USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Wayne > History of the town of Wayne, Kennebec County, Maine, from its settlement to 1898 > Part 5
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
the North village as well as in other places in the vicinity of his home.
Other matter pertaining to the early settlers will be found in future chapters.
CHAPTER IHI.
MANUFACTURES -A WORLD-WIDE REPUTATION.
D EEDS make men. Manufactures make towns. As men are best known by their deeds, so towns come to be best known by their manufactures.
In this respect few towns of its size can boast of a wider reputation than Wayne. From the shops at North Wayne have gone edge tool products to every quarter of the globe, -seythes for the wheat fields of Australia, axes for the negroes of Africa and the Indians of South America. What forests of the United States or Canada have not resounded with the blows of the Wayne axe? What grain fields have not been shorn of their glory by the Wayne scythe ? And in those terrible days of our Civil War when axes and scythes were forgotten, ten thousand of the finest steel sword blades were sent from these shops for our country's service. So with the immense product of the Wayne shovel-handle factory. Wielded by millions of brawny hands, whose owners came from every nation- ality, they have helped to build the railroads, that, to-day, lace our continent like network. No less has its local reputation been en- hanced by the numerous grist mills, saw mills, carding and fulling mills and other industries of later years. Both villages possess the natural advantages of good and abundant water-power. Yankee ingenuity, genius, and perseverance have done what remained for the building up of most important and productive industries.
Manufacturing began in Wayne almost coincident with its first settlement. Men could not long see these swift streams rushing by without utilizing their power, the more, that their pressing and immediate needs required food and clothing for their bodies and lumber for their dwellings.
The earliest business of which we have any knowledge was a saw and grist mill, built and operated by Job Fuller, in 1780, on the small stream near the Evergreen Cemetery, known in that early time as "Jig stream." The water power at Wayne village was first used prior to 1790, when Thomas Wing built a grist mill on the upper dam, near where the main street crosses the stream.
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
Ile also built a log house on the site of the house now occupied by Mrs. G. M. True. His claim to the land and water power which he had staked out covered the larger part now occupied by the village. His claim was soon contested by Jonathan Howe. The matter was settled by the court, and Mr. Howe's claim was sustained, and the mill passed into his hands. In 1798, Jonathan Howe was the owner of a double saw and grist mill on the middle dam. Hle also owned much of the land on both sides of the stream for its entire length. In 1799, he sold the mill and a part of the land to Joseph Lamson, and from this time on the mills and power were divided and sub-divided making it quite difficult to trace and record. On May 21, 1805, Joseph Lamson by his deed of warrantee, conveyed to Capt. Rogers Stinchfield, Jr., certain property, a copy of the description of which we introduce as a sample of many similar transfers of the property on this stream :
"Beginning at the southwesterly corner of the middle saw mill dam, thence sontherly on the principal road or path as it is now travelled to the lower landing on the Androscoggin great pond, that is to say, the landing near the month of the mill stream, thence to the Androscoggin pond to the mouth of the mill stream, thence by the mill stream to the first mentioned bound, with one undivided half part of the double saw mill standing on, and contiguous to the above described piece of land, together with one undivided half part of the mill stream, necessary for the working of the saw mill at all seasons of the year, when there is a sufficiency of water for the working of said saw mill, and a double grist mill and carding machine, which stands on said stream ; but at such times of year, as the water fails, or there is not a sufficiency to work the saw mill and earning machine, the grist mill and carding machine are to take the water in preference to the saw mill. To have and to hold the described premises, with the privilege of maintaining and keeping up said dams, at his own expense and risk for the purpose of saw mill only, and for no other purpose."
The other undivided half part of said saw mill, &c., was con- veyed by Joseph Lamson to Rogers Stinchfield, Jr., April 29, 1806. On January 30, 1810, Rogers Stinchfield, Jr., conveyed three- quarters part of said property to Isaac Smith of Norway, and on May 21, 1810, he conveyed to the same party, the remaining one- quarter thereof. November 22, 1810, Isaac Smith conveyed one- quarter of said property to Rogers Stinchfield, Jr., and November 6, 1811, he conveyed one-quarter thereof to Ellis Sweet, and October 26, 1813, he conveyed the remaining one-half thereof to
HISTORY OF WAYNE.
