USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Sutton > History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1704 to 1876, including Grafton until 1735, Millbury until 1813 and parts of Northbridge, Upton and Auburn > Part 42
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WILKINSONVILLE.
Asa Waters of Millbury purchased of Jeremiah Stone, in 1815, what was known as the Dudley farm, including water power, etc. Said Waters deeded the premises to David Wilkinson of North Providence, Rhode Island, by deed bearing date of April 1823. Mr. Wilkinson built the east part of the stone factory the same year, and in 1828 added the west end, and in 1832 the brick wing, twenty-four by twenty-five feet.
The main building is one hundred and eleven feet long by thirty-eight feet wide, four stories high with attic.
During Mr. Wilkinson's administration the place was very much improved in the erection of the hotel buildings, the Episcopal church and several dwelling houses. A bank was also established through his effort and influence, and chartered by the legislature. In the year 1829, when the manufac- turing interests throughout New England were in a depressed condition, the financial affairs of the proprietor of the village were such that the property passed into the hands of Samuel Slater and sons. In 1832 an act of incorporation was obtained, under the name of Sutton Manufacturing Company. The capacity for manufacturing purposes has increased from time to time, and is now ten thousand spindles and two hundred and forty-one looms.
The annual production is two million yards sixty-four square printing cloths, which are sold at different printing establishments in New England, New York and Philadel- phia.
It was during the time of Mr. Waters' ownership that the first dam was built ; also a saw mill, grist mill, and a small factory for manufacturing cotton yarn. The latter was destroyed by fire in 1822. H. N. Slater of Providence is
537
TOWN OF SUTTON.
the treasurer of the corporation, G. H. Searle the superin- tendent of the mill at the present time. The name of the post office is Wilkinsonville .* We are told that Deacon Jonathan Leland, Simon Hutchinson, John Morse and Sylvester Morse operated the mill that was burnt in 1822, and that John Morse was the agent.
SHUTTLE WORKS OF D. T. DUDLEY AND SON.
These works are situated in Wilkinsonville, on the road from the village to Millbury. They were built in the fall of 1866 by Warren Wilder.
January 1, 1867, D. T. and H. T. Dudley purchased a two-thirds interest in the business and carried it on with Mr. Wilder until the fall of 1867, when the partnership was dis- solved, the Dudleys purchasing the whole property, and carrying on the business under the name of D. T. Dudley and son.
At first they manufactured shuttles only, employing six or seven hands. But the business was soon enlarged. Machinery was introduced for making shuttle irons, and the business increased to such an extent that seventeen hands were employed.
The machinery is operated most of the year by water- power, furnished by streams from what are known as the Sutton and the Sibley reservoirs, uniting at Woodburyville. A steam engine has been provided for running the machin- ery when water fails.
There is a large demand for their goods, which are sent to all parts of the United States, the Canadas, South America and Mexico.
The buildings are wooden structures. In the main one, which is two and a half stories high, shuttles are made; in the low building adjoining this, the shuttle irons are forged. About one hundred feet south-east of this is another build- ing two and one-half stories high, used for storage and dry- ing purposes. The dwelling which stands near this building is occupied by the junior partner.
* By William R. Hill.
68
538
MANUFACTURES OF THE
The senior partner is the son of David Dudley, Esq., and has been, since 1842, engaged in the shuttle business, with the exception of a few years in which he acted as station agent for the Providence and Worcester railroad, aud at the same time carried on quite extensively the flour and grain business. *
MANCHAUG.
BY CHARLES H. CHASE.
The village of Manchaug is, under the blessing of Divine Providence, largely the result of the sagacity, energy and successful industry of her own people, who have just reason for the exercise of an honest pride in their achievements. Like most manufacturing places, its capital was originally furnished from outside sources. But capital, unless well employed and carefully managed, will not bring thrift to a community. That Manchaug has prospered to a degree that places it in the front rank of manufacturing villages, is undoubtedly due to the fact that those who have managed the capital invested and wrought in its interests, have done so with an intelligent understanding of the true means of success, and ability and will to put them in exercise. Some of the reverses incident to manufacturing have been experi- enced, but upon recovering from their effects, renewed prosperity has been enjoyed. The capital invested has, upon the whole, proved a productive force second to none in the State.
