USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Palmer > History of the town of Palmer, Massachusetts, early known as the Elbow tract : including records of the plantation, district and town 1716-1889 > Part 25
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APPRENTICES .- To show the manner of binding out children as apprentices to learn trades, which prevailed as a common custom in a former generation, the following Indenture is copied from the Palmer town records :
This Indenture witnesseth, That Charles Coon of Springfield, in the county of Hampden, laborer, hath put & placed, and by these presents doth put and place his son Charles Sanford Coon as an ap- prentice to Abner Allen of Palmer, Gentleman, to learn the art, trade or mystery of husbandry, so far as the said apprentice be capable to learn of him the said Allen. The said Charles Sanford, after the manner of an apprentice, to dwell with and serve the said Allen from the day of the date hereof untill the 14th day of January, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight, at which time the said apprentice, if he be living will be seventeen years of age. During all of which time the said apprentice his said Master well and faithfully shall serve-his secrets keep, and his lawful commands everywhere and at all times readily obey-he shall do no damage to his said master nor willfully suffer any to be done by others, and if any to his knowledge be intended, he shall give his master seasonable notice thereof-he shall not waste the goods of his said master, nor lend them unlawfully to any-At cards, dice, or any unlawful game he shall not play-fornication he shall not commit, nor marriage contract during the said term-Taverns, ale houses, or places of gaming he shall not haunt or frequent-from the service of his said master he shall not absent himself-but in all things and at all times he shall carry and behave himself as a good & faithful apprentice ought, during the whole time or term aforesaid.
And the said Allen, on his part, doth hereby promise, warrant and agree to teach and instruct the said apprentice, or cause him to be taught and instructed, so far as he may be capable to learn, in the art, trade or calling of a husbandman, by the best way or means he can ; and also if he be capable to learn, to teach and instruct the said apprentice or cause him to be taught to read and write and cypher as far as the Rule of Three, if the said apprentice be capa- ble to learn-And shall well and faithfully find and provide for the said apprentice, good and sufficient meat, drink, clothing, lodging, and other necessaries fit and convenient for such an apprentice, during the term aforesaid : And at the expiration thereof, shall give unto him the said apprentice, two suits of wearing apparel, one suit suitable for the Lord's day, and the other for working days.
252
HISTORY OF PALMER.
In testimony whereof, the said parties have hereunto set their hands and seals this 31st day of March, A. D. 1829.
CHARLES COON seal ABNER ALLEN seal
Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of LEONARD DAVIS, JAMES STEBBINS.
Recorded by me THEOPH. H. KNIGHT, Town Clerk.
THREE RIVERS. May 3, 1830, the town voted "that any per- son who shall pass or repass the bridge near the junction of the Three Rivers in Palmer with a horse or horses or carriages faster than on the walk shall be subject to a penalty of one dollar for each and every time he shall so pass faster than on a walk-con- formably to the provisions of a late Law of this Commonwealth, and that the selectmen be directed to put up boards at each end of said bridge, agreeably to Law."
TOWN MAP OF 1830. - An article in the warrant for a town meeting May 3, 1830, was " To take measures to carry into effect a Resolve of the Legislature of this Commonwealth, requiring towns to make surveys of their territory and return plans of the same into the Secretary's office, passed March 1, 1830, and to raise money to pay the expense thereof." "Chose the board of select- men, viz., John Frink, Joseph Lee, Jun., and Cyrus Knox, agents to effect a survey of the town." The next spring the selectmen reported that the sum of $18.95 had been paid out for surveying the town. And in their report for 1832 they state that the further sum of $37.87 had been paid "for surveying and making a Map of the Town." This map is now in the State Archives at Boston, and has considerable value. It is an outline map, with the streams, ponds, mill-seats, county roads and school houses carefully delineated and noted. Cleared lands and woodlands are distinguished, and the latter appear to cover considerably more than half our territory.
