USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Dover > Narrative history : a history of Dover, Massachusetts, as a precinct, parish, district, and town > Part 19
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The establishment of the rolling and slitting iron business, previous to 1800, occupies an early place in the development of the industry in this country. Roll- ing and slitting mills were not begun until the last part
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of the eighteenth century. Parliament passed laws for aiding the establishment of such enterprises only a short time previous to the Revolution.
A half century ago Josiah Battelle was engaged in the manufacture of whips. He employed several hands, and made an article of high grade, which found a ready sale in Boston and Providence.
With the introduction of the straw business in this country, Josiah Newell, Jr., put out large quantities of palm-leaf into the homes of the people, which was braided by the women and girls into hats. The making of straw-braid was for many years quite an industry, the whole process being carried on in the household. The best quality of rye-straw was cut into pieces about a foot long, which, being put up in small bundles, was bleached by means of burning brimstone in an air-tight box. The straw was then split with a knife ; and, after having been moistened, so that it would not break, it was cut into strands by means of a little hand instrument.
The fineness or coarseness of the braid depended upon the width of the strand. This straw-braid found a ready sale at dry-goods stores, and was even taken in exchange for other articles. Later large quantities of imported straw-braid was taken into families from the straw works at Medfield and other places, and sewed into hats and bonnets. This work was largely furnished in the winter and spring.
The weaving of palm-leaf was also taken up for a time. This kind of work continued until after the close of the war in 1865. In later years the knitting of hosiery has been taken up in some families.
WATER-FALL AT OLD MILL.
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Thomas Smith, who settled in Dover in 1825, built a shop on County Street and commenced the manufacture of brushes, which he continued for many years. In the retail trade he supplied the surrounding country, and at wholesale found a ready sale for his brushes in the two leading markets of the day, Boston and Providence. Soon after the establishment of the boot and shoe in- dustry in this vicinity, James H. Wight built a shop which was used for a time in the manufacture of shoes. The business, however, was not adapted to the locality and was soon given up. For many years the already prepared stock was taken home by residents and manu- factured into boots and shoes. This work furnished profitable employment to not a small number of hands.
Calvin Bigelow, who was a blacksmith by trade, began about 1830 the manufacture of wooden ploughs. He soon gave up the wooden plough, and began to make a superior hand-made wrought iron plough. He con- tinued this business for years, making from two hun- dred to three hundred ploughs per annum, until the introduction of cast iron ploughs, which greatly reduced the cost of manufacture and cut off the demand for hand-made ploughs. He then engaged in the manu- facture of axes.
The manufacture of oak and walnut hoops was a leading and profitable industry in which many farmers engaged in the winter season. Josiah Whiting was the largest manufacturer. The hoops were manufactured from small trees, and being put up in bundles were shipped to Cuba and other sugar and molasses produc- ing islands. This industry died out in the years imme- diately following the close of the Civil War.
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In 1868 Henry Goulding purchased land and the right of flowage ; and, damming the stream which enters Charles River near Farm Bridge, he built a shingle- mill, which for a number of years did a good winter business. But the timber being poorly adapted to the manufacture of shingles, the business gradually fell off, and some years later the mill was removed. In 1877 Mr. Goulding put in a small grist-mill.
The useful art of tanning was fostered by the laws of the Province, and a tannery was early set up on Trout Brook. A nail factory near the house of Theodore Dunn made wrought iron nails by hand.
After the decline of the iron industry at Charles River Village, Messrs. Hill & Sons built mills and began the manufacture of sheathing-paper. The mills were run night and day and employed quite a number of hands. A few years since, the mills were burned and have not been replaced.
Linus Bliss carried on for many years the manufact- ure of cigars, doing a large business. He kept a team on the road which supplied a large retail trade; he also wholesaled in the Boston market. The business practi- cally ceased with his death, although his son George was engaged in the business for some time.
