USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Leominster > Leominster, Massachusetts, historical and picturesque > Part 18
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TANNERY.
PHELPS & HARRISON are the present representatives of the tannery business in Leominster. The business itself, however, dates back to the time of Dea. William Burrage, father of the late Dea. Leonard Burrage. Many will remember the old tan- nery built by him on the Burrage estate, North Leominster. The building remained standing until within a few years. This business was carried on by Dea. William Burrage and by his son Leonard for many years, and still later by Babcock and Burrage. It was moved by them to its present location.
Mr. Louis Phelps, the senior partner of the present firm, learned his trade of Babcock & Burrage, and in 1851, in com-
LOUIS PHELPS.
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pany with Samuel Putnam, bought the business of his em- ployers. They started under the firm name of Putnam & Phelps. The shop occupied by the business at present was built in 1869. This firm did a large and prosperous business during the war, and continued in manufacturing until 1883, when Mr. Put- nam withdrew and Mr. William H. Harrison took his place ; the firm name is Phelps and Harrison.
Louis Phelps was born in Lancaster, Mass., Oct. 29, 1826. He came to Leominster in 1844, and began work for Babcock & Burrage, and finally bought the business of his employers as already stated.
William H. Harrison is a native of Chesterfield, N. H. He came to Leominster at an early age, and received his education in the public schools of this town. He learned the trade of a tanner and worked for Putnam & Phelps until 1883, when he became a member of the new firm. Both Mr. Phelps and Mr. Harrison are practical tanners, stirring and honorable men, and the firm is doing a large and successful business. They em- ploy about 67 hands, and the product of the tannery equals a quarter of a million dollars annually.
BOOTS & SHOES.
The manufacture of shoes has been, for many years, an important industry in Leominster ; and, judging from present indications it is likely to increase in value and extent, but with the exception of the nine years previous to 1845, when the Bur- rages were engaged in this business, very little was done in this line outside of the establishment of Mr. M. D. Haws, of North Leominster, until the factory of Valpey & Anthony was built.
The business of custom boot and shoe making was begun at North Leominster, soon after 1796. In that year Mr. Ben-
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jamin Haws, grandfather of Mr. M. D. Haws of this town, moved to Leominster, bought land on the southwest side of the Nashua river and built a small shoe shop nearly opposite the present home of Mr. M. D. Haws. This business descended to his son, as stated in the sketch of Major Amos Haws, and was by him sold to Bartimus Tenney about 1833. The value of the business during this time cannot now be given ; but when it came into the hands of Mr. M. D. Haws, June 9, 1839, some three or four hands were employed. This business Mr. Haws continued until Nov. 1, 1885.
MANSON DANA HAWS is a native of Leominster. He was born Aug. 28, 1817, educated, for the most part in the public schools, prominent in business here for more than forty-six years, Mr. Haws has always been in active sympathy with all the best interests of the town. He learned the business of shoe making in Fitchburg and Worcester, and after a year spent as a journeyman in different places, he began business at North Leominster, as stated above. At first the making of men's boots was a part of the product of his factory ; but this branch of the business was finally dropped, and the work largely confined to the making of ladies' shoes ; although some men's shoes were made as long as Mr. Haws continued the manufact- uring. As already stated the factory employed about three hands in the beginning on custom work ; but during and after the war this number was increased to eighteen or twenty. The value of the goods manufactured was, as nearly as known, fifty thousand dollars a year. As the business increased the old shop was moved to Lancaster street, converted into a dwell- ing house, and a new one built on the site of the present fac- tory. This has been twice enlarged, once to accommodate the business itself, and the second time to give more room to man- ufacturing and to admit of using steam power.
M. D. Haws
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Mr. Haws conducted his business with rare skill and energy, making his own sales and purchases, while still giving personal attention to all the details of the work. In proof of this it may be said, that the help in his shop were never out of work dur- ing these forty-six years, except when there was a change to be made in the buildings. If the factory stopped at other times it was because the help desired a vacation. Few men, who have employed others, could say as much. Nov. Ist, 1885, Mr. Haws rented the factory to Mr. H. O. Smith and retired from the manufacturing business, with the esteem of his fellow citizens and the confidence of all with whom he had held busi- ness relations.
