USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Templeton > The story of Templeton > Part 14
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Herbert Leland built a factory at the south end of the lower dam, on the site of the factory built by James Stimpson, which was destroyed by fire in 1862. Mr. Leland manufac- tured chairs there for a few years and then closed out the business.
In 1924, Otto Kauppinen started making chairs, hampers and other kinds of furniture of reed and rattan, in the Ellis Blacksmith Shop building and then moved to the barn of C. A. Fletcher and continued the business there, until it was destroyed by fire in 1940.
For several years, previous to 1817, a tannery was operated by Joel Hayden and later by Henry and Joseph Newton on a site west of the hotel.
The mill for grinding bark by water power owned by Henry and Joseph Newton, was located on Central Street, where the Texaco service station now stands. After the tan- nery gave up business, this site was taken over by Thompson, Perley & Waite, who used a part of the building for an office and the rest as a storehouse for chairs and stock.
When this firm was divided, Mr. Thompson moved his office to the lower mill and Mr. Waite to the upper mill, and this building remained empty for sometime. Then it was taken over by Bert Sumner who ran a livery stable there for several years. Mr. Sumner sold to Eugene Meegan who con- tinued to use it as a stable until it was destroyed by fire.
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On the south end of the old building, an addition was built and used for a short time as a meeting-place by Rev. J. W. Coolidge. It was later used as a blacksmith shop by John McLeod, then by George Divoll until it was burned.
The site was purchased by Nicholas Rubino. After a few years, a service station was built there, now operated by Wall- ace Paine.
Where the Texaco station now stands, various kinds of business were carried on. John and Hartford Potter put in another mill; Kelton and Hollingsworth made machinery; E. B. Sawyer and afterwards Buffum and Newton, made grain measures; Captain W. L. Merrett manufactured window shades, and James Stimpson made faucets.
William Nichols devised hand-saw machines and various kinds of machinery for making chairs. Henry Picket made machinery for the construction of wooden boxes; then cellu- loid articles were manufactured there until the factory was burned.
In addition, at the west side of this mill, a printing shop was carried on by John F. Folsom who printed a weekly paper called "The Templeton Press", which sold for a dollar a year. (Dr. L. W. Baker also had considerable interest in the founding of this paper.) Mr. Folsom sold the printing shop to Rev. James Gage, a Methodist minister, who managed it for a few years.
There was also a Chinese laundry in the building; and Charles S. Vial manufactured chairs there until the property was destroyed by fire.
After a few years, Watson Martatell purchased the property and erected a building in which he had a bowling alley and pool room. Mr. Martatell sold to William Miner who con- tinued to operate the alley and pool room. He also built a service station on the eastern part of the site which is still
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in operation. Mr. Miner moved the bowling alley-pool room to his new building on the Brooks & Cady site and operated them there until the building was burned.
The old building is now used as a lunch room and dwelling by John Whipple. John Wickoski has a barber shop in the east end of the building.
MOSQUITO MILL
On the road to South Royalston there are two mill sites - the upper one is known as the old Mosquito Mill, the lower one as the Norcross Mill. The old Mosquito Mill was owned by W. A. Shore, a blacksmith from Nottinghamshire, Eng- land.
At that time horeshoes were made entirely by hand and were fitted to the hoof as they were being made. Mr. Shore had an idea that horseshoes could be made by machinery; then the blacksmith would only need to fit and nail them on. He started to put his idea on paper. One day when going to dinner, he forgot to lock the mill door, and on his return found a salesman sitting near the plans. He had evidently studied them, as it was only a short time before a patent was granted for the manufacturing of horseshoes, and they were on the market.
As far as we know, Mr. Shore never received anything for his ideas. His son, W. A. T. Shore, was also a blacksmith. His shop was located east of the house now occupied by George Hoag. The shop was destroyed by fire in October, 1900; and in early November, the house was struck by light- ning. Mr. Shore found another shop back of the livery stable and continued the business there until his death. After the Shores left the mills, the upper one was operated by William
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Norcross and the lower one by Ora Norcross. At these mills were made shingles, fancy boxes and collar boxes.
After a few years, the buildings began to decay and were sold for lumber. Some years later, the lower mill was rebuilt and an iron penstock, constructed to turn the water wheel, was built near the old wooden penstock, which lay among the ferns.
