USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts > Part 22
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 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139
RAYNHAM .- This was the tenth town formed in Bristol county and was set off from Taunton April 2, 1731. It forms a part of the Twelfth Congressional District, and with Easton and Mansfield constitutes the Second Representative District, with 2,459 legal voters, entitling the district to one representative. The State census of 1895 gives the pop- ulation as 1,518, and the number of registered voters in 1897 was 295. The town contains three post-offices-Judson, North Raynham and Raynham. The town is situated in the northeast part of the county and is bounded on the north by Easton ; on the east by Plymouth county ;
201
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
on the south by Plymouth county and Berkley, and on the west by Berkley and Taunton.
The largest settlement in the town is Raynham Center, which con- tains a post office, the old Charles B. Gardner tack factory, which is now the Diamond Tack and Nail Works; a shoe manufactory recently started by-William O. Snow and T. B. Johnson; two general stores, blacksmith and wheelwright shops, one Congregational church, one school. Some years ago the village was quite a shoe manufacturing center, but the business is practically abandoned, with the exception of one factory mentioned above. There is a large saw mill and box-board factory about two miles northwest of the village, another two miles northeast, and another one and one half milessouth, the latter operated by G. B. and E. Williams. There is a saw mill two miles to the north - east of the village. The town-hall is located at this point, a frame one story structure. In this is a library which is free and supported by in- dividual subscriptions. The Raynham Enterprise is a weekly news- paper, published by Samuel E. Fiske.
North Raynham is a hamlet in the north part containing two general stores, post-office, blacksmith and wheelwright shops, a railroad station, two school houses, a Congregational church. The Brockton and Taun- ton electric railway passes through the place, along the line of which the village is scattered. James R. Tracy operates a saw mill. A short distance east of the place is a considerable settlement of colored people, who are mostly small farmers.
In the extreme southeast part of the town is a hamlet formerly called Taral, the name of the post-office now being Judson. There is a Bap- tist church here and a school house, but no business interests.
As will be seen the town of Raynham is largely an agricultural dis- trict, the farmers being engaged in mixed farming, market gardening, the raising of small fruits and the production of milk for market. Among the prominent farmers are J. P. Spinney, Joseph Gregory, Andrew Hall, Nathan Shaw, Gustavue L. Dean, Braddock Fields, Charles D. Lincoln, Edward H. Lincoln, David Dean, William S. Briggs, H. W. Crane, T. C. Hall, P. K. Dean, Henry Dean, Jesse King, Brad- ford B. King.
The herring fishery has always been a prominent industry in Rayn- ham. Two fishing privileges for the Taunton River are sold each year, which in some years have brought $500 each, but in late years have brought much less. In 1897 the two sold for $150.
26
202
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
There are eight schools in the town, the cost of maintaining which in 1897 was $4,794.10.
BERKLEY .- This was the eleventh town formed in Bristol county, its territory formerly lying in the older towns of Dighton and Taunton, from which it was taken and incorporated on April 18, 1735. Since that date there have been several minor territorial changes. On Feb- ruary 26, 1799, a small part of Dighton was annexed, and on February 6, 1810, certain lands in Berkley belonging to Taunton were annexed ; other Taunton lands were annexed on March 3, 1842. By act of April 1, 1879, Myricksville, or Myrick's Station, in Berkley, and a strip of land about a mile in width and two miles long, which were formerly within Taunton limits, were annexed to Berkley as a result of several urgent petitions. When the amount that this land should pay on the town debt of Taunton was fixed at $800, it was at once raised by private subscription, and the act was accepted by the town on the 12th of April, 1879.
Berkley forms a part of the Twelfth Congressional District, and with Dighton and the First and Sixth wards of Taunton, constitutes the Fifth Representative District, with 2,237 legal voters, entitling the district to one representative. The State census of 1895 gives the pop- ulation as 955, and in 1897 there were in the town 223 registered voters. There are only two post-offices in the town, Berkley and Myrick's, and the business interests are not important. The larger of the two settle- ments is Myrick's Station, the post-office name of which was until recently Myricksville. The village has one general store, a wagon shop, a blacksmith shop, a Methodist church and the station at the junction of the Newport branch and Taunton division of the Old Colony system. The village school is kept in a building which was formerly occupied by a private school conducted by a Professor Spaulding, which he called the Myrick's Academy. A saw mill is operated on the out- skirt of the settlement, a box factory and a feed mill. The general store in the village is the only store in the town. The building in which it is conducted was erected for the purpose by Gideon Myrick, who previous to that time kept a store in the basement of the " Brown house," where a merchant named Smith afterwards carried on business. Gideon Myrick was succeeded by George S. Macomber; he by Benja- min Taylor, and he by George B. Burt. Mr. Burt was followed by Benjamin S. Haskins, he by George R. Macomber and Pardon A. Manchester. In 1881 the business passed to Rescum Macomber, who
203
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
still retains his interest, the management being in the hands of Rufus Macomber. Samuel E. Fiske publishes the Berkley Gleaner, which is one of several newspapers issued by him in the towns of this county.