The making of charcoal in the early time was a lead- ing industry. The corded wood cut in winter was burned into charcoal in the early fall; and witchers were built in the clearing which were occupied while the charcoal was making. Those in attendance did not want for company, as it was the delight of the boys of the neighborhood to spend a night or two in the witcher, the pleasure being akin to that of camping-out,
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which has since become so popular. The young men were so trained to this industry that, in after years, in selecting farms for themselves, in this or other places, they often looked more to the amount of wood or tim- ber than to the location of the farm. The charcoal was sold in Boston, and required much teaming. Jesse Newell, John A. Newell, and Josiah Whiting were for many years engaged in this business ; but the trade is now left entirely to Mr. Whiting.
John Battle gave a small piece of land early in 1700, at the junction of Main Street and Springdale Avenue, for a blacksmith's shop, which was occupied for nearly a century and a half. Another shop was located at the center of the precinct near Trout Brook, and doubtless united with the manufacture of wrought iron nails the shoeing of horses, oxen, and a general blacksmith business.
Obed Hartshorn, who settled in the extreme westerly part of the town in 1790, opened a blacksmith's shop which was maintained for many years, and descended to his son Obed.
It is related, that during the War of 1812, a drove of cows that were being driven through the State in winter could go no further on account of the ice. Mr. Harts- horn tried the experiment of shoeing the cows, putting one sharpened shoe on each hoof, and the experiment worked so well that the happy drover was enabled to proceed on his way.
Capt. Silas Bacon had a blacksmith shop on Main Street, previous to the opening of the business by Calvin Bigelow. About. 1830, Mr. Bigelow began, on the spot since converted into Springdale Park, the blacksmith
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business, and for many years carried on the " village smithy " in connection with the manufacture of ploughs and axes. After Mr. Bigelow closed his shop and moved away, Hiram Jones and William Cleveland built the shop now owned by William King, which had for a time many different occupants. The shop was finally taken by a Mr. Rodman. Other shops in later years were built in this locality by Henry Orcutt and William King, which were maintained for some years.
Calvin Richards, Sr., had a shop on Strawberry Hill where he did at least his own work.
In the southerly part of the town, Dea. Daniel Chick- ering had a shop and looked after the blacksmithing.
After moving to the easterly part of the town, Calvin Bigelow built another shop which he used for some time.
A blacksmith business was conducted at Charles River Village on the Dover side of the river. The first shop was run by Seth Blake, and was located between the mill and the house of Charles Marden. Mr. Blake was succeeded by John Adams. The last shop was built about 1870, and the business was continued for twenty years.
In 1890, after the lapse of many years, the business was again set up at the center of the town by John Breagy, who built a shop and house on Walpole Street.
The character of the business has greatly changed, and is now almost wholly devoted to horse-shoeing. In the early time the business consisted largely of ox- shoeing and united the work of the carriage-smith.
Ebenezer Smith, about 1800, began the wheelwright business. He built a shop on the little stream which
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crosses Farm Street, near the junction of Springdale Avenue. After some years he closed the business to take up a larger one in Connecticut. Rufus Battelle, who carried on the business for many years, was his successor. Mr. Battelle was a fine workman, and brought his son George up in the same trade.
At the center of the town John Reed carried on a butcher's business previous to 1783. It was discontin- ued after that date, as his farm was purchased by the town of Dedham.
In the westerly part of the town Jonathan Battelle did a good business, and in the wholesale trade engaged in the packing of beef and pork, which at one time was quite an industry, and an inspector of beef and pork was appointed by the town. Mr. Battelle had a restaurant in Roxbury in connection with his business. He was succeeded in the slaughtering business by Oliver Clifford, who after a few years moved to Medway.
Joseph A. Smith put carts on the road, and for some years had a large trade in this and surrounding towns. He carried on the business in connection with his father's farm on Smith Street.
About 1875 Amos W. Shumway, Jr., engaged in the business at the old homestead, and developed a large trade in Dover and Medfield. After a few years the route was sold to Edward Newell, and the business went to Medfield. At present the trade is wholly sup- plied by butchers' carts from out of town.
Hiram Jones, in taking up his residence here, en- gaged in carpentry, and contracted not only in town but also in the surrounding country. He was the builder
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of one of the churches of the Natick Congregational Society. James H. Wight was a contractor, and had at one time a lumber-yard on the common. He moved from Dover, but continued the business in other places.