About 1895, Ora Norcross sawed out stock there and in the mill yard built a house in which he lived. Mr. Norcross employed a number of men who had worked in the old mill when they were young, and who related that the old wooden penstock that furnished the water for the waterwheel, emptied into an open trough, near the road, just before it reached the mill. Horses and oxen on the highway used this water sup- ply. If two horses or oxen watered at the same time, the flow of water would be reduced so much, that the mill would have to shut down until the animals were through drinking.
On the property previously owned by Gilman Waite, on the state road just beyond the Boston and Maine underpass, Henry G. Opgenorth manufactured different sizes of paper padding used in packing furniture and other finished articles. After a few years, Mr. Opgenorth moved to South Gardner.
In 1940, Armand Fontaine of Gardner purchased this prop- erty. The firm is known as the Fontaine Furniture Products, Inc. It manufactures different styles of straight chairs, rockers and base rockers.
All factories along the Otter River used water power, when available; at other times they used steam power, until the flood and hurricane of 1938, when all the dams were destroyed and the ponds drained. The Government would not allow the dams to be rebuilt; and the factory owners were forced to install electric power, which proved to be very satisfactory.
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PAIL FACTORY
In 1880, Arthur T. Harris and his brother-in-law, A. M. Holman, known as the firm of Holman & Harris, began to manufacture wooden pails, tubs and buckets, in a building located at the south end of the lower dam and built by Herbert Leland on the site of the Stimpson factory destroyed in 1862. They employed one man, named Holt. Their first shipment went to W. J. Wilcott Co., N. Y., June 10, 1880, and was car- ried to the depot in a wheelbarrow. Mr. Harris pushed the wheelbarrow, and Holman helped by pulling a rope attached to the front end. This first shipment sold for $7.70. In later years, a similar shipment sold for about $1,000.00.
As the business increased, the firm employed more men. After operating for four years, Holman & Harris built a new factory at the north end of the village, near the Boston and Maine R. R. This factory was dedicated with a grand celebration and dance on Christmas Eve, 1884. The main building was 259 ft. x 32 ft., and the paint shop was 30 ft. x 50 ft. with the several stories making about 33,000 square feet of floor surface. The factory was destroyed by fire in 1895 and rebuilt on a larger scale that same year. While the new factory was being built, the business was carried on in the old Leland factory at the lower end of the village.
As Holman & Harris cut and hauled their own lumber, they owned about 20 horses and a pair of oxen; in the factory and in the woods they employed from 100 to 120 men.
Mr. Holman died in 1897, and Mr. Harris carried on the business for a few months. Later, that same year, John Murphy, who in 1885 became the firm's bookkeeper, was made a partner in the business, and the firm became Harris & Murphy. They continued to manufacture pails, tubs and buckets, until both men retired in 1909. The machinery was dismantled and sold to different factories through the country.
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TEMPLE STUART COMPANY
In 1910, J. A. Temple and Arthur L. Stuart, known as the Temple-Stuart Co., came to Baldwinville from Princeton, Mass., and purchased the factory buildings recently vacated by Harris & Murphy. They manufactured different styles of kitchen and dining chairs. After the death of Mr. Stuart in 1928, the business was carried on by Mrs. Temple and Mr. Stuart's three sons, Benjamin, Carl and John. Dinette and breakfast sets were added to their other merchandise.
During the period of World War II, their work was on war contracts, according to Army and Navy requirements. After the war, they continued to manufacture the same line of mer- chandise as before. During their ownership of this factory, a number of buildings have been added, making Temple- Stuart's factory the largest in town. They employ about 125 men and women; and their merchandise has been sent to all parts of the United States.
POSTOFFICE
The Baldwinville Postoffice was established in 1830, and Capt. Joseph Davis from Northboro, a nephew of Gov. Davis, was appointed postmaster. He opened the postoffice in a store built in 1824 by Capt. Eden Baldwin, on the ground now oc- cupied by Depot Street. In 1832, Capt. Davis built the Narra- gansett House and later moved the postoffice to a location near the hotel, which now is the Hotel annex. He held the position of postmaster until August 5, 1853, when James H. Clapp was appointed. On June 24, 1861, Edwin Sawyer was chosen, and on December 9, 1870, Otis D. Sawin.
At that time the postoffice was in the store of Sawin & Bryant, in the Brooks & Cady building that stood just west of the present drug store. Ezra A. Lamb, who had been a
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clerk in this store, was appointed postmaster on June 16, 1874. Lysander Bronsdon, the village carpenter, erected a small building for Mr. Lamb, where the Red and White store now stands on Circle Street (1946), which was used for the post- office. The postmaster sold candy, and the Baldwinville branch of the Boynton Library was located there. George F. Bryant became the sixth postmaster on August 27, 1885, and the post- office was moved back to the Brooks & Cady block. George Bryant and Charles A. Perley served as postmasters from 1885 until 1915, holding office alternately according to the party in office; Mr. Bryant being a Democrat and Mr. Perley a Re- publican.
