USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Leominster > Leominster, Massachusetts, historical and picturesque > Part 16
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THOMAS ORDUNG has kept a fish market here for the past seven years. He is a native of Sparneck, Germany.
MARKET GARDENING.
GEO. M. KENDALL began the business of raising vegetables for market, in 1878, commencing the first years by raising an out door crop and doing a small business. Since that time he has built extensive greenhouses and given his attention to special crops, raised under glass, until at the present time his business is largely that of raising cucumbers. Last season his crop reached upwards of 600 bushels. He has just completed a new greenhouse, 150 feet long which he hopes will increase the capacity for production one third. Mr. Kendall has now one of the best set of greenhouses in the State for the raising of that particular crop.
ALDEN DERBY has also given his attention to market gard- ening, doing an extensive business in that direction. His farm is on the line of the Fitchburg railroad.
BAKERS.
In 1860 D. P. Lord established the first bakery in town, but was soon after succeeded by Luther Longley, who contin- ued for nearly four years. The business was then conducted by H. B. Whitney for about six years. Several others have been engaged in the bakery business at different times.
H. P. BASSETT started in business on his own responsibility in 1867, in a building which stood in the rear of the present new bakery, recently erected on Central street. Mr. Bassett moved into his new building in October of the present year.
B. F. OWENS' bakery was established in May, 1886, on Water street, in the building formerly occupied by Hamilton Brown, which was remodelled and enlarged for that purpose.
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FURNITURE.
E. F. PIERCE is a native of Arlington, Mass. He first came to Leominster in 1859, entering the employ of H. Wil- lard & Co., in the manufacture of chamber furniture. He was afterwards in the employ of H. M. Lane, Tenney & Lockey and Allen & Jewett, in the manufacture of Piano Forte Cases, removing to Greenville, N. H., he entered the employ of James L. Chamberlin, Manufacturer of Chamber Furniture, as clerk. In 1877 he associated with C. H. Goulding in the retail furni- ture business in Peabody, under the firm name of E. F. Pierce & Co. In 1880 he sold his interest to his partner, and started the same business in Marblehead, coming to Leominster in 1885, and purchasing his present business of George A. Bishop & Co.
HAIR DRESSERS.
The first regular Barber shop was opened at the old Hotel some thirty years ago, by a colored barber, named Williams, After a time he sold out to J. Wallace Lines, who removed to Allen's block when it was first built, remaining there as long as he lived. After his death, it was carried on by the Execu- tors, until it was sold out to Charles Wild, who in turn sold out in August of the present year to George E. Bearce. The other barbers, at the center are : A. Charron, H. O. Winn, M. L. Miller, Henry Bodo and W. H. Hitchcock at North Leominster.
In may not be out of place in this connection, to allude briefly to some facts in the life of J. Wallace Lines. Born during the last half century of American Slavery, his early life alone furnished abundant material for a romance, and his later years were not less eventful. Some of the facts as related to the writer, recently, by the late Joel Smith, the intimate friend of Mr. Lines, are here given. In the light of subsequent events the subject of this sketch was, without a shadow of reasonable doubt, a victim of circumstantial evidence. He came to Leom-
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inster under a cloud. After being here some time he was arrested and taken to the town in New York State, where he had previously lived, was tried, convicted and sentenced on the charge of an attempt to set fire to the building in which his shop had been located. The people of Leominster believed in his innocence and showed their confidence in a substantial manner. Mr. Smith was delegated to look up his antecedents, to visit him, to be present at court and to render all the assist- ance in his power. The main facts brought out at the trial were that on a carpenter's bench in Mr. Line's back shop were found pieces of wood identical with those used in the con- struction of the fire-box which was intended for the destruction of the building. The fact that Mr. Lines' neighbors in the block had free access to this room, and often used his carpen- ter's tools, had little weight with the jury, who rendered a ver- dict of guilty. He chose not to appeal his case, and served his sentence, although asserting his entire innocence. Afterwards he returned to Leominster, where he had the respect and con- fidence of the community during the rest of his life. He died suddenly of heart disease in 1876. His companion, a capable and accomplished lady, survived him but a short time, dying in the same manner. Among other bequests Mr. Lines left $100 towards erecting a fence around the Soldiers Monument.
CHARLES WILD, the successor of Mr. Lines, was born in New York City, Jan. 14, 1855, and has followed the business of Hair Dresser since leaving school.
