USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Marlborough > History of the town of Marlborough, Cheshire County, New Hampshire > Part 15
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succeeded their father in the business, and during their occupancy the fulling-mill was burned, and the present building erected. Several different kinds of wooden-ware have been manufactured here by different parties, such as clothes-pins, pail-handles, staves, etc .; but at present little business is done.
Josiah Fisk built the mill now owned by James Town- send in 1813. This was used by him for a fulling-mill. He was succeeded by Calvin Page who carried on the business successfully for several years. He also had a machine for carding wool into rolls for the accommodation of those who could spin. In 1837, James Townsend purchased the mill and commenced the manufacture of woollen yarn, which business he has prosecuted with success to the present time. He also makes hose, knit jackets, sheep's-gray cloth, etc., and his goods are some of the best found in market.
PAILS.
Pails were first made in this town by Robert Carpenter who commenced the business in the mill now owned by Osgood R. Wiswall. The pail-lathe used by Mr. Carpenter was but a rude affair, compared with those in use at present. It would now be considered a slow and tedious job to match the staves by hand, and drive the hoops with a hand-driver; but, thanks to the inventive genius of the Yankee, these obstacles have been overcome, and the facilities for manu- facturing pails greatly increased. . Mr. Carpenter remained here but a short time, and then, in company with Charles Cooledge, commenced pail-making where N. Winch's pail- shop now stands, a building having been erected for that purpose by Calvin Page who then owned the privilege. Jedediah T. Collins and others continued the pail-business at the Collins mill till 1836, when it came into the possession of George Harvey who carried on the business for seven years. During this time, he built the house since owned by Luther Smith. In 1843, he traded the house and mill to his brother James, taking in exchange the farm on
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which he now resides. The business was continued by James Harvey some two years; but not being successful, and becoming somewhat involved in debt, the property passed into other hands. Carpenter & Cooledge carried on the business at the Page mill until 1832, when the firm was dissolved ; Mr. Carpenter going to Orange, Mass., where he again entered into the pail-business on a more extensive scale. Mr. Cooledge returned to Troy, and set up the same business, which he carried on for several years. Joseph Cummings now hired the Page mill, and manufactured pails until April, 1834, when it was burned. The shop now owned by Nathan Winch was erected by Charles Gilbert and Cyrus Frost who manufactured chairs there for several years. In 1837, Frost sold his share of the mill to George Holman. About this time, they commenced the manu- facture of pails. Silas Collester and Simeon Whitcomb soon after purchased an interest in the business, and Mr. Gilbert retired. Mr. Holman soon sold to his partners who continued the business until 1852, when they sold to Nathan Winch who is still the proprietor. In 1837, Asa Bemis built a saw-mill on the south branch, in connection with which the following year he commenced to make pails. He con- tinued in this business until the infirmities of age rendered him unfit for labor, when he sold his business to Amasa Fuller, Jr. who is the present owner. Pails were quite extensively manufactured at the brick mill now owned by the Marlborough Manufacturing Company. This was built in 1835, by G. & N. Converse for a pail factory. It soon passed into the hands of Asa Greenwood. He in a short time sold to Robert Carpenter who in a few years was suc- ceeded by Nelson Howe; and the business was successfully conducted by him until 1859, when it was purchased by George Thatcher, who continued the manufacture of pails till 1866, when he sold to Goodhue Tenney and Charles O. Whitney who in a short time, in connection with others, organized as the Marlborough Manufacturing Company. William Tenney commenced the pail and tub business in this town in 1853 at the lower mill of the Marlborough Man-
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ufacturing Company. He previously had had considerable experience in this branch of business, having prosecuted it with success in Swanzey, in Winchendon, Westminster, and Ashburnham, Mass. In 1864, having acquired a com- petency, he retired from the business, and was succeeded by D. W. & W. M. Tenney who enlarged the factory, and by putting in more machinery increased their facilities for manufacturing both tubs and pails. They also did consid- erable at the lumber-business. At the time of the decline in wooden-ware in 1870, the Messrs. Tenney sold the mill to the Manufacturing Company who converted it into a woollen mill. In 1868, J. & L. Knowlton commenced pail- making in connection with their clothes-pin business ; at first, putting in only one lathe. Afterwards, giving up the manufacture of pins, they from time to time added more pail machinery, until they now have facilities for making from one hundred to one hundred and fifty thousand pails annually. In 1870, they erected a saw-mill on the opposite side of the river, which is used mainly for getting out their stock.
