USA > Vermont > Addison County > History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 39
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106
What is now known as the Pierce House, kept by F. W. Pierce since 1876, was formerly known as the "Middlebury Hotel "; the older part of the build- ing was erected in 1811 by Paul Reed. Numerous additions and improve- ments have since been made under the various owners and proprietors, until now it is a large and home-like hotel, well managed and successful. Carriages are sent to all trains and a livery is connected with the house.
Of the old hotels of the village it will be interesting to note that the old Ep. Miller house, which was taken down to make room for the town hall, was converted into a hotel when the Vermont Hotel was burned in 1816, and used for that purpose twenty years. The dwelling house of L. R. Sayre was also converted into a public house in 1817, and used thirty years. The house built by Ebenezer Markham in 1788, on the corner now owned by Thomas McLeod, was used as a hotel about fifteen years.
Manufactures. - It has been often stated and is generally acknowledged that much of the life and growth of a village or city depends upon its manu- facturing interests ; and it is undoubted that the early prosperity of Middlebury
325
TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
was largely contributed to by its great water power and the various industries to which it gave rise. The early manufacturers of this town were many of them men of enterprise and possessed of a knowledge of their various callings which led to important results, as will appear. Most of the early manufacturing estab- lishments of the town have been more or less minutely described in connection with our account of the settlements of the town ; it remains only to allude more particularly to some of the more prominent and to those of modern times.
We have already partially described the early forge which was established by Jonathan Nichols. Considerable iron was manufactured here, the ore being brought principally from Crown Point, but partly from Monkton. (See history of that town.) The gun factory, which has also been mentioned, was estab- lished chiefly for the manufacture of guns for the government. Mr. Nichols and those who succeeded him had a contract for making a thousand guns, which contract was fulfilled, the arms being inspected by Major Orr, and re- ceived by the government in 1802. Elias Hall, a former employee of the fac- tory, continued the business on a small scale for some forty or more years later. Josiah Nichols, whose settlement has been described, was employed in the trip- hammer shop with Daniel Pettibone and Ezekiel Chapman, and in 1799 or 1800 they discovered a process of welding cast steel, and in 1802 a patent was taken out in their names; this process was one of great importance and went into general use.
Lavius Fillmore, an architect of repute, came to Middlebury in the spring of 1806, under a contract for the erection of the Congregational Church. In the following February David Page, jr., established a mercantile business here, and soon afterward Page and Fillmore purchased of Judge Painter his mills and water power on the east side of the falls. Soon afterward Mr. Fillmore re- moved the old mills and built the more commodious stone mill and store-room. This mill was partially destroyed in its interior by the fire of 1854; but it was rebuilt in 1856 by H. W. Pitts and H. A. Sheldon. The mill property has ever since remained in the Sheldon estate. The mill has been operated by several different persons ; it is now being run by W. R. Rose, who leased it in August, 1885, succeeding Lorenzo Stowe.
Early in the century the manufacture of cotton goods for the home market attracted much attention in this country ; prices on such goods were very high and foreign commerce was obstructed, rendering it particularly desirable that a supply should be provided here. As early as 1811 David Page began the erec- tion of the stone cotton factory north of the grist-mill just described. He set up such rude machinery as he could obtain and manufactured some cloth be- fore the close of the war, which then brought fifty cents a yard. John Hough- ton, who had been putting up similar machinery in New Ipswich, N. H., was employed for that purpose here. In the year 1817 Joseph Gordon came from Scotland, where he had followed the manufacture of cotton machinery, and
326
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
brought drawings with him ; he built for Mr. Page twenty power looms, which are believed to have been the first power looms built in the United States, ex- cept six which were built the previous year in Rhode Island. Isaac Parkham, an ingenious mechanic who had been employed with Houghton, manufactured the iron work on these looms and machinery ; he died in 1825, bearing an en- viable reputation as a machinist. After the factory was completed Page and Fillmore divided their property, Fillmore taking the mill and Page the factory. Mr. Fillmore carried on milling largely and profitably during the war and later, when wheat was grown in large quantities. Of the factory Professor Frederic Hall wrote in 1821 as follows :
" It is one hundred and fifty feet in length, thirty-seven feet wide, six stories high at one end, and three at the other. The present proprietor, Mr. Joseph Hough, informs me that the building contains at this time (December, 1820) eight hundred and forty spindles for cotton, fifteen power looms, together with two wool-carding machines. The spindles produce a sufficient quantity of yarn daily for five hundred yards of sheeting." This factory not long after- ward passed to possession of Benjamin Marshall, of Troy, N. Y., and from him by will to the wife of Charles Carville, of New York. Mr. Marshall added largely to the capacity of the factory. It subsequently passed through the hands of various lessees or agents and finally to H. W. Pitts in 1849, who leased it and carried on the manufacture of heavy sheeting for several years.