Berkley village is a small hamlet in the center of the town, where is located the town hall, two churches, Congregational and Methodist, and a post-office. There are seven school houses in the town. The town farm is situated on Assonet Neck road near Hospital Hill.
West Berkley is a small settlement of a few houses, a Friends' meet- ing-house and school house. The decline in the farming interest of this town has been gradual and steady. The production of hay, and of milk for market, and the growing of strawberries and other small fruits and vegetables are the principal agricultural industries. Among the representative farmers may be named, Noah Strange, J. Forest Staples, Edward Allen, Joseph Howland, Elkanah Pierce, George W. Macom- ber, C. F. Paull, and Edward Dean. Scattered about the town are many Portuguese families who are engaged mainly in growing small fruits.
A large ship-building industry was carried on in early years, by such men as Samuel Tobey, its pioneer, about 1790, Ebenezer Crane, Darius Newhall, Nehemiah Newhall, Edmund Burt, Ephraim French, Henry Crane, George Crane, Simeon Briggs, Edward Babbitt, and others.
The first bridge across Taunton River in the town was built in 1806; it was a toll bridge. The first free bridge, built by the county, was finished in 1827. A third one has been constructed in recent years.
MANSFIELD .- This was the thirteenth town formed in Bristol county, and was set off from Norton April 26, 1770, as a district. On August 23, 1775, the district was made a town by a general act. It forms a part of the Twelfth Congressional district, and with Easton and Rayn- ham constitutes the Second Representative District, with 2,459 legal voters, entitling the district to one representative. The State census of 1895 gives the town a population of 3,722, and the number of regis- tered voters in 1897 was 764.
Mansfield has three post offices, Mansfield, East Mansfield and West Mansfield. The largest and most important village in the town is Mansfield, which is situated in the northern central part. It has for many years been an important industrial center. Early in the present century Simeon White began making shoe nails and tacks at White- ville, which eventually became a large industry under direction of his sons. There is at the present time no business interest of importance at that point.
204
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
The making of baskets has always been a prominent industry and is still extensively carried on by J. A. Blake, Elmer M. Shepard, who buys largely from small manufacturers and supplies the Boston market; Isaac Hodges, James L. Hodges, who is one of the largest makers in the town; James E. Paine, C. L. Corey, David Green and Alexander Palmer, at Robinsonville; Benjamin Treen, at West Mansfield; Fisher Brothers, at the Center. One of the leading interests of the town has been the manufacture of soap. Fifty years ago Capt. Schuyler Shepard began the business, which is continued by his son, Albert S. Shepard. Other soap manufacturers are J. W. Cobb and the Jinks Soap Manu- facturing Co.
Inducements were made which brought to Mansfield, in 1887, from Lynn a large shoe manufacturing business, carried on by Rumsey Brothers. A large factory was built in 1888 and the business is now conducted by Burpee Rumsey, as a branch of the Lynn factory. An- other shoe manufacturing business has recently been established by the Mansfield Shoe Company.
The manufacture of shoe knives and awls has been largely carried on since 1842, when Robert McMoran and Robert Fulton began the busi- ness. The firm was dissolved in 1862, Mr. Fulton continuing the busi- ness. Mr. McMoran and his son-in-law, George A. Robinson, and his grandson, William N. McMoran, established another factory at West Mansfield. This business is now conducted under the name of George A. Robinson & Co. Other cutlery manufacturers are Matthew George, John Murphy, W. W. Taylor.
Near the line of the railroad Gardner Chilson built a foundry in 1846. It is now operated by the Chilson Furnace Company. Some years ago William Bird built another foundry, now operated by J. E. and W. H. Rider. Other foundries in the town are those of the Mansfield Co. operative Furnace Company and Patrick Shields.