The Howe Brothers, Alonzo, Albion, and William A., were all carpenters. Albion Howe carried on the busi- ness in Dover, but finally moved to Wellesley.
Barnabas Paine has been for many years the leading builder. He has devoted his entire time to the busi- ness, and in the last twenty years has constructed many buildings in this and surrounding towns.
Charles H. Chickering was engaged in the business at the time of his death (1891), and gave his entire time to contracts at Newton Highlands.
Calvin and Warren Sawin were carpenters, and took contracts for buildings as well as general work in Dover and South Natick. Warren Richardson is a carpenter of large experience.
The business is also carried on by Eben Higgins in connection with his farm. Daniel Mann was one of the first to engage in carpentry in Dover. He did a good business, having a large number of men in his employ. Being located in the easterly part of the town, Mr. Mann did much work in Needham and Dedham.
The raising of silkworms for their cocoons was at one time undertaken, but failed to become an industry. White mulberry trees were planted, on the leaves of which the silkworms feed.
In the early sixties William Bigelow built a shop at Bliss's corner, and engaged in the manufacture of boots. He was succeeded in the business by the firm of Derby & Nichols.
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The shoe business was carried on in the early time at the center of the town. A shop was located on the common in front of the cemetery. Later, the building was converted into a dwelling-house. Rufus Smith, and afterwards Z. & H. Moore, made shoes at the old tavern stand.
For some years the boot and shoe industry was car- ried on by numerous residents in their homes, or in small shops, where the prepared stock taken from the manufacturer was put together.
Carroll D. Wright thus speaks of this industry :-
Perhaps the most striking illustration of the influence of inven- tions is to be found in the manufacture of boots and shoes. This industry was formerly carried on in little shops, in which a few men, rarely more than four, worked upon the bench, upon stock re- ceived from the manufacturer cut out and ready to be put together. These little shops are closed; the great shoe factory has taken their place, and in it is to be seen the perfect adaptation of the manufacture of goods by successive, harmonious processes.
Calvin Richards built a small factory on Noanet's Brook, where he manufactured nail-kegs, which he sold at Dover Mills and Newton Upper Falls. Later, Lewis Smith and William M. Richards used this building for the manufacture of shoe-filling. The latter occupation was carried on very profitably by William A. Howe, on Main Street.
Capt. Samuel Fisher had a saw-mill which was located on the old Powisset road, and for many years did a good business in sawing native timber. This mill was in operation as early as 1780.
In 1868 Arthur F. Dodge built a factory on Straw- berry Hill, and engaged in the manufacture of parlor organs, but after a time the business was discontinued.
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Otto Gunther began here some twenty years ago the manufacture of confectionery, but soon returned to Bos- ton, as the locality was not adapted to the business.
Through the attention now given to the raising of poultry and the extensive use of incubators and brooders, Ernest F. Hodgson has developed quite an industry in the manufacture of the "Peep o' Day Brooder " and " Peep o' Day Incubator," which are ordered from all parts of the United States and Canada.
The custom of sending to market various products of the farm,- such as vegetables, small fruits, butter, eggs, poultry, and veal,- furnished an opportunity which was not lost in establishing a commission business. Reuben Draper took up the business on Pegan Hill, and was succeeded in that locality by Sumner Allen ; Jonathan Battelle engaged early in the business and was followed in the westerly part of the town by Albert L. Smith. George D. Everett did a large business for many years, which was not confined to this town, but embraced parts of Medfield, Natick, and Sherborn.
Frederick H. Wight now has a market business of nearly forty years' standing, and has a fine class of cus- tomers in the Newtons. In later years the market business has been taken up by George Mckenzie and Lewis B. Paine.
Stone-masonry has been carried on for a quarter of a century by the Welch family. George E. Welch is now engaged in the occupation, and has done some fine work in this and surrounding towns.
The Dover Ice Company (Benjamin N. Sawin and Curtis Broad) was formed in 1878 to supply Dover, South Natick, and Wellesley with river ice. Some
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.
years later an ice-house was built at South Natick, and the trade is now transacted from that village.
