USA > Maine > Franklin County > Industry > A history of the town of Industry, Franklin County, Maine > Part 15
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+ Elbridge H. Rackliff informs the writer that " Mr Cornforth purchased a set of black buhr-stones for grinding wheat. They had been imported from France by a gentleman who being unable to find a bolt of suitable fineness was obliged to sell them. Mr. Cornforth was more fortunate in that respect, however, and when set up in his mill they worked to a charm."
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to run it night and day to accommodate its patrons. Somc idea of the extent of the business done can be gained from the fact that in 1837 the town produced 6,078 bushels of wheat. Allowing five bushels of wheat to make a barrel of flour, and that one barrel per year was consumed by each inhabitant, there would be a net surplus of 199 3-5 barrels. Mr. Corn- forth sold his mill to Asa M. Manter, then of Parkman, Oct. 28, 1845. Mr. Manter made extensive improvements during his ownership, including the refitting of the mill with buhr-stones in the summer of 1848. Jan. 2, 1850, Mr. Manter sold a half interest in the mill to his brother, Zebulon Manter, Jr., and together they owned it for a period of over six years. The Manter Bros. did not operate the mill personally during their entire ownership, but employed Deacon Ephraim Heald a por- tion of the time. At length Zebulon re-sold his interest to Asa M., who in turn sold, on March 24, 1856, to Hazen Black, an experienced miller from Fairfield, Mc. Mr. Black had as a partner a man by the name of Bray.
George Cutts, of New Portland, was the next owner of this mill, purchasing it of Black and Bray, March 10, 1858. Mr. Cutts did not operate the mill himself, but placed it in charge of his son-in-law, J. Warren Vaughan, who subsequently, on the 28th day of September, 1859, purchased a half interest of Mr. Cutts. Two days prior to the forenamed date, Samuel R. Allen had purchased of Mr. Cutts a half interest in the same property, and after a brief ownership, Mr. Vaughan also sold out to Mr. Allen. Up to this time the motive power of the mill had been a twenty-foot overshot wheel. While in the possession of Mr. Allen, the main shaft of the water-wheel broke, and a turbine wheel, known as Gould's Patent, was substituted. This wheel, being improperly geared, did not work well at first; but in the spring of 1861 it was re-geared by Hazen Black, who purchased the property in company with Oliver Stevens. They also added a new run of stones for grinding feed, and made other improve- ments. In the winter of 1863, George W. Johnson and Albert Shaw bought Mr. Black's interest in the mill and Leonard Viles
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operated it, probably as lessee, for a period of nearly two years .* Hiram Oliver, the present owner, purchased Mr. Stevens's inter- est Nov. 14, 1865, and some twenty years later the other half, which had been severally owned by Albert Shaw, Eli N. Oliver, and James M. Norton.
About the same time or soon after Captain West built his mills, Elisha Lumbert built a saw-mill on a small stream which flowed through the western part of the New Vineyard Gore. In the lower part of this mill were the requisite conveniences for grinding corn and wheat. The flour was separated from the bran, after the wheat was ground, by passing it through a bolt turned by hand power. These mills were afterwards owned by Levi Y. Lumbert, and still later by Nathan Cutler. They were carried away by a freshet about 1830 and were rebuilt by Mr. Cutler and sons. After a few years the patronage began to change from these to other mills, and they were torn down prior to 1850.
Rufus Davis, a son-in-law of Joseph Smith, built a grist and saw-mill at the outlet of Clear Water Pond in 1804.t He be- gan operations by building a dam at the outlet of the pond and another across the stream, some rods below the first, on which was located his mill. The building contained a saw-mill and one run of stones for grinding grain. The motive power for this mill was furnished by a huge undershot wheel fully fifteen feet in diameter. The late Rev. John Allen once related to the author how a man fell into the flume, when this mill was running, passed with the water through the wheel and came out below safe and sound.
* It was during this period that a peculiarly sad accident occurred to a son of Joseph B. Viles. When the old overshot wheel was replaced by a Gould wheel the vertical iron wheel-shaft was extended through the main floor to the loft above. On the main floor this shaft had never been covered. One rainy day while Mr. Viles was grinding, his grandson came into the mill. In some way his wel sleeve was caught by the swiftly revolving shaft and before the wheel could be stopped his arm had been torn from his body and other injuries of a serious nature sustained. Physicians were summoned at once, but their skill was of no avail and he died July -, 1864, a few hours after the accident.