CLOTHES-PINS
Were formerly extensively made in this town. The prin- cipal manufacturers were G. H. & S. W. Stone who were succeeded by J. & L. Knowlton; and Charles C. Hem- enway who sold to W. W. & J. M. Richardson, Levi A. Fuller, and Francis L. Mason. The scarcity of good timber together with. the low market value of clothes-pins, long since rendered the business unprofitable, and none have been manufactured in town for several years.
Asa Greenwood built the shop now owned by Luther Hemenway in 1844. This was used for a few years as a clothes-pin and bobbin shop. Samuel Allison afterwards became the owner, and rented it to Leonard Snow who manufactured a variety of toys. He was succeeded in 1852 by Luther Hemenway who has continued the toy-business to a greater or less extent up to the present time.
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HISTORY OF MARLBOROUGH.
Charles C. Hemenway in 1845 commenced to make bob- bins under the grist-mill of Stillman Buss. In 1848, taking his brother Luther as a partner, he made a change in his business, and commenced making clothes-pins, and sub- sequently the manufacture of wooden wash-boards. This business he carried on successfully for some eighteen years. In 1852, he dissolved partnership with his brother, and built a small shop adjoining that of Austin G. Parmenter. Here he did a thriving business in various kinds of wooden- ware, such as wash-boards, bobbins, trowel-handles, knobs for wire screens, clothes-pins, etc. In 1859, he built the shop now owned by Richardson & Dexter, where he con- tinued the wooden-ware business until the spring of 1868, when he sold to W. W. & J. M. Richardson who carried on the wash-board and clothes-pin business till the fall of 1878, when J. M. Richardson disposed of his interest to James D. Dexter. Mr. Dexter had previously been engaged in making boxes in a part of the grist-mill of Barton Blodgett: he removed his machinery to the Rich- ardson mill, and at present, in company with Warren W. Richardson, is engaged in that business.
KNOB-SCREWS.
The patent knob-screw is the invention of Mr. Charles H. Thurston who is a natural mechanic. His tastes from a child have always run in this direction : he could never see any- thing new in the mechanical line without trying to imitate it: and his grandfather Charles Holman and his father, did everything in their power to encourage him, the former by furnishing him with lumber, and the latter providing him with tools. The water-wheels and saw-mills which he and his constant companion, Asa C. Dort, constructed, were not a few, as many can testify who knew them. When twelve years old, his father purchased for him a nice turning-lathe, allowing him to run it as he pleased, and on this he used to earn his own spending money. He afterward learned the blacksmith's trade of his father in the "Old Stone Shop."
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For some time during the war he worked at the United States Armory at Springfield, Mass. From that place, he returned to Marlborough, and in company with Solon S. Wilkinson engaged in the manufacture of boxes, trunk- cleats, etc., at the old Holman mill. It was while engaged in this business that he in 1868 took out his first patent for a Double Gimlet Pointed Screw, with a slot in one end for a key, by which the slotted end could be firmly keyed, in whatever article it was placed.
The business of Messrs. Thurston and Wilkinson not proving what they desired, the mill was sold by them to the Monadnock Blanket Company, in 1868. Mr. Thurston remained with the Blanket Company for some time; but not liking the business, nor the confinement, he left with the intention of developing the screw business. But about this time, he made the acquaintance of James H. Fowler, then the successful manager of the Weed Sewing Machine Com- pany's business in Boston, who hired him for three and one- half years as a travelling salesman. He therefore had no opportunity to do anything personally, more than to furnish plans for others with which to build a machine for making his patent screws; but all attempts at constructing such a machine proved a failure, and every one who tried it said the screws could not be made that way. Mr. Thurston, feeling certain they could, obtained leave of absence for two weeks, and with but one man to help him (Mr. C. W. Healey) soon had the satisfaction of seeing his machine turn out perfect screws, and in a way he had been repeatedly told it could not be done. The machine is self-acting, and only requires to have the cutters kept in order, and a forty- foot piece of wire placed in it from time to time, which it rapidly converts into perfect screws.
