USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Harpswell > History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine, including the ancient territory known as Pejepscot > Part 55
USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Brunswick > History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine, including the ancient territory known as Pejepscot > Part 55
USA > Maine > Sagadahoc County > Topsham > History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine, including the ancient territory known as Pejepscot > Part 55
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In 1817, and previously, John A. Dunning had a brick-yard at the upper carrying-place. In 1830 there was a brick-yard at Mair Point. In 1840, and previously, Forsaith & Williston had a yard on Noble Street, near Union Street. In 1855, and subsequently, Owen & McManus carried on the business near the end of the lower railroad bridge. In 1857, J. W. Owen and John A. Cleaveland had a yard at Oak Hill, and Theodore S. Mclellan had one on the new Harpswell road, about half a mile below the colleges. The latter yard was kept in operation until 1870, when Mr. Mclellan established his present yard on Federal Street. The business appears to have been the most extensively carried on in 1857, at which time there were three yards in operation. The three together turned out in that year about 700,000 bricks.
CARPET-MAKING. - In 1829, Mr. Robert Pender, " formerly from one of the first factories in Scotland, but recently from the Somers- worth Factory," commenced the manufacture of ingrain carpeting, on Bow Street, " from the most fashionable patterns imported."
The advertisement from which the above is taken goes on to state that " his machinery is on the most approved model, and figures of any kind can be woven to suit the fancy of his employers. Persons wishing to have carpeting woven, by sending to the factory the yarn well scoured and colored can have the same weight of carpeting returned."
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COMMERCIAL HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK.
It is said by those who remember this carpet factory that it proved unsuccessful, and that probably not more than one or two carpets were made here. and the experiment was soon abandoned.
CLOCK, WATCH, AND JEWELRY ESTABLISHMENTS. - The first manu- facturer of clocks and watches and dealer in jewelry in this vicinity was a Mr. Bisbee, who carried on this business about 1798, and for quite a number of years later. He was a very cunning artificer. His shop was on Mill Street, a short distance west of Bow Street. Ilis sign was a carved figure of a horse with a black boy upon it, with a whip in his hands. When the hour was to be announced, the boy would strike the horse and the latter would kick the bell with his heels. It was a curious piece of mechanism. Subsequent to 1802 his shop stood where Andrew Campbell's store now stands, on the corner of Maine and Lincoln Streets.
About 1805, Robert Eastman established himself in the clock-making business, with James Cary, Junior, as an apprentice. In 1806, Mr. Eastman took Mr. Cary into the business as partner, under the style of Eastman & Cary.
Mrs. J. D. Lamb has in her possession a large standing clock which was made by this firm in 1806, the cost of which was eighty dollars. It has never had any repairs made to it excepting new cords for the weights twice, and it is now, as it ever has been, an excellent time- keeper.
About 1809, Mr. Eastman sold out to Mr. Cary, who carried on the business in all its branches for many years. He was an honest, con- scientious workman and trader, and was highly esteemed.
In this connection it will not be improper to speak of one of the most important improvements ever made in the manufacture of watches, and to give a brief sketch of the inventor.
AARON L. DENNISON, the inventor of machine-mude watches, was born in Freeport in 1812. . His father, Andrew Dennison, moved to Topshamn in 1818, and to Brunswick in 1824. Aaron, when quite young, displayed a mechanical turn of mind and much ingenuity in the use of his jack-knife. At an early age he would leave his youth- ful playmates and steal away to the shop of James Cary and ask per- mission to be allowed to help repair clocks and watches. In 1830 he was received into Mr. Cary's shop as an apprentice. After he had served his time he went to Boston, where he soon become conspicuous among the finished mechanicians of that metropolis.
It was during the years of his laborions life in Boston that Aaron Dennison evolved a plan for making the works of watches by machin-
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
ery, and with such accuracy and uniformity that any given part of one watch should be identical with the same part of every other, or what he called the interchangeable plan. As early as 1840, Mr. Dennison had so fully matured his plan, and was so confident of its practica- bility, that he predicted to a friend " that within twenty years the manufacture of watches would be reduced to as perfect a system as the manufacture of fire-arms at the Springfield Armory." In 1849, Mr. Dennison, in conjunction with Messrs. Howard & Davis and Samuel Curtis of Boston, established the first watch factory, "The Boston Watch Company," at East Roxbury, Massachusetts. In 1854 the works were moved to Waltham. The Waltham Watch Factory is too well known to need any description here, which would indeed be out of place. The foregoing account, however, of its founder, is due to the master workman of whom he learned his trade and to the town in which his parents and connections have so long lived.