the same said Ellis Sweet. The mill was run from 1805 to January 13, 1814, by Rogers Stinchfield, Jr. On January 13, 1817, Ellis Sweet sold to Samuel Brown one-quarter part of the saw mill, one- half of shore land adjacent to the saw mill, and one-eighth of land over which the stream runs. January 13, 1814, Amasa Dexter bought of Rogers Stinchfield, Jr .. his one-quarter part of said property, and about that time Amasa Dexter bought of Ellis Sweet his remaining half interest therein, and April 28, 1828, he bought of Samuel Brown the one-quarter interest he held in the property, thus becoming the entire owner for a term of years. This property remained in the hands of Amasa Dexter from 1828 to Jannary 28, 1836, when he sold to Thomas Wilson, Henry W. Owen and Uriah H. Virgin the saw mill and one-half the dam for saw mill only, re- serving the right to take from the saw mill flume two privileges in separate places, each of which with a capacity of foot square of water, one for shingle and turning machines. April 4. 1837, Thomas Wilson, H. W. Owen and U. II. Virgin sold and conveyed the property to Sumner C. Monlton. May 5, 1837, S. C. Moulton conveyed the same to David S. and Peter Fifield. October 13, 1838, David S. and Peter Fifield conveyed to Jacob Haskell, Jr., and he, in turn, to Lewis Chase, January 18, 1840. It was next purchased by Josiah and Oliver Norris, November 4, 1840. One of the reserved privileges to draw one foot square of water from the saw mill flume, Amasa Dexter sold to Walter Foss, Jr., for the manufacture of pumps, which was re conveyed by said Foss to said Dexter April 4, 1844. On December 4, 1847, Amasa Dexter con- . veyed to Josiah and Oliver Norris both of the same privileges by him reserved, together with the mill-yard and lots of land belong- ing to the privileges reserved, and all the buildings thereon. These buildings were immediately taken down or removed, and a new shop was built by Josiah and Oliver Norris, who employed Hubbard Lovejoy and W. H. Burgess to construct it, and pay the expenses, while they in turn were to receive the use of the shop and water power until the rent for the same should equal the cost of construc- tion. In the spring of 1848, Lovejoy and Burgess entered into partnership in the manufacture of doors, sash and blinds in the second story of said shop. In 1850 they dissolved, and Mr. Burgess continued the business until 1858. February 4, 1854, the shop, power and a certain piece of land therewith connected, were sold and conveyed by Josiah and Oliver Norris to W. H. Roberts, W. J. W. Varnum and J. B. Turner. In the year 1857, Mr. Turner
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
engaged in the business of manufacturing doors, sash and blinds in the place where W. H. Burgess was then closing out, and for a few months both occupied the same room. The shop above mentioned was a two-story building. The basement or first story was used by Josiah and Oliver Norris for the manufacture of shingles. It also contained a turning-lathe. A short time subsequent to the last named conveyance, the shingle machine was removed therefrom and W. H. Roberts converted the room into an adjunet to his cabinet business located in another part of the village. This he owned and occupied until preparations for the construction of the Johnson Woolen Mill were begun in 1871, and the site being needed for that purpose, he sold to Mr. Holman Johnson, as did Mr. Turner who was a part owner and occupied the second story, where he had been in business twenty years. In the Masonie building near the grist mill, in the second story, W. H. Burgess and L. R. Sturtevant carried on the manufacture of doors, sash and blinds from 1867 to 1875. In the year 1858 S. S. Brown and W. H. Burgess bought of Josiah Norris, the surviving member of the firm of Josiah and Oliver Norris, who had previously bought the interest ot Oliver, the saw mill and mill-yard, and continued in business until 1866. Mr. Burgess then conveyed his interest to Mr. Brown, who conducted the business alone until November 4, 1867, when he sold and conveyed the property to Jesse Prince of Auburn, who removed his family to this town. He subsequently conveyed the same to Mr. Hlohman Johnson, who therefore became the sole owner of the entire water power on the west end of the dam. From him the power on the west side of the mill stream passed into the hands of the Johnson Woolen Company, from that company to Ira T. Drew of Alfred, and from him to John M. Gott, reconveyed from Mr. Gott to Mr. Drew, and in 1897 to A. B. Allen, the present occupant.
