USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island > Part 30
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The Providence & Worcester Railroad Company have their large works at this place, and under their master mechanic, Albert Place, run a force of about 100 hands. These works were erected in 1882, and have been recently leased to the New York & Boston Railroad Company, who took possession June 10th, 1889. The new depot at Vailey Falls is one of the neatest little structures of its kind to be seen in this vicinity. It is a handsome brick edifice one story in height, and of peculiar shape, with the usual accommodation rooms, and was erected in 1883. It is an ornament to the village.
Manville is situated on the Blackstone river, near the Woonsocket and Lincoln line. Manufacturing was started here at an early date, a saw and a grist mill being in operation before the revolutionary war. The ore obtained from the iron mountain a few miles distant was worked into cannon balls. It was operated by Mr. Lapham and stood between mills number 2 and 3. A Mr. Bartlett operated a tan- nery here, and before that a grist and saw mill did service for the early settlers. It stood on the site just in front of Mill No. 2. The tannery was where No. 3 Mill now stands. Some of these old build- ings were removed in 1826, others in 1872, to make room for the buildings there now.
David Wilkinson owned the land on which the village now stands on both sides of the river, in 1740, and in that year deeded it to Sam- uel Wilkinson, who, in 1747, redeeded it to David. In 1759 David deeded it to Benjamin Wing, of Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Wing conveyed it to Abner Bartlett in 1802, and in the deed the premises are for the first time referred to as a water privilege, and mention is made of a bridge named Unity Bridge. In 1803 Bartlett sold to Luke Jillson, who conveyed it in 1805 to Samuel Hill, Jr., of Smithfield, and William Aldrich, of Cumberland. Samuel Hill, Jr., was known as Judge Hill. Hill and Aldrich deeded it in 1811 to Thomas Man, Stephen Clark, George Hill, David Hill, Jesse Brown, George Aldrich, Otis Capron, David Wilkinson, Alpheus Ammidon, Stephen Whipple, and Asa Bartlett, reserving an interest to themselves, and the grantees were styled the "Unity Manufacturing Company;"
In 1814, Aaron Man, father of Samuel F. Man, purchased the inter- est of Alpheus Ammidon, and allusion is made in the conveyance to
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the Unity Cotton factory, a grist mill, saw mill and fulling mill. In 1821, the Unity Manufacturing Company sold all their interest in the estate to William Jenkins and Samuel F. Man. In 1831, Jenkins and Man conveyed one-fourth part of the estate to Arlon Man, brother of Samuel F., the estate having been considerably enlarged by purchases of adjoining land since the original purchase from Wilkinson. Sept- ember 28th, 1854, the heirs of Samuel F. Man, and William and Anna Jenkins, conveyed the mill estate and lands to the Valley Falls Com- pany. In 1863, the Valley Falls Company deeded to the Manville Company, then composed of Tully D. Bowen, Henry Lippitt, William H. Reynolds, Charles H. Merriman, Samuel Chace, and Harvey Chace, and the name of the concern was changed to " Manville Com- pany." The proprietorship has changed somewhat since this pur- chase, but the name is unaltered. Tully D. Bowen has deceased, and others have sold out, but the great bulk of the interest remains in the same names as in 1863.
The Manville Company was incorporated in May, 1863. The stock- holders were T. D. Benson, John H. Taft, Anthony & Hall, H. B. Ben- son, Harvey Chace & Sons, R. Handy; Harvey Chace, president; John A. Taft, treasurer and agent.
At an early day, a furnace was erected here, the iron ore of Cum- berland having a recognized value with such men as the Wilkinsons and those connected in business with them. Here was cast hollow ware of various kinds needed in domestic service. The saw mill, full- ing and grist mills stood where the brick mill now stands. Israel and David Wilkinson were relatives of Oziel Wilkinson, of Pawtucket, and in a very considerable degree partook of his love for, and skill in, mechanical pursuits. The late Joseph Wilkinson, of Smithfield, was a cousin of the David Wilkinson, of Pawtucket, who invented the slide lathe. Joseph Wilkinson was a man of quick intellect and sound judgment. He would never engage in any manufacturing business, saying that where a difference of a quarter of a cent a yard in cloth would make or ruin a man, his capital should not be risked. He created the Hamlet meadows out of the original swamp, and arid sand. He also directed the reclamation of the land, afterward the Manville meadows, and which Samuel F. Man, in his day, took a great deal of pride in keeping up to the extreme point of fertility, which could only be done by careful irrigation.
