USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Professional and industrial history of Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Volume III > 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).
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
In 1867 Charles Goodyear1 introduced the Goodyear turn and welt machine. The first patents on this were granted in 1862. Mr. Good- year is the son of the discoverer of vulcanization, and inherited the
1 See Biographical Department.
40
314
SUFFOLK COUNTY.
inventive genius of his father. pany was organized in 1882.
The Goodyear Shoe Machinery Com- The capital is $1,250,000. Jonathan Munyan1 is president; John H. Hannan, of New York, vice-president ; S. V. R. Hunter, 1 treasurer. They have a factory, No. 398 Federal street. It is five stories high.
In the Goodyear system is an inseamer for sewing welts, machines for stitching the outside of the welt either chain or loekstitch, also one for outsole and insole channeling, machines for grooving and beveling welts, splitting welts, and for beating out the welt after it is sewed. The inseam or welt machine is also used for sewing turn shoes. The cost of the welt and sewing the inseam is claimed to be offset: First, by saving of stock; second, by the fact that the shoes being stitched and finished on the last requires no second lasting; third, that the lasts do not require iron bottoms; fourth, that there is no necessity for a sock lining in a welted shoe; fifth, that the welt supplies the place of a slipsole in giving a heavy edge. The advantages represented to ap- ply to the Goodyear welted shoes are that there are no nails, tacks or wax inside the shoe, that the shoes are pliable and as comfortable to wear as hand sewed, that they can be repaired the same as hand sewed, that owing to the solidity and uniformity of the work they are not liable to rip, that shoddy insoles cannot be used, and that the shoes must be made of the best material.
About the year 1870, Dr. George H. P. Flagg, of whom a biograph- ical sketch appears in this volume, became interested in the Union Edge Setter. This brought the enormous capabilities of the shoe business to his attention, and he embarked in the manufacture of shoe machin- ery. He built the stores 110-112 Lincoln street, adapted thoroughly for the business. He invented and perfected a number of machines. A lasting machine was one of the greatest wants of the trade. He bought out the Boston Lasting Machine, which, he says, "does the work a little better and a little more of it than any other, " and has sold more than a thousand of them. The Union Edge Setter has been the standard machine, keeping in the lead for more than twenty years. The Rapid Inseam Trimmer trims inseams, and beats out welts at the same time, without injuring the work. He formed the Flagg Manu- facturing Company a few years ago. They make the above machines and many others.
1 See Biographical Department.
V
1
,
315
WHOLESALE SHOE TRADE.
Self-feeding eyeletting machines came in about 1864; sole moulders 1865; beating-out machines 1867, and crimping machines the same year; shoe heel pressing, pricking and trimming machines 1869-70; edge trimmers and hot kit burnishing machines 1871. In this machine a flexible gas-pipe is run into the interior of the tool, which keeps it well heated. The tool is made to reciprocate over the surface of the heel, passing from breast to breast at each oscillation, with an elastic pressure. The cable nailing machine of 1842 gave place to the stand- ard screw machine in 1876. Almost all nailed work is done on this machine. The date of edge setting machines was 1873-4; sole round- ing, sole fitting and channeling machines 1880; lasting machines, on men's work, 1880, and on women's work, five years later; button fas- tening machines, 1882. These represent nearly all kinds, but their variety and "improvements " are legion. In lasting machines alone dozens of patents have been taken out, and inventive genius is still active on perfecting all the machines named.
Machines used in shoe factories are as follows.
For stock fitting:
Stripping machines. Dieing machines.
Tacking machines.
Splitting machines.
Channeling machines.
Molding machines.
Rolling machines.
Stock fitting machines.
Channel opening machines.
Skiving machines.
Tap trimming machines.
Heel pricking machines.
Shank machines.
On Mckay sewed work, by which it is estimated one hundred million pairs of shoes are made yearly, these machines are used :
Lasting machines. Heeling machines. Heel burnishing machines.
Tacking machines. Heel trimming machines. Sand-papering machines.
McKay machines.
Edge trimming machines. Buffing machines.