The business has been managed with a thrift and exact- ness seldom attained ; and with the fact steadily in view that "this is a progressive world," those who have had the man- agement of affairs have ever been desirous to profit by all improvements in machinery and processes of manufacture, and to keep fully up with the demand of educated labor. They have also done their utmost to promote the interest of their employes in the matter of wages, hours of labor, and men- tal and physical culture, never forgetting that the interests of employer and employed are identical.
* From data furnished_by D. T. Dudley, Esq.
MANCHAUG VILLAGE.
541
TOWN OF SUTTON.
The village of Manchaug (as also the pond) derives its name from a noted Indian chief who was drowned in the pond now known by that name, and is situated upon the north branch of Mumford river, a tributary of the Black- stone. Its hydraulic power is derived from this stream, which is, in reality, the outflow of a chain of ponds lying within a radius of four or five miles, and covering an area of one thousand acres, nearly. Among the number may be mentioned Manchaug pond, Douglas reservoir and Stevens pond, which, in addition to being fed by perennial springs, have a large and increasing supply from other extensive sheets of water. The extent of country drained is estimated as follows : Douglas reservoir, six to seven thousand acres ; Manchaug reservoir, three thousand to three thousand five hundred acres, and Stevens reservoir, one thousand five hun- dred acres. The quantity of power derived is attributed to the springs alluded to, and the great and rapid fall of the river, which in less than one-fourth of a mile is eighty-three feet. The remarkable advantages of this stream as a motive power have been increased by building a dam at the outlet of each of these ponds or reservoirs, which give the water an additional fall of several feet.
It was about the beginning of the year 1826 that a num- ber of gentlemen from Providence, Rhode Island, on their way to Worcester and Boston, conceived the idea of utiliz- ing this stream for the purpose of manufacturing. Upon a more extensive examination and inquiry, they found that the most eligible site for commencing operations was the land at that time owned by Aaron Elliot, who carried on the busi- ness of manufacturing scythes by hand, and upon the com- pletion of a dozen, would take them on foot to Boston and Worcester for sale, returning in the same way. Readers will readily understand that this was before the introduction of steamboats and railroads.
After many interviews with Mr. Elliot a sale was effected, and in January 1826, the deed conveying forty-eight and one-half acres was passed from Aaron Elliot and his wife, Susan Elliot, to Jonathan Congdon, Randall H. Green and Samuel Congdon (merchants), all of the city of Providence,
.
542
MANUFACTURES OF THE
State of Rhode Island. This land was all clear or pasture land. It was bounded nearly as follows : Beginning at the bridge which crosses the river at the lower part of the vil- lage, on the road from Douglas to Sutton, and running east- erly by the river to land of Simeon Morse, and northerly twenty-six and three-quarters rods; then westerly nine- teen rods to said road, crossing the same, and by said road to land of Enos Buxton, and by land of Enos Buxton one hundred and seven rods, then southerly eighty-nine rods, and then casterly forty-nine and three-quarters rods to bridge or place of beginning.
We are more explicit in regard to these boundaries because they are the nucleus of this manufacturing enterprise. There was purchased at the same time an additional tract of wood- land, said to contain about fifty acres, of the same parties, and on the twenty-sixth day of May following, there was purchased by the same parties, of Simeon and Azula Morse, thirty-eight and one-half acres adjoining the above mentioned property, and on the twenty-fifth day of January 1827, still another purchase was made of Darius Putnam of twenty acres.
Matters beginning to assume the aspect of a determined manufacturing business, we find that Arnold Congdon was admitted as a partner in the business.
The lower mill, as it was then called, but as termed at the present day number one mill, was drawing to completion, as was also the upper or number two stone mill, as it is now designated. The wooden mill, which stands on the opposite side of the road from the number one mill, was completed the following year. Theodore and Luther Stone were the master masons, and Archelaus Stone the master carpenter. The number one or lower mill, when completed, was arranged as follows : The first floor was devoted to carding, and the cards in use at that time were what are termed twenty inch - thirty-six inch are used at the present day ; the second floor to spinning and dressing, and the third floor to weaving.
The old wooden mill, or as it is termed at the present day the " Bee Hive," had dressers on the first floor and forty- eight looms on the second floor. The upper or number two
MANCHAUG POND, FROM LACKEY'S HILL.
69
EMERSONESC.
STEVENS' RESERVOIR.
547
TOWN OF SUTTON.
mill, is arranged as follows : First floor, spooling and warp- ing ; second floor carding, and third floor spinning.
In each of these mills were what are termed old fash- ioned breast wheels, located in the basement of each mill, which furnished the motive power.
