Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 31

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1399

USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts > Part 31

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).

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THE CITY OF TAUNTON.

sent about seventy-five men into the artillery branch and about the same number into the cavalry. In the regular army forty-three men enlisted, and in the naval service eighteen officers served and one hundred and one seamen.

The total cost of the war in money to Taunton was $196,719.23. The total number of men furnished was 1,652, including 159 men assigned to the navy. On the grounds of Post 3 of the G. A. R., in May- flower Hill Cemetery, is a handsome monument erected to the memory of the brave men who went out to battle for their country. The credit for this monument rests chiefly with William H. Bartlett, whose efforts led to its erection. The first steps were taken in May, 1871, and from that time forward money was raised by various methods until 1886, when the necessary fund was collected and the monument was erected and dedicated on September 5, 1887. The total sum raised for the work was $3,278.53. The monument cost $2,353, and the dedication, $514.20.

During the war period public improvements were largely neglected in all northern communities and Taunton was not an exception; but with the close of the conflict money was plenty and under the fictitious impulse given to all kinds of business through the enormous demands of the army, public and private enterprises were undertaken covering a wide range of industries and demanding heavy investments. Man- ufactures in Taunton were greatly stimulated and all trade operations extended until they were choked a few years later by the inevitable re- action from the war inflation.

A city ordinance of 1866 gave the Public Library of Taunton a formal existence, through the consolidation of the earlier libraries known as the Taunton Social Library, with 4,060 volumes, the Young Men's Library, with 1,775 volumes, and the Agricultural Library, with 173 volumes. The Taunton Social Library was founded in 1825, and for many years received liberal contributions of money and books and accomplished a great amount of good in the village. Within the past recent years many improvements have been made in the public library to render it of more general benefit in the commu- nity. The sources of income since 1866 have been annual appropriations ($5,000 at present), the dog tax, the interest on the King fund, and minor miscellaneous receipts. Several private donations of books have been made in recent years. The librarians have been as follows: 1866-68, Benjamin F. Presbrey; 1869-75, Edwin Manly; 1875, Lemuel

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T. Talbot; 1875-76, Walter S. Biscoe; 1876-95, Ebenezer B. Arnold; 1895-98, Joshua E. Crane.

Among the more important public improvements introduced soon after the close of the war was the street railway, the company being or- ganized in 1871, with a capital of $40,000. William C. Lovering was chosen president; H. M. Lovering, treasurer; Orville A. Baker, clerk ; Henry G. Reed, A. J. Barker, William C. Lovering, William H. Phillips, Henry M. Lovering, P. I. Perrin, H. M. Church, Charles Foster, N. H. Skinner and S. N. Staples, directors. George C. Morse was super- intendent until January, 1894, when he was succeeded by George F. Seibel. The tracks of the company were extended through many of the most important streets of the city to the extent of about ten miles. In 1892-3 a large part of the stock of the company changed hands, and in March of the latter year a reorganization was effected under the fol- lowing officers: John N. Beckley, of Rochester, N. Y., president ; Sylvanus M. Thomas, treasurer; Orville A. Barker, clerk; and a board of directors including John N. Beckley, Ira L. Otis, and Arthur G. Yates, of Rochester; S. M. Thomas, George A. Washburn, O. A. Barker, George N. Elms, Henry M. Lovering and H. F. Bassett, of Taunton. The right was obtained from the city by the new company to operate its roads by electricity, which was at once introduced. The company has since greatly extended its lines of tracks, which now reach all important parts of the city and a number of outlying points. To complete these extensions the capital stock has been increased until it is now $350,000.

The Dighton, Somerset and Taunton Street Railway Company was incorporated in 1895 with a capital stock of $60,000, which was after- wards increased to $175,000. The road was completed and put in oper- ation the same year, extending through to Fall River.

The establishment of the Taunton Water Works soon followed. For many years the need of a more adequate and better water supply for the city, for both drinking and fire-extinguising purposes, had been felt and frequently urged in public and private. Wells, public reser- voirs and private cisterns proved insufficient in several important in- stances of destructive fires, and the annual messages of mayors and reports of chief engineers repeatedly advised the construction of water works. This was the case in 1873 and the city government became aroused on the subject and appointed the following committee to learn " whether any step can be taken to provide a better supply of water in