The straw braiding business was established in 1835 by John Rogers, but finished goods were not made until 1840. Abont ten years later Mr. Rogers built a factory and operated it until 1866, when his son, John W., with J. F. Comey and D. E. Harding, succeeded, under the firm name of Rogers, Comey & Co. The name was changed later to Comey & Company who continued the business.
Some twenty years ago John Birkenhead came from Canton and be- gan the manufacture of spindles; he continued several years. S. W. Card began making taps and dies about fifteen years ago, and later
205
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
took as partner David E. Harding, the firm name being S. W. Card & Co. They were burned out in 1890, rebuilt and continue the business. Jewelry manufacturing has in recent years become a large industry, having originated with Sturdy Brothers, of Attleborough. They were followed by Merritt & Draper, who began making shell jewelry. This business is now conducted by D. S. Spaulding, of whom a sketch ap- pears in another part of this work. Mr. Merritt formed a partnership with John Shepardson in the making of plated and solid jewelry, but subsequently removed to Attleborough. Other jewelry manufacturers now in business are Cobb, Evans & Co., S. A. Evans, C. D. Lyons, and Fred S. Bliss.
The water power for the supply of some of these industries is fur- nished by Rumford River (sometimes called Ten-Mile River) and Canoe River. Flint's saw mill, which stands on the site of the old Hartwell thread factory, is operated by B. K. and B. Flint.
Mansfield has two banks, the Mansfield Co- operative Bank, which was organized February 22, 1883; chartered and began business in the same year. The other is the private banking house of Alfred B. Day & Company (Alfred B. Day and Charles C. Haggerty), which was estab- lished in 1891.
A newspaper named the Mansfield News was established in 1873 by Pratt & Clarke (S. B. Pratt and E. W. Clarke), the latter being editor. In November of the same year the management changed and Thomas S. Pratt became proprietor, with E. S. Clarke, assistant editor. In 1881 T. S. Pratt and William White became owners of the establish- ment, under the firm name of Pratt & White. This firm was succeeded by the present proprietor and editor, William White. The paper is an independent Republican journal and has a large circulation. An edi- tion for Foxborough is published and called the Foxborough Times.
Mansfield village has six churches, three in West Mansfield, and one in East Mansfield. Those in Mansfield are the Baptist, Emanuel Methodist, First Universalist, Orthodox Conrgegational, Society of the New Jerusalem, and St. Mary's Catholic. Those in West Mansfield are the People's Free Evangelical, Friends' and First Christian. The one in East Mansfield is the First Methodist.
The new town hall in Mansfield was dedicated in 1883, the town hav- ing appropriated $10,000 for the erection of the structure, and $5,000 having been donated by W. O. Grover, of Boston. The building com- mittee were A. C. Hardon, E. M. Reed and A. V. Rogerson.
206
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Mansfield has ample railroad facilities, being connected with Boston, Providence, Taunton and Framingham. Electric roads are contem- plated for construction in the near future to many near by points. The village is supplied with pure water by the gravity system, which was introduced in 1887, the supply being taken from Cate spring, situated about two miles east of the place.
The Mansfield Public Library was established in 1884 and has about 3,000 volumes. The educational facilities of Mansfield consist of eight schools and a high school, all of which are liberally supported by the community.
West Mansfield is a small village in the western part of the town and practically connected with Mansfield village. Most of the prominent industries that have been established there have been noticed. The place contains three churches, post-office and one store; two black- smiths, one carriage maker, several basket manufactories, before no- ticed, a school house, a cutlery manufactory, etc. On the site of the cutlery manufactory formerly stood the woolen mill of Marcus Williams. Upon Wading River, which flows through the western part of the town, formerly stood Sweet's flour mill, long operated by Elbridge Sweet; it was burned and not rebuilt.
East Mansfield is a hamlet in the east part of the town containing a post-office, school house, one church, a basket manufactory, the plan- ing mill of B. K. & B. Flint, the monumental works of F. W. Burt, and two or three stores.
Robinsonville is a hamlet in the northwestern part of the town with unimportant interests. Whiteville is a small village in the northeast part of the town, where considerable industrial interest was in existence years ago.
In past years efforts have been made to mine coal and iron in this town, which undoubtedly exist in large quantities, but the question whether they can be successfully produced is still unsettled. General farming is followed throughout the town, and market gardening is car- ried on to some extent. The growing of nursery stock has in recent years become an industry of considerble importance.
