History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 80

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 80

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A number of small blocks of wood, a foot long and three or four inches in diameter, were used in bend- ing the combs. A circular piece was cut from the side of each block of the exact size and shape desired,

the comb put in its place and the piece of wood fixed over the comb. There were staples in the sides of the block, and by passing a stick through these the pieces of wood were held in place and the combs hent to the required shape. "When the combs were ready for the market they were wrapped in the coarsest and poor- est wrapping paper, in dozen packages, with one on the outside for a sample. It is only within the past thirty-five years that boxes have been used."

The change which time has brought to this, as to all other kinds of business, is strikingly illustrated by recalling the fact that in the early days of comb- making it was not unnsual for a man to make up what stock was on hand, pack the combs in his sad- dle-bags and start for the nearest market. In these days of rapid transit, of varied and perfect machin- ery, of large sales and small profits, such a state of . things seems hardly possible.

The apprentice system was a marked peculiarity of this business as at first conducted. The young men bound out to learn this trade usually served not less than three years and commonly lived in the family of their employer. Many of the old comb-makers would have in their household from six to twelve young men, who were serving an apprenticeship for the business. The system had this advantage, at least, that the whole business was mastered and the workmen made intelligent.

The system of barter, under which the early comb- makers did business, is another point of special in- terest. Few combs were sold for money. If the man- ufacturer had not a store of his own, he sold his combs to dealers in Boston and received orders on the stores in town doing business with the Boston merchants. These orders were in turn passed to the help in the different comb shops in payment for their services and so wandered on their slow journey back to the giver in Boston. The business was slow, and, as it seems to-day, tiresome; but it snited well the thought and method of those days. It would be in- teresting to describe the tools used in this early work, but to give any clear idea cuts would be needed, and to compare the old way with the new would require far too much space. Many men prom- inent in the affairs of Leominster were among the leading comb-makers of their time. The old comb business, with its slow hand-work, its narrow quarters, its rude tools, its barter trade, its apprentice system, is now largely in the remembrance of a few of the oldest residents. It seems strange to our thought and habit, but it was at the foundation of Leomin- ster's property. Although this business is not now the most important of Leominster's industries, there are still many firms and a large number of men em- ploy in the trade. E. B. Kingman & Company have a large factory on Water Street. The business was started in 1871 by Charles L. Joslin, A. W. Williams and W. L. Palmer. In 1877, Mr. Palmer retired and the other partners continued the business till 1883 ;

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then Mr. Williams was the sole owner until Decem- ber last, when he sold to the present company. W. D. Earl & Company have a large button factory on Earl Street. The business was started by them in 1870 and has been conducted by the same parties to the present time. B. F. Blodgett & Company are engaged in a profitable comb and jewelry business. The firm started in 1869, and then consisted of B. F. and E. F. Blodgett and Alanson Richardson. In 1874 D. E. True became a member and in 1876 Mr. Richardson withdrew. Damon, Howe & Co. manufacture comb and horn goods. Both are natives of Leominster and the sons of old comb-makers. Other firms are en- gaged in different departments of this business, as Derby, Whitcomb & Co., Tenney & Porter. H. E. Davis and Spill Bros.

Before referring to those industries which occupy most of the water privileges within the limits of Leominster, it may be well to state briefly the busi- ness history of these natural centres of power, so far as it is now possible to obtain the facts. This method is preferred that the kinds of business may be grouped without regard to location.

Beginning with the central part of the town, man- ufacturing has seemed to centre and hold its own at three places, where water-power could be obtained, although steam is largely used at all three places at present.

The privilege now owned and occupied by the F. G. Smith's Piano Case Works was first improved in 1763, and was one of the earliest centres for business in Leominster. Mark Lincoln and his son, Captain Ephraim Lincoln, and, after him, Otis Stearns, had a fulling-mill at this place, and employed skilled work- men, we are told, in dressing home-made cloth. The same site was used for a comb-shop by Wheelock & Fletcher, and by them sold to the Porter Brothers in 1857. A new dam was erected, and, after a brief trial of other goods, the firm began the manufacture of piano cases.

