USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Barre > Memorial of the one hundredth anniversary of the Incorporation of the town of Barre, June 17, 1874 ... > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20
Then comes the privilege at Dennyville, which has done for the last twenty-five years or more a very respectable amount of business in the manufacture of woollen fabrics of almost all grades and styles. This power will be capable of doing more than double
233
REMARKS OF HON. EDWARD DENNY.
the amount of business it has formerly done. Then there is the privilege at Barre Plains, which has been occupied from time immemorial in the manufacture of satinets, cassimeres, frocking, and stocking yarn. Here also is a grist and saw-mill. Many amus- ing anecdotes connected with this place and its former proprietors could be related, but the time allowed for speaking will not admit of any digression. The other source of water-power, as I have said, comes from Prince river and the reservoir in the north part of the town. Before the breaking away of the dam of this reser- voir, the stream was dotted along its whole length with manu- factures of various kinds, which were all swept away by the flood, with the exception of the mills at Rider's and Heald's villages ; but these will probably all be rebuilt at some future time.
No portion of our Commonwealth, lying within a diameter of twenty miles of which Barre is the centre, has been so utterly destitute of railroad facilities as this ; and it is owing in a great measure to this fact that she has not kept pace with other towns in this county that have enjoyed railroad facilities. It is not more than twenty-five years since Barre was the largest town in the county, with the exception of Worcester. There are now five or six towns that have outstripped it in population and valuation. But, Mr. President, our turn is now coming. We have one railroad completed and in operation, and another com- ing, - sometime ; and when our improvements are completed, we can offer inducements to men of capital and enterprise second to none. Capital and enterprise are all that is wanted, and we are to have them when we can offer sufficient inducements. This is all that has made Winchendon, Fitchburg, Milford, and Grafton what they now are ; but I hope and trust that it will not be many years before we shall be head and shoulders above them all.
I find, on examination of the statistics of manufacturing in this town, that the number of articles manufactured and the gross value of the same has far exceeded my expectations. Time will not allow me to go into the particulars, but I will mention some of the more important items, viz. : manufactures of cotton goods, manufacture of woollen goods, hollow-ware and castings, agri- cultural implements, clothing manufactured, palm-leaf manu- factured into hats, shaker hoods, &c., marble and stone-work, tin-ware, boots, lumber manufactured at our numerous saw-mills,
30
234
BARRE CENTENNIAL.
machinery for cotton and woollen manufactures, newspaper and job printing, mattresses, harness and saddlery, cabinet-making, planing-mills, sashes, doors, and blinds, boxes, flouring mills, daguerrotypes and photographs, soap, &c. - which number between twenty and thirty different branches, and will in the aggregate amount to over one million dollars. And I will venture to predict that when the statistics of Barre are taken ten years from this time, it will be found that the amount of manufactures will have doubled. Ladies and gentlemen, I have already occu- pied more time than was allowed me, and I will trespass no longer, as I know it will be far more pleasantly occupied than by listen- ing to these dull and, to most of you, uninteresting details.
XVI. Past Business Men of Barre :'While the farmer has cultivated the soil, and so furnished the means of subsistence to the mechanic whose cunning fingers have shaped the various products to be used for the com- fort and convenience of man, the energy and enterprise of the business men of Barre - manufacturers and merchants -have contributed largely to the reputation and fair fame of the town ; and we ought not to overlook the memory of Capt. Seth Pratt, of Benj. Clark, of Joseph and Levi Caldwell, of John Smith and Phineas Heywood, of Charles Lee and Harding P. Woods, and the hosts of others, living or dead, who have made the hum of business to be heard in our streets.
REMARKS OF MR. JAMES W. JENKINS.
Mr. President, - It is said of Artemas Ward that on a certain occasion he sought the nomination of the citizens to some office in their gift. Before making the choice of a candidate, they called upon him to define his position upon the " Maine Law." His reply was satisfactory to his constituents not less than to himself. He said, "I am for the law, but against its enforce- ment."
Now, sir, that is precisely my position upon your " five-minute rule." It is a good one, as a rule, but to apply it to the individual who shall attempt to do justice to the sentiment which you ask me to respond to is simply to get a half-told tale, at best.
