USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > History of the town of Middleboro, Massachusetts > Part 24
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COLONEL NATHAN KING, who lived for many years at Court End, died December 7, 1901, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. In early life he was en- gaged in different mer- cantile pursuits. He was elected registrar of the court of insolvency in 1856, which office he held for the years 1857 and 1858, when the juris- diction of the court was united with that of the probate court. He was prominent in the militia, and was elected lieuten- NATHAN KING ant-colonel from Febru- ary 4, 1837, to February 8, 1839, and colonel until April 24, 1840. For many years he served as the moderator in all general
296
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1880
meetings of the town, and he was a member of the Massachu- setts senate during the years 1856 and 1857.
James Allen Leonard and his son manufactured boots and shoes until the death of Mr. Leonard in 1870, doing business in a building adjoining Mr. Leonard's residence on Center Street, now owned by Dr. G. L. Ellis. In 1853 Noah C. Perkins, Charles E. Leonard, and Horatio Barrows occupied the building now known as T. W. Peirce's store. In 1860 this firm was dis- solved, and Leonard & Barrows formed a part- nership in Wells Block. In 1862 C. D. Kingman joined the firm for a short time. In 1883 Mr. Barrows died, and since then the business has been carried on by Mr. Leonard with his sons, C. M. Leonard and A. H. Leonard, under HORATIO BARROWS the same firm name of Leonard & Barrows. They employ about six hundred operatives, and have a branch factory in Belfast, Maine.
NOAH C. PERKINS, who was first connected with the firm, was prominent in the public affairs of the town, being a repre- sentative to the General Court, and a member of the Constitu- tional Convention to revise the constitution of Massachusetts, in 1853.
After leaving the firm of Leonard & Barrows in 1867 or 1868, C. D. Kingman built a factory on the corner of Oak and Center streets, where he carried on a large business for some time, subsequently taking in his sons, C. W. and P. E. Kingman,
1885]
FOUR CORNERS
297
THE FOUR CORNERS
as partners, and employing about two hundred and fifty men. In 1888 C. D. Kingman retired and left the management to his sons, who closed out the business in 1891.
The firm of Leonard, Shaw & Dean, consisting of Cor- nelius H. Leonard, Samuel Shaw, and W. H. Dean of Quincy, began business in 1895, and erected a factory on Peirce Street, employing about one hundred men.
William O. Penniman and Josiah F. Penniman commenced business in 1890, under the firm name of Penniman Bros. Soon after, they admitted Elmer E. Phinney into copartner- ship under the firm name of Penniman & Phinney ; this was followed by another change, and Phinney, Penniman & Light- ford manufactured ladies' shoes till Mr. Lightford left the firm.
In 1881 Andrew Alden, C. H. Leonard, George A. Ham- mond, and E. W. Richmond manufactured shoes under the firm name of Alden, Leonard & Hammond in North Middle- boro; but in 1886 they moved to Cambridge Street, and in 1887 they were succeeded by Savory C. Hathaway, Rufus A. Soule, and Herbert A. Harrington, who had a large business, with factories in New Bedford and Campello.
Arthur H. Alden, George A. Walker, William H. Wilde, and Frederick L. Alden commenced the shoe business under
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1885
FOUR CORNERS IN 1850 FROM BARDEN HILLS
the firm name of Alden, Walker & Wilde, in 1900, occupying at first the old needle factory on Clifford Street, which, prov- ing inadequate for their business, was greatly enlarged. In 1904 their building was destroyed by fire, and they have removed from town.
The varied business of the old blast furnaces of early history was revived in 1855, when John B. Le Baron and Samuel Tink- ham of Taunton, under the firm name of Tinkham & Le Baron, built a foundry at the Four Corners, and carried on business until the fall of 1864, when Mr. Le Baron purchased the interest of Mr. Tinkham for the casting of stoves. In 1884 he was suc- ceeded by his sons, J. Baylies and Eugene P. Le Baron, and later by E. Leonard and Frederick N. Le Baron.