Beating-out machines.
Edge setting machines. Brushing machines.
The first stripping machine was simply a straight knife that severed the sole leather at a blow. A machine for dividing into sole blanks was invented and first used in 1851. With this machine the business of sole cutting was inaugurated. Stock was graded and selected for uniform quality and weight, and sold to shoe manufacturers ready to be shaped into soles for men's, women's or children's work. Perry Newhall was the first man to engage in the sole cutting business in Lynn.
The priority for making shoe machinery may be claimed for David Knox & Sons, David T. and George A. Knox. The senior partner in- vented a sole cutting machine in 1855, when not much except stitching
316
SUFFOLK COUNTY.
machines had come into use. Most soles were then cut with a knife, the patterns being marked out on a side of leather. Mr. Knox's in- vention had cutting knives attached to the different beams with lever arms which swung down, alternately cutting the two sides of the sole blank. It is now almost universally used for sole cutting. With the introduction of machinery, steam power began to be used to make it more efficient. Gas engines are common now; they are cleaner, and take up less room than is required for steam. Electric motors are of recent introduction, say about 1888. These are convenient, as motors can be put in each room, and the machinery of any department run independently of the remainder.
In fitting rooms the following machines are used: Closing, staying, lining, top closing, top stitching, buttonhole cording, foxing, vamping, all done on sewing machines. Then the seam rubbing, beading, buttonhole cutting, working and finishing machines, eyelet, lacing stud and vamp folding machines are used.
Machines for making india-rubber goring for congress shoes were invented in 1844.
CHAPTER III.
The Rubber Shoe Business- Early Statistics-Trade Fiduciary Institutions- Early Shoe Jobbers-Prominent Maufacturers.
IN 1835 six companies were formed in Massachusetts to make rubber shoes. Their aggregate capital was $850,000. Charles Goodyear, of Roxbury, took out his first patent June 17, 1837, for gum elastic shoes. In 1839 he discovered vulcanization.
In 1830 the shoe manufacture of Lynn was 1,675, 781 pairs, valued at $943,171; there were 3,496 hands employed.
The first report of the industry of Massachusetts was published in 1837. It stated the value of boots and shoes made that year at $14,642, - 520.
The first moneyed institution connected directly with the trade was the Shoe and Leather Bank, incorporated in 1836, with $500,000 capital, increased in 1876 to $1,000,000. The first president, Enoch Baldwin, was succeeded in 1857 by Caleb Stetson. The original directors were
315
WHOLESALE SHOE TRADE.
all members of the shoe and leather trade. Among them was Cheever Newhall who began in the shoe business in Ann street in 1802. He was a wholesale dealer from 1812 to 1849, when he retired. Mr. New- hall died April, 1878, aged ninety years. Josiah M. Jones, who served his time with Mr. Newhall, went into business in 1823. He was one of the first to build in Pearl street. The firm of J. M. Jones & Company is continued by a son of the founder. George W. Thayer, one of the original projectors of the bank, was also its second cashier. He founded the firm of G. W. Thayer & Brothers, dealers in shoes, in Merchants' Row. His sons, George L. and Edward P. Thayer, succeeded to the business when, in 1847, their father was elected president of the Ex- change Bank. Caleb Stetson, the second president of the bank from 1857 to 1867, was a shoe and leather dealer on Washington street in 1829. He moved to Broad street three years later and went into the wholesale trade. He sold out in 1835, but started again in 1838 with his brother as partner. The firm was C. Stetson & Company. He be- came a prominent merchant. The head clerk of C. Stetson & Com- pany was Samuel Atherton, later the president of the New England National Bank. He connected himself with Amos S., a son of Caleb Stetson and with his brother, William Atherton, formed the house of Atherton, Stetson & Company. For many years theirs was the lead- ing house in the shoe and leather trade in Boston. They were agents for Philadelphia tanners in the days before the war, when nothing but oak sole leather was cut in women's shoes in Massachusetts. John C. Potter was president of the bank from 1867 to 1870. He was originally with the firm of Amasa Walker & Company, and Walker, Emerson & Company, and third partner in the firm of Allen, Harris & Potter. He died in 1870. Luke Brooks was another of the directors. He invented the splitting machine still used in tanner- ies. Isaac Williams, another director, went into the shoe busi- ness in 1824, retired 1849, died 1857. Henry L. Daggett, an im- porter of shoe goods and dealer in shoes from 1833 to 1865, married his daughter. Mr. Daggett was Boston agent for Horace H. Day, manu- facturer of rubber webbing, and one of the pioneers in the rubber business. James Tirrell was a director twenty years. He began trad- ing in Fulton street in 1855, having previously established a shoe jobbing house in New Orleans. His brothers, Albert and Minot, were con- nected with him in business. Benjamin E. Cole became a director in 1845. His connection with the shoe trade dates from 1850. Jonathan
318
SUFFOLK COUNTY.
