History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 26

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896

USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II > Part 26

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In 1869, Johnson, Clark & Co., without making any change, save in the name of the company, were incorporated as the Gold Medal Sewing-Machine Company, with Mr. An- drew J. Clark as president, which position he has held to the present time.

In that year the company effected a compromise with what was known as the "Sewing-Machine Combination," claiming certain patents over which there had been protracted and ex- pensive litigation, and under the license received from the "Combination" the company operated until 1877, when all patents expired by limitation.

In 1870 the manufacture of the Gold Medal machine was succeeded by the manufacture of the Home sewing-machine, and this in turn, in 1877, by the New Home sewing-machine, in which year also the manufacture of the New England sin- gle-thread machine was discontinued.

The total number of people employed in the company's in- terests aggregate upward of 450, and for 1879 the estimated yield of machines is 50,000.

In 1865, Mr. Clark was chairman of the Board of Selectmen of Orange. In 1864 and 1867 he was a member of the House of Representatives, and in 1870, 1871, and 1875 he repre- sented his district in the State Senate. In 1860 he became a member of the Masonic fraternity ; from 1863 to 1868 he was Worshipful Master of Orange Lodge, F. and A. M. ; and from 1868 to 1871 was District Deputy Grand Master for the eighth district. Ile is president of the Orange Savings-Bank, vice-president and director of the Orange National Bank, and a member of the committee of the town library, in whose success he has for years taken a lively interest.

JOHN W. WHEELER,

for many years secretary and treasurer of the Gold Medal Sewing-Machine Company of Orange, was the second of a family of nine children born in Orange to Wilson Wheeler and Catharine, his wife, a daughter of Mr. Samuel Warden, of Worcester. Wilson Wheeler was by trade a carpenter and builder, and in connection with that business devoted con- siderable attention to the cultivation of his land, to which, later in his life, he gave his exclusive care.

In his boyhood days John, whose birth occurred Nov. 20, 1832, obtained the advantages of a common-school education, and until reaching the age of twenty-one-in November, 1853-divided his time and experience between studies at school and the more practical pursuits of business under the directing eye of his father, who designed to train him for the career of a mechanic.

Being of age, John ventured to launch out upon his own responsibility, and in the winter of that year contracted to assist Mr. Royal Richardson in building a house at East Tem-

pleton, Mass. ; which service terminating in the spring of 1854, he made a trip to Fitchburg, Mass., and there engaged him- self for the season to a carpenter and builder, by name John Parkhurst. Business falling off, in the ensuing autumn he returned to Orange to spend the winter.

His experience as a mechanic convinced him that the busi- ness was not, and never would be, to his liking, apart from the consideration that he felt satisfied of his lack of capacity to achieve anything more than moderate success, however long he might pursue his labors in that direction. lle felt, in short, that he could scarcely hope to win success in life unless he turned his energies toward a calling for which he could feel a sympathy and earnest interest, and so, resolving boldly to turn his back forever upon the carpenter's bench, he set out in the spring of 1855, at the age of twenty-two, for Fitchburg, purposing to seek an engagement as clerk in a store,-a pur- suit upon which he had determined to enter as the one which best suited his inclinations and judgment.

Without much difficulty or delay he secured a clerkship in the employment of Joseph Baldwin, a dealer in groceries and provisions at Fitchburg, at a yearly salary of $125, and served his employer so faithfully and satisfactorily that at the close of the year he received the additional compensation of $25 more than had been agreed upon.

Receiving at this time an advantageous offer to enter the service of Mr. Daniel Pomeroy, an extensive dealer of Orange, he engaged with him in May, 1856, and in October of that year married Miss Almira E. Johnson, who was one of a family of seven daughters of Daniel and Almira Johnson, of Orange, born Dec. 8, 1835.

The wedded life was begun upon a limited stock of worldly goods, for Mr. Wheeler had been able to save but little out of his two years' services except his experience, but he and his wife, stout of heart and full of hope, doubted not that steady perseverance and untiring energy would bring in their own good time the prosperous future toward which they cheerfully looked. Mrs. Wheeler, who previous to her marriage had been occupied as a tailoress, continued to follow that employ- ment for some time after marriage, while her husband con- tinued in the service of Mr. Pomeroy. They began by thrift and economy to push their way in the world, and in 1857 were enabled to commence housekeeping.