In the spring of 1880 the real estate was sold to Steinway & Sons, of New York. On September 2d of the same year the factory was wholly destroyed by fire. The present building, which is on the south side of the river, opposite the old shop, was partly finished at the time of the fire. The new building was leased one year to Porter Brothers, and then sold to its present owners.

Coming nearer the Centre, to the privilege on Pond Street. This was occupied for the first time in 1850. In that year Carter, Patch & Cowdrey built a dam and erected the first shop. This was used in part by James H. Carter for a comb-shop, and in part by Somers & Blotchford for the manufacture of horn buttons. Another mill was built on the opposite side of the road in 1853, and by the same parties. J. C. Lane and John C. Gove occupied this building for different parts of the piano business. Mr. Lane was followed by Allen & Jewett, who were using the

building when it was burned. The property passed from the ownership of Carter, Patch & Cowdrey to that of John H. Lockey in 1865, and was by him sold to Samuel S. Crocker. Mr. Crocker built a brick four- set woolen-mill, and, with Solon Perry and Frank T. Crocker, began the manufacture of woolen goods. This business was continued by different parties until November 8, 1876, when it passed into the hands of the present owner, Edward M. Rockwell.

So far as any record indicates, the first place where water was used as a power in Leominster is near the site now occupied by the shoe-shop of Valpey & An- thony. This place has been occupied for manufac- turing purposes probably from the incorporation of the town or earlier. Mr. Wilder says : "That when, in December, 1740, the Selectmen laid out a private way from O. Carter's through the land of Jonathan, Rufus and Ebenezer Honghton, after describing this last angle, say ' thence straight to Josiah White's saw- mill. It was, he says, probably near the place where the F. & W. R. R. crosses Monoosnock brook.'"

This was as early, if not earlier, than the building of the Wilson Mill on the Nashua River. A grist mill was built at this place by Joseph Beaman abont 1775. It is not likely that this site escaped the usual fate of all these early privileges, viz., of being used as a comb-shop; but of this fact there is no present record. When J. C. Lane came to Leomin- ster in 1845 and established the piano-case business, he found a building on this spot and used it for his work. The property passed into the hands of John H. Lockey, by whom two large piano-case factories were built, and each in turn wholly destroyed by fire. At the time of the last fire the shop was occupied for different kinds of business, Mr. Lockey having moved his works to the shop on the opposite side of the rail- road.

The history of the other privileges in or near the Centre will be sufficiently indicated when treating of the business now carried on at these places.

On the Nashua River, or, as it is called in the rec- ords, the North River, three centres of power have long been in use. Beginning at the highest point on this river, and not following the order of time, the site now occupied by the furniture manufacturing es- tablishment of Merriam, Hall & Co. is, doubtless, that of the paper-mill referred to in the following: "The third paper-mill was erected by Caleb Leland in 1802. It was a one-vat mill, and is about two hundred rods higher up the stream than the Wilson Mill. It was occupied by Leland and others till 1807, when it was sold to Edward Simmons, and in 1836, by him to William S. Parker of Boston." It is probable that this mill was suffered to fall to decay, or was taken down, for when the present factory of Merriam, Hall & Co. was erected in 1864, only a dam was found on the site. The buildings constructed in 1864 have been enlarged and improved, but the same business still occupies the site.

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Lower down the stream is the site of the old Wil- son Mill, built before 1740 ; aud about this spot, mov- ing up and down a few rods, have been nearly all the paper-mills of the past. As this business still occu- pies its old camping-ground, it will be necessary to give some account of the mills built here under that head. It is proper to say liere, that this mill was owned by Ebenezer Wilder, and only came into the possession of Jonathan Wilson as part of his wife's dowry after the death of her father, in 1746. Mr. Wilder, in speaking of this, takes occasion to hint at a moral on the question of "marrying women sup- posed to be rich ;" for Wilson lived above his means and failed. The mill passed into the hands of Major James Richardson, who also failed; but whether it was on account of, or for the want of a rich wife, Mr. Wilder does not say. At all events the old mill passed into the hands of agents, was rented, sold, and variously dealt with, till it became the property of Amos Haws in 1830, and was finally sold to Jonas Keu- dall & Co., and by them converted into a paper mill.