The latest use to which the building has been put was as a marble-factory by the Cutter Manufacturing Company, which is elsewhere described.
The grist-mill passed into the hands of Aaron and Timothy Hall, of Keene, N. H., both of whom died, and it was operated by various persons under the administrators until the fire, as stated.
Of another factory Professor Hall wrote, and is quoted by Dr. Swift as fol- lows: " On the opposite side of the river is another cotton manufactory, owned by Mr. John Warren, who communicated the following facts: The building is of stone, fifty-eight feet in length, thirty-two in width and forty in height, con- taining six hundred spindles, with all the necessary apparatus. They yield yarn enough daily for two hundred yards of sheeting. Adjoining this is a stone building, in which are eight power looms, weaving, on an average, one thousand yards of cloth a week. Under the same roof is a double fulling-mill, or two stocks on one wheel, which for twenty years past has fulled twelve thousand yards annually ; also a double carding-machine, which cards from six to twelve thousand pounds of wool annually." Speaking of this factory Dr. Swift says in substance, that it was the one into which John Warren converted his grist-mill about the year 1813. He enlarged the building, and among others erected at the north end a stone building, mentioned by Mr. Hall as containing his looms, and a wooden building over the shed at the south end, which was occupied as a tenement for his employees. In the summer of 1825
327
TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
this whole establishment was consumed by fire. It was rebuilt by Mr. War- ren, Stephen Hinsdill, of Bennington, furnishing a portion of the machinery. In 1835 the whole establishment became the property of Hinsdill, and he put in the requisite machinery, and converted it into a manufactory of satinet. In February, 1836, the factory took fire again, and the roof and upper part of the building, to the floor of the second story, and the wooden building at the south end were consumed. Not far from the same time the stone building at the north end tumbled down, for want of substantial foundation. The damage done by the fire was soon after repaired; but subsequently it was destroyed by fire.
In November, 1835, the " Middlebury Manufacturing Company " was in- corporated by the Legislature, " for manufacturing cotton and woolen goods," with a capital of $200,000. In the summer following sufficient stock was sub- scribed, and the company organized. In the fall of that year the company purchased of Hinsdill his factory, added new machinery, purchased a large quantity of wool, and prosecuted with all their means the manufacture of satinet ; intending in the spring to enlarge their establishment for the manu- facture of woolen goods. As there were no means of transporting their goods to market in the winter, a very large quantity had accumulated by the spring of 1837. By the time the goods could be got to market in that spring of untold stringency in the money circles, there was no market, and many of them were sold at half their cost; the loss was so heavy and the discourage- ment so severe that the stockholders abandoned the business. The factory remained idle until 1840, having later become extended by the purchase on the part of the company of the works formerly owned by Captain Moses Leon- ard and Andrew Rutherford. The grist-mill in the basement and the saw- mill west of it continued in operation. In 1840 Jason Davenport and Oliver P. Turner, both practical manufacturers, leased the factory and part of the machinery, and carried on the manufacture of woolen goods with success and profit. Turner died in 1847, and Charles D. Nash became connected with Davenport ; they and Nash alone continued the business until 1851, after which, until 1854, it remained idle; it was then leased to Mr. Davenport and Valentine Clay. After their term of operation the factory was purchased by Oliver Severance, who demolished it and built a paper-mill some fifteen years ago. This was operated to 1872, when it burned, and he and his associates built another, which was in turn burned in the fire of 1875. The establishment of Smith & Allen now occupies the site.