The " Mott Dam," now a thing of the past, it having been flowed out by and for the benefit of the Manville Company, was the subject of an eleven years' law suit between Joseph Wilkinson, and Jenkins and Man. It was situated about one mile below the Hamlet village, and was nearly five feet high. John Whipple and Richard W. Greene were of counsel in the case, Whipple being for the complainant, Wilk- inson, who owned the adjoining land, and Greene for Jenkins and Man. Afterward Thomas A. Jenckes came into the case, with Judge
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Greene and Thomas Steere as counsel for Wilkinson, and after the usual fortunes of a case, where both parties were pertinacious and all the counsel able, with judgment for the plaintiff in the common pleas, a reversal by the supreme court, a new trial and much expense and trouble, the case was finally settled by junior counsel on both sides, one at least of them never having been forgiven by his client for doing him that good service. Samuel F. Man died in 1847, Joseph Wilkinson in 1851; they were neighbors for years, and although oppos- ing litigants, were quite capable each of appreciating the abilities of the other. The Blackstone flows without a ripple over " Mott Dam," and the intellectual vigor and varied information of Samuel F. Man, and the keen perceptions and cool understanding of Joseph Wilkinson are only occasionally brought to mind in that locality where once they swayed an influence respected and acknowledged.
The first mill was built at Manville in 1812. It was four stories in height, counting the attic, 100 by 32, shingled on the sides. The present mill was built in 1826, of brick, and was originally 139 by 42, five stories high. In 1859, 32 feet were added to the length, and in 1862, 45 feet more, making it 216 by 42, with an ell, added in 1859, 80 by 44. At the same time turbine wheels were put in, so that there were six stories filled with machinery. The entire machinery has been changed since 1847. By purchases of real estate, and improved machinery, with other outlays, the value of the Manville property has been doubled since 1866. The new dam is one of the best, if not the very finest on the river. It is constructed of large hewn granite; is 246 feet long, 13 feet in width at the bottom, 8 feet on top, with cap; 18 feet in height on the average, and rests upon solid rock its entire length. In some places it is 24 feet in height, and composed of stones 10 to 14 feet in length, and 2 feet square. It was commenced August 15th, 1868, and finished in three months and one day. It cost about $32,000. The new mill is 350 by 76, with an ell 76 by 36. It is of the most solid description. It is built of hewn granite, the stones being from six to eight feet in length and 18 inch face by 12 inches in depth. It cost about $62,000. The work done on the trenches, bulkheads, etc., cost $20,000. The fall of water is 19 feet, and the volume sufficient to drive both mills, or rather the three mills. Twelve hundred hands are employed. The goods made here now are fine lawns for printing, these having taken the place of fine shirtings, which were equal in quality to the goods of the New York Mills. A thousand acres of land give the Manville Company " ample room and verge enough " for agricultural pursuits; and they have on their premises some of the finest building sites in the state. The village, which lies on the Smithfield side of the river, is well built on wide streets, shaded with beautiful maple and elm trees. It is perfectly kept and evinces the results of careful oversight.
For the purposes of a school house and a large hall, there is a fine
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two story building, and we have rarely seen better furnished rooms than the primary and intermediate school rooms present. Leading up to this building and the church which stands beside it is a wide and pleasant avenue having noble trees on either side. Episcopal services are conducted in the church regularly, and the edifice, which will seat 300 persons, has been cushioned, carpeted and handsomely painted by the company. The present officers of the Manville Com- pany are: Mr. Hall, president; W. A. Tucker, treasurer; Henry F. Lip- pitt, agent; H. B. Bowen, secretary, and John F. Hamlet, superinten- dent.
Samuel Clarke, who died in the year 1817, owned the Albion priv- ilege, together with a large tract of land on the Smithfield side of the Blackstone river: and this property descended by will to his two sons, Samuel and Mowry Clarke. Samuel sold his interest to Mowry, who in 1822 deeded it to Samuel Hill, Jr., of Smithfield, and Abraham Wilkinson, of North Providence, who were the first to improve the water power, they having purchased land on the Cumberland side of the river, of Jotham Carpenter. For several years the place was called Monticello. In 1822, Hill and Wilkinson having no more than com- menced operations by building a dam, Wilkinson sold to Hill his in- terest in the 53 acres of land then comprising the estate, and the water power bounding on the Pawtucket river, for the consideration of $1,500. March 22d, 1822, Samuel Hill sold to Joseph Harris, Preserved Arnold, Daniel G. Harris and William Harris, Abraham and Isaac Wilkinson, nine undivided tenth parts of this estate. In March, 1823, Mr. Hill sold to the last named parties his remaining tenth part. This company erected in 1823 the old stone mill, about 50 by 100, four stories high, which contained 108 looms. In 1830, the interest of Abraham and Isaac Wilkinson and Samuel B. Harris, who had in the meantime become part owner, was sold at sheriff's sale by Mark Ald- rich, deputy sheriff, at the suit of the Lime Rock Bank, George Wil- kinson, son of Abraham, being the purchaser, the privilege at this time being known as Albion. George Wilkinson, in 1833, the Harrises and Preserved Arnold having disposed theretofore of their interest, for the sum of $90,000, sold to Horace Waldo, Francis Waldo and George Trott, Jr., of the city of New York, two undivided thirds of the Albion estate. The Waldos and Trott sold in 1834, to William and Christopher Rhodes, Orray Taft, Thomas Truesdell and Robert Rhodes, who owned the entire estate.