GEO. E. BEARCE, the successor of Mr. Wild, is a native of Maine, and has worked in Leominster some time, and was in the employ of Mr. Wild, previous to buying the business.
COAL DEALERS.
The Coal Business of Leominster has been carried on in years past by Luther Longley, Oliver Patch, Curtis & Patch and Henry Stearns. In 1872, Mr. Stearns sold out to James Had-
W. F. LAWRENCE.
C. H. PROCTOR.
-
B. MARSHALL PITTS.
CLARENCE KENNEY.
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ley, who continued in the business until the spring of 1886.
W. F. LAWRENCE & Co. In April 1886, W. F. Lawrence engaged in the coal business alone, and in August of the same year, Mr. C. H. Proctor, of Fitchburg, became associated with him in the firm of W. F. Lawrence & Co. Mr. Lawrence is a native of this town, where he was born June 25, 1852. He worked two years for Emery Tilton in the grocery business, and for E. B. Macy in the Dry. Goods business in Fitchburg, two years. For six years he was engaged in the grocery busi- ness in the firm of Kendall & Lawrence Brothers, and after- wards for six years in the coal office of James Hadley, until he started in the business for himself.
Mr. Proctor was born in Fitchburg. He was for several years in the clothing business with James W. Leverett, and his successor, E. P. Kittredge in the store now occupied by E. M. Read, in what is now Proctor's Block, Main street. He was afterwards, for some time, with his brother, George B. Proctor, in the shoe business in the store adjoining the Safety Fund National Bank, on Main street. He has been connected with the coal business since 1871, in the office of Garfield & Proctor, until he left to engage in the present business.
MARTIN HADLEY, agent for the Leominster Coal Co., com- menced business May 20th of 1886. He is a native of Leom- inster, and was in the office of his father, James Hadley, previous to taking his present situation.
CEPHAS DERBY engaged in the Wood and Lumber business in 1844, a business in which he has continued up to the present time. He is a son of Thomas and Mary Stone Derby, born in Leominster, March 14, 1819, a twin brother of Sewall Derby, and one of eleven children, who all lived to grow up. He left home to earn his living at the age of nine years. He lived in Cambridge the season of 1836, in Bolton from 1839 to 1844, and the rest of his life in Leominster. He married Ann E.
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Nourse, daughter of Stephen and Sarah Houghton Nourse of Bolton, April 7, 1842. Mr. Derby has served on the Board of Assessors of Leominster six or seven years, and on the Board of Selectmen nine years.
JAMES M. ROBBINS has been a wood dealer in Leominster for the past eight years. He is a native of this town, and for twenty years was employed in the grain business, working for Oliver Patch, Stratton Brothers, Cozzens & Harris and Cozzens & Sons. In connection with his wood business Mr. Robbins has a boarding stable on Earl street, near Mechanic.
HOWARD GILSON, Ice Dealer, started in business first on his own account, afterwards buying out the stock and build- ings formerly owned and used by J. C. Hoyt. E. R. Wixon was also engaged in the ice business for several years previous.
CONTRACTORS, ETC.
Leominster is well represented in this line of business, the amount of building in the past few years furnishing employ- ment for a large number of workmen under the direction of competent contractors. The oldest contractors now in business are S. A. Meads and Paul Webber.
S. A. MEADS is a native of Limerick, Maine. He after- wards lived in Clinton and Lunenburg, coming to Leominster about the year 1851. He was a carpenter by trade and worked for E. A. Litchfield and others. In August, 1862 he en- listed in the 36th Reg. Mass. Vols., serving three years lacking a few weeks. He was one of five brothers in the army. Two were from Maine, one from Massachusetts, one from New York, and one from Minnesota. Since returning from the war, Mr. Meads has followed the business of Contractor and Builder, and in his time has probably built a larger number of houses than any other contractor now in business.
PAUL WEBBER was born in Alfred, York County, Maine.
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He learned the Carpenter's trade and has followed the business for thirty-five years. He came to Leominster in 1871, where he has since been actively engaged in building. Many of our res- idences and manufactories were built under his direction, among which may be mentioned the residences of F. A. Whitney, A. L. Burditt and N. Harwood on Grove Avenue, the two facto- ries of Wachusett Shirt Co., The Valpey & Anthony Shoe Factory, the recent extensive addition to the F. A. Whitney Carriage Co., and the Whitney & Rice Steam Mill Plant.
ALBERT E. LYON is a native of Chelmsford, Mass. He came to this town from Marlboro', in 1870, and worked at his trade for Stillman A. Meads and E. A. Litchfield until 1873, when he commenced business for himself, continuing until the present time in this and adjoining towns, within a radius of twenty miles.