As a business man Mr. Haws is prompt, energetic, exact and methodical. He gives personal attention to whatever he wishes well done. It may be stated in proof that, when the Government investigated the Internal Revenue after the war, Mr. Haws' books were found correct. A fact in which he may well take just pride. Mr. Haws has deserved and received many marks of public favor. He represented the town at the "General Court" In 1862, was for six years a member, and for three years Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, took the lead in introducing town water, as stated under that head, and was for many years after called to preside at the annual and other meetings of the town. In all these ways he has rendered hon- orable and acceptable public service.
He has been prominent also in financial matters. At one time he was a director of the First National Bank. He was one of the incorporators of the Leominster Savings Bank, a trustee from 1867 to 1870. Since 1875 he has been a director of the Rollstone National Bank, Fitchburg, and in 1879 was elected trustee of the Worcester North Savings Institution. He is often entrusted with estates, both as executor and trus-
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tee, and in more than one instance, although the value of the property has exceeded a hundred thousand dollars, he has at the request of the testator, been excused from giving surety on his personal bond.
March 6th, 1842, Mr. Haws married Miss Lucy Ann Gra- ham, of Lunenburg. They have no children.
MR. O. H. SMITH, who rented the Haws' factory, Nov. I, 1885 is a native of West Newbury, Mass., where he was born Feb. 5, 1842. He was educated in the Public Schools and at Groveland Academy. Mr. Smith was in the army and navy during the four years of the war. He is thoroughly master of the shoe business. He served four years as foreman for N. S. Cutler of Bernardston, Mass., and before coming to Leom- inster was a member of the firm of Baker & Creighton, Lynn, Mass. The business is now wholly confined to the manufac- ture of ladies' and misses' shoes. The business has increased and Mr. Smith has requested and Mr. Haws has consented to enlarge the factory by a three story addition of thirty feet to the main building.
VALPEY & ANTHONY. The place where the factory of this firm is located was utilized a century and a half ago for busi- ness purposes. Here stood, no doubt, the saw mill of Josiah White, built before 1740; and here, when the first mutterings of the Revolution were heard, Joseph Beaman built a grist mill. It was at this place that the piano case industry was started in Leominster. The later building, on this spot, by Hon. J. H. Lockey, is noted in its proper connection.
The business of Valpey & Anthony, the making of Ladies' Shoes, was started in the city of Lynn, about twenty years ago, by H. R. Valpey and J. C. Anthony, who, by their skill and energy,-for both gentlemen are thorough practical workmen and well acquainted with all the details of the business-it has
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been carried from small beginnings to its present high stand- ing and prosperous condition. In 1886, when labor troubles in the large cities made it desirable to transfer the shoe business, in part at least, from these great centres, Mr. Anthony came to Leominster, after making a tour elsewhere, and was so favor- ably impressed by the advantages of the place and the good will of leading business men, that the firm purchased of the First National Bank the land where their factory now stands. The buildings were finished early the following year. The fac- tory is large and convenient. It is 135 feet long by 35 feet wide, with a boiler and engine room 30 feet square. The main building is four stories high, thoroughly finished and adapted to the uses of the firm. Everything about the place speaks of thrifty and energetic business methods. In Lynn this firm em- ploy over two hundred hands, and in Leominster about seventy- five ; but what is now a branch of the main business, in the end, may increase to include the whole. The shoe business, as it stands to-day, is one of the most promising of Leominster's industries.
PIANOS AND PIANO CASES.
Both from the character of the employes and the value of the product, the piano business is an important industry in any community. It has proved so in Leominster. The business is prosperous, and employs a large number of very intelligent and skilful workmen.
Mr. J. C. Lane was the first to do Piano work in Leomin- ster. About the year 1845, he began to make skeleton Piano cases in a small shop, located where Valpey & Anthony's fac- tory now stands. Soon after, J. C. Gove, one of Mr. Lane's workmen, began to make desks and the smaller parts of the piano. About the same time, also, Luther Stone engaged in
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making piano keys. This work was, at first, done by hand in a small house on Main street, where the Albert Lamb place now is. When power was needed, Mr. Stone removed his bus- iness to the shop on Mechanic street now occupied by Tenney & Porter. Here the making of Piano Keys was continued for several years, by Mr. Stone.
