USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Clinton > History of the origin of the town of Clinton, Massachusetts, 1653-1865 > Part 28
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It was not until after 1865, that the Clinton Wire Cloth Company assumed its place among our great corporations. In January, 1859, only seven hands were employed, including those mentioned, and even in January, 1865, there were only twenty-one.
* See page 255. t See War Record.
346
CLINTON WIRE CLOTH COMPANY.
Charles H. Waters was born in Millbury in 1828. He had the education of the district school with a few terms at Wilbraham Academy. He entered a factory at the age of fifteen and devoted himself with such zeal to his work that he soon became a skillful workman and at the same time gained a good understanding of the business. At the age of eighteen, he was the overseer in a cotton mill, and he soon had charge of the mill as a whole. In 1848, he was manu- facturing articles from flax at Little Falls, New York. At the age of twenty-three, he started mills for the manufacture of rope and twine at Jewett City, Ct. He married Mary Farnsworth of Groton in 1855. He came to Clinton when the Wire Cloth Mill was started, as agent. He did the same work for this industry that H. N. Bigelow had done for the manufacture of Brussels and Wilton carpeting, that is, he "naturalized" the inventions of E. B. Bigelow. He also added much directly to these inventions and obtained many patents therefor. We are told "the Clinton Wire Cloth Mills were created by Mr. Waters." He was the central force in the corporation until his death. After serving as manager twenty-two years, he was made president and held this office until his death. He superintended the construction of the works of the Avery Lactate Company at Littleton. He never lived in Clinton, although at one time he planned to build a residence where J. R. Foster's house now stands. His home was in Groton, where he was looked upon as a foremost citizen, devoted to the interests of the community. He died March 13, 1883.
Although Artemas E. Bigelow was more prominently connected with several other local interests than he was with the Clinton Wire Cloth Company, yet it has seemed best to consider his story here, as he was the first clerk of the corporation. He was born in Paxton, September 3, 1819, and like his brother, George N., our first High School master, was brought up on his father's farm. He was edu- cated in the district schools, at Bride's school in Berlin, and
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CLINTON WIRE CLOTH MILLS, 1865-1895.
347
C. F. W. PARKHURST.
at the academies in Southbridge and Worcester. He taught school in Paxton before he came to Clintonville. He had charge of our Second School for some three years. This was next in grade to the High School. When he resigned in 1852, the school report spoke in the highest terms of his efficiency. For a quarter of a century, he served our various corporations, being connected at one time or another with nearly all of them as clerk, paymaster or treasurer. From May, 1861, to May, 1864, he was treasurer of the Clinton Savings Bank. He was town clerk from 1854 to 1860. He was a member of the school committee from 1855 to 1860. In all his duties, public and private, he manifested the ut- most nicety and precision. He was an earnest Congrega- tionalist. He is now living in Paxton.
C. F. W. Parkhurst was born in Framingham, March 5, ISOS. He was the son of Ephraim and Betsy L. Parkhurst. He was one of a family of ten children. He had one brother who became a clergyman, and another who became a physician. He worked on his father's farm and attended the common schools and the Framingham Academy. Be- fore he came to Clinton, he had been a farmer and a teacher. He taught for twenty-two winters in Framingham, Holliston and Ashland. He was also a writing teacher. He was superintendent of the Sunday School and leader of the village choir in Framingham. He married Mary Goodale of Marlboro, November 8, 1832. He had three sons and one daughter who are now living. One of these, Wellington E. Parkhurst, has been one of our foremost citizens. Another, Rev. Charles H. Parkhurst, is noted as a reformer, an author and a divine. A third, Howard E., is an author and one of the leading musicians of the country. Mr. C. F. W. Park- hurst came to Clinton at the end of 1853, to work as a book- keeper in the office of Parker & Palmer, afterwards J. B. Parker & Co. Five years later, he added the work of book- keeper for the Clinton Wire Cloth Company to that of the machine shop. He performed the work of both offices for
348
J. B. PARKER MACHINE SHOP.
some years, and then gave his time exclusively to the Clin- ton Wire Cloth Company for seven years more. He retired from business in April, 1875. He bought a house on Walnut Street of Robert S. Freeman. This house is still owned by his heirs. He was a devoted Congregationalist and was a deacon in our church for over fifteen years. He was the first town clerk in Ashland, also an assessor and a member of the school committee in the same town. He was a member of the Clinton school committee ten years, from 1864 to 1873, and was chairman in 1869. He was also an assessor in Clinton and a member of the cemetery committee. He died February 9, 1878.