RINGING THE BELLS .- May 2, 1836, the town voted "That the selectmen cause the bell at the Centre Meeting-House and the bell at the Three Rivers Meeting-House to be rung for all town pur- poses and tolled for all deaths and funerals for the inhabitants of said town, and ringed regularly every day at twelve o'clock at noon and nine o'clock in the morning."
SURPLUS REVENUE. - At a meeting of the town May 1, 1837, " voted to receive this town's proportion of the surplus revenue
253
PALMER IN MODERN TIMES, 1812-1889.
from the Treasurer of this State, on the conditions prescribed by the Acts of the Legislature.
And also voted that Amos Hamilton, the treasurer of said town of Palmer, be the agent to receive said money, and bind the town in its corporate capacity for the security and repayment of the same to the State.
Voted, that the said town treasurer be authorized in behalf of the town, to loan said money, and take mortgages on real estate to secure the payment of the same, not in larger sums than one thou- sand dollars, nor in less sums than three hundred dollars, and the estates so mortgaged shall be estimated to be worth three times the value of the sum loaned-And shall all be loaned to the inhabitants of the town of Palmer-And that the interest accruing on said money for the first year be appropriated for the use of common schools- And chose the selectmen a committee to assist the treas- urer in loaning said money."
Nothing appears upon the town records to show the amount of money received from the State, nor to whom loans were made. The annual reports of the selectmen on the financial condition of the treasury make no mention of this money. The interest (no sum named) appears to have been appropriated for the use of schools, though in 1844 the town voted to appropriate "the Sur- plus Revenue " to purchase a Poor Farm.
LIST OF PENSIONERS living in Palmer in 1840 : Huldah Ball, aged 79. Jonathan Hunt, aged 80. Eleanor McClintock, aged 85. Alice Perry, aged 78. Naomi Strickland, aged 78. Samuel Taylor, aged 79.
POOR FARM .- Dec. 2, 1844. The town "voted to appropriate the Surplus Revenue to purchase a farm to be used by said town for the support of town paupers, with the necessary tools and stock."
1863. Voted to sell the town farm, and purchase the farm of Ralph Green for the use of the town ; price, $2,050.
1879. Voted to build a new house aud barn on the Poor Farm.
NEW TOWN HOUSE .- In 1846, the town voted to build a new Town House at the Four Corners, provided land can be had there free of expense to the town. Voted that the size of the House be 70 x 48 feet, with 18 feet posts.
254
HISTORY OF PALMER.
WATERING TUBS .- 1879. The town voted to authorize the selectmen to construct and maintain watering tubs in the villages of Palmer and Bondsville.
1885. A Fire District was organized, and W. W. Leach was chosen clerk, and sworn.
The town voted to appropriate the sum of $8,000 to purchase a steam fire engine, hose, hose carriage and apparatus, and the erec- tion of an engine house.
MODERN CEMETERIES .- At Three Rivers. "The committee appointed to see if they could obtain a spot of land for a burying ground at the Three Rivers, have attended to the duty, and report : K. D. Earl has agreed to let the town have a spot of land on the following conditions, viz. that the town shall pay him twenty-five dollars for it, and shall fence it, and shall level the ground in front of the fence. The size of the ground is as follows : located at the corner of the roads northeast of said Earl's house, and measuring twenty rods on each road, and thence a strait line from one bound to the other across the west end, containing about one acre. The fence on the north side is to be set back one and a half rods from the road. Signed ELIAS TURNER, ABEL CALKINS, MARBLE K. FERRELL.
Accepted March 13, 1837.
At Four Corners. This Cemetery was laid out in 1851. The town voted to purchase three acres of land, at one hundred dollars per acre.
The Catholic Cemetery near the Old Centre was laid out in 1863. The Catholic Cemetery at Thorndike was laid out in 1879.
DIGGING GRAVES .- 1836, May 2. The town voted, "that the selectmen be authorized to pay for digging the graves for town inhabitants, and attending funerals with the hearse."