I regret, Mr. President, that there is so very little history of the early business men of Barre. Prior to the commencement of
235
REMARKS OF MR. JAMES W. JENKINS.
the present century there is next to none. It is evident, how- ever, there were traders and mechanics here, good ones too, a hundred years ago, but few, if any, now living can recall their names. Among the earliest now remembered were Cald- well and Rainger, Abijah and Marshall S. Bigelow, Elijah Cald- well, Oliver Brooks, Joseph Thayer, Moses Kendall, Ezra Baker, and others down to about 1815 or 1817, when Mr. Benjamin Clark left a long and reputable clerkship with Bowman and Pen- niman in New Braintree, and settled upon the Plain in the south part of our town. This location he soon left and came to the centre. He was succeeded at the Plain by Harding P. Woods from the same store in New Braintree, who also soon followed Mr. Clark to the common, or centre, where each of them established and maintained a flourishing, honorable, and profitable business. Mr. Clark for a time associated with him, as a partner, from the same New Braintree store, Mr. Sampson Wetherell, now, and ever since, of Petersham. With the exception of this short copartnership, Mr. Clark was, I think, alone, and is remembered by many of us present as a high-minded, square- dealing merchant and dignified gentleman.
Mr. Woods formed, not long after he came to the common, a partnership with Charles Lee, a son of the "old General," who had served a clerkship with Mr. Jason Mixter at Hardwick. This copartnership continued but a few years, Mr. Lee with- drawing and Mr. Spencer Field succeeding, under the firm of Woods & Field, to which were added, as they grew to it from time to time, two or more of the sons of Mr. Woods, and the firm of Woods, Field, & Co. became and long continued a strong, enterprising, well conducted and highly successful concern.
Mr. Lee, after his dissolution with Mr. Woods, spent a year or so as a clerk in Boston; then returned to Barre, bought the stock and business of Mr. Clark, and, with his brother Artemas, of Templeton, established the firm of Charles Lee & Co. This firm continued several years, until E. W. Prouty was added to the firm, and it took the name of Lee, Prouty, & Co., and so con- tinued until 1834, when Artemas Lee and Mr. Prouty withdrew their connection, and a new firm of Charles Lee and J. W. Jen- kins, Jr., was formed, under the firm-name of Lee & Jenkins. To this copartnership was afterwards added two of their clerks,
236
BARRE CENTENNIAL.
viz., Clark S. Bixby and Lyman E. Sibley. . After their admission, the firm became Lee, Jenkins, & Co., and as such continued until January, 1840, when Mr. Lee was lost on board the steamer "Lexington" in Long Island Sound, on his way from New York to Boston. This firm was succeeded by Jenkins, Gorham, & Co., and so continued until 1852, when it was dissolved, and the mem- bers retired.
The firms of Woods, Field, & Co., and Lee, Jenkins, & Co., - without enumerating the different changes in their firms, - I shall be pardoned for saying were equal to the emergency of the times, opened new business, perfected the system of market- ing farmers' produce, entered extensively into the manufacture of palm-leaf hats and hoods, and sold an unprecedented amount of goods through a large circuit of towns in this section of the State. Both concerns felt themselves well officered and strongly manned, with sufficient means to keep heavy stocks of goods, and to main- tain a long and unremitting competition to the end, both claiming the mastery, which really neither of them achieved over the other.
Many before me have not forgotten the sleepless energy with which these two firms sought to increase and widen the bounds of their trade, or the long line of farmers' wagons loaded with the produce of the farms, chiefly cheese and pork, on alternate Saturday mornings; the merriment and expedition with which it was received, weighed, and reloaded upon the string of team wagons for market, and the occasional good cheer of some of the famous market-men of that day (a few of whom only are left), familiarly known at both ends, and middle too, of the line as "Uncle Jack," "Uncle Jotham," "Capt. Jim," "Capt. David," "Jason," " Allen," "Mr. David," and so on to the end. Now, Mr. President, the " prohibitory law " was not then known, so any marked temperance observable in these men at that time could not have been justly ascribed to its influence.
Mr. Lee died, as before stated, at forty-two years of age, in the prime of a useful and highly successful business life. Mr. Woods died in 1867, at seventy-three years of age, leaving a large fam- ily to enjoy the benefits of his good name and ample fortune. Mr. Clark, of whom I have before spoken, after selling his busi- ness to Mr. Lee, completed the construction of the first cotton factory of any note in this section of the State, long known as
237
REMARKS OF MR. JAMES W. JENKINS.