Afterward Orray Taft sold his interest to William A. Howard, of Providence, and Thomas Truesdell sold his to Robert Rhodes. In the year 1864, William A. Howard deeded his interest to Harvey and Samuel B. Chace. During the few years previous to 1854, General Libbeus Tourtellot, later of Woonsocket, was superintendent, and made very material improvements in the place, adding not only to the value but to the beauty of the village. In 1854, Harvey and
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Samuel B. Chace purchased three-eighths of this estate, and in the year 1856, the Albion Company was incorporated by act of the general assembly. Afterward, Robert Rhodes disposed of his interest to H. and S. B. Chace, and Samuel B. Chace of his to Harvey Chace, who transferred to the Albion Company, which then first organized under the charter.
In 1832, a wooden mill was erected near where the station of the Providence & Worcester railroad now stands, 35 by 60, which was burned in 1837. Another wooden mill was built in 1830, by George Wilkinson, called the Green mill, about 40 by 120, which has recently been dismantled. As before stated, the original stone mill is still in operation, and on the north is now joined by a picker and carding room, built of brick, two stories high, 100 feet in length, while on the south is the new mill, built of brick, 120 by 52, with the foundations laid, and wheel in for an additional hundred feet. This mill is six stories in height, most thoroughly constructed, and has a large and commodious tower. The entire mill is 400 feet in length. There is also a cloth room and office, constructed of brick, two stories high, 40 by 60; a blacksmith and machine shop two stories in height, brick, and in the upper story of which weaving is performed; a saw mill 80 by 25; a two story stone store house; and one half of the Green mill, 55 by 40, to be used as a store house, the other half having been transformed into an imposing tenement house. A new modern dam was erected in 1854. J. H. and J. Chace are the present proprietors.
As is the case with many, if not most of our manufacturing villages, Albion presents to the traveller by rail its least attractive aspect. Indeed the village is hardly to be seen from the cars. The tenements are mostly situated on a high bluff overlooking the river, and are very pleasantly and even picturesquely placed.
In 1856 the Manville Company and the Albion Company gave the land, and built a road between Manville and Albion, along the river side. In 1868, as a continuation thereof, Messrs. Harvey and Samuel B. Chace constructed a bridge across the Blackstone at Albion, and a road of a mile in length to the Cumberland Hill road, to Providence. W. F. Brown is the superintendent of this concern, and Andrew J. Currier is the agent.
Lonsdale is situated in the south part of the town upon the line of the Providence & Worcester railroad. In 1860, the Lonsdale Company erected here a large brick mill 250 by 50 feet, four stories high with attic. In 1871 they built another beautiful mill 192 by 90 feet, four stories high. In 1886 they erected the Ann and Hope Mill, one of the finest in New England. The mills are lighted with gas manufactured by the company's works.
The new village of Lonsdale is almost entirely owned by the Lons- dale Manufacturing Company. With the exception of one block owned by Albert M. Whipple, and the residence of Doctor L. F. C.
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Garvin, the entire village belongs to the mills. On the Cumberland side the village contains a half dozen stores, a church, a public hall, and numerous brick tenements for the employees. Ground for the new large mill on this side was broken June 16th, 1886. The building was erected by Cutting & Bishop, formerly two operatives in the mills here. The mill was named in memory of the wives of the two chief founders of the company. The entire front is 684 feet long. The main portion is 498 feet in length, 100 feet in depth and 4 stories in height. The product consists of sateens, Hollands, sheetings and Lonsdale cambric muslins. The company employ 800 operatives in this mill alone. They employ 400 operatives in Mill No. 4, and a large number on the Lincoln side of the river besides.