In 1888 Clark & Cole began the manufacture of boxes on Water Street, but as the building was not large enough, they moved to their present site on Cambridge Street near the rail- road, where from seven to ten million feet of lumber are used yearly in this industry.
In 1885 the Murdock Parlor Grate Co., now known as the
1889]
FOUR CORNERS
299
FOUR CORNERS AT THE PRESENT TIME FROM BARDEN HILLS
Murdock Corporation, bought the building on Cambridge Street which was built for the George Woods Co., manufac- turers of organs and pianos.
In 1901 the New England Rug Co. was started by J. A. White and W. Osgood Eddy for the making over of old car- pets into rugs. The office and factory are at 5 Clifford Street.
About 1888 Carlton W. Maxim commenced the manufac- ture of woodwork for furniture and for the finish of stores and houses. From a small shop near the railroad station this has so increased as to occupy nearly the whole of the Hathaway, Soule & Harrington Factory on Cambridge Street.
Elisha T. Jenks carries on a successful business on Ware- ham Street, in the manufacture of museum locks and bolts.
A. H. Alger & Co., manufacturers of paper boxes, occupy one of the buildings of the old straw works.
BANKS
The Middleboro National Bank was organized in April, 1889, with a capital of $ 50,000.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1895
AMERICAN HALL
FOUR CORNERS
The first President, Calvin D. Kingman Vice-President, George E. Doane Cashier, William R. Mitchell
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Charles F. Alden
Dr. George W. Copeland
Charles E. Leonard Charles M. Leonard
George E. Doane Arthur B. Alden
Matthew H. Cushing
Calvin D. Kingman
Herbert A. Harrington
In the year 1900 William R. Mitchell became the president, upon the resignation of C. D. Kingman, with A. A. Thomas as cashier. In 1902 Mr. Mitchell resigned to enter other busi- ness, and Granville E. Tillson became president.
For several years the bank conducted business in the town house, and in 1896 moved to the savings bank building. The officers at present are, -
President, Granville E. Tillson Cashier, A. A. Thomas Book-keeper, Harriet B. Sylvester
1854]
FOUR CORNERS
301
PRESENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Arthur H. Leonard
George E. Doane
C. D. Kingman
Matthew H. Cushing
C. W. Kingman Charles M. Leonard
H. P. Sparrow.
George R. Sampson
The Middleboro Savings Bank was incorporated on March 15, 1873.
The first President, Everett Robinson Vice-President, Noah C. Perkins Treasurer, Cornelius B. Wood
The Savings Bank occupied rooms in the town house until 1895, and then moved to the present building.
James H. Harlow became the president after the death of Everett Robinson, and Andrew M. Wood succeeded Cornelius B. Wood as treasurer. James H. Harlow resigned in 1904, and David G. Pratt was elected in his place.
Total number of open accounts at present 4440
Total number of books issued II,045
Total deposit in 1904 $1,499, 154.35
Mr. Robinson died August 5, 1897.
Mr. Cornelius B. Wood died March 23, 1885.
Mr. Matthew H. Cushing is present Vice-President.
The Middleboro Loan & Fund Association was organized in 1854 under the same principle as building and loan associa- tions of other states.
The first president was Nathan King, the second and last president, Everett Robinson.
Jacob B. Shaw was its secretary and treasurer during its existence. The monthly meetings were held in Jacob B. Shaw's store.
The shares were two dollars a month and reached maturity of $500. They matured in 1867, when the Association was closed.
The Middleboro Cooperative Bank, on somewhat similar
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1650
lines, was organized in May, 1889, and is still in existence. Shares one dollar a month and maturity $200.
It has now assets of about $250,000.
