USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > The history of Haverhill, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860 > Part 54
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The first or principal floor will be divided into rooms thirteen feet high, on each side of the entry or corridor, which is twelve feet in width, for the various town or city officers, police court room, town agency, &c., or it may be thought expedient for a time to omit some partitions, and thus leave a hall on this floor, for exhibitions not requiring the large hall above. It is proposed to light all parts of the building with gas, to warm it by furnaces in the basement, and to convey water where it may be needed. Fire-proof safes to be constructed for the safe keeping of the town records and papers.
The hall is designed to be twenty-eight feet high, to be entered by staircases at each end, thus affording very convenient entrance and egress. Rooms are designed at each end of the hall, and galleries over them. It is proposed to have the stage or platform on the front side of the hall, chiefly occupying the space over the vestibule, between the towers, and projecting about five feet into the hall, thus bringing the entire audience nearer a speaker, who can be seen from any part of the floor and galleries. The hall is estimated to seat nine hundred and fifty persons on the floor, and four hundred and fifty in the galleries; in all, fourteen hundred persons.
It is proposed to use the spacious attic for an armory, should it be wanted for that purpose, and it will afford a room seventy-five by thirty feet, may be well lighted, and easily accessible by the staircase in the small tower, and sound may be prevented by back-plastering between the
L
528
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
floors. In the judgment of the committee, it is desirable to provide all accommodations which will give an income to the town. It is proposed to cover the roof and towers with slate, and tin, where slate cannot be used ; to have copper gutters, and to protect the north coving with a covering of iron. Your committee consider the design and arrangement of the building, which, in some respects, are novel, as highly convenient, and superior to any similar building within their knowledge.
The estimated cost of the building, according to the designs, providing for ornamenting all the exterior with New Jersey freestone, for preparing the foundations, eementing the bottom of the basement, and for completely ventilating the building, as carefully east by practical men, is forty thousand one hundred and twenty-five dollars; but, to provide for contin- gencies, is placed at forty-two thousand dollars."
Among the note-worthy incidents of the year 1859, should be mentioned the improvement of the beautiful point of land at the Great Pond, known for many years as the "Fish House Lot," and the formal re-naming of that beautiful sheet of water.
Many years ago, a number of the citizens of Haverhill united in pur- chasing of the proprietor, a perpetual right for the citizens of the town to use the pleasant point of land near the north-eastern extremity of Great Pond, as a place of summer resort for parties of pleasure. A convenient wooden building was erected on the land, and the place became known as the "Fish House Lot," and was a popular place of resort for many years. But, in course of time, the building fell into deeay, and at last was destroyed by incendiarism, and the grounds were neglected, and but little used for the original purpose.
The acknowledged want of a suitable place of resort for picnics and chowder parties, and the convenience of location, natural beauty, and, above all, the memories of " auld lang syne " that clustered around the " Fish House Lot," again directed attention to it as the place most desirable for the purpose; and in the summer of 1858, a few persons called a meeting, upon the grounds, of all interested in the subject. Above one hundred persons were present. Elbridge G. Eaton, Esq., was chosen chairman, and George H. Hoyt, secretary ; and after remarks by several gentlemen, Rufus Slocomb, Esq., who had become proprietor of the grounds, subject to the privileges before mentioned, proposed to make over his interest to the citizens of Haverhill and Bradford, for the nominal sum of one hundred dollars, on condition that it should be forever kept as a place of free resort to the citizens of these towns for social festivities.
529
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
By a unanimous vote, the liberal offer was accepted, and a committee was chosen to solicit subscriptions, purchase and put the grounds in order, make such improvements as they should deem advisable, and report at a general meeting to be called by them in one year. On motion of G. W. Chase, it was voted that the land should be purchased by subscriptions not exceeding one dollar each, and a subscription paper for that purpose was opened on the spot.
On the 31st day of August, 1859, the committee called a meeting at the grounds of all interested in the matter, which was attended by about two hundred persons. The Chairman, James H. Carleton, Esq., reported that the land had been purchased, about two hundred and fifty trees set out, a substantial fence erected, the grounds graded, and a convenient stone building (twenty by forty feet) erected, at a total expense of about eight hundred and fifty dollars, of which they had received nearly seven hundred dollars in individual subscriptions.
The committee also reported a plan of organization for the preservation and improvement of the grounds. The report was accepted, and a body immediately organized under the name of " The Kenoza Lake Club," and its officers clected.
The organization of the Club was followed by an old fashioned fish chowder, with the usual festive accompaniments."