Colonel J. P. Eddy of Providence was the resident man- ager at this time.
In addition to the mills were three brick dwelling houses, situated upon what is now known as Brick Lane, the build- ing now known as number one boarding house, the two and one-half story dwelling which now stands nearly south of the agent's house, the two story dwelling house nearly north of the agent's house, the two double gable roof houses oppo- site, and the small shingled cottage opposite what is now the ice house.
The dam at the upper or number two mill, had a fall of twenty-three and one-half feet, and the breast wheel, which served as a driver, or furnished the motive power, was twenty- four and one-half feet in diameter. This being located in the basement, was, in the year 1847, taken out and a new one (built by Veranus C. Hooker) substituted, and placed in a wheel-house built of brick, which formerly stood on the site of the granite one now in use. The brick wheel-house was removed in 1866, and the granite one referred to built in its place. The old breast-wheel giving way to the march of improvement, was replaced by an iron turbine. The wooden weave shed, three hundred feet by fifty feet, containing three hundred forty-inch looms, was built in connection with num- ber two stone mill, by James Woodward of Norwich, Connect- icut, in the year 1871. The old breast-wheel in number one or lower mill, continued to furnish the power for that mill until September 2, 1856. It was at this time that the idea was conceived of building a wheel-house to number one mill, which was carried into effect, and July 1, 1857, saw it com- pleted, and a wheel twenty-eight feet ten and one-eighth inches in diameter, fourteen feet wide on face, was placed in position, and made three and eighty-four one-hundredths revolutions per minute.
548
MANUFACTURES OF THE
Additions having been made to mill number one, and the machinery largely increased, the building of another wheel became a necessity, and in 1866 a duplicate one was placed in position, and these continued to furnish the power until 1876 (with the help at intervals of a twenty-inch Corliss engine, forty-eight inch stroke, in connection with three Harrison boilers, two of fifty and one of seventy-five horse- power), when the wheels were replaced by a turbine of the Swain pattern, which now occupies the original wheel-pit in the basement of number one mill.
We will now return to the original members of the firm as it stood in 1827.
February 12th, Welcome and Samuel Congdon becoming members of the firm, the standing was as follows: Jona- than Congdon, one-fourth ; Randall H. Green, three-eighths ; Arnold Congdon, one-eighth; Welcome Congdon, one- eighth ; Samuel Congdon, one-eighth.
May 17, 1828, Baxter Morse sold to the Manchaug com- pany, as constituted above, twenty-eight acres of land. This completed the purchase of real estate, as far as known, by the originators of this company. A successful business is supposed to have been done by the gentlemen composing the company, until July 29, 1829, when they sold out all their interest to Peter Pratt and William R. Staples, they in turn transferring it, May 1, 1830, to Samuel Shore, pre- vious purchases and improvements having augmented this estate to nearly two hundred acres improved and wood land, three cotton mills, eleven dwelling houses, etc. Unfortu- nately, February 1, 1834, after a somewhat checkered, experi- ence, Samuel Shore transferred all the above property by deed of assignment to John Whipple and Dexter Thurber for the benefit of his creditors. The assignees above named, on the 28th of May 1835, sold to Olney Whipple of North Providence all the above property, and August 21st of the same year, Benoni Cook, Isaac Brown and Dexter Thurber (manufacturers), Earl Douglass Pierce (gentleman), and Lewis Dexter (yeoman), all of Providence, with the excep- tion of Lewis Dexter, who was a resident of Smithfield, Rhode Island, purchased the entire property, and Charles
EMERSON S.C.
MIDDLE, OR NUMBER TWO MILL.
551
TOWN OF SUTTON.
Thurber was appointed resident manager. Under his manage- ment the business was materially improved, and quite suc- cessful until September 13, 1839, when he died, Mr. Dexter Thurber assuming the management, and continuing in that capacity until October 1, 1841, when Messrs. Asahel Wall and company, together with Stephen Randall as resident manager, leased the mills, agreeing to furnish eighty-seven and a half pounds of print cloth for every one hundred pounds of cotton, and to receive two and three-fourths cents per yard for manufacturing the same; the owners keeping in repair all dams, flumes, permanent shafting, wheels, etc., and furnishing all necessary supplies for the maintenance of the same. This they continued to do until April 1, 1843, when the contract was annulled, and the business was again conducted under the management of the old company, Mr. Randall continuing in the capacity as manager until 1846. Messrs. Thomas and Colt leased the mills for the manufac- ture of print cloths, and continued from July 21, 1846, until March 29, 1847, when Mr. Colt took the lease, and continued until May eighth to manufacture by the yard on the same terms as A. Wall and company (two and three- fourths cents per yard) ; they, as in the case of Wall and company, having the waste. Thread was manufactured at number two mill, and woven into print cloths at the other mills.
