USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts > Part 20
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The paper mill at North Dighton was established in 1850 by Caleb M. and Lorenzo Lincoln. A few years later the former died and the firm name was changed to L. Lincoln & Co. The mill was twice burned, the last time in 1881, and the present brick structure erected. The privilege here is owned by the Dighton Manufacturing Company, incorporated in 1822 for the manufacture of cotton goods. This com- pany in recent years leases all of its privileges,
The Dighton Furnace Company, although organized before the war, in 1857, was not incorporated until 1870. Its capital is $70,000, and manufactures largely stoves and ranges. The North Co operative Stove Foundry was incorporated in 1886; the capital is $11,500, and its busi- ness is indicated by its title.
In 1866 a company called the Dighton Rolling Mill Company erected a building and began business, with Enoch Robinson, jr., president, and Capt. William Cobb, treasurer; the capital was $44,000, which
1 Besides the churches in this town which have been described, there is a Christian Church at North Dighton, one in the west part of the town in which Elder Goff formerly preached, and two others. Of these no records are in existence,
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FROM 1860 TO 1898.
was increased in 1868 to $80,000. The business was not profitable and within a year or two the works were closed and the buildings subsequently burned.
A building was erected in Dighton in 1861 for a woolen cloth mill and a company was formed with a capital of $40,000, which was in- creased to $50,000 and later to $75,000. This venture also proved un- successful, and after a partial fire in 1867 and upper wooden story was added to the brick walls and a furniture making business started by a new organization with capital of $60,000. This also proving unprofit- able, the manufacture of white lead was tried. In all of these ventures Captain Cobb was a large owner. In May, 1878, the building was again partially burned, and after being restored was occupied by the color- grinding works, which are still running. On the site of the present stove lining works was first a steam saw mill and sash and door factory. The building burned while occupied by Shove & Sturtevant and was rebuilt for the same business by a stock company. It proving unprofit- able, the manufacture of tacks was begun by the Union Manufacturing Company, of which Captain Cobb was president, to be succeeded in 1861 by Stephen Rhodes. In 1865 a new organization, the Dighton Tack Company, was formed with capital of $80,000. This business was merged in the Atlas Tack Company and the works closed.
Progress in the town of Mansfield during the past thirty years has been marked. In 1863 Francis G. Hodges, of Attleborough, began making bracelets in Henry Kingman's barn. A few years later, having seen a specimen of horn jewelry, he experimented in making various articles from cattle's horn and went with his samples to New York. He was the pioneer in that line. The venture was successful, and he formed the firm of Kingman & Co., taking in Frank Shaw, of New Jersey, and two others. The business grew rapidly and was soon as- sumed by the firm of Kingman & Hodges (the latter having been one of the first firm), who bought of the Charles Morse estate the so-called middle factory and there continued a large business until 1876, when the demand for that kind of goods ceased. Mr. Shaw meanwhile formed a partnership with Willard O. Capron and Harrison A. Williams for the manufacture of fine jewelry, occupying what was formerly known as the lower factory.
In early years Simeon White began the manufacture of shoe nails and tacks in Mansfield. The industry prospered and at his death was continued by his son, F. A. White. His brothers, Charles P., Hiram,
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Adoniram J. and Henry, were afterwards associated in the large business.
The basket industry was a large one in his town for many years and was carried on by a large number of men and firms. Among large manufacturers were James L. Hodges, Henry Shepard, Isaac G. Hodges, James E. Paine, V. B. Hodges, and others.
The Manton Steam Windlass Company accepted the offer of a site for a works made by S. A. Green, and began their business in 1883. A little after 1870 John Birkenhead removed to Mansfield from Canton and began manufacturing taps and dies, and later added the making of lathes. About 1870 F. W. Cabot removed his coffin trimming man- ufacture from Attleborough, purchasing the lower factory on Rumford River. S. W. Card began making taps and dies about twenty-five years ago, afterwards built a new shop and took as partner David E. Harding. Other former industries were the foundry built by William Bird, the works of the American Awl Blade Company, Hartwell's thread factory and Flint's saw mill, while present establishments are noticed in the later Gazetteer in this volume.