HARRIS & BURBANK, the firm consisting of L. M. Harris and C. W. Burbank, have done a considerable amount of build- ing in this and adjoining places, during the past three years. Mr. Harris is from North Leominster, and previous to 1885 worked for A. E. Lyon of this place, and was foreman for Mar- tin Sanderson of Fitchburg. Mr. Burbank is a native of Al- fred, Maine, and came to Leominster and was in the employ of Paul Webber for eight years.
CHARLES GREEN was born, and learned his trade in West- field, Mass. He came to Leominster from Lunenburg, and has been engaged in the business here for the past 17 years.
F. S. NETTLETON has been a resident of Leominster for several years, working on Pianos and as Contractor and Builder the greater part of the time, being engaged in the latter busi- ness in Lowell, prior to coming to this town.
WILLIAM B. FRISSELL was born July 28, 1826, in Thet- ford, Vermont, When war was declared he enlisted, Nov. 28 1861, in Co. K, 6th N. H. Reg., for a three years service, He
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came to Leominster in 1865. He has been engaged as Car- penter and Builder for 23 years.
WM. BOYNTON came to Leominster from Lunenburg, work- ing here and in Fitchburg for several years. He built the F. G. Smith Piano Factory.
ELMER POWERS is a native of Leominster, and has recently commenced business on his own account, previously working for A. E. Lyon.
C. P. GREEN has recently started the business.
WM SMITH was for several years the principal brick mason, and his brother, Edmund C., before him. The former met with an accident some five or six years ago, which incapacitated him for labor for some time.
H. N. SPRING was born in Chester, Vt., March 14, 1842. He enlisted in the 17th Vermont Infantry, Feb. 15, 1864, for a term of three 'years, was discharged about March Ist, on ac- count of a mistake in the quota of Springfield, where he en- listed ; came to Leominster and enlisted July 15, 1864, in Co. E, 5th Mass. Vols., was appointed Corporal July 28, and was discharged Nov. 17, 1864 ; he enlisted in the Mass. State Mil- itia in 1871, was chosen 2d Lieut. of Co. K, 6th Reg., Feb 4, 1879, and elected Capt. July 27, 1888. Resigned and received his discharge from the militia July 28, 1882. Capt. Spring has been several years in the business, and the leading contractor since his predecessor, Wm. Smith, gave up the business.
W. A. Cook is the only other mason in town.
THE CO-OPERATIVE BANK was organized April 26, 1888. The monthly meetings are held the third Friday evening of the month, in the Ladies Relief Corps Rooms, Bank Block, Main street. The officers are : Geo. W. Standley, Pres .; F. W. Tenney, Vice Pres .; W. E. White, Sec. and Treas .; Directors, E. F. Pierce, W. H. Wood, Chas. H. Rice, H. L. Harris, T. J. Ham, H, E, Davis, J. G. Tyler, A. E. Newton, F, E. Huntress,
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Auditors, E. H. Bates, W. F. Lawrence, F. W. Osgood ; Attor- ney, William E. White; Finance Committee, H. E. Davis, J. G. Tyler.
EXPRESS.
WALTER T. ROBBINS has been in the Express business for for the past thirty years. The first Express Company doing business in town was Fiske & Co. Thomas Robbins was ap- pointed agent for this company when the Fitchburg R. R. was built, at a salary of ten dollars a month, and when the Old Col- ony R. R. went into operation, Mr. Robbins employed Joseph Haskell at two dollars a month, to look after the express that came by that road. Upon the death of Mr. Robbins, his son, Walter T., succeeded to the business, remaining as agent of this company, and its successor, the U. S. & C. until the N. Y. & B. Despatch Express started in 1882, when he accepted the agency for the new company. C. E. Young, an old friend and an associate for years in the Express business, being appointed his successor. Mr. Robbins is a native and a life-long resident of Leominster. In addition to the Express business he has been interested in the livery business for years, more recently with Josiah Pierce, under the firm name of Pierce & Robbins.
F. W. TENNEY, expressman, has been in the employ of the company for the past year and a half. He is a native of Leom- inster, a son of Gilman Tenney.
FRANK W. JENKINS is the present agent of the U. S. & C. division of the American.
HOTELS,-ETC.