PALMER CEMETERY ASSOCIATION .- Was organized June 18, 1888. Its object is to have a care of, and make general improve- ments in the cemetery at Palmer Village. Its means are derived from annual fees of members, donations, and appropriations by the town. Officers : president, W. A. Brakenridge ; v. pres., J. H. Woolrich ; secretary, L. E. Chandler ; treas., L. E. Moore ; trus- tees, J. W. Shanks, Mrs. George Davis, W. B. Ham, Mrs. S. R. Lawrence, Mrs. L. E. Child, Wm. Merriam, C. B. Fiske, H. C. Strong, David Knox, George Robinson, Mrs. L. W. Burleigh.
JUDGE J. G. ALLEN.
255
PALMER IN MODERN TIMES, 1812-1889.
PALMER WATER COMPANY was organized May 25, 1885, with a capital of $20,000. The reservoir is situated on Tamar mountain, and fed from living springs. The Company supplies the hydrants, the B. & A. railroad, the hotels, and 200 families. Officers : C. L. Goodhue, pres .; C. K. Gamwell, clerk; J. H. Gamwell, treas .; C. L. Goodhue, T. A. Clark, F. R. Lawton, C. K. Gamwell, J. H. Gamwell, directors.
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY was established in 1888 ; operates under the Westinghouse patent ; furnishing both arc and incandes- cent lights, which are in use in the hotels, stores, and public build- ings quite generally.
THE DISTRICT COURT OF EASTERN HAMPDEN, was instituted April 29, 1872. Has jurisdiction in Palmer, Brimfield, Monson, Holland, Wales and Wilbraham ; holds daily sessions at Court house in Palmer village. Justices : James G. Allen, till his death in 1879, when George Robinson was appointed, and still presides. Special Justices : H. F. Brown of Brimfield, and J. B. Shaw of Palmer.
CHAPTER VI.
INDUSTRIES OF PALMER.
STATE VALUATION, 1840-INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS, 1855 -RAILROADS- BLANCHARD'S SCYTHE FACTORY-THREE RIVERS MANUFACTURING CO. -THE PALMER COMPANY-JOHN S. WRIGHT-JOSEPH BROWN-THE OTIS COMPANY-H. J. KELLEY-THE THORNDIKE COMPANY-BONDSVILLE- DAVID DARLING-EZEKIEL BOYDEN-EMELIUS BOND-MOSES LEARNED -WOOLEN MILL-THE MUNROE COMPANY-BOSTON DUCK CO .- PALMER CARPET MILL-RIDGE'S FOOD-PALMER WIRE CO .- WIRE GOODS CO .- HOLDEN WOOLEN MILL-PALMER PLANING MILL-IRON FOUNDRY-SOAP FACTORY - BETTS FENCING CO .- TANNERIES - DISTILLERY - BLACK- SMITHS - TINSMITH - CARPENTER - WOOL CARDING - FULLING MILL- LOCKS-PERCUSSION CAPS-HAT MANUFACTORY-PRINTING AND NEWS- PAPERS-EZEKIEL TERRY-THE PALMER JOURNAL-GORDON M. FISK- TAVERNS-STORES-AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
STATE VALUATION, 1840.
A S the date-1838-1845-marks the commencement of a new era in the business life of Palmer, it is thought best to present the statistics of the official valuation of 1840, and the industrial statistics of 1855, in order to show the rapid advance made in 15 years. These tables will help the reader to estimate aright the causes of the new development, and prepare the way for considering in detail the history of the several industries which were started or revived near this time :
No. of inhabitants in 1840, 2,150
No. of ratable polls, 16 years and upwards, 539
No. of polls not taxed, 33
1 No. of dwelling houses,
237
No. of barns,
218
No. of shops adjoining dwelling houses,
1
No. of other shops,
23
No. of tan houses,
1
No. of warehouses and stores,
9
No. of grist mills,
3
No. of saw mills,
3
No. of iron works and furnaces,
1
No. of cotton factories,
2
No. of spindles in the same,
22,520
257
INDUSTRIES OF PALMER.