Forbush, an old shoe merchant, was director, 1836 to 1847. John Al- bree, another of the original directors, was said to be the first to carry shoes westward. He crossed the Alleghanies in 1832, founded the house of Albree & Childs in Pittsburgh. He sold out and returned to Boston. He died in 1863.
The Hide and Leather Bank was founded in 1857. Frederick Jones, William B. Spooner, Henry Poor, William Claflin, aud other dealers in shoes and leather, were among its early stockholders.
Previous to 1825 the shoe trade in Boston was all done by wholesale dealers. Manufacturers had not established themselves here. The largest house was that of Carleton, Walker & Co., afterwards Amasa Walker & Co.
Amasa Walker was born in Woodstock, Conn., in 1799, and died in North Brookfield, Mass., October 29, 1875. In 1825 he was doing busi- ness in South Market street. His sales were $25,000 the first year, $30,000 in 1830, and increased to $600,000 in 1836. The style had been changed to Walker, Emerson & Co., and Emerson, Cochran & Co. Mr. Walker retired with a fortune in 1840. Mr. Walker, in 1834, built the first shoe factory in Maine. It was in the town of Minot. He was a State senator in 1849, secretary of state in 1851-2, and 1861 and 1862 a member of Congress. He was for many years professor of political economy at Oberlin College, and published two books on this subject. From 1861 to the time of his decease he was lecturer on political econ- omy at Amherst College. Mr. Walker's son, Gen. Francis Amasa Walker, was made brigadier-general by brevet for gallant services in the war. He was superintendent of the census of 1880, professor of political economy and history at Yale College, and is now (1892) presi- dent of the Institute of Technology in Boston. A daughter, Emma, married Alfred H. Batcheller, of E. & A. H. Batcheller & Co. Free- man Walker, a brother of Amasa Walker, joined him in business in 1826. In 1830 he became a member of the firm of T. & E. Batcheller & Walker. This continued to 1834, when he left that house and did busines alone to 1842, when he retired.
Henry Wilson, as everybody knows, was a shoe manufacturer. He was born in Farmington, N. H., February 16, 1812, and died in the vice-president's room at Washington, November 22, 1875. His name was originally Jeremiah Colbath, but at the age of seventeen years it was changed by act of Legislature. He worked at shoemaking, and on attaining his majority he had only received twelve months' schooling,
319
WHOLESALE SHOE TRADE.