The census of 1895 gives the population of Bristol county as 219,019. Various causes have combined in past years to intermingle with the stock of the original settlers and their English and American succes- sors, a large and somewhat varied foreign element, which is particularly conspicuous in the three cities of the county. The nationality most largely represented is the French Canadian, and of these the city of Fall River has a greater number than any other Massachusetts com- munity. New Bedford also has about five hundred families of this nationality, and there are many in Taunton. By far the larger portion of this immigration has taken place since the close of the Civil war; its principal attraction was the great number of cotton and other mills, which offered work to men, women and children. Opinions naturally differ greatly as to the desirability of having in any community so large a foreign element of whatever nationality. This is a phase of the sub- ject that need not be discussed here. It is sufficient to state that the French Canadian in this county has in the main proven himself a use- ful, prudent, orderly citizen, but devoted at first to his native customs, his religion, and his native tongue.
The first French family settled in Fall River about 1859, but it was not until seven or eight years later that they came across the border in ยท large numbers. At that time they settled in Fall River, New Bed-
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FROM 1860 TO 1898.
ford and a few other points. During the period since 1870 their num- bers have rapidly increased. A very large part of the French inhabit- ants belong to the Catholic Church. The first French Catholic church in Fall River, Ste. Anne, was built in 1870 on Hunter street. A French pastor had held services a few years previous to that date. The Notre Dame de Lourdes Church was organized in 1874, in the eastern part of the city, and has just completed a costly stone edifice. St. Matthew's Church is located at Mechanicsville, and the French Con- gregational Church was organized in 1886. All of these are liberally supported. During the same period two or three French religious organizations were established in New Bedford.
In 1873 a weekly newspaper in the French language was established in Fall River with the title L'Echo du Canada; it was owned and edited by Dr. Alfred Mignault, who practiced medicine about ten years, and H. Beaugrand. After several changes in proprietorship this journal was succeeded by Le Protecteur Canadien, which was edited by contribu- tors. Meanwhile Le Charivari, a comic paper, and L'Ouvrier Canadien were started in 1874. These were published by Remi Benoit. In 1876- 77 Mr. Beaugrand published La Republique, and other papers are noticed in Fall River history.
Many social and benevolent societies have been founded by the French in this county, the most important, perhaps, being the St. Jean Baptiste Society, established in 1874. The inhabitants of this nation- ality have become to a considerable extent influential in politics and are recognized in the distribution of minor offices.
In some parts of the county there are considerable numbers of Portu- guese and Italians. The former have been attracted chiefly by the shipping interests and opportunities for small farming, and have there- fore settled mostly in New Bedford and Fall River. Their families find employment in many instances in the mills. Neither they nor the Italians have become intermixed to an appreciable extent with the English-speaking people. The Irish nationality is numerously repre- sented throughout the county, as it is in all parts of the United States. The later history of the three cities shows the number of their churches, parochial schools, and other institutions, all of which are rapidly in- creasing in membership and influence.
One of the most significant indications of material progress in this county in quite recent years is the rapid extension of electric railways, not only in the cities and larger villages, but from one prominent busi-
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
ness center to another, even when they are far apart. The first of these long lines in the county was built between Fall River and New Bedford, a distance of about fifteen miles. Previously to that time passengers between those cities were compelled to wait for the infre- quent steam trains and pay a fare of seventy-five cents. Now, rapid- running cars start from either city every half hour and the fare is only twenty-five cents. Other similar lines, which are more fully noticed farther on, connect Fall River with Taunton and with Newport and intermediate points; Taunton with Brockton and Providence; New Bedford with Padanaram and Acushnet; Attleborough with North Attleborough and other points, and still other lines are projected and will be built in the near future.
Since the close of the Civil war the three cities of the county have all made marked progress, a statement that is especially applicable to Fall River, where has always existed a remarkable spirit of loyalty and zealous activity among leading men for the advancement of the com- munity. The population of that city in 1865 was only 17,525, since which date, a period of thirty years to the last State census, it has risen to 89,203, and is now (1898) about 100,000. During the same period New Bedford more than doubled its population, gaining from 20,853 in 1865 to 55,251 in 1895. The growth of Taunton has been proportion- ately less. Meanwhile many rural towns and some of the smaller villages have declined in population to some extent. This is a condi- tion that is not confined to Bristol county or the State of Massachu- setts; it has prevailed throughout New England, and is due principally to the modern desire of young men to escape from farm labor and gather in cities and villages and engage in what they erroneously think is more genteel labor. The hard conditions of agriculture in recent years in many regions has also contributed to the same end. It has been extremely difficult, under modern methods of living and domestic economy, to make farming profitable in many localities; a fact that has led to the actual abandonment of farms in some parts of the county, though not to nearly so great an extent as many persons have believed. The same conditions have conspired to attract a large foreign element in the rural population, whose simpler and more economical ways of living enable them to gain more than a livelihood from a sterile farm.