FOUNDRIES. - For four or five years, about 1812, Peter O. Alden, Esquire, had an iron foundry in the rear of the lot now occupied by the new meeting-house of the Free-Will Baptist society, on O'Brien Street. The United States government sent disabled cannon to this foundry, and they were cast into shot, most of which were sent to Port- land for use in the war of 1812-14.
In 1827 there was a copper and brass foundry carried on by Paul Powers near the present cotton-mill of the Cabot Company. In 1834, Mr. Powers moved his business to the head of the cove, where he continued for some years.
In 1836, G. & H. Earle had an iron foundry, which was situated on the bank of the river, a short distance east of the Shad Island bridge. They were succeeded by Charles J. Noyes. The river-wall of the foundation is still to be seen.
In 1844, J. Colbath had a foundry in the rear of the vacant space between Scribner's flour-mill and Purington's machine-shop.
GAS MANUFACTURE. - The Brunswick Gas-Light Company was incorporated April 4, 1854. The corporators were Adam Lemont, J. D. Simmons, Rodney Forsaith, Nathaniel T. Palmer, A. J. Stone, A. B. Thompson, William H. Hall, and J. W. Forsaith. The first meeting was held October 4, 1856, at the Tontine Hotel, and ad- journed from time to time without transacting any business, until the year 1859. At that time the Cabot Manufacturing Company were building gas-works for their own use, and the Brunswick Gas-Light Company made a contract with them to furnish the amount of gas needed. They have continued to furnish it up to the present time.
571
, COMMERCIAL HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK.
At the annual meeting in 1859, Benjamin Greene, Benjamin Furbish, John D. Lincoln, Charles J. Gilman, and Samuel R. JJackson were chosen directors. Benjamin Greene was chosen president, and B. G. Dennison, secretary, treasurer, and superintendent. In the fall of 1859, pipes were laid from the factory up Maine Street as far as Pleasant Street. In the summer of 1868 they were extended to the colleges, passing the east side of the Mall. The citizens began using gas January 1. 1860, and the first street-lamp was lighted about 1864.
LIME QUARRY. - Robert Jordan built the first lime-kil at New Meadows about 1800. It is the same one now in use. Its capacity is about one hundred and seventy-five casks. In 1820 there were 1,500 hogsheads of lime manufactured there. The last burnt was used in the construction of Lemont Hall in 1870 or 1871. This kiln has sometimes been run the whole season, from April to December, by Mr. Isaiah Jordan, the present owner of the quarry.
MACHINE-SHOPS. - In 1827, and for some years previous, Robert Eastman and - - Jaquith had a machine-shop next to the bridge, where the pulp-mill is now situated. About the same time Nahum Houghton established a shop where Scribner's flour-mill now is, and continued the business there for some years, as late certainly as 1836. l'urington's machine-shop was established in 1872.
MATCH-FACTORY. - In about the year 1849 the manufacture of matches and match-boxes was begun in a mill on Shad Island, by B. E. Parkhurst, who continued the business until 1854, when the mill was destroyed by fire. The matches were sawed at this mill, and were then sent to Boston, where they were dipped and prepared for market.
MUSTARD-MILL. - About the year 1830, J. C. Humphreys established what was known as the MAINE MUSTARD-MILL, using for the purpose the upper part of his saw-mill in the Cove. For ten or twelve years he did an extensive business in this branch of industry, and the mus- tard from his mill enjoyed an almost national fame. The mill was burned in 1842, and General Humphreys then abandoned the business.
OIL-MILL. - In 1820 a mill was erected near the factory for express- ing linseed oil. It probably existed but for a short time, as some of the older citizens of the town have no remembrance of it.
PAIL MANUFACTORY. - In 1825, and for three or four years subse- quently, Nahum Houghton and William Chase manufactured water- pails at the end of the toll-bridge, where Scribner's flour-mill now stands. J. C. Humphreys carried on the same business for a year or two from 1835.