The first finished piano cases which Mr. Lane made in town were veneered by Mr. Andrew G. Reckard, who is still engaged in making pianos. But Mr. Lane was already en- gaged in building a larger shop, and one better suited to his business. This shop, to which he soon moved, was a wooden building now owned and used by the Reed Toy Company. Here he continued the business for some years, and then sold his stock, &c., to Mr. John H. Lockey, who was at one time his foreman. Mr. Lane moved to a shop which occupied the site of the present woolen mill, and continued his business for . three years, but in the end he moved back to his old factory. He continued business until 1857. His brother, Howard M. Lane, carried on the same business at the same place for about 20 years. Other firms which have at different times engaged in the piano business here, but which are not now in existence, will receive sufficient mention in connection with the present manufacturers.
THE JOHN H. LOCKEY PIANO CASE COMPANY. While the business of this company has been conducted under the present name only a few months, the business itself really dates back to 1851, and so is the oldest in town. At that time Mr. John H. Lockey began to make piano cases in the wooden building which has been mentioned as forming a part of the Reed Toy Co.'s works, and he has continued, either alone or in company with his brother, in this business most of the time since then. The other member of the company, John M. Lockey, has al-
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JOHN H. LOCKEY.
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MANUFACTURING.
ready been mentioned under the article of Insurance. The business is large and prosperous. The company employ a large number of hands, and the cases made by them are in all respects equal to the very best in the country.
JOHN H. LOCKEY, the senior member of the company, was born in St. Johns, N. B., July 25, 1822, and came to Leominster in 1847. At first he was foreman for J. C. Lane, but in 1851 started business for himself as stated above. About three years later he built a new factory on the ground now occupied by the shoe factory of Valpey and Anthony, and continued the business there until the building was destroyed by fire in 1861. Mr. Lockey also engaged in the manufacture of corn planters with Mr. William M. Howland, and when this business did not suc- ceed, he began in 1856 to make apple parers. This proved a very profitable business. When the shop was burned Mr. Lockey had it rebuilt and ready for use in about two months. He did not at once resume the piano case business, but con- tinued with Mr. Howland until 1866, when he bought Mr. Howland's interest in the apple parer business. Mr. Lockey continued to make these machines for a few years, but finally sold his interest and the business was moved from town.
In 1871,Mr. Lockey, in company with his brother, Joseph P. Lockey, resumed the making of Piano Cases, under the firm name of Lockey Bros. A new shop was built by Mr. Lockey- the one now occupied by him-on land bought of the late James Bennett, Esq ; the two factories were connected by a bridge over the railroad. Lockey Brothers, while in business had one of the largest and best appointed Piano Case factories in the country. Afterwads Mr. J. P. Lockey sold his interest to his brother, who conducted the business alone until the John H. Lockey Piano Case Co., was formed Oct. 1887.
Some years before Mr. Lockey's building on the east side of
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the railroad was burned, his piano case business had been trans- ferred to the new shop. For a number of years, part of the work was done in a shop located further down on Mechanic street ; but the present season, the main building has been enlarged and all the work is now done under one roof. This company employ skilled workmen, many of whom have been in Mr. Lockey's employ for years, and some almost from the time when he began business. This fact is worthy of record, for if such workmen remain permanently with any man, he must show most honorable consideration for their interests.
Mr. Lockey has served the town in many positions of public and private trust, which it is not necessary to name in detail. He was one of the corporate members of the Leominster Sav- ings Bank, President of the First National Bank, represented the town in the House at Boston, in 1866 and the district in. the Senate in 1867 and 186y, and has in addition served the town in strictly town affairs. His taste and liberality in build- ing and his skill and energy in business have aided much in the growth and prosperity of the town.
WADE H. JEWETT, the senior member of this firm, was born in Amesbury, Mass., March 4, 1819. In 1840 he formed a co- partnership with his brother, A. H. Jewett, and began the busi- ness of manufacturing fine furniture. This firm was dissolved in 1847, and Mr. Jewett removed to Worcester, where he en- tered the employ of Daniel Wilder, and learned the art of mak- ing piano cases. He was afterward employed by R. L. & D. W. Goss at Montague, Mass., and in 1856 came to Leominster, where he found employment in the piano case manufactory of Gove & Howard. In 1861 Mr. Jewett formed a co-partnership with the late George A. Allen in the firm known as Allen & Jewett, manufacturers of piano-fortes and piano cases. The factory of this firm was destroyed by fire in Feb., 1864, and was a total loss, there being no insurance on building or contents.