The first President, S. S. Bourne The present President, W. H. Southworth Secretary and Treasurer, Joseph E. Beals The Board of Directors composed of fifteen men Office of secretary, No. I Town Hall Building
BARDEN HILLS
Across the river, east of the Four Corners, is the neighbor- hood long known as Barden Hills. The old Barden house and lands have been in the family for a little more than two centuries.
Probably all of the Bardens (or Burdens) in this country, and some of the Bordens, have descended from William Barden, who came over in the year 1638, and was appren- ticed for seven years to THE OLD BARDEN HOUSE Thomas Boardman to learn the trade of a car- penter. After about seven months of service, his apprentice- ship for the remainder of the time was transferred to John Barker of Marshfield, for him to become a bricklayer. After completing his service, he lived in different places until about 1660, when he married Deborah Barker, his master's daugh- ter, and settled in Barnstable, and in 1684 they moved to Middleboro. She was one of the original members of the First Church. He became an owner in nearly all of the pur- chases made from the Indians in town, and twenty years after his death, which occurred in 1692, his estate was divided among thirteen children.
CHAPTER XVIII
MAD MARE'S NECK, WAUPAUNUCKET, FALL BROOK
A BOUT the eastern shore of Great Quittacus and Pocksha ponds, in the early days, a wild horse roamed, injuring the crops of the farmers, and from this the place takes its name. On the opposite shore lies Betty's Neck. Mad Mare's Neck is beautifully situated on the high land which commands an extensive view of the ponds in Middleboro and Lakeville, including the whole of the Twelve Men's Purchase and portions of the Sixteen Shilling and Snippi- tuet Purchases. Mar- ion Road and Miller Street are the princi- pal highways; the lat- ter leads from Great Quittacus to Fall Brook. On Pond Street stands the schoolhouse. In the early part of the last century the Miller OLD METHODIST CHURCH OF FALL BROOK family owned large tracts of land; one of the lots on Miller Street being known as the Thousand Acre Lot. This farming region, noted for the fertility of the soil, has perhaps kept the number of in- habitants during the last hundred years better than any of the outlying districts of the town. All the land bordering on the pond has been bought by the city of New Bedford in connec- tion with its water supply, and many summer residences are being erected in this vicinity.
One of the best-known citizens of a hundred years ago was
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1670
Abishai T. Clark. He served for many years on the school committee, and was often employed in the winter in teaching the district schools. The house in which he lived, probably the oldest one here, built not far from the year 1750, is at present occupied by Clement Barrows.
WAUPAUNUCKET
Waupaunucket, known as Walnut Plain, was often spelled in the early history of the town Wappahnucket. The name is found among the various Algonquin tribes, and is probably derived from two words, " wap-pah," meaning a " village," and "kook-ah," meaning "among the hills," which well describes its beautiful hill and dale. The land lying between the shores of Assawampsett Pond, the Nemasket River, and the Cape Cod Railroad was first occupied by George Vaughan, whose de- scendants have resided there, as well as some of the descendants of Elder Thomas Cush- man. The inhabitants have for the most part been farmers, and, with the exception of one or two small mills, there never has been any manufacturing.
BENJAMIN P. WOOD, a prominent citizen during the middle of the last century, lived on Wood Street. He held many important offices, and was greatly COLONEL BENJAMIN P. WOOD respected for his good judgment, integrity, and kindness of heart. He was colonel in the Fourth Regiment of Infantry from 1826 to 1829, and was
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FALL BROOK
1735]
chairman of the selectmen for five years, an assessor, and over- seer of the poor for many years. He came, as a young man, from Woodstock, or Hartland, Vt., and was a descendant from one of the many Middleboro families who had years before moved there.