but had read more than a thousand books. These were loaned to him by a gentlemen who lived two miles from where young Wilson worked. He had to go for them after his work was donc, read them nights, and when one or at most two were read and returned, he could take others. He said afterwards that for the first three months after that library was placed at his disposal he only slept from three to six o'clock in the morning, devoting his spare time to reading. In 1832, with his earthly possessions all on his back, he walked from Farmington to Natick, where he was employed a few years at shoemaking. His old shopmates, long after, told of his ability and the rapidity with which he worked. He engaged in business for himself about 1836. He manufactured pegged brogans. In 1840 his interest was first awakened in politics, and he " took the stump" in support of Harrison and Tyler. He was jeered at and nicknamed the "Natick Cobbler." His friends adopted the sobriquet as a decoration. He was three times elected a represent- ative, and twice a State senator. In 1848 he quit the Whig party on account of its pro-slavery attitude, and supported the Free Soil candi- dates, Van Buren and Adams. In 1850 and 1851 he was president of the State Senate. In 1855 he was chosen to succeed Edward Everett in the United States Senate. In 1859 he was re-elected by nearly an unanimous vote. In 1865 he was elected for the third time; in 1872 he was nominated for vice-president on the ticket with General Grant and elected by an overwhelming majority. General Grant's father, Jesse R. Grant, was a tanner, and his son had had sufficient familiarity with the trade in his boyhood to be reckoned as one of the craft, so during his second term his was looked upon as a thorough leather administra- tion, having a tanner and a shoe manufacturer at its head. Henry Wilson wrote several books. His history of the rise and fall of the slave power was being issued from the press at the time of his death.
Samuel Atherton was one of Boston's most honored merchants. He was born in Stoughton, January 26, 1815. In 1835 he went to Boston as clerk for William Capen, a shoe dealer. About 1838 he had established a shoe business in Washington street with Edwin Battles. The firm
was Battles & Atherton. After one year this was dissolved and Mr. Atherton went as clerk with Caleb Stetson, wholesale shoes and leather, at the corner of Broad and Central streets. Here he was admitted a partner in 1842. In 1845 Mr. Stetson drew out, but retained connec- tion as a special partner. About 1850 Amos W. Stetson, afterwards president of the State Bank, with Mr. Atherton formed the firm of
320
SUFFOLK COUNTY
Atherton, Stetson & Co. It almost immediately took front rank in the trade. The partners were rich, their connection influential, and dur- ing its existence five or six partners retired at different periods with large amounts of money accumulated in the business. Mr. Atherton lived in Dorchester, represented that town for 1862, 1870 and 1847 in the State Legislature, and died there about ten years ago.
CHAPTER IV.
Styles of Shoes-Rise of Shoe Associations-History of the New England Shoe and Leather Manufacturers' Association-Its Executives-Boot and Shoe Club-Note Brokerage-Great Jobbing Houses.
CONGRESS shoes were introduced about 1845. J. Sparkes Hall, of London, claimed the priority of invention. He made a pair for Queen Victoria, and for many years Her Majesty wore no other kind. Of course this popularized them, but they have intrinsic merit, being so easy to put on and off. With recent improvements in goring they are a very desirable kind of shoe. They were made without heels for women's wear up to 1853; since then heels of various heights have been used. Shoes with very thick soles were worn by all sorts of people dur- ing the Civil War. Later, they were made medium thickness, and at the present time they are required to be very thin and flexible. Gaiter boots, lasting or serge, were laced on the side about 1840. This fashion went out twenty years later. Polish, or high cut boots, called also polkas, began to be made in 1860. Button boots, which were first made in the 50's, became very popular along in 1864, and have con- tinued so for women's wear.
Men's shoes are seldom made to button now. Cloth tops and cloth gaiters are fashionable for the time being. Women's shoes of fine kid came in fashion about 1865. French leather was used largely in their construction. Great improvements in American kid have been made in a few years past, and now there is as good kid produced here as any- where. Patent leather is a fashionable material for both men's and women's shoes now, and tanners are beginning to produce it here.
Shoe manufacturing was a profitable occupation, with few drawbacks, up to the year 1837. In 1822 there were a good many failures, but
321
IT'HOLESALE SHOE TRADE.
they were for small amounts. No one had much capital in the busi- ness. There was not a shoe manufacturer in Massachusetts, at that time, worth $40,000. In 1832, the time of the greatest "panic " that had ever been heard of all over the country, the losses by bad debts and shrinkage of prices were terrific. The business had been overdone. Multitudes of firms had commenced making shoes since 1830. A ma- jority of them were unable to meet their engagements at maturity. They obtained extensions, but they took hold with renewed vigor. Although constant accessions were made to their ranks, they enjoyed a season of great prosperity for twenty years. Then occurred the " panic " of 1857, but the trade was on so firm a foundation that there were very few failures. From 1854 to 1861 the business thrived. Then the Civil War commenced, and for a while all was chaos commercially.