One who knew him well wrote: "In the death of Dea- con Parkhurst this community loses a valuable and respected citizen, and the Congregational Church, an honored and effi- cient member. His manner was a constant protest against folly, whether in the family, in business, in society, in religion. * * The methods and discipline of the teacher were evi- dent in all his later work. He went to and came from his office with the regularity of the clock. 'The tenor of his way' was notably 'even.' Rigid system was personified in him. Exceedingly frugal in his expenditures, he was in no way penurious, but from his savings gave liberally to public and benevolent enterprises. A correct creed was to his mind important, but a correct life was more so."
Joseph B. Parker was born in Princeton in 1805. He at- tended the district school of his native town during early boyhood. From the age of fifteen to that of twenty-one, he served an apprenticeship to Joel Howe, a Princeton blacksmith. He then worked in the machine shop of Samuel Flagg of Oakdale. Within a year, he was made foreman. After holding this position for eight years, he entered into the same business for himself. In October, 1833, he married Mary A. Morgan. In July, 1835, he became a deacon of the Orthodox Church in West Boylston.
349
" THE DEACON."
When E. B. Bigelow invented his first counterpane loom, he sought the cooperation of Mr. Parker in putting it into form for use. Mr. Parker also constructed the first coach- lace loom for Mr. Bigelow. In 1840, Mr. Parker opened a machine shop in Providence, but he was soon called to Clin- tonville to take charge of the new machine shop of the Clin- ton Company. Here, he built the counterpane, gingham, and Brussels carpeting looms for the new mills. As the plan of all these looms was greatly modified in the building, it is probable that their efficiency was increased by his practical suggestions. He was a most thorough workman, and the machines which he built were always the standard machines of their kind in the market. Dr. D. B. Ingalls, who entered Mr. Parker's employ in 1847, says:
"Dea. Parker at this time was in the prime of life-forty- two years of age. He impressed me as a frank, open-hearted, self-possessed, honest man. There was no sham about him. He had none of that suavity of manners, that oils the way to good fellowship in the life of the popular man. He had a way of expressing himself with a look that manifested his contempt for insincerity in others. No one thought of him as selfish in his intercourse with his fellowmen. While true to his employers, he was helpful to those in his employ, and in general was public-spirited in the best sense of the word. In a business way, I never met a person who made a deeper impression upon my early life, as to what the true citizen should be, than did Deacon Joseph B. Parker."
"The place in which I involuntarily find myself, when, in imagination, the attempt is made to look over Clintonville, as it was in 1847, is in that building in the worsted mill yard, at your left as you pass through the gate. At that time, it was the machine shop, and a lively place in more senses than one. A large number were employed there, most of them young men, representing most of the northern states. To keep this little army in hand and profitably at work was no light undertaking. 'The Deacon,' as we called him, had
350
J. B. PARKER MACHINE COMPANY.
his work well systematized. The frames, or skeletons of the machines, together with the heavy shafts, were made and put together in the lower room under the direction of Horace Whitney, one of the four men appointed to look after the details of the work. The lighter work was done up stairs; Jonas Hunt and Albert H. Smith at that time had charge of the men at work on the different parts of the last lot of Coachlace looms that they built here. And Edward W. Goodale had charge of those who were at work on the thousand and one things required to complete the various machines made. At this time, these four men, active, wide- awake, in the prime of life, were expected to keep things moving. It is surprising when we remember what they had to contend with, that they all lived to pass the allotted age of man. All four have died within a few years."
In 1849, in company with Levi Greene, Mr. Parker bought out the planing mill machinery of Belyea & Howe and built a mill near the site of the present foundry, which the assessors valued in 1850 at seventeen hundred and fifty dol- lars. In March, 1851, he sold out his share of this business and went to England to set up some Brussels carpet looms for E. B. Bigelow. Here, he remained for six months or more. On his return to Clinton, he entered into partnership with G. M. Palmer for the manufacture of machinery. The machine shop, which is still standing, was completed by them in the autumn of 1852. They continued business together for five years, building most of the new machinery for the mills here, as well as doing a large general business. At this time, according to the assessors, this shop, with the land, was valued at twenty-five hundred dollars, the machin- ery and stock at forty-seven hundred. October 31, 1857, Mr. Palmer withdrew from the firm and two years later A. C. Dakin became a partner with Mr. Parker. Considerable additions were made to the shop. From April 1, 1864, to April 1, 1865, Samuel Fosdick of Groton had an interest in the business. March 10, 1875, a new company was incorpor-
351
ARCHELAUS C. DAKIN.
ated as the J. B. Parker Machine Company. From fifty to one hundred men were employed.