Mr. Wheeler remained in the employ of Mr. Pomeroy three years, when the latter retired and arranged to have his clerk continue the business in his own name, and for three years, by the exercise of attentive care and strict business integrity, Mr. Wheeler managed it successfully, and retired with a well- won reputation for business enterprise and sagacity.

Direetly thereafter he engaged as a clerk for Mr. D. B. Cheney, then in the claim-agency business at Orange, and while in that service, July 20, 1863, was drafted into the military service. To obtain his release therefrom, he yielded up the entire savings (three hundred dollars) which, with his wife's aid, he had carefully and patiently garnered up since their marriage.

Far from being discouraged, and freshly resolved upon de- termined efforts to retrieve his fortunes, Mr. Wheeler, having ended his engagement with Mr. Cheney, cast about him for a new venture, and purchased the store of Mr. A. J. Clark (then doing business in Carpenter's block, Orange) with funds gen- erously loaned by D. B. Cheney and R. E. Carpenter.

It is an eloquent evidence of the high standing occupied by Mr. Wheeler as a man of strict integrity that, although with- out funds, he was enabled to effect these loans upon no other security than his own pledge of repayment, and they were extended, too, readily and unhesitatingly.

In this new venture Mr. Wheeler met with deserved pros- perity, and, leaving it in June, 1867, became interested, with Johnson, Clark & Co., in the manufacture of sewing-ma- chines at Orange; and that firm becoming, in 1869, incorporated

643

HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.

as the Gold Medal Sewing-Machine Company, Mr. Wheeler became the secretary and treasurer, and in that position has since continued, being also secretary of the Orange Iron Com- pany, to which position he was appointed upon the organiza- tion of the company, in 1870.

When Mr. Wheeler entered, as a partner in the firm of Johnson, Clark & Co., into the manufacture of sewing-ma- chines, the firm employed about forty hands, and their pro- ductions were small. Since that time the enterprise has surely and steadily grown in volume and strength, until now its employés number four hundred and fifty, and it manufactures fifty thousand machines annually. In this great establish- ment Mr. Wheeler is one of the largest owners and a directing power; and this place he has reached within a few years, simply and purely through his own unaided efforts, which have made him, in truth, a self-made man.

Mr. Wheeler served as town clerk of Orange from 1861- 67; was commissioned by Gov. Andrew as justice of the peace in 1864; in 1866 was chosen on the board of selectmen, and in 1876 was chosen to represent the First Franklin Dis- triet at the General Court, where he was a member of the committee on finance. He was one of the founders of Orange Lodge, F. and A. M., organized in 1859; was its first secre- tary, and afterward its treasurer.

Mr. Wheeler's mother died in Orange, August, 1876; his father still resides in the town, at the age of seventy-four.

Three children have blessed Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler's union, of whom but one-Lizzie, a young lady of bright promise- is now living.

HIRAM ORCUTT

was born in Warwick, Franklin Co., Mass., Nov. 14, 1809. Hle is the second of a family of twelve children. His father, Jonathan Orentt, was a native of Warwick, and was born

Hiram Orcutt

Oct. 13, 1790. His mother, Sallie Martin Orcutt, was born in New Salem, Franklin Co., Mass., April 13, 1787. In his carlier years his advantages for education were limited to an attendance at the district schools during four, or at most six, months in the year. When Iliram was ten years of age his father removed to Irvingsville, now West Orange. During

his father's residence in that place he attended the New Salem Academy a number of terms. When he reached his majority he entered a store in Warwick as clerk, where he remained about six years. Afterward he went to New Salem and established a mercantile business, which he carried on very successfully for sixteen years. He then removed to West Orange, where he now resides, and engaged in the same business, in which he remained eleven years. Although very snecessful in all his attempts, he abandoned trade at the expi- ration of over twenty-seven years of active business, and en- gaged in farming. In 1872, '73, '75, and '76 he was selectman, and was also a member of the committee appointed in 1877 to build the new school-house in Orange. In politics Mr. Orcutt was formerly a Whig, but is now a Democrat. As a man he is highly respected in all the walks of life. He was married, Oct. 25, 1836, to Mary King. By this union they had one child,-a son,-who resides in New Salem. He married, for his second wife, Oct. 24, 1861, Mary F. Bullard. They have no children.

LEVI KILBURN,

the present head of the firm of L. Kilburn & Co., of Orange, was born in Winchendon, Worcester Co., Mass., Jan. 29, 1816.