Up to 1830 the Boston wholesale shoe dealers were all jobbers. The manufacturers sold from their shops in the country, where buyers visited them regularly.
While the number of manufacturers has greatly multiplied in Boston -indeed all of them have stores or offices here-yet the jobbing trade has not retrograded. In 1828 there were $1,200,000 worth of shoes sold at wholesale. In 1840 ten houses were located in the vicinity of Quincy Market and Broad street; they sold $2,500,000 worth. In 1851 the number had increased to nineteen; the sales approximated $4,000,000. The largest, Atherton, Stetson & Co., sold $500,000 worth a year. They also sold leather. Benjamin P. Hutchinson, lately cele- brated as a Chicago grain speculator, was a jobber of shoes on Central street. Brigham & Gore is perpetuated by the house of George P. Gore & Co., of Chicago. Only one of the firms of 1857 remains-Amos P. Tapley & Co. This house dates from 183". The senior partner, still active (1892), has transacted business fifty-five years, and always paid a hundred cents on the dollar. In 1865, at the close of the Civil War, there were the same number of jobbers as in 1857-nineteen. They sold $7,800,000 in that year. Prices were at least fifty per cent. higher than they are now, and on some kinds much higher. Women's grain shoes that sell for 85c. and $1 now, were jobbed for $2 in 1865. In 1880 there were twenty-two houses; sales, $9,000,000. In 1891 there were twenty-seven, three of them dealing in rubbers exclusively. Their sales were $20,000,000, by far the largest shoe jobbing business done in any city in the United States.
41
3222
SUFFOLK COUNTY
Batehelder & Lincoln is the title of one of the largest houses in the world doing an exclusive jobbing business in shoes. It was established in 1852. Mr. Batchelder is not living. Joseph B. Lincoln is the prin- cipal of the house. His connection with the trade dates from boyhood. He was first a clerk for, and afterward a partner with, George A. Mansfield & Co., in Dock square. His career has been one of uninter- rupted success. The store, Nos. 94 to 98 Federal street, Boston, ocet- pied by the firm, has seven floors, with 4,500 square feet of space on each floor. A passenger and two freight elevators are run. Every- thing is systematized. The office clerks, receiver's stock clerks, order clerks, salesmen, porters and shippers, all have their allotted work. The whole is under the supervision of Mr. Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln's method is to market the entire product of manufacturers whose shoes are of acknowledged superiority. There are several in Lynn, all of whose goods he disposes of. It is the same course pursued in regard to men's fine shoes. Nearly a dozen of the best known makers on the South Shore turn in their product to the firm. All the goods are war- ranted as represented. They have so large an assortment in stock- almost a million dollars' worth-that they can keep retailers constantly "sized up " with any width, size, style or variety of shoes. This is a great object to dealers; it enables them to do a safer, closer business. Mr. Lincoln says: " It is of little importance which house does the largest business, if the lines carried are ready sellers and orders are promptly filled."
Winch Brothers also do an immense business. The house was estab- lished in 1862 by Joseph R. and John F. Winch, who with George F. Winch and John H. Gibbs now compose the firm.
Parker, Holmes & Co. started in 1880; they also do a large business.
From 1865 to 1870 shoes were jobbed at net prices. If time was wanted, interest was added. Sales are now made mostly on thirty days. The Boston jobbers usually control the production of various factories. This enables a retailer to stock up entirely from one estab- lishment, and renders the jobber a valuable distributor of New Eng- land's largest industrial product.