The mercantile interests here were started by the Lonsdale Com- pany, and managed by E. B. Bishop for many years. Mr. Bishop is one of the old settlers of the place and is still trading on an extensive scale. Joseph Davis has also done business in the place for many years. Bishop Brothers have a store that would do credit to a larger place. The firm consists of W. and N. S. Bishop. They began Sep- tember 13th, 1876, in the building erected by Albert Whipple in 1875, and are still trading there, employing seven clerks. J. Money came to the village in 1856. He built his store in 1876, and James Ryan his place of business in 1878. James H. Hosler has also an extensive trade in dry goods, boots and shoes, etc. The public hall was erected by Albert M. Whipple.
Ashton is on the Blackstone river, two and a half miles above Lonsdale. The Lonsdale Company purchased land here in 1863, and in 1867 erected a large, fine brick structure, 348 by 90 feet, four stories high, surmounted with a French roof. A neat and convenient station is found here on the Providence & Worcester railroad, similar in design to that of Berkeley. The mill company have several beautiful brick buildings for the accommodation of their operatives, also a fine boarding house with accommodation for 50 boarders. A prominent feature of these mills is the excellent arrangement in case of fire. Each floor can be deluged at once in case of necessity, and the em- ployees are afforded means of escape independent of the towers. They manufacture cambric muslin.
There are several stores in the village of Ashton. Charles A. Whipple, one of the pioneer traders, started business many years ago and carried it on for nearly a third of a century. John M. Ryan, near the Whipple stand, was the next merchant, and he is still operating. Next in order was a Mr. Kief, then John Barnes, William Hartley and George D. Follett. Mr. Follett is postmaster. His father, Alfred Follett, ran the poor farm for about 20 years. There are two drug stores in the village: one kept by Mr. Fletcher, the other by John E. Fogarty.
St. Joseph's Church is located at Berkeley, and was originally one
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of the mission districts of St. Mary's church, Pawtucket. November 1st, 1872, Reverend J. A. Fitzsimons, the present pastor, took charge of the new field, and during his labors two churches have been erected and a congregation of a thousand communicants gathered. The old building was torn down and worked into the structure of the present beautiful edifice, which cost $40,000. It was dedicated in April, 1890. There are several societies connected with this church, viz .: Sons of Temperance, Sons of St. Joseph, Altar Society of the Blessed Sacra- ment, and the Children of Mary.
Diamond Hill is situated between the east and west forks of Ab- bott Run, in the northern part of the town. Here is found the larg- est mass of crystalized quartz in New England. Among its rocks are a great number of metals. Iron ore was dug here a great many years ago. A Mr. Lapham, who had a smelting furnace at Manville, tested it, and pronounced it of excellent quality, but not of sufficient quantity to render it profitable. Mr. John Gould owned the entire hill at one time, and spent considerable time and money searching for the precious metals.
The village is situated nearly south of Diamond Hill. It contains a hotel and store, in which is located the post office, established here in 1852. The Rhode Island & Massachusetts railroad was built through here in 1877. Diamond Hill is familiarly known as "the Plain." The old tavern is owned by the heirs of Edwin Cook, de- ceased, and the store by A. A. Trask. The postmaster is Roscoe D. Metcalf.
The Diamond Hill Quarry is operated by Francis B. Fisher, and gives employment to about 15 hands. The water gate for the Paw- tucket water works reservoir, begun here in 1884 and recently finished, is of granite taken from this quarry, and is one of the finest pieces of work of the kind known. The grist mill and saw mill have been in the Newell family for many years. Mr. Jason Newell now owns the prop- erty.
A Grange was organized here in 1887, and has a membership of about 90 persons. The officers in 1889 were: Charles O. Flagg, W. M .; Henry C. Kent, lector; M. Carpenter, overseer; D. O. Cargill, chaplain. The society meets in the old Masonic Hall.
Hawkins is situated on the Abbott Run three miles above Robin Hollow. About 1813 John Walcott and Doctor Nathaniel Potter built a factory here. It was a wooden building 40 by 30 feet, two stories high, with basement, and was operated for the manufacture of cotton yarn. Mr. Potter died in 1825, after which the Walcotts ran the mill until 1840. John Thorp made four upright looms that were placed in the factory in 1818. These looms were run about a year when they were cut down to the Scotchman's flat loom. The mill was destroyed by fire in 1845. In 1850 William Hawkins purchased
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the property and erected a saw and grist mill. In 1870 G. W. Haw- kins bought the property.
Arnold's Mills, recently named East Cumberland, is situated a short distance from Diamond Hill, and upon the Abbott Run river. The Arnold family improved the privilege for several generations, and gave their name to the place. Edwin R. and Pardon B. Arnold are descendants. In 1734 Richard Atwell sold the privilege to William Walcott, Daniel Wilkinson and James Streeter, reserving a quarter interest to himself. The parties immediately erected a saw mill. Amos Arnold afterward bought it, and it remained in the family sev- eral generations. A grist mill was erected opposite. The saw mill was operated till 1862. In 1885 Taft & Carpenter started up the mill, and are still operating. Joseph and Ebenezer Metcalf built a machine shop here in 1825. They made cotton machinery and spin- ning frames, which were famous in their day.