+ See Allen's History of Industry, p. 21.
# Mr. Davis likewise built a dwelling-house near his mill, concerning the raising of which, Rev. John Allen once wrote the author: "I was present when Rufus
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James Gower came to Industry from Farmington about 1812 and bought Mr. Davis's property. He replaced the wooden dam at the outlet of the pond by a substantial stone one, and re-built the grist-mill with two sets of stones .* He sold his property to Newman T. Allen, June 6, 1822. Mr. Allen was a practical millwright, and after successfully operating the mill for nearly three years, sold to his brother, Benjamin Allen. This gentleman operated the mill for a long term of years, re- ceiving a liberal patronage not only from the inhabitants of Industry, but likewise from those of Farmington and New Sharon. Forming a co-partnership with his brother, of whom he bought the property, the mill was thoroughly repaired and buhr-stones added. After the death of his brother, Captain Newman T. Allen, Benjamin continued to operate the grist-mill until he sold out and moved to New Sharon, in the spring of 1864. Amos S. Hinkley eventually became the owner of this mill, and sold it with his other property to Holman Johnson & Sons, of Wayne. About 1872 the machinery was taken out of the mill and a portion carried to Wayne.
Capt. John Thompson built a saw-mill in 1805,f which also
Davis had a small one-story dwelling-house raised by only himself and my father. When they raised the broadsides my brother Harrison and I (then small boys) each held the foot of a post with bars. A hard lift they had, but as both were strong men, the frame went up."
Rev. John Allen.
Says Truman A. Allen : "A saw-mill was built at an early day half-way between the grist-mill and the road. This mill was burned, for I have seen the charred timbers at times when the waters of the mill-pond were drawn off." The writer is of the opinion that the mill here referred to was the old Rufus Davis saw and grist-mill, and that the one above mentioned was built to replace it.
Charles Augustus Allen (born 1830), son of Capt. Newman T. Allen, takes exceptions to the foregoing statement of Truman A. Allen (born 1810), and most emphatically declares it to be incorrect. Charles A. positively states that there never was a mill between the grist-mill owned for many years by his father and uncle (Benjamin) and the road, but that there are traces of an old dam below the grist- mill. In correspondence with Truman A. Allen relative to this matter, the writer prepared a diagram of the mills and dams as they now exist and sent it to Mr. Allen, requesting him to locate thereon the burned mill. This he did very readily, and described all the surroundings so clearly and minutely as to leave little chance for doubt as to the correctness of his recollections.
t Allen's History of Industry.
MILLS AND MANUFACTURING. 173
contained a run of stones for grinding grain. This mill was situated near the Stark line on a small stream that flowed through lot No. 53, where Captain Thompson had previously settled. By flowing a large meadow lying in a westerly direc- tion from the mill, an abundant supply of water was obtained. For a time this mill was fairly patronized, and it was here that much of the lumber for the first meeting-house erected in town was sawed; but it eventually fell into disuse and has long since been demolished. A saw-mill was erected at Allen's Mills on the site of the one now ( 1892) owned by John P. Rackliff, probably in 1820 or earlier. The exact date of its erection, as well as the name of its builders, is shrouded with a degree of uncertainty, notwithstanding the most diligent research of the writer. In a letter to the author, Truman A. Allen, of Vine- yard Haven, Mass., says : " Possibly James Gower and Rufus Allen built the saw-mill below the grist-mill. It was run a year or more by strangers at my earliest recollection. After- wards James Gower's sons ran it for a time, and then Rufus Allen took it. He ran it long enough to saw off one of his fingers, and later he fell out the lower end of the mill. His fall was somewhat broken by a pile of slabs, from which he rolled down on to the rocks below and into the water. This fall put an end to his sawing logs, for he received such a shak- ing up that he never fully recovered from the shock."* Benja- min and Newman T. Allen eventually became sole owners of the mill, and by them it was re-built about 1837. Later it was repaired by Newman T. Allen, who adjusted the saw to run at a very high rate of speed. Capt. Newman T. Allen died in the
* Rev. John Allen wrote the author some years prior to his death that "The Allens made some improvements on the grist-mill and built a dam and saw-mill below it." If Elder Allen's statement is correct it was probably Rufus Allen and sons who built this mill, instead of James Gower and Rufus Allen as suggested by Truman A. Allen. Rufus Jennings, who purchased a fulling and carding-mill at Allen's Mills in 1825, once told the writer that when he came to town James Gower and Rufus Allen owned the saw-mill referred to, and that to the best of his recollections it was built by them. As Mr. Jennings memory was not very clear on this point the writer is inclined to favor Rev. John Allen's statements, he being fifteen years the senior of Truman A. Allen and four years older than Mr. Jennings. Beside, the latter was not very intimately acquainted with the history of the village prior to 1825.