In 1888, the postoffice was moved to the site of the news store and in 1903, to its present location (1946).
During Mr. Perley's service, it became a third class post- office, and the village delivery was started. Baldwinville was the first village in the state to have mail delivery. The first trip was made on March 19, 1913, and Earl Ellis was the first carrier. Following Mr. Ellis were Carroll Robie, Irving Welch, Frank Tourtellot, Frederick Greenwood, Francis Saun- ders and Leon Konstantnowicz.
The last two men served in World War II, and during their absence several temporary carriers were employed. Two deliveries were made each day.
Daniel O'Leary was Mr. Perley's successor as postmaster, holding the position from 1915 to 1928.
After the fire of 1918, the postoffice was given temporary quarters in Fraternity Hall. As soon as repairs were made, the old location was resumed. During that year, Angie Hunt was made assistant postmaster.
Walter P. Abbott succeeded Mr. O'Leary and served from 1928 to 1934, followed by John Saunders who served until his death, in 1937. Lauri Kauppinen then carried on until
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his death, in 1940. Paul Kauppinen was appointed to succeed him and is serving at the present time (1946). The postoffice was raised to second class status in 1945.
The workings of the postoffice have changed considerably since it was established. Older residents remember when the letters were placed in a wheel, similar to a revolving rack in which souvenir cards are displayed, so patrons could tell at a glance whether there was mail for them. Now the office is equipped with postoffice furniture made by Bourn & Had- ley Company of Templeton Center and has all the latest devices for handling first class mail, parcel post, money-orders, registered mail and all other services of a second class post- office.
BANKS
The Templeton Savings Bank, at Baldwinville, was incor- porated April 19, 1871. It was first located in one of the rooms on the second floor of the Brooks & Cady block. In 1888, the trustees voted to erect a building suitable for the bank, with rooms to let for other purposes. The building contained stores on the first floor, offices on the second floor and a large room on the third floor, which was used as a lodge room until the roof was destroyed by fire in 1918.
At the time of its incorporation, M. A. Wilson was chosen president, followed by John Murphy and William P. Hawley. Asa Hosmer was the first treasurer, succeeded by Frank Hos- mer and George Stone who served until the national merger of the banks decreed by the Government in 1933. The Gard- ner Savings Bank then purchased this bank.
The Baldwinville Cooperative Bank started business July 23, 1889, in the building of the Templeton Savings Bank. The following have served as presidents: H. M. Small, C. S. Dickinson, E. L. Thompson, C. A. Fletcher and Benjamin
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F. Stuart, Sr., who is serving at the present time (1946). Those serving as treasurer were: George E. Bryant, C. C. Spear, and Walter P. Abbott, who holds the office at present.
STORES
During the early days, before there were stores, furnishing of family supplies was combined with other business. But in 1824, Capt. Eden Baldwin built a store on the spot where Depot Road is now located. Capt. Moses Bond, who had previously kept a store at Templeton Center, carried this on for three years. Then Capt. Joseph Davis leased the store and placed it in the care of a man by the name of Valentine.
In 1840, Capt. Davis bought the store building and moved it to a site near the hotel where it now stands.
The building now occupied by the Oliver studios was erected in 1824. Joseph Raymond first carried on business there and afterward, Lee & Raymond until 1837; Lee and Morley and Lee & Lincoln were the names of the firms until 1844; then M. A. Woods & Co., until 1856. For a few years following, the store was operated by various people.
In 1870, the firm of Leland Brothers was founded, but after several years, Francis Leland severed his partnership and gave undivided attention to his store in Otter River. Louis Leland continued the business alone, except for the two terms he served in the General Court, when he left the store to the care of his son, Herbert.
After Louis Leland's death, his son, Herbert, and daughter, Harriet, continued the business for a few years, and and then the store was closed. In 1928, Walter F. Oliver bought the building and made it over into the present studio.
Since 1844, there has been a store on the site of the Cady & Brooks Block, first occupied by James Stimpson and Mark W. Ray. A protective union store was there afterwards, with
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James H. Clapp as agent. From 1861 to 1876 it was used by Sawyer, Thompson & Perley as a store and office. O. D. Sawyer kept the store for one year, and then it was carried on by Sawin & Bryant until 1880, when it burned.