In 1800, Jonathan Howe and Joseph Lamson built the grist mill and removed the machinery from the old one. They owned three- quarters of the water power on the east side of the mill stream, and Jacob Haskell three-sixteenths. They sold to Ellis Sweet their three-quarters of the power, and he erected a fulling mill in which he had a carding machine in 1804. On the 21st day of July, 1818, Ellis Sweet sold to Job Fuller the fulling mill, carding machines, and three-quarters of the grist mill privilege and lands for $3000. Not having fully paid for it, Job Fuller and Ellis Sweet joined in a deed conveying the same property to Jabez Leadbetter of Leeds,
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
August 1, 1818. The three-sixteenths, formerly owned by Jacob Haskell, had passed into the hands of Capt. William Burgess, by virtue of an execution Burgess vs. Haskell. August 23, 1826, Jabez Leadbetter, in consideration of 81325, conveyed to Luther Sampson of Marshfield, Mass., the fulling mill, carding machine, and water privilege therewith belonging, which he occupied and used for that purpose, until June 12, 1856, when he conveyed the property to Calvin C. Whitney, and by him conveyed to Holman Johnson in 1857, who, for about two years occupied the second story for the manufacture of shovel-handles, and the lower story for the storage of blocks, from which they were made In addition to the twelve-sixteenths purchased by Jabez Leadbetter, he subse- quently purchased one-sixteenth of some party we are unable to trace. In 1834 the grist mill was burned. By virtue of an execu- tion Isaac Blethen of Dover, versus Jabez Leadbetter, the thirteen- sixteenths of the grist mill passed into his hands, subject to right of dower of Mrs. Leadbetter in the property. The same thirteen- sixteenths was subsequently conveyed to Wellington Hunton and Sinner C. Moulton, who built a new mill on nearly the same site. Mr. Hunton, at a subsequent date, became the sole owner of the thirteen sixteenths, which he conveyed to Cyrus B. and Francis T. Swift, who were the owners and occupants at the time of the fire in 1863, when this mill was burned. April 21, 1864, they conveyed what remained of the property to Holman Johnson, who erected a. new mill in 1865. Mr. Johnson, in the meantime, had purchased the three-sixteenths of the heirs of Capt. William Burgess, and on March 14, 1868, he purchased of Lucretia, the widow of the late Jabez Leadbetter, her right of dower in this property, and thereby became the sole owner of the mill property and water power on the east side of the mill stream. As has been previously shown, he also became the sole proprietor of that on the west side ; conse- quently he controlled the entire water power. After the death of Mr. JJohnson the grist mill and privilege passed into the hands of C. E. Wing and wife; the shovel-handle privilege has since been connected with the grist mill privilege. The Fillebrown shop, so-called, was deeded to Oliver A. Johnson, now deceased. Thus we have traced the owners from the earliest history to the present time.
The manufacture of shovel-handles was a very important in- dustry for this village. It was introduced in the year 1857 when Mr. Holman Johnson, coming from Vermont, started and success-
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
fully carried it on, with the assistance of his sons Alfred F. and George, for twenty-two years. It was a great financial benefit to this and surrounding towns, for during one year Mr. Johnson paid the farmers over eighty thousand dollars for shovel-handle blocks. But in the full tide of this business prosperity, there came a great calamity. July 1, 1863, a fire broke out in this shop, and in spite of all efforts to subdne it, burned it to the ground, together with the grist mill and other industries. all the stores and several dwelling houses ; but like the fabled Phoenix, which rose from the ashes, another factory was quickly built, and stores, shops and dwellings took the place of those destroyed.
The Johnson Woolen Mill was also a notable industry. It was a fine mill and employed a large force of help, and made an excellent quality of goods. In the year 1828, John Bodge built a factory near the east end of the upper dam for the man- ufacture of potash and pottery, which he carried on for several years. In 1848, a match factory was built by Anson Allen and was sold to Luther Sampson who continued to operate it for several years.
In 1860, W. H. Rollins first started the Wayne Marble Works. Ilis successor was Emery Foss. Proctor & Erskine succeeded him. Their successor, William II. Erskine; his, Burnham & Erskine ; theirs, W. H. Erskine ; his, Charles Kernan
In the year 1863, Luther W. Fillebrown carried on the manu- facture of cultivators and shovel-handle machines for several years, when he removed to Piqna, Ohio.
The first blacksmith shop o' which we have any knowledge was that of Collins Lovejoy, which stood on the site now occupied by William Folsom's carriage shop. This was taken down by Mr. Bodge to make room for his pottery. This building was afterwards taken down and another blacksmith shop built by Francis Bowles for Lewis Norris, who was succeeded by Alfred Swift, and he by Cyrus B. Swift and others. The blacksmith shop of A. R. Swift was built in 1849 by Humphrey Hight. L. W. Fillebrown purchased the property of Mr. Hight and it has been occupied by Cyrus B. Swift, Levi Brown, Fred Keith and A. R. Swift and his son Charles, its present proprietors.
