Westminster from Leominster in 1839, and began operations as a comb-maker, to which calling he had been trained. That interest declining, he purchased the property connected with, and including, the Whitman mill pre- viously used as a chair factory by Mosman and Carr, and started the chair business. He continued in it for a generation, with satisfactory results to himself and to those with whoni he was associated. He confined himself mostly to woodwork in his operations, but finally entered into partnership with Daniel C. Miles for the purpose of producing cane seat goods. Under this arrangement the facilities for business were much extended, with corresponding results. Subsequently he disposed of his entire interest to Mr. Miles, who, in company with his sons, followed along the established lines for two or three years and then suspended operations in that locality. Mr. Lombard, being advanced in years, has never gone back to his former call- ing, but remains content to share the lighter labors that are incidentally imposed on him in the quietude of domestic life and amid the comforts and satisfactions which an honestly earned competency enables him to enjoy.

The sketch of the chair manufacture thus far has been retro- spective. It belongs chiefly to the past. What remains to be

ESTABLISHES

-1848-

ARTEMAS

MERRIAM, MANUFACTURER OF CHAIRS

! AN SETTELSE

----

W. P. ALLEN, GARDNER, MASS.

CHAIR MANUFACTORY OF ARTEMAS MERRIAM,

317

CHAIR MAKING -CONTINUED.

said has relations to the present time-pertains to what now represents that important industry in the community, and to those having it in charge. Moreover, it belongs to the new era of chair making-the era of centralization, of large establish- ments, and of focalized activities and operations. The notice of it must needs be brief.

In 1857, two of the older sons of the late Edmund Nichols, associating with themselves James H. Clark, a brother-in-law, and Porter Howard, bought the property formerly belonging to Edward and George Kendall, with lands adjoining, and, after erecting and appropriately equipping a small shop, commenced chair making operations. Going on successfully for some years, they made such enlargements and improvements as the growing enterprise demanded and their means would allow. After repeated changes in the proprietorship and management, the plant and its accessories passed into the possession of Charles and Marcus M. Nichols, younger brothers of the ones just re- ferred to, who at once entered upon a career of increasing pros- perity under the name of Nichols Brothers. The main factory was burned in 1881, but the enterprising owners, encouraged by their fellow-townsmen, immediately rebuilt, larger than before, to meet the increasing demand for their goods. They have a small mill for getting out stock in a lumber region in Princeton (No-town district), which is an important adjunct to their home business. They employ regularly about seventy-five workmen, and turn out some seventy or eighty thousand dollars' worth of manufactures annually. (See note at end of chapter.)

Sometime about the year 1843, Artemas Merriam began chair making in a small way in a little shop standing a few rods south of the present dwelling of Hobart Raymond, in which he then resided. After an experience of five years there, doing his work at first by hand, but afterwards introducing foot power for the running of some simple machinery, he formed a partner- ship with his brother-in-law, George Holden, who had not long before started the same line of manufacture at the head of Meetinghouse Pond, and moving thither, laid the foundations of the constantly enlarging and highly successful enterprise which for some time bore the firm name of "Merriam & Holden," of the pleasant hamlet of South Westminster. An old cooper shop, enlarged somewhat, with a small water power available only a few months of the year, furnished a starting point for a most important undertaking. A more commodious building, increased facilities, and a steam engine became a necessity in 1853. Four years later another enlargement of room and power took place. In 1858 Joel Merriam, brother of Artemas, a painter by trade, came into the firm, taking charge of the painting and finishing department. All went on well till 1869, when the manufactory and all its contents were destroyed by fire. To meet the emergency thus created, Daniel C. Miles was admitted

318

HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.

to partnership, and assumed the superintendence of the outdoor lumber interests of the concern. Early in 1873 Mr. Miles re- tired, and before midsummer both Joel Merriam and George Holden died, leaving the entire establishment in the hands of Artemas Merriam, who soon afterward became sole owner and manager of the establishment, -a position he has continued to hold to date. Increasing prosperity has attended his adminis- tration of affairs, the amount of business done aggregating about seventy-five thousand dollars per year, having more than doubled since he assumed control. Employment is given to seventy or eighty men, and means of subsistence are thereby furnished for half as many families.