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case of fire:" Aldermen John Holland and Charles H. Atwood and Councilmen Benjamin L. Walker, Henry S. Harris and Onias S. Paige. Little was accomplished at that time. In 1874 William C. Lovering was sent to the Senate and placed on the Committee on Drainage and Water Supply, and clearly saw the need of the city in this direction. In 1875 the Board of Health seemed to realize for the first time the necessity of a larger water supply for the purpose of flushing sewers and drains. In that year the plan of adopting the well-known Holly system of pumping from some good source of supply was urged, and Mr. Lovering advised the immediate steps to obtain rights to the Mid- dleborough Ponds or Taunton River, and recommended the issue of thirty-year bonds and the creation of a sinking fund to provide for their payment. Measures were thereupon adopted to obtain a preliminary survey, and on April 7, at a meeting of the City Council the mayor was given authority to petition the General Court for permission to issue twenty-year bonds to the amount of $200,000. This was done, and on the 15th of May, 1876, ground was broken for the filter basin on the southerly side of Taunton River. Laying of pipe was commenced on July 10. of the same year, and on the 30th of November the engine and pumps were completed; a public test was made on the 2d of December and resulted in unqualified success. The totol cost of the works up to that time was $203,936.83. On the 6th of October, 1875, Marcus M. Rhodes, Parley I. Perrin and Henry S. Harris were elected water com- missioners. Mr. Rhodes was succeeded by Henry M. Lovering and Mr. Harris died March 16, 1891, and was succeeded by Silas D. Pres- brey, M. D. Subsequently the State Board of Health recommended the abandonment of Taunton River as a source of water supply, and on October 8, 1891, an order was presented to the council and referred to the committee on water supply to the effect that the committee, in con- junction with the water commissioners, consider the matter of taking the water for the city from Lakeville Ponds. Application was made to the Legislature and authority obtained for increasing the water debt to not more than $500,000, and after mature deliberation it was deter- mined to undertake the great work. Bids were called for for laying a thirty-inch main, and the work was given to Kenneth McKay and Lu- ther Dean. Work laying the large pipe began August 1, 1892. This task was finished on June 24, 1893. At the same time the laying of a twenty-four inch pipe was begun to carry water pumped from Asso- wampset Pond to Elder's, which was completed August 9. A contract 37

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was let to L. M. Witherell for building the engine house for $10, 747. January 18, 1893, a Milwaukee firm contracted to supply a pumping engine of 5,000,000 gallons daily. The connections from the thirty- inch line from Lakeville were completed in August. Elder's Pond is now used as the storage reservoir and settling basin, while the Asso- wampset furnishes the real supply. The cost of the Lakeville exten- sion was nearly $228,000; of Assowampset Pond and connection with Elder's, $111,874.35. The water supply is now ample and of high de- gree of purity. The daily average consumption is now nearly 150,000 gallons. The ordinary range of pressure at the Square is forty to fifty pounds. About one thousand five hundred meters are now in use, and between seven hundred and eight hundred hydrants.

During the period under consideration in this chapter there were a few additions to the churches of Taunton. The Advent Christian Church was formed in 1879, with a small congregation, but has no church edifice as yet.

The First Presbyterian church was organized by the Presbytery of Boston October 29, 1885, with thirty-four members. On April 23 of the next year Rev. Donald McDougall was installed pastor. The con - gregation occupied the Cedar Street chapel until the completion of their church, which was dedicated October 26, 1888. It is a beautiful stone edifice and was erected at a cost of about $20,000.

Several of the churches of Taunton have chapels connected with them which largely extend the field of their usefulness.

The one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Taunton was appropriately celebrated on June 4 and 5, 1889, a full account of which was prepared and published in a large volume with which most of the inhabitants of the place are familiar. This was, perhaps, the most important event in the history of Taunton after it became a city. A committee was appointed to consider this matter on July 20, 1885, consisting of William E. Fuller, Henry Williams, Edmund H. Bennett, Timothy Gordon, Charles A. Reed and James H. Dean. The commit- tee held its first meeting October 3, 1885. On April 7, 1886, a com- mittee of conference was appointed by the municipal government con- sisting of Mayor R. Henry Hall, Aldermen Daniel Carey and Henry W. Colby, President George H. Rhodes of the Council and Councilman John H. Eldridge. The first meeting of the joint committee was held April 20, 1886, when the date for the celebration was fixed for June 4 and 5, 1889. The committee representing the city was changed from

Re. Henry Hall

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THE CITY OF TAUNTON.

