USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Springfield > History of the town of Springfield, Vermont : with a genealogical record > Part 11
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At the March meeting in 1871 the town voted to enter into a contract to accept the funds received from the Seminary trustees and from any other sources, and to hold the same in trust forever, the income to be used for the support of a town library; and also voted to pay annually the sum of two hundred dollars toward the support of said library, which contract was executed March 18, 1871, and is of record in Book 4 of the records of town meetings, page 450 et seq.
At the March meeting of 1874 the town voted an additional sum of fifty dollars to be paid yearly for the benefit of the library.
The amount of the permanent fund received from the Seminary trustees (1894) is $2,583.68.
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There are now (1894) about four thousand volumes in the library. The annual income consists of
The interest on the fund . $155.02
Annual appropriation by the town 250.00
$405.02
SPAFFORD LIBRARY BUILDING.
Henry Harrison Spafford, who died in January, 1893, left by his will the sum of twenty thousand dollars to trustees, to be used in erecting and taking care of a building for the public library of the town. The building is described as follows : It is a brick and terra-cotta structure, and stands upon the site of the dwelling and office of the late Judge Closson.
The over-all dimensions are 40' x 56'. The main building, 24' x 40', contains two reading rooms with a vestibule and hall between them. The ell at the rear, arranged symmetrically on an axis running through the hall, contains the stock room and librarian's room. This addition is 28' x 30', and will accommo- date fifteen thousand volumes. The structure is one story, attic and basement in height, the ridge pole cresting being forty feet above the street level. The style of the building may readily be classed as Renaissance, the order used being Corinthian. The front is embellished by a slight projection covered with pilasters supporting a pediment, in the face of which is a seal bearing the date " 1895," and over the entrance under the arch is sunk the seal of the State. The ornamentation is almost entirely of modelled terra-cotta of a soft brown color near that of the pressed brick of which the main building is built. The interior finish of the main part is stained quartered oak, and of the ell is ash. The building is heated by hot air and lit by electricity.
The architects are Willard P. Adden of Reading, Mass., and Russell W. Porter of Boston. Trustees are Charles A. Forbush, Frederick W. Porter, and A. M. Allbee.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
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SPAFFORD LIBRARY BUILDING.
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SOCIETIES.
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MASONIC LODGES.
THE first Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in Vermont re- ceived its charter from the St. Andrew's Grand Lodge of Massa- chusetts, dated Nov. 10, 1781. By the charter the Lodge was located at Springfield, under the name of Vermont Lodge, No. 17. In this year, 1781, thirty-five towns east of the Connecticut River were admitted as a part of the State of Vermont, and in October of the same year a session of the Vermont Legislature was held at Charlestown, N. H. It was probably on account of this exten- sion of the jurisdiction of Vermont over these towns of New Hampshire that the first meetings of the Lodge were held in Charlestown. The officers were elected Dec. 18, 1781, and Col. John Barrett of Springfield became the Master, and held the office for some years. This union of New Hampshire towns with Ver- mont was soon dissolved, and in 1788 a new Lodge was chartered and located at Charlestown, and Vermont Lodge was moved to Springfield and became Vermont Lodge, No. 1.
In 1795 it was moved to Windsor, where meetings were held until 1831 when, owing to the anti-Masonic movement, it sus- pended. In 1846, when the Grand Lodge of Vermont was reor- ganized, Vermont Lodge, No. 1, was not represented, but in 1850 it again came into existence and was assigned the subordinate rank of No. 18, instead of its former honored position of No. 1.
Besides Col. John Barrett the following named early settlers of Springfield, among others, were members of Vermont Lodge pre- vious to 1788, viz., Roger Bates, James Martin, and James Bates.
Oct. 8, 1811, St. John's Lodge, No. 31, was instituted; in Springfield, and the first meeting was held in Leonard Walker's
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Hall on Parker Hill, Oct. 21, 1811, when James Underwood was chosen Master.
In 1832 meetings were suspended until May 7, 1853, when a meeting was held in the hall in the Tontine Building, and Rev. Robinson Smiley became Master. Among other members at this time were James Chipman, Ebenezer Harlow, James Lovell, Elias Damon, Simeon Harlow, A. L. Thompson, Barnum Harlow.
