Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 38

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368

USA > New York > Jefferson County > Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York > Part 38

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

The first important manufacturing industry, other than the grist and saw mills, was the paper mill started by Gurdon Caswell in 1808, which has during subsequent years passed through many and wonderful changes in manner of operation, and also led to the establishment of other similar industries, and in more recent years has grown to be per- haps the most important branch of manufacture on the river. There- fore, in writing of the old Caswell paper mill, it is proper in the same connection to trace the history of the paper making industry in the city, mentioning the mills in the order of their founding.

The Paper Industries.1-In 1808 Gurdon Caswell built a small, two- story frame building, 50 x 35 feet in size, which stood about on the east line of Mill street, on a part of the site now owned by the Knowlton Bros. company's large building, but with its western end about in the center of the street. A considerable part of the second story was oc- cupied by a wool carding machine. The machinery in the Caswell mill consisted of a small rag machine, or Hollander, carrying about 150 pounds of rags; two or three potash kettles set in a brick arch, for boiling rags and preparing the sizing; one vat for making the paper, sheet by sheet, and a rude standing press to squeeze the water out of the pack. After pressing the sheets were taken from the paek and hung on poles to dry, and if intended for writing paper, were afterward dipped in sizing and again dried. No steam was used; no chlorine for bleaching; no calendering, the substitute for the latter being pressing between boards. Such a mill, costing from $3,000 to $5,000, would turn out about 150 pounds of paper per day.

Mr. Caswell called this the "Pioneer mill." It continued to make paper until 1833, when Knowlton & Rice, who had bought the property in 1824, sold the lot and moved the building a few rods further up the stream. In 1819 Caswell built his second mill (now a part of the H. H. Babcock Co's. property) which he soon sold to his brother, Henry Caswell, and his brother-in-law, Erastus Loomis, but which in 1824 was purchased by Knowlton & Rice, who continued to use it until Feb. ", 1833, when it was burned. In 1823, Caswell, in company with Ralph Clapp and Wm. K. Asherd, built his third mill on Sewall's island (occupying part of the premises now owned by the Bagley & Sewall company) but the building was torn down about 1830. Two years later Mr. Caswell removed to Clayton, and died in 1862.

I Taken from George W. Knowlton's historical sketch of the paper making industry, pub- Ished in the Paper Trade Journal in October, 1807.

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THE CITY OF WATERTOWN.

In 1821, George W. Knowlton and Clark Rice bought of Joseph Fes- senden the first two mills built by Caswell, for $2,000; and from that time until 1851, Knowlton & Rice, with unimportant exceptions, were the only paper manufacturers in the county. In 1833 they built a new mill on the site of the easterly half of Knowlton Bros.' present mill, and equipped it with two rag engines and the first machinery for mak- ing a continuous sheet of paper. The mill was operated successfully until 1848, and was burned in the disastrous fire of March 21 of that year. It was at once replaced with a brick mill, and with improved machinery. In 1869 the building was replaced with another and larger mill, having more modern machines. In 1851 Knowlton & Rice sold the plant to Brown & Chamberlain, though Mr. Rice retained an in- terest in the business. In 1861 Mr. Knowlton's sons, John C. and George W. Knowlton, jr., bought the mill and continued the business as partners until March 19, 1892, when Knowlton Bros. company was incorporated by John C., George W., George S. and Gertrude S. Knowlton, and Herbert E. Harmon, with a capital of $100,000. In 1883 the firm of Knowlton Bros. purchased the old Jefferson flour mill, and have since occupied it as a pulp mill.

In 1854 I. Remington & Sons leased the old idle Juhelville cotton mill building from P. O'Dougherty, and fitted it up with four rag machines and an 84 inch Fourdrinier machine for paper making. The mill was run entirely on news paper, and had a capacity of three tons per day, which was then considered a large output. The firm com- prised Illustrious Remington and his sons Hiram and Alfred D. The latter first removed to Watertown, and to his energy, business ability and mechanical skill is due much of the subsequent development of the paper making industry in this region. In 1862 he became sole propri- etor of the mill, and in 1865 organized the Remington paper company. In 1864 the mill was removed to Sewall's island, and in 1869 the first wood-pulp machinery was introduced. From that time there has been an almost constant increase of facilities and capacity, until now the company operates two large paper mills, three wood-pulp mills, and one sulphite fibre mill, the daily output of paper being thirty tons, all made from spruce logs on its own premises, no rags or other fibre being used.