WESTPORT .- This was the fourteenth town formed in Bristol county. It was formerly a part of old Dartmouth and was set off and incorporated July 2, 1787. On February 25, 1793, a small tract of Dartmouth was annexed; a second tract was annexed on February 28, 1795, and a third on March 4, 1805. The change made in 1862 in the boundary between
207
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
the States of Massachusetts and Rhode Island added certain lands to this town. The boundary between Fall River and Westport was finally fixed June 14, 1894. Westport is the southeast corner town in the county and is bounded on the north by Fall River, on the east by Dart- mouth, on the south by Buzzard's Bay, and on the west by Little Comp- ton and Tiverton, R. I. The town contains a population of 2,678 by the census of 1895, and 511 registered voters by the census of 1897. It forms a part of the Thirteenth Congressional District, and with the First and Second wards of Fall River forms the Ninth Representative District, with 5,402 legal voters, entitling the district to two represent- atives.
In earlier years Westport had a considerable whaling industry, its fleet comprising eight vessels, which sailed from Westport Point about the year 1849. The town now has five post-offices, namely, Head of- Westport, Westport Point, North Westport, South Westport, and Cen- tral Village. Westport Point is a hamlet at the extreme end of the point of land extending south between the east and west branches of Westport River. It has a population of 172, and contains a Methodist church, a school, two stores, and the Hotel Westport, built in 1888, and has always had an important fishing industry. This is an important summer resort and many cottages have been built.
Central Village, as its name would indicate, is situated in the central part of the town and has a population of 91. It contains the town hall, one store, Christian church, and a Friends' meeting-house.
Westport Factory (Westport P. O.) is a considerable hamlet on the line between this town and Dartmouth, and on the electric railroad between Fall River and New Bedford; its population is 1,922. It takes its name from the fact that there has been a cotton factory there many years, which is now used for the extensive manufacture of carpet warp, wrapping twine, bats and lamp wicking. The business, as now con- ducted, was established in 1854 by William B. Trafford, E. R. Lewis and G. W. Lewis. It is now conducted by G. W. Lewis, William C. Trafford, Andrew K. Trafford and the estate of William B. Trafford and the estate of E. R. Lewis, who died in July, 1897. A second mill, manufacturing the same product, is situated a little farther down the stream, which was started by the same firm in 1872. About two hun- dred hands are employed in both. The company also conducts the only store in the place. There is a union grammar school here for this town and Dartmouth, with two departments; one church of the Chris- tian denomination.
208
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
At the head of the Westport River is a hamlet, the post-office bear - ing the name, Head of-Westport, where there are a number of dwell- ings, three school houses, two blacksmith shops, two general stores and a Congregational church. There is a grist mill at the head of the river.
South Westport is a small settlement and post-office in the southwest part of the town; its business interests have never been important. North Westport is a small settlement in the extreme north end of the town, with population of 392. It contains two stores, a church and a few shops.
There was formerly a post-office at Westport Harbor, a settlement at the mouth of the harbor in the southwest part. As thus indicated, Westport is largely an agricultural district in which mixed farming and a little dairying is carried on. Many acres are overgrown with trees and brush and a few farms have been abandoned. Some of these have in recent years been taken up by Portuguese settlers. A public library is maintained at the Head-of-Westport and one at Central Village.
SOMERSET .- This is the fifteenth town formed in Bristol county. It was originally called the Showamet Purchase and was a part of Swan- sea, from which it was set off on February 20, 1790. There was no territorial change until April 4, 1854, when a small part of Dighton was annexed. The population by the census of 1895 is 1,983, and the number of registered voters in 1897 was 422. The town is situated in the central western part of the county, and is bounded on the north by Dighton, on the east by Taunton River, on the south by Mt. Hope Bay, and on the west by Swansea. It is a part of the Thirteenth Con- gressional District, and with Wards 8 and 9 of Fall River, and the town of Swansea, constitutes the Eleventh Representative District, with 6,827 legal voters, entitling the district to three representatives.
Taunton River is navigable for vessels of considerable burden far past the eastern boundary of Somerset, which in past years gave the town quite a degree of commercial importance and activity. There were 1,200 tons of shipping here in 1840 and in the five years preceding 1837 there were built twelve vessels. The town has also had important manufacturing interests, some of which are still continued; in about the middle of the century there were seven stoneware potteries in oper- ation in the town. Two fishing privileges are sold annually, and the catch varies from 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 a year.
