History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 34

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 34

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A map of Lancaster, dated 1795, notes the ex- istence of a "falls of about seven feet " in the river ai the place where now stands the dam of the Lan- caster Mills Company. At that time this great water-power was owned by Elias Sawyer, who built a dam across the stream and began a saw-mill, which, from lack of means, he was never able to complete, although he sawed considerable lumber here. For a time he lived near by, but the property passed from his hands, and in 1810 was acquired by James Pitts, a millwright of Taunton, who came to reside upon and improve his purchase in December, 1815. The narrow, rock-walled valley, and the hills that hem it in, were densely covered with forest, and no public road led thither. A few acres of the but- tom lands were soon cleared, and during 1816 Mr. Pitts erected upon the mud-sill of the old Sawyer Dam a new one, thirteen feet in height, and the same year completed a saw and gri-t-mill. Possess- ing some spinning machinery at a factory in West Bridgewater, he brought it to Lancaster, and began the manufacture of cotton yarn in 1820, gradually enlarging his buildings and increasing his production as success warranted. A small part of his power was leased in 1818 and for a few years later to Charles Chace & Sons, who built a small tannery near the mills. Comb-making was also carried on here at a later day, with power leased of Mr. Pitts.

James Pitts, Sr., died in January, 1835, and his sons, James, Hiram W. and Seth G., continued the manufacture of satinet warps. The saw and grist- mill was burned in 1836, but immediately rebuilt. November 12, 1838, the town accepted a highway laid out from the "red factory" of Poignand & Piant-which stood where the Bigelow Carpet Com- pany's spinning department now is-to Pitts' Mills. This was the first public road to that locality, and marks the origin of Mechanic Street. In 1842 the Pitts Brothers sold their entire estate, including about eighty acres of land, to Erastus B. Bigelow, for ten thousand dollars.

CLINTON.

February 5, 1844, E. B. Bigelow, Stephen Fair- banks, Henry Timmins and associates were incor- porated as the Lancaster Mills Company, with a capital of five hundred thousand dollars, and at once laid the foundations of the manufactory now famous as one of the largest gingham-mills in the world. It was at first proposed to begin with the manufacture of blue and white cotton checks only, but in view of the liberal pecuniary returns at that time rewarding manufacturing enterprise, and the deserved confidence of the capitalists in the inven- tive genius of the younger Bigelow, and the rare organizing ability of the elder, it was determined to build a gingham-mill of twenty thousand spindles. Up to this time ginghams had been chiefly made upon hand looms. The processes which this fabric passes through before it is ready for market are in number more than double those required in the mak- ing of plain cloth, and hence the design of the ma- chinery and buildings was correspondingly complex in character. To this novel problem E. B. Bigelow devoted his energy and marvellous constructive skill for more than two years, when his health gave way, under the intense strain of the mental toil and anxiety he had undergone, and he sought rest and found cure in foreign travel. He had, however, perfected all plans and contracts for the essentially new elements of the plant, and his brother, being thoroughly familiar with them, carried the works on- ward to completion, and put them into successful operation.

H. N. Bigelow continued in management of manu- facture until 1849, when he was succeeded as agent by Franklin Forbes, under whose long and very able control the company attained great financial success and an honorable name for the unvarying superiority of its products. The various purchases of real estate, -two hundred and thirteen acres in all,-and the construction of dam, mills and machinery ready for operation, cost about eight hundred thousand dollars, and the stock was divided into two thousand shares. Both buildings and machinery were of the highest excellence in design and workmanship. The dam Was built chiefly of stone quarried in the immediate neighborhood, and the town of Lancaster at the time of its construction joined the banks of the river just above with a wooden trestle bridge, and laid out a roadway from it to the county highway. The water- power was at first developed by three breast-wheels upon a single line of shafting, each twenty-six feet in diameter with fourteen buckets. These were supple- mented by a Tufts' engine of two hundred and fifty horse-power. The mills were admirably lighted and ventilated, and neat, convenient tenements of wood were built near them, accommodating seventy fami- lies. About eight hundred operatives were required when the works were in complete running order, two- thirds of whom were females. Girls earned about three dollars per week above their board. The head

dyer, Angus Cameron, was reputed the most skilful of his craft in America. The weaving-room, contain- ing six hundred looms, was the largest in the United States, having a floor-area of one and one-third acres. Thirteen thousand yards of gingham were finished in a single day-the estimated annual product being four million yards-and the price, which had been sixteen or eighteen cents per yard, dropped at once to less than twelve. In 1849 the capital of the company was increased to one million two hundred thousand dollars.