In 1830 the firm of G. W. Thayer & Brothers started in business on Merchants' Row. In 1835 they were on State street, and the style was G. W. & S. T. Thayer. Their principal traffic was in rubbers. These were the old-fashioned, all-rubber shoes that first were brought here from Para in 1823. They were imported rough and had to be lasted
323
WHOLESALE SHOE TRADE.
and finished here. The firm hired lofts over the store and employed women and girls to last and prepare the goods for market. After a while they sent out lasts to Para and had the rubbers made over them there. These old rubbers are a very scarce article now. After vulcanization was discovered they were bought up and ground over to furnish rub- ber for the new style of goods. The Thayer firm sold leather shoes as well, and became one of the largest in the trade. George L. Thayer, the oldest son of George W. Thayer, succeeded him. James B. Field, Edward P. Thayer, W. W. Whitcomb and Emery H. Munroe have suc- cessively been interested in the business. The house was then Field, Thayer & Whitcomb. G. L. Thayer and Mr. Whitcomb retired, and were succeeded by Field, Thayer & Co., now the Field-Thayer Manu- facturing Co. They have the books and papers of the firm from the beginning. Some one of the descendants of George W. Thayer, the founder of the house, has been active in the firm from its inception : They are jobbers and manufacturers.
A. W. Clapp & Co. have conducted their business under the same style, and manufactured at the same place, Weymouth, since 1855.
There has been no change in the firm name of J. W. Brigham & Co. since the senior partner commenced business on Pearl street in 1858. He has a factory at Worcester, and was one of the first to make fine goods expressly for the retailers.
Charles Hayden formed the firm of Hayden & Downing in 1845. Mr. Hayden bought the business and moved in 1859 to Pearl street, where in 1864, the house was changed to its present style, Hayden, Guardenier & Co. They were on the west side of Pearl street, but immediately after the fire moved to their present location.
In 1856 there were in Boston 218 wholesale shoe and leather dealers. Their combined sales were $61,140,000. Only one firm, T. & E. Batcheller, did a business of as much as $1,000,000 a year; two firms sold $800,000; nine $500,000, and thirty $200,000 each. That year there were 44,308,302 pairs of shoes made in the State; 265 tanners used 2,101,872 hides, principally for upper leather, and 24 curriers finished $6,084,737 worth of leather.
When the shoe and leather trade reached large proportions the ex- pediency of establishing an exchange or place of meeting for buyers and sellers began to be considered. The nature of the business seemed to call for such an institution. Twice a week-Wednesday and Satur- day-the manufacturers came into Boston by the hundreds, and here numerous buyers of shoes and sellers of leather waited to receive them.
324
SUFFOLK COUNTY.
Aforetime when stage coaches supplied the early transportation, except that some men living not very far off came on their vehicles, " Wildes Hotel " in Elm street was the resort of the shoe and leather men. Wednesdays and Saturdays were known as " shoe days." Sol Wildes, the popular host, made a large fortune entertaining them. The dealers had stores contiguous to Elm street, being located on North, Blackstone, Fulton, Shoe and Leather, and North and South Market streets. In 1854 Lewis Rice fitted up the American House on Hanover street, and the shoe men congregated mostly at his hotel. In the vestibule a vast amount of business was transacted. There Putney & Watts and Gardner, Carleton & Co., of Richmond; H. S. Wyche, of Petersburg; G. W. Dunbar and E. Marqueze, of New Orleans; D. F. Fleming and Henry Daley, of Charleston; L. L. Warren and Low & Whitney, of Louisville ; J. H. Henry, of Little Rock ; George R. French, of Wilmington; with others, bargained for negro brogans, lasting gait- ers, long leg calf boots, and other goods suited to the wants of the slaves, or of their owners, of both sexes and all ages. Their purchases were sent South in packet ships, and in those days the ships carried the American flag at the masthead. There also came Oliver Bennett, or his successors, Fiske, Knight & Co., W. H. Comstock, Samuel C. Davis, John R. Lionberger, and Follenstein & Gauss, of St. Louis. Most of these men went from Massachusetts originally, and up to about 1845 the shoes they bought were sent to New Orleans and thence up the Mississippi, a long voyage. Their credit was A 1. It was told by Amasa Walker that in the dark days of 1837 a merchant from St. Louis came into his store and wanted to buy some shoes. The following col- loquy ensued :
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.