Clark's factory, now Smithville. This nearly unaided enterprise was heroically carried to completion by Mr. Clark, - I am sorry to add, at the cost to him of a large part of the very snug fortune with which he commenced the long-cherished scheme. After selling his remaining interest, about 1833 he went West, invested his means with great care and wisdom, and is, I believe, now living in Central Illinois, a highly respected and deservedly wealthy gentleman.
These, with many others more or less known, whom your memories will readily supply, comprise the men who did their full share in giving a good business reputation to our town. And here, Mr. President, I cannot, in justice, omit calling to mind some others, natives or adopted sons of the town, of marked fame in this and other places. First, Horatio Gates, to whom the Orator of the day has done ample justice ; Col. Artemas Lee, late of Templeton, a successful, widely-known, thorough-going, far-seeing aspirant for power and fortune ; Ezra Baker, who, though less fort- unate in the acquisition of worldly wealth than many of his con- temporaries, was, nevertheless, highly so in securing to himself a reputation for honesty and fidelity to principle unsurpassed in this or any other community. From his store and training went the late Charles F. Hovey, who started and carried to full success in Bos- ton the largest retail dry-goods store in New England. In that enterprise Mr. Hovey was largely and ably aided by two natives of our town, who with others continue the s'ame firm of C. F. Hovey & Co .; viz., Henry Woods and Samuel P. Mandell. In their hands the house will continue to enjoy its well-earned repu- tation. Nor are these all " of our boys" who have sought and found homes and success in Boston. There are three, at least, from the store of Lee, Jenkins, & Co., viz., Clark S. Bixby, Lyman E. Sibley, and Col. Henry R. Sibley. The latter has told you his story of the Rebellion, and told it well too. It is enough here to say of all of them, that their success has not disappointed the expectations of their friends here, nor have their good char- acters failed of appreciation in their new homes, where two of them still reside. Mr. Bixby died a few years ago (after giving four sons public education) lamented, and his memory is esteemed by all who knew him.
Quite early in the century, Capt. Seth Pratt conceived the idea
238
BARRE CENTENNIAL.
of utilizing the waters of Ware river by a canal, some half a mile, into an artificial pond (making his levels with milk-pans), and established a grain and saw mill ; also then, or soon after, erected a " clothier's mill " for finishing " homespun " from the wheels and looms of the busy women of that day.
This enterprise was a success achieved under great disadvan- tages, and made the " Plains " a place of note, as a business point, for a long time, and the town largely his debtor. All honor to the memory of the De Witt Clinton of that time !
The business so started by Capt. Pratt has been continued by son and son-in-law, Phineas Heywood and grandson, Seth Pratt Heywood, until within a short time, and is now a leading interest to the south part of the town. But, Mr. President, I can't stop, but must after simply alluding to Smithville, and the eminent success of John Smith and his two sons, its owners and operators ; of Dennyville, the founders and various operators from Hiram Wadsworth to the present owner ; of the Rices, Earl and Charles, the pioneers in building farm wagons and more finished family vehicles ; Paul and Benjamin, early and long-continued scythe manufacturers ; the valuable and enterprising foundry and ma- chine works of Stephen Heald & Sons, to its owners a success, to its founder honor, to the town a Godsend ; and I might go on, but a nod is sufficient, and I will finish at our next celebration of this event if allowed to be present.
XVII. Palm Leaf: In its various forms and developments it has proved a staple of great value for the productive industry and extensive enterprise of Barre, and been to her citizens a mine of wealth.
REMARKS OF HON. GEORGE M. BUTTRICK.
It is some less than fifty years since the first palm leaf was imported into this country by Mr. Perrin, of Boston. Mr. Perrin had a few hats braided as an experiment, which proved both practicable and profitable.
Soon after, Mr. Sampson Wetherell, a merchant of Petersham, and an enterprising firm in Barre, Messrs. H. P. Woods and Spencer Field, commenced the manufacturing of palm-leaf hats on a small scale. The goods having a ready sale, they immedi-
239
REMARKS OF REV. MR. BOND.
ately enlarged the business. Other parties engaged in it, till it increased to such an extent that they were manufactured by the hundred thousand dozens yearly. About forty years ago a bonnet, known as the " Shaker Hood," was woven from the palm leaf, which was in great demand and a financial success.