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
PAPER-BOX MANUFACTORIES. - The manufacture of jewelry boxes originated in this town by the Dennison family. The originator of the enterprise was Aaron L. Dennison, of Boston, and formerly of Brunswick. In 1843 he kept a jewelry store on Washington Street, Boston. At that time a few paper boxes were used to pack nice jew- elry in, but no supply could be had, and the few used were made to order. The idea of manufacturing these boxes in considerable quan- tities occurred to Mr. Dennison, and was soon put in practice. The only method then known of making such boxes was by scoring the pasteboard half through with a sharp-pointed knife and a pair of com- mon shears. To profitably make such work in large quantities a more expeditious method was needed, and Mr. Dennison therefore impro- vised two machines to take the place of the ordinary knife and shears. He afterwards invented a machine that would do all the work at one time. This machine was patented, and is the standard one in use for all such work at the present time. The business commenced in 1843 by Mr. Dennison sending some rude machinery and a small stock of paper, with the necessary instructions, to his father, Colonel Andrew Denni- son, of Brunswick. The business at first employed from three to five persons, but ten years later as many as twenty-five persons. In 1855, Colonel Dennison sold out to his youngest son, E. W. Dennison, then in the jewelry business in Boston, and the manufacture was then moved to Newton, Massachusetts. In the year 1863 a part of the work was returned to Brunswick and placed under the superintendence of Mrs. M. D. Swift, a sister of E. W. Dennison. In 1867, Mr. Dennison deemed it expedient to make a finer grade of goods than was ever before made, and Brunswick was selected as the best place in which to carry on the work. His nephew, B. L. Dennison, was appointed superintendent, and the business was commenced and carried on sepa- rate from any other. Many improvements were made by the new superintendent, the most important of which was the invention of a machine to make cushions for ring-boxes. This fine work depart- inent employed, at first, about ten hands, and in five years twenty-five hands. In 1872 the Dunlap Block was purchased and enlarged to a sufficient capacity to accommodate one hundred workmen, and the Newton factory was moved to it.
In 1875, B. L. Dennison commenced the manufacture of boxes, taking with him, in the business, Mr. C. J. Perkins, of Portland. This firm of Dennison & Perkins gives employment to twenty-five or thirty persons. The amount paid for labor alone, in this industry, in Brunswick, may be safely estimated as high as $25,000 per year.
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COMMERCIAL HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK.
The annual number of boxes manufactured is said to average over one hundred gross per day for three hundred days in the year, or, in round numbers, 4,500,000 boxes per year.
PAPER STAINING MANUFACTORY. - About the year 1820, and for several years subsequently, Mr. William Snowdon carried on the busi- ness of staining, or printing, wall papers, in a building which stood a short distance south of the college grounds.
PLOUGH MANUFACTORY. - In 1850. Silas Goddard commenced the manufacture of steel and iron ploughs, cultivators, etc., at the God- dard homestead. at the extreme western part of Brunswick. The manufacture has been continued to the present time, and some excel- lent work has been turned out.
PULP MANUFACTORY. - The Androscoggin Pulp Company was in- corporated in September, 1870, for the manufacture of wood pulp, box boards, and card middles. The stockholders then were: Sam- uel R. Jackson, of Brunswick ; S. A. Perkins, F. A. Hussey, of Topsham ; E. B. Dennison, and C. D. Brown, then of Yarmouth. The capital stock was $6,000. The officers were S. R. Jackson, president. and E. B. Dennison, secretary and treasurer. They com- menced the manufacture of wood pulp in the fall of 1871, in Tops- ham, but removed to the Brunswick side of the river in the fall of 1872. The present capital of the company is $60,000. William A. Russell, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, is president, and E. B. Dennison, of Portland, is the secretary and treasurer. From forty to fifty workmen are employed in the manufacture of wood pulp and wood- pulp boards, both of which are shipped all over the country. There are several mills in different parts of the State, which are operated under a license from this company.
SALT WORKS. - During the war of the Revolution, and down to the close of the war of 1812, salt was manufactured at the New Mead- ows River. Benjamin Shaw,1 of Roxbury, Massachusetts, and John Bakeman,2 of Castine, were engaged in the business at New Meadows during the Revolution.
SOAP FACTORY. - In 1820 there was a manufactory of soap in the Cove, carried on by Dean Swift, at which 12,000 pounds of hard soap was annually made, and shipped to the West Indies. In 1874, and for a few years previously, Levi F. Andrews had a similar factory in East Brunswick, and L. H. Bryant now carries on the business a short distance from the village, on the road to Bath.
1 History of Gardiner, p. 137.
2 History of Castine, etc., p. 199.
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSIIAM, AND HARPSWELL.
SUSPENDER FACTORY. - In September, 1867, Edwin H. Thompson and William H. Stanwood commenced the manufacture of suspenders with metallic springs. The business did not prove sufficiently remu- nerative to be long continued.
TOOL MANUFACTORIES. - For five or six years, about 1844, Mr. E. Hazen carried on the business of manufacturing hammers, and pro- duced some excellent articles. In 1854, J. P. Storer manufactured ship-joiners' and spar-makers' tools, and in 1856 he added to it the manufacture of planes.