Another scene of business activity quite near Wayne village was on the stream known as Bear Brook, where as early as 1810 a large tannery and shoe shop was built and business carried on by Alfred Pinkham and others for nearly fifty years. On the same stream,
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
and about the same time, a carriage shop was built and business done by Samuel and James Smith. Here, too, at a somewhat later date, was the cabinet shop of James Clark, who was also an under- taker.
In the east part of the town, near where the first settlement was made, a quarry of granite of excellent quality was opened in 1872 by Sawyer B. Norris, who worked it for eight years, when he soid it to Rossellus C. Norris, and he exchanged it, and the farm con- nected with it, with J. Frank Gordon, its present proprietor, for a farm in the north part of the town.
In the south-west part of the town, near the foot of Androscoggin Pond, are to be seen the ruins of a saw and shingle mill, which was built about 1812 by George Gordon, who carried on the business.
In the north part of the town. on the stream known as Hale's Brook, in the year 1840, a building was being erec ed for a foundry by William Maxim, but in felling a large pine tree, the building was crushed to the ground, thus putting an end to the enterprise. Subsequently, in 1860, Thomas B. Swift built a shop on this site, and manufactured rakes and pitchfork handles for several years.
In our researches an interesting item was brought to light. I 1842 William Maxim and Jabez Besse burned a kiln of lime from rocks found on the farm now owned by George W Walton, making a fine quality of lime.
The earliest record. as far as can b ascertained, of the beginning of manufacturing business in the north village, was a grist mill built in 1810 on the upper dam by Jonathan Norcross, who was the owner of the water power at that time. This mill served a double purpose, for in it was a wool carding machine. About this time Mr. Norcross also built a saw mill on the same d m. Our oklest residents remember the ruins of an old saw mill on the lower dam. We gather from family history the information that this mill was built as early as 1790 by Abram Walton, whose father, William Walton, was one of the pioneer settlers in this vicinity. Its builder, being a young man of considerable skill, and of an adventurous turn of mind, soon after went to Ohio, a distant country in those days. Mr. William Walton was the great grandfather of Hon. George W. Walton. We have no knowledge of the length of time this mill was run, or by whom, afterward. On the 21st day of March, 1817, Mr. Norcross conveyed hy deed to Rev. Comfort C. Smith the entire water power, with mills and all other privileges on the stream. Mr. Smith operated the saw mill and grist mill for
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
many years. The grist mill was afterward purchased and run by Henry Scott, who, later on, sold it to the North Wayne Scythe Company.
In 1831, a carding and fulling mill was built on the upper dam by Amos and Zenas King. This mill has an interesting history. It was built on the west side of the stream, and was operated by them for several years, after which it was moved across the stream, and sold to Benjamin Palmer, who remodeled it into a hotel. It stands to-day on the site to which it was moved and is occupied as a residence by Mr. Palmer's son, Alvin Palmer. An incident con- nected with the moving of this building is interesting, as showing the custom of the times. It was proposed by the owners to move this building without the aid of liquor, but when the farmers had assembled with their oxen, and drawn the building to the middle of the stream, a halt was made, and they began to call for "the little red bull," or in modern parlance, "the little brown jug." Entreaties and persuasion were useless, but custom and appetite triumphed, and after the "bull had been bled" freely among the thirsty crowd, the embargo was removed, and the building moyed serenely onward to its destination.
An iron foundry was built on the lower dam in 1842 by Nathaniel Pike, who carried on business for a term of years, and then sold out to James W. Dunbar, who did business there for several years, when he removed to Virginia, and the shop remaining unoccupied, fell to decay.
Regarding the industry that has made the north village famous, we find that the first scythe shop was built on the upper dam in 1838. This shop was built of brick which were made and burned in the brickyard on the land below the buildings of Willard M. Taylor. This shop was built and the business carried on by a stock company under the name of the "Wayne Scythe Manfacturing Company." The business not proving a financial success, the entire plant was sold in 1840 to Reuben B. Dunn. Mr. Dunn rapidly developed the business and under his control it assumed large pro- portions. New hammer shops and a polishing shop were built on the upper dam, while on the lower dam two large buildings were erected, one used for a grind shop, and the other as a repair shop. This shop was fitted up with saws, lathes for turning wood and iron, and in fact, with every kind of machinery necessary for repair- ing. This shop, for a long term of years, was under the immediate supervision of Tillotson Lovejoy, a very ingenious and skilful
٢
TAL ANT
JOSIAH F. TAYLOR.