The Remington Paper company was incorporated September 4, 1865, and was reincorporated April 29, 1891. The original capital was $30,000, which on reincorporation was increased to $725,000. The in-

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

corporators in 1865 were Wooster Sherman, Fred Emerson, A. D. Remington, L. R. Murray and Washington Gennet. About 1874 the company became the owner of the old cotton mill on the north side, and subsequently rebuilt and enlarged the plant until it became an im - portant part of the business. Indeed, the extensive works of the com- pany are on both the north and south sides of the river, and also on the island. The dam across the south channel at the head of the island was built by A. D. Remington in 1867. The present officers of the company are A. D. Remington, president; George P. Folts, 1st vice- president ; C. R. Remington, 2d vice-president ; C. H. Remington, sec- retary; and Nelson R. Caswell, treasurer.

The Watertown Paper company was organized September 20, 1862, with $14,000 capital, by A. 1). Remington, C. R. Remington and Wal- ter D. Sewall. The mill now owned and for so many years operated by the company, at the head of Sewall's island, was built by A. D. Remington in 1862. Soon after the company was formed the Sewall interest was sold to Edmund Victory. In October, 1868, A. D. Rem- ington sold his stock to Hiram and Margaret S. Remington; and on July 5, 1881, C. R. Remington's interest passed to Edward Remington. In 1868 the capital stock was increased to $20,000, and in 1890 to $50, - 000. The product of the mill is news and manilla paper, and amounts to about twenty-five tons per day. The H. Remington & Sons pulp and paper company (incorporated in 1886), of Black river, furnishes pulp for the Watertown Paper company's mill. The present officers are Hiram Remington, president, and Edward W. Remington, secre- tary and treasurer.

The mill now owned by the Taggart Brothers company, on the lower dam in the city was formerly a distillery and flour mills, built in sections during the years 1843-45 by William H. Angel,' and is said to have cost about $100,000. Byron B. Taggart and A. H. Hall began the manufacture of paper bagson Beebee's island in 1864, and two years later the firm changed to West, Palmer & Taggarts ( Byron B. and William W. Taggart), who then purchased the two lower sections of the Angel property, and put in manilla paper machinery of about a ton and a half daily capacity. In the latter part of 1866 the upper sections of the building were burned, and in the next year the firm (then West & Taggart) bought property and walls, repaired the building and

' Originally the Bailey & Clark grist mill stood on this site. It was afterward known as the Foster mill. and Angel was a later owner.

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THE CITY OF WATERTOWN.

fitted it with four new rag engines and a Fourdrinier machine, and be- gan making print in addition to manilla paper. In 1820 West sold out to O. R. Davis, and about four or five years later Byron B. and William W. Taggert succeeded to the entire ownership, under the style of Taggart Brothers. On November 19, 1886, the Taggart Brothers company was incorporated with $50,000 capital, by Byron B. Taggart, William W. Taggart, G. C. Sherman, Fanny L. Taggart and Alice L. Taggart. B. B. Taggart was president of the company until his death, January 20, 1897, and was succeeded by William W. Taggart, the pres- ent president. The other officers are B. B. Taggart, jr., vice-presi- dent; H. W. Taggart, secretary and treasurer. The officers above mentioned, with Fanny B. Taggart and Anna M. Taggart comprise the board of directors.

Flouring and Grist Mills - The first manufacturing industry of any kind in the village of Watertown was the primitive grist mill built in 1802 by Jonathan Cowan at the foot of what is now Mill street. This was followed by the mills soon afterward erected by Judge Coffeen at the south end of the lower dam, and still later by a like industry at the north end of the same dam (the Bailey & Clark mill, built previous to 1812), yet it was not until 1835 that the manufacture of flour became an established local industry. According to the recollections of John Sheldon, Joseph Henderson became possessed of the original Cowan mill, which stood just back of the present Union mill, and about on the site of the Jefferson mill. In 1822 Henderson sold the mill to Joseph Sheldon, and the latter, in 1835, in company with Philo C. Moulton, built the Union mills, now the oldest surviving industry of its kind in the city. In 1838 it passed into the hands of H. Merrill & Co., (the firm comprising Hiram Merrill, Eli Farwell and J. W. Baker), who, in turn, sold to Eli Farwell & Co. The subsequent owners have been Curtiss & Shead, Shead & Graves (1868), and 1. A. Graves & Co., the latter firm sneceeding in 1881. In that year the interior of the mill was remodeled and roller machinery replaced the older stone-grinding process. This mill has a capacity of 200 barrels of flour per day.