At this period the village of Manchaug consisted of the following : two stone mills, one wooden mill, one store, one school-house, thirteen dwelling houses.
During the previous year Earl Douglass Pierce, one of the owners, died, and John Pitman, executor of his will, sold to Cook and Brown of Providence, and Lewis Dexter of Smithfield, all of Rhode Island, his interest, which at this time was one quarter, for $18,750 cash. September 1, 1853, James M. Cunliff of Providence was admitted as a partner, having been in 1848 appointed resident manager, which position he held until April 1, 1870.
Scott W. Mowry was also admitted as a partner at the same time with Mr. Cunliff, Mr. Dexter Thurber retiring
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MANUFACTURES OF THE
from the copartnership and returning to Providence, where he died May 23, 1871, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. Mr. Mowry remained as a partner in the business until March 24, 1864, when he retired. It was during the administration of Mr. Cunliff that several valuable improve- ments were made in connection with this property. An addition was made to the lower or number one mill in 1855, of granite, two stories high, of the style called "Rough Ashlar," fifty feet by one hundred and eighteen feet. It was built by Lafayette Reynolds of Pascoag, Rhode Island.
In 1862 a further addition of four stories of granite, seventy feet by one hundred and forty-three feet, was built by John Peck, now of East Providence, Rhode Island. Upon the completion of the first addition of the old or number one mill, the machinery in the wooden mill referred to as one of the three original mills, was removed into it, as it was found that the wooden structure could not sustain the wear and strain put upon it by the motion of so much machinery.
It was after this removal that this mill was changed into a tenement house (a portion of it being reserved as a store- house for surplus machinery). In 1868 the foundation of the new or number three mill was laid, and the building erected under the care of Nathan Staples and sons of Lowell.
It was constructed of granite obtained from the quarries of this village, and is of the style called "Rough Ashlar."
All the machinery for this mill was manufactured by the Saco Water Power Company of Biddeford, Maine. The motive power is funished by a forty-two inch turbine, manu- factured by the Swain Turbine Manufacturing Company of Lowell, and a twenty-three inch Corliss engine, sixty inch stroke, with two Corliss boilers of one hundred and forty horse-power each.
The dimensions of this mill are as follows : three hundred and ten feet long, fifty-two feet wide, four stories high with two towers to connect the several stories, twenty feet square. A picker house eighty-four feet long by forty feet wide, three stories high ; one boiler house forty-eight feet long by thirty- six feet wide, one story high.
70
1021
EMERSON SC
LOWER, OR NUMBER ONE MILL.
555
TOWN OF SUTTON.
After the completion of this mill, print cloths were manu- factured until the summer of 1873, when there was a change to what is known as "Fruit of the Loom."
Mr. James M. Cunliff, after a successful management of twenty-two years, retired, leaving it in the hands of his son, Lemuel H. Cunliff, under whose superintendence the inter- ests of the company became somewhat clouded. He remained until January 1, 1873, when he resigned. Previ- ously to this time Cook and Brown had retired from the firm, and Mr. Lewis Dexter having died, his interest was purchased by his son, Mr. Lewis Dexter, who became treasurer of the company, a position he holds at the present time. At this period Messrs. B. B. and R. Knight of Provi- dence, Rhode Island, purchased an interest, and the other parties retired, with the exception of Mr. Dexter, the firm then standing, as at the present time : "Lewis Dexter, B. B. and R. Knight."
Messrs. B. B. and R. Knight, in addition to their ownership in this property, are the owners of the following villages and mills. Dodgeville and Hebronsville, Mass., Grant mills of Providence, Pontiac mills, in connection with which is their bleachery, to which all the goods manufactured at their various mills are sent to be bleached ; and White Rock mills of Westerly, Rhode Island. The senior partner, Knight, was born at Cranston, Rhode Island, October 3, 1813, and the junior at Warwick, January 8, 1826, and have been from boyhood engaged in the cotton business. Upon the retirement of Mr. Lemuel H. Cunliff as manager, Mr. S. I. Abbott, who was at this time his assistant, assumed the entire management, and continued until October twenty- fifth of the same year, when he resigned to accept the management of a mill at River Point, Rhode Island.