Mr. Parker was for many years the leading coal dealer of Clinton. He bought the brick house on Main Street a few rods north of its corner with Water. This remained his homestead throughout his life. He died September 1, 1874.
He was one of the committee chosen by District No. 10 to oversee all matters connected with the division of the town. He was one of the founders of the Bigelow Me- chanics' Institute. He was connected with every movement to forward the cause of temperance and that of anti-slavery. He was president of the Fremont Club. He was one of the founders of the Orthodox Society of Clinton and continued one of the pillars of this society throughout his life. In his character, the virtues of the Puritans and their progressive spirit were again united.
Archelaus C. Dakin was born in Sudbury, June 24, 1823. His father was a farmer, a deacon in the Congregationalist Church, and a selectman of the town. He attended the dis- trict school. He worked on the farm until he was twenty- three, and then went into a machine shop. He came to Clintonville in January, 1848, to work in the machine shop of the Clinton Company. He remained here five years; he was then foreman for two years at J. B. Parker's, and then for five years foreman at the Carpet Mill machine shop. In 1859, he became the partner of J. B. Parker. After Mr. Par- ker was unable to work, he became the manager of the shop, a position he still holds. He married Julia M. Chickering in 1855. He built his present residence on Prospect Street in 1866. He has been prominently connected with the Con- gregationalist Society. He has served the town as select- man, and has been a director of the First National Bank and a vice-president of the Savings Bank.
In 1847, H. N. Bigelow, acting for a stock company, completed a building at the foot of Burditt Hill, where the
352
PLANING MILL.
Bigelow Carpet Mill now stands. This building was designed for industries auxiliary to the mills. The main part toward the east was one hundred feet in length and forty-two in width, with a small boiler-house attached on the south.
The lower story of this section was occupied by Samuel Belyea and Jonas E. Howe as a planing mill. This planing mill ran by steam power and employed about ten hands in making boxes for the mills and other such work in their line as might be demanded by the corporation or private individuals.
The story above Belyea & Howe was occupied by James Patterson, who employed one man and two girls in making belts and loom harnesses and covering rolls. The western part of the building, Gilman M. Palmer used as an iron foun- dry, employing about twelve men. When this location was needed for the manufacture of carpets in 1849, Belyea & Howe sold out their machinery to Levi Greene and J. B. Par- ker, and the other occupants of the building moved their business to other parts of the village. Mark Lund, who had a blacksmith shop a little to the west, was also obliged to move.
Gilman M. Palmer was a native of Union, Maine. He was born December 4, 1812. After gaining such limited education as could be obtained from a few brief years at the district school, he began to learn his trade at the age of four- teen. . His first business was in Franklin, N. H. Then he went to Dover in the same state and did business there. Thence, he went to the West, but he found that locality less to his liking than the East, and therefore returned. He came to Clintonville, October 2, 1847.
As we have already noted, he began business in the west- ern part of the building on the present site of the Bigelow Carpet Mills, employing about twelve men. He was almost wholly engaged in work connected with the great corpora- tions of the village. In October, 1849, he completed his foundry on Parker Street. In 1857, this foundry and lot
353
GILMAN M. PALMER.
were assessed at two thousand two hundred and fifty dollars and the stock at one thousand dollars. In 1852, he built the machine shop in company with J. B. Parker. He continued in business with him for five years, as before stated. In the fall of 1854, he became superintendent of a foundry in Law- rence, but he gave up the position after a short time. Dur- ing all these years, the Clinton Foundry was the center of his business activities. He continued business until October, 1881, when he sold out to the Clinton Foundry Company, which was composed of the Parker Machine Company and C. C. Stone. This partnership was dissolved in 1894. The business is now carried on by C. C. Stone, under the same firm name. Mr. Palmer died May 27, 1885.