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
mechanic, and was generally known as "Lovejoy's shop." Mr. Dunn carried on the business for several years, then sold the whole plant to the "North Wayne Scythe Company," which continued to increase the business until it became the largest single scythe manu- factory in the world. In 1856 the North Wayne scythes took the first premium, a silver medal, at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in London, England. This company continued the manufacture of scythes, also introducing the making of axes and other edge tools, successfully, until 1860, when, owing to the defalcation and ab- sconding of their treasurer, they were forced to make an assign- ment, and George W. Tewksbury of Boston and Josiah F. Taylor were appointed assignees, who conducted the business with such snecess that all the creditors received their pay in full. At this time, the Civil War having commenced, a contract was secured, and ten thousand sword blades of the finest quality were made for the United States Government.
In connection with the scythe business, and for the convenience of their workmen, as well as the general public, the company con- ducted the largest general merchandise store east of Portland, also a tailor's shop, boot and shoe shop, blacksmith shop and a saw and grist mill, so that all the necessities and conveniences of life, as well as many of its luxuries, were obtainable within the bounds of this village. At the close of the war of 1865, the business again changed hands, and for a few years was carried on by the "Ames Plow Company of Boston." In 1870, the plant was sold to Ex- Governor Anson P. Morrill and others. These parties did no busi- ness, and, in consequence, all but one of the hammer shops 'fell to decay.
In closing this account of the first scythe business, we cannot omit mention of the man who, for more than thirty years, was so closely identified with its interests and prosperity. Josiah F. Taylor, or "Boss Taylor" as he was familiarly known by the hundreds of workmen scattered all over the country, who had been employed in these shops, was a strong and effective personality. Coming from New London, N. H., where he was engaged in scythe business, a young man, thoroughly acquainted with all the details of seythe making, a practical workman, under his skilful supervision the works obtained a world wide reputation .*
* At a celebration at North Wayne, soon after the close of the Mexican War, the following conundrum was proposed: "What is the difference between Gen. Taylor and our Mr. Taylor?" The answer was : "Gen. Taylor beat the Mexicans with the sword and Boss Taylor beat the world with a scythe."
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
In 1876, the brick shop on the upper dam was remodeled and fitted with machinery for the manufacture of paper by Josiah F. Taylor, his son Willard M. Taylor and William Harvey. and busi- ness was conducted under the corporate name of the "North Wayne Paper Company." Sheathing and wrapping papers were manufac- tured and quite a force of workmen employed, the business proving a benefit to the farmers, as it made a market for wood, straw, &c. This company also operated a store in charge of J. Putnam Stevens, their bookkeeper. The mill was proving a success under the man- agement of Willard M. Taylor, who was superintendent, when, on the night of Aug. 12, 1881, a fire broke out. and the whole plant, including the paper mill, the buildings for making pulp, the saw mill, and large store house filled with stock and chemicals, for the manufacture of paper, was burned to the ground.
In 1879, the present "North Wayne Tool Company" was organ- ized with Hon. J. R. Bodwell of Hallowell as President, and Gen. Charles W. Tilden of Hallowell, Secretary and Treasurer. This company purchased the water power and buildings on the lower dam, and started again the manufacture of scythes, axes, and other edge tools, and the familiar and welcome sound of the hammers once more cheered our village. The business increased and an axe shop was built in 1880 on the upper dam and a part of the grist mill was used as a polishing shop and finishing room.
In February, 1882, a fire broke ont in the grist mill and destroyed it. In this same year a building formerly used as a shop and hall was moved across the street, and was being fitted up for a polishing shop, when in November fire again broke ont, burning this building and the axe shop. In 1891, a fine two-story building was erected on the upper dam for the manufacture of sheet steel goods. The present officers of the company are Joseph F. Bodwell, President ; Gen. Charles W. Tilden, Secretary and Treasurer. The capacity of the shops at the present time is 20 doz. scythes, 15 doz. axes, 20 doz. hay knives, 37 doz. lawn hooks, or 50 doz. grass hooks, or 40 doz. bread knives, per day. The business is in a flourishing condition under the efficient superintendence of Williston Jennings, a citizen born in this village, who took charge of the works in 1891. Thus for nearly sixty years has this industry been an important factor in the prosperity and material wealth of the town.
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