History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 31

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 31

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The Lumber Yard and Manufactory of John & L. D. Clemence is on Mechanic Street, and employs the water-power next below the American Optical Company's factory. This firm does a large business in builders' furnishings.

Hyde Manufacturing Company, incorporated in 1881, located on Main Street between the above- mentioned lumber-yard and Lensdale, manufacture shoe-knives, shaves and other shoe-tools. President, Treasurer and Clerk, I. P. Hyde.

SANDERSDALE .- This pretty little hamlet, pleasant- ly situated on the banks of the Quinebaug River, one and three-quarters miles from Southbridge, deserves more than a passing notice, as it has gained celebrity not only through earnest and successful endeavor on the part of the late James Sanders, from whom it de- rives its name, but by persistent and untiring efforts of Thomas and James H. (sons of the deceased found er), who, having been thoroughly instructed in the art of calico printing, and endowed with excellent

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business qualifications, have brought the works to its present high standard.

James Sanders, now deceased, was born in Lanca- shire, England, in 1811, and at thirteen years of age was apprenticed to a block printer. After a seven years' apprenticeship he continued at his trade until 1842, when he came to this country and settled in Fall River, Mass., entering the employ of the American Print Works. He married in 1844, and moved to Rhode Island in 1848, and in 1850, in company with his brother-in-law, the late James Abbott, leased the Crompton Print Works. After a business connection of ten years, H. N. Slater purchased Mr. Abbott's share, and the new firm continued for nearly three years, when James Sanders took entire control.

In 1864 he purchased what is now known as Sand- ersdale, but at that time as Ashland, the area com- prising several hundred acres of land and three or four houses, together with excellent water-power and water privileges suitable for the purposes of a print works. Having amassed a handsome fortune, he com- menced the erection of the present works in 1868, and the chart hanging in the office shows the following dimensions, the buildings, being designated as No. 1, 2, 3, etc .:

No. 1. Printing building, 265 feet by 57 feet.

No. 2. Dyeing, bleaching, finishing and boiler build- ing, 250 by 107.

No. 3. Engraving and packing room building, 115 by 48.

No. 4. Boiler house and engine-room, 65 by 50.

No. 5. Liquor shop, 70 by 40.

No. 6. Kier-room and wheel-house, 73 by 25.

No. 7. Office, 40 by 33.

No. 8. Mechanic shop, 76 by 40.

The several buildings, with the exception of the mechanic shop, which is part brick and part stone, are wholly constructed of brick, compactly built, pre- senting a neat and substantial appearance.

In 1870, when all was in readiness, the machinery used in the Crompton Print Works was transferred to the new quarters, the amount necessary occupying over thirty freight cars, and in the same year Mr. Sanders and family moved to Southbridge, the works commencing operations under the firm-name of T. & J. H. Sanders (sons of the founder), in the spring of 1874, and continued under their management until the spring of 1884. During that time the product consisted principally of prints, mostly shirtings and cheviots, the capacity averaging ninety thousand yards per day.

On December 31, 1884, The Southbridge Printing Co. was incorporated, and the property and plant purchased, and as the demand for specialties outside of the straight line of prints was so great, extensive alterations, especially in the dye house, were neces- sary, which with the addition of new and more modern machinery throughout the works, placed the new cor- poration in a position to successfully compete with

others who had been more favored in the past, thus enabling a production of silesias, cambrics and all kinds of cotton goods subject to a dyeing process, in connection with the straight prints.

A glance at the present production is worthy of pe- rusal. In prints may be found shirtings of coarse and fine grades, in both narrow and wide goods; flannels and sheetings; wide and narrow cheviots; sleeve lin- ings, from a light cheap quality to the finest forty-four inch sateen, in both loose and fast colors, especially for the clothing trade. In dyed goods the variety is equally as great, if not larger than in prints, consist- ing of brocades, cashmeres, Hollands, pocketings, cambrics (from an ordinary quality to a thirty-six-inch French cambric), silesias, flannels, Italians, serges, etc., etc., etc.

Water is the principal motive-power, an excellent fall being obtained, graduated to three hundred horse- power, and in case of necessity steam can be substi- tuted, as two ponderous engines are ever ready to be set in motion, should an accident to the turbine wheel or connections thereto occur.