Paper Making. It is elsewhere stated that in or about the year 1845, Franklin Wyman came into possession of all the water power in Wachusettville, with the exception of a single privilege at the lower end owned by his brother Benjamin ; and also that a change of circumstances in business affairs, locally and generally, rendered the introduction of some new industry there important and desirable. The owner, therefore, in view of existing facts and conditions, after due deliberation, decided to establish the paper manufacture as a substitute for what had been previously done. He accordingly built and fitted up a mill for that purpose on or near the site of the "Forge," where the lower mill now stands, and let it to Willoughby Wilder, who commenced the business in the place. Two or three years later Mr. Wyman erected and equipped a second mill, where the principal mill now is, which he let to a firm operating under the name of Gibson & Rundlett. After a brief period both of these establishments came back into his hands, when he assumed the responsibility of carrying on the manufacture by himself. He was eminently successful in the undertaking. Business in- creased rapidly under his management. Important improve- ments were made, and means were taken to utilize the power resident in the stream and its tributaries to the utmost extent. The old gristmill was reconstructed and made into a paper mill. The sawmill pond and its accessory, Wachusett Lake, were con- verted into a vast reservoir, to hold the surplus water of the winter and spring for use in the dryer portions of the year. Meetinghouse Pond was also made to serve in the same way the same prudential end. For some eighteen years the manufac- ture went prosperously on under Mr. Wyman's sole ownership and charge, the amount of goods produced aggregating at times two hundred and fifty or three hundred thousand dollars annually.

In 1869 Mr. Wyman disposed of half his paper making prop- erty, with all its appurtenances, to Daniel P. Crocker of Fitch- burg, and the two carried on business in company for a little time, when Mr. Wyman bought back Mr. Crocker's interest and was himself in sole and separate possession once more. He soon after bargained the entire plant and its belongings to

W. P. ALLEN, GARDNER, MASS.

SOUTH WESTMINSTER VILLAGE.

319

WESTMINSTER BREAD.

H. W. Clark of Boston, an old paper manufacturer, who at once entered upon large and costly schemes for improving his purchase and increasing its power of production. He however retained proprietorship but a short time after his plans were consummated, when he arranged with Mr. Wyman to take the property back again. Since that date Mr. Wyman, who, after relinquishing business, had removed to Worcester, has been manufacturing in his own behalf, under the management of his son, Charles F. Wyman, a resident at the present time of Fitchburg. The amount of business done has been greatly reduced from its former proportions, though it now aggregates more per year than that of any other industrial establishment in town. (See note at end of chapter.)

The Bakery. In the same year upon which the paper manufacture was commenced at Wachusettville, as just noted, Alfred Wyman, brother of Franklin, now residing in Worcester, purchased the dwelling house of R. P. Chase in the center of the town, with a small lot of land adjoining, and having erected a shop and furnished it with the appliances then commonly in use for the making of bread, began business in that line of produc- tion, with Theodore P. Locke for a partner, an old and experi- enced hand at the trade. The partnership was of short continu- ance, Mr. Wyman soon becoming sole owner and manager. By careful and conscientious attention to his work, the intro- duction of the most approved kinds of machinery, the employ- ment of skilled operatives, and the adoption of new and improved methods and expedients suggested by study and experience, he built up an enterprise which proved to be not only an unquestioned success as a business venture, but one of great public utility and advantage. He offered to the commu- nity an article of consumption which rose at once to almost universal favor, being in great demand not only at home but in the surrounding country for a dozen or twenty miles away-in all localities, indeed, where it was known. The reputation which he created for the " Westminster bread" accrued greatly to the advantage of his successors as well as of himself, giving them a good start and contributing not a little to that prosperity which, by following the same lines of effort pursued by him, and by taking advantage of what has been gained to the art, at home and abroad, since his day, they have, with scarce an excep- tion, been fortunate enough to secure. Those successors have been Harrison G. Whitney, Joseph W. Forbush, Harrison G. Whitney again, Chas. T. Damon, Damon & Burnham, Daniel C. Miles, Damon & Burnham a second time, Edwin L. Burnham, E. L. Burnham & Son, George N. Haynes, the proprietor and manager in 1890, who has recently sold to J. Boardman.