Bristol county now has a public debt of $630,000, which all matures before 1906. The debt has been largely increased within the past few years by the erection of the two new court houses. The receipts for
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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
the year 1897 were $322,479.64, aside from temporary and permanent loans. The sum of $200,000 was raised by taxation. The assets of the county, real estate, law libraries, furnishings, amount in value to $1,389,500.
CHAPTER VIII.
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
REHOBOTH .- This was the second town formed in Bristol county. It originally consisted of a great tract of " common land " called Seacunck, and was incorporated with its present name June 4, 1645. On June 6, 1649, the bounds were to be established, and on May 5, 1668, the town of Swansea was set off. On August 11, 1670, the bounds between Re- hoboth and Swansea were established. July 7, 1682, the North Pur- chase was granted to Rehoboth and the bounds were established July 7, 1682. On October 19, 1694, the North Purchase was set off as the town of Attleborough. September 10, 1697, the bounds between Re- hoboth and Attleborough were established. On February 16, 1812, the town of Seekonk was set off. The population according to the State census of 1895 is 1,810, and the number of registered voters in 1897 was 357. The town forms a part of the Twelfth Congressional District, and with Attleborough, North Attleborough, Norton and See- konk, constitutes the First Representative District, with 4,663 legal voters, entitling the district to two representatives. The town is sit. uated in the western part of the county and is bounded on the north by Attleborough, on the east by Dighton, on the south by Swansea, and on the west by Seekonk. There are four post-offices in the town- Rehoboth, North Rehoboth, South Rehoboth and Harris.
The largest settlement in the town is Rehoboth, a pretty hamlet in the center of the town, containing a store, grist mill, market, blacksmith shop, a Congregational church, the Goff Memorial Hall (elsewhere described), and the new car barns of the Brockton, Providence and Taunton Electric Railroad Company, which passes through the village and has recently been opened for travel. A newspaper, called the Rehoboth Sentinel, is published here by Samuel Fiske, which is one of
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
several in the county, all containing the same general news, with a change of heading and local news in each. A Baptist church stands about a mile northeast of the village, a Methodist church in North Re- hoboth, and a Baptist church at South Rehoboth. The old Irons church still stands near the Attleborough line, but is not in use. The store in Rehoboth village was formerly conducted by J. C. Marvel, who was preceded by his father, William Marvel 2d. There is a saw and grist mill two miles north of Rehoboth village at a place called Perrysville, which was operated many years by Otis Perry. There is also at that point a wooden ware manufactory operated by Charles Perry & Co., and one mile west of the village is a jewelry manufactory recently es tablished. The town almshouse is situated two miles south of Rehoboth on the Harris road. The town contains fifteen schools which are well maintained.
Harris is a mere settlement where there is the post-office and a store. The post-office takes its name from Congressman B. W. Harris. There was formerly quite a flourishing hamlet here, around the old Orleans Mills, which were burned.
At the site of North Rehoboth post-office there was formerly a large general mercantile business carried on, which extended over a consid- erable territory; it was conducted by Granville Stevens. At Annawan there is a little settlement where there is a Baptist church and a hotel.
Mixed farming is carried on in this town, but the principal agricul- tural interest is market gardening, raising strawberries and producing milk, all of which go to the Providence market. Among prominent farmers may be mentioned James Eddy, George N. Goff, A. A. Read, Thomas E. Corey, Fred M. Corey, Warren N. Sweet, Samuel T. Pierce, William Gladden, George H. Goff 2d, and Orrin H. Keith.