Considering the many varieties of work, the daily production averages from fifty thousand to seventy-five thousand yards, which is an excellent showing, re- flecting credit upon the management entire.

The officers of The Southbridge Printing Co. remain the same as when incorporated, viz. :- President, Ja- cob Booth ; Treasurer, Thomas Sanders ; Superintend- ent, James H. Sanders.

Southbridge Optical Company was incorporated in 1883. The President is Mr. A. H. Wheeler ; Sec- retary and Treasurer, Mr. B. U. Bugbee. The com- pany manufacture spectacles and eye-glasses. They erected, in 1888, a new building upon Marcy Street, with machinery fitted np for their manufactures. The factory is of wood, two stories in height, with a brick basement, and is one hundred feet long by forty wide.

Stephen Richard, manufacturer of shoe-knives and razors, has a high reputation for quality of goods produced.

Other establishments of business or employment, not included in the foregoing list of particular mention, can only be enumerated, and are, so far as ascertained, as follows, viz .: apothecaries, 5; artist, 1; auctioneer, 1; bakers, 4; banks, 2; barbers, 4; blacksmiths, 6; books and stationery, 5; boot and shoe dealers, 9; boot and shoemakers, 6; brick manufacturers, 2; calico printer, 1; carpenters and builders, 4; carriage-makers, 4; clothiers, 7; coal dealer, 1; dentists, 2; dressmakers, 19; dry goods dealers, 8; expresses, 3 ; fish and oysters, 1; florist, 1; flour and grain, 5; furniture, 3; gents' furnishing goods, 5; grist-mill, 1; groceries, 17; hardware and cutlery, 4; harness-makers, 2; hotels, 3; insurance agents, 2; laundries, 2; lawyers, 4; livery stables, 5; lumber dealers, 2; marble-works, 1; meat-markets, 7; milliners, 7; music-stores, 2; music-teachers, 5;

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newspapers, 2; news-rooms, 3; painters, house and sign, 7; paints and oils, 4; photographers, 3; physi- cians, 13; pool-rooms, 2; printers, 2; restaurants, 5 ; rifle-range, 1; saloons, 2; sewing-machines, 3; shoe- knife manufactories, 3; spectacle manufactories, 3; stoves, ranges and tin, 4; tailors, 4; tea, coffee, 2; telegraph office, 1; telephone office, 1; trunks and bags, 1 ; undertakers, 2; upholsterer, 1; watches and jewelry, 6; wood-dealer, 1.

In the month of December, 1858, the tavern on the corner of Main and Elm Streets, built of wood in 1825, was destroyed by fire, together with other build- ings in the immediate vicinity. This event preceded the appearance of the first of the many fine business blocks which now enrich and adorn the town. That vacancy, and along that side of the street, was soon afterwards occupied by the ornamental and massive brick buildings erected by Messrs. William C. Barnes, Sylvester Dresser, and William and John Edwards (last two now deceased)-names identified with the last thirty years of the town's history and progress. Besides the long line of first-class accommodations for trades people and employments, there are the Memorial Block Hall, Edwards Hall and Dresser Opera-House.

Daniel Whitford and Elbridge Ellis built on the opposite side of street, corner of Main and Hamilton, the large and fine structure bearing their names.

Hartwell's block, built by the late George H. Hart- well, is on the corner of Main and Central Streets. In 1863 a fire swept away the Baptist Church, the old parish meeting-house-then used for business pur- poses-and other buildings. The brick church of the Baptists was erected in '66, and what was once the "rising ground on Capt. Marcy's land, opposite Col. Freeman's barn," was leveled down, and Mr. Holmes Ammidown built his public library building in 1870 or '71. Then, on the corner of Main and Central Streets, Mr. Chester A. Dresser built the C. A. Dresser house, costing-furnishing and all-about eighty thousand dollars.

Alden's Block, built by William E. Alden, Sr., in 1878-79, is a fine structure of brick with granite trimmings and metallic cornices, standing on the site of the old Plimpton house, in Globe Village.

Recently the new bank building on Main Street and Suprenaut's Block, on Central Street, have added to the architectural appearance of Centre Village.

These buildings, with the mercantile or other es- tablishments which they enclose, will compare favor- ably with those of the same class in any town in the county.