The following beautiful poem, by John G. Whittier, to whom had been entrusted the honor of select- ing a new name for the pond, was read npon the occasion :
KENOZA.
As Adam did in Paradise, To-day the primal right we claim; Fair mirror of the woods and skies, We give to thee a name !
Lake of the Pickerel ! Let no more The echoes answer baek "Great Pond," But, sweet Kenoza, from thy shore And watching hills beyond ;
And, Indian ghosts, if such there be, Who ply unseen, their shadowy lines, Call back the dear old name to thee As with the voice of pines.
The paths we trod when eareless boys, With manhood's shodden fcet we trace; To friendship, love and social joys We consecrate the place.
Here shall the tender song he sung, And Memory's dirges soft and low, And wit shall sparkle on the tongue, And Mirth shall overflow.
Harmless as summer-lightning plays From a low, hidden cloud by night- A light to set the hills ablaze, But not a bolt to smite.
Kenoza! O'er no sweeter lake Shall morning break, or noon-eloud sail, No lighter wave than thine shall take The sunset's golden veil !
And, Beauty's priestess, thou shalt teach The truth, so dimly understood,
That He who made thee fair, for each And all designeth good !
67
*
530
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
A few days subsequently, the grounds were dedicated, and the beautiful body of water formally christened as " Kenoza Lake," with appropriate ceremonics.t
Early in the year 1860, the shoemakers of Lynn, Haverhill, and other shoe-manufacturing towns, engaged in a movement the object of which was to free themselves from real or fancied oppression, on the part of the manufacturers, by establishing and maintaining a more remunerative list of prices for the various kinds and qualities of work. The movement commenced with private and public discussions, and was soon followed by a regularly organized " strike " in the principal shoe-manufacturing towns in the State. In this town, upwards of six hundred shoemakers bound themselves not to work, except at prices fixed upon by a committee of their own selection. Side by side in the movement were to be scen those who for years (and when they joined in the strike) received prices which easily gave them from two dollars to four dollars for six to ten hours' labor, and those whose unskilled hands could scarce secure them the above sums per week. Many of the first class engaged in the movement through mere love of excitement, and ambition to lead, while the latter were de- luded with the idea that they were ill-paid for their skill and labor, that they were the victims of a sort of petty despotism, and that "plenty of work and good pay " were sure to follow if they but rose in their might and demanded that " capital should no longer control labor."
As might have been anticipated, the whole movement was a failure, and after a few weeks of excitement, idleness, and no little dissipation, the bubble burst, the strike was abandoned, and business soon resumed its wonted channels. It cannot be doubted that most of those who joined in the movement returned to their labor wiser if not better men.
t The festivities elosed with the following song, written for the occasion, by Geo. W. Chase : -
Old friends, old friends, we meet again, Where oft we met of yore ; Again to brighten friendship's chain By sweet Kenoza's shore.
Chorus-By sweet Kenoza's shore, my friends, By sweet Kenoza's shore ; Again to brighten friendship's chain By sweet Kenoza's shore.
Our early friendships here we own, Though wide our lots are cast ; Long years have not our love outgrown; We'll ne'er forget the past. Chorus-We'll ne'er forget the past, my friends, &c.
Our hearts are warm as when of yore Our songs ascended here ; And here by sweet Kenoza's shore, We pledge to memory dear.
Chorus-We pledge to memory dear, my friends, &c. ;
From north and south, from east and west We've come with willing feet; And here again with hearty zest, Our dear old friends we greet.
Chorus-Our dear old friends we greet, my friends, &c.
It never shall be said with truth, That now our hearts are cold ; The love that warmed them in our youth, Shall warm them still when old. [&c.
Chorus-Shall warm them still when old, my friends,
And year by year, till life shall cease, And earthly joys be o'er ; We'll meet in love, and part in peace, By swect Kenoza's shore.
Chorus-By sweet Kenoza's shore, my friends. By sweet Kenoza's shore, We'll meet in love and part in peace By sweet Kenoza's shore.
531
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
In 1859, Fourth, Huntington and Cedar strects were accepted; and in 1861, Linden, Franklin, John, Harrison, Washington avenue, Beacon, Temple and Duston streets were accepted, and Moore and Dow streets straightened . and widened." In January, 1861, Flect and Court streets were also for- mally accepted by the town. For the information of those not familiar with the usual modern custom in the laying out of new streets, we should, perhaps, add, that, in nearly every instance, new streets in New England villages are first laid out and graded by the owners of the adjoining lands, for the purpose of opening a way for the sale of house-lots, and it is usually several years from such laying out before they are formally accepted by the town as public highways.