Mr. Fowler and Mr. Thurston became much attached to each other; and the former, seeing the screws, machines, and other inventions growing out of the original patent, desired to take an interest in them, to which Mr. Thurston finally consented. In the fall of 1873, they bought the building now occupied by Mr. Thurston, and commenced to manu-
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facture the screws and also various articles in which they are inserted, such as hat and closet pins, drawer and picture- knobs, door-stops, etc. They carried on the business until October 12, 1877, when Mr. Fowler suddenly died. Since that time, Mr. Thurston has continued it alone.
He is now engaged also in manufacturing the Companion Sewing-machine, which is one of his own invention, and is not only one of the best but is the simplest in the market.
BLANKET MILLS.
The most important branch of industry, and that which has added most to the prosperity and growth of the town, is the manufacture of horse-blankets. In the autumn of 1866, Dr. S. A. Richardson, D. W. Tenney, and C. K. Mason, in connection with Goodhue Tenney and C. O. Whitney (who had recently bought the brick mill, previously owned by George Thatcher), formed a copartnership under the . name of the Marlborough Manufacturing Company; and, in the spring of 1867, they made at that mill the first horse- blankets manufactured in town. Mr. Whitney having pre- viously sold his interest to Mr. D. W. Tenney, in January, 1870, W. M. Tenney and J. H. Kimball became associated with the firm which now became an incorporated company. At the same time they purchased the pail factory of D. W. and W. M. Tenney, and converted it into a woollen-mill. In 1877, Rufus S. Frost and others succeeded the original pro- prietors. The capital stock of the company is at present $40,000. The number of employees at these two mills is ninety, with an average pay-roll of $2,200 per month. At the brick mill, they produce yearly 50,000 blankets,* and at the lower one 50,000 yards of beaver, diagonals, etc.
The Monadnock Blanket Company was incorporated in 1868 at which time they purchased the Holman Mill, and commenced the manufacture of horse-blankets. They have a capital stock of $30,000, employ forty or fifty hands, and
* Since the above was written, the blanket machinery has been removed, and replaced by new for the manufacture of woollen goods.
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produce from seventy-five to eighty thousand blankets yearly. The amount of their pay-roll is from thirteen to fifteen hundred dollars per month.
Charles O. Whitney and Warren H. Clark commenced business in 1873, and formed what is now known as the Cheshire Blanket Company. Their place of business is the mill which was erected by Mr. Whitney in 1869, and used by him as a chair-shop, until, in company with Mr. Clark, it was fitted up for the manufacture of blankets. These enterprising men have added to their business from time to time, until they now have an investment of not less than $20,000, and facilities for producing fifty thousand blankets annually. They have fifty employees, and their pay-roll amounts to $1,150 per month.
Thus it will be seen that in this little village there are annually manufactured no less than one hundred and seventy-five thousand horse-blankets, giving employment to one hundred and fifty hands.
BREED POND COMPANY.
The facilities for manufacturing in the village have been greatly increased by the Breed Pond Company which was incorporated in 1851. The object was to flow the Breed Pond, so called, in Nelson, in order to form a reservoir. This company consisted of Charles Holman, Stillman Buss, Nelson Howe, Whitcomb & Collester, James Townsend, F. R. Thurston, George Handy, and Fay & Joslin. These enterprising gentlemen constructed a dam at an expense of about four hundred and fifty dollars, making a pond which covers about six hundred acres.
In the fall of 1861, Stillman Buss and Jedediah T. Collins constructed at their own expense what is now called the "Little Reservoir," near the Marlborough and Harrisville line. This was intended to save what water would otherwise be wasted at night. This came into the possession of the Breed Pond Company in 1864. As manu- facturing increased, it was found that these two ponds were
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insufficient to supply the demand for water; and another reservoir was built at Bemisville, in the autumn of 1868, which flows about one hundred and fifty acres. The con- struction of these ponds improved to a great degree the water-power, and has been the prime cause of the rapid growth of the village for the last ten years.
In the autumn of 1877, the water-power was still further improved by building the reservoir at Marlborough Glen. James Knowlton superintended the building of the dam which is one of the largest. and best constructed in this section. The whole length of this dam is two hundred and fifty-five feet; length of roll-way, ninety-four feet; extreme height, thirty-five feet; height of roll-way, thirty-two feet. The material used in building was some thirty-five hundred tons of granite and other stone, and fifty-seven thousand feet of lumber, with three thousand pounds of iron; the whole costing about three thousand dollars. The gate being closed at night, this reservoir receives all the water which would otherwise run to waste, and, being opened in the morning, enables the water to reach the mills at an earlier hour than formerly.