Southbridge also contains even within the limits of her villages much of quiet rural beauty. Whole neighborhoods of fine cottages, surrounded by ample grounds and smoothly-shaven lawns,-entire absence of fences and unsightly objects,-this is the enviable home, the place where the tired business man retires to the quiet enjoyments of family and friends.

In the midst of all that has been described in this article on Southbridge is the old Marcy house, erected there when all around was literally a howling wilderness. The same sturdy arms that spotted the trees for the first paths, "slashed " the trees in the first clearings, and wrought out the first homes about here, also hoisted in place the massive timbers which form the frame-work of this old house. Its simple grandeur, made beautiful by antiquity and associa- tions, is unabashed in the presence of the finest of modern residences, though set in " pillars of gold."

BIOGRAPHICAL.

MANNING LEONARD.

Manning Leonard was born in Sturbridge, June 1, 1814; died in Southbridge, July 31, 1885. Among those interested in the history of Worcester County Manning Leonard was one well deserving special mention in these memoirs, both because of his con- nection with those who had no little part in shaping the history of the towns of Sturbridge and South- bridge, and because of his own honorable record as a citizen.

His mother, Sally Fiske, daughter of Henry, was a grandchild of both Henry and Daniel Fiske, the first white settlers in the town, who located on what is now known as " Fiske Hill" in 1731, and from one of whose descendants Fiskedale in Sturbridge was named.

His father, Rev. Zenas Lockwood Leonard, fifth in descent from Solomon, who landed at Duxbury in 1636, was born at Bridgewater 1773; graduated at Brown University in I794 and came to Sturbridge as a Baptist minister in 1796. During his long pastor- ate of thirty-six years he had a more than ordinary interest and influence in the affairs of the commu- nity.

Though on a small salary, never exceeding two hundred dollars, he maintained a hospitable home, gave his children a good education (sending his eld- est son through Brown University), kept free from debt and gave his family an honorable position in the community. In all household affairs he was ably aided by his wife, who was a model of quiet effi- ciency.

Of their seven children, Manning was the fifth, having a brother and two sisters older and a brother and sister younger than himself. Reared in a home of order, thrift and industry, he naturally developed such a degree of self-reliance, diligence and self-re- spect as gave early promise of sure and honorable success in life. Generously determining to forego the advantages of a college education, he defrayed his own expenses during a course in English and the mathematics at Amherst Academy, under the tuition of Rev. Simeon Colton, D.D., taught school a term

Meaning Leonard

Calvin. A Large

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at Sonth Amherst and then, to school himself for business life, became a clerk in the dry-goods house of Tiffany, Anderson & Co., of New York City. After three years spent in an earnest endeavor to master every detail of the business, he went West in 1835, the year of his majority, and in 1838, joining with George M. Phelps, a young man also from Worcester County, established himself in business in Madison, Indiana. He prospered. In 1840 he married Mary F., daughter of Hon. Ebenezer Davis Ammi- down, of Southbridge, Mass., than whom no one had greater part in making Southbridge the beauti- ful town it is, or contributed more to its material ad- vancement.

In 1844 he returned to Southbridge, and first, with his father-in-law, and later with Chester A. Dresser, was for twenty years engaged in the cotton manufac- turing business at what is known as the Central Mills. On account of failing health he retired from active business in 1863. Nevertheless, he did not subside into listlessness and idleness, but maintained an active interest in public affairs ; was on the Board of Selectmen during the early years of the war; was a representative in the State Legislature, and for many years a member of the Southbridge Public Li- brary Committee ; a prime mover in the establishment of the Southbridge Savings Bank in 1848, he was secretary of that corporation until his death, and also was a director in the National Bank.

He was an active and consistent member of the Congregational Church for more than fifty years, and generous in his support of the great work of home and foreign missions as well as various undenomina- tional charities.

For many years, more or less of an invalid, he traveled much for health as well as for business- twice visiting Europe, once California and many times going to the great prairie States. Yielding to a complication of diseases, he died at Southbridge July 31, 1885, having completed his seventy-first year two months before.

In early life ever striving to fit himself for the task of the morrow, while faithfully fulfilling the duties of the day, he won promotion by merit rather than sought it by favor.

In middle life a man of reserve power, whose sa- gacity and foresight gave him success where others failed, and being eminently a just man, he was made the recipient of many public as well as many private trusts.