This Lodge was reorganized Feb. 3, 1857, under a new charter, James Lovell being the first Master of the new Lodge. The num- ber was then changed to 41. The Lodge has rooms in Woolson's Block, and enjoys one of the best halls in the State. The officers are, 1894, W. M., Charles H. Moore ; S. W., A. W. Lafountaine ; J. W., Fred O. Nash; secretary, E. C. Burke ; treasurer, Leroy M. Holmes.
Skitchewaug Chapter, No. 25, Royal Arch Masons, was insti- tuted June 13, 1873. Meetings were first held at North Spring- field, but the Chapter was afterwards moved to the village, and the meetings were held in Masonic Hall in Woolson's Block. In 1887 the Grand Chapter granted permission to move the Chapter to Ludlow for four years, after which it was to alternate between Ludlow and Springfield, two years in each place. The Chapter is in a flourishing condition.
Springfield Council, No. 18, Royal and Select Masters, was instituted at Springfield in 1878.
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS.
The first Lodge of Odd Fellows in Springfield was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Vermont, Feb. 13, 1850. It was designated as Skitchewaug, No. 16. This Lodge continued operative about six years. The records of the eleventh annual session of the Grand Lodge, held at Rutland, in August, 1857, show that the charter had been surrendered, and with the effects of Skitchewaug Lodge, No. 16, was then in the hands of the Grand Secretary.
The Order was revived in this town, March 7, 1890, when Springfield Lodge, No. 42, was instituted by Grand Master O. H. Henderson, with eight charter members. Twenty-one were ini- tiated and received the degrees at the time of institution.
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Columbia Lodge of Rebecca, ladies' degree, was instituted by L. J. Retting, Jan. 31, 1893, with eight charter members. Forty- two others were initiated at the time of institution.
Both branches of the Order are now in a prosperous condition, and have well-appointed rooms, fitted up in the Hotel Block.
TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES.
Temperance reform in Springfield was not unlike the work in other towns. It required time and determined effort on the part of a few to change the customs of the many.
As early as 1794 there is on record a vote of the town to license Lester Fling, who kept a hotel on the Common, to sell spirituous liquors, but his hotel being near the church, a complaint was made, and he was requested to move his place of business. There was a distillery on what is now Seminary Hill, just beyond where Bradford Harlow now lives, on the other side of the Chester road. The old cellar may still be seen, and this hill by Mr. Harlow's is still known as " Ginnery Hill."
In 1829 a temperance society was formed. The meeting for organization was held in the schoolhouse in the village, Oct. 10. Rev. Richard Ely, Rev. E. W. Goodman, Dr. Moses Cobb, Dea. Horatio G. Hawkins, William W. Whitney, Dea. Ashbel Steele, and others were foremost in this movement. A committee of censors was appointed. Petitions were signed and presented to the selectmen, requesting them not to issue licenses, except to sell for medicinal and mechanical purposes. One memorial was signed by one hundred and nineteen ladies. In town meeting, however, it was still voted to grant licenses, until 1844, when the town voted not to license any house of public entertainment to sell intoxicating liquors. On July 4 of that year there was a large temperance celebration at the hotel of Joel Griswold, who kept a temperance house at North Springfield. The next year a temperance paper was started at Woodstock, and the Springfield society made great efforts to increase the circulation and sustain the paper. Samuel Taylor, Otis B. Litchfield, Dr. Leonard Chase, Dr. Langdon Sawyer, and Dr. E. A. Knight were appointed a committee to secure subscriptions.
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GOOD TEMPLARS.
Some time in the sixties or earlier a Lodge of this Order was organized, called Social Lodge, No. 41. This movement was very popular for a time, and a large number of the citizens of the town became members. In 1868 there were two hundred and thirty- two active members of the Lodge, the whole number admitted to membership having been three hundred and nine. The organiza- tion flourished for a number of years, but at length, like many other organizations of kindred nature, it died out.
SONS OF TEMPERANCE.
A Division of the Sons of Temperance was instituted about 1850, and was in active operation for some years, and then ceased to exist. Springfield Division of the Sons of Temperance was organized March 7, 1881, and continued for seven or eight years, when it was discontinued.
A Division of the Cadets of Temperance was here for a time, about 1850.
WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.