Lewis Smith was perhaps the first to engage in the milk business here. About 1840 he opened a milk- route in Roxbury, where he delivered milk to the morn- ing trade,-leaving home for many years in the small hours of the morning. Finally, the business went to West Dedham, where numerous persons were engaged in the trade.
In the development of the milk business the Post Brothers, of Powisset Farm, have built up a large whole- sale trade. The milk, gathered from the farmers in the early morning, is delivered the same day in Roxbury, and is retailed the following morning.
Another large wholesale milk business was built up by Joseph Smith, who delivered some three hundred and fifty gallons of milk daily to retailers at Jamaica Plain. On the death of Mr. Smith, in 1894, the route was purchased by George E. Post.
Michael Comiskey, in supplying Boston dealers, has established within a few years a large and flourishing wholesale milk business.
A smaller business was maintained for many years by Asa Talbot, who delivered his milk at Boston Highlands.
In the retail trade Dana C. Hanchett has built up a fine business in Wellesley, and the McGill Brothers at South Natick. Mr. Hanchett delivers not only to the college, but also to a large number of house customers.
Ebenezer Newell, proprietor of the village tavern, was probably the first to open a store on the territory now comprised in this town, where he supplied the
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groceries, called West India goods, and the few dry- goods then in demand. The business was continued in the new tavern under John Williams, and was probably much extended, as the building was better adapted to the business.
A flourishing store was kept at Charles River Village by Josiah Newell, which at one time was conducted by his son, Josiah Newell, Jr. This store drew a large patronage from Needham. Mr. Newell moved from town, and the business was purchased by Jonathan Whiting. In later years it was carried on by A. R. Tuck and Ernest Wasserman.
Mason Putnam, who lived in the last house in Dover on Dedham Street, built and opened in 1821 a grocery store, which he conducted for several years.
In the westerly part of the town, Noah Fiske, who had worked in grocery stores in Boston and in other places, returned to Dover, and more than a half century ago engaged in the dry and West India goods business.
Jonathan Battelle, who lived on Farm Street, also ran a store in connection with his farm and a beef and pork-packing business.
These stores in the westerly part of the town drew a limited trade from Sherborn and Medfield. When the business at the center of the town declined, stores were opened at what was later called Bliss's Corner, by A. L. Derby, also by Captain Newell. Mr. Derby was succeeded by Micajah S. Plummer, who in turn sold the business to Linus Bliss. Mr. Bliss erected a new build- ing, and maintained a large and first-class country store. After the death of Mr. Bliss the business was continued by the Bacon Brothers, who were finally burned out, and the business came to an end.
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A grain and grocery business was conducted for many years by George D. Everett, who had a large trade not only in Dover, but also in Medfield.
Soon after the Bacon Brothers discontinued their business, Lewis B. Paine built a store at the Center, on Springdale Avenue. After a short time T. Cooley Norton succeeded to the business. Mr. Norton died after a few years, and the business was purchased by J. W. Higgins, who is still the proprietor of the " Cen- tral Store." Mr. Higgins has developed and extended the business, and is now the owner of the only store in town.
Mrs. William Cleveland kept for some years a variety store at her residence, the Abbott place, on Main Street. Mrs. Cleveland was given to trade, and took all kinds of produce in exchange for her goods.
Isaac Henry Howe, in 1866, reopened the store in the old tavern building which was run for so many years by his grandfather, John Williams. Later Mr. Howe engaged in the grocery business in Fitchburg, Mass., where he died in the twenty-seventh year of his age.
Stillman J. Spear established a printing business in the westerly part of the town. He furnished many novelties in card printing, and for a time did a large business through the mail. Later he was engaged to do the printing for the straw-works of D. D. Curtis & Co., of Medfield, and soon after moved his business to that town.
Dover has never been prolific in inventions, yet sev- eral have been made which have been of service to humanity and of value in farm life. In the days of the iron industry, Daniel Chickering, one of the proprietors
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of the "Dover Union Iron Company," invented a machine for cutting and heading nails at the same time. Mr. Chickering failed to patent his machine, and others soon entered into his labors. He was the original in- ventor of mud shoes, worn by horses in boggy meadows, a pair of which appears in the illustration of " Farm Im- plements."