FALL BROOK
About 1692 Captain Peter Bennett, a son of John Bennett, from England, settled in that part of Middleboro known as Fall Brook, so called from the brook which connects Tispe- quin Pond with Nemasket River. Here he bought a farm of John Nelson, which in- cluded what has since been known as the Miller farm,1 and married Priscilla, daugh- ter of Isaac Howland, and granddaughter of John How- land of the Mayflower. He was a man of enterprise and business ability ; he owned a water privilege on Fall Brook, and had a grist-mill near what is now Grove Street, then known as Rochester Lane. SITE OF THE OLD FALL BROOK FURNACE About the year 1735 he and Francis Miller petitioned the town for liberty to build a dam across the brook on which to erect a furnace. The petition was granted, and one of the first blast furnaces, subsequently known as the Fall Brook Furnace, was erected. It was for a time owned by John Miller, a son-in-law of Captain Peter Ben- nett, was afterwards enlarged, and in 1792 was used for the manufacture of hollow-ware under the superintendence of James and Zachariah Porter, who married into the Miller family, and still later was owned in part by Peter H. Peirce. There was a 1 Eddy Note-Book.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1809
grist-mill a little farther up on this stream. Near the present Wareham Street was a grist-mill and a sawmill, owned by Captain Bennett and operated at one time by Abishai Miller.
In the early part of the last century Seth Miller resided here, the father of Darius and Seth Miller, the latter a law- yer in Wareham. The Miller family were large owners of real estate, their ancestors having acquired much land from the different Indian purchases. John Miller, one of the first settlers, married a daughter of Francis Coombs, and lived halfway between the homes in later years of Seth and Abishai Miller.
ABISHAI MILLER was born June 22, 1809, and was the young- est child of John and Susanna Miller. As a child he attended school in Middleboro, and on the death of his father was sent to Taunton, to learn the trade of a machinist. In 1837 he went to Boston, and was em- ployed in the machine shop of Otis Tufts on Bromfield Street. In 1853, with others, he organized the Atlan- tic Works in East Boston, and obtained a charter from the legislature. As su- perintendent of con- ABISHAI MILLER struction, by hard work, energy, perse- verance, and economy, he built up a large business, from which he retired in 1859 to his home in Fall Brook. At the out- break of the Civil War he was again drawn into active business life at the urgent request of his former associates, and under- took the position of superintendent, to fill the government or-
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FALL BROOK
1880]
ders, which for four years demanded all his time and strength. He superintended the building of the monitors Casca and Nan- tucket, the turrets for the four monitors Monadnock, Shack- amaxon, Passaconaway, and Agamenticus, as well as machinery for four gunboats, Osceola, Sassacus, Sagamore, and Canan- daigua, and the man-of- war Nyphon. At their completion he again re- tired from business, and was a director of the com- pany until 1876, when he was elected president of the board, an office which he held until his death. Early in his career he THE OLD MILLER HOUSE had a reputation as one of New England's best machinists, and the success of the Atlantic Works is due largely to his management. His active business life gave him little leisure to attend to town affairs, although at one time he served as selectman. He attended the Congregational Church when in Middleboro, and helped in its support. He died in East Bos- ton, January 30, 1883, and was buried at the Green Cemetery.
The shores about the two ponds were frequented by Indians before the coming of the colonists, and many relics have been found. Here for many years Feb Wicket, one of the last of the Nemasket tribe and the last of her generation, lived, sup- plied by the neighbors with food and clothing. She died in the early part of the last century, and was buried in the cor- ner of the Miller farm.
Upon the borders of Wood's Pond, Ephraim Wood is said to have lived. Tispequin Pond, named from the noted Indian sachem, is about a mile in. length, and with the other ponds furnished quantities of bog ore, which was carted to the fur- nace above mentioned, to Waterville, and to Muttock. In many deeds of land abutting on this pond, the proprietors reserved the right to take ore therefrom. The reddish color of the water is probably due to the presence of iron.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1825
In the early part of the last century, with the general decline of the iron industry in the country, the business of Fall Brook terminated. For a few years there was a store opposite the house of Squire Seth Miller, and another on Wareham Street near the brook, where the farmers found a market for the linen and woollen cloth woven from their hand-looms. This neigh- borhood, on the old stage road, was one of the important vil- lages for several generations. The land was formerly owned by the Millers, Sparrows, Porters, Vaughans, Tinkhams, and Westons.