The rapid descent of the stream at this point renders it one of the best water-privileges in Cheshire County, and it is surprising to many that this has remained so long unim- proved.
MACHINISTS.
Charles Buss commenced as a machinist in this town in 1847. The building, he at first erected, was but a small affair, and poorly adapted to the purpose. In the spring of 1852, his business had so increased that he was com- pelled to enlarge his shop; but, before this was completed, it was entirely destroyed by fire. Not disheartened, he immediately rebuilt, and enlarged his business, subsequently adding a foundry, thus enabling him to make his own cast- ings, and turn off more work than previously. But soon shop and foundry became too small for his rapidly increas-
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ing business. A new foundry was set up; and later he erected a neat and substantial brick building in front of the old shop, which he filled with machinery, and commenced doing business on a larger scale. Here he manufactured nearly all kinds of wooden-ware machinery which merited the highest commendation, and more than once won for the proprietor the proudest distinctions from various ex- hibitions. His rotary-bed planer and Daniel's planing machines, clothes-pin, tub, and pail machinery, gauge and stretcher lathes, were all marvels of perfection, and always combined the latest improvements. These machines were shipped to all parts of the United States, and to several countries of the Old World. Notwithstanding his hard work and extensive trade, he was not altogether successful in business ; and, when the "hard times" came on, he was unable to stem the current that set in against him; and, leaving his property in the hands of his creditors, he removed his machinery and tools to Grand Rapids, Mich., where he is now doing an extensive business.
Christopher Hodgkins commenced the machinist-business in this town in 1854 in the second story of Franklin R. Thurston's blacksmith shop. After continuing here a short time, he removed to Keene, where, in company with John Knowlton, he manufactured the circular vent water-wheel, which was one of his own invention. In 1857, he returned to Marlborough, and soon commenced the manufacture of sewing machines. Mr. Hodgkins is a man of more than ordinary mechanical ingenuity, and was soon able to make many improvements in sewing machines, taking out no less than five different patents. After a few years, he gave up that business and turned his attention to manufacturing various kinds of wood-working-machinery, some of which he has greatly improved. Several years since, he obtained a patent on water-rams : he has built a large number of these which are in successful operation. In the fall of 1878, he purchased the shops formerly owned by Charles Buss, where he is now doing a good business.
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HISTORY OF MARLBOROUGH.
BLACKSMITHS.
The first blacksmith in town was probably Jonathan Capron, the first settler on the Whitney place, now owned by J. M. Darling. His sons, Jonathan and Walter, also followed the trade of their father: The former had a shop at the fork of the roads, south-easterly of the present residence of George A. Porter, where he worked for several years, and then removed to Troy.
Walter had a shop a little south-west of the old meeting- house, where he plied his trade for a number of years. Whatever faults Mr. Capron may have possessed, he was evidently a man of his word. At one time he was sorely tried by a prominent citizen who took the liberty to tie his horse in the shop every Sabbath morning without leave. Mr. Capron was so incensed at this that he declared, if the offence was repeated, he would shoe the horse and collect pay for the same. On the following Sabbath, the horse was found in its accustomed place in the shop; and Mr. Capron, good as his word, immediately shod it all round; the noise of his anvil somewhat disturbing the good people who were listening to the ministrations of Rev. Halloway Fish. It is perhaps needless to add that the horse was ever afterwards found tied in the meeting-house sheds by the side of those of his neighbors.
Levi Whitcomb followed blacksmithing for a number of years, his shop standing a few rods from the house now owned by Daniel Wright.
Capt. Luther Hemenway had a blacksmith shop near the present residence of C. H. Caldwell. He afterwards removed to Jaffrey, where for many years he occupied the brick shop in " Blue City," so called.
Ezekiel Cudworth was a good smith, though he would sometimes partake rather too freely of the spirit of the times. When he had thus imbibed, he found it rather diffi- cult to " get up a welding heat," and his customers were obliged to go elsewhere for their work. His shop was at the four corners, a little south of the William Tenney place. He removed to Rindge in 1843.