22
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fall of 1855, and in settling his estate his interest in the saw-mill fell to his sons, Samuel R. and Charles A. Allen. Oct. 13, 1859, Samuel R. Allen, having previously purchased his brother's interest, sold out to Charles S. Prince, of Industry. March 15, 1859, previous to Mr. Prince's purchasing an interest in the mill, Tobias C. Walton bought Benjamin Allen's share of the property. Mr. Prince sold out to Mr. Walton, after a part- nership of nearly four years, and the latter became sole owner of the property. A year later he sold to Amos S. Hinkley, who had recently moved into town and was manufacturing shovel-handles in the old starch-factory. Mr. Hinkley kept the mill about four years and sold to Oliver and Bryce H. Waugh, of Stark. These gentlemen at once took possession of the mill, put it in good order and were well patronized for a time. Aug. 29, 1873, Oliver Waugh bought his son's interest and continued the business for a period of over ten years. He was not successful, however, in operating the mill alone, and failed to retain the generous patronage accorded the father and son .* In September, 1875, John P. Rackliff, who had been engaged in manufacturing wheel-hubs in Stark, came to Industry and set up his machinery in the old tannery at Allen's Mills. After making hubs for three years, he engaged in the manufacture of packing-boxes for canned sweet-corn, disbursing for labor and material between eight and nine hundred dollars the first sca- son. He continued the business there until the fall of 1883, readily selling all the boxes he could make. He purchased of Oliver Waugh the saw-mill previously mentioned, Nov. 8, 1883. In March following he purchased and set a forty-horse-power Chase turbine wheel to supplement the power furnished by a Gould wheel already in the mill. He also bought and set up a twenty-five-foot Ricker board-machine, and soon after built a box-mill, 24 x 50 fect, to connect with his saw-mill. The next year he added to his already finely equipped mill, one of
* The senior member of this firm, after gaining sole possession of the mill, in addition to his custom sawing, associated himself with J. William Patten, and for some years manufactured brush-blocks, trunk-cleats and dowels, doing quite a busi- ness, especially in the manufacture of the last named article.
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Ricker's self-feeding box-board machines and also a twenty-four- inch planer. In the spring of 1888, he further added to the value of his mill by the introduction of an improved upright shingle-machine. Mr. Rackliff now has one of the best ap- pointed mills to be found in any country town. He saws about 200 M. of long lumber and 250 M. of shingles per year, sawing annually, in addition to this, some fifty cords of white birch into spool stock. In the fall of 1891 he manufactured at his shop 17,000 boxes and crates for canned corn and apple. The present season ( 1892) he has bought 118 cords of poplar, and anticipates a busy time the coming fall. He pays the farmers $3.50 per cord for poplar delivered at his mill.
In the summer of 1825 or 1826,* Esquire Peter West, hav- ing previously disposed of the mill built by his father, erected a saw-mill about seventy-five rods below the grist-mill at West's Mills. His brother-in-law, Henry Manter, was an equal partner with him in this enterprise. The mill was afterwards owned by numerous individuals, several of whom purchased only an eighth interest. A blacksmith by the name of Freeman at one time leased the mill and set up a forge and trip-hammer in it, for the manufacture of axes. Owing to financial difficulties he suspended business after a short time and soon left town. Esquire West retained his interest in the mill up to near the time of his death. In the process of time the mill became the property of Col. Benjamin Luce, and was carried away by a freshet in 1847.1
Nathaniel M. Davis built a clover-mill in 1837, on the farm which he inherited from his father, Capt. David Davis. Col. Joseph Fairbanks, having purchased the mill privilege at what is now Fairbanks Mills, in Farmington, erected a grist- mill in 1807, and soon after purchased the right to flow a small pond on the Gore and constructed a dam at its outlet. Mr. Davis purchased this right of flowage to furnish the required power for his clover-mill. He greatly improved his property by building a stone dam in place of the wooden one, as well as
* Authority of George, son of Henry Manter.
t Authority of Mrs. John II. Viles, daughter of Col. Peter A. West.