Still farther down the stream is another privilege, first occupied in 1837. In that year Major Amos Haws, who owned the land, built a saw aud grist-mill. The power was obtained by cutting a canal about one hundred rods from the main stream. Mr. Haws owned aud operated this mill about nine years, " and ground over fifteen thousand bushels of grain annually, one-fifth of which was wheat." The mill was then sold to Joseph Cozzens, and by him to Walter Wright, who continued the business for some years, until the property passed by the hands of a Mr. Rolf to its pres- ent owner, " The Harwood Manufacturing Company." This completes the list of manufacturing sites which ·deserve special mention, either on account of long use or because they would not find natural reference in the regular statement of business interests.

PAPER-MAKING .- This stands before, or equal to, the boot and shoe business in the order of time. It is one of the industries which began in Leominster in the last days of this last century, and is still a vital and profitable part of her manufacturing interests. Three paper-mills were erected on the Nashua River before the present century was three years old. The first was built as early as 1796, and the water to operate it was taken from the old Wilson pond, no new dam be- ing made, although the building stood several rods below the old mill. The first owners were William Nichols and Jonas Kendall. The value of paper made the first year is estimated at four thousand dollars. The mill was run by the parties above named, and by Jonas Kendall & Sons until 1845, when it passed into the hands of Edward Crehore, by whom the mill was greatly enlarged. Deacon Samuel Crocker, the pio- neer Baptist of Leominster, and his son, Deacon Samuel S. Crocker, who still resides here after a long and successful career as a paper manufacturer, were among those employed in this mill during its early history.

In 1801 these same parties built another paper-mill farther down the stream. This was operated by them until 1804, when the new mill passed into the hands of William Nichols, and Jonas Kendall retained the one first mentioned. In a few years this property passed iuto the hands of Boston parties, and the mill, becoming unfit for use, was taken down. The third paper-mill was erected about two hundred rods up the stream from the old Wilson mill and has been men- tioned as probably occupying the site of the factory of Merriam, Hall & Co.

The original paper-mill was sold about thirty years ago to George Wheelwright who greatly enlarged and improved the works, The present owners, The George W. Wheelwright Paper Company, have still further improved their facilities, until, where the pro- duct for the first year had a value of four thousand dollars, now seven tons is the daily output of the mill, and the product has a yearly value of about three hundred thousand dollars. This business employs a large number of hands, and has, during the last ninety years, been an important factor in the prosperity of the town.

BOOTS AND SHOES .- Leominster has never been a boot and shoe town in the usual sense in which the term is employed. Still, for nearly a century there has been much successful manufacturing in this line, and within the past year or two the business has been largely increased. It is now wholly confined to the manufacture of ladies' shoes, and, judging from the present outlook, this industry is likely to increase still further in value.

Except for some nine years previous to 1845, when the Burrages of North Leominster were engaged in this business, the manufacture of boots and shoes was almost wholly confined to the establishment of M. D. Haws, also of North Leominster, until, in 1887, the factory of Valpey & Anthony was built.

The business of M. D. Haws was established by his grandfather, Benjamin Haws, in 1796. At first it was a custom business. In due time this business descended to his son, Major Amos Haws, and was sold by him in 1833 to Bartimeus Tenney. In June, 1839, Mr. M. D. Haws bought the business, which he continued until November, 1885. As first conducted by Mr. Haws, the making of men's boots and shoes was part of the business ; but this part of the work was finally dropped, and the manufacture of ladies' and misses' shoes was the principal business. Still, some men's shoes were made as long as Mr. Haws continued to manufacture. As the business increased the old shop was moved, and a new and larger factory built on the present site. This has been twice enlarged already, and a third addition is now planned, and will soon be built.

In 1885 the manufacturing part of this business was rented to Mr. H. O. Smith, of Lynn, whose success is evident from the fact above named, that the shop is to be enlarged to accommodate his work.