CHAPTER XIX
THE GREEN
HE location of the first meeting-house and the sub- sequent church edifices erected on or near the Green have made it from the earliest times a place of more than ordinary interest.1 The parish originally con- nected with the First Church included the whole town as origi- nally incorporated. This continued until July, 1719, when it was divided into two parishes : 2 the one embracing nearly the whole of the present area of the town, having the First Church as its place of worship, and the other including the western part of the town, now Lakeville, and a portion of Taunton. There were three meeting-houses on or near the Green before the present one. The majority of the congregation went from three to five miles, and some even a distance of eight miles, to attend service.
The first minister was SAMUEL FULLER, a son of Dr. Fuller, the skilful physician who came over in the Mayflower. He mar- Samuel ried Elizabeth Brewster. Before his removal to Middleboro he was one of the deacons of the church in Plymouth. When he first
1 In the initial is shown a measuring-post which stood near the liberty pole by the Sproat Tavern, used to ascertain the height of soldiers who volunteered in the patriot army.
2 History of Plymouth County, p. 969. Deed recorded in Plymouth, Book 23, folios 203, 204. Later we find the following in the Middleboro records : -
" A meeting of ' the proprietors and owners of the land called the new burying place in Mid near the old meeting house,' was held tuesday Sept. 24, 1734 - agreable to a warrant issued from a justice to John Bennet who notified it the 21st previous. Adjourned to the last tuesday the 29th of Oct. next, when they met again in the old meeting house and chose Deac. Wood and Ebnr. Red- ding to see that no intensions were made by proprietors one upon another in burying the dead." The same committee were instructed to notify the owners of the schoolhouse to remove it from " said burying place."
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1680
came to town it is impossible to state, but he was here before the Indian War of 1675, and from the statement in Rev. Mr. Barker's sermon, he returned shortly after the resettlement. He preached to the people for sixteen years before he was ordained, and died a few months after his ordination, August 17, 1695, at the age of seventy-one. The following is the in- scription on the stone marking his grave :-
[HERJE LYES BURIED YE BODY OF YE REVD MR [SA]MUEL FULLER WHO [D]EPATED THS LIFE
AUGST YE 17TH 1 695 IN YE ZIST YEAR
OF HIS AGE HE WAS YE IST MINISTER OF YE IST CHURCH OF CHRIST IN MIDDLEGH
The town voted to pay 1 Mr. Fuller a "salarie " in 1680, of £20 a year ; at one time "} was to be paid in silver, and the 3 in Wheat at 7/6, Rie at 3s, Corn at 2/6;" this was later changed to "{ in silver money, & in current pay as passeth between man and man." He was one of the few to have the title of Mr. prefixed to his name. There is no record of his holding office, although he served as magistrate in writing wills and preparing other legal papers for the people. He was not a college graduate, as were many ministers, but was none the less regarded as a learned man. It was doubtless through his influence and labors that there were so many praying Indians in the town, and that their churches before the breaking out of the Indian War were so prosperous. As one of the original owners in the Twenty-six Men's Purchase, his allotment was set off in 1664, and was not included in what was given as the "ministers lot." In 1679 the town by vote gave to Mr. Samuel Fuller a tract of land 2 upon which he then lived, embracing about twelve acres, a little to the east of the Sturtevant place. The town also voted "to turn out and fence his fields, and every one who did not was to pay a bushel of corn."
The first meeting-house stood on the northerly side of 1 Voted February 7, 1680. 2 Voted August, 1679.
3II
THE GREEN
1700]
Plymouth Street, opposite the Sturtevant house. It was sold at auction 1 in August, 1701, for the sum of five pounds and two shillings.