OTHER INDUSTRIES. - It is not at all probable that all the various branches of industry that have from time to time been carried on in this town have been specified, or that all the parties have been named who have been engaged in those pursuits which have been mentioned. Enough has been given, however, to show that the town will compare favorably. in respect to its trade and manufactures, with other towns of its size in this State. It will, moreover, be seen that, though the loca- tion of Bowdoin College in Brunswick has been, in various ways, a great and undoubted benefit to the town, yet the statement so often made, that the college supports the town, is untruc.
In ante-revolutionary times the principal business here, besides farming and fishing, was the shipping of wood to Boston. A great deal of it went from Bunganock Bay. At one time during that period, a vessel took over ninety cords. The price here was from 3s. 9d. to 4s. Gd. per cord, and it brought in Boston from two dollars to two dollars and fifty cents per cord. At that time bark was worth here 9s., and at Boston three dollars.
During old colonial times, especially between 1766 and 1776, when the Province of Maine was under the control of the crown officers of Massachusetts, all trees suitable for masts for the royal navy were, by royal decree, held to be the property of the crown, and commissioners were appointed by the king to look after their preservation. This interfered seriously with the profits of the settlers, as it was the cus- tom of the commissioners to put the royal mark on all the good timber, leaving only the poorer stuff for those who in reality, perhaps, had the most equitable right to the best. As a natural consequence the set- tlers paid comparatively little attention to the royal decree, and cut the wood as they pleased. This brought about frequent collisions between them and the officers of the crown. Such was the state of affairs in the Province of Maine generally, and it is fairly presuma- ble that the citizens of this town and vicinity shared in these troubles, though no mention of such fact has been found.
575
COMMERCIAL HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK.
BANKS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES.
In January, 1822, Abner Bourne and others petitioned the legisla- ture for incorporation as a bank. The Act incorporating them was passed. and in 1825 the UNION BANK, of Brunswick, went into opera- tion. David Dunlap was the first president, and Ebenezer Everett the cashier. The latter served in the same capacity, with great accept- ance, for fourteen years, and was then succeeded by Joseph McKeen, who served until the affairs of the bank were wound up. Mr. Dunlap resigned some time before his decease, in 1843, and was succeeded by Major William Frost, of Topsham.
The BRUNSWICK BANK went into operation August 15, 1836, and the bank building was erected that year. Richard T. Dunlap was the first president, and Moses E. Woodman the cashier. The directors were Richard T. Dunlap, George F. Richardson, Alfred J. Stone, John C. Humphreys, and Gardiner Green. Mr. Woodman held the office of cashier until 1839, when he resigned in consequence of ill healthı. He was succeeded by Phineas Barnes, who resigned in 1841. and was succeeded by Augustus C. Robbins. The latter served from November 1, 1841, until December 31, 1850, and was then succeeded by John Rogers, who remained until the closing up of the bank in 1857. The capital stock of this bank was $75,000, fifty per cent being paid at the outset.
THE SECOND UNION BANK received its charter in July, 1850, and commenced operations January 1, 1851. Joseph McKeen, Esq., was its president to October 14, 1863, and was succeeded by Adam Lemont, who served until the closing of the bank in 1865. Augustus C. Robbins was cashier from the opening of the bank to September 9. 1857. He was succeeded by Bartlett Adams, who served until July 1, 1865, at which time the bank was changed to a national bank. The capital stock was, up to May 1, 1858, $100,000. After the latter date it was $50.000.
The MAINE BANK was incorporated April 22, 1857, and went into operation on the eighteenth of June. Its capital stock was $50,000. Samuel R. Jackson served as president from June 18, 1857, to Decem- ber 9. 1862, and again from October 19, 1863, to December 17, 1863. Nathaniel T. Palmer was president from December 9, 1862, to October 19, 1863. Augustus C. Robbins was cashier from June 18, 1857, to November 1, 1859 ; and Ai Brooks, Jr. from November 1, 1859, to December 17, 1863, at which time the bank ceased to exist as a State bank.
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
The PEJEPSCOT BANK went into operation October 2, 1857, with a capital stock of $75.000, of which one half was paid in. The officers of this bank were Joseph Badger, president ; John Rogers, cashier ; Joseph Badger, William Barron, Alfred Skolfield, T. S. Mclellan, and H. C. Martin, directors.
In June, 1865, this bank was changed into a national bank. The capital stock was $50,000. William Barron was the first president of the national bank. He was succeeded in January, 1866, by William S. Skolfield, who served until 1875, when H. C. Martin was elected to that office.
John Rogers, who was cashier of the Pejepscot Bank, continued as cashier of the lejepscot National Bank until August, 1871, when he was found to be a defaulter to the bank, and was arrested and sent to the State prison for the crime. In November of the same year Mr. L. II. Stover was elected cashier, which office he still holds.