When the War of the Rebellion closed, the noble women, who had done such brave and patriotic service for the soldiers, in field and camp and hospital, sought other opportunities for doing good and blessing humanity, and they turned their attention to the monster evil of intemperance. The Woman's Christian Temper- ance Union was organized, and soon became national and inter- national. A branch of the Order was formed in Springfield, and work for the homes, the schools, and the community was begun here.
The work has been largely with and for the young. Temper- ance instruction has been urged in the schools, societies among the children have been organized, temperance concerts have been held, and union temperance meetings of all classes and denomina- tions have at different times been held on Sabbath evenings in the Town Hall. The good work of this organization is still going on, and great credit is due to the faithful members who have labored so earnestly to promote temperance, purity, and Chris- tianity.
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MANUFACTURES AND BUSINESS.
THE JOHN C. HOLMES COMPANY.
IN November, 1821, Samuel Holmes of Peterborough, N. H., bought of Isaac Fisher his old cotton factory and the water power belonging to it, on the west side of Black River, above the falls, and in the following winter removed with his family to Springfield. He proceeded at once to fill the factory with new machinery for spinning and weaving cotton. In 1823 he sold a one-half interest therein to his younger brothers, Enos and John Holmes, and the business was continued under the name of S. E. & J. Holmes. Very soon an additional building of two stories was erected for a machine shop, for the building of cotton and woollen machinery. In 1828 Samuel Holmes sold his interest in the concern to his partners, and returned with his family to his farm in Peterborough, where he died in 1868. Shortly after the two partners were joined by their brother-in-law, Daniel Adams, who came from Jaffrey, N. H.
In subsequent years the manufacture of sandpaper, lead pipe, and shoe pegs was added to the business. Enos Holmes at length sold out his interest to his partners, and moved to a farm in Holly, N. Y., and later to Buchanan, Mich., where he died in 1869.
After the death of Daniel Adams, in 1851, the business was carried on by John Holmes (with some other partners) until his death in 1874. In the mean time the old factory and machine shop had disappeared (burned), and the new brick cotton mill was built in 1836, on the same water power, but on the other side of the road. John Holmes also carried on the manufacture of woollen goods for some years, in the mill below the cotton mill.
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At his death he was succeeded by his son, John C. Holmes, with other partners, under the style of John C. Holmes & Co.
Samuel Holmes lived about two years in the house directly opposite the tavern on the north side of the square, and then in 1824 purchased of Samuel Stickney the two-story brick house and lot formerly owned by Isaac Fisher, on the second bend above the factory, opposite the house of Don Lowell (G. W. Porter place), and this house (Daniel Rice place) was purchased by Daniel Adams. Enos Holmes lived for some years in a new one-story house, built upon the same lot of land, and John Holmes built a new house (now owned by Harry B. Holmes) on the opposite side of the road.
After the death of John C. Holmes in 1884, the cotton manu- facturing business was managed by A. M. Allbe, acting as agent for the heirs of Artemas L. Holmes, who had an interest in the business, until .March 8, 1886, when their interest was bought by Wilson S. Lovell, and the business was continued by Henry B. Holmes and Wilson S. Lovell, under the firm name of John C. Holmes & Co. In September, 1892, a stock company was formed under the corporate name of the John C. Holmes Company, with an authorized capital of $50,000.
THE PARKS & WOOLSON MACHINE COMPANY.
Of the various manufacturing establishments in Springfield, the oldest and one of the most successful is what is now called the Parks & Woolson Machine Company. It was commenced in 1829 by John Davidson and Frederick Parks for the manufacture of shearing and other cloth-finishing machinery, and the business was carried on by them seventeen years, under the firm name of Davidson & Parks.
In 1846 Amasa Woolson was admitted as a partner, and the firm was then Davidson, Parks & Woolson for three years, until the death of Mr. Davidson in March, 1850, when it became Parks & Woolson, and so continued for twenty-four years, until 1874, when it was changed to a stock company under its present name. Its officers were, A. Woolson, president; Adna Brown, general superintendent ; C. E. Richardson, secretary and treasurer.
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During the first seventeen years, until 1846, Mr. Davidson was the principal business manager and inventor, Mr. Parks skilfully superintending the manufacture of the machines. Mr. Davidson had resided in Acworth, N. H., for many years, engaged in cabinet and other mechanical business, and while there he in- vented and was granted a patent on a rotary churn, which had a large sale. But his principal invention was his " vibrating shear- ing machine," with two straight blades, one vibrating and the other stationary. This machine had a capacity for shearing to a finish about forty yards per day, and was ahead of any other then in use.