No. of looms in the same,
486
No. of woolen factories, 1
No. of spindles in the same, 590
No. of looms in the same, 32
No. of all other works and edifices of the value of $20,
111
Amount of every person's whole stock in trade, in- cluding goods and merchandise, $32,850
Amount of money at interest more than they pay interest for, $52,086
Amount of stocks held in banks and insurance com- panies,
$14,800
Value of shares in any bridge, canal, railroad, $1,780
No. acres of tillage land,
1,143
No. bushels of rye raised,
4,457
No. bushels of oats raised,
8,561
No. bushels of Indian corn raised,
7,555
No. acres of English mowing,
657
No. tons of hay produced annually,
757
No. acres of fresh meadow,
1,152
No. tons of hay produced on the same,
1,091
No. acres of pasturage,
8,224
No. cows kept on same,
978
No. acres of woodland,
3,208
No. acres of unimproved land,
1,742
No. acres of unimproveable land,
2,049
No. acres owned by the town,
10
No. acres taken up by roads,
630
No. acres covered by water,
733
No. horses one year old and upwards,
237
No. oxen four years old and upwards,
210
No. of young cattle,
424
No. of sheep six months old and upwards,
2,123
No. swine six months old and upwards,
285
Total number of acres in town,
19,691
INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS FOR 1855.
Number of inhabitants, 4,012; churches, 6; school houses, 13; taverns, 6; grist mills, 3; saw mills, 4; blacksmith's shops, 6; grocery and dry goods stores, 17; cotton mills, 4; spindles, 48,590; cotton consumed, 3,415,000 lbs .; cloth manufactured, 7,577,000 yds., which included printing cloth, 1,650,000 yds .; duck cloth, 1,710,000 yds .; 34-inch shirtings, 1,217,000 yds .; stripe ticks and denims, 3,000,000 yds .; value of cloth, $628,707; capital, $957,000; men employed, 505; women, 541.
Furnace for the manufacture of castings and hollow ware, 1; product, 50 tons ; value, $4,000.
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HISTORY OF PALMER.
Scythe Factory, 1 ; scythes made, 14,000 ; value, $9,000 ; hands employed, 15.
Saddle and Harness manufactory, 2 ; value of goods made, $2,500. Hat Manufactory, 1; number of hats made, 300.
Carriage Manufactory, 1 ; value of carriages, etc., made, $15,000 ; hands employed, 15.
Soap and candle works, 1 ; soap manufactured, 936 barrels ; value, $2,808 ; tallow candles made, 6,000 pounds ; value, $840.
Tin ware manufactory, 1; value of product, $1,000.
Currying shop, 1; value of leather finished, $32,000 ; hands em- ployed, 7.
Boots manufactured, 500 pairs ; shoes, 1,000 pairs ; value, $3,000 ; hands employed, 7.
Manufactory of straw hats and bonnets, 1; goods finished, 8,295 dozens ; unfinished, 10,200 dozens; value, $10,000 ; males employed, 15 ; females, 262.
Lumber prepared for market, 1,350,000 feet ; value, $9,600.
Firewood prepared for market, 9,500 cords ; value, $23,750.
No. of sheep, 441 ; wool produced, 1,421 lbs.
No. of horses, 292 ; value, $21,905.
No. of oxen, 205 ; steers, 176 ; value, $15,010.
No. of milch cows, 483 ; heifers, 226 ; value, $17,273.
Butter made, 38,000 lbs .; value, $7,600.
Cheese made, 20,000 lbs .; value, $2,000.
Indian corn, 550 acres ; average yield per acre, 28 bushels.
Wheat, 1 acre ; yield, 10 bushels.
Rye, 393 acres ; yield per acre, 10 bushels.
Oats, 335 acres ; yield per acre, 25 bushels.
Potatoes, 160 acres ; yield per acre, 100 bushels.
English mowing, 1,596 acres ; hay, 1,596 tons.
Wet meadow or swale hay, 618 tons.
No. of swine, 268 ; value, $1,921.
Beans raised, 800 bushels ; value, $2,000.
Buckwheat, 2,000 bushels ; value, $1,500.