The business increased from year to year until at one time in this town alone there were five firms, each employing from thirty to one hundred girls and from ten to fifty men, while the families engaged in braiding the hats and weaving the sheets for the hoods in Barre and vicinity could be numbered by the thousands. All the business done in palm leaf in this country has been confined to Western Massachusetts, a part of New Hampshire, and the eastern portions of Vermont.
Probably the whole business never exceeded much over one million dollars per annum. Barre seemed to be the head-quarters or great centre of trade, as there were more. hoods made, hats bought, pressed, finished and furnished for the market here, than from any other town. It was for several years the largest busi- ness done in the place.
The PRESIDENT. - I see on the platform a gentleman who, during his residence here, made many friends, and you, I know, would be glad to hear his voice once more, and especially on this occasion. I introduce the Rev. Mr. BOND.
REMARKS OF REV. MR. BOND.
I may truly say, my friends, that I am now called upon unex- pectedly, and, though at this late hour, I am unwilling not to be heard since the opportunity is given. I have not the right as a na- tive of this town to speak to you ; but as one who was adopted, was received cordially and kindly treated, I will say to you that the dearest recollections of my life are those connected with this blessed town of Barre, for here I spent perhaps the most inter- esting period of any man's life. Here were born to me two of my children ; would to God they were here to-day to witness the interesting services of these hours, and I can only imperfectly represent them. Nothing pleases me more, my friends, than the few words which were uttered to-day by your Orator, when,
240
BARRE CENTENNIAL.
referring to his own dear father, he alluded to the words which I was called to speak after that dear old man was gone from us, no more to be in our midst. No words uttered here to-day have touched me so closely as those words the son of my friend Dr. Thompson said ; and, as I have often said, nothing made me love your good old town as our good old Dr. Thompson, with whom I was so closely connected, he who always treated me with such kind and tender consideration. How well I remember the very words with which he always closed his correspondence, " In the beauty and grace of the Lord" ! My friends, I can say but a few words more to you. When called upon to leave you, I went to a distant town, to a distant field of labor ; after a few years to a more distant field in the West ; and since then I have wandered from East to West, and yet, amid the most distant scenes, old Barre would come to my mind with its dear associations. How delighted I have always been to think of them ! and now, as I go soon to a new field of labor, - for with you who were my friends, I cannot help giving you a little of my personal history, -I am bound for a new kind of work in a new field, that great State of Colo- rado, to labor among that class of people who are socially de- graded, but who have been too much despised, and hope to be, under God, able to do some little to elevate and to civilize and convert to Christianity the Indian. I expect to spend a few years with them, and when I go there, - as in other places where I have been, -the dear recollections of Barre shall go with me. Oh ! if any thing has been done in my past life to prepare me for such a work as that in which I shall shortly engage, it is the interest which was awakened by my first living among you, when I here consecrated myself, in that old church which you will remember, to the service of Almighty God. I recall those days. I recall all the days in my experience with these dear friends, whose faces I have recognized here to-day ; and let me say that it is with mingled pain and pleasure that I have looked over these faces, because, seeing some, I remember others who are not here, and, of many of those whose faces are distinct to me, I find it is difficult to recall the names. And then, again, there may be some of you who have changed their names, and therefore, if I should happen to make a mistake and call you by the name which you used to be known by in your childhood, why, of course,
24I
REMARKS OF HON. GINERY TWICHELL.
you will not wonder at it. God bless this good old town ! I was born in Boston, but Barre has dearer associations for me even than Boston. I was surprised, yea, not surprised. A man may remember the delights of his childhood, but when he becomes a man he takes upon himself the work of a man, and desires in his sphere, whatever it may be, to do his work faithfully, and when he consecrates himself to this work is the interesting period. Friends, I thank you for thus listening to me, and only wish I could more fitly, and with more satisfaction to myself, utter the thoughts that come to my heart at this hour. I shall remember you, and I trust that you will remember me.
REMARKS OF HON. GINERY TWICHELL.