In maturer years more conservative and cautious, yet never a captious obstructionist, his counsels were the more valuable because his course had been always consistent-ever securing not the applause of the many, but the approval of the best ; he had been not a partisan, but a patriot.

CALVIN A. PAIGE.

The subject of this sketch was born in Southbridge, Mass., June 7, 1820 ; son of Timothy Paige, Jr., Esq., and Cynthia (Ammidown) Paige. His parents died when he was but eight years of age, and after their decease he made his home in the family of his guar- dian, Dr. Samuel Hartwell. At thirteen he entered the employ of Messrs. Plimpton & Laue, as a clerk in their store in Southbridge. At fifteen he went to Northfield, Vt., where for about two years he was employed in the store of Charles Paine, afterwards Governor of Vermont, and president of the Vermont Central Railroad Co. Returning home to South- bridge, he was employed until 1843 in the store of John Seabury & Co., then kept in the old Columbian Building, now standing on Main Street, known as the " Factory Store." This store was in those days an important factor in the business enterprises and trade of the town, involving large transactions and no inconsiderable number of small details, by a sys- tem of orders by which the Dresser, the Columbian and the Central Manufacturing Companies paid their operatives.

In 1844 he became clerk and bookeeper in the em- ploy of the Dresser Manufacturing Company. This mill was one of the first cotton-mills erected in this locality by William Sumner and others soon after 1814, when the privilege was purchased. The premi- ses included the water-power, mill, land and tenant- houses, situated on what is known as " Dresser Hill," and in 1831 the same was purchased by Harvey Dres- ser, then an active, enterprising business man of Charlton, who organized the Dresser Manufacturing Company in 1834, to operate the mill. Mr. Dresser died in 1835. After his death this company was reorganized under the agency of E. D. Ammidown. Until 1845 Colonel Alexander De Witt, of Oxford, succeeded to the agency until 1850, when Calvin A. Paige was appointed agent, and operated the mill until it was destroyed by fire in 1870. May 9, 1843, Mr. Paige married Mercy Dresser, danghter of Har- vey Dresser, by whom he had two children-Mary E. Paige, born April 7, 1846, who died September 2, 1848, and Calvin D. Paige, born May 20, 1848, who is now residing in Southbridge. From 1844 until he became the agent, Mr. Paige acted not only as clerk and bookkeeper, but was also practically the managing and business agent of the company during the whole period, conducting its affairs safely and prudently, and with profit to its owners. He became himself an owner of the stock of the company, and after the mill was burned sold the mill-site and water-power to the Central Mills Company, retaining the land and tenements on "Dresser Hill," which he now owns, and since then has not been engaged in any regular active business.

Mr. Paige married for his second wife Ellen Jane Scholfield, of Dudley, February 20, 1856, by whom he has one son, Frank S., born May 18, 1857, now

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living in Southbridge. After 1870 the leisure time at his command, his thorough business training, habits and experience, have set him apart as a citizen well qualified and acceptable to discharge numerous public duties, in which he has been long conspicuous and of great advantage and service to the town and commu- nity for a period of more than twenty-five years. He was a leading member of the town committee to oppose the division of the town before the Legislature of 1854, and one of its most zealous and effective workers in defeating that project. In 1850 he was commissioned a notary public by Governor Briggs, and still holds that office. During the Rebellion he was appointed United States enrolling officer for the town, and in 1883, by Governor Long, commissioner to qualify civil officers .; and was elected a member of the House in the Legislature of 1863. For thirty years he has been a director in the Southbridge National Bank, and a trustee of the Sonthbridge Savings Bank. He has been elected many times to the offices of selectman, assessor, overseer of the poor and other town offices and positions, and in all these positions he has discharged his duties with singular ability and unvarying success. His great caution, accuracy of knowledge, thorough business training, promptness and experience in public affairs have been long recognized and repeatedly called to service in town matters, and probably few unprofessional citizens are better posted in matters relating to town govern- ment and its proper administration-especially in relation to the pauper laws-or more serviceable to the public in these respects than he is. Whatever falls to his management is promptly and correctly done, and with 'due consideration to the public interest. His books and records are always kept correctly and with business-like completeness and care. His worth in these respects is so generally con- ceded by his fellow-townsmen that party politics rarely defeat him as a candidate for public office, although he is a strong party man. He has discharged numerous trusts as administrator, guardian, assignee and trustee in bankruptcy and in insolvency, and in these rela- tions found capable, honest and efficient. He is ready to accept responsibility and to do his duty, but is guided by a conservative good sense and caution to first learn what his duty is.