But not having water power in Acworth, he came to Spring- field in 1829, and very soon made a radical change from a vibrat- ing to a revolving blade on his shearing machines, using first six, then twelve, then eighteen, and finally twenty-two cutters in these revolving blades, which increased their capacity for shearing (to a finish) to about twelve hundred yards per day. At that time this was the best and fastest shearing machine known, consequently it soon came into general use by the principal woollen manufacturers. He was granted a patent on it in 1836 signed by Andrew Jackson, President, and was awarded a gold medal with the highest premium on its exhibition at the Me- chanics Fair in Boston in 1839.
Mr. Woolson, for twenty-one years previous to his becoming a. partner (from the age of fourteen to thirty-five), had been engaged in manufacturing and finishing woollen cloths, and in inventing and making machinery. This long practical experience in using cloth-finishing machinery had suggested to him many needed improvements, and prepared him to give a progressive impetus to the already well-established business.
His first improvement was in the manner of saving the lists on the cloth while shearing. This was a very important improve- ment, and soon led to other and more valuable inventions, and finally he perfected his unrivalled "thirty-edged perpetual shearing machine, with self-operating list guards," which is capable of shearing (to a finish) from three to four thousand yards per day, or more than twice as much as the Davidson machine or any other
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shear in the world, and does the work in a better manner and with less cost to operate it.
For these machines, and for many improvements on other machinery, Mr. Woolson has taken out eight different patents, and been awarded seven premiums of gold, silver, and ยท bronze medals, at fairs in Boston, New York, and at the World's Fair at Philadelphia.
By reason of these and other inventions by himself and Mr. Brown, and by the vigilant personal oversight of the business by the proprietors, the annual amount of sales has largely increased, and is now from five to ten times more than it was previous to 1847.
The company has, during these fifty-nine years since its estab- lishment, given constant employment to a good number of skilled workmen, to whose faithfulness in producing perfect work much of the permanent prosperity of the concern is due. The proprie- tors have ever made it a point to retain such men as proved them- selves to be of good habits, faithful, and competent, and pay them satisfactory wages.
The names of many such have long been identified with the con- cern. Messrs. Messer, Slack, Brown, Loveland, Cutler, Wyman, and others are among those who have been in the company's service the longest, some of them over forty years. By this means the company has had a permanent and desirable set of men with " no strikes," who, with the proprietors, have contributed largely to the material, moral, religious, and educational prosperity of the town. Mr. Woolson retired from active business in the company in 1879, on account of failing health, caused by too long and close application in making and patenting improvements to secure busi- ness to the company.
Mr. Brown and Mr. Richardson are now the managers ; and Mr. Brown's long experience as superintendent, coupled with his great energy and inventive genius, and Mr. Richardson's efficient man- agement of office work, together with the protection of the Wool- son and Brown patents, still insure the prosperity of the business.
Mr. Brown developed a talent for making improvements, and from time to time brought out minor changes in the machines, as
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well as some that were important and valuable, having taken out some eight patents. Through his efforts the business has been largely increased by inventing and adding new machines. In 1879 Messrs. Brown, Richardson, and Bates bought Mr. Woolson's interest in the company, and since that date the business has been managed by Brown and Richardson ; Mr. Brown acting as presi- dent and general manager, and Mr. Richardson as treasurer.
John A. Slack has worked for the company forty-eight years. He is a man of integrity of character, a valuable citizen, and has always been noted for his superior workmanship. Although he has added five years to his threescore and ten, it will trouble the boys to get ahead of him on fine work.
James P. Way, Mr. Slack's son-in-law, has been with the com- pany thirty years, and is among the best as a fine mechanic.
John D. Cutler, who has charge of the woodwork, has worked for the firm about the same time.
H. F. Wyman, who has always been on blade work, has also been with the company about thirty years.
Maxim Lafountaine, the superintendent, has fine mechanical ability, and has been with the company many years.
HAME BUSINESS.