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by other improvements. Mr. Davis lost his life in this mill, Oct. 9, 1843 .* Soon after this the mill, with the farm and other property, was purchased by Alexander Hillman. The mill was carried off by a freshet in 1850, and Mr. Hillman soon after built a saw-mill on the same site, which was for many years in successful operation. t
In the fall of 1844 William Cornforth, Albert and Daniel Shaw, Jr.,# having torn down the old mill built by Esq. Daniel Shaw in 1820, began laying the foundation for a new mill. The stone work was done in a most thorough and substantial manner, and though it has been standing more than forty-seven years, is to all appearances as solid as on the day of its com- pletion. During the summer of 1845 the mill was built and put in operation, and for many years it received a large patron- age. Albert Shaw bought his brother's share, after the mill had been built some years, and ever after owned a half interest in the property. William Cornforth, Sr., sold his half of the mill to his son Bateman, April 28, 1858. The mill was not
* A singular circumstance in relation to the finding of Mr. Davis's body, as well as the facts concerning his death, seem worthy of record in these pages: Below the main floor of the mill was a horizontal shaft with a crank at one end. Just previous to Mr. Davis's death workmen had repaired the mill, and in keying the sweep to this crank had allowed the head of the key to project a considerable distance. The bear- ings of the shaft sometimes became unduly heated when the mill was in operation and required constant watching. On the day of his death the mill was in charge of an employee and it is supposed that Mr. Davis went below to examine the bearings of the shaft as was his custom. In the darkness he failed to see the projecting key on the rapidly moving sweep, and in reaching for the journal was struck on the head and killed. That night as soon as he was missed search was made, but no one seemed to know in what direction to look for the missing man. After a fruitless search, the neighbors returned home for a little rest, agreeing to meet on the morrow and continue the search. On re-assembling in the morning, Capt. Clifford B. Norton in discussing the matter, casually remarked that last night he had dreamed where the body of Mr. Davis lay, and then added, "to dispel the illusion and prove the fallacy of dreams, I am going to that spot." Imagine the surprise of Captain Norton when, on reaching the dark basement of the mill and putting his hand where he had dreamed the body lay, to find his dream veritable reality.
+ This mill, which had not been used for several years, was taken down April 25, 1891, and the timber used for other purposes.
# Albert and Daniel Shaw, Jr., came into possession of a half interest in this property by a deed from their father bearing date June 17, 1834.
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usually operated by the owners, but was leased to parties skilled in the business.
David Ilatch bought Cornforth's interest in the mill March 16, 1866. When the mill came into Mr. Hatch's possession extensive repairs were in progress, and the next fall a machine was purchased and shingle-sawing was added to the business of the mill. Mr. Hatch continued to operate the mill in company with Albert Shaw until the summer of 1868, when he sold out to John E. Johnson. Samuel R. Allen purchased the prop- erty immediately after it came into Johnson's possession, and during the summer and fall rebuilt the flume and undergear of the mill in a most thorough and substantial manner. He sold, Aug. 5, 1870, to Eli N. Oliver, a practical millwright, who had recently moved into town from Stark. Nov. 6, 1870, Mr. Oliver purchased the other half of the property of the heirs of Albert Shaw, and thus became sole owner of the mill. Two years later Thomas M. Oliver bought the mill, and it was operated for many years by his brother-in-law, John W. Frederic. The mill was purchased in the fall of 1884 by Eugene L. Smith and George F. Lovejoy, its present owners. These gentlemen made some repairs on their property in the spring, and the following autumn they purchased and set up one of Harvey Scribner's upright shingle-machines, which they had in operation by the middle of November, 1885. Having secured a contract for spool stock, Messrs. Smith & Lovejoy began to buy white birch for its manufacture carly in the winter of 1889, and during the season purchased upward of 100 cords. Purchasing the neces- sary machinery, they have continued to make this a branch of their business down to the present time. They purchased and set a powerful Gould water-wheel in the fall of 1889, and in the spring of 1890 they added to their mill one of Ricker's rotary board-machines, having previously rebuilt the entire running gear in a most thorough and substantial manner. They now saw about 100 M. of long lumber and 125 M. shingles, beside a large quantity of white birch and poplar each season. Recently they have done something in the line of sawing staves and bobbin stock.
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Without doubt the first shingle-machine brought into the town was set up in the saw-mill at Allen's Mills in 1843, and operated by Capt. Newman T. Allen. Then such a machine was a great curiosity and its productions one of the novelties of the day.