THE LEOMINSTER HOTEL, Monument Square, is kept by Geo. S. Jones. A hotel has been located in that immediate vicin- ity for many years, the corner of Pleasant street and Monument Square, being an old' tavern stand prior to the building of a hotel there, and its destruction by fire. George H. Cole, now
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associated with his son, Wm. A., in conducting the American House in Fitchburg, was for several years landlord, previous to Mr. Jones becoming proprietor.
THE MARSHALL HOUSE, North Leominster, Mrs. Scarlett, proprietor, is also an old Hotel stand and the only public house in that part of the town.
CUMMINGS HOUSE, in Paton's Block, corner of Water and Mechanic street, near the Railroad station, is kept by W. H Cummings.
THE LINDEN HOUSE on Church street, although strictly speaking, a private boarding house, yet has some transient pat- ronage, and may be classed under this head. Mrs. E. Free- man has been for several years the proprietor.
THE CENTRAL HOUSE, Central, corner of Union, D. H. Murphy, proprietor, should also be mentioned.
LIVERY STABLES are run in connection with the two Hotels, by Pierce & Robbins, R. B. Parker, and C. S. Marshall & Co., at the center and I. G. Pierce in North Leominster.
TEAMSTERS AND TRUCKMEN are C. G. Morse, F. J. Lewis & Co., and M. H. Kittredge.
PAINTERS,-PAPER HANGERS.
LEVI TOWER is the longest established painter in town. He was employed by J. Augustus Kendall for about twenty- five years, until the death of Mr. Kendall, when he bought out the business. The other painters in town are Henry Joy, Divoll & Richardson, Jerome Phelps, T. S. Lord, F, F. Fiske and S. Derwin. The two latter are carriage and sign painters.
L. J. GIBSON is a life-long resident of Leominster and has been for several years a dealer in paper hangings, etc.
FOSTER BROTHERS, Paper Hangers, the firm consisting of Hugh and Martin Foster, twin brothers, are located in Cook's Block,
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COMMERCIAL.
TOBACCO AND CIGARS.
THOMPSON BROS., wholesale and retail Cigar and Tobacco dealers, located in Wood's Block in Nov. 1881. For a year past the business has been conducted by Elijah Thompson, retain- ing the firm name. Mr. Thompson is a native of Douglas, Mass., where he resided until the time of the Rebellion, when he enlisted, Aug. 19, 1862, in Company I, 5Ist Mass. Vols., his regiment remaining two months beyond the expiration of their time of service. He spent some fifteen years in Photography previous to engaging in his present business. Portrait in Mili- tary chapter.
CHAPTER XII.
MANUFACTURING.
BIRTHPLACE
HAT the business interests of OF THE Leominster are more than usually OMB varied, is evident from even a hasty review. Probably few towns Bus in the Commonwealth exceed her SINESS in the number of mechanical in- THE OLOWILL PLACE dustries, or in the skill and energy with which each is con- ducted. Many of these industries reach such magnitude that their products are familiarly known in all parts of the country, and some are even exported. It is further true, that many of these industries employ skilled workmen and so ensure to the town a large proportion of intelligent and thinking citizens. Leominster has always been noted for its thrift, for the general intelligence and good character of its inhabitants. This comes in part, at least, from the nature and variety of its mechanical interests. There is less danger that men will be without em- ployment ; a greater tendency to acquire and hold property, a general feeling of security which does much for the healthy and permanent growth of any town.
In this chapter the present business will be treated with only so much of history as will serve to set it in the proper light.
RESIDENCE OF A. W. WILLIAMS, GROVE AVENUE.
...
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COMB BUSINESS.
In writing of the different Leominster Industries, past or present, "The Comb Business " should have the place of honor. The reason is found in this fact; that while it was not the ear- liest mechanical business in Town, it was for many years more generally engaged in than any other, and from the nature of the business itself, and from the methods of manufacture at first used, it required very little capital and employed, in pro- portion to the value of the product, a very large per centum of labor. More than this, the business gave to Leominster the fact and the feeling of prosperity. In this business, men ac- quired wealth, moderate in amount, indeed, if measured by our present standards, but ample for the times. In this way, also, came that well to do feeling, which has always been character- istic of Leominster.