year to year until the date of the event. Henry W. Colby was chosen poet for the celebration and on February 4, 1889, John E. Sanford was chosen toast master. February 23, Henry M. Lovering was chosen chief marshal. Richard Henry Hall was appointed president of the day, with six vice-presidents from the city and one each from Norton, Dighton, Easton, Raynham, Berkley and Mansfield. Twenty sub- committees were appointed to take charge of the various features of the celebration. The programme for the first day consisted of the Gloria from Mozart's Twelfth Mass, by the Beethoven Society; prayer; address of welcome by Mayor Hall; historical address by Edmund H. Bennett; poem by Henry W. Colby; closing hymn and benediction. A banquet was given at the close of the exercises. On the second day a procession consisting of nine divisions, which marched through the principal streets, and the day closed with a display of fire-work. The entire proceedings were of a most interesting character, and resulted in a revival of historical interest throughout the vicinity.

In the year 1896 measures were adopted to provide more ample ac- commodations for the various city officials, resulting in the erection of a handsome granite front to the old brick city building at a cost of $50, - 000. In this nearly all of the city offices are now located in commodi- ous apartments, perfectly adapted in every respect to their various purposes.

TAUNTON MANUFACTURES .- From its earliest history Taunton has been an important manufacturing center. The building of the first dam on Mill River near what became Cohannet street, and the first mill in 1639-40, has already been noticed. Thomas Linkon (Lincoln) became owner of this mill in 1649, and in 1652 removed his family hither from Hingham. He died in 1683 and the property passed to his sons, John and Samuel. In 1698-9 Robert Crosman purchased it for £60, and in the same year the old dam and mill was rebuilt and a fulling mill added. These industries continued to 1823, when they gave place to others to be noticed.

The first record of a saw mill is under date of January 3, 1659, though there were probably earlier ones. On that date Henry Andrews and John Macomber were given liberty to " erect or set up a saw mill on the Mill River if it be not found hurtful to the grist mill." The mill was soon afterwards built.

The founding of the first iron industry in the town, the Taunton Iron Works, by Thomas Lincoln in 1656, has been partially described. After

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passing through numerous changes in ownership and management, down to 1777, Josiah Dean then became owner of a controlling interest and converted the bar iron forge into a rolling mill and nail works; copper bolts for ship builders were also made. At his death in 1818 he was succeeded by his son Josiah, who a few years later was followed by Maj. Eliab B. Dean, another son. The latter in 1825 changed the nail works to an anchor forge and the business was continued by his son Theodore about forty years. Within recent years the buildings were demolished, and the remains of the dam and foundations are all that remains of the ancient Taunton Iron Works.

The Whittington Iron Works were established by James Leonard, sr., who had been connected with the Taunton Iron Works a number of years, on Mill River, where he built a dam for the purpose on the site of the Whittenton Mills Company's works. He purchased ten acres of land there in 1666. The forge was in operation in 1678 with James Leonard and his three sons, Joseph, Benjamin and Uriah in charge; a a grist mill was also built there. The father died in 1691, and the works passed one quarter to Joseph and the remainder to Uriah. Later they were operated by Capt. James Leonard, nephew of Uriah, who in 1737 took Capt. Thomas Cobb as partner, and by Capt. James, Capt. Abiather, Zadoc and Apollos Leonard, and John McWhorter, and finally in 1789 passed to Samuel Leonard, youngest son of Judge Zephaniah Leonard. The grist mill was owned by Jonathan Leonard, who died in 1779, leaving it to his son, Lee Leonard. He sold the mill and fifty acres of land, in 1810, to Crocker, Bush & Richmond, closing out the Leonard interest to the Whittington Iron Works and privilege.

Samuel Crocker, Thomas Bush and Charles Richmond, who had been employed by Samuel Leonard, believed that the power on Mill River might be used to better advantage than previously, and accordingly leased the power, and in 1805 built a nail mill, where nails were crudely cut and then headed by hand. In 1807 they added a story to the build- ing and began spinning cotton yarn, which was woven into cloth by farmers' wives and daughters. This building burned in 1811 and the proprietors at once erected another cotton mill on the site. Mr. Bush died in 1817, and a few years later Crocker & Richmond put in power looms, and laid the foundation of their great manufacturing enterprise. Meanwhile another nail factory was built on the east side of the dam, where in 1821 nails were being made by improved machinery.