IIis father, John Kilburn, was born in Sterling, Mass., in 1784, and died in St. Louis, Mo., in 1867, aged eighty-three. He married Esther, daughter of Mr. Edmonds, of Winehendon, Nov. 29, 1810, and of this union the fruits were eight chil- dren,-six sons and two daughters. Levi, the first born, died when quite young; John, the second son, resides in Win- chendon ; Levi, the third son, is the subject of this sketch ; Cheney and Artemas reside in Philadelphia; Edwin is dead. Of the daughters, Esther is dead ; Emily married Greenwood Partridge, and lives in Winchendon.

Levi was employed in his boyhood, and until he reached the age of twenty-one, in the pursuit of education as it could he gained with the limited facilities at hand in his native town (school being taught but eight weeks in the year), and in the business of assisting his father in farming and in a saw-mill on Miller's River.

The practical lessons of life he, with his elder brother, John, learned through this thorough experience, and when, in 1837, he looked upon his twenty-first year, he was keenly alive to the requirements of the business which his father had taught him ; and with the savings which his labors had gained, he, with his brother John, purchased the old homestead and mill, established the firm of J. & L. Kilburn, and entered upon the business of sawing lumber and the manufacture of chair- stuff.

The old homestead still remains in the possession of the Kil- burn family, and is owned by the three sons,-Levi, Cheney, and Artemas.

He continued a member of the firm until 1841, when he sold out his interest and removed to Gardner, Mass., having meanwhile married, in 1840, Isabel R., daughter of Obadiah Walker, of Winehendon.

At Gardner he entered the employ of L. Hey wood, chair- manufacturer, and, continuing there a year and a half, took charge for that firm of a chair-manufactory in Templeton, Mass., where he remained until 1849. He resided in Orange in 1850, and entered upon an engagement with Davis & Kil- burn, chair- and furniture-manufacturers, for whom he man- aged the business until 1852, when the factory was destroyed by fire.

In that year he began-on the south side of the river, in a new building erected by Davis & Kilburn, and now veeupied by the Orange Manufacturing Company-the manufacture of chairs for his own account, and in 1855 he sold out and joined

644

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

with Ilamilton Holt, of Worcester, in the lumber business (Mr. Kilburn continuing at Orange), which they pursued profitably until 1860.

In 1860, Mr. Kilburn took the management of a chair-fac- tory-on the site of the present factory of Kilburn & Co .- for the benefit of the creditors of White, French & Co., and in 1862 organized the firm of L. Kilburn & Co., with Richard French and George E. Poland as his partners. Mr. Poland retired in 1868, and in May of that year Mr. L. E. Holines was admitted as a partner.

In 1869 the present manufactory buildings were completed, the main building being three stories and a half in height, and measuring 80 by 45 feet; the wing being two stories and a half in height, and 52 feet in length by 24 in breadth.

In 1865, L. Kilburn & Co. added to their business the man- ufacture of miscellaneous furniture in a building purchased

of R. E. Carpenter. In this branch J. S. Dewing was a partner, and, in 1873, he, with others, purchased the interest of L. Kilburn & Co. therein.

In 1867, Kilburn & Co. became interested in the Turbine Water-Wheel Manufacturing Company, now the Chase Tur- bine Manufacturing Company, in which they maintain the original interest. The firm operates also a saw-mill in New Salem for supplying their factory with raw material.

They manufacture cane- and wood-seat chairs, and employ, besides a force of 25 factory-hands, about 250 persons in the village,-men, women, and children,-known as " seaters." They manufactured 50,000 chairs in 1878, which number they expect to double in 1879. Mr. Kilburn was one of the found- ers of the Orange Savings-Bank, and is one of its trustees ; was interested in the organization of the Orange National Bank, and is now a director in that institution.

SHELBURNE.

GEOGRAPHICAL.

THE town of Shelburne, with a taxable area of 13,882 acres, lies on the Deerfield River, and has for its boundaries Cole- raine on the north, Conway on the south, Greenfield and Deer- field on the east, and Conway and Buckland on the west.

The town has no railway-station within its limits, but finds railway communication convenient of access at Shelburne Falls station, on the Troy and Greenfield Railroad, which touches the village on the Buckland side of the river.

NATURAL FEATURES.

The surface of the town is rugged and mountainous, and rises in several localities into conspicuous eminences, among the most prominent of which are Bald Mountain in the west, Greenfield Mountain in the east, Dragon Hill at the centre, East Hill north of that point, and Shingle and Brimstone Hills on the southi.