The comb business came to Leominster from West New- bury about the year 1775. The house where the business be- gan is still a familiar landmark on Pleasant street, as you go towards the C. C. Boyden farm. The initial letter of this chap- ter, will be recognized as a good illustration of this house. This house, known as the old Hills house, was built in the year 1759 by Elias Carter and by him sold to Mr. Hills in 1774. It is now owned by Cornelius Whitcomb and B. F. Blodgett. Here, in the year above named, or very soon after, Obediah Hills commenced to make combs from horns. The kitchen of this house was the first comb shop. The work then, and for many years after was all done by hand. For some years Obe- diah, Smith and Silas Hills carried on this business, in a small way, in different places in town, but Joseph Tenney, John Chase and Edward Lowe, who all came to Leominster from West Newbury, as well as John Kendall and Jonathan John- son were, also, among the early comb makers. As full a list as possible of the workers in this business will be given at the
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end of this article. John Buzzell, who worked shell and ivory as well as horn, seems to have been the first to turn his atten- tion to the question of tools for comb makers. His labor sav- ing machinery caused many changes in the making of combs, improving the finish and increasing the facility of manufacturing. Jabez Lowe together with Charles and Thomas Hills owned NO 4 1No3 the first screw press, which, for greater security against infringement, was built in NO2 a rude hut in Ashby woods before the NDI Nol. patent was issued. The inventor was .... McPherson Smith and the original patent No.1 No.1 papers are now in the possession of Thos. A. Hills. The patent was issued Jan. 28, NO 2 1818, and the papers were signed by J. Q. Adams, Secretary of State. The press, as NO 6 built then, is the same, in principle, as those in use in the comb shops of to-day, as will be seen by the accompanying cut. Jonas Colburn was the first man who used cotton cloth balls for polishing combs, and the first and only comb maker who made rolled over combs, at one time doing considerable of that kind of work for other comb makers.
Ward M. Cotton invented the automatic machine, with cams, for cutting combs. He also made grails and other comb tools. The Buzzell quarnets and grails were also much used. The swing jaw cutting machine was invented by Mr. Damon.
At first the horns, used in this business, were of small value. The manufacturers often brought the material, after cutting the horns into pieces for use, from Worcester on horse- back. The value of the product was thus largely a matter of labor, and so contributed most directly to the growth and pros- perity of the town.
Even a brief description of comb-making in Leominster,
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would require prominent mention of the Hills family, since this family not only had the honor of beginning the business here, but were also very largely engaged in its prosecution.
The family is of English origin. Mr. Joseph Hill, the an- cestor of the Hills of Leominster, was born in Shrewsbury, England, in 1602, and came to Charlestown in 1638. He was four times married, his last wife being the widow of Henry Lunt of Newbury, Mass. From this place his descendants came to Leominster as stated above. While in Newbury Mr. Hill added the letter s to his name, that his family might not be lost in the increasing company bearing the same name. That he was a man of special ability and influence is evident from these facts. He represented Malden at the General Court in 1647 and 1656, was Speaker of the House in 1647. In 1648 he was appointed by the General Court one of a committee to codify the laws of the Commonwealth. As a return for this service he was exempt from taxation the last five years of his life. He filled other places of trust to his own honor and the advantage of the people. He died in Newbury in 1688.
Smith Hills, the immediate ancestor of the Leominster Hills, had only seventeen children, of whom Obadiah, the eleventh, and Silas, the fifteenth, have already been named as among the founders of the comb business in Leominster; Dea. Charles Hills, a son of Silas Hills, was the most prominent comb-maker in the Hills family of the second generation. After the war of 1812, he was engaged in this industry for more than thirty years. He also held many offices of trust and honor. He rep- resented the town at the General Court, in 1839-40-41, and was a deacon of the Unitarian church from 1835 until his death. Three brothers of Dea. Charles Hills were comb makers by trade, and engaged in the business with him. For more than a. century the descendants of Smith. Hills owned and occupied the farm on Pleasant street, which he and his sons bought in
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1774. Since 1859, however, so many changes have been made that no one of the family now own any part of the original estate.
The early methods employed in the. manufacture of combs may be briefly described. It has been stated already that the work, at first, was all done by hand and the tools were few and rude. The horn was first cut into pieces with a common hand- saw, split open and thrown into hot water to soften. It was then pressed flat by means of the old wedge press, which was one of the most conspicuous objects in all the early comb shops. This press was so arranged that when the pieces of horn were put in place, they could be pressed flat by means of wedges driven in opposite directions. When this work was finished, the pieces were taken from the press and again softened by soaking in hot water. They were then ready for the next step, which was the cutting of the teeth. This was done by means of a small handsaw. A sharp knife was used to shave the comb and the smoothing and the polishing was done by rubbing, first with sand and water, and, after coloring, with chalk and vinegar, or other preparations.
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