" At an early day," says Dr. Swift in his work on Middlebury, "Rufus and Jonathan Wainwright, jr., sons of Jonathan Wainwright, of Salisbury, estab- lished themselves in the tin and iron business, on a small scale ; and, having en- ergy, they enlarged the business from time to time. Not long after the close of the War of 1812 they erected a furnace below the mills built by Appleton
328
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
Foot, on the site of the former forge, for casting stoves and other articles. They purchased the store now occupied by Mr. Davenport for their place of business, and greatly enlarged it as their business increased. In the summer of 1826 their furnace was consumed by fire, with the neighboring grist-mill and trip-hammer shop. They then purchased the water power on the east side of the paper-mill falls, and erected there a new furnace and machine shop on an extensive scale. Their principal business was the manufacture of stoves, which then went into all parts of the State and into Canada, where they had agencies for the sale of them. Rufus Wainwright, some years before his death, withdrew from the concern and devoted himself to his farm, and by his labor and counsel, and liberal contribution from his large estate, to the promotion of every important interest; our literary and religious institutions and every im- portant enterprise exhibit the effects of his large liberality." This business was continued by Jonathan Wainwright until his death. In the mean time they had purchased the Judge Painter residence, now occupied by Gardner Wainwright, which Rufus occupied until his death. They also built the large brick resi- dence now occupied by A. J. Severance, where Jonathan lived until his death. The latter died in September, 1845, and Rufus in March, 1853. After the death of Jonathan Wainwright the furnace and machine shop were purchased by Jason Davenport, and the store which had been the place of business of the partners. Mr. Davenport carried on the stove and tinware manufacture on a. large scale for that period. The manufacturing part of the business was long ago abandoned.
The Star grist-mill, on Mill street, is located in a building to which refer- ence has been made, which was erected for Captain Moses Leonard in 1837, for use as a woolen-mill. It was changed to a grist-mill about 1870 by Caleb Ticknor and William Goodrich. C. C. Peck purchased it from Goodrich and leased it to W. W. Chapman in September, 1885.
Great anticipations were once entertained of the future of the marble in- dustry in this town. It can scarcely be said that they have been realized, al- though it is not yet a settled question whether the marble deposit here will not some time develop into one of great value; it is, however, the opinion of geol- ogists and many experienced men that such will not be the case. The marble which has been taken from the quarries in this town is remarkably fine in text- ure, much of it of beautiful white or variegated color, and takes a fine polish ; but it is believed by many that the very causes which operated to produce this fine texture, at the same time prevented the formation of large and flawless sections, which are necessary to successful working on a large scale. A great amount of labor and large sums of money have been expended in efforts to work the numerous quarries in this vicinity in successful competition with those of the Rutland district ; but it must be admitted that thus far all of these at- tempts have resulted in failure, and to-day there is not a quarry in the county that is in operation.
329
TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
In attempting to give a necessarily brief sketch of the very early marble in- dustry of the town, we cannot do better than quote from Dr. Swift's work. Therein he first quotes again from Professor Frederic Hall, writing in 1821, as follows: "Proceeding down the creek on the west side, after passing two saw - mills, two grist-mills, a clothier's works and some other establishments of minor importance, you come to the marble factory. The marble in this village, which is now wrought on a large scale, and extensively diffused over the country, was discovered by Eben W. Judd, the present principal proprietor, as early as the year 1802. A building on a limited plan was erected, and machinery for saw- ing the marble (the idea of which had its origin in the inventive mind of the proprietor) was then put in operation. In 1806 a new and commodious build- ing, two stories high, and destined to comprise sixty saws to be moved by water, was erected. In 1808 this enlarged establishment went into operation and has continued to the present day. The saws are made of soft iron, with- out teeth, and are similar in form to those which are used in sawing marble by hand in the large cities in Europe. The softer they are the longer they last."