Mr. Paige has long been an earnest and influential citizen in promoting town enterprise and improve- ments, and uniformly advocated whatever tended to these results. He sustained the plan adopted to estab- lish the public library, and usually advocated the laying-out and grading of new streets, the building of sidewalks, the lighting of streets and the introduction of electric street lights, and was recently one of the most influential workers in obtaining the Town Hall building. He is active and persistent, ambitious of carrying his points and usually successful. He has a wide personal acquaintance, and enjoys the confidence and respect of those who know him. He is naturally

kind-hearted, cordial and generous in his association and dealings with men, and almost impulsive in his vigor and show of enthusiasm. He is a stalwart in his convictions when once formed, but cautious and conservative in forming them. He is an active and zealous partisan in politics, and always an ardent and uncompromising Republican, willing to work for the Republican cause, and a great admirer of Hon. James G. Blaine. His energy and push partake largely of his great natural spirit of enthusiasm.

The history of the town would be incomplete with- out special mention of the life and active career of Mr. Paige, in view of all he has accomplished for himself and for the general welfare-having so long been a prominent figure among the people in this community.

The ancestors of Mr. Paige were natives of Hard- wick, Mass, where they were prominent citizens, as the town history shows. His great-grandfather, the first Timothy Paige, was a farmer, who served in the Revolutionary period as a captain of a militia con- pany, led his company to Bennington at the alarm in August, 1777, and to West Point in 1780, and served in many town offices. His grandfather, the second Timothy, was a member of the company of " minute-men" who marched to Cambridge upon the Lexington alarm, and served for short periods sev- eral times during the Revolution.

He was a conspicuous man in public matters, holding justice courts and many town offices, and at his death, October 21, 1821, the New England Palla- dium described him as one of the oldest members of the House of Representatives; a man who united very many excellent and useful qualities, and who was universally esteemed among his acquaintances for his intelligence and unbending integrity.

The Columbian Centinel referred to him as "one of the oldest members of the House of Representatives of this State, an undeviating patriot and an intelli- gent man." He was Representative to the General Court seventeen years successively, from 1805 to 1821, and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1820.

His father, Timothy Paige, Jr., was a lawyer of good standing in his profession, and of much literary taste. Hle was the first town clerk of Southbridge and won an enviable repute as a poet. His poems were published as written in the public journals and bore the signature of "Jacques." The last poem he wrote was published in the Massachusetts Spy shortly after his death, November 17, 1822, entitled “Fare- well to Summer."

Rev. Lucius R. Paige, LL.D., of Cambridge, Mass., the historian of Hardwick and Cambridge, and a man of literary attainments, is a brother, and uncle to the subject of this sketch.

Chester Dresser

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CHESTER A. DRESSER.

Chester A. Dresser, of Southbridge, Mass., was born in that town on the 2d of September, 1818, and, with the exception of a few years, has always resided in that place.

His early life was similar to many another New England boy's, who has plodded his way along rugged paths, surmounting all obstacles with a fixed purpose to guide him and a determination to become a useful and intelligent man. His mother, with her three children, of which the subject of our sketch was the second, resided in what was then and is to the present day known as the Columbian Block, situated on the corner of Main and Elm Streets, at that time the property of his grandfather and now owned by the Young Men's Christian Association. When ten years of age, upon the death of his mother, he was left in charge of his uncle, Ebenezer D. Ammidown, who was appointed his guardian. His education was acquired at the district school of the village, which he attended irregularly for several years, and he was a student at Nichols Academy, Dudley, Mass., and at Monson Academy-two terms at each institution. During the winters of 1830-31 he lived in the family of Hon. Linus Childs, who was an old friend of his mother, performing the duties of " chore boy " as remuneration for his board and attending school.

At the age of fourteen he chose Dr. Samuel Hart- well as his guardian and made his home at his house when not employed elsewhere. For a short time he was employed in the store kept by Milton Joslin, but he had now arrived at the age when, in those days, it was thought that a boy should have some aim in life, and the subject of a "trade " was taken into considera- tion hy his friends, and their advice freely given.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 31

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1464

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464