What was known as the Chartley Iron Works were built in the west

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part of Taunton (now Norton) and are described in a preceding chap- ter. Richard Stevens, an early settler and a prominent citizen, in con- nection with his son and others, built a small forge about 1696 for mak - ing charcoal iron on Three-Mile River near the site of the North Digh- ton furnace. In 1739-40 Boland and Laughton of Boston, having pur- chased a part of the iron works, leased the interest of Stevens's Sons in the dam, falls, etc., at £7 a year (they reserving the right to run their grist mill), and increased the capacity of the iron works. Many years later these Boston men conveyed the forge property to William Laughton, jr., nephew of the one just named. Boland and Laughton were tories in the Revolution, and much of their large property was confiscated. The Stevens forge was the first iron works on Three- Mile River prior to and below the Baylies plant, and the descendants of Richard Stevens kept an interest in the grist mill many years. The last one was Elijah Stevens, Richard's great grandson.

What was known as King's Furnace, at East Taunton, was the fifth iron works and the first hollow ware factory in the old colony. It was built by a stock company comprising John King, Ebenezer Robinson, Benjamin Hodges, Elkanah Leonard (grandson of James), Samuel Tubbs and William Tubbs. This furnace was completed in 1724-25. After several changes in ownership it passed to Gen. Cromwell W. Washburn and Col. Nathan King, who rebuilt it in 1816 and carried on a large business. The works were on Littleworth's Brook, on which Capt. William Pole and his sister Elizabeth had a grist mill more than two hundred and fifty years ago.

The sixth of the old iron works was on the Mill River below the site of the Reed & Barton works, and was established by Capt. Zephaniah Leonard, son of Stephen, son of James, in 1739-40. These were known as the Hopewell Iron Works, and were succeeded by a rolling and slit- ting mill, built near the same dam in 1775-77 by John Adams, who had been a merchant in Taunton. The slitting mill was unsuccessful, and in 1782 the property passed to Josiah Dean and Samuel Leonard, who continued the business several years. The works were finally aban- doned. There were a fulling mill, grist mill and saw mill a short dis- tance above these works, which in time gave place to the Reed & Bar- ton Britannia Manufactory.

On the site of Westville, on Three-Mile River, nearly two hundred years ago were Andrew's Mills. Capt. John Andrew owned the saw mill, and his son-in-law, Nathaniel Lincoln, the grist mill. In the same

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locality in 1739 was a forge owned by Boland & Laughton for manufac- turing iron from an iron mine in that vicinity. Thomas Baylies, a young "iron master " from London, was engaged as manager of this forge. He died in 1756, aged forty-one years, and Nicholas Baylies, who had been in the iron business at Uxbridge, came on the next year to settle his brother's affairs. This resulted in his taking his brother's position in the forge and removing his family to Taunton, his residence being near the Dighton line. In 1776, when the property of Boland & Laugh- ton was confiscated, Mr. Baylies saved and succeeded to the iron works ; he also purchased the Andrew Mills and other property near by. His youngest son, Hodijah, succeeded to the iron works and for many years did a large business. In 1809 he sold out to John West, a paper manu- facturer, who built a paper mill on the north side of the river, the first one in the old town. In 1823-24 he, in association with Crocker & Richmond, built a cotton mill on the iron works site Mr. West died in 1827. After several changes in the management the paper mill ma- chinery was sold to Caleb H. and Lorenzo Lincoln for their North Dighton mill. Crocker & Richmond operated a cotton mill until their suspension in 1837, and ultimately, after several changes, it passed to Lovering Brothers, who converted the mill into a yarn mill to supply their Whittenton factories.

There were four rolling and slitting mills in Taunton about a century ago, one of which was on Mill River, near the Weir street bridge, owned by Simeon Tisdale and others. In 1797 it was sold to Samuel Leonard and Samuel Fales and in 1806 was discontinued. Another was built in 1762 by Capt Thomas Cobb on the site of the brick mill and was operated about forty years by various owners. Another was operated by John Adams in 1776 at Hopewell and continued about thirty years. The other was built about 1800 by Samuel Leonard at the dam north of Britannia street, and Samuel and William A. Crocker, sr., became partners. After the death of the junior partner, W. A. Crocker, in 1805, and Samuel Leonard in 1807, Crocker, Bush & Rich- mond succeeded to the business. The mill was afterwards utilized by the Crocker Brothers for making copper cylinders and zinc plates; later it was changed to a furnace for making small iron ware by Ben- jamin Ingell, and was finally purchased by Reed & Barton.

The old brick mill location on Mill River was a part of the property sold by Rev. Samuel Danforth soon after his settlement in 1688. He had a grist mill at the dam and a malt house, which passed to his son, Samuel, by will.