" The marble until lately has been obtained chiefly from a quarry sit- uated within a few feet of the mill. During three or four of the last years much has been procured at the time of low water, at the bottom of the creek, immediately above the falls. It is raised from its bed partly by means of wedges, but principally by blasting." "The marble, after being sawed into slabs, is manufactured into tomb-stones, currier's tables, jambs, mantel-pieces, hearths, window and door caps and sills, side-boards, tables, sinks and various other kinds of furniture. These articles are transported to Montreal, Quebec, Boston, New York and even Georgia. The machinery has sawn annually from five to ten thousand feet since the year 1808."
This was the first manufacture of marble on an extensive scale in this State, and the machinery for sawing on the plan described was first operated by Dr. Judd, forming the basis for the present enormous industry. In relation to Mr. Judd's labors in this direction, Dr. Swift says in a foot note : " There is no doubt, we think, that Dr. Judd was the first to put in operation the machinery for sawing marble by water on this plan, now so extensively used through the country ; and it is the general understanding that he invented the machinery. But it is now said that Isaac Markham, who was afterwards known as a very ingenious mechanic, and then only ten years of age, first conceived the plan, and exhibited a model to Dr. Judd, who built his first experimental factory for the purpose of trying it. This is now understood to be the fact by the family connections of Markham, and his mother, who was an observing and intelli- gent woman, often so stated in her lifetime. And it is thought that was the reason Dr. Judd did not then take out a patent for the invention. In 1822 he obtained a patent for machinery which he invented for raising and lowering the saws, as required in their operation. It is stated also on the same author-
330
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
ity that about the same time two men were engaged secretly in contriving and building a picking machine. No persons were admitted to a sight of the ma- chine, lest the secret should be discovered before a patent was obtained. But Isaac being a boy, was admitted without suspicion. When he went home he said he could contrive a better machine, and, with such tools and materials as he had, formed a model, which, it is said, was adopted by the men instead of their own. Dr. William McLeod, of Poultney, a son of Mrs. McLeod, men- tioned elsewhere, and a nephew of Isaac Markham, in a letter to his brother, Thomas H. McLeod, of this place dated March II, 1859, says: ' In the year 1806 or 1807, when I first came to Middlebury, or shortly after, while Uncle Isaac Markham was living at his father's house, I frequently saw a model of what was called a stone saw-mill in a room he occupied as a shop. I also very well recollect of hearing the subject conversed upon in the family, and I feel confident by others also, for some time after, in reference to the machine or its principle having been taken or borrowed from his model and applied to a factory erected by Mr. Judd for sawing marble. I recollect hearing the subject of the invention of the picking machine conversed about at the time referred to. On another oc- casion, when uncle was employed in Waltham, Mass., he, in showing me the machinery of the factory, referred to the picker, and remarked to me that he was the inventor, and also referred to his being the inventor of the machine for sawing marble.'"
Mr. Judd was an ingenious and somewhat scientific man, and having been committed to the liberties of the jail here on a United States court judgment, began to look about for a means of livelihood. In the spring of 1803, fore- seeing, as he thought, the importance of the marble industry, he obtained from Appleton Foot a lease for 999 years of the right to dig marble on any part of his lot between his house and the creek, and the privilege of erecting a mill. He subsequently obtained a title to the land there, occupied the house which stood on it until he erected the large three-story brick residence now owned by H. L. Sheldon and others. Dr. Judd afterward purchased the quarry of black marble on the lake shore in Shoreham, which is described a little further on, from which he took a large quantity of stone, transported it by teams to Middlebury and manufactured it. In 1820 he associated with himself his son- in-law, Lebbeus Harris, and the industry became one of the leading ones in this section ; agencies were established in some of the large cities and in West- ern New York, and the greatest promise of future magnitude seemed insured ; but in 1837 the business was abruptly closed by the death of both the part- ners; Mr. Harris died in April and Mr. Judd in September, at the age of seventy-six. The marble-mill was not operated afterwards to any extent ; Nathaniel Harris, brother of Lebbeus, who had been connected with the in- dustry, continued to manufacture marble on a small scale for a few years, but gave it up for the practice of dentistry. Daniel Judd, son of Dr. Judd, also
33I
TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
continued in the marble business, and his son, E. W., is still carrying on the same business ; but none of these latter men engaged in quarrying. The estate of Judd & Harris was settled, and Francis Slason bought the mill and works, operated them a short time, and gave it up. The mill had eight gangs of saws, and one of the quarries opened was about on the site of the Star grist-mill and another back of the cotton factory ; another in the bed of the creek.