In the summer of 1848 John W. Frederic and Samuel D. Luce rebuilt the dam of the saw-mill, built by Esquire West and Henry Manter (see p. 175), and having constructed a suit- able building for a shingle-mill, purchased in Augusta, Me., a Johnson Machine which they immediately set up in the building. This was the first shingle-machine ever operated at West's Mills. After passing through numerous hands it at length became the property of David Merry. The mill and a larger part of the dam were carried off in a freshet in the fall of 1855 .* The mill was rebuilt about 1858 by David Merry and John W. Frederic. John Smith succeeded Mr. Merry as owner of the mill. After operating it a few years, the flume and a portion of the dam was carried off by a freshet in the fall of 1866. He then sold the machinery to Albert Shaw and David Hatch, and it was set up in the saw-mill where it was successfully operated for a number of years. It was supplanted by a greatly improved machine in the fall of 1885.
John Brown, 2d, and Isaac Daggett purchased a shingle- machine of Carpenter Winslow, Nov. 5, 1847, which they set up on a small stream just south of the John T. Daggett farm in the north part of the town. In consequence of the limited supply of water, this mill could be operated only during the early spring and after the fall rains. Not finding the enter- prise a profitable one, the machinery was moved elsewhere after a few years.
CARDING AND FULLING-MILLS.
In the home of the early settler in Industry many kinds of work were done with which the housewife of the present day is
* This freshet, which occurred Oct. 13, 1855, had not, it was said, been equalled for fifty years. The "long bridge " at West's Mills was swept away, as well as the shingle-mill and much other property along the course of the stream.
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wholly unacquainted. Then every farmer kept at least a few sheep and sowed a piece of flax, and from these sources the wearing apparel of the family was derived. Then the carding, spinning, weaving, dyeing, cutting and making were all done by the skillful hand of the industrious wife and mother. As the people began to emerge from the poverty and want incident to every new settlement, a gradual change dawned on the inhabi- tants. Vast tracts of forest had gradually yielded to the sturdy strokes of the settler's axe, and the land been converted into grass-bearing fields. As a matter of course, more hay was cut, and more neat stock and larger flocks of sheep could be kept. The increase in the amount of wool now produced ne- cessitated the introduction of a carding-machine and the estab- lishing of a mill for fulling, dyeing and dressing cloth. James Gower built a fulling-mill about 1818 at the outlet of Clear Water Pond, just below his grist-mill and nearly opposite where John P. Rackliff's saw-mill now ( 1892) stands. The writer regrets that he has been unable to fix the date of its erection more definitely. It was undoubtedly operated by Samuel Gower, a younger brother of James, who had previously learned the business. Dec. 25, 1820, James Gower sold his fulling-mill to Samuel Pierce, of Malta, now ( 1892) Windsor, Mainc. This mill either contained a carding-machine when Mr. Pierce bought it, or else one was set up soon after the property came into his possession. The building, together with lot No. 84, comprising the farm now occupied by D. Collins Luce, was purchased, Jan. 23, 1824, by Rufus Jennings, of Farmington, Pierce, who was a skillful clothier, reserving all the machinery. Mr. Jennings refitted the mill with new machinery and after an ownership of two years sold the fulling-mill to Eben Willard, of New Portland, but reserved the carding- machine and the room it occupied. Mr. Willard resold to Jennings, Aug. 9, 1830, who afterwards conducted the whole business. He had a large patronage and two sets of cards were run night and day during the busiest part of the season, and the fulling-mill was frequently operated six months in the year. Samuel Gower was a clothier, and Mr. Jennings often
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employed him to take charge of his fulling-mill. Cyprian Bis- bee operated the mill several years prior to 1836, and it may have been operated by John Folsom and others at different periods.
William Cornforth, a clothier by trade, erected a building, connected with Esq. West's grist-mill, in 1818, in which to full, dye and dress cloth. The necessary motive power was obtained from the water-wheel of the grist-mill. He also set up a card- ing-machine, and wool-carding became an important branch of his business. He purchased the grist-mill in the winter of 1835, and immediately rebuilt it with spacious apartments for his carding-machine and dye works .* He operated his mill some nine years after rebuilding, and then sold his fulling-mill, June 6, 1844, to his son, George Cornforth, and at the same time leased him the carding-machine for a term of years. George Cornforth operated the mill a few years and then abandoned the business, and the mill was eventually converted to other uses.
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