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The first blacksmith shop in the village was built by Abijah Tucker, occupying the site of David Wilkinson's garden on Library Square. Joseph Willson worked in this shop for several years, and then removed to the place now owned by James Knowlton, the line between Marlborough and Keene running directly through his house. He had a shop on the site of the Messrs. Knowlton's pail-factory, where he manufactured all kinds of agricultural implements used in those days. Being a man well skilled in his trade and of great mechanical ingenuity, he was able to make many improvements in the articles he manufactured. He was the inventor of the " potatoe hook," which he lived to see come into general use. He was also the first in this vicinity to manufacture the twisted auger and bit, which took the place of the old-fashioned pod-auger; and for these he always found a ready market.
Aaron Lombard succeeded Mr. Willson in the Tucker shop. About 1805, he sold to Paul Newton, and in 1811 purchased the place now owned by Thaddeus Metcalf, and built an iron foundry a few rods below the shop of Charles H. Thurston, which he carried on for several years, when it was burned and never rebuilt. Soon after, Mr. Lombard put up a building with machinery for making shingles, which proved a failure, as the market for sawed shingles did not favor the enterprise.
Mr. Newton added a small foundry to his establishment for casting small articles. He removed to Hadley, Mass., about 1817.
Mr. Ebenezer B. Wallingford succeeded Mr. Newton. He worked here a few years, and then removed to Clare- mont, and Joseph Cummings occupied the shop. While in his possession in 1823, it was destroyed by fire, but was immediately rebuilt by him : this he also had the misfortune to lose in the same manner some four years afterwards. The next building erected on that spot was of brick, and was occupied by Elijah Fitch, Willard Converse, Ambrose White, and many others, in rapid succession. This old landmark was removed some fifteen years ago, and the materials taken for other purposes.
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HISTORY OF MARLBOROUGH.
Franklin R. Thurston built the granite shop on the oppo- site side of the stream from the Holman Mill in 1840. This was used for a blacksmith shop by Mr. Thurston and others, until 1868, when it was purchased by the Monadnock Blanket Company, and by them converted into a picker- house. It was destroyed by fire in 1875.
A few years since, L. A. Freeman built a shop a little west of the Herrick house. This was afterwards removed by J. Clemens to Mechanic Street, and is still occupied by him. Charles H. Dustin also carries on blacksmithing in a shop which he erected for that purpose back of the Library building.
TANNERIES.
The first tannery was erected by Samuel Collins on the Joslin place. His tan-house was located at the point where Mechanic Street intersects with Main, and the vats were north of this building. The business was subsequently conducted for a few years by William Lincoln. All traces of this yard are now obliterated, and there are but few living who remember the fact that there was ever a tannery in that locality.
In 1808, Eber Tenney, having served an apprenticeship with his cousin Simon Tenney of New Salem, Mass., returned to Marlborough, and built a yard and convenient buildings on his father's farm. Although his capital was small, having only fifty cents in his pocket at the time of his return to this town, yet he was successful. He sus- pended business about 1837.
Josiah Woodward, in 1818, set up a tan-yard on the farm now owned by Philander Thatcher. In 1825, he removed to the village, built a house on the site of the one now owned by Nathan Winch, and resumed the tanning business there, which he carried on some three or four years. Some of the vats were uncovered a few years since in digging the cellar for the house now owned by Luther S. Lord.
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SHOEMAKERS.
In the early history of the town there was no such thing as "sale boot and shoe work "; and the shoemakers were many of them itinerants, going about from house to house, with their kit of tools, sometimes remaining with one family two or three weeks, or long enough to make up a stock of boots and shoes for the year. Thaddeus Parmenter was one who used to ply his trade in this way, when not engaged in cultivating his farm. His yearly visits were always hailed with joy by the younger members of the families ; for, possessing a good voice for singing, he was wont to spend his evenings in that way, and when in his prime could sing all night without repeating a single song.
Walter Gates built the little red shop now owned by Mrs. Davis in 1813, and for several years did considerable business at making and repairing boots and shoes. This shop subsequently passed into the hands of Jonah Davis, who occupied it till his death, in 1856. It is now used as a dwelling-house. About 1832, Asahel Collins built the little brick house near the Congregational Church, one part of which he used as a shoemaker's shop. Christopher Tilden erected a shop and carried on this business for several years, commencing about 1842. Gilbert Russell has also worked at this trade more or less for the last twenty-five years, and, being a good workman, can always find employment in this line. Charles Stay commenced business in the Davis shop in August, 1865. Subsequently he built the store and dwelling-house which he now occupies, devoting his time to the making and mending of boots and shoes. He also keeps on hand as good an assortment of shoes as can be found in the market.
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