Mr. Palmer served as one of the selectmen of Clinton for six years, 1851-55, 1856-57, 1868-69. During the last five of these years, he was chairman. He was always especially devoted to the interests of the fire department and served for some years as foreman of the Cataract Engine Company. Mr. Palmer was in 1867 a candidate for the state legislature on the Prohibitory-Republican ticket. Although he received a majority of the votes in his own town, he failed of election in the district. In 1869, he was again a candidate but lost his election by a narrow margin. He contested the seat with Jonas E. Howe the sitting member in the famous case of Palmer vs. Howe which created such an intense excitement in Clinton. The Committee of Investigation decided in his favor six to one, but the House supported the minority report. Mr. Palmer was most prominently connected with the organiza- tion of the Clinton Light Guard in 1853, and became the first captain of the company. In 1855, he was made lieuten- ant-colonel of the Ninth Regiment. The various pageants which took place in the town in 1853 and 1854 owe their origin and their success in a large measure to him. He was vice-president of the Clinton Savings Bank from the time it was organized until his death. He was also a director in the First National Bank for many years. He was a Free Mason
24
354
FULLER'S MILL.
and held the office of marshal. He was one of the original members of the Unitarian Society and belonged to the pru- dential committee of the parish from 1852 until the time of his death. He was the first of our citizens to make large be- quests to public and local interests. Among these bequests may be mentioned a building lot and four thousand five hun- dred dollars for a parsonage to the First Unitarian Society of Clinton ; one thousand dollars to the Unitarian Society for the benefit of the Sunday School Library; four thousand dollars to the First National Bank, in return for assistance rendered when in pecuniary difficulties; two thousand dollars each, to Trinity Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons and to E. D. Baker Post 64, Grand Army of the Republic; one thousand dollars to the Bigelow Free Public Library.
In 1839, Ephraim Fuller bought of George Howard the water privilege, shops and lands at the old Allen mill site which is now occupied by Rodger's Mills, off Allen Street. Mr. Fuller had before carried on business at the water privi- lege more recently used by Carter's Mills, but had been burnt out there. The original work of Mr. Fuller had been the dressing and fulling of cloths prepared by farmers' wives. He kept up his old business at his new location, but soon added to it the spinning of knitting yarn and the weaving of satinet cloths.
Andrew L. Fuller, his son, born June 6, 1824, was associ- ated with his father in business at an early age. He had charge of the mill. At the age of twenty-one, he was his father's partner and, before Clinton was incorporated, he had full control of the mill. In 1850, the mill was assessed at five thousand dollars, machinery and stock at one thousand five hundred dollars. August 23, 1851, the Courant says that he employed thirty hands, running much of the time night and day. He made woolen yarn for the Clinton Company and fancy cassimeres, using six hundred pounds of wool per day, making from sixty thousand to seventy thousand yards
355
ANDREW L. FULLER.
of cloth annually. Later, he made fancy quilted skirts. In 1857, the stock, mill and water power were assessed at four thousand dollars, machinery and stock at two thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars.
When hoop skirts became fashionable, Mr. Fuller turned his attention to the covering of the steel wires. In 1865, an addition to the mill was completed forty-five feet by cighty- two and three stories high. This was larger than the origi- nal mill. Here, he had two hundred and fifty braiding machines for skirt wire. Seventy-five thousand yards of steel were covered daily. Eighteen tape looms wove fifteen thousand yards each day. One hundred hands were en- ployed. The same year, he erected an office and boarding- house. He bought the shops and the water privilege of Haskell McCollum on Main Street. It seemed as if the in- dustry was destined to develop to large proportions, but Mr. Fuller's health broke down. A trip to Europe in the sum- mer of 1866 and to Florida in the winter did not bring recov- ery. He died September 10, 1867.
Mr. Fuller's home was for years the center of hospitality for all the neighborhood. He was a large-hearted, jovial man. No one was more popular than he among our towns- people and any office that he was willing to hold was eagerly given to him. But, although he consented to serve on the board of fire engineers and for one term in the legislature in 1854, yet, in general, he preferred private life. He was a cap- tain of the Light Guard and lieutenant in Company C, Fif- teenth Massachusetts Volunteers, serving for four months. He resigned his commission on account of ill health. Hc was an Odd Fellow and Free Mason. He was a liberal sup- porter of the Unitarian Society.