The principal quarries which have been opened and worked more or less in this town and vicinity may be briefly alluded to. The quarry of black marble in Shoreham, which was opened in 1826 by Dr. Judd, was one of the most prominent in the county for a considerable period, and it is believed by many to still be of great value. It was purchased in 1878 by Henry L. Sheldon and Phelps Nash, and it has lately passed to the ownership of the Florence & Wakefield Marble Company, who purpose to develop it in the near future.
In the northeast part of the town, and near the northern limit of the white marble belt, is a quarry which was one of the earliest ones opened. Theo- datus Phelps was one of the first operators here, and built a mill with an undershot wheel and a single gang of saws. He was succeeded by David Ralph, who did a large business in the sale of window caps, thresholds and grave-stones. Ira E. Yale and Abel Spaulding next worked the quarry, and then Isaac Gibbs, who added the business of burning and selling lime, using the refuse stone from the quarry. The property has since passed through the hands of Datus Garlick and A. J. Severance and the North Middlebury Mar- ble Company, Mr. Severance having the superintendence ; this company built an eight-gang mill. Next the Middlebury Marble Company was organized, chiefly of Boston men, and Henry C. Cutter acted as treasurer and had a large interest. Another reorganization was subsequently effected, forming the Cutter Marble Company, with Barney S. Snow, of Boston, as treasurer, and Mr. Cut- ter still retaining a prominent interest. The old cotton factory in the village was taken by this company and fitted up with machinery and facilities for manufacturing and finishing marble on a large scale. A new opening was made some distance south of the old quarry, and much beautiful marble was taken out ; but for several reasons, the principal one being the active competi- tion of more fortunately situated deposits, and the general difficulty of pro- curing large blocks of sound marble, which seems to prevail throughout the town, the business has never been very prosperous, and the company is now (1885) closing up its affairs.
A little southward of the quarry just described is what has been known as the Addison County Quarry, which has also had a life of vicissitude in the hands of various persons and companies. It dates back to the days of Judge Doolittle and Ruloff Lawrence. E. L. Ormsbee and Francis Slason were early interested in it, but little was done aside from digging a comparatively small hole. After lying dormant for years, the Addison County Marble Company
332
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
was formed in 1866 with Wm. H. Ireland, of Boston, as treasurer, and about two years later A. F. Manley was made superintendent. Active work was begun and a large quantity of stock was taken out, much of which was very fine. This product was sawed at Belden's Falls by the Belden's Falls Com- pany, which was organized chiefly to saw the marble from the quarry. A large mill was built and a branch railroad for hauling the stone. At the end of one year the contract was abrogated by the latter company because, as said, the Belden's Falls Company demanded better terms, which the other company refused. They then began sawing the Pittsford marble and were sued by the Addison County Company. This company finally bought the entire property for about $35,000, which is said to have cost $100,000. The business was car- ried on for a time, but the litigation, the strong competition in Rutland county, and other causes, led to the temporary abandonment of the enterprise.
The Belden's Falls Company also owned a quarry which had previously been unprofitably worked by Colonel Thomas A. Perkins, of Boston, and others, with Daniel Judd as superintendent. This property passed to the Ad- dison County Company.
As bearing directly upon the question of the value of the Middlebury marble, at least that one quarry, and particularly for statuary purposes, it is but just to history to give place to the following, which was furnished by Wm. H. Ireland, and relates to the Addison County Quarry above described : "This quarry is located about one and one-half miles from the center of the town and was opened by the company in 1866. After working it about four years they developed one of the best and purest veins of statuary marble ever found in this country ; its warm tint of a light flesh color, its transparency, freedom from lamination and close texture were acknowledged by all sculptors who had an opportunity of working it. The celebrated statue of 'Liberty,' made by Greenough for the Boston Latin School Association in 1870, and now situ- ated in the lower hall of that building in Boston, was produced from this vein of marble, together with a number of portrait busts by the same artist. In letters to the treasurer of the company Mr. Greenough gives his opinion of this marble as follows :
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.