DARTMOUTH .- This town was formed from so-called "common land " on June 8, 1664, and included the territory called Acushena, Ponagan- sett and Coakset. The bounds of the town were defined June 3, 1668. From this territory New Bedford was set off February 23, 1787, West- port July 2, 1787; New Bedford then included what are now Fairhaven and Acushnet. In February a small part of Dartmouth was annexed to Westport, and another tract was likewise set off March 4, 1805. On March 20, 1845, a tract was annexed to New Bedford, and another on May 3, 1888. Dartmouth is bounded on the north by Fall River and Freetown, on the east by New Bedford and Buzzard's Bay, on the south by Buzzard's Bay, and on the west by Westport. It has four post-
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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
offices, viz., Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, South Dartmouth, and Nonquitt. There have been post-offices in the past at Aponagansett and Hicksville, but they are closed. The population of the town by the census of 1895 is 3,107; the number of legal voters in that year was 811, and the number of registered voters in 1897 was 713. Dartmouth forms a part of Congressional District No. 13, and constitutes the Third Bristol Senatorial District and the Sixth Representative District.
Russell's Mills (Dartmouth P. O.) is a hamlet in the southern part of the town, containing a grist mill known as the Allen Howland Mill, a saw mill, a store, a blacksmith and a wheelwright shop. Mills have been in existence here from the very early history of the town. A Christain Church is maintained here.
Padanaram (South Dartmouth P. O.) is a small village situated in the southeastern part of Dartmouth on Aponagansett harbor. It has a population of 410, and contains two stores, salt works on either side of the river, one conducted by Nathaniel Howland, the other by Myron Potter, a Methodist church, a Christian, and formerly a Baptist church, a hotel, and blacksmith and wheelwright shops. A Free Public Library is maintained, for which John Southworth donated $5,000 for a stone building and $3,000 for books. This was a point of considerable ship- building in early years; many vessels sailed from here and various in- dustries were carried on. Capt. Jireh Sherman was an old-time merchant here. In recent years this has become a popular summer resort and is now connected with New Bedford by electric cars.
Smith's Mills (North Dartmouth P. O.) is a hamlet centrally located in the town, on the electric railroad between New Bedford and Fall River. It has a population of 285. " It was one of the earliest settled points in this region. Former merchants were William and John Cum- mings, who also owned the mills, Hiram Whalon and Abner P. Barker. The place now contains two stores, a grist mill and saw mill, two black- smiths and two wheelwrights, a Christian Baptist and a Quaker church.
Nonquitt is a hamlet and post-office situated on Buzzard's Bay in the extreme southeastern part of the town. In recent years it has attained considerable popularity as a summer resort and a large hotel was erected, which was burned and has not been rebuilt.
Hixville is a small settlement in the northern part of the town. A post-office was formerly maintained, but it has been abandoned. It contains a Christian church, a saw mill and blacksmith shop.
Aponagansett is a small hamlet at the head of the river and harbor
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
of that name, in the southern part of the town. It has no business interests of account. A Quaker church is located here. Each of the hamlets named above has a school near at hand.
The town of Dartmouth is almost wholly an agricultural district, the mercantile and manufacturing interests being less than they were many years ago. The farmers produce considerable milk for the New Bedford market and mixed farming is followed. Among prominent farmers of the town may be mentioned Andrew H. King, Silas Faunce, Warren Seabury, George Hicks, Pardon Brownell, William Davis, Zachariah Spooner, James E. and Henry T. Allen, John O. Slocum and Edward Cook.
The southern section of this town, bordering on Buzzard's Bay, has become a desirable location for summer residents, and at Bay View, Nonquitt near Padanaram, and at Saltus Point at the lower end of Smith's Neck, many cottages have been erected.
SWANSEA .- This was the fourth town formed in Bristol county, and was originally a part of Rehoboth, and also a part of the Indian lands called Wannamoisett, which extended over the Rhode Island line. The incorporation of the town took place March 5, 1668, when it included the territory of the present town of Somerset, the town of Barrington and the greater part of Warren in Rhode Island. On July 5, 1669, a neck of land called Papasquash Neck, excepting one hundred acres, was annexed to the town. On August 11, 1670, the bounds between Swansea and Rehoboth were established. On February 20, 1790, Somer- set was set off, leaving Swansea with its present area. The town is bounded on the north by Seekonk, Rehoboth and Dighton, and on the east by Dighton and Somerset, on the south by Somerset and Mt. Hope Bay, and on the west by Rhode Island. The census of 1895 gives the population as 1,627, and the number of registered voters in 1897 was 353. The town forms a part of the Thirteenth Congressional District, and with Somerset and Wards 8 and 9 of Fall River constitutes the Eleventh Representative District, with 6,827 legal voters, entitling the district to three representatives. There are five post-offices in Swansea, namely, Swansea, North Swansea, South Swansea, Hortonville and Swansea Center. The town supports ten schools.