In 1840 Mowry Taft and Charles B. Carpenter purchased the prop- erty, but made no improvements. In 1850 these parties sold to Charles Metcalf, who made one spinning frame, a very fine one, since which time the building has stood idle until quite recently. It is now utilized by the Nicholas Brothers, who manufacture straw goods, and employ about 20 hands. In 1875 Simeon Derry built a fine new dam to take place of the old dilapidated one. Mr. Derry also erected a carriage repository at that time, and did a considerable business. He was the first postmaster in the place, establishing the office in 1873. Fred W. Voelker, the present station agent and tax collector, is post- master. Mr. Voelker took the agency of the depot in 1884. He was unfortunate when 10 years old to break his leg, and when 18 years of age lost his arm in the mill.
Doctor Metcalf was early settled here as a physician, and left a son Draper, who practiced here a life time. Doctor Benjamin Ting- ley, of more recent date, has an excellent reputation as a physician. A short distance west of this place is the William Bishop house. He was one of the first Methodists in America, and here Jesse Lee, Lo- renzo Dow and other preachers of note found a friend and a home. The first services preached in the town were at this house. Among other old residents here were Lewis, John and Jabez Walcott, also Lewis Arnold, who operated a trip-hammer by water power. He used to work up old iron into picks, chains, bars, etc. The business has long been discontinued.
Berkeley is situated a half mile below Ashton, on the east side of the Providence & Worcester railroad, which runs between the village and Blackstone river. The name of the place was bestowed upon it by R. H. Ives, in honor of Bishop Berkeley. The elegant mill here was erected in 1872, and the addition in 1881. The main mill is 300 by 90 feet, four stories high, with an ell 20 by 90 feet, three stories high. The finest class of cotton goods, cambric muslins and fine
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shirtings are manufactured. The mill is connected by telegraph with Ashton and Lonsdale. The title of the company is the Berkeley Manufacturing Company. W. H. Magee is superintendent of the mills. He succeeded A. P. Sissons January 8th, 1883. The mill operates 927 looms and employs 600 hands.
Cumberland Hill is situated in the northwestern part of the town, a mile east of Manville. This village was anciently the seat of the town government, and even yet the district election is held here. Up to 1868 the town council met here, but since then their meetings have been held at Valley Falls. The old Baptist church built in 1800, and the academy erected the year after, have long since gone into disuse. Mrs. Fenner Brown, now 97 years of age, formerly attended school in the academy. She is the mother of Mrs. William Weeden. In 1843, Fenner Brown built the Highland House. It is now the property of Mrs. Weeden, and is rented for a summer board- ing house. A store used to be kept on this site 50 years ago by Ariel Cook. He kept there for 30 years.
The Cumberland Bank was organized at the house of Captain Amos Cook on the First Monday in January, 1823, with a cash capital of $50,000, and the charter granted by the Rhode Island legislature at the January session of that year. The first board of directors embraced the following names: William Jillson, Samuel Weather- head, Ariel Cook, Philip Thomas, Smith Arnold, Turner Haskell, Samuel Shove, Davis Cook, Dexter Ballou, Joseph Whipple, 3d, Abner Ballou, Welcome Farnum and Joseph Underwood. The affairs of the bank were first placed in the hands of Aaron White, an attorney of Cumberland Hill, who acted as cashier until the organization was in working order, when Alexander Ballou was chosen cashier and continued to fill that position until 1839. He was succeeded by George Cook, who acted in that capacity until the charter expired in 1885. On the retirement of Mr. Jillson at the end of his first year, Samuel Weatherhead was elected president and served for 13 years, when he was succeeded by Arnold W. Jenckes, and he three years later by Alexander Ballou for the same period. The fifth president was Davis Cook, whose term of service embraced 33 years, when Otis D. Ballou served five years, Davis Cook, Jr., subse- quently holding the office until the affairs of the bank were wound up by statute limitation in 1885. The Cumberland Bank embraced the national system in 1865, and became the Cumberland National Bank. Its capital was three times increased during the years 1827, 1850 and 1853, each time by $25,000. Its board of direction, when the national system was adopted, included the names of Davis Cook, Otis D. Ballou, Warren J. Ballou, Willard Pierce, Lyman Bur- lingame and Albert Cook. The directors elected at the last meeting of the board in 1885 were: Davis Cook, Alexander Thompson,
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