In 1835, about the time Sheldon & Moulton built the mill, that enter- prising firm caused to be erected a wooden bridge across both channels of the river at Beebee's island, that the farmers living in Pamelia might be attracted to their mills. The plan was successful for a time, but in 1838 the firm sold out, and the next year Mr. Knowlton built the old and well remembered Cataract mill (now frequently referred to as the

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

"Checkered" mill), on the Pamelia side of the river. This industry also passed through many ownerships, and was at length replaced by the electric power house. The Coffeen mill at the lower dam was built in 1806, and in the course of years became known as the Eagle mill,' but we have no reliable record by which the succession of ownerships may be traced. The mill was partially carried away by high water in 1869,? but the owners (Converse & Flynn), repaired the buildings, and eon- tinued to occupy them until 18:1, when they were burned, together with the Fuller mill on the site of the subsequent City mills. The Eagle mills water power is now utilized by the Thermometer company, while the Elwood Silk mill nses the old City mill privilege. We have not the date of the erection of the old Fuller mills, but the City mills were built in 1826, by Gustavus Cook. In 1887 the building was re- modeled and roller machines replaced the old stones of former years, In April, 1896, a spring flood swept away the foundation and destroyed the property.

The Excelsior Flour mills, on River street, were erected by Moulton & Symonds in 1845, and was for many years considered one of the best and safest mills on the river. The property eventually passed into the hands of A. H. Herriek, and in 1883, the firm then being A. H. Her- rick & Son, the mill was substantially rebuilt. The A. H. Herrick & Son company was incorporated May 15, 1895, (capital $50,000) by Allen HI. and Eli W. Herrick and George G. Lee. The present officers are A. Il. Herrick, president; E. W. Herrick, vice president; and George G. Lee, secretary and treasurer. The mill has a capacity of 100 bbls. of flour and 100 bbls, of buckwheat per day.

The V. P. Kimball Pearl Barley mill, near Factory square, was built and began business in 1847, and for many years afterward was one of the established industries of that locality. At length, however, the mill was closed, and in 189? the property passed into the hands of the Farwell & Rhines company. The Jefferson Flour mills, to which pre- vious reference has been made, were erected in 1855 by Moulton & Symonds, and were operated by them until 1862. In 1863 A. C. Han-

1 This site was at one time occupied by the Wooster Sherman Lock works.

" The great flood of April, 22, 1869, was the most serious event of its kind in local annals. It was occasioned by the breaking of the Forestport dam, from which point to Dexter almost every mill property on the river suffered more or less damage, while many valuable buildings were swept away and destroyed. It so happened at this time that the river was unusually high, and added to its volume was that of the great reservoir back of the dam, More than 300 claims for damages were filed against the state as a result of this disaster; the amount of damages claimed aggregated nearly $800,000, and the awards of damages amounted to $150,000.

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THE CITY OF WATERTOWN.

chett became proprietor and continued the business for fifteen or twen- ty years with indifferent success. The building was unoccupied for a time, and in 1885 was purchased by Knowlton Brothers and converted into a pulp mill, as has been mentioned.

The Crescent Flour mills, which is known as one of the largest and best equipped industries of its kind on the river, was built by Fuller, Isdell & Willard in 1820, and succeeded the old Phoenix mill of still carlier years (but just when built is not now known). The old mill was carried away by high water in 1869, and was replaced with the present Crescent mill building. The Phoenix mill had four run of stone and would make about 50 bbls of four and 80 bushels of coarse feed per day. Among its proprietors were John W. and Thomas Baker, Pease, Dougherty & Fuller, and Isdell & Willard. The firm of Farwell & Rhines began milling in 1828 in the City mills on Newell street, but after about six months rented from 11. W. Eddy the Phoenix mill prop- erty on Fairbanks street. A little later they bought it at receiver's sale, and have since made radical changes in the interior of the build- ing; the four run of stone have been replaced with nineteen stands of rolls, and now the mill has a daily capacity of 200 bbis. of flour. The partnership was continued until November 30, 1895, when the Farwell & Rhines Company was incorporated, with $10,000 capital, by Frederick R. Farwell, Foster P. Rhines and Frederick R. Rhines. The officers are Foster P. Rhines, president, and Frederick R. Farwell, secretary and treasurer. In December, 1892, the company bought the old Kim- ball barley mill property.