The prosperity of the Clinton Company and the starting of the Lancaster Mills speedily worked great changes in their vicinity by the constantly-increasing demand for intelligent labor, and the consequent en- couragement offered to skill and traffic. The growth of the village was very rapid, yet systematic and sub- stantial. Streets were laid out according to a well- digested plaq, reserving prominent sites for public buildings. In this and other work calling for the art of an engineer, the judgment and foresight of H. N. Bigelow were ably seconded by the taste and scien- tific attainments of the famous civil engineer John C. Hoadley, then resident in the Prescott house, at the corner of High and Water Streets. The town of Lancaster in 1848 accepted Church, Union, Chestnut, Walnut, High, Nelson and Prospect Streets as town roads, the expenditure for land and construction having been wholly defrayed by the villagers. Hun- dreds of shade-trees were planted, of which the town is now justly proud. Stores and dwellings soon rose in every direction, and owners or lessees hastened to occupy them before the hammer and saw of the builders had ceased work upon them.

The final location of the Worcester and Nashua Railroad through the town in 1846 gave new energy to enterprise, again to receive fresh impetus when the road was formally opened to Groton on July 24, 1848, and on November 5th of the same year to Worcester. Before this the travelling public were dependent upon Stiles' stage-coaches for conveyance to Worcester, and reached Boston by patronizing McIntire and Day's coaches, which at 5.30 and 10 A.M. and 3.45 P.M. started for Shirley Village, there connecting with the Fitch- burg Railway trains. A. J. Gibson's rival line also carried passengers to Sou h Acton, where the same trains were met.

The Lancaster Courant, a weekly newspaper, was established by Eliphas Ballard, Jr., and F. C. Messen- ger, in connection with a job printing-office located on the east side of High Street, in the building of C. W Field. Mr. Messenger was editor of the paper, the first number of which was published Saturday, July 4, 1846. In July, 1850, it was enlarged by the addi- tion of one column to each page and its name changed to Saturday Courant.

The professions of medicine, law and engineering soon had gifted and public-spirited representatives here, whose honorable careers adorn the town's an-

HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

nals and whose wisely-directed influence made its mark upon the town's institutions. Other wide- awake young men coming hither to seek fortune and build themselves permanent homes, engaged in trade or plied various handicrafts, and by their worthy am- bitions and energy gave a tone to the community notably superior to that which generally character- izes a new manufacturing town.

Postmaster Rand authorized the establishment of a branch of the Lancaster post-office at the store of Lorey F. Bancroft, which stood on the corner of High and Union Streets until removed for the building of Greeley's block in 1875. Regular postal privileges were petitioned for and obtained in July, 1846. H. N. Bigelow was the first postmaster commissioned, and located the office in the north end of the Kendall building, placing it in charge of George H. Kendall.

By popular usage the title of the corporation which bad been most influential in creating this thriving village gradually became attached to it. It was called Clintonville; and therefore the reason for the selection of its name by the company in 1838 obtains some historic interest. It must be said that the name Clinton was not adopted for any specially apt signifi- cance or with intent to honor any person or family, but simply because it satisfied the eye and ear better than other names that may have been proposed. It was doubtless chosen by Erastus B. Bigelow's desire, and was suggested to him by the Clinton Hotel of New York, which he had found a very comfortable resting-place in his business journeys to Washing- ton.

The Bigelow Mechanics' Institute was founded in 1846. It was an association formed by several of the more intelligent citizens, who proposed to benefit themselves and the community by the support of courses of lectures upon scientific and literary sub- jects, the collection of a library, the establishing a reading-room and perhaps an industrial school. A reading-room was opened to members and subscribers June 5, 1847, in the second story of the Kendall building, then on High Street, where the Clinton Bank block now stands. A fee of three dollars annually entitled any resident to its privileges. The book fund and expenses of lectures exceeding membership fees and sale of tickets were met hy subscription. The introductory lecture was delivered in October, 1846, by Hon. James G. Carter. He was followed by John C. Hoadley, Dr. George M. Morse, Charles G. Stevens, Esq., Rev. Hubbard Winslow, and other edn- cated gentlemen of the vicinity. In later years, through the instrumentality of the Institute, noted lecturers like Horace Greeley, Henry D. Thoreau, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Josiah Quincy, Jr., etc., were brought to delight and instruct Clinton audi- ences. Regular monthly meetings of the members were held for conference and the discussion of qnes- tions relating to the mechanic arts and mannfactures. The finances of the society were never quite commen-

surate with its ambitious aims, but in its six years' life it was an efficient public teacher and accumulated a valuable library of nearly seven hundred volumes.