" The work on the latter has as yet only been done on paper.
532
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL,
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES AND HATS-IMPROVEMENTS.
THE first shoemaker in this town was doubtless Andrew Greeley, who came here in 1646, and some of whose descendants still reside here, and. are engaged in the shoe business. From the above date until within the present century, shoemaking was confined almost exclusively to the wants of our own community. Shoes were not made up in quantities, and kept on hand for sale, like most kinds of goods at the present day ; much less were they manufactured for foreign consumption. The time is almost within the memory of persons now living, when it was the common custom, outside of the villages, for shoemakers to " whip the stump; " ie. go from house to house, stopping at each long enough to make up a year's supply of shoes for the family. Farmers usually kept a supply of leather on hand for family use, and in many cases they were their own cobblers. Sometimes a farmer was also the shoemaker for the whole neighborhood, and worked at the latter employment on rainy days, and during the winter season.
In villages, the " village cobbler," or shoemaker, gradually came to keep a little stock of leather on hand, and to exchange shoes with the farmers, tanners, traders, and others, for produce, leather, foreign goods, &c. In this village, as late as 1794, there is said to have been but two shoemakers. Mr. Robert Willis remembers being in the shop of Enoch Marsh, in that year, when the latter was making a pair of shoes for Capt. Benjamin Willis, -of the privateer brig Betsey - between the soles of which a layer of gold pieces were placed. The precaution proved to have been timely, as the brig was captured the same voyage.
In course of time, storekeepers began to keep a few shoes on hand for sale. This naturally grew out of the barter system of trade, then so com- mon. They bartered with the shoemakers for their shoes; bartered the shoes with the back country farmers for produce ; and then bartered the produce for English and West India Goods.
In August, 1795, Moses Gale, of this town, advertised that he had " several thousand" fresh and dry hides, which he would exchange for
533
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
shoes, and would give eredit until the shoes could be made from the same hides. This is the earliest authentic information we have found of what may be called a wholesale shoe business in the town. From this time, the manufacture of shoes began to increase quite rapidly.
Among the earliest to engage in the manufacture of shoes, were Moses and James Atwood, who also kept a store in the village. During the war of 1812, the first named sent a waggon load of shoes to Philadelphia, on which he realized a handsome profit. These must have been about the first shoes sent in that direction. David How was also one of the first to encourage their wholesale manufacture. He is thought by some to have been the very first to send shoes to the south, in large quantities. He was for some years the largest manufacturer in town. Wesley Balch is said to have been the first one to manufacture roan shoes. If so, he must have commenced previous to 1814, as in that year we find " ladies' black Moroc- co shoes, with heels ; ladies' colored Morocco shoes, with heels ; and ladies' colored and black sandals, with heels; for sale by Chase & Cogswell," in this town. Amos Chase, who lived where J. B. Spiller now resides, made "roan ties" about 1810. He manufactured only what himself and one or two apprentices could make. They were spring-heeled, and without any stiffening at the heel. There were no pegged shoes made at that time. A few pegs were made by hand for pegging heels together. At that time no regard was paid to the sizes, or to the number of pairs in a case. Leonard Whittier was one of the first to put up regular sizes in each case.
Aroet M. Hatch was in the shoe business here in 1812. Mr. Hatch was a native of Ashby, but was brought up in the family of Deacon Balch, of East Bradford. He married a sister of Paul Spofford, of George- town, and soon after went with the latter to Salem, N. H., where they commenced the manufacture of shoes. After carrying on the business at that place about a year, they returned to Haverhill, and commenced in the Bannister block, as Hatch & Spofford. This was about 1817.
Phineas Webster was one of the earliest, if not the very first, who made the wholesale manufacture of shoes his sole business. He commenced about 1815. At first, he exchanged most of his shoes in Danvers, for Morocco and leather. The Danvers tanners and curriers packed their shoes in barrels, sugar boxes, tea chests and hogsheads, without regard to sizes or qualities, and shipped them to Philadelphia and Baltimore, where
° Mr. Atwood subsequently removed to Philadelphia, and founded the first wholesale shoe house in that city.