Mr. President, - You have no right to call upon me at this late hour or on this occasion. I have spoken for Barre for forty- four years, and I should be glad to speak again. I intend to speak again for Barre if I live long enough. Sir, in the remarks of your Orator to-day he has compared Barre with other towns with regard to education, with regard to schools. It has been thrown in my face hundreds of miles from Barre that the good old town was selling her school-houses at auction. Let those gentlemen come here and listen, or let them read that address, and they will be better convinced that they were entirely mis- taken than they were by what I could say in defence of it. I had hoped, sir, in speaking of the press here this afternoon, that the Barre press would have been spoken for. I remember, sir, and some of my friends well remember, when Charles C. P. Thompson came here and established the " Farmer's Gazette." I remember that, because I aided Mr. Thompson to forward his enterprise, I was discharged from the place where I was work- ing for twelve dollars a month. The old "Spy," that has been alluded to to-day, let me tell you, stood in the way. The propri- etor of the Barre stage was bringing the "Spy" here, and the " Barre Gazette," if it was established, would interfere with it. It was established, and I was reinstated.
I remember the old church here. I should be glad if I had time to dwell upon some of these interesting landmarks here to- day. I remember the old church ; the old figures of " 1790 " upon
31
242
BARRE CENTENNIAL.
it ; the old square pews ; and that everybody in the town went there, square men, square women, to occupy those pews. I re- member that some of them wanted to get up a little higher, and so went up onto the hill and built the little brick church, - the Evangelical. I remember what became of it, and what use it was put to afterwards. I remember when they came down to the common and put their church near the other old one. I have seen to-day, and I don't intend to detain you longer than to say that those churches to-day are united by a rope with the Union flag hung half way between them. You have gained something by calling your people together, by opening your hearts, by bring- ing your singers here from all the churches, by your ministers all taking part. You are coming back to old times. I remember that your minister preached to the whole people here for twenty- five years. I remember exactly when you separated, and what impressions were made upon me. And in some respects it did some good for you to go your own way. You have had your own way, but, after all, you never had a better man, I know you will all say it ; and there never was a better son than the Orator that you have brought here ; there never was a better oration ; and let every man and every woman subscribe for it, and come here if you live out the end of this century.
In extending the courtesies of the occasion, the Com- mittee voted that an invitation be extended to each of the adjoining towns to be represented in their municipal capac- ity, to which they all responded, and the appointment of Delegates was as follows : -
From Rutland, - Hon. J. WARREN BIGELOW.
" Oakham, - JESSE ALLEN, Esq.
New Braintree, - BENJ. F. HAMILTON.
" Hardwick, - CONSTANT SOUTHWORTH, Esq.
" Dana, - Hon. L. M. JOHNSON.
Petersham, - Deacon CEPHAS WILLARD.
"
Phillipston, - Mr. HENRY S. MINER.
" Hubbardston, - Deacon ANDREW GLEASON.
Sentiments in recognition of each were offered, and the responses are herewith presented : -
243
REMARKS OF MR. HENRY S. MINER.
Ist. Rutland : Our mother, or our elder sister! Though she was willing we should set up house-keeping four years and nine months before our guardian thought we were capable, we bear her no malice on that account, but welcome her representative here to-day right heartily.
Mr. BIGELOW responded from written notes, with great appropriateness, and we regret that his modesty prevents our making permanent his remarks.
2d. Hubbardston : Named in honor of a Speaker of the House of Representatives. A younger sister, though, as frequently happens, she was settled in life first. Her citizens usually speak by their deeds, though many also talk well. We rejoice in her prosperity, - welcome her here to-day, - and will listen to her speaker.
Deacon GLEASON had returned home.
3d. Oakham : Her territory smaller and her population less than her sister towns of old " Naquag." If her soil is less productive than that of her sister towns, from the character of her citizens is she well entitled to the right hand of fellowship and the cordial greeting we give her to-day.
Her Representative did not answer to the call upon him.
4th. New Braintree : Pioneer town in the production of superior new milk cheese. The grazing lands on her hill-sides and the herds feed- ing there have been a source of profit and admiration. All honor to the industry, skill, and science of New Braintree farmers. May their pros- perity continue to increase as the years go by.
Mr. HAMILTON, too, failed to be heard from.
5th. Dana : If the products of her soil are not as large as those in some of her sister towns, she raises men such as no town need be ashamed of, and knows how to avail herself of them.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.