The first tavern in Clintonville was kept by Horace Faulkner in the old Plant farm-house, which in later years served as a boarding-house for the Lancaster Quilt Company. In 1847 H. N. Bigelow built the hotel known as the Clinton Honse, Oliver Stone being the contractor for its construction. Horace Faulkner and his son-in-law, Jerome S. Burditt, opened it to the public in Christmas week of that year, and the " house-warming " was a notable occasion in the vil- lage. The hall was added in 1850, its completion being celebrated by an " opening ball " October 2d.

In the autumn of 1839 Ephraim Fuller's cloth- dressing and wool-carding works at Carter's Mills having been destroyed by fire, he purchased of George Howard his water-power on South Meadow Brook, and lands adjacent, where he erected a fulling-mill and carried on a thriving business for many years. His son, Andrew L. Fuller, soon became associated with him, and, as the times favored, machinery for the manufacture of every variety of woolen knitting- yarn, satinets and fancy cassimeres was introduced. For a time the business employed thirty hands, and sixty thousand yards of cloth were put upon the mar- ket yearly, the mill sometimes being operated by night as well as day.

In the winter of 1846 Ephraim Fuller dammed Goodridge Brook where it crosses the highway in Clinton and built a shop with a trip-hammer and forge conveniences in the basement. Here Luther Gaylord-who for several years had been engaged in the manufacture by hand of cast-steel tools for farm use-made all kinds of hay and manure forks, garden rakes, hoes and agricultural implements of similar character, employing from six to ten men. His work was unrivaled in excellence. There being more than sufficient power for his limited needs, the upper story of the building was fitted with a line of shafting and leased to W. F. Conant, a builder of water-wheels, Isaac Taylor, sash and blind manufacturer, and others.

Shortly after the starting of the Bigelow carpet- mill, Albert S. Carleton began the making of carpet- bags of a superior quality, using Bigelow carpeting made in patterns expressly for his purpose. His work-rooms were in the brick building now the residence of Dr. Charles A. Brooks. The business later came into the hands of James S. Caldwell.

October 16, 1847, Gilman M. Palmer started an iron fonndry on land now covered by the weaving depart- ment of the Bigelow Carpet Company, at the sontherly end of High Street. In 1849 he transferred this property to the Bigelows, and built upon the site of the present foundry, near the railway station.

Deacon James Patterson introduced in 1848 the mannfacture of belting and loom harnesses and the covering of rolls, over the carpenter-shop of Samnel

CLINTON.

Belyea, the two occupying one end of Mr. Palmer's foundry. When the building was taken by the car- pet company, Mr. Patterson built a shop in rear of his own residence, but sold his business in July, 1853, to George H. Foster, who was located near the railway.

Of any Massachusetts community it needs not to be told that the foundations of school and meeting- house were among those earliest laid and most promptly built upon; and that geuerons provision was always made for the intellectual, moral and religious culture of young and old, rich and poor alike. In 1849 there were already three churches in Clintonville, each with its settled clergyman and commodious house of worship. Though forming two districts in the Lanca-ter school system, the village, under laws of that day, was permitted to manage its schools according to special by-laws of its own, and its prudential committee printed elabo- rate annual reports. A more complete autonomy was soon acquired.

CHAPTER IX. CLINTON-(Continued.)

The Incorporation-Favoring Auspices-New Enterprises and Changes in the Old.