534
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
they were exchanged for a variety of produce, &c. On arriving at these ports, the vessels would be visited by crowds of people, to trade for shoes. The captain would thereupon hoist up his barrel or sugar box of shoes, at once converting the deck of his vessel into a retail shoe shop, and "dicker off" his stock. Mr. Webster is still engaged in the business, in connection with his son. Samuel Chase came to Haverhill in 1815, from Portsmouth, N. H., where he had kept a custom shoe shop. He has from that time to the present year (1860) been one of our most extensive shoe manufactur- ers, as well as most worthy and respected citizens. Warner Whittier was in the business as early as 1818, and probably earlier, and was for many years one of the most extensive manufacturers in the place. His son, and successor, Warner R. Whittier, Esq., is still in the business.
In January, 1818, Thomas Tileston, who had been engaged in the print- ing business in this town, removed to New York City, where he received large consignments of shoes and hats from the manufacturers in Haverhill, and established, in connection with Paul Spofford, one of our Haverhill shoe-manufacturers, one of the largest, if not the largest, shoe houses in that city.
Eliphalet Noyes manufactured in the Bannister Block in 1820. His shoes were all made in his own shop, and were mostly " women's run-round ties," black and colored.
Thomas Meady was in the business here in 1817, at which date, it has been estimated, there were probably about two hundred shoemakers in town. Meady sent many of his shoes to Richmond, and Norfolk, Va.
James Noyes came here in 1820, at which time Moses French was man- ufacturing sale shoes, where Haseltine's store now stands, on Water street; and Eben Chase carried on the business where Hunking's block now stands. Jesse Harding was then the only Morocco dresser in town. The father of Mr. Noyes made shoes when the fashion was " picked toes, and wooden heels."
Daniel Hobson commenced the business in Bradford, in 1824, and re- moved to Haverhill in 1828. He made mostly men's heeled pumps, with strap and buckle. " Hobson's pumps " were for years a standard article. Mr. Hobson is still in the business.
John Follonsbee manufactured shoes near the bridge, in 1826. He af- terward went to Philadelphia, where he engaged in the shoe trade.
David P. Harmon commenced the business in 1826, and with the excep- tion of a few years, has continued it to the present time.
535
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
In March, 1832, there were twenty-eight shoe manufacturers in the town, viz : -
Jacob Caldwellº Gubtal & Haseltine
Page & Kimball
Caldwell & Pieree Harmon & Kimball
Daniel S. Perley
Anthony Chase **
Moses Haynest
Samuel Russellţ
Tappan Chase" Caleb Hersey
Job Tyler
Samuel Chase Keely & Chase
Isiah Webstert
Charles Davis Richard Kimball
David Whitaker§
Benjamin Emerson, 2d
Oliver P. Lake" Thomas Meady
Whittier & George
Samuel George
James Noyes
Joseph Greely Peter Osgood
Of the above, at least sixteen kept "English and West India Goods" at the same time. (Cash was a very small part of the price paid for mak- ing the shoes.)
Prominent among the causes of the somewhat sudden increase in the manufacture of shoes, are to be found, first, the finishing of goat, kid and sheep skins in the form of Morocco, and, second, the invention of turned shoes. The first Morocco used in this town came from Danvers and New- buryport. The first Moroeco dresser in town, was Jesse Harding. The first turned shoes made in this vicinity, were made by a " tramping jour," who learned the art in Philadelphia. He was hired in Charlestown, by James Gardner, of Bradford, for whom he worked long enough to allow others to secure the grand secret. His shoes excited a great deal of curiosity at the time, and large numbers of persons went to see how they were made. The introduction of these light, neat, cheap and comparatively durable shoes, in place of the heavy styles then in common use, seems to have given a decided impulse to shoe manufacturing in this town, and from that time the business rapidly increased, until it became the principal, and almost the only manufacturing business in the town.
In 1818, Mr. Rufus Slocomb commenced the regular running of a two- horse " baggage waggon " between Haverhill and Boston, for the transpor- tation of freight. The enterprise proved a success, and he was gradually obliged to increase his freighting facilities, until, about 1835, he kept about forty horses, and two yoke of oxen constantly employed in the busi- ness, and his large covered wagons almost literally lined the road from this
° East Parish. t West Parish. # Pond Street. § North Parish.
-
Jesse Emersont
John Woodman
536
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
town to Boston. The largest freight he ever transported in one day, was in the spring of 1836, when he had full loads from this town for forty-one horses and eight oxen.
Of the amount of business done by Mr. Slocomb previous to 1824, we have no definite data ; but the following table gives the number of trips made, and the number of cases of shoes transported by him, from this town to Boston, from that year to 1836, inclusive, and also the number of tons of return freight : -
To BOSTON.