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The other firm engaged in the manufacture of ladies' shoes, Valpey & Anthony, occupy the old site of Josiah White's saw-mill, to which reference has already been made. The business was started in the city of Lynn, some twenty years ago, by the same gentlemen who now own the property. When, in 1886, the labor troubles made it advisable to dis- tribute the shoe business somewhat, Mr. Anthony came to Leominster and examined the "burnt dis- trict " so called ; the place where the Lockey buildings stood. The result of his visit was the purchase of the land upon which the present buildings were erected, early in 1887. A part only of this business has as yet been transferred to Leominster, but it is not improbable that more may follow.

TANNERIES .- The first work in this line was at North Leominster, in a yard "immediately east of the Wilson Mill-pond, on the south side of the way, leading from the 'great bridge' into the broad road." One of the early settlers, as is supposed, owned and worked this tannery, and it passed from him to the ownership of a man named Gates, some time in the last quarter of the last century. It seems not to have prospered sufficient to warrant its continuance.

The next tannery was in this part of the town. It was started before 1780, and continued at the original place until 1835, at which time it had passed by the way of Benjamin Hawks, Levi Adams, B. Perkins and Thomas Stearns, to the ownership of William Burrage and Asa Pierce, Jr. It is said to have been located on land of Oliver Carter, about one-half mile west of the meeting-house. When Thomas Stearns sold to William Burrage, he built a new yard near where the Reed Toy Works now stand, and continued the business until Mr. J. C. Lane bought the prop- erty, in 1847.

This finishes the history of the tanneries on this side of the Nashua River. But Wm. Burrage began the business at North Leominster in 1790. The bus- iness was small at first, but was increased in extent and profit year by year, until it came into the pos- session of the late Captain Leonard Burrage, in 1824. Either alone or in company with George S. Burrage, he continued the business for the next twenty years. The work was done, during all these years, by the old processes, which required a large amount of manual labor. The results seem satisfactory, how- ever, for it is said that all "who engaged in the busi- ness acquired more than a competency of this world's goods." In 1844 the property was sold to Babcock & J. M. Burrage, who were the first to put in steam. In this way they increased very largely the product of the tannery. The business passed from this firm to Putnam & Phelps, and then to the present owners, Phelps & Harrison. As illustrating the growth of this business, the fact may be recalled that even in the tannery of Mr. Leonard Burrage the annual pro- duct was less than ten thousand dollars, and putting this beside the present result, where, with forty-seven

hands, there is an annual product of nearly or quite a quarter of a million of dollars. This business seems to have been somewhat migratory in its habits in the past, but has finally settled to its present place and ownership, and will no doubt remain oneof the per- manent and growing industries of the town.

PIANOS AND PIANO-CASES .- Both for the char- acter of the men employed and the value of the pro- duct, piano-making, in all its branches, is an impor- tant industry in any community. It has proven so in Leominster. It employs, at the present time, a large amount of capital and many of the most skilled workmen.

Mr. J. C. Lane, a brother of Howard M. Lane, chairman of the present Board of Selectmen, began the business in Leominster in the year 1845. At first what is known as skeleton piano-cases were made, and the work was done in a small building standing near where the shoe-shop of Valpey & Anthony now is. The only machinery used was one circular saw. The first work in the veneering of cases, which was done in Leominster, was by Andrew G. Reckard, then one of Mr. Lane's workmen, now owner of a small factory near his home on Church Street. To Mr. Lane also belongs the honor of making the first com- plete piano ever manufactured in town. Other parts of the piano began to be made in town about the same time. Mr. J. C. Gove, one of Mr. Lane's work- men, commenced to make desks and the smaller parts of the instrument. He moved, at a later date, to one part of the building owned by Carter, Patch & Cowdrey, on Pond Street. Piano keys were made by Luther Stone in a house which stood at the time near where the Albert Lamb place now is on Main Street. The work at that time was all done by hand; but when, finally, power was required, Mr. Stone moved to the building on Mechanic Street where Tenney & Porter now are. Here the work was continued by Mr. Stone for several years. But, in the end, both these branches of business seemed to die out. Whether there was too little profit in the business itself, or too little energy in the conduct of its affairs, is not known. Mr. J. C. Lane continued to occupy the small shop above referred to only until he could finish a larger building, and one better suited to his purpose. This new building was completed and his business moved there about 1847. This factory is the wooden build- ing now occupied by the W. S. Read Toy Company. Here Mr. Lane continued for several years, and then sold his fixtures and rented the building to Mr. J. H. Lockey, and moved to a shop on Pond Street. But, after three years he came back to the old shop, and manufactured cases until 1857. His brother, Howard M. Lane, was engaged in the same business for twenty years at the same place. Other firms have, at differ- ent times, carried on this business in town which are not now represented in any way in our business inter- ests; but as the results did not effect the general outcome of the manufacture in the town, special