It was rebuilt on a larger scale with a spacious hall on the third floor. The first floor was occupied by Dorr & Dickin- son, and Lehy and Goss. The Templeton Savings Bank and a lawyer's office were on the second floor. Fire consumed the entire structure in 1882; again it was rebuilt, with the offices, as before, on the second floor and the postoffice and two stores on the first floor. In one of these stores C. S. Dick- inson sold drugs, medicines and furnishings; and the other store, C. S. Dickinson & Co., furnished groceries and mis- cellaneous goods. When Mr. Dickinson started the furniture business on Memorial Street, the drug store was taken over by Warren Sibley. In 1917, the building was again burned. In 1918, Mr. Sibley built a one-story structure on the west side of the old site. This was occupied by the drug store, except a small room in the rear, which was used as an office by the Templeton Municipal Light Dept. The building was sold to Dwight A. Allen in 1927. Mr. Allen continued the busi- ness in the drug store until it was sold to Poirior & Gallant in 1946. As these men were not registered pharmacists, the drug business was discontinued; but the sale of patent medi- cines, ice-cream, soft drinks and toilet articles continues to the present day (1946).
The bridge over the Otter River near the fire station was first built in 1763 by Noah Merritt. A small building was erected at the South End of the bridge which was occupied for brief periods by different persons, as a shoe store, also as a grocery store. After remaining idle for a few years, fire destroyed it. Bouchman & Brassard opened a meat and gro- cery store in the Reed Block, which they operated for a few
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years and then sold to Tourigny and Trinque, now (1946) doing business under the name of the Baldwinville Cash Market.
Frank Newton and George Neal opened a grocery store in the building next to the hotel. After a time, Mr. Newton bought Mr. Neal's share, carried on the business for a few years and then closed the store. James Meegan had a meat and grocery store in this same building, and after his death, his heirs sold the business to Nickolas Karey. Mr. Karey sold to William Sterbinsky who is now (1946) operating the store under the name of Bill's Market. In 1885, James Meegan, Sr., operated a store on School Street hill; later it was taken over by his son Thomas, and then by James, Jr., who moved it to the store on Centre Street next to the hotel. L. S. Fisher operated a market on Central Street, in the base- ment of the Cady & Brooks Building in 1885. Mr. Fisher sold to Thomas J. Symons in 1891, and in 1909, Mr. Symons sold to Carter Brothers. Henry Smith operated a market in Elm Street, where the hardware store is now located. John Flis carried on a market and grocery store on Fessenden Street; Nicholas Raffa operated one on Pleasant Street and later sold to Charles Hughes who is still there (1946). Thomas Stone carried on a store where the Cash Market now stands. Mr. Stone moved his store to Maple Street, with a building of his own; and after his death the business was managed by Mrs. Stone until the land and buildings were taken over by the Government because they were in the flood area. Bryant and Perley operated a general store in the Cady & Brooks block of which John Heath later became the owner. He took on Jesse Richmond as partner, in the firm of Heath & Rich- mond. Later Mr. Richmond bought out Mr. Heath and after a few years, sold to Carter Brothers who carried on the busi- ness until the building was destroyed by fire.
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John Eyers opened a grocery store in the building now owned by the Shepardson heirs, selling the business later to C. S. Stevens. After operating there a few years, Mr. Stevens moved the store to the Lamb Block on Circle Street; and after his death, the business was carried on by his sons, Clesson and Harry, until the building and store were sold to Kenneth Colburn, who still carries on the business under the name of the Red & White Store (1946). The Great Atlantic & Pacific Stores carried on business here for a number of years, but moved from the village during World War II. The First National Stores, which have been doing business for several years in this village, are operating a self-service store on Cen- tral Street.
In his home on South Main Street, Benjamin Cummings sold stoves and carried on a repair shop. Later, the business was moved to his new home on Cottage Street, next to the Boston & Albany R. R. Also, Isaac Coleman sold carriages at his home on South Main Street. John Butler had a harness shop in a small building on Circle Street, on the site of the present Red & White Store. He sold to a man by the name of Brown, who ran the business until the store was destroyed by fire.
In 1895, H. H. Hammond built and operated a hardware store on Central Street, west of the Boston & Albany over- head bridge. After a number of years, he sold to Allen Bronsdon. Later, the Davis Hardware Company of Gardner became the owner, followed by Aldege Demers. Since the latter's death, the store, now on Elm Street, has been managed by Mrs. Demers. In this building, owned by Clifford Willis, Mason & Lawton ran a grocery store previous to its use as a hardware store; Henry Smith a meat market; Bertha Robie used it as a millinery shop; and Henry White of Winchendon rented it for a funeral parlor (also the Fletcher Funeral
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Home). The Oliver Studio occupied the building for a num- ber of years.