The FIRST NATIONAL BANK of Brunswick (formerly the Maine) was organized December 17, 1863, with a capital stock of $50,000, which was increased in 1864 to $75,000, and in 1865 to $100,000. Samuel R. JJackson was president from December 17, 1863, to January 10. 1871, and was then succeeded by Nathaniel T. Palmer, who still retains the office. Ai Brooks, Jr., was cashier to July 1, 1868, when he was succeeded by John P. Winchell, the present incumbent.
The UNION NATIONAL BANK (formerly the Second Union Bank) was organized in July, 1865, with a capital stock of $100,000. Adam Lemont served as president till May 22, 1872, when he was succeeded by William Decker, who is the present president of the bank. Bart- lett Adams served as cashier from July, 1865, to May, 1868, when he was succeeded by H. A. Randall, the present incumbent of that office.
The BRUNSWICK SAVINGS INSTITUTION was incorporated March 20, 1858. The following is a list of its presidents since then : -
Amherst Whitmore, elected May 11, 1858 ; Robert Bowker, elected November 1, 1859 ; John W. Perry, elected May 6, 1862 ; John L. Swift, elected May 5, 1863 ; Benjamin Greene, elected May 7, 1867 ; C. C. Humphreys, elected May 21, 1868 ; John L. Swift, elected March 4, 1875.
The present Board of Trustees are: Henry Carvill, president ; Henry Carvill, Benjamin Greene, A. H. Merryman, Alonzo Day, and John Bishop, trustees ; J. M. Winchell, treasurer.
The deposits of the institution in May, 1877, amounted to some over $313,000.
The TOPSHAM AND BRUNSWICK TWENTY-FIVE CENTS SAVINGS BANK
577
COMMERCIAL HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK.
was organized March 22, 1875. Wildes P. Walker was the first presi- dent, and L. H. Stover, cashier, and both have been continued in office until the present time.
The trustees of the bank in 1875 were Robert Skolfield, O. B. Merrill, Daniel H. Stone, J. F. Whitney, George Barron, E. D. Toothaker, and Wildes P. Walker. The bank is in a prosperous condition.
THE BRUNSWICK MUTUAL MARINE INSURANCE COMPANY was formed in 1856. It had a guaranteed fund of $260,000. The officers were : Robert McManus, Abner B. Thompson, George F. Mustard, John C. Humphreys, Rodney Forsaith, Samuel Dunning, Robert Bowker, Adam Lemont, Clement Skolfield, Francis T. Purinton, Nehemiah Larrabee, Robert Spear, William S. Skolfield, James Ross, William Decker, directors ; Adam Lemont, president ; J. W. Forsaitli, secre- tary.
This company was not successful and was obliged to make three assessments upon its stockholders, one of five per cent, one of ten per cent, and one of nine per cent.
In 1865 the affairs of the company were placed in the hands of trustees, Nathan Webb of Portland and C. C. Humphreys of Bruns- wick, by whose order the last assessment was made and the business of the company was then wound up.
TRADES.
Some account will now be given of the regular occupations of the citizens of Brunswick, and of those who were engaged in trade at an early period or who have been particularly prominent in their several avocations. It was intended to give as complete a list of all in each trade as could be obtained, but the size which this work has already attained renders it imperatively necessary to omit the names of all now in business and to speak only of the earlier ones.
AUCTIONEERS. - The first of whom there is any account was John Lee, who was in this business in 1821. After him, in 1829, was John Coburn. Charles Weld was soon after this engaged in the business for a few years. Longer in the business than any one else was J. W. For- saith, who followed it from about 1837 until 1876.
BAKERS. - The first baker in town is believed to have been Frederick Trench, who came here from Boston about the year 1722. At first he lived at Maquoit, but afterwards he ocenpied a small house near the colleges, where he baked gingerbread and brewed spruce beer, which he sold to the students and allowed them to keep the accounts. He. 37
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSIIAM, AND IIARPSWELL.
is said to have been a most excellent baker, but his qualifications for other business were limited. In some of the earlier lithographs of the college, Trench is shown with his wheelbarrow.
In 1802, and for a few years subsequently, Colonel Thomas Esta- brook carried on the business in a building which stood on what is now the road between the meeting-house of the First Parish and the college grounds.
About the year 1812, Ezra Drew had a bakery near the top of the hill which leads to the Androscoggin Bridge. He carried on the busi- ness there and elsewhere for ten or a dozen years, the latter portion of the time being in the gambrel-roofed building, still standing on Centre Street.
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