The Electric mill, which was built in the western part of the city, north of the river, in 1895, by Bean & Makepeace, is one of the most complete industries of its kind in northern New York. It is used ex- chisively for grinding feed for the firm, who are extensive dealers, and derives electric power for driving machinery from the mills of the Tag- gart Bros.' company. The electric mill is supplied with two grinders, and has a capacity for making 250 bushels per hour.

Tannery Industries,- Of the several tanneries established and oper- ated in Watertown in the past not one now remains, and of all the ok buildings formerly occupied for the purpose hardly more than a single one is now standing. In the carly history of the settlement, the village shoemaker was also a journeyman tanner, and it was his custom to tan the leather used by him in his trade; and he would also sell to those of the settlers who had need of his wares. The first regular and complete

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

tannery in the village, of which we have any record, was that built by Jason Fairbanks, in 1823. As early as 1808, in company with C. Mc- Knight this worthy pioncer set up a saddle and harness business in the village, and prepared and tanned his own leather. In 1810 he added shoemaking to his other interests, and at the same time was connected with wagonmaking and merchandising. Mr. Fairbanks was known in business circles in the village forty-four years, and during the time employed more than 500 apprentices. His first tan yard was on the state road, about on the site of the more recently known Pool residence, but about 1823 he built a second tannery at Factory square, where he continued to do an extensive business many years. The tannery was afterward carried on by Sylvanus Pool. The property afterward passed into other hands and the building was burned in 1874. The old water power is now a part of that used by the H. Il. Babcock company.

Another early tannery was that built on Beebee's island by Holt & Beecher, but at what exact date cannot now be determined. It is be- lieved to have been in operation during the early thirties. It was twice destroyed by fire. About the same time Burr & Wilkes had a tannery at Juhelville, standing about on the site of the blacksmith shop, above the paper mill. It was running in 1841, and later on passed in- to the hands of Joseph and Nathan Miser. The old building went down with high water in 1856. In 1837 Milton Clark and George Burr started a tannery on the river between the head of Beebee's island and Factory square, and devoted their time chiefly to tanning sheep skins. The property afterwards passed into the hands of Farwell & Hall, who con- tinted the business as long as it was kept up for tanning purposes. Another Farwell tannery (more properly called the Farwell & Baker tannery) stood at the south end of Coffeen dam, but just when it was built is now unknown. Previous to Farwell's time it was called the Flowk & Lepper tannery, and at one time Fisk & Bates were its pro prietors. The old building is now a part of the plant of the Union Car- riage and Gear company.

The Hotchkin tannery on Fairbanks street, was started in 1854 by Benjamin J. Hotchkin, and was operated by him and his son for about twenty years. It afterwards passed into the hands of George Parker & Son, who continned it as long as the business was profitable in the lo. cality. In 1868 Millington & Burt began tanning hides and skins in a small brick building near the head of Sewall's island. Later proprie- tors were Gates & Gillett, who added a woolen carding machine and continued the business several years.

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THE CITY OF WATERTOWN.

Cotton and Woolen Manufactures. In the early history of the village the manufacture of cotton and woolen goods was one of the chief indus- tries of the locality. Indeed the peculiar qualities of the Black river water rendered it especially valuable in cleaning, dyeing, rinsing and seouring cloth fabries, which was a factor in inducing their location here so many years ago, while the almost free water power of the river was an important auxiliary in bringing about the establishment of the mills. But among the industries of this class, only the small woolen yarn factory of George A. Lance on Beebee's island remains in opera- tion ; and that is of comparatively recent origin.

About the time of the war of 1812-15, cotton and woolen fabrics brought an extraordinary price in the market. At that time, by reason of its proximity to the scene of war, Watertown was an important business center, and its splendid water power suggested the formation of a company to engage in this special manufacture. Accordingly, the Black River Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing company was incor- porated December 28, 1813, with a capital of $100,000. The persons chiefly interested in the enterprise were all residents of the village, and comprised Hart Massey, Win. Smith, Jabez Foster, Marinus W. Gilbert, John Paddock, Egbert Ten Eyck, Amos Benedict, William Tanner, Jason Fairbanks and Perley Keyes. The stone mill was built and equipped in 1811, at a cost of $22,000, and stood on Factory square. Indeed it was the construction and operation of this milling enterprise that led to the building up of a village settlement in the Sewall's island vicinity, and Factory village and Factory square were the result of this undertaking. The mill property extended a considerable distance along the river,' and many present industries in the locality derive their title from the old mother enterprise of more than four- score years ago. The company carried on the mill about three years, but not with profitable results, and after a few years more it was sold for $2,000 and passed into other hands. After various occupancies the buildings were finally destroyed by fire in 1869.