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mention will not be made of these firms. But Mr. Lane was the pioneer of the business in Leominster. He brought to the town, and gave it permanent foothold, one of the most important of onr industries : impor- tant because it employs so many and so skillful a class of workmen, contributes so directly to the intel- ligence and good name of the town, by increasing the average mechanical skill and culture of its citizens. For these reasons his name is mentioned with honor in this chapter.

At the present time there are within the town limits six firms engaged in piano work of some kind. Two of these make and finish the instruments ready for the market. The W. H. Jewett & Co. piano stands high with the trade as a well-made instru- ment of superior tone and finish. The business was commenced in 1861 by W. H. Jewett and George A. Allen, and contined by them until 1869, when Mr. Allen retired. The business was then the making of both piano-cases and pianos, and the Allen & Jewett piano is well remembered. During the year named the factory of this firm, which stood on Pond Street, was wholly consumed by fire. The firm of W. H. Jewett & Co. was formed in October, 1870, and con- sisted, at first, of W. H. Jewett and R. B. Richardson, of Woburn, but later on was reorganized, and now the members are W. H. Jewett and his two sons, with F. J. Woodbury, a nephew of the senior member. The business is conducted in Allen's block.

Mr. Andrew G. Reckard, one of the oldest and best piano-makers of Leominster, to whom reference has already been made as having veneered the first piano-cases manufactured in town, and who was at one time foreman for J. C. Lane, has a small factory on Church Street, near his residence. He makes a few pianos of superiorior workmanship in all respects. These pianos will bear comparison with the very best instruments offered in the market. All the work of finishing is done by Mr. Reckard himself, whose superior mechanical skill and fine musical taste war- rant the best results.

perienced and skillful workmen are employed, many of these men having been with Mr. Lockey for years, and are, in every sense of the word, master-workmen.

The Hon. John H. Lockey has been so long and inti- mately connected with the business interests and civil affairs of Leominster, and has contributed so largely to the growth and development of the town by his business talents and extensive building, that mention should be made of the fact to his honor. Not only has he conducted important business interests in the town for more than thirty years, employing many able me- chanics, treating his employés with a courtesy and liberality of which their long service with him is a most ample witness ; but he has, at different times, increased the business facilities of the town by build- ing, with taste and thoronghness, at least three large factories, one to replace the first which was burned. Mr. Lockey has also built two private residences which are among the best and most substantial in town. In civil life, also, Mr. Lockey has rendered important service. He has served on many commit- tees, when the business was of permanent interest to the town, giving freely of his time and influence to measures of public improvement and to whatever has seemed for the best good of the community. Mr. Lockey has been elected by the town as its Represen- tative and by the district as Senator; and in both cases did efficient service at the "General Court." Any sketch of our business interests should name Mr. Lockey as one of the men who have contributed most liberally and effectively to the growth of the town. Mr. J. M. Lockey is now associated with his father in the business of the company.

The F. G. Smith Piano Case Works are located about a miles west of the Common and the business history of the site has already been given. The works are the property of F. G. Smith, of New York, snccessor to William Bradbury, and one of the largest piano manufacturers in the United States. The work here is done directly for the New York branch of the business and the Leominster factory is under the management of Mr. W. L. Porter, a very skillful me- chanic and one of the original founders of the piano case business at this place. The cases made at this factory are of excellent quality, employing the labor of many of the best mechanics in town.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 80

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