There is $1,000 invested in the manufacture of reeds ; value of finished article, $1,400.
From the preceding tables it appears that the population nearly doubled in 15 years; that the number of cotton factories just doubled, while the increase of production was more than 100 per cent .; and the growth of minor industries kept pace with the new demand.
THE ADVENT OF RAILROADS .- Among the potent causes of the development of industrial pursuits at this period was the construc-
259
INDUSTRIES OF PALMER.
tion of the Boston and Albany Railroad. The great water power of our rivers had been in part utilized some years before, and large enterprises set on foot, but a drawback was the hard and costly transportation of raw material and manufactured goods. The rail- road removed or lessened this hindrance, and brought our factories and their products near to market. It reduced the time of hauling to Springfield from six hours to one hour, and in the same propor- tion to and from Boston. And the prospect of rapid transit and cheapened rates acted as a stimulus to raise the spirits and hopes of investors, after the hard reverses and blue days of '37. Even if a dollar had no greater purchasing power, it had a guarantee of larger income, and so possessed more intrinsic value.
The Boston and Albany Railroad was opened from Worcester to the Connecticut river in October, 1839. The effects of its coming had in part been discounted in the assured promise of that event, but the actual fact gave a new start to social and business life. This was especially true of the Depot Village, which up to this time had been content to be only a suburb of the Old Centre. As compared with the present, however, those were "the days of small things." The road had but a single track. The depot buildings were small and cheap affairs, situated on the north side of the track, and reached by a sharp descent from near the junction of Main and Central streets. The freight house was equally small and inconvenient. The double track, the enlarged freight yard, the overhead bridge and the Union station have come with the de- mands of traffic and the ability of income. The present commo- dious and elegant passenger station was built in 1883-4.
The New London Northern Railroad was an important enter- prise and promised large results to the two original termini. It was opened to Palmer from the south in 1850 and to the north in 1853. But to us it was rather a feeder than a creator of enter- prises. And the opening, at a later date, of the Ware River Rail- road, and, still later, of the Athol branch of the Boston and Albany, while they effected no sudden change or enlargement of business, have yet directly benefitted the manufacturing interests of Three Rivers, Thorndike and Bondsville, and thus indirectly built up and strengthened the town.
INDUSTRIES.
The minor industries of Palmer have in part been indicated and described in the chapter on Topography, in connection with the rivers and brooks. But the more important of these will now be
260
HISTORY OF PALMER.
more fully described, in a detailed history of the several incorpor- ated manufacturing companies at the different villages. This involves a little repetition ; but it will make the record more intelligible, and at the same time show the progress of invention and art from small beginnings to the high degree of perfection now attained.
BLANCHARD'S SCYTHE FACTORY .- This deserves a place among the early industrial enterprises of modern Palmer, because of its success, and because the parties interested became permanent resi- dents of the town, and have contributed largely to our high stand- ing as a community, in social as well as financial matters.
The Blanchards came to Palmer from Dudley (now Webster), in Worcester county. Thomas Blanchard, son of Samuel, was a cele- brated inventor of curious and valuable mechanisms, the scope of his powers in this line being almost unlimited. Among other con- trivances, was a machine for heading tacks, one for bending wood, and one for turning irregular forms of wood. This last proved to be of incalcuable value, and was first applied to the turning of gun stocks, busts, and casts of hard material. The U. S. Government secured the invention for use in its armories, which revolutionized the manufacture of small arms.
Thomas Blanchard lived in Millbury, and in travelling to and from Springfield, while superintending the introduction of his in- vention, he observed the water-power in the Quabaug river, above the present Depot Village; and knowing that his brother, John B., who was then making scythes on a small scale in Dudley, wanted to secure a larger privilege, informed him of the chance. The result was that Maj. John B. Blanchard purchased the said priv- ilege, built a factory, and removed to Palmer in 1824-about a year anterior to the building of the dam at Three Rivers. He was a good mechanic, and fully versed in the art of scythe-making. His tools bore a high reputation for excellence of make and temper, and the business prospered. He continued the manufacture till 1840, when age and infirmity induced him to retire. He died in October, 1850. His son, Alonzo V., came to Palmer with the father, and was associated with him in the works. After the father retired, A. V. took in partnership, his brother, William J., and later, his brother John D., and still later, another brother, Franklin. The firm fully maintained the early reputation of their goods, their sales in some years amounting to 2,000 dozens of scythes, of the value of $20,000.