PIANO S
MANUFACTURERS
W.H. JEWETT & CO
PIANO
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They pluckily rose from the ashes, however, obtained accommo- dations in another locality, and continued the business until 1869, when Mr. Allen retired. Mr. Jewett remained alone until Oct., 1870, when R. B. Richardson of Woburn became asso- ciated with him under the firm name of W. H. Jewett & Co. Early in 1885 this firm dissolved, Mr. Richardson retiring, and Mr. Jewett's two sons, W. P. and W. G. Jewett, and a nephew, F. J. Woodbury, became interested in the business under the old firm name. These young men have been connected with the factory from boyhood, thus becoming thoroughly practical in the art of piano making, which, combined with a complete commercial education, enables them to successfully conduct the business, which has made rapid strides of advancement under their management.
MR. A. G. RECKARD, who has had an experience of more than forty years in the business, is the proprietor of a small piano-forte factory near his residence on Church street. When Mr. Reckard first came to Leominster he was employed by J. C. Lane, and eventually became his foreman. He afterwards worked for Allen & Jewett and also for the Arlington Piano Company. After this firm closed out their business, Mr. Reck- ard began manufacturing for himself. Every instrument made by him passes through his own hands, and before it is shipped each part is thoroughly examined. The pianos made by him are therefore equal to the best manufactured.
Mr. Reckard is a native of Maine. He has been familiar with tools from early boyhood ; but at the age of sixteen he be- gan an apprenticeship for the cabinet maker's trade. He has held important positions in leading piano-forte manufactories, is a most thorough workman, and possesses an ear at once deli- cate and correct for musical sounds. He is thus admirably fitted for this business, and his work will stand the closest test.
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F. G. SMITH PIANO CASE WORKS. It is probable that the privilege now used by Mr. Smith was improved not far from 1763. Near that time Mark Lincoln erected a fulling mill at this place, and employed skilled workmen in the business of dressing home-made cloth. Capt. Ephraim Lincoln succeeded his father, and later still Dea. Otis Stearns, who had learned his trade of him, carried on the business for some years. This mill and power were afterwards used in the manufacture of combs by Messrs. Wheelock & Fletcher, and by them sold to the Porters in 1857. They built a new dam and a new factory, and put in a new water wheel, before beginning the manufac- ture of hay racks. This business was continued by them for four years, when they began the making of piano cases. In the spring of 1880 the business was sold to Steinway & Sons of New York.
Mr. Smith's Leominster factory, where Piano Cases only are made, is under the management of Mr. Levi Porter, who is a very skilfull mechanic.
Sept. 2, 1880, the factory was completely destroyed by fire. The present building, which is on the south side of the stream -the old factory was on the north-was in process of erection at the time of the fire. It was the purpose of Steinway and Sons to use the new shop for a finishing department. After the fire the new building was leased to Porter Brothers for a year and a half and at the end of that time Steinway & Sons sold the property to the present owner, F. G. Smith. Mr. Smith is the successor of Wm. Bradbury and one of the largest Piano manufacturers in the United States.
Levi Porter was born in Marlboro, N. H., April 5th, 1826, and his brother, Sawyer Porter, at the same place Aug. 2, 1824. Both came to Leominster in 1853. They began work for Morse, Heustis & Dunn, in Morseville, who at that time were
L. W. PORTER.
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F. S. COOLIDGE.
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manufacturing Piano Cases. Afterwards they worked for John H. Lockey of Leominster, and L. W. Page of Fitchburg. In the summer of 1857, they worked for Walter Knowlton, build- ing the house which was owned by Mr. Knowlton at the time of his death. This was just before the beginning of the busi- ness enterprise above mentioned. The factory, as now con- ducted, employs a large number of hands and is doing an exten- sive business.
CHARLES J. COBLEIGH, Piano Case Works, West Leominster. The original building on this site was erected by S. A. Meads, and by him designed for a sash and blind shop. When, how- ever, the factory of the Arlington Piano Company was burned, this property was purchased and used for some years by them for the manufacture of pianos. In January, 1880, the property was bought by its present owner.