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In 1760 Samuel Danforth, jr., sold to Capt. Thomas Cobb, of Attle- borough, his " new dwelling house," grist mill, fulling mill, dam, and appurtenances, with four acres of land, for £465. Captain Cobb re- turned to Taunton in 1762 and built a rolling and slitting mill at the Danforth dam, and continued the business till his death in 1779, leav- ing the property to his son, Jonathan. He died in 1801, leaving the property to his son, Jonathan B. Cobb. The latter sold the property in 1803 to Samuel Fales. Job King occupied the old Danforth fulling mill some years for cutting nails.

Crocker & Richmond, before mentioned, purchased a large part of the site of these Cobb mills and privilege, cleared away the old build- ings and in 1823 erected a brick mill for making print cloths for the new calico works. The property was merged into the Taunton Man- ufacturing Company and so remained until 1834, when a division was made and the brick mill reverted to Messrs. Crocker & Richmond. In the memorable panic of 1837, they, with many others, were forced to suspend. A few years later Mr. Richmond repurchased the brick mill and resumed business. In 1845 he built another mill for the manufac- ture of cotton ginghams. The old mill was partially burned in 1815, was rebuilt in 1846, and in 1848 passed out of Mr. Richmond's control. In 1848 the Dean Cotton and Machine Company, Nahum Stetson, president, and R. S. Dean, agent and treasurer, was organized with a capital of $100,000. This company carried on a profitable business. In 1876 the Taunton Cotton and Machine Company was organized with a capital of $65,000; Nathan S. Williams, president, F. B. Dean, agent and treasurer. The business continued several years. The brick mill has been closed a number of years and the new mill was used for a tack factory by L. A. Rounds until his death.

In 1806 Silas Shepard, a cotton manufacturer from Wrentham, pur- chased from Samuel Fales his share in the Mill River privilege before mentioned, and in association with Samuel Leonard and Samuel Crocker built what was called the Green Mill, which was the first cot- ton goods manufactory in Taunton. The yarn there produced was placed out in hundreds of families for weaving into cloth. In 1818 an addition was built to the mill and a crude power mill was introduced. In 1824 this mill became a part of the new print works operated by the Taunton Manufacturing Company and its successor the Bristol Print Works. In 1844 the old mill was converted into a bleachery and became a part of the Taunton Paper Manufactory. It was ultimately demolished.

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On Littleworth Brook, in the east part of the town, more than a century ago stood Cain's grist mill, owned by Joseph Dean, sr., Caleb Turner and Moses Cain. In course of time this old mill passed through several changes of ownership, and finally to Robert Dean, a Taunton merchant, and son of Joseph, sr. In May, 1812, a stock company was formed, consisting of Robert Dean, Jesse Hartshorn, Joseph Dean, jr., William Strobridge and Caleb Turner, with a capital of $16,000, to build what was known as the Dean Cotton Mill. This was the third cotton mill in Taunton. William Reed, sr., and Cyrus Caswell became stockholders, and the capital was increased to $25,000. This mill was operated until 1838 when it was purchased by James Sproat and Eleazer Richmond and used as a box-board and stave mill. Mr. Rich- mond succeeded his partner and continued the business until his death in October, 1876, when he was followed by his son, Charles R. Rich- mond.

The Taunton Manufacturing Company, which has been mentioned, was organized in January, 1823; capital $200,000 real and $400,000 personal estate. Incorporators named were Samuel Crocker, Charles Richmond, Israel Thorndike, Edmund Dwight, John McLean, Harri- son G. Otis, William H. Eliot, William H. Prescott, Israel Thorndike, jr., Samuel Henshaw, Harrison G. Otis, jr. The business authorized was "rolling copper and iron and manufacturing cotton and wool." Samuel Crocker was president and treasurer the first ten years of the business. The property of the company comprised the Whittenton Cotton Mills, nail works, dwelling houses, privilege, etc., the Hope- well Mills property, dwellings, etc., the brick mill property, machine shop and dwellings, and the extensive Calico Printing Works, with a large tract of land. In the first year of its business a dividend of twelve per cent. was paid; in the second year fifteen per cent. and the third year twenty per cent. In 1827 it was voted that the business be conducted under the firm name of Crocker, Richmond & Co. ; also to fill the rooms at Hopewell Mills (made vacant by the removal of the nail machines to Whittenton and East Taunton) with cotton spindles and machinery.

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Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 31

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub Publication date: 1899 Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company Number of Pages: 1399

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1399