The Deerfield River, receiving at the northwest corner of the town the waters of North River, flows thence along Shel- burne's entire western and southwestern border. At the vil- lage of Shelburne Falls the stream makes an abrupt bend, and there, descending to the depth of forty feet over a wildly- rugged precipice, forms a romantically-beautiful cataract (called originally Salmon Falls), features of which have been widely heralded in the public prints and freely illustrated by the photographer's skill.

Among the many smaller streams are Dragon, Shingle, and Sluice Brooks, flowing into the Deerfield River, and Allen's and Hinsdale Brooks, emptying into Green River.

Shelburne is famed for its scenic attractions, and is a favored summer resort.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The territory now occupied by Shelburne was included in a tract granted to Deerfield in 1712 (npon the petition of Rev. John Williams), which extended " nine miles west to the western woods." What is now Shelburne was called Deer- field Northwest or Deerfield Pasture, for the tract was not re- garded as worth much save as a pasture. At all events, it served no other purpose to the people of Deerfield for many years, and scarcely knew a human tread save that of the red man until some time between 1752 and 1756, when Jonathan Catlin and James Ryder, of Deerfield, made the first settle- ments at Shelburne Falls, upon what are now known as the Severance and Allis farms.

Catlin and Ryder, with their families, bravely faced the

difficulties and troublous fears which beset them, but, driven out at last by the persistent savages, they returned, in 1756, to Deerfield. No further attempt was made at settlement until 1760, when, the Indian troubles being ended, Martin Sever- ance and Daniel Ryder, of Decrfield, took up the farms origi- nally occupied by Catlin and James Ryder. About that time also Robert Wilson, of Coleraine, settled in the northeast, on the place now occupied by Isaac T. Fisk ; Archibald Lawson, of Deerfield, in the north, on the place now occupied by Chas. Hardy ; and Samuel Wilson, north of Lawson's location.

In 1762, Daniel Niis located on the farm now occupied by Elisha Alvord, one of his descendants. John Taylor, of Deer- field, settled near the present place of John and George Taylor, his descendants; and Ebenezer Fisk and Watson Freeman located in the northwest, not far from where Elisha Barnard now lives.

In 1760 the families numbered five ; in 1761, fourteen. Other settlers about 1762 were Samuel Ilunter, John Wells, Stephen Kellogg, John Thompson, Lawrence Kemp, Samuel Fisk, John Heaton, Thomas Wells, Asa Childs, James Taft, John Allen, Samuel Pool, Oreb Taylor, Samuel Murdock, David Boyd, Moses Hawks, John Boyd, Reuben Nims, Samuel Fel- lows, Jr., Jeremiah Foster, Newton Ransom, and Alexander Clark.

The early settlers experienced some fearful apprehensions touching Indian depredations, but they suffered no serions in- juries. They fled frequently to the Coleraine fort for safety, and two-Martin Severance and Daniel Ryder-abandoned their farms and returned to Deerfield, as stated above, but they were back again without much delay, and soon, in common with the other settlers, learned that there was nothing to be alarmed about, except, perhaps, wild beasts, which, truth to tell, annoyed the pioneers amazingly.

Martin Severance, above alluded to, settled in 1760, and is said to have conveyed to his new home, on a horse's back, him- self, his family, and all his household goods. Severance fought in the French-and-Indian war, was taken a prisoner at Lake George, and escaped after a two years' captivity. He died in 1810, at the age of ninety-two.

Archibald Lawson, who served also in the Indian campaign, bought 50 acres of land in " North west," giving 50 yards of do- mestie linen cloth, for which his wife hatcheled the flax and spun the yarn, and which Lawson wove, being a weaver by trade. When he bargained for his land with the land-agent at Deerfield, the latter said he would not go out to the North-

Photo. by Popkins.

Charles 1. Duncan. M.Q.

DR. C. M. DUNCAN was born in Dummerston, Vt., July 1, 1808. He was the only son of Dr. Abel Duncan, who was etuphatically "the beloved" and successful physician of his day in Southern Vermont. He was left to the care and training of his mother in his early child- bood by the death of his father, who fell a victim to the "spotted fever" epidemic, in March, 1813.