In addition to scythe-making, the brothers engaged largely in the
261
INDUSTRIES OF PALMER.
manufacture of plow and shovel handles, ox-bows, and wheel-rims, the annual value of which equalled that of their scythes. This work was carried on in a separate building, and was continued till the building and all its valuable machinery, and a large amount of stock was consumed by fire.
John D. Blanchard died suddenly in 1872, when the manufac- turing of scythes was given up and the business of the firm closed.
Mr. A. V. Blanchard, whose memory covers the whole of the firm's affairs in Palmer, is still hale and hearty; and has furnished the material for the foregoing sketch, and many reminiscenses, which add to the value of this book. He has been honored by the town by repeated election to its more responsible civil offices, and as a member of the school board. He represented the town in the Legislatures of 1836, 1845 and 1847.
THREE RIVERS .- The first notice on the town records of a move- ment to utilize the power of the water-fall at this point, is the fol- lowing : "May 4, 1790. On the petition of Gideon Graves and others, requesting an open road to said Graves' mills, voted, that the selectmen go and open the road by Cleaveland's to said mills, and agree with some person to move the fence so that sª road may be open and free to pass and repass. June 7, voted to Hugh Moors one shilling per rod for making a fence and opening a road from his bars to sª mill-yard, as the road now goes, which shall be a full recompence to said Moors for making sª fence and continuing the road open and free forever." Mr. Moors' bill, which was allowed and paid in November, was £2. 5. 0. This mill was located near the foot of the falls, and was in use for many years. In 1825, the privilege was bought by Russell Jenks, and by him sold to the Three Rivers Manufacturing Company. This company sold the same, November 25, 1828, to Messrs. W. and A. Sprague. The privilege is now owned by Ed. D. Metcalf of Springfield, but has lain unim- proved since the Graves mill ceased to run.
The lands enclosed between the two streams, and those lying on the southerly side of the Quabaug, were owned by David and Dan- iel Shearer, and excepting homestead clearings, were mostly in a wild state. August 28, 1823, the Shearer brothers entered into an agreement with Russell Jenks, by which they conceded to him the right to build a dam nine feet high at the junction, with rights of flowage, etc. March 15, 1824, Samuel Perry deeded to Daniel Shearer three acres of land on the northerly side of the stream, with right of flowage. August 6, 1825, Shearer conveyed this land and rights to William S. Rogers of Boston ; and October 18, 1825,
262
HISTORY OF PALMER.
Jenks conveyed to Rogers, all the land and rights which he had acquired of the Shearers.
The dam was built in 1825.
THE THREE RIVERS MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
Be it enacted, etc.
That Levi Brigham, William S. Rogers, Samuel D. Ward, Levi Merriam, Darius B. Holbrook, Thomas A. Dexter, Willard Phillips, Charles P. Dexter and Anthony Olney are hereby made a corpora- tion by the name of the Three Rivers Manufacturing Company, for the purpose of manufacturing cotton, woolen and linen goods, iron and machinery, in the town of Palmer, in the county of Hampden, with all the powers and privileges, etc. Said Company may hold real estate not exceeding in value $300,000 and personal estate of the value of $700,000. Passed January 21, 1826.
August 9, 1826. Wm. S. Rogers conveyed to the above named Company, all the real estate and rights which he had acquired of Jenks, the Shearers, and Perry. The Company also bought more lands of Perry and others, which gave them control of the whole privilege and its surroundings. They then went forward, and commenced the canal, erected a large and convenient mill, and put in machinery for manufacturing woolen cloths. Willard Phillips was managing agent of the Company.
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