In 1827 Levi Beebe, who appears not to have been dismayed by the unfortunate result attending the enterprise last mentioned, came to the village and ereeted on the island then recently purchased by him (and which was named for him) a large stone building 65 x 250 feet on the

1 As a matter of fact the company purchased the entire 100-acre farm then owned by Captain Ezekiel Jewett, for which was paid $10,000, The object of this vast purchase was to secure the entire water front on the river, with all its valuable power privileges.

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ground, and three stories high, to which he gave the name of Jefferson Cotton mills. The plant was equipped with 10,000 spindles, and is said to have cost about $200,000, then being one of the largest cotton mills in the state. On the west side of the island Beebe also built a long row of stone tenements for his employees, and this structure alone remains as a visible evidence of his energy and enterprise. The mill stood at the upper end of the island. on the west channel, and derived its power from a flume blasted through the solid rock from above the falls. The deep cut in the stone is still plainly visible and is all that shows of a once worthy industry. The mill was continued until July 7, 1833, when it was destroyed by fire. The portion of the island whereupon stood the old mill has not since been used for manufactur- ing purposes.

The Watertown Cotton Mills company was incorporated January 10, 1834, and was in a measure the successor of the Black River company, to which reference has been made. The Watertown company had a capital of $100,000, and its first trustees were lsaac H. Bronson, Jason Fairbanks. Samuel F. Bates, John Sigourney and Joseph Kimball. The company occupied the old cotton mill building on Factory street, and continued operations several years, when it was superseded by the Watertown Cotton company, incorporated January 7, 1846, with $12,000 capital. The trustees of the last enterprise were E. T. Throop Martin, Daniel Lee, S. Newton Dexter, Hiram Holcomb and John Collins. The company was continued several years, ran fifty looms and propor- tionate machinery, but after a time the business became unprofitable and was discontinued.

The next industry of the same character was established February 10, 1835, in the incorporation of the Hamilton Woolen Mills company, which developed the water power resources at the head of Sewall's island. The incorporators were Henry D. Sewall, George Goulding, John C. Lasher, Simeon Boynton and John Goulding, who began with a capital of $50,000, but soon increased it to $100.000. In 1836 Mr. Sewall built the dam and factory, and the latter was supplied with five sets of cards and other necessary machinery. In 1842 the plant was purchased by the Black River Woolen company, which was incorpo- rated November 2. 1836, with a capital of $50,000. The trustees were Isaac H. Bronson, S. Newton Dexter. Orville Hungerford, John Will- iams, Hiram Holcomb and Daniel Lee. The company built a new mill and carried on a fairly successful business until 1841, when the

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plant was burned. The building, however, was repaired and was afterward for a time occupied by Loomis & Co., who employed about 20 hands in the manufacture of woolen goods, the material therefor being furnished by the company. The founder in fact of the company was Henry D. Sewall, an carly tradesman in Boston, but who, during the war of 1812, happened to be in business in Montreal. At the outbreak of the war he was ordered to leave the province, whereupon he returned to Boston, and came thenee to Watertown, where he died June 8, 1846.

Among the other woolen manufacturing enterprises were two whose period of operation was exceedingly brief, and neither of which appears to have accomplished more than organization. The first was the Wa- tertown Woolen company, incorporated February 1, 1834, and of which the proposed trustees were Isaac H. Bronson, John A. Rogers, John Williams, S. N. Dexter and Hiram Holcomb. The other was the Watertown Woolen Manufacturing company, organized December 21, 1835, with John Williams, I. H. Bronson, Hiram Holcomb, Daniel Lee and Silas Clark, as trustees. The latter company had a capital of $25,000. Then followed the Williams Woolen company, which was organized Nov. 2, 1836, with $10,000 capital, by Messrs. Bronson, Dexter, Williams, Holcomb and Charles Weber, and began the manu- facture of coarse goods at Factory village. The concern was operated abont ten years, when the plant was put to other uses.

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Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 38

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed Publication date: 1898 Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co. Number of Pages: 1368

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368