Happily for the boy the mother was equal to her sacred trust, being a woman largely endowed with the many virtues and capa- bilities of the superior women of her times. The mother often re- marked that her son inherited largely some of the distinguishing virtues of his father, conspicuously his strict integrity, good judy- ment, and large-heartedness; which, perhaps, combined with the quick perceptions, and perseverance and faithful training from his mother, was a rich legacy not available to every yonag man. His origin dated back to the old Puritan stock, his maternal great-grand- father having emigrated from Massachusetts in the early days, aod was a land agent, helping to do the first work in the settlement of towns in Southern Vermont and New Ilampshire, on the Connecticut River ; and planted himself, at length, where his descendants spread around him, like the mustard-tree of Scripture. Dr. Duncan's hoy- hood was mostly spent on the farm with his mother, having the advantage of good common schools, with now and then a term at the academy. He was fond of his books, often taking them into the field with him, and would sit upon the plow and read while he rested his team; sometimes the team had a long rest. But farming was not congenial to him, and he early settled the question ia his own mind that he should adopt the profession of his father. Probably it was an inspiration with him to be like his father, whoin he ever heard spoken of as a man superior in every manly virtue; and, possessing his mother's "can do," with the " must do" of the times, no diffi- culty could obstruct his onward way.

After suitably preparing himself, he began the preliminary studies of medicine with the resident physician in the near neighborhood. Then he attended medical lectures at Boston, and Brunswick, Me., and at length took his diploma at Brunswick. He taught district school some, which is or was so often the dernier ressort of the unfledged professional in New England, and traveled some before he was through with study.

In 1833 he was married to the woman who has ever, in all the subsequent trial years no less than the prosperous ones, made com- fort aod cheer in his home,-the mother of his two daughters who, to- day, enrich his heart and home with two grandsons. In 1834 he located in Shelburne, Mass. ; a few solid friends held up his hands; he waited, as the young physician full often must wait. But time proved with him that patience and pluck were "stock in trade." He waited net in vain ; the feeble rootlets gathered strength, striking down and reaching out into the rich soil and affording a firm foundation to the fair superstructure that he, in patience and almost self-sacrificing labor, was day by day building. Friends gathered around him tried and true. It is one of the immutable laws that water will find its true level, and the patient worker in the un-

mistakable path of humanity's needs at length ascends the mount. Who so naturally and so surely works into the hearts and homes ef his people? We love and venerate our pastor; he looks after the welfare of our souls, and with the All Father we trust our souls there. Our bodies are more in our own keeping, and the moment there is a screw loose here we fly to our physician ; he heals and soothes us : he comes within our homes, we take him to our hearts, and how often the tender-hearted, sympathizing physician is the one to help lift the most serious and oppressive burdens of our lives. Thus, often, is a compact formed tenderer, stronger, and more enduring than any other in our human needs. How true has this been with the subject of this sketeh, in his forty years and over of practice in the good towo of Shelburne !

Ia that time he has seen generations pass off and on to the stage of active life; he has administered at the bedside of the fathers whu stood by him in his day of weakness as they passed on over the river. The strength and sinew of to day are but the grown children he had laid upoo their mothers' hosoeis when habes.

He grew among the people but few years before he took his place among the leading men of the town, and was ever identified with their interests in all the questions of the day. For more than twenty years he served as town clerk and treasurer, and in general was sought not more as a physician than as friend and counselor. Per- haps this running sketch cannot be better closed than in the fitting words of a valued friend of his, in a congratulatory letter to him oo his seventieth birthday, which occurred July 1, 1878:

" MY DEAR FRIEND, DR. DUNCAN :

" How much time have you to-day ? Will this letter find you sur- rounded by friends as your good wife fondly hoped a few weeks ago ? If so, do tell those friends with what affectionate remembrance you are held by one who has known you since she was a child seven years old.

"I suppose you will have te tell them she is now on the shady side of fifty : but that is nothing, since you, yourself, must own to- day to threescore years and teo; and I congratulate you that you have a retrospect so fair to look upon, a lifetime of faithful, earnest, conscientious work, -- work, the greatest blessing granted te mankind.

" Let me congratulate you also on the remarkable vigor and youthful activity, to say nothing of looks, which mark this era uf your life. One sees that those physical laws of health, the necessity of whose obedience you teach to others, have not been violated in your own case.

"'Shelburne has, in you, been blessed these more than forty years with a good physician, a good citizen, and a good Democrat; now you know how very rare a combination that is.

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 26

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 896

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896