Asahel Burr began making hames in his blacksmith shop in Hardscrabble about 1834, and afterward his son, Henry C. Burr, was in company with him, the firm being Asahel & H. C. Burr. Joseph Smith also made hames on the hill, above the present foundry, about this time, and Isaac Briggs Smith also worked with him. H. C. Burr and I. B. Smith formed a partnership under the name of Smith & Burr, for the manufacture of hames, they hav- ing invented an improved kind and received a patent. Later David M. Smith went into the company, which was then Smith, Burr & Co. In 1872 the Vermont Hame Company was organized, and carried on business about three years in the shop near the lower bridge.
With the breaking up of this company the manufacture of hames ceased in this town. Henry C. Burr received a patent for an improvement on the original, which he sold to parties in An- dover, N. H.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
GILMAN & SON.
The business of Gilman & Son, machinists, was established by Mr. F. B. Gilman in 1854, on the spot where their shop now stands, he having bought the premises of Ira and Isaac G. Davis. Mr. Gilman had worked for Davidson & Parks and other machin- ists, and in 1855 he began building lathes of the Blanchard patent for turning shoe lasts. He carried on the business alone until 1861, when F. V. A. Townshend became a partner, and the firm was Gilman & Townshend, which continued until April, 1892, when Mr. Townshend retired from the business, and W. F. Gilman was admitted to the firm, the name being Gilman & Son.
In 1869 a large and commodious building with modern im- provements was erected upon the site of the old shop. Mr. Gil- man has made many improvements in the machines, and has designed several different styles of lathes which are patented. They now manufacture the improved reverse last lathes, hat-block, boot-tree, and other lathes for turning irregular forms. Hundreds of these lathes are now used in various parts of the United States and in England, France, and Germany, and they are believed to be the leading machines in use for this work. Sixteen men are employed, and they have not been compelled to reduce the num- ber or shorten the time of labor for want of orders.
THE VERMONT NOVELTY WORKS COMPANY.
In 1856 Joel A. H. Ellis formed a partnership with D. M. Smith, Hamlin Whitmore, H. H. Mason, and Albert Brown to engage in the manufacture of a patent farm basket in the brick shop then standing just above the lower bridge (the Williams factory). The enterprise not proving successful, the manufacture of baskets was abandoned to give place to that of children's cabs, invented by Mr. Ellis. The cost of manufacturing these cabs was more than was estimated, and like most new things they sold slowly, and the partners of Mr. Ellis wished to go out of the busi- ness. About this time Mr. Ellis made and sold the first toy carts ever offered in the markets, and these were followed by the toy doll carriage, which met with a ready sale from the first. Mr. Ellis in 1858 formed a company with R. G. Britton and Ellis M.
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Eaton as partners, for the manufacture of these articles under the firm name of Ellis, Britton & Eaton, and hired the shop, machin- ery, and tools of the old firm. At this time the capital of the company did not exceed one thousand dollars, but in less than a year they bought the tools, stock, and machinery and leased the shop for five years, with the privilege of putting in additional water wheels and adding more buildings. Before the end of the five years the business had completely outgrown the workshops and the additions made, and in 1863 the company bought the peg shop property of George Kimball, and the water privilege below the falls of David Brown, and built extensive shops on the flat below the woollen mill.
From this time until 1869 the business grew rapidly, and many new articles were added to the line of goods, among them violin and guitar cases, said to be the first ever made for sale in the United States. There were about one hundred and twenty-five hands employed, and the business amounted to over $100,000 per year. During this time the company paid to the United States government taxes on goods sold to the amount of $22,500.
In the great flood of 1869 the factory, machinery, and stock were all swept away, with a loss of $40,000. The shops were re- built the following year, and a stock company formed with the name of Vermont Novelty Works Company. William A. A. Heyer of Boston was made president; Albert Brown, secretary ; and J. A. H. Ellis, treasurer. These shops were burned in 1878, entailing another heavy loss upon the company, but they were again rebuilt, the capital stock being largely reduced. Mr. Brit- ton retired from the firm in 1887. The present buildings are six in number. The officers of the corporation are A. M. Allbe, president; N. W. Andrews, secretary ; Ellis M. Eaton, superin- tendent and treasurer.
THE HENRY PARKER COMPANY.
The Henry Parker Company is located at Gould's Mills, three miles south of Springfield Village on Black River. This site was formerly known as Morris's Mills, and a sawmill was built here very early in the history of the town, probably about 1774. At
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