So closes the record of the various kinds of handicraft - agricultural and mechanical-which have been carried on in

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HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.

town since it was founded, and which have contributed so largely to the comfort, welfare, prosperity, and happiness of all classes and conditions of people within its borders. It remains now to give proportionate consideration to what may be termed the several mercantile interests and activities which have been, or still are, represented here.

MERCHANTS AND TRADERS.

By whom the first store for the retailing of goods in common use was opened in Westminster can not be stated with absolute certainty. It is altogether probable, however, that to the ex- minister of the township, Rev. Elisha Marsh, belongs whatever honor is derived from that particular line of public service. He resided in town some dozen years after he was deposed from the pastoral office. In 1761, three years subsequent to that occurrence, he was licensed to sell spirituous liquors by the Worcester County court, and also in several following years. These facts, considered in connection with that of his having no known calling or profession otherwise, save as an occasional operator in real estate, seem to justify the opinion that he was the first merchant here. If so, it is to be presumed that his place of trade was in a part of his dwelling house at the southeast corner of the old Common, or in a separate building close by.

The successor of Mr. Marsh was Thomas Brigden, who pur- chased the estate in 1770, and who was taxed the following year for stock in trade to the amount of £150. Mr. Brigden died in 1774, and the property passed into the possession of Michael Gill, who carried on business there until he left town in 1783. The next person engaged in merchandising at this point appears to have been Ebenezer Jones, who, so far as can be ascertained, was the last trader occupying the premises.

In 1768 Dr. Zachariah Harvey, who was then living at his new home near North or Whitman's River (Asa Brook's place), took out a license for the sale of liquors, but he did this proba- bly as auxiliary to his profession, there being no evidence that he engaged in any other kind of trade. Within the memory of persons now living, however, Asa Brooks had a small store at the same locality.

Samuel Gerrish, great-grandfather of the present town clerk, came to town in 1777, and, having purchased lot No. 4 and set- tled upon it, opened a public shop for purposes of general mer- chandry. It was in an ell of his dwelling house, which stood on or near the site of the present imposing residence of Mrs. Phineas W. Reed.

Elijah Hager was a licensed retailer in the years 1782-5, carrying on business in that line probably in connection with a general West India and dry goods trade at the original Hager

321

NAMES AND LOCATION OF EARLY TRADERS.

dwelling where W. C. Foskett now resides. Two years later Peletiah Everett received a similar license, and it is to be pre- sumed had also a common country store. He was located at the "Pond place," where F. M. Carpenter lives. Mr. Everett was also, for some years, a public innholder at the same stand.

According to the town records, Silas Beaman from Boylston, who afterwards married the oldest daughter of Rev. Mr. Rice, had a store on the old Common in 1792. It was probably a part of the brick dwelling house remodeled within a few years by Capt. Ethan W. Holden. He seems to have been succeeded in business by one Thomas Rice, of whom little is known, and Mr. Rice by Isaac Miles, son of Reuben Miles, for a short time. In 1810 Augustus Emerson from Acton came into possession of the property and opened a hotel on the premises. At the same time the store was run by William L. and Charles Foster from Littleton. After a few years Mr. Emerson gave up the hotel business and took charge of the retail trade department of the concern, which he managed for a long while. Salmon Miller was temporarily his partner. Joel Wood was the succes- sor of Mr. Emerson, and it is believed the last merchant on the premises.

Reuben Sawin had a store in the latter part of the last cen- tury in the south part of the town, on the place more recently occupied by his grandson, Luke Sawin. He seems to have been the only trader in that section.

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History of Westminster, Massachusetts (first named Narragansett no. 2) from the date of the original grant of the township to the present time, 1728-1893, with a biographic-genealogical register of its principal families, Part 38

Author: Heywood, William S. (William Sweetzer), 1824-1905 Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Lowell, Mass.: Vox Populi Press : S.W. Huse & Co. Number of Pages: 1082

Author: Heywood, William S. (William Sweetzer), 1824-1905
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Lowell, Mass.: Vox Populi Press : S.W. Huse & Co.
Number of Pages: 1082