In accordance with a vote passed in November, 1690, the town built a second meeting-house, which stood on the Lower Green opposite the present school- house, " 36 foot in length 30 foot in breadth and sixteen foot the stud." It is not known of whom the land on which it stood was purchased, nor do we know the price paid. The records state, May SECOND MEETING-HOUSE (Reproduced from a very old pencil drawing) 29, 1700, "the meeting house in Midlebery was Raised." It was sold and taken down in the year 1754 or 1755, and the materials used in building a dwelling-house which stood on the site of the present parsonage.
On June 20, 1717, the two acres of land west of the cemetery, known as the Lower Green, were conveyed by James Soule "unto military officers and military companies in Middleboro for the only proper use, benefit and behoof of the Military Company in Middleboro, successively, forever, lying near the meeting-house in Middleboro." The consideration of this deed was " The good will which I bear unto the military officers and company in Middleboro." For many years it was used for a training-green, and has since remained open for the public.
Adjoining this at the east is the parish burying-ground, which was purchased of James Soule March 30, 1717, for forty shillings, by " Peter Thacher, Jacob Thomson, Isaac Howland, John Morton, John Thomson, Thomas Thomson, Jeremiah Thomas, William Thomas, Jonathan Cobb, Sen'r., Jonathan Cobb, Jr., John Cobb, Sen'r., John Cobb, Jr., Rodulphus Elms, Ichabod King, Shubael Thomson, William Nelson, Daniel Vaughan, Ephraim Wood, John Soul, Aaron Simmins, John Fuller, Edward Thomas, Elisha Vaughan, Jabez Vaughan,
1 See History of the First Church of Middleboro, p. 5.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1717
George Vaughan, John Vaughan, John Hascol, William Has- col, Henry Wood, Samuel Barrows, Benjamin Eddy, Samuel Eddy, Jonathan Morse, Jr., Isaac Fuller, Ebenezer Redding, Jonathan Smith, Joseph Barden, John Miller, Jr., Jonathan Fuller, Samuel Tinkham, Seth Howland, Joseph Bennet, Samuel Cobb, Peter Bennet, Joel Ellis, Samuel Sampson, Ben- jamin Stuart, Thomas Bicknell, Josiah Conant, John Tinkham, Isaac Tinkham, Joseph Cobb, Ebenezer Fuller, John Bennett, Samuel Bennett, John Raymond, Jr., Samuel Bennet, Jr., Samuel Parlour, and Nemiah Holmes, said Soul reserving one share : to be used for a burying-ground for the persons above named, their heirs and assigns." It consisted of about two acres of land, lying in the Twenty-six Men's Purchase, and "is a part of my fifty acre lot, lying near the land I formerly gave for a training Green." " The first person buried in this cemetery " was Lydia Thomas, in July, 1717.
February 17, 1745, the following named persons, residents of the town, agreed to build a new meeting-house : " Jabez Vaughan, Jonathan Smith, James Smith, Gersham Cobb, Seth Tinkham, Ebenezer Finney, Noah Thomas, William Cushman, Benjamin Tucker, Edward Thomas, Samuel Eddy, Jr., Zacha- riah Eddy, John Cox, John Cobb, Ezra Clapp, William Thomas, Jas. Tinkham, John Smith, Edmund Weston, John Soule, Henry Thomas, Jeremiah Tinkham, Oxenbridge Thacher, Jo- seph Bates, Jr., Thomas Darling, Jonathan Smith, Jr., Joseph Thomas, Samuel Thomas, Samuel Smith, Benjamin Thomas, William Short, Hezekiah Purrington, John Thompson, Samuel Wood, Eph'm. Wood, Enen'r. Wood, and Caleb Thompson."
On June 9, 1745, the deed was recorded for two acres of land purchased of Ebenezer Sproat, " for 35 pounds in bills of credit of the old tenor." The land so purchased had been previously owned by James Soule.
The third meeting-house was built on the Upper Green in 1745, and remained until 1829.1 The present meeting-house was built in 1827.
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