Somerset contains two post villages, one of which takes the name of
209
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
the town and the other is Pottersville. The village of Somerset is on the Taunton River, in the northeastern part of the town, and has four churches, Methodist, Baptist, Congregational and Catholic, all of which have been noticed. The educational advantages are excellent, con- sisting of a high school, a grammar school and two common schools. There is a Methodist church at the village and another south of the village, which is the third one on that site, one having been demolished and one burned; a Baptist church, a Congregational church and St. Patrick's Catholic church. A fire company is maintained with a steamer and a hook and ladder company. The Somerset Stove Foundry, described in earlier pages, was burned in 1897 and rebuilt. There are six stores of various kinds and a few shops. A library was established in 1897, which is free to the public, and now contains about 1,000 volumes. The first board of trustees were Abbie Morrill, Jane E. Bowers and Julia E. Hathaway.
Pottersville is centrally situated and has a Friends' church and a Christian church and school. There is a small store, two earthenware potteries, one stoneware pottery, one enameled brick works, and a blacksmith shop. W. F. Hathaway, John B. Sanford, Benjamin Chase and Dennis Cartwright were former merchants here. A part of the ship-building of early times was carried on at Town Landing, where Joseph Gray built the last brig in 1822.
South Somerset is a small settlement in the southern part of the town, with a store and a Methodist church.
The principal agricultural product of Somerset is hay, and small fruits are grown. There is a large foreign element in the population, which has come in in recent years.
FAIRHAVEN .- This was the seventeenth town organized in Bristol county. It was set off from New Bedford on February 22, 1812, and then included the territory of the present town of Acushnet, which was organized February 13, 1860. Fairhaven is bounded on the north by Acushnet, on the east by Plymouth county, on the south by Buz- zard's Bay, and on the west by Acushnet River. In June, 1815, small part of Freetown was annexed, and on April 9, 1836, a small part of Rochester was annexed. The population in 1895 was 3,338. The only post-office is Fairhaven in the village of that name, which is situated in the southwestern part of the town, directly opposite the city of New Bedford. The number of legal voters in 1895 was 893, and the number of registered voters in 1897 was 684. Fairhaven, Freetown, Acushnet,
27
210
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
and Dartmouth constitute the Sixth Representative District of Bristol county, with 2,409 legal voters, entitling the district to one representa- tive. Fairhaven contains the First Congregational Church, organized in 1794; the Washington Street Christian (Unitarian), November 30, 1820; a Methodist Episcopal Church, December, 1819; the Friends' meeting house, built in 1849; a Second Advent Society, formed in 1841; and an Episcopal chapel, which has been recently formed as a branch of Grace Church in New Bedford.
What is now the National Bank of Fairhaven was incorporated as the Fairhaven Bank in June, 1831, with the following officers: E. Sawin, president; D. M. B. Thaxter, cashier; E. Sawin, F. R. Whitwell, Asa Swift, Nathan Church, Lemuel Tripp, Abner Pease, William P. Jen- ney, Wilson Barstow, and Timothy J. Dyer, directors. The capital was then $100,000 and is now $120,000. In 1864 the bank was reor- ganized as a National bank. The Fairhaven Institution for Savings was organized in 1832 with the following incorporators: Ezekiel Sawin, Asa Swift, jr., Nathan Church, Lemuel Tripp, Phineas Terry, Duncan M. B. Thaxter, I. F. Terry, George Hitch, Sylvanus Allen, Philemon Fuller, jr., James Tripp, Joshua Hitch, James Tripp 2d, Joseph Bates, James Neil, Hiram H. Stackpole, W. Barstow, F. R. Whitwell, Noah Stoddard, Jabez Delano, jr., Joseph Tripp, Levi Jenney, A. P. Wilcox, Z. M. Allen, Enoch S. Jenney, James Wing, Philip Nye, Ansel Allen, Ansel Gibbs, William P. Jenney, William L. B. Gibbs, Rowland, Rog- ers, Lebbeus Bailey, Bartholomew Taber, John Howland, Abner Pease, Elihu Wood, jr., O. S. Irish, Arthur Cox, Rowland Gibbs, Franklin Bates, Joseph Whelden and Sampson Perkins.
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.