In the Reed block, Ayers & Mills carried on funeral parlors. Frank Newton and Charles Searls operated a bakery in the basement of the Bank Block. Also, John Heath ran a bakery in the basement of the Reed block, where the Cash Market is now located.
Under a very large elm tree, that stood in front of the old stable, where the Paine Garage now stands, was an old-fash- ioned, horse-drawn lunch cart, operated first by William Hunt, then by Gilbert Holman and others. Finally it was moved away and the old elm tree taken down.
Other lunch rooms have maintained business in the village at various times; Thomas Stone in the Reed block, Lineen's Lunch near the Boston and Albany bridge, Miner's Lunch on Central Street .. The Central Lunch, at one time on the same street, is now located on School Street hill.
In the Lamb Block on Circle Street, Mrs. Edith Peabody (now on Forest St.) had a variety store and Mrs. Nellie Tour- tellot a millinery shop.
In the little store at the west end of the bowling alley, William Miner had a hardware store, Warren Tourtellot a printing shop and Guy Squires a secondhand furniture store. At the present time (1946), Leland Greenwood has a radio shop there.
About 1890, Fred Barnett carried on a men's furnishing and shoe store in the Bank Building, where the postoffice is now located. Later, Mr. Barnett moved to Gardner.
In the building now owned by the Shepardson heirs, Charles Viall and Lee Shepardson had a printing shop; Shepardson & Parker a secondhand store, Edgar Rist an ice cream and candy store. At the present time (1946), the Shepardson Coal Co., uses it as a show room for oil ranges and oil heaters.
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BOOTS AND SHOES
The making of shoes was a most important business in the early days and has already been mentioned in the Baldwin- ville chapter.
Nicholas Rubino began repairing boots and shoes in the Reed Block in 1915. In 1921, he built a small store at the north end of the bridge and sold and repaired boots and shoes. In 1925, Mr. Rubino built an addition, enlarging his own store, making an office and salesroom on the street floor and a garage, for repairing cars, in the rear.
During the flood of 1938, the part of the building nearest the river was washed away, causing a total loss of that part of the building and of the stock. Mr. Rubino repaired the rest of the building and is still doing business there (1946).
E. Laplante began repairing boots and shoes in the small shop south of the Lamb Building (now the Colburn Bldg.). There he developed a shoe business and eventually moved to the south store in the same block. After the death of Mr. Laplante, Mrs. Laplante carried on the business for awhile; later she sold the stock and closed the store.
BARBER SHOPS
In 1880, Joseph Oakes opened a barber shop on the second floor of the Hotel Annex, and after carrying on the business for a few years alone, took his son Fred in as a partner. When Mr. Oakes retired, his son carried on the business for a num- ber of years and then sold it to William Saveall who later sold to Ted Russo, from Athol. Some of the other barber shops in the village were managed by Frank Peltier on Depot Street, Dr. C. A. Fletcher, Frank Russell and Fred Norcross on Central Street; and on the same street, George Marysz and John Wickoski are now operating barber shops. (1946).
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GREENHOUSES
In 1888, Frank Hosmer built a greenhouse where cucumbers were raised during the winter and shipped to Boston in the early spring, also to New York and other city markets where they sold for very high prices, sometimes as much as $1.50 apiece. In the greenhouse, steam was installed for heating during cold nights and stormy days. There were also two or three hives of honey bees to transplant the pollen from the false blossoms to the true cucumber blossoms.
In the next few years, other greenhouses were built by E. W. Lund, Willard Lund, Granby Lund, Gary Blodgett, Reuben Greenwood, John Putnam, Arthur Hawkes, A. L. Paine, Sumner Morley, Thomas Hobbs, Dr. W. F. Robie, Joseph Columbus, Robert Hamilton, C. H. Leath, John Bass and Charles A. Perley. These greenhouses were all made of wood and glass. Thomas J. Symons and George E. Tour- tellot, however, built them of steel and glass. All green- houses have now been dismantled except the three belonging to A. L. Paine and one owned by Thomas J. Symons. Mr. Paine raised flowers in large variety, and since his death, in 1944, Mrs. Paine has been carrying on the business. Mr. Symon's greenhouse is now owned by Phillipo Di Virgilio who raises cucumbers and tomatoes.
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