Swansea village is pleasantly situated on the southern border of the town and has a population of 590. It contains three stores, a black- smith shop, a wagon shop, a shoemaker shop, and newspaper, the Swansea Record, which is one of a number, all published in this
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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
county, started in 1885 by Samuel E. Fiske, the heading and local matter being different in each, while the same general matter is used in all. A half mile from the village is a bleachery and dye works on the site of a former paper mill. James Lloyd Wellington, M. D., practices medicine here and has during the past fifty five years-a professional career that probably is not equaled in length by any other in the county. A new town hall, built of rough stone work, was erected in 1800, on the site of the former Union church; it was a gift of Frank Shaw Stevens, a sketch of whose life is given in another part of this work.
Barneysville is a hamlet in the extreme northeastern part of the town on Warren River, where there has always been a large fishing in- dustry. In early years considerable ship building was carried on here by Mason Barney. A jewelry manufactory is located here and one store and post-office (Hortonville). North Somerset is a hamlet that is practically one with Barneysville. It has a Baptist church and the post-office.
Hortonville is situated in the northern part of the town, where a post-office was procured by Nathaniel B. Horton. It has a Universal ist church, three stores and a wagon maker.
Swansea Center is a hamlet with post-office, two stores and the First Christian church. South Swansea is a small settlement where there is a post office and a store. Considerable gardening is done in this town for Fall River and Providence markets, and milk is produced and sold in Fall River. Much of the land in the northern part is poor and stony and large tracts are covered with trees and undergrowth. The south- ern part is very fertile. Among prominent farmers are E. C. Gardiner, Job Gardiner, jr., Frank S. Stevens, James Easterbrook, James Eddy, Job Gardiner, sr., Samuel Gardiner, James Newhall, Leland Gardiner, Frank G. Arnold, Philip Manchester. A large Portuguese element has come into the town, settling chiefly in the northern part. A large business is done in growing hot-house products for the Boston market. The village population according to the last census is for North Swan- sea, 273; South Swansea, 162; Swansea Center, 313; Swansea vil- lage, 590.
FREETOWN .- This was the fifth town formed in Bristol county, and was originally known as Freeman's Land, or the Freemen's Purchase, and included the present town of Fall River, set off February 26, 1803. On June 17, 1700, the bounds between Freetown and Tiverton were
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
established. On June 15, 1815, a small part was annexed to Fairhaven. The State census of 1895 gives the population of Freetown as 1, 405, and the number of registered voters in 1897 as 299. The town forms a part of the Thirteenth Congressional District, and with Acushnet, Dartmouth and Fairhaven constitutes the Sixth Representative Dis- trict, with 2,409 legal voters, entitling the district to one representative. The town is situated on the eastern border of the county, centrally north and south, and is bounded on the north by Berkley, on the east by Plymouth county, on the south by New Bedford and Dartmouth, and on the west by Dighton and Fall River. There are two post- offices, Freetown and East Freetown.
The largest village in Freetown is Assonet (Freetown P. O.), which is pleasantly situated in the northern part of the town and contains three general stores, in one of which is the post-office, a blacksmith shop, paint shop, livery stable, and the gun works of N. R. Davis & Son, who conduct a large business in the manufacture of sporting goods; this is the largest industry in the town and was started years ago in a small way. The Assonet River flows through the village and on it are located the large slaughter house of D. M. Anthony & Co., of Fall River; a saw and waste mill and an old grist mill. There are two churches in the village, a Congregational and Christian, and two miles north on the Taunton road is the old Friends' meeting-house. Near this are two buildings which, under the auspices of the Fall River Boys' Club, are used as orphan homes. One of these was established by George W. Dean, who gave his farm for the purpose; the building and site of the other were purchased from Mrs. Job Dean. These, how- ever, have not been very extensively used since the completion of the Boys' Club building in Fall River. The grist mill near Assonet was long owned and operated by James Winslow, great-grandfather of J. H. Winslow, who now conducts a general store in the village. The new town hall is also in Assonet village. A free public library is maintained, called the Gilbert H. Hathaway Library. Mr. Hathaway made a be- quest of $1,000 for this purpose, and the additional expense was met by the town and by private subscription. There are seven schools in the town, three of which are in the eastern and three in the western part. A newspaper is published by Samuel E. Fiske, the Freetown Journal.
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