Mr. Cobleigh was born in Westminster, Nov. 2, 1851. He moved from that place to Jaffrey, N. H., and also lived for a time in Worcester, Mass. He came to Leominster in 1870, and began work for John H. Lockey, making piano cases. After- wards he was employed in the same business by Porter Bros. In 1876 Mr. Cobleigh worked for J. H. Shaw & Co., of Hudson, Mass.
In August, 1879, Mr. Cobleigh began business for himself as a manufacturer of piano cases. At first the business was conducted in the upper part of Tenney & Kenney's planing mill, but in January, 1880, Mr. Cobleigh bought the property at West Leominster as already stated and moved his business to that place. Since that time he has made large additions to the old factory, besides building new dry houses and putting in a side track from the O. C. R. R. to accommodate the rapid in- crease of his business. It is very largely due to his energy and skill that West Leominster is to-day a thriving and busy
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part of the town. When the business was removed there in 1880, Mr. Cobleigh employed only twenty hands, but he has since increased that number to one hundred. The business has been pushed with peculiar energy and success.
Mr. Cobleigh has greatly benefited that part of the town in other ways. He bought of W. H. Hosmer the old Capt. Balch place, on the corner of Main and Nelson streets, and of Waldo Whitney his house and grounds on Nelson street. He has greatly improved these places, especially the first-named. So much so, that what was, a few years ago, a rather unsightly dwelling, has now an air of comfort and well-kept thrift, which makes an attractive corner. It was, also, largely owing to to the energy and influence of Mr. Cobleigh that the station at West Leominster was built.
April 15, 1875, Mr, Cobleigh married Miss Martha Conant of Leominster.
J. P. LOCKEY & Co. This firm began the business of mak- ing piano cases in June, 1885, leasing for that purpose the Union Comb factory. This factory had been previously fitted up for the manufacture of piano cases. They remained there till Oct. Ist, 1886, when their lease expired and the property was sold. They then moved to the shop and mill belonging to Mr. George L. Rice, better known as the Whitney & Rice mill, on Mechanic street. Mr. Rice, at that time, became asso- ciated with them, the firm name remaining the same. Their business now is manufacturing piano cases of all kinds, a line of piano and organ stools, packing boxes, and sawing lumber, it now being the only saw mill in town. The mill of this firm has sawed over one million feet of lumber a year the last two years, and is likely to continue sawing the same amount for several years to come. Their piano cases are made under con - tract for New York and Boston houses. As the capacity of the
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plant has proved insufficient to meet the demands for the goods of the firm, they are now building an addition which, when completed, will give them a large factory, well arranged with all modern improvements and appliances.
JOSEPH P. LOCKEY was born in Carleton, N. B., April 14, 1832. Soon after leaving school he was employed in his fa- ther's store in St. John's, N. B. Not having a special taste for that business, he came to Boston in 1849 and worked two years in Dorchester, Mass., learning the cabinet maker's trade. In 185 1 he came to Leominster and commenced to work for his brother, Mr. John H. Lockey, who was then engaged in the manufacture of piano-forte cases. After working at this a few years, having a desire to travel and see more of the country, he went West, landing in Lawrence, Kansas, the day of the first territorial election, and had the pleasure of casting his vote on the free state side in face of an armed opposition of border ruffians. Mr. Lockey located in Leavenworth city, Kansas, in 1855, and was getting well established in business there, but, as he espoused the free state cause, his sentiments were not received with favor by the pro slavery side,-Leavenworth, at that time being the hot-bed of the pro slavery party. He was given twenty-four hours notice, either to take up arms with them or leave the territory. Not choosing to accept of these terms, he was forced to leave Leavenworth, and while absent, all of his personal effects were either confiscated or destroyed. After leaving Leavenworth he located in Johnson county, Kansas, forty miles west of Kansas City, and remained there until the spring of 1858, when he joined a party going overland to California via the newly-discovered gold mines of Colorado. After remaining in California one year, and having had a six years experience of frontier life, the hardships and exposures of which had in some degree affected his health, he decided to return East, and always considering Leominster his favorite
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