Charles Marden was the original inventor of weather strips for the bottom of doors.
Ernest F. Hodgson is the inventor of the "Peep o' Day Incubator " and " Peep o' Day Brooder."
The incubator is a hot-air machine. The automatic heat regulator controls the temperature, and the ventila- tion and moisture are controlled by a simple valve, thus making it possible to operate it under all conditions and changes of atmosphere. Absolute control of the venti- lation and moisture is obtained, and all cold draughts and over-supply of moisture are avoided.
The " Peep o' Day Brooder " is three feet square, and contains a hover and warm-mother. It is heated by a brooder stove, with a water pan around the base of the burner, which prevents the oil from becoming heated and gives the lamp a steady flame. The brooder has a shelter-board, also a folding open shed attachment.
Walter M. Wotton is the inventor of an improved patent nut-lock, especially adapted for use in connection with nuts applied to bolts which pass through a railway rail and fish-plate. This improved device consists of a spiral spring made of wire, preferably square in cross- sections, and consisting essentially of a little more than three coils, the central coil being smaller in diameter than the outer coils, so that the spring is practically a double helical spring.
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Samuel M. Colcord invented and patented a silo governor, which was awarded a medal and diploma at the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893. When, in 1877, Mr. Colcord turned his attention to agriculture, he was attracted by a French work, "The Ensilage of Maize." The system of preserving green- cut corn had been tried, but not with complete success, on account of the acidity found in the ensilage. Mr. Colcord, with his silo governor, succeeded in keeping the heat in his silo below eighty degrees Fahren- heit, which it is believed had never before been done. In 1883 he had his silo governor patented. It is an apparatus for removing the air from freshly-cut corn, thus preventing fermentation almost entirely. The New Jersey Experiment Station indorsed the governor, and published reports on the successful working of the apparatus. The cut represents a silo with two governors in place.
A shows a frame of perforated iron pipe leading by the upright outlet, g and m, to the outer air. The air in the corn is expelled through these by pressure applied to the top of the mass : k represents a plug by which the silo may be drained or washed.
Charles H. Higgins, D.V.M., while a student at McGill University, investigated in 1895 an outbreak of true chicken cholera which occurred near Montreal, a brief account of which is as follows : --
In Europe and America the barnyards are occasion- ally invaded by epizoötics affecting pigeons, turkeys,
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chickens, ducks, and geese, which cause almost as much destruction among them as the occasional epidemics of cholera, small-pox, and "black plague" among the human family.
Since Perroncito, in 1878, first observed the bacilli responsible for one of these diseases, they have served as subjects for many scientific papers both in Europe and America. Pasteur was the first to thoroughly in- vestigate what is now termed "chicken cholera." It was through the study of this disease that this eminent French scientist was enabled to place before the public the "attenuated virus " for this disease, as well as for many others, among which are those fatal to human life.
In December, 1895, there occurred near Montreal an outbreak of this disease, which, when compared with germs direct from the European outbreaks of the dis- ease, proved to be identical. Compared with the so- called "fowl cholera" of the Atlantic coast of the United States, it was found to vary in a number of essential characteristics, and now stands as the first outbreak of genuine "European chicken cholera " which has been investigated on this continent.
Briefly, the bacillus is described as follows :-
Morphology .- Bacilli with rounded ends, sometimes so short as to resemble micrococci. Stains with usual aniline dyes, but not by Gram's method. The ends are deeply stained, while the central portion retains none of the coloring matter.
Biological Characters .- Anaërobic and facultative anaerobic, non-liquefying, non-motile bacillus. Spore formation not observed. Grows in usual culture media
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at room temperature. Upon gelatine plates appears about the fourth day, being pale white, finely granular colonies with smooth edges. In gelatine stick cultures the growth is most abundant along the line of inocula- tion, there being little or none on the surface. Upon the surface of agar, pale white, almost colorless colonies are seen, two-tenths to five-tenths millimeters in diam- eter. Old cultures emit a peculiar penetrating odor. Upon blood serum a thin white layer is developed along the line of inoculation. Upon potato a thin yellowish streak is formed.
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