THE fourth article of a warrant calling a town- meeting in Lancaster, Nov. 7, 1848, was, "To see if the Town will consent to a division thereof and allow that part called Clintonville to form a separate town- ship, or act in any manner relating thereto." The subject was referred to a committee, with instructions to report at a future meeting. This committee in- cluded Elias M. Stilwell, James G. Carter, John H. Shaw and Jacob Fisher, of the old town; Horatio N. Bigelow, Ezra Sawyer, Sidney Harris, Chas. G. Stevens and Jotham T. Otterson, of Clintonville. A citizens' meeting was called in the latter village, Monday, Oc- tober 29, 1849, to discuss the question of separation, at which H. N. Bigelow was chairman and Dr. George M. Morse, secretary. Those present, with almost en- tire unanimity, declared in favor of petitioning for township rights, and a committee was chosen, con- sisting of Charles G. Stevens, Sidney Harris, Joseph B. Parker, Horatio N. Bigelow and Alanson Chace, "to carry forward to accomplishment the views of the meeting, leaving the terms and the line of division to the judgment and discretion of the committee."

November 12, 1849, at a town-meeting, majority and minority reports were presented by the committee chosen the year before. They contained such obvious arguments, pro and con, as are usual in the debates preceding town division, and both were tabled, the tone of a brief discussion indicating that no com-

promise could be readily effected at that time. The citizens' committee of Clintonville, in obedience to their instructions, proceeded to prepare a petition to the Legislature.

The majority report, favoring the division, had gone so far as to propose a straight line of separation, to begin "at the town bound between Lancaster and Sterling on the Redstone Road . . . and run thence S. 75° 42' East to the easterly line of the town, strik- ing the Bolton line at a point 289.56 rods from the town bound which is a corner of Bolton, Berlin and Lancaster." This severed from the old town nearly the whole of the Deershorns School District, and vig- orous remonstrance was made by almost every resident therein. Therefore, on February 9, 1850, a meeting was called at the vestry of the Congregational So- ciety's meeting-house, to consider a proposed line of division, so run as to include little more than the old Districts Ten and Eleven in the new town.

February 15th, at a special town-meeting, the chief article in the warrant was, "To see what action the Town will take in reference to the petition of Charles G. Stevens and others to the legislature of the Com- monwealth, for a division ot the town of Lancaster." After some friendly discussion of the matter the as- semblage voted that the citizens of the old town should select a committee to confer with a like committee re- presenting the petitioners, and that they should "re- port as soon as may be what terms, in their opinion, ought to satisfy the town of Lancaster, to consent not to oppose a division of the town." The meeting ad- journed for forty minutes, having chosen John G. Thurston, Jacob Fisher, Silas Thurston, Dr. Henry Lincoln and Nathaniel Warner to consult with the Clintonville committee already named. Upon re-as- sembling the unanimous report of the joint committee was adopted, as follows:

1. That all the property, hoth real and persooal, owned by the town of Lancaster at the present time, shall belong to and be owned by the town of Lancaster after the division shall take place.

2. That the inhabitants of Clintonville shall support and forever maiotain those persons who now receive relief and support from the town of Lancaster as pauper», who originated from the territory proposed to be set off ; and also forever support all persons who may hereafter he- come paupers who derive their settlement froto this territory.

3. That ('liatonville, or the town of Clinton, if so incorporated, shell pay to the town of Lancaster the sum of ten thousand dollars in consid- eration of the large number of river bridges and panpers that will re- main within the limits of the old town ; the same to be paid in teu eqnal payments of one thousand dollars, with interest semi-annually on the sum due, the first payment of one thousand dollars to be made in one year after the separation shall take place. And the amount shall be in full for all the town deht which Lancaster owes.

4. That the line of division shall be the same as this day proposed by Charles G. Stevens, Esq., as follows: Beginning at a monumeot on the east line of the Town, 289.50 rods northerly from & towa bonnd, a cor- ner of Bolton, Berlin and Lancaster ; thence north 65º 30' west 488.11 rods to a monument near the railroad bridge at Goodridge Hill ; thence south 48° 30' west 783 rods to a town bound near the Elder farm, so called ; theoce hy the old lines of the Town to the place of beginning.

5. If a division of the Town is effected, the substance of the foregoing articles having been put in legal form, shell be inserted in the act of lacorporation.

J. G. THURSTON, Chairman of Town Committee.

C. G. STEVENS,

HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

The act incorporating the town of Clinton in ac- cordance with this agreement was signed by Governor Briggs, March 14, 1850. The main eastern boundary of the new town had been fixed by the formation of Boltan out of Lancaster territory by an act passed June 27, 1738. The southern boundary had been determined by the act of February 1, 1781, which an- nexed about six square miles of the southerly part of Lancaster's original grant to Shrewsbury. The west- ern boundary was defined in the act of April 25, 1781, incorporating the Second Precinct of Lancaster as the town of Sterling. The irregular intrusion of Berlin at the southeast corner was created by an act of Feb- ruary 8, 1791, setting off Peter Larkin with his family and estate from Lancaster to Berlin, then a district of Bolton.