Other men in Clinton became interested in the manufac- ture of hoop skirts. William E. Frost, who had been a machinist at the Counterpane Mill, made some important improvements in the manufacture of these skirts, but dis- posed of his rights in them to Worcester parties. A com-
356
LANCASTER QUILT COMPANY.
pany consisting, first or last, of H. S. Robinson, W. G. Wil- der, D. A. White and W. H. Brockway, hired power of A. L. Fuller and made skirts in his mill in 1858. For a year or so, they worked night and day, employing some ten opera- tives. In 1859, the business passed into the hands of W. H. Brockway. A. L. Fuller furnished the tape, which was, ap- parently, the most profitable part of the manufacture. About the end of the war, the Bay State Skirt Company was organ- ized. Albion W. Gibbs was at the head of this business. Chester Guild and H. C. Kendrick were also interested in it. The manufacturing was done in the basement of the Library Building. From ten to twenty-five girls were employed in the most busy times. The business was kept up for about three years.
The Lancaster Quilt Mill Company* was incorporated February 1I, 1848, "for the purpose of manufacturing petti- coat robes, toilet covers, and the various descriptions of counterpanes, quilts and bed covers and all work connected with this branch of business, and also any other description of cotton goods." The capital was not to exceed two hun- dred thousand dollars. John Lamson, William P. Barnard and George Seaver were the original incorporators. In 1850, the company was assessed for about one hundred and ten thousand dollars. At this time, one hundred operatives were employed and seventy thousand counterpanes ten quar- ters by thirteen quarters were made annually on the thirty- six looms. By the patents of E. B. Bigelow, the cost of making these quilts had been reduced from nine dollars to three. The business was not remarkably successful and the hard times of 1857 forced the closing of the mills. In May, 1859, the mills were bought by James Reed & Co. There were twenty acres of land, a brick factory, brick picker house, repair shop and boiler house, a wooden bleachery
* See pages 211-212,
THE COUNTERPANE MILL.
L
357
DEACON JAMES PATTERSON.
and some ten outlying buildings. It was about the begin- ning of 1860 before the works started up. Later, Jordan, Marsh & Co. owned the property; then Jordan, Bardwell & Co. All these parties manufactured under the name of the Lan- caster Quilt Company. In April, 1873, William E. Frost and S. T. Howard bought the mill for twelve thousand dol- lars. June 19, 1873, the outlying estate was sold in many lots, for forty-three thousand dollars.
The clerks who served in the mill were Albert S. Carle- ton, Edward R. Fiske, Augustus J. Sawyer, Wellington E. Parkhurst, Joshua Thissell and Henry N. Otterson. From 1848 to 1865, Charles W. Worcester was agent. He was born in Princeton, August 23, 1808. He was a most public- spirited citizen. He served as an assessor. He was a mem- ber of the board of selectmen seven years; and during five of these he was chairman. In 1868, he was sent to the General Court. He lived at first on the corner of Water and Main Streets. He occupied at a later time the house on Walnut Street next to the Town Hall. He built the Bailey house on Chestnut Street. He was a prominent Odd Fellow. He died November 23, 1872, at the age of sixty-four.
When Dea. James Patterson was forced to move from the shop on the present site of the Bigelow Carpet Mill, he started a shop near his private residence on Walnut Street where W. S. Doggett now lives. The shop was afterwards changed to a tenement house, and now stands on Water Street just west of the Dame estate. Deacon Patterson was a native of Lunenburg, born in 1782. He was the fifth in descent from a James Patterson who was captured by Crom- well at Dunbar and transported to America. He had been in Nashua and Dunbarton, N. H., before coming to Clinton- ville. He was a most influential member of the Congrega- tional Church. He was austere in character and conserva- tive in theology. A neighbor speaks of his white hair and "saintly face." He continued to live in Clinton until his
358
MINOR INDUSTRIES.
death in 1865. He had four sons and two daughters, all of whom had reached maturity before he came to Clintonville.
In 1853, George H. Foster came to Clinton and worked for Dea. Patterson. In July, 1853, he bought out his employer and started a loom harness and belt shop near the depot. In 1857, the shop and lot were assessed at fourteen hundred dollars and the stock at one thousand dollars. Mr. Foster was for many years a leading member of the Methodist Society. He carried on the business until 1865, when William H. Gibbs obtained an interest. The loom harness business came wholly into the hands of Mr. Gibbs January I, 1868. The present Gibbs Loom Harness and Reed Company was incorporated April 1, 1874.
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