FROM BOSTON.
Years.
Trips.
Cases.
Tons.
Lbs.
Tons.
Lbs.
1824
98
2197
144
617
172
1312
1825
103
2805
161
184
168
1419
1826
102
2963
169
1930
254
1014
1827
95
3057
177
731
144
1518
1828
96
4177
200
434
228
116
1829
99
5158
253
229
233
1326
1830
104
7008
350
538
273
929
1831
103
9474
456
1020
400
427
1832
103
11039
507
908
426
729
1833
103
10966
543
819
400
117
1834
95
12037
547
206
638
1925
1835
103
19096
860
1219
696
1627
1836
114
26955
909
532
946
180
1319
116932
5288
1367
4984
639
In March, 1837, there were in town forty-two shoe manufacturers, and fourteen tanners and leather dealers. The following is a list of their names : -
SHOE MANUFACTURERS.
George & Whittier,
George W. Lee,
Samuel Chase,
John Woodman,
Roswell Farnum,
Whittier & Swett,
Charles Hazeltine,
Anthony Chase,
John Kelly & Co.,
James Noyes,
J. & N. S. Fuller,
Keely, Chase & Co.,
Peirce Emerson & Co.,
Charles Davis,
Moses Nichols & Co.,
Benjamin Emerson,
John C. Tilton,
Abel Page,
Emerson & West,
Johnson & George,
Bradley & Hersey,
Nathaniel Currier, jr.,
Charles G. Grimes,
Pecker & Brickett,
Fitts & Roberts,
James Grimes,
Daniel Hobson & Co.,
Marsh & Hutchinson,
Benjamin Buswell,
Ingalls & Johnson,
Brickett & Noyes,
Harmon Kimball & Co., Richard Kimball,
537
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
Tappan Chase, Jesse Simonds,
Samuel George,
Samuel Spiller & Son,
William Hoyt,
John S. Webster,
Joseph Greely,
Elbridge Souther,
Cornelius Jenness.
TANNERS AND LEATHER DEALERS.
Hersey & Whittier, Ward Brickett,
Blodgett & Head,
Edwards & Harding,
L. & C. Worthen,
William Burgin,
Hayes & Pemberton,
John Woodman,
Aaron Gile,
Thomas Harding,
Nathaniel Currier,
Rufus K. Knowles.
Richard K. Wheeler, Edmund Kimball,
Of the sixty names included in the above list of shoe manufacturers, we believe but twenty-one are now engaged in the same business ; and of the tanners and leather dealers, we believe but two (Caleb Hersey and J. D. Blodgett) are in the business at the time of writing. (May, 1861).
The shoe manufacturers in West Bradford (now Bradford) at the same time, were
Josiah Brown, William Day & Co., Guy Carleton, jr.,
Leonard Johnson,
Samuel Heath,
J. P. Montgomery & Co. Pressey & Fletcher. Ordway & Webster,
Kimball Farrar, Leather Dealer.
Of these, only Messrs. Johnson, Heath, Ordway, and Farrar, are still in the business, - all of whom are now in Haverhill.
The financial " panie " of 1837, was especially disastrous to the manu- facturing interests of this town, and many of its best citizens fell victims to the reverses which followed. It was a serious blow to Haverhill, and it was upward of ten years before it fairly recovered from the shock.
The discovery of the gold fields of California, and the rapid settlement of the Great West, by opening new markets for the various kinds of man- ufactured goods, gave a fresh impulse to the manufacturing interests in Massachusetts, and in this prosperity our town was a full sharer, as its rapid growth in population, wealth, and business, fully proves.
In 1857, there were in the town upward of ninety shoe manufactories, eighty-two of which were located in the central village. Besides these, there were eighteen inner sole and stiffening manufactories. In 1859, the number of shoe manufactories in the village was ninety. In 1860, there were in the town, according to the returns of the assessors, ninety-eight shoe factories, and two boot and shoe factories. Of these, nine were situ- ated in that part of the town known as Ayer's Village.
The following table, prepared from the books of the Boston & Maine Railroad Co., gives the number of cases of shoes forwarded by them from 68
538
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
Haverhill in 1850, 1855, and 1860. The table does not include the large number forwarded over the road in passenger trains, in the care of the Express : -
Years. Jan.|
Feb. Mar. Apl. May June| July
Aug
Sept Oct. Nov| Dec. Total.
1850
6532 5207 4205 2812 1956 2746
7683 4811
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