The new town took from the old very nearly two- thirds of her population, although but one-fifth of her acreage, and a similarly small proportion of the pub- lic roads and pauper liabilities. Of the ten bridges crossing the Nashua, eight were left to Lancaster, all being of wood and mostly old, demanding large an- nual expenditures for repairs, even when spared se- rious damage by the spring freshets, and sure to require rebuilding within twenty years. The debt of the town was about three thousand dollars. It was in view of these facts that the pecuniary consideration paid the mother town was by the fair-minded men of both sections held to be, perhaps, no more than justice demanded. The liberal concession at least silenced the loud-voiced opposition which at first met the pro- posal for division, and so confirmed the bond of friendly feeling between the two communities that nothing has since been able seriously to weaken it.

Clinton began its corporate life with a population of thirty-one hundred and eighteen, according to the United States census of that year; although but twenty-seven hundred and seventy-eight by an enu- meration made for the assessors in June, 1850. It had a debt of about four and a half dollars and a valuation of over four hundred dollars per head of its inhabitants. It could, with good reason, boast itself in many re- spects a model manufacturing town. Its territory and population were compact, nine-tenths of the citizens dwelling within a single square mile. It was bur- dened with few and short roads and bridges. Though not blessed with a productive soil, it was surrounded by towns possessing rich farming lands and chiefly devoted to agriculture. Its industries were widely diversified, there being already well established man- ufactories of ginghams, Brussels carpets, coach-lace, counterpanes, tweeds, cassimeres, combs, carpet-bags, agricultural tools, sish and blinds, castings, ma- chinery.

At the head of its chief corporations stood man- agers who were not only generous and public-spirited, but gifted with qualities more rare and valuable-taste and foresight. While studying the true economy of machinery and mannfactures, they looked less to

penny-wise saving than to enduring reputation. They and their successors built comfortable, detached homes for their employés, instead of huddling them In cheap blocks, and thoughtfully planned for ample light, fresh air, convenience and safety in the work- rooms, believing that health and contentment in the workmeu largely conduce to the employer's profit. Without undue expense they made the architecture and surroundings of their works attractive. The in- fluence of this policy, which has been permanent and followed very generally by private enterprise of the townspeople, is not only to be seen in its exter- nal and æsthetic results, but felt in the social life, the atmosphere of content that pervades the place.

The first town-meeting was held in the vestry of the Congregational meeting-house on Monday, the 1st day of April, 1850, at 9 o'clock A.M. A citizens' caucus had previously nominated a list of town offi- cers, which the voters did not fully endorse. Albert S. Carleton was chosen town clerk, and Sidney Harris, treasurer and collector. The selectmen elected were Ezra Sawyer, Samuel Belyea and Edmund Harris ; the assessors, Alfred Knight, Joseph B. Parker and Ira Coolidge; the overseers of the poor, James Ingalls, Alanson Chace and Nathan Burditt. The school committee, who were elected at an adjourned meet- ing April 15th, were Rev. William H. Corning, Rev. Charles M. Bowers, C. W. Blanchard, Dr. George W. Burditt, Dr. George M. Morse, F. C. Messenger and James Patterson. The three last named declining to serve, Augustns J. Sawyer, William W. Parker and Charles L. Swan were chosen in their places. The sum of eight thousand two hundred dollars was voted for the year's expenses, including two thousand dollars for schools, and five hundred for a Fire Depart- ment.

Certain pressing wants called for early public ac- tion. There was no place for the burial of the dead within the town limits, although a cemetery associa- tion had been organized October 3, 1849. About ten acres of land, admirably suited in position and char- acter for a public cemetery, were soon purchased, laid ont with taste and judgment, and named Wood- lawn. Near by a small farm was bought of Sumner Thompson for an almshouse. Upon it were a small house and harn; to this were added three acres ob- tained of Joseph Rice, and a dwelling of eleven rooms was at once built. The twelve acres and im- provements cost $3859.71.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 34

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1576

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576