With the increase of wealth and skill in manufacture, and the entrance upon the stage of action of young men of enter- prise and ability, new projects were formed, and it was evident that none but a man of ability and strict business integrity could assume the responsibility of the large prop- erty and make it a successful and profitable business. Hence the owners were anxious to secure the services of a man who
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MANUFACTURES OF THE
could meet the requirements of the time and place. After several interviews with different parties, Robert McArthur, at the time located at Millville, New Jersey, was induced to accept the management. Mr. McArthur assumed the entire control as resident manager and agent in the fall of 1873, and continues as such at the present time. It is but justice to Mr. McArthur to say, that through his untiring energy and careful discrimination, the business has been made successful.
This company has an interest in numerous reservoirs and ponds ; some they own entire, and others have been con- structed in the interest of several parties whose business derives a benefit from the flow of water which passes down this stream. Manchaug pond originally covered about two hundred and fifty acres, but in 1852 a heavy stone wall was put in at the outlet for the purpose of enlarging its capacity, increasing the fall, and also for the better security of the dam; in the construction of which over one thousand cords of heavy stone were used. A heavy stone culvert nearly fifty feet long was built at the same time. This wall, or dam, cost $2,500. It was raised ten feet four inches above the gate sills of the old dam, and the pond now covers an area of three hundred and eighty acres. The names of the parties owning the land overflowed, and number of acres belonging to each, are given below :
Lewis Torry, 3 acres.
Asa Putnam,
2 acres.
John Waters,
21
John Titus, 1 1-2
Peter Stockwell, 16 John Buxton, 1 1-2 66
Oliver Adams, 12 66 John Rich, 1
Pelatiah Parker, 8
Luther Goddard, 1
Joseph Putnam, 8
John Rich, Jr., 1 66
Cyrus Putnam, 5 66 Elijah Bigelow, 1
Simeon Larned, 3
Geo. A. Tourtellott, 1
Willard Fuller, 3
Lot Simpson, 1-2 66
Nathan Waters, 4
66 Joseph Wallis, 1 1-2
Benjamin Dudley, 2
The dam which originally furnished the water-power of number one mill, and was located at a point near where the
fit
......
NEW, OR NUMBER THREE MILL - FRONT VIEW.
559
TOWN OF SUTTON.
company's office now stands, was changed from that location some one hundred feet further down the stream and enlarged to its present dimensions. The stone bridge is located, at the present day, nearly on the spot occupied by the original dam. The stone bridge mentioned was substituted in place of an old wooden one. The stone bridge on the Douglas road was built in the year 1875, and during the freshet of the succeeding spring was carried away, but was immedi- ately rebuilt.
In 1864 a large granite dam and roll-way were built nearly opposite what is now the number three mill. Mr. Ivory Stevens supervised the construction of this dam, and this pond took the name of Stevens' pond, retaining it to this day. It covers in the aggregate about one hundred acres, having been raised several times since the dam was originally built.
The amount of the property overflowed by the Stevens pond, so called, and the names of the owners, are as follows :
John Parker, 2 1-2 acres.
Manchaug Co.,
7 acres.
Ezra Jones, 4 66 Leander Putnam, 4
Aaron Stockwell, 6 1-2
66 Ira Darling, 1 .
E. E. Hall, 6 66 Reuben White, 1-2 66
J. Marsh, 8 William Abbott, 1
Wm. Walker, 6
Elijah Bigelow, 30
Obed Morse, 14 1-2
- - Tourtellott, 6
In the spring of 1866 a new reservoir was commenced upon what was called the Tucker stream ; and about forty rods below the site of what was known as Tucker dam, a new stone dam was built three hundred and twenty-five feet long, exclusive of the roll-way, which, when completed, will increase its length some fifty feet. This reservoir covers about sixty acres. It is now in contemplation to put in still another reservoir directly opposite the one alluded to above, which will cover about eighty acres.
In illustrating the progress made by this company in the manufacture of cotton goods, a statement giving the average number of yards produced from year to year may not be
560
MANUFACTURES OF THE
amiss, and it certainly will be interesting to our readers to notice to what extent this business has been increased. Such a statement is given below.
